What exactly is RESEA on PA CareerLink? Anyone gone through this mandatory program?

RESEA stands for Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessment. It's legitimate and mandatory if you've been selected. Basically PA UC randomly selects claimants who they believe would benefit from additional job search assistance. You'll need to schedule and attend an in-person meeting at your local PA CareerLink office where they'll review your eligibility, help with your resume, and create an individualized reemployment plan. It's not a scam, but you DO need to complete it or your benefits could be suspended.

yep got this last month, its just another hoop to jump thru. make sure u dont miss the appt tho, my neighbor skipped his and they froze his payments for 3 weeks!

I completed RESEA back in January. The appointment itself took about 90 minutes. They'll review your job search efforts, help you customize your resume for positions available in your area, and provide some other services. The most important thing is to bring documentation of all your work search activities since you started claiming benefits. They will check these very thoroughly! Also bring your resume if you have one, and be prepared to answer questions about what types of jobs you're applying for and any barriers to employment you might have.

I JUST went through this whole RESEA thing last week and it was actually pretty helpful. The career counselor I got paired with found some jobs in my field I hadn't seen before. The most annoying part was trying to schedule the appointment - the CareerLink phone lines were constantly busy and the online scheduler kept having errors. I finally got through using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to reach someone at CareerLink after trying for days on my own. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2. The RESEA appointment itself was only about an hour and a half, and they gave me a certificate at the end that I had to upload to my UC portal to prove I completed it.

RSEA is a total waste of time designed to make collecting UC more difficult!!! I had to do it last month and drove 45 minutes to my appointment only to sit there while some 22 year old "career counselor" who's never even worked in my industry tried to tell ME how to find a job. I've been working for 27 years! Then they told me I had to apply to at least 2 jobs RIGHT THERE during the appointment even though none were relevant to my field. Complete JOKE but you gotta do it or they'll cut off your benefits.

Just wondering - did anyone get a letter in the mail about RESEA or was it only email? I'm paranoid I might have missed something important...

its not that bad honestly. bring ur work search records!!!! thats the most important thing. and dont be late they will report u to UC if ur late or miss it

My wife had to do this in March. She was really stressed about it beforehand but said it was actually helpful. They showed her how to use some job search tools she didn't know about. The career counselor also told her about some short training programs that UC would pay for that could help her get a better job. The whole thing took about 2 hours. She had to go back for a follow-up a few weeks later too, so be prepared for that.

I went through RESEA about 6 months ago and wanted to share a few tips that might help. First, definitely schedule your appointment as soon as possible - some CareerLink offices are booking out 2-3 weeks. Second, they really do check your work search activities carefully, so make sure you have detailed records with company names, dates, and how you applied (online, in person, etc.). Third, bring multiple copies of your resume because they'll want to review it and possibly give you copies to take with you. The whole process was actually more supportive than I expected - my counselor helped me identify some skills I hadn't thought to highlight and gave me contacts for a few local employers. Just treat it like any other professional appointment and you'll be fine!

I just completed RESEA two weeks ago and wanted to add a few things that might help ease your nerves. The staff at my CareerLink office were actually really understanding and patient - they know people are stressed about potentially losing benefits. They don't expect you to be perfect, just to show that you're making a genuine effort to find work. One thing that surprised me was that they also asked about any barriers I might have to employment (like transportation, childcare, etc.) and actually had resources to help with some of those issues. The whole experience was way less intimidating than I built it up to be in my head. Just be honest about your job search efforts and come prepared with your records. You've got this!

I went through RESEA about 3 months ago and can definitely relate to your nervousness! I was also worried about messing something up on the portal. Here's what helped me prepare: I printed out all my work search records from the past 8 weeks (dates, company names, positions applied for, method of application), brought 3 copies of my updated resume, and arrived 15 minutes early. The appointment was about 75 minutes total. My counselor was actually really knowledgeable and helped me realize I was underselling myself in applications. They also showed me how to set up job alerts on PA CareerLink that actually matched my skills better. Don't stress too much - as long as you show up prepared and on time, you'll be fine. The certificate upload at the end is straightforward too. Good luck!

I went through RESEA about 4 months ago and completely understand your anxiety about it! I was in the exact same boat - got the notification and immediately started panicking about what it involved. Here's what I wish someone had told me beforehand: it's actually designed to help you, not trip you up. The appointment lasted about 90 minutes for me. My counselor reviewed my work search activities (bring printed records!), helped me polish my resume, and introduced me to some job search tools on PA CareerLink I didn't even know existed. The most valuable part was when she helped me identify transferable skills I hadn't been highlighting in my applications. Yes, it's mandatory and yes, you absolutely have to complete it to keep your benefits, but honestly it ended up being more helpful than I expected. Just schedule it ASAP since some offices book out pretty far, bring your work search documentation, and don't overthink it. You'll get a completion certificate at the end that you upload to your UC portal. The whole process is much more straightforward than the confusing UC system makes it seem!

I just completed my RESEA appointment last week and wanted to share my experience since I was in your exact same situation a month ago - totally confused and nervous about what it would involve! The appointment took about an hour and 15 minutes at my local CareerLink office. My counselor was actually really professional and helpful. She reviewed my work search log (definitely bring printed copies of everything!), helped me tweak my resume to better match local job openings, and walked me through some features on the PA CareerLink website I had no idea existed. The part that surprised me most was that she actually had specific job leads in my field and gave me contact information for a couple of local employers who were actively hiring. At the end, they give you a completion certificate that you have to upload to your UC dashboard within a few days. Overall, it was way less scary than I built it up to be in my head. Just make sure you don't miss your appointment - they're really strict about that. Good luck!

I just went through RESEA last month and wanted to add my perspective since I see you got some really helpful responses already! One thing I wish I had known beforehand is that they actually want to see evidence of your job search efforts beyond just the basic work search log. I brought screenshots of job applications I submitted, emails from employers, and even rejection letters I received - my counselor was really impressed with how organized I was and it made the whole review process go much smoother. The appointment was about 80 minutes for me, and honestly the time flew by because we were actively working on improving my job search strategy rather than just going through paperwork. They also signed me up for some free workshops on interviewing skills and using LinkedIn effectively. My biggest tip: treat it like you're meeting with a career coach who genuinely wants to help you succeed, because that's essentially what it is. The whole "mandatory" framing makes it sound punitive, but it's really just Pennsylvania's way of providing extra support to people who've been unemployed for a while. You'll do great!

I went through RESEA about 2 months ago and can totally understand your nervousness! I was in the exact same position - got that email notification and immediately started panicking about what I'd gotten myself into. Here's what actually happened: the appointment was scheduled for 2 hours but only took about 90 minutes. My counselor was genuinely helpful and spent time reviewing my resume, showing me job search features on PA CareerLink I didn't know existed, and even helped me practice answering common interview questions. The key things to bring: detailed work search records (I printed everything out just to be safe), multiple copies of your resume, and any documentation of job applications or employer contacts. They do check your work search activities pretty thoroughly, but they're looking for genuine effort, not perfection. At the end you get a completion certificate that you upload to your UC portal - super straightforward. The whole thing was way less intimidating than I expected and actually gave me some useful job search strategies. Just don't miss your appointment because they're really strict about that affecting your benefits. You've got this!

I went through RESEA about 6 weeks ago and totally get why you're nervous about it! The whole PA UC system is so confusing and they really don't explain things well upfront. My appointment ended up being really straightforward though - about an hour and a half total. The counselor reviewed my work search activities (definitely bring printed records with dates, company names, and how you applied), helped update my resume, and showed me some job search tools I hadn't been using. What really surprised me was that she had actual job leads in my field and connected me with two local employers who were hiring. The most important thing is just don't miss your appointment - they're super strict about that affecting your benefits. But honestly, once you get there it's way less scary than it seems. They genuinely want to help you find work, not just check boxes. Just schedule it ASAP since some offices are booking out pretty far. You'll get a completion certificate at the end that you upload to your UC dashboard. Good luck - you'll do fine!

I completed RESEA about 3 weeks ago and wanted to share my experience to hopefully ease some of your anxiety! Like you, I was really nervous about it - especially after having issues with the UC portal before. The appointment lasted about 1 hour and 45 minutes at my local CareerLink office. My counselor was actually really knowledgeable and patient. She reviewed my work search log thoroughly (definitely bring printed copies with company names, dates, positions, and application methods), helped me refine my resume for better ATS compatibility, and showed me some advanced search filters on PA CareerLink that I never knew existed. The most valuable part was when she helped me identify some skills from my previous job that I wasn't highlighting properly in applications. She also gave me contact info for a recruiter in my field and told me about some upcoming job fairs. At the end, you get a completion certificate that you need to upload to your UC dashboard within 5 business days - don't forget this step! The whole thing was way more helpful than I expected. Just make sure you're on time (I arrived 10 minutes early) and bring all your documentation. You've got this!

I just went through RESEA about 3 weeks ago and can totally relate to your anxiety about it! I was in the same boat - got that notification and immediately started worrying about what I might mess up. Here's what actually happened: the appointment was scheduled for 2 hours but only took about 80 minutes. My counselor was really professional and understanding - she knew people are stressed about potentially affecting their benefits. We went through my work search records (definitely print everything out with company names, dates, and how you applied), she helped me improve my resume formatting, and showed me some job matching tools on PA CareerLink that I had completely missed. The most helpful part was when she pointed out some local employers in my field that were actively hiring and gave me tips on how to tailor my applications for their specific requirements. At the end you get a completion certificate to upload to your UC portal - just make sure to do it within a few days. The whole experience was way less intimidating than I built it up to be. Just schedule it soon since appointments can book out, bring your documentation, and don't overthink it. You'll be fine!

I went through RESEA about a month ago and completely understand your nervousness! I had the exact same concerns after reading horror stories online. Here's what actually happened: my appointment was at the Allentown CareerLink office and took exactly 90 minutes. The counselor was really professional and started by explaining that RESEA is designed to help, not penalize people. She thoroughly reviewed my work search records (bring printed copies with company names, dates, positions applied for, and application method - this is crucial!), helped me optimize my resume keywords for online applications, and showed me how to set up customized job alerts on PA CareerLink. The most valuable part was when she identified some local employers I hadn't considered and explained how to research company culture before applying. She also mentioned that some people get selected for a follow-up appointment in 6-8 weeks, but not everyone. At the end, you get a completion certificate that you must upload to your UC dashboard within 5 business days - set a phone reminder for this! The whole experience was actually helpful and way less intimidating than I expected. Just schedule ASAP since appointments book out 2-3 weeks, arrive 10 minutes early, and bring all your documentation. You've got this!

I went through RESEA about 2 months ago and totally understand your anxiety! I was selected randomly after about 6 weeks of claiming benefits. The whole process was actually much more helpful than I expected. My appointment at the Pittsburgh CareerLink office lasted about 1 hour and 20 minutes. The counselor was really knowledgeable and patient - she reviewed my work search activities in detail (definitely bring printed records with company names, dates, and application methods), helped me revamp my resume to better highlight transferable skills, and showed me advanced search features on PA CareerLink I never knew existed. She also connected me with a local networking group in my industry. The most important things: don't miss your appointment (they're very strict about this affecting benefits), bring all documentation organized and printed, and arrive a few minutes early. At the end you get a completion certificate to upload to your UC dashboard within 5 business days. The whole experience actually boosted my confidence and gave me some concrete new job search strategies. Schedule as soon as you can since appointments book out 2-3 weeks. You'll do great!