plus 1, Community Career Connection fair aims to connect jobs, workers - LJWORLD

Community Career Connection fair aims to connect jobs, workers - LJWORLD

Posted: 27 Sep 2010 06:43 AM PDT

Exhibitors scheduled to participate in the Community Career Connection, set for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday at Pinnacle Career Institute, 1601 W. 23rd St., Suite 600: Adecco, Aerotek, Amarr Garage Doors, Assistive Technology-Kansas, Baker University and Body Boutique.

Also: Berry Plastics, Capitol Federal, City of Lawrence, Community Living Opportunities, Crown Securities, Del Monte, Douglas County Bank, Douglas County VNA, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Express Employment Professionals, Fed Ex Ground and Golf Course Superintendents Association of America.

Also: Haase and Long, Kansas University, Lawrence Memorial Hospital, Lawrence Montessori, Lawrence Workforce Center, Manpower, Massage Envy, Prescription Solutions, Roger Hill Volunteer Center, Schlumberger, Sedona Staffing, Trinity In-Home Care, United Way of Douglas County, Vista, The World Company and Zen Massage.

Upcoming Event

When: Friday, October 1, 2010, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: Pinnacle Career Institute, 1601 W. 23rd St., Suite 200, Lawrence, KS,
More on this event....

The Great Recession may officially be over, but organizers of the upcoming Community Career Connection know plenty of people still need help locating jobs, compiling job applications and otherwise preparing to secure jobs in the days, weeks and months ahead.

Job one: Get started, or keep pursuing, the right way.

"It's all about connections," said Marlo Cohen, a management analyst in human relations for the city of Lawrence. "It's about connecting with local employers. It's about connecting with some of the local educational institutions, and finding out what employers there are, what jobs are out there. And it's about finding out, 'What do I need to do to become a qualified candidate' for these jobs."

All that and more will be available to attendees at Community Career Connection, set for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday at Pinnacle Career Institute, 1601 W. 23rd St., Suite 600. The institute is in the building south of Perkins Restaurant, off 23rd Street.

At least 35 businesses and organizations are scheduled to participate as exhibitors. Representatives will be available to discuss current and potential future job opportunities, or to share resources to help attendees in their job searches.

The event also will include workshops with experts in hiring, human resources and related fields, covering topics such as:

• How to network.

• How to prepare for and succeed in a job interview.

• How to conduct and optimize efforts in online job searches.

• How to address workplace challenges such as dealing with conflicts or disclosing a past problem — such as being fired or convicted of a crime — to a potential employer.

Attendees will be able to use the computer lab at Pinnacle Career Institute to fill out applications for employment with some of the exhibitors at Friday's event.

"And we'll have rooms separated, with more space, this time for conducting mock interviews and résumé reviews," said Cohen, co-chairwoman of the event.

Lori MacDonald, director of operations for Adecco in Lawrence and co-chairwoman for the event, noted that Trinity In-Home Care would provide complimentary child care services for people in attendance. No appointments are needed, and Trinity personnel will watch youngsters from 12 months to 12 years old while their parents make the rounds.

"We are targeting the unemployed or underemployed," MacDonald said. "However, our event is open to everyone."

Sponsors for the event are the Jayhawk Chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management, Lawrence Chamber of Commerce, Lawrence Workforce Center, Pinnacle Career Institute, Trinity In-Home Care and the Lawrence school district.

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College freshmen starting early on their job searches - News-Leader.com

Posted: 14 Sep 2010 01:15 AM PDT

Philadelphia -- As college freshmen nationwide continue exploring their campuses -- finding dining halls, laundry rooms, bookstores and gyms -- officials at many schools say the newbies are increasingly finding their way to career centers.

Once considered the place for panicked seniors to look for jobs ahead of graduation, college career offices are reporting dramatic hikes in use by first-year students looking for the earliest possible jump on the employment market.

"College is expensive and difficult ... probably the largest single investment that our students will ever make," said John Kniering, career services director at the University of Hartford. "It seems natural that freshman year is not too early to start."

Hartford has seen a 37 percent increase in freshman career counseling appointments since 2006, Kniering said.

Freshmen who are concerned by the nation's 9.6 percent unemployment rate and the prospect of repaying college loans don't want to squander tuition money on irrelevant coursework.

The so-called Millennial cohort is also filled with go-getters, said Nancy Dudak, director of the career center at Villanova University near Philadelphia.

"This generation of college students is used to being busy and having it all," Dudak said. "They had really packed careers in high school. They just look to continue that intensity when they come to college."

Career centers are also making a concerted effort to target first-years to ensure more relevant guidance and increase student retention. Duke University has seen a 33 percent increase over previous years in freshmen attendance at career center programs, due in part to outreach, said spokesman Chris Heltne.

Outreach is "a matter of self-defense" for career counselors, Kniering said.

Knowing students' skills and passions is important in an age where some professions can appear -- think social media consultant -- or disappear -- think of the financial collapse -- in the course of a college career. Encouraging early internships and coursework can help students find the right path without requiring extra classes and tuition money.

"If we see them on the cusp of graduation, often it's too late to make a significant difference," Kniering said.