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August 2018
Career Guide
Kankakee Valley Publishing
Start off right with writing the right resume
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By WENDY DAVIS wdavis@intranix.com resume is one’s introduction to a future employer. It’s what makes or breaks getting another chance to explain one’s self and one’s qualifications, what makes one think he or she will fit well in the prospective job. Ruby Ayala, branch manager of ResourceMFG, said employers take resumes very seriously. Resumes should relate to the position wanted, she said. “If someone is applying for an HR position and all the employer sees is clerical work, there’s an automatic HS reaction.” Today, the trend in resumes is bullet point resumes. “The cleaner the better, the easier to read.” She said this is easier for the associate to put together, too. The higher skilled positions often have more detailed resumes, but entry level ones can be less elaborate. There are other types of resumes: chronological, functional, or
combination. Those looking for employment want to make their resume stand out to employers, but making one too “colorful” could work against them. Use style features such as italics, under-
lining, and bold to a minimum, using them to make a resume “pop” on the page. Be consistent in one’s style choice. Use resume keywords to match one’s qualifications to the job. Sometimes there are skills and experiences employers are
looking for which pertain directly to the positions offered. These descriptions can be a little “jazzed up,” using descriptive words to tweak the point to make it a little more impressive. Make sure everything is edited. Check for grammar and spelling errors, or inconsistencies. Use an outside source, or even a family member, to get a second set of eyes on it. There are resume templates available and there’s help available in writing a resume. ResourceMFG offers classes to associates through Penn Foster to better put together a resume, Ayala said. Sometimes associates are looking for a change in careers. If one doesn’t have the experience asked for in the job, one should detail that information in the first few sentences of the introduction in the resume, Ayala said. “If an associate doesn’t have experience, but they do have some schooling, it needs to be explained to the employer.” This works in several job areas, but not all, she said.
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Work Here For The Best Of Your Life Oak Grove Christian Retirement Village is a CCRC, a “continuing care retirement community”, specializing in In-Patient and Out-Patient rehabilitation services within our Short-Term Rehabilitation Suites. Also offering Certified Assisted Living and Independent Living Apartments and LongTerm Skilled Nursing care.
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Truly make a difference in someones life and work together as part of the Oak Grove Family Team. Start a career with us. Complete a career with us. Advance a career with us. 219-987-7005 Please send inquiries to: oghr1@oakgrovecrv.org
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Kankakee Valley Publishing
Career Guide
August 2018
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Northwest Indiana region adult education programs receive recognition for high performance A
$1,000 SIGN-0N BONUS!
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ccording to the American Community Survey in 2016, 82,413 individuals in Northwest Indiana 18 years of age and older do not have a high school diploma. Northwest Indiana region adult education programs have stepped up to the challenge to help more individuals attain their High School Equivalency diploma by offering free HSE preparation classes. Over the last year, area adult education programs have had more than 60 percent achieve HSE and/ or significant increases in academic performance. The Indiana Department
of Workforce Development’s Assistant Director of Adult Education Policy and Programs, Jerry Haffner, Adult Education Coordinator and Professional Development Lead Dan DeVers, and Adult Education Coordinator for Region 1 & 2 Jose Torres, made a visit to the northwest Indiana region Aug.14 to recognize region adult education programs for their high performance over the last year. “We came here to say thank you for the great performance and work they’ve done in Region 1 over the past year. It was
a great visit here,” said Haffner. Adult education programs receiving recognition were Michigan City Area Schools, Neighbors’ Educational Opportunities (NEO), School City of Hammond, and Center of Workforce Innovations (CWI). In addition to free HSE preparation, area adult education programs offer free Adult Basic Education (ABE), integrated education, and English Language Learning. For further information, contact Kitty Meyer at 219-462-2940, ext. 44 or kmeyer@cwicorp.com.
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August 2018
Career Guide
Kankakee Valley Publishing
Fast Path offers convenience in Iroquois County
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By CARLA WATERS cwaters@intranix.com ankakee Community College, at its South Extension campus in Watseka, Ill., has committed to two cohorts, at least, for its Fast Path program. Twelve students started in the program this fall and will be able to complete their two-year degrees in Watseka. For some students in rural areas, that can make a big difference. The students will work together and are under the direction of professor Rexann McKinley, who will guide them through their studies for the next two years. This is the first time a student will be able to take all classes necessary for a two-year degree in Watseka. Generally students have to take some classes at the main campus in Kankakee, Ill. The inaugural program has 12 students and the group met with
The program uses a schedule of two classes at a time, two days a week for students to earn an Associate in Arts transfer degree in two years.
McKinley and other dignitaries from the college in mid-August to get acquainted. The program, according to information provided, uses a schedule of two classes at a time, two days a week for students to earn an Associate in Arts transfer degree in two years. The classes change
every eight weeks. Students are in class for three hours a day on those two days. McKinley said she is proud to be part of the program. “As a longtime Iroquois County resident, this SEC two-year degree program is a phenomenal opportunity for the area students. After
QUARTERLY BONUS CONTINUOUS TRAINING
nearly two years of planning, it’s a welcome sight to finally have students learning in the Fast Path classroom as we did today.” She spoke to the students about what an education can mean for them. She related stories of her own and told them she knows what they are going through. She said a college degree can provide security by giving them an opportunity to earn more money; community and giving them a group of people to work with and learn with as they go through the program. Dr. Sheldon Walcher is the dean of humanities and social scions at KCC. He was present at the inaugural meeting of the group and talked about how the program has been defined to meet the needs of students in the Iroquois County area. “The idea started with Watseka. The question was how do we provide classes so students
can complete a full degree at this campus,” he said. Sometimes there weren’t enough students, he said, to make all the classes work. “We would try a class and sometimes it wouldn’t have enough students, so we’d have to cancel. It was difficult to come up with a schedule and a cohort of students who can go through a program together.” He said several people worked on the idea to give the students a fully planned out degree that could be taught here. “We assembled a team, about 15 of us, that met fairly regularly to try to come up with this program. Fast Path was the result of that — a guided set of four courses, selective classes. We offer many classes at KCC but we hand-chose some classes to be part of this program to make sure the students would have them available.”
Kankakee Valley Publishing
Career Guide
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August 2018
Career Guide
Kankakee Valley Publishing
Tips to impress during job interviews
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By JORDAN CROOK chronreporter@frontier.com job interview is a potential employee’s first chance to make a good impression with their prospective employers, which means it’s vital to put one’s best foot forward during these interviews. Express Employment Professionals offers some suggestions for job seeks to use during job interviews. Express recommends job seekers differentiate between hard and soft skills. Hard skills such as typing speed or experience with a specific software are different from soft skills, which deal more with working as part of a team and dealing with the idiosyncrasies of others in the work place. “Soft skills are important because you must have them to succeed,” Caleb Yen, marketing specialist for Express Employment Professionals
said. “Hard skills can get you in the door, but they’re just a baseline—soft skills are what allow you to move up the ladder by collaborating with others.” Soft skills also include communication skills, working as part of a team, a strong work ethic, a willingness to be flexible and adapt to new situations and having a positive attitude. Being able to demonstrate these soft skills along with one’s own hard skills will be helpful in any job interview. Another consideration for job seekers during interview is deciding what to share and what to leave out of their conversation with potential employers. Yen recommends that job seekers, when pressed about why they may have left a previous position, consider their answer carefully and take the
recommendation of job recruiters. One job recruiter recommends that job seekers avoid allowing negative emotions about previous job experiences to come out during an interview as this can be considered unprofessional. Keeping that in mind, job recruiters say it’s also important to remain honest during interviews and to frame answers so that they are professional but honest. Most importantly, remain positive throughout the interview process. Yen recommends focusing on the positives from previous job experiences and discuss what parts of the job enabled you to grow as a person and as a professional. He said it’s also important to show a passion for the work so potential employers can see what kind of work ethic a potential employee is going to bring to the position.
NOW HIRING Industrial Pallet Corp., a division of American Fibertech Corporation, is looking for
GENERAL LABORERS
LOOKING FOR A CHANGE? The state’s largest pallet manufacturer is continuing to grow and looking for people with great Attitudes. We offer good starting pay with excellent benefits including: health/dental insurance, paid vacation, paid holidays and great bonus potential!!! Apply in person at Industrial Pallet Corp., a division of American Fibertech Corp., at 4 N. New York St., Remington, IN or online at weareipc.com Industrial Pallet Corp. is an equal opportunity employer.
Kankakee Valley Publishing
Career Guide
August 2018
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Workforce committee formed for Jasper/Newton counties
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By CHERI SHELHART kvpreporter@gmail.com new workforce committee has been formed by the Economic Development directors in both Jasper and Newton counties to look at what needs to happen for the workforce and to create a long-term plan to set employers and employees up for success. “We want to brainstorm to fix the ‘brain drain’ with assistance from the Center for Workforce Innovation,” said Stephen Eastridge, executive director at Jasper County Economic Development Organization, known as JCEDO for short. Unemployment sits at about 4 percent in Jasper County and there are companies searching for people with the right work ethic for their needs. Eastridge said they are
looking for people with soft skills — show up, be on time and have good hygiene. More and more, he said, employers are looking for people with a strong work ethic, and they will take that person and train him/her for the job. Almost all employers have entry-level positions that don’t require a college degree or technical certificate, and there are positions open for those with bachelor’s and associate degrees. Eastridge said everyone needs marketing, accounting and managing, and these are the jobs that take a bachelor’s degree. “But there’s also entry-level positions where you can show up and they will teach you the skills you need,” he said. Forty-two percent of the county’s population have a high school diploma, 9
Jasper County stats
42% have a high school diploma. 9% have a bachelor’s degree. 8% have an associate degree. Statistics provided by Jasper Countty Economic Development Organization
percent have a bachelor’s degree and nearly 8 percent have an associate degree. The majority of the jobs in Jasper County don’t require a bachelor’s degree. “I think that’s especially important the way our economy is growing,” he said. Eastridge said people are looking for the right place to live and raise a family, then they look at job opportunities in that area rather than finding a job, then looking for a place to live.
GROW WITH US
“We want to create a quality of life people can live with,” he said. As the large population of “Baby Boomers” are starting to retire and leave the workforce, jobs are opening up for younger people to fill those positions. The committee wants to look at ways the two counties can be forward thinking in preparing the next generations for jobs close to home. “As a community, we need to be more realistic that college isn’t always the end goal. That is changing in our schools now, so we need to set kids up for different career pathways,” Eastridge said. “We need to start being better. People say, ‘There’s a good manufacturing job here, but not for my kid,’ but it is. We need to make sure that not just parents, but students know that there are good pay-
ing jobs right down the road, and it’s not the manufacturing of old. It’s clean, it’s well lit, it’s science- and technologydriven, and it’s something that you can raise a family on, and I think if we change and pivot from that message as a community across the board, I think that’s the first big step in the brain drain,” he added. “There’s plenty of good things happening here. We have to stop thinking our kids have to move away to have a decent living. It’s a region thing, even a Midwest thing. But as these people age, they eventually move back.” As for commuting to jobs, Eastridge said with Advanced Auto in the south, there are people from outside the county who commute to work here, and in the northern portion, people commute to Lake and Porter counties, and even Chicago. “I don’t think that’s a bad thing,” he said. “That can be a strength of ours. We don’t have to employ every single person who lives in the county.” That is why Eastridge said he has partnered with Newton County because they share a workforce. The labor force moves across the counties.
The committee is set up to discuss what needs to happen with the local workforce. They want to discover the immediate need of employers and how they can help that. Another is to address the brain drain and how to stop kids who could be great welders from going to college and not succeeding there. “The idea is to bring the educators, the employers and community stakeholders, like the community foundation, bring everyone in the room and start brainstorming on how to fix that,” Eastridge said. He said they want to be innovative in how two rural counties can work together to bring a good workforce to employers. So far there are about 25 people on the committee, which met for the first time in August and plan to meet again in October. The schools in both Jasper and Newton are participating as well. Employers including industry, the dairies, Rose Acre farms, are coming together to talk about the present and future needs in the job market. Eastridge believes when this group gets together, the answers will come.
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August 2018
Career Guide
Kankakee Valley Publishing