Career Fair Fall 2015

THE REPUBLIC’S FALL CAREER FAIR WHEN: Monday, September 21

WHERE: Clarion Hotel (I-65 & Jonathan Moore Pike) TIME: Noon-5pm for the public COST: Free to job seekers!

Brought to you by The Republic Classifieds.

Looking for a great career opportunity?

Apply to join the Clarion Team!

The Republic Career Fair Partners with Clarion Hotel

Monday, September 21st Noon-5pm Job Fair is free to job seekers.

Our hotel offers lots of

If you have great communication skills, a strong work ethic and the desire to grow professionally, come visit our booth at the career fair!

opportunity, whether you are looking for a job, or a place to stay in town!

We have formal banquet rooms, top-notch guest rooms and take pride in our customer-servicefocused workforce.

We look forward to seeing you there! If you are unable to attend the event, please email your resume to: NValentine@imd1.com

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www.clarionhotel.com 2 Career Fair 2015

EOE

LOOKING FOR A NEW CAREER? Join us at The Republic’s

FALL CAREER FAIR 2015 Monday, September 21st

The Clarion Hotel | Columbus | Noon-5PM 2480 W Jonathan Moore Pike, Columbus, IN 47201 (Near I-65) On Monday, September 21st, The Republic will be hosting our annual Fall career fair. This event is free to job seekers and gives the public a unique opportunity to meet with HR Representatives face-to-face. We look forward to seeing you there!

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Contents

Work history gaps. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 What not to do. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Resume tips. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 What am I doing wrong?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Follow up after interview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Negotiating a raise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Be your own boss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

How to stand out, page 8

It’s not just about you, page 12

Emphasize what you can do. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Re-entering the workforce. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Can’t we all just get along? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Trust in the workplace, page 16

Latest buzzword, page 20

CurreNtly reCruitiNg

Assembly, Machine Operators, Warehouse, Quality inspection, and Clerical

Monday, September 21st Noon - 5 p.m. Clarion Hotel, Columbus

4 Career Fair 2015

Comments should be sent to Doug Showalter, The Republic, 333 Second St., Columbus, IN 47201 or call 812-379-5625 or dshowalter@therepublic.com. Advertising information: Call 812-379-5652. ©2015 by Home News Enterprises. All rights reserved. Reproduction of stories, photographs and advertisements without permission is prohibited. Stock images provided by ©iStock.

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Positions that will be recruited for at the fair: Assembly • Welding Material Handling • Machining Engineering • Quality

Contact info: tiemcareers@tiem.toyota-industries.com Stop by our booth at The Republic's Career Fair on Monday, 9/21 at the Clarion Hotel, from Noon-5pm!

Career Fair 2015 5

• Entry level and experienced CNC machine operators - Who possess excellent attendance - Willing to work any shift - Starting pay based on experience

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6 Career Fair 2015

How to cover gaps in your work history

By Diane Stafford The Kansas City Star (TNS)

I recently heard from a man who’d been in an active job search for two years. He got a good new job.

The man was in the “older worker” professional category hit hard by downsizing. That demographic had a tough time competing for the few high-quality job openings that were available in the extended postrecession slump. And the longer their unemployment ran, the less favorably employers looked on them as viable job candidates.

Now, the vastly improved job market is opening doors for the longterm unemployed. Re-employment isn’t a gimme, though. Hirers still may have questions about work gaps.

If you’ve been out of work for more than a few months, it’s important for you to update your resume to include some kind of current activity. It doesn’t have to be paid employment from an establishment. It can be a do-it-yourself job.

If you have computer skills, for example, there’s no reason why you can’t provide help to friends and family and call yourself a software consultant. If you have a woodworking hobby, there’s no reason you can’t put some creations online and maybe make a sale. Ditto providing any kind of household or personal service. If you can do it — and you do it for someone else — you can list it as work.

Or, instead of having an employment blank, you can list significant volunteer work. Are you volunteering in a nonprofit gift shop? Working on a professional association newsletter?

Caring for a family member? Listing any of these unpaid tasks will show some get-up-and-go instead of couch potato lethargy.

Another viable entry could be education. Going back to school for more training or a different, more marketable degree is a clear indication that you’ve been trying to improve your work life.

Listing something current may help get you past the initial screen-

ing. If you land an interview, you need to be able to explain what’s listed. Be ready to wow an interviewer with how you kept your work-related skills alive or what you learned from your entrepreneurial venture.

It may be harder to translate family medical care to a work-related asset. You may need to stress that you’re no longer needed in that capacity but that you were very grateful to be able to devote full attention to your loved one without having a distraction from work.

And it can be particularly hard to explain a work gap from incarceration. Again, it’s vital to emphasize any work-related skills or education you gained and project a work-ready, responsible personality. (Most cities have nonprofit organizations that help ex-offenders re-enter the job market.)

If your extended unemployment was because you simply hadn’t gotten job offers no matter how correctly and conscientiously you searched, the thing you need to be most aware of in interviews is to be positive. It’s understandably easy to be consumed with anger, hopelessness and cynicism. Just exorcise those demons before you walk in the interview door.

Here’s a really bad way to ask for a job

By Diane Stafford The Kansas City Star (TNS)

Unedited except to delete the name, here’s a real email received by a real spa owner: “Hello good afternoon I am (name) and I was looking at your add on craigslist and seen u have a part time job for massage therapist i went to school to be a massage therapist and now i will be taken my test March 14 to be license.”

Nothing suggests this came from a person struggling with English as a second language. There’s no back story to know whether this person has learning disabilities. There could be a partial reason why the message is tragically awful.

But the spa owner has no clue.

And while the would-be applicant may be able to give a good massage, the owner has no interest in finding out. “I imagine her massage is pretty pathetic, too,” the owner told me.

“Both writing and massage require focus and intention.”

Focus and intention — good words for job hunting, too. Messages like the one above get zero response.

In today’s service economy, employers want people with good communication skills. An email with run-on sentences, text-speak abbreviations, misspellings, tense mistakes and capitalization errors shakes confidence in the sender’s intelligence and broadcasts inattention to things she should have learned in school.

Can she learn? Does she pay attention to details? Employers want to know this. They also want to cull the applicant pile quickly, looking for people who will be able to contribute from day one.

It’s absolutely fine for a student to express interest in a job or ask for an informational interview to learn more about the position. But this sender didn’t do that. She only said she’s going to take a test that may (or may not) certify her for the job.

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Many Management Opportunities Available • Deli Associates • Produce Associates • Cashier What’s the timetable for knowing whether she passes? The prospective employer doesn’t have a clue.

I have utmost sympathy for job hunters who send job applications into the “black hole” of nonresponse.

But that sympathy goes to applicants who proofread their communications, who apply for jobs appropriate for them at the moment and who ask for help if they don’t know how to do it alone.

Job searching is hard. It is frustrating. But I also hear from employers who are frustrated at what they see. The spa owner said I wouldn’t believe what comes across her desk — and not in a good way.

I am guilty of firing off emails that I’m embarrassed to reread. Way too many goofs go out the door. That’s the danger of fast-click communication. And most of us aren’t grammarians or professional proofreaders.

But what if the applicant had written: “Hello. My name is ( ). I expect to receive my massage therapist license

by April and intend to begin working at that time. May I schedule a time to speak with you about your parttime job opening? I am impressed with information I have read about your spa and would like to contribute to your success.”

Do you think she would have received a response?

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Career Fair 2015 7

T

How to

stand out in short-tenure jobs

By Diane Stafford n The Kansas City Star (TNS)

he job market today is characterized by short-term employment and frequent job change, sometimes by choice, sometimes not. The average person who is between ages 47 and 56 has held 11.7 jobs since turning 18, according to a new report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Nearly half of those jobs were held before age 25, but it was common for people to hold three jobs from age 25 to 29, two-and-a-half jobs from age 30 to 34, and two jobs from age 30 to 39.

The takeaway from the longitudinal study: You may have only a year or two to make a strong impression during your prime years of career advancement.

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Experience in food service preparation, catering setup and service, and customer service is preferred.Various full and part time positions are available Send Resumes To: bratcher-donna@aramark.com or come by and see us at the Career Fair, Monday, September 21st at the Clarion Hotel in the Ballroom.

Here are some ideas about how to shine in a new job:

n Be nice and polite to everybody. It’s fine to develop workplace friendships, but don’t get affiliated with a clique of complainers or poor producers.

n Choose wisely. Take jobs that fit your interests and aptitudes in organizations that you care about.

n Listen and learn. Don’t brag. Don’t tell people how you did it in your last job, at least not right away.

n Plan a career path. Aim for industries or professions that have growth potential and companies that are growing.

n Take initiative. If you finish assigned tasks, ask for more. But don’t reach for more than you can handle well.

n Find mentors or advocates. Once hired, watch carefully and seek advice from co-workers or bosses who are the organization’s leading thinkers or have the most power.

n Understand the organization, the hierarchy and your role. And if you can’t figure it out by research or observation, ask an “old pro.” Just choose wisely if you need to express ignorance.

n Dress for the job you want, not necessarily the job you have.

n Don’t make mistakes because you’re afraid to ask for help. But don’t be so needy that you’re a pest. See “choose wisely” above.

n Be on time every day. Put in the time expected and then some. People will notice if you’re still working when they leave.

to figure out who shares confidences with whom and who is trustworthy.

n Don’t gossip or complain about co-workers, at least not yet. You need time

n Keep quiet about your personal problems or family issues. You don’t yet know what revelations might work against you in people’s opinions. n Share your goals or ambition with your supervisor after you’ve proven that you can do the job. Expressing a desire for promotion too soon might be threatening to your boss.

If you intend to change jobs by choice, aim for more pay or more responsibility in your next position. Hirers don’t mind seeing job changes that show advancement.

Getting a variety of experience from different employers can be a plus. The economy has made it less likely to be tagged as a flighty job hopper. But you can prosper with job changes only if you leave a good impression at each landing and grow from each.

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Career Fair 2015 9

What employers want on your resume

By Diane Stafford n The Kansas City Star (TNS)

Here’s what employers think about resumes, cover letters and thankyou notes, according to a survey released by the Society for Human Resource Management.

Two-thirds of hirers want chronological resumes listing your work history and education in reverse order. Four in 10 like bulleted formats.

Thirty-eight percent want your whole relevant work history. Nine percent ask for 11 to 15 years. Another 38 percent are OK with the last eight to 10 years.

Nearly nine in 10 want your resume tailored to the job or industry. No one-size-fits-all.

About one-third of government hirers said it’s a mistake to lack a cover letter, but only one-fifth of private-industry hirers would miss it. A good cover letter, if welcome, emphasizes how you fit the job requirements and tells why you want to work there.

If you were fired or laid off, nearly eight in 10 hirers think you should

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www.firstcallinc.com 10 Career Fair 2015

explain that in a job interview.

Gaps in your work history? About half said you don’t need to draw attention to or hide them. Just state facts.

Sixty-eight percent of hirers prefer to get resumes through their websites.

Email, job boards, postal mail and applicant tracking systems are less preferred.

Human resource professionals said they spent less than five minutes per resume to decide whether an applicant proceeded further.

Heavy use of applicant screening software means your resume must include key words from the job posting.

The biggest resume mistakes are grammatical and spelling errors and missing job history details or dates.

Six in 10 think a thank-you note is important after an interview. Half prefer emailed notes.

As always, try to use personal contacts to discern what your target employer prefers. Opinions differ.

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Why won’t prospective employers tell me what I’m doing wrong?

By Carrie Mason-Draffen Newsday (TNS)

DEAR CARRIE: I have been out of work for several months. Despite getting many interviews and being invited back for follow-ups at some companies, I am still without a job. I would like to find out what went wrong so I can use the information to improve future interviews. I have tried, but the interviewers have never responded to my follow-up emails or telephone calls. I truly do not understand why I don’t get a note back, even as a simple courtesy. I would even accept, “We have decided to go with another candidate,” but I receive no information at all. The interviewing process has gotten so perplexing and extremely frustrating. Help! My unemployment is about to run out.

— Mum’s the Word?

DEAR MUM’S: I spoke with an executive who offered some insights from her twin perches of human resources and career counseling.

From an HR point of view, when a candidate doesn’t get a job, the less said the better, said Mary Simmons, director of HR consulting at Portnoy, Messinger, Pearl & Associates Inc., a human-resource and labor-relations firm in Syosset, N.Y. “As an HR consultant I would advise clients not to give too much information for fear it may lead to a claim or litigation,” Simmons said. “Quite frankly, it is not our job to tell the candidate why we didn’t hire her or what she can do differently. A recruiter’s job is to fill positions as quickly as possible, and taking time to instruct candidates we did not choose would take too much time and leave us liable in many cases.”

Putting on her career counselor cap, Simmons said, “I am asked this question often. My advice is to continue asking for the feedback, although it will be rare to get it. Instead be proactive and take a class or tutorial on correct interviewing techniques, or work with a career counselor to do mock interviews.”

She said she often tapes mock interviews with clients. “When we play it back for them … they are often shocked at some of the mistakes they make,” she said.

Some of the common mistakes interviewees make are: n Talking over the interviewer “Let them lead the interview,” Simmons said. “But you as the candidate should have notes on what you want to convey in the interview, which should be your skills and competencies as they relate specifically to that particular job and company.”

n Not doing any research on the company or the position n Dressing inappropriately “Even though suits are not often worn in the workplace today, professional dress is still a must for most professional positions,” she said. “Even when the position would not require a candidate to wear a suit or dress very professionally — say a computer programmer or a cashier — the candidate must be dressed in clothing that is not offensive, is clean and properly pressed, and not too revealing.”

n Not succinctly describing their accomplishments in previous jobs “Companies do not want to hear what your responsibilities were at your last position, but what you did above and beyond” those duties, she said.

In the end candidates must understand that when they don’t get a job it might be less about their interviewing skills and more about their not being a good fit for a position, Simmons said.

“They should think back and take notes on the questions asked and recall whether or not they answered them to the best of their ability,” Simmons said.

“If they did, the job is simply not for them, and they may need to review the positions they are applying for and make an adjustment there.”

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Carrie Mason-Draffen is a columnist for Newsday.

Career Fair 2015 11

Make sure your interview isn’t just about you

By Marvin Walberg n Scripps Howard News Service Many job seekers go into an interview as sharp, well-read experts, on themselves. While it’s important to display how good a fit you are for the job, if you think that the success of the interview relies on you as the most important factor, than you are likely walking out without the job.

Kirk Hallowell, a talent management industry veteran, has seen time and again that the interview isn’t just about you. In fact, you are the second most important aspect in the equation. He offers the following tips to avoid focusing too much on yourself during a job interview: n Begin the interview process by understanding the unique reason the company is looking for a leader in the

first place. The story begins, not with you, but with a unique need. n Approach a job opportunity in the same way a forensic scientist approaches a criminal investigation.

Rigorously check out all the clues and information available to put together a meaningful and accurate understanding of the motives and actions. n If you were referred for a position by a colleague, network contact or recruiting professional, remember that your reference most likely has a number of insights about the organization and the opportunity. Tap their expertise to ask what they believe the organization is looking for in hiring for this position at this time. n Dig deep into the website

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12 Career Fair 2015

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to understand how the company represents itself to the world and to demonstrate your preparation for the interview. n Conduct a simple Internet search on the company name, or division names, with a “news” filter to provide you with a great summary of local, regional and national stories. n Familiarize yourself with the significant amounts of financial coverage available on the Internet for publicly traded companies. You should absolutely be familiar with the financial performance of the organization in the last two years and understand any major challenges and opportunities that are impacting revenues and growth. n Check with current or previous employees who may be willing to discuss their experiences. LinkedIn.com and Glassdoor.com are two of the most established resources in this area n Be disciplined about interview preparation. Make the commitment to spend at least two to three hours doing your research before you start focusing on the second most important aspect of the interview: you.

Do what others fail to do.

Follow up after a job interview

By Diane Stafford The Kansas City Star (TNS) Here’s one of the most common questions I get from readers: “I thought I had a great interview, but I haven’t heard a word. Will they get mad if I call them to find out what’s going on?”

I’ve asked this question directly of human resource officials. The consensus answer has been that they know you want to know, and they won’t get irritated by one call or email.

The consensus blurred about whether it’s OK to ask twice. As long as at least a week separates your attempts, maybe OK. But more than twice? Thumbs down. They’ll view you as a too-eager pest.

The unfortunate job-hunting truth is that your timetable isn’t the employer’s timetable. It’s normal to be told you’ll hear back in a few days and the days stretch to weeks. Even when a manager has permission to interview, the hiring often gets strung along until the next budget quarter, or

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the CEO gets back from vacation.

There’s no way to speed some processes along. And some organizations are thoughtless, disorganized or rude.

But many have best intentions. They want to get good candidates on board.

The challenge is that you may not be able to tell in your interview what kind of organization it is.

To guard against being left in the dark, you should take action during your interview. Don’t let the interviewer dismiss you without getting specifics about follow-up timing.

Be sure to get the name and direct contact information of the interviewer or manager who’s meeting with you. You’d be surprised how many job hunters — perhaps grateful about finally getting face-to-face contact — don’t learn the interviewer’s name. Ask for their business cards.

Organizations shouldn’t allow interviewers to be nameless, front-line winnowers of serious job candidates.

If interviewers don’t specify timetables for following up, ask. If they

give a vague answer such as “as soon as possible,” ask them to be more specific. Ask whether, in their best estimate, that means days or weeks. Ask how many other candidates they’re interviewing for the position.

If an email or direct telephone number isn’t provided, ask for it. Ask the interviewer which is the preferred method of contact. Use that method if you haven’t heard back after the expected time.

Unless you’re juggling another job offer and need immediate response, give them a few days’ cushion after the expected response date. Then, when you reasonably feel enough time has passed, inquire politely and calmly. Say something like, “I enjoyed our discussion and remain very interested in the position. Could you give me a sense of your timetable for filling the job?”

You did, of course, write a thankyou note to the interviewer immediately after the interview, so she remembers you fondly.

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Career Fair 2015 13

Tips for negotiating a raise

By Sophia Bera AdviceIQ (TNS)

Whether you just landed a new job or are a longtime veteran in your current position, you might find it intimidating to negotiate a pay raise.

You want to make sure to not overstep your boundaries or ask for too much, but you also want what you deserve. Here are steps to make the balancing act easier. n Research. Before a job interview or a performance review, research your position and salaries in your area. Look at sites such as Glassdoor and PayScale to see what others in your field and industry make to help ensure that your request for more money is reasonable. Be prepared to give a hard number when you negotiate a raise and your supervisor asks what you want.

You may find yourself underpaid relative to your local counterparts.

What if you’re right on par with the average salary? You can still ask for

more if your work provides value to your company. n Timing. A first interview is obviously not the time to bring up salary beyond an agreed-upon starting figure. If you’re a current employee, wait until your performance review.

If you work in a non-traditional workplace or do not have regularly scheduled reviews, schedule a meeting with your boss.

Avoid busy times such as holidays or during stressful work events.

Schedule a meeting well ahead of time; giving your supervisor notice can help both of you prepare so that you can set the stage and prepare to negotiate. n Practice and preparation.

Negotiating requires a lot of practice.

In rehearsal, go over: — Your recent accomplishments, including specific achievements or positive events that you made happen (focus on how you saved the company money or generated more revenue).

— Statistics and figures that offer measurable success.

— Your ideas for improved processes or procedures that saved time.

— What you did above and beyond your role and how you look forward to growing with the company.

Practice in a mirror and later with a friend to observe you. You want to sound confident, self-assured and ready. Don’t try to memorize what you want to say; just familiarize yourself with what you will present.

Outcomes may vary. Know how you want to respond if your boss says yes or no immediately, counters with a low offer or even offers more money than you anticipated.

If your employer says no, politely ask for feedback to understand why.

Try to schedule another meeting for later. Find out what your boss needs from you to be willing to increase your salary. Ask, “If I reach these benchmarks and exceed your expectations, can we revisit my salary

in six months?”

Sometimes the decision doesn’t rest with the person you speak with initially. Your company may also be dealing with a tight budget, and therefore a rejection is not personal. Your supervisor might also provide specific reasons he feels a raise won’t or can’t happen now.

If you encounter a lower offer, negotiate. With grace and tact, state the facts on why you believe you are worth more. Avoid sounding like you are complaining or simply trying to get more money from the company.

Check your personal reasons at the door: It’s unprofessional to ask for a raise because your rent went up or you want a new car. State only reasons associated with your work and your on-the-job performance.

Think of negotiating as simply a conversation. Break what can be an intimidating process into small steps with the ultimate outcome of more money and getting what you deserve.

Being Prepared Equals Success CAPCO is a premier stamping and assembly operation specializing in automotive safety systems and components.

Business growth requires that we add to the CAPCO team. We have immediate openings in the following areas.

Quality Engineer – 1st Shift: Previous automotive manufacturing and metal stamping is preferred. Must demonstrate knowledge of quality inspection tools, understand blueprints, complete research and show statistical data. Must have the ability to create plans and reports including PFMEA, APQP and PPAP. Successful candidates will be team-oriented with a commitment to quality work, continuous improvement & who enjoy variety in work assignments.

Sales and Purchasing Assistant: 1-3 years experience with demonstrated ability in Sales and Purchasing - seeks hands-on professional experienced in a manufacturing sales and purchasing environment to assist with the generation, development and coordination of new business opportunities within a Metal Stamping facility. Previous experience with managing projects as well as processing day-to-day purchase and sales transactions (RFQ, order placement; customer quotes, f/u of quotations and sales leads, client and supplier correspondence, etc.).

Die Maintenance Group Leader – 2nd Shift: Must demonstrate knowledge of tooling, die maintenance and metal stamping. Previous exp. in supervision desired and willing to be hands on maintenance support and trainer. Successful candidates will be team-oriented with a commitment to quality work, continuous improvement & who enjoy variety in work assignments.

Die Maintenance – 2nd Shift: Must demonstrate knowledge of tooling, die maintenance and metal stamping. Previous experience with die repair, grinding and polishing processes. Able to work any shift as well as overtime. Successful candidates will be team-oriented with a commitment to quality work, continuous improvement & who enjoy variety in work assignments.

General Maintenance – 2nd Shift: Must have strong electrical background; certified electrician a plus. Previous experience processes in manufacturing and strong trouble shooting of equipment required. Responsible for all aspects of troubleshooting and repair of machines and other dept. repairs.

Light Assembly Operators – 2nd Shift: Previous experience in assembly operations is preferred but not required. Successful candidates will be team-oriented people with a commitment to quality work, continuous improvement & who enjoy variety in work assignments. Successful candidates will be conscientious, high output with a genuine appreciation for the quality necessary in automotive safety systems.

Press Operators 2nd Shift: Increased demand for our products requires we expand our single stroke press operations to a full time 2nd shift assignment. It is necessary to be focused, quality conscious, and a high individual producer. 1-3 years stamping press experience is preferred. Candidates must develop skills to maintain aggressive production schedules.

Small Machine Operators – 2nd Shift: Previous experience in welding machine operations is preferred but not required. Successful candidates will be team-oriented people with a commitment to quality work, continuous improvement & who enjoy variety in work assignments. Successful candidates will be conscientious, high output with a genuine appreciation for the quality necessary in automotive safety systems.

CAPCO offers a clean, safe, air conditioned work environment with competitive wages and benefits. Send resumes with work history & qualifications to: Apply in person or send resumes to: CAPCO HR 1349 Arcadia Dr., Columbus IN 47202 Fax 812-375-1800 • E-mail: hr@capco-llc.com • Website: www.capco-llc.com • EOE

14 Career Fair 2015

Can you be your own boss?

By Diane Stafford The Kansas City Star (TNS) The U.S. Census Bureau reported steady growth in what it calls “nonemployer businesses” — another way to describe work that has no one else on the payroll except yourself.

Thanks partly to corporate job-cutting and partly to work/life choices, more people are self-employed, freelance, contract or independent consulting workers. Also, although costs may be unaffordable for some, the Affordable Care Act has made it possible to leave company jobs and still be able to buy health insurance.

But as anyone who’s done it can tell you, working for yourself demands skills not required of employees who get regular paychecks and employer-provided benefits. To thrive independently you need to have a skill that the market needs at this time, market your services and collect payment for them.

The ubiquity of technology means that you don’t have to open a tailor shop; you can attract customers online. The rise of the “knowledge economy” and its need for deep specialists means that you don’t have to be a partner in a large law or accounting firm; you can be a “super temp” and move from client to client on contract.

For some, it’s exhilarating to be free from corporate hierarchies. But being your own boss isn’t freeing if you’re not good at motivating yourself, finding new business, using social media to market yourself or managing cash flow. Lots of skilled workers hang out their own shingles and then go bust because their occupational skill isn’t enough; they fail at business management.

According to Census data, some leading nonemployer sectors include real estate services (sales, leasing and property management); ground passenger transportation (think taxi-style services); truck transportation; and personal services (such as barbers, beauticians, laundry ser-

vices, pet care).

The bureau also mentioned service niches including construction; equipment and machinery repair; technology consulting; advocacy (such as lobbying or grant writing); photofinishing; parking; religious activities; and other personal care, including health care, elder care and death services.

Many industry subsectors now have freelance support groups to help people network and run their independent businesses. Some have chapter meetings. Some provide education online. Some chambers of commerce, independent business associations and community colleges offer self-employment seminars and other business education courses.

It’s always possible that a market simply doesn’t exist for what it is you’d like to do. But if your selfemployment is well researched, you must have or develop the above-mentioned skills. You won’t make a sufficient living if you don’t know how to sell yourself, price your services competitively and get paid.

And, on the personal side, know whether you crave the collegial contact of co-workers or can be happy going it alone.

Lowe’s North Vernon Distribution Center is currently hiring for Night and Weekend shift Team Members.

• Night shift hours are between Monday – Thursday 6:00 p.m. – 4:30 a.m.

• Weekend shift positions will work Friday- Sunday 5:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Base rate: $11.50 per hour Night shift: $12.00 per hour (shift premium included) Weekend shift: $12.78 per hour (shift premium included) Requirements include: The ability to lift up to 70lbs; 18 years of age or older; a

stable work history; and the ability to successfully pass a drug screening and criminal background check.

Benefits after 90 days and 401K and Employee Stock Purchase Plan after 180 days

Leadership positions also available, pay will be commensurate with experience.

For more information on our Team Member and Leadership positions currently available, visit us at our Booth at The Republic’s Career Fair at the Clarion Hotel on Monday, September 21st. Hours are from Noon to 5 p.m.

Apply online at careers.lowes.com Select Category: Distribution, Select State: Indiana, Search and Apply Lowe’s is an Equal Opportunity Employer Career Fair 2015 15

Trust is key in the workplace, just ask a dog

By Rex Huppke Chicago Tribune (TNS)

Unlike people, dogs are good at letting you know where you stand.

If they like you, they wag their tails and lick your face. If they don’t like you, they growl or skulk away.

And if they trust you, they’ll follow you anywhere.

Trust isn’t something we think about enough at work. We often go about our days assuming trust among co-workers or trust between a boss and employees is a given, as if being on the same team is all it takes. But trust is fragile and has to be earned.

I bring up dogs because I came across a new study in the journal Animal Cognition. (I read it to keep tabs on whether birds are spying on us. I suspect they are.) The study found that dogs, prone to trust humans, quickly abandon that trust if a person gives them bad information.

In the experiment, there were two sealed containers, one empty, one holding food. The dog couldn’t

tell which had a treat and which was empty. A person would first point accurately at the container that held food, and the dog would come up, the container would be opened and the dog would get the treat. The next time, the person would point to the empty container, and the dog would come up and find no treat.

On the third try, with consistency, most dogs stopped responding to the human cues. Trust had been broken, and they went to the container that wasn’t being pointed at.

“In other words,” the report read, “dogs were sensitive to the reliability of the human who gave the cues and their evaluation influenced their subsequent behavior.”

We’re more like dogs than we think. We might be inclined to trust our bosses, but that trust must be continuously reinforced. And if it’s broken, humans are quick to stop paying attention.

“Trust is the unspoken currency that drives business,” said Sheri Staak,

MACtac is now accepting applications on 2nd/3rd shift for the following positions:

“Bringing new life to aluminum”

Material Handler

Nikkei MC Aluminum America, Inc. is celebrating its 25th year of production in the Columbus, Indiana facility.

NMAA is a secondary aluminum manufacturer supplying aluminum alloys to the automotive industry. Annual production exceeds 40,000 metric tons.

Lab Technician

Current Job Openings: • Maintenance Manager • Production Operators

Starting at $13.00/hr with $.50 shift differential applied.

At least one year of mfg./forklift exp. is preferred, but not required.

Must be able to lift up to 50 lbs. and be at least 18 years old.

Two year degree preferred. Requires strong communication and computer skills. Must be able to work independently.

Some travel necessary.

We offer excellent benefits effective on date of hire and a quarterly bonus program in a safety conscious environment.

*All shifts available

Submit resumes to: nmaluminum@nmaluminum.net Currently accepting applications at the facility

NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS Monday-Friday from 8-3:00 | 2576 Norcross Dr., Columbus, IN

Nikkei MC Aluminum America, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Disabilty and Vet Employer

6875 South Inwood Drive, Columbus, IN 47201 • www.nmaluminum.net

16 Career Fair 2015

a leadership and management expert and author of the book “Tune In to Wow Leadership.” “But so many people don’t talk about it. Trust is that unspoken collateral and credibility that you have to be aware of and think about. When you have it, it’s taken for granted, and it’s only when it gets broken that people realize how hard it is to work your way back into it.”

Clear and open communication is central to building and maintaining trust. Again, it’s easy with dogs. You praise them and they know by the tone of your voice they’ve done well; you scold them and their tails droop, knowing they’ve done wrong.

But humans make things complicated. We don’t stop to think about whether our action is going to violate someone’s trust. And when a trust is violated, the aggrieved person often opts to not speak up and let the other person know what he did wrong.

For example, say you’re heading up a project and suddenly another person comes to you and says they’ve been added to the team. Who added them?

Your supervisor did. Why weren’t you

“Trust is the unspoken currency that drives business. ... When you have it, it’s taken for granted, and it’s only when it gets broken that people realize how hard it is to work your way back into it.”

— Sheri Staak

told first? Your supervisor was busy and forgot to tell you.

Overall, it’s not a big deal. But the three minutes it would’ve taken the supervisor to give you a heads up about the new person and explain the decision would’ve made a huge difference. Now you’re unsure about your supervisor and wonder when you might get blindsided by something else.

“I think a lot of trust gets eroded over time by people not thinking about how something is going to impact somebody else,” Staak said. “I think people do it unconsciously.”

Now you could just swallow your

frustration over a situation like that and move on, but that’s only adding to the problem. Why not go to the manager and say, “Hey, I’m glad to have this new person on the team, but I wish you had given me a heads up first.”

“There’s an accountability on the other side,” Staak said. “There’s an accountability on all of us to have that open, honest dialogue back and forth in order to maintain trust. I think that gets missed in business. It’s a real problem.”

As with most workplace dynamics, it’s up to bosses and managers to create an environment that fosters

and protects trust. Staak said honesty, naturally, is foundational.

“But communication kind of goes hand in hand with honesty,” she said.

“There has to be this transparent conversation, making sure that they’re putting all the issues out on the table.

You have to do it in a way that’s not hurtful. There’s an art to the communication, but there has to be a mindset in the leader that I’m going to be open and discuss things in a direct way with my team.”

This is a very simple concept, not unlike the dog experiment. But just because it’s simple doesn’t mean we can trust ourselves to unconsciously make the right moves. Trust, both earning it and expecting it, should be in the forefront of our minds at work.

(I’d also argue it should be in the forefront of our minds outside of work, but that’s another matter.)

“When it comes to trust, it’s not built overnight,” Staak said. “There has to be a great deal of patience, and you have to know it can be broken instantaneously.”

If you don’t believe that, ask a dog.

They always give it to you straight.

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or apply at www.manpowerjobs.com Career Fair 2015 17

O Emphasize what you can do, not what you want

By Max Messmer Scripps Howard News Service

North Vernon

bjective statements on a resume are becoming obsolete.

Emphasizing what you want out of a career, not what you can do for a particular employer, is a strategic mistake. It’s usually better to lead off with a professional profile or career summary that’s highly targeted to the open position and includes your most relevant skills and achievements.

I continue to see not only selffocused objective statements but also offbeat and off-topic ones. Those can be even less effective. Consider these strange statements: “OBJECTIVE: I am going to have a mustache this year!”

We’re more interested in the professional skills you’re growing.

“OBJECTIVE: Enough money to road trip it to Nashville for vacation.”

Grand Ole Opry or bust!

“OBJECTIVE: To continue to be a problem solver. Seriously, I am working on fixing things that aren’t even problems.”

That’s probably not the best use of your time.

“OBJECTIVE: Working out a lot and lifting weights so I can get ripped.”

Resume writing isn’t this candidate’s strength.

If you’re careless with your resume and cover letter, employers will assume you’ll be equally inattentive on the job. Don’t hurt your chances in a rush to get your documents into a hiring manager’s hands. Take the time to carefully proofread.

“PROFILE: I am always multitaskked, speedy and faced-paced.”

It may be time to slow down.

“RESPONSIBILITIES: Included but not limited to training new employees and crating employee work schedules.”

You’re creating problems for yourself.

“EDUCATION: Received diplomat, 2011.”

From which country?

“ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Top sales consultant for the second and third moth.”

You haven’t sold us with your spelling skills.

Industry Corp.

NVIC a Leading Manufacturer of Counterweights is currently accepting applications for JOB SEEKERS!!

Are you looking for long-term, stable employment? NVIC has openings for:

Start

YOUR FUTURE TODAY

PMG HAS BEEN A LEADING GLOBAL AUTOMOTIVE COMPONENT MANUFACTURER IN COLUMBUS SINCE 1989.

Manufacturing Associates 1st, 2nd & 3rd Shift Positions starting at $11.60/hr as well as weekend Pre-Finish Shift $12.89/hr:

We are seeking hard-working reliable people to join our team!

Benefits include a medical insurance plan along with a free vision plan and optional dental coverage. Also a Medical Center staffed by doctor, and nurse practitioner for NVIC associates and their covered dependents at no cost, or co-pays!!

Experience in Powdered Metal is a plus!

Ideal Candidates must have strong mechanical aptitude, good work history, able to work any shift, willing to work overtime, previous experience in a fast-paced manufacturing setting.

Candidates should possess a strong work ethic, be mechanically inclined and have a strong desire to participate in a team manufacturing environment.

Interested individuals are encouraged to apply at our North Vernon, IN facility; or submit a resume to our website at http://nvic-cwt.com: Monday –Friday 7:00AM – 4:00PM We are located at: 3750 4th Street North Vernon, IN 47265 NVIC is an Equal Opportunity Employer 18 Career Fair 2015

PMG offers excellent benefits for full-time employees that include major medical, dental, vision, prescription drug card, vacation, 401K, company paid uniforms, and a great working environment. Wage is based on previous experience and skills.

Come see us at the Job Fair to discuss your future, send a resume to marla.satterfield@pmgsinter.com, or fill out an application at our office, located at:

1751 Arcadia Dr., Columbus, Indiana 47201

“QUALIFICATIONS: Conscientiousemployee/ effectivemanager.”

The drawbacks of a broken space bar.

AVOID POP CULTURE

Looking for a good icebreaker at a networking event? Want to build rapport with colleagues around the water cooler? Making a pop-culture reference (“Hey, did you happen to see last night’s episode of ‘Shark Tank’?”) is an easy way to initiate conversations.

But your resume and cover letter are not the right places to talk about your favorite movies or musicians. Hiring managers want to learn about your professional skills and experience, not your love of reality TV. “OTHER SKILLS: Enjoy doing the Gangnam Style dance.”

That’s one way to liven up a staff meeting.

“INTERESTS: My favorite musician is sad Kelly Clarkson.”

Why is she so blue?

COVER LETTER: “Like in “Office Space,” I will deliver my TPS reports on time with a cover sheet while you hover over me with your coffee.”

We run things a little differently around here.

“WHAT I CAN DO: Delight cubicle neighbors with my horrible impersonations of old ‘Saturday Night Live’ characters.”

We’re guessing they may not be as delighted as you think.

COVER LETTER: “As a job seeker, I find interviews are just like Forrest Gump’s box of chocolates: You never know what you’re going to get.”

Hiring managers feel the same way.

Speaking of fictitious characters, these last two job candidates raised questions about the validity of their own references. I’m still scratching my head, trying to figure out why.

COVER LETTER: “I have plenty of references that are genuine past employers and co-workers. But how difficult do you think it would be for me to fabricate some past boss?”

Based on that question, we’re guessing not difficult at all.

“REFERENCES: Would you really be able to tell the difference between my old shift managers and my old high school buddy? Just saying.”

Some things are best left unsaid.

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We offer excellent benefits and an amazing Associate Shares Purchase Plan!

We have part-time and full-time openings through the Midwest and also in Florida Currently looking for cashiers, sales associates, and all levels of managers.

Stop by our booth at the Career Fair on September 21st at the Clarion.

STAY ON MESSAGE

When crafting your cover letter, aim for being clear and concise. The use of analogies and questions, for example, can add flair to your writing, but they can also distract from your message if not phrased exactly right.

The following job seekers attempted to paint a picture of what they can offer potential employers.

But the questionable comparisons only left hiring managers scratching their heads.

COVER LETTER: “Like a spaceship, I shoot for the moon (but without the clunky gear and the exciting launch).”

You haven’t rocketed to the top of our list.

COVER LETTER: “I guess you can call me ‘Chameleon’ because like that lizard I can adapt.”

A candidate who’s hiding his true colors.

COVER LETTER: “You give me a metaphorical pile of wood, and like a carpenter I’ll build you a success stairway to climb to the top.”

That’s quite an elevator pitch.

Avoid asking questions in your cover letter. It’s highly unlikely an employer will call you with an answer.

Stick to conveying information, not seeking it.

COVER LETTER: “Who stole your revenue and your dreams?”

Thankfully, nobody.

COVER LETTER: “I figure if this cover letter is wackadoodle and fun for me to write, maybe it’ll be fun for you to read! Whaddya think?”

You don’t want to know.

COVER LETTER: “I reviewed your job posting. Are you still looking to fill that position? If so, what are you looking for?”

Maybe you should reread the posting.

COVER LETTER: “What trait makes me so much better than every other applicant that has ever applied in the history of your company?”

We’re guessing it’s not humility.

Speaking of humility, this last job candidate claimed to be humble, but we found it hard to take her seriously: COVER LETTER: “I am a downto-earth, humble, silly billy willy girl.”

Oh, boy.

NOW HIRING

1st Shift • 2nd Shift

CNC Machine Operators, General Laborers, Laser Operators, CAD Drafters, CAD Engineers Brake Press Operators & Tig & Mig Welders Top pay rate for experienced dependable operators with excellent benefit package.

We are looking for the best of the best to help build our team. Noblitt Fabricating is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Send resumes to CurtAton@NoblittFab.com or Fax to 812-372-9960 Career Fair 2015 19

‘Engagement’

is buzzword worth making noise about

By Rex Huppke Chicago Tribune (TNS)

I’m no fan of buzzwords. I dislike them so much I created my own buzzword to describe the fight against overused workplace gibberish: dynamic jargon disruption. It’s a phrase I’m hoping will catch on, but even a nationally renowned dynamic jargon disrupter like myself will admit that some buzzwords have their place. One of those is “engagement.”

You hear it a lot these days, and with good reason. Engagement, which is essentially how much you dig your job, has been shown quantitatively and qualitatively to have a direct impact on productivity.

It’s a simple concept, really. If you like your job and care about your job

and feel invested in the work you’re doing, you’ll work harder and the company will retain quality workers.

Gallup recently released a report titled “The State of the American Manager,” which showed that a strikingly low number of managers feel engaged at work, only 35 percent.

The rest are either not engaged, 51 percent, or “actively disengaged,” which means 14 percent of managers couldn’t care less and have one foot out the door.

This creates what the report calls a “cascade effect,” where disengaged managers lead to disengaged employees, and that costs money: “Their managers are not engaged — or worse, are actively disengaged — and through their impact, Gallup esti-

Aisin is one of the largest automotive components suppliers in the world. Aisin USA is a prominent supplier of seat adjusters, door frames, and body components to world class automakers. Over the years, the company has used its engineering competencies to meet the ever changing needs of the auto industry with high performance, high quality products.

PLEASE VISIT OUR BOOTH AT THE CAREER FAIR

ON MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 21ST AT THE CLARION HOTEL COLUMBUS, IN.

OUR HR STAFF LOOKS FORWARD TO MEETING YOU!

20 Career Fair 2015

mates that these managers cost the U.S. economy $319 billion to $398 billion annually.”

I spoke with Kevin Sheridan, a Chicago-based expert on employee engagement and author of the book “Building a Magnetic Culture: How to Attract and Retain Top Talent to Create an Engaged, Productive Workforce,” and asked him first to give a detailed description of what it means to be engaged at work.

He broke it into four parts: n You have “an emotional and intellectual bond to the organization and its mission and purpose.” n You plan to stick around. “An engaged employee isn’t going to leave at the drop of a hat or when another employer waves a dollar more per

hour in their face.” n You’re willing to take on new tasks, mentor others and put in extra time whenever needed. n You are a “willing owner of your own engagement.”

That last one is a little buzzwordish, but it makes sense: Engaged workers aren’t waiting around for a manager to fire them up; they’ve bought in to what the company’s doing, and they care about it and are excited to make good things happen.

Still, Sheridan said, getting workers to that point requires engaged managers. And clearly there aren’t enough of them out there.

“You have to hire the right managers, Sheridan said. “We’re hiring bodies. We’re getting butts into seats as

Career Opportunities!

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opposed to having an interview process that’s an absolute gauntlet. You have to be very scrutinizing for who you hire for what positions.”

The Gallup report identified several management behaviors that boost employee engagement: being open and approachable; helping workers “set work priorities and goals”; and focusing on putting employees in positions that play to their strengths rather than trying to improve their weaknesses.

Sheridan believes the manageremployee relationship is also key and often overlooked. “One of the things I abhor is a manager who views employees as pawns on a chessboard of productivity, as opposed to human beings who have lives and families and children,” he said. “Just take a genuine interest in them as human beings.

That’s not happening often enough.”

In workshops he gives, Sheridan asks managers to think about the best boss they ever had and write down the three qualities about that boss that made her or him so great. Then he tells them to mirror those qualities and make a commitment to become somebody’s best boss. That’s a pretty

reasonable approach.

Gallup puts the level of worker engagement at a measly 30 percent.

(Other studies of this dynamic have shown similarly low numbers.) But the report shows how much engaged managers can lift the people who work for them: “Employees who are supervised by highly engaged managers are 59

percent more likely to be engaged than those supervised by actively disengaged managers.”

So the key is getting better people in management positions, not simply promoting workers up the corporate chain because they’ve served their time.

Sheridan put it rather bluntly: “If

you have actively disengaged managers, get rid of them. Do not coach and hope. There is no way you’re going to transform that actively disengaged manager into one who’s actively engaged. Can you train managers in the middle, ones who are not disengaged but also not very engaged.

Yes. Train them on what engagement is and get them absolutely jacked to become engagement champions. Make sure they’re willing to be accountable, willing to give clear expectations of what they expect of the people who report to them.”

That’s when the cascade effect can work in your company’s favor.

You put the right people in place, you weed out the people who have checked out, and you get people connected to their jobs, excited about what they’re doing and, hopefully, happy to come to work.

Engagement isn’t something that will happen overnight. But it’s a buzzword worthy of serious attention.

And you know that means something coming from me, a thought-leader in the burgeoning field of dynamic jargon disruption.

Seeking amazing people!

Since 1958, we have been working together at Stone Belt to provide exceptional services to individuals with developmental disabilities. Join us in our mission to prepare, empower and support people to participate fully in the life of the community. We are now hiring amazing people in the Columbus area to support clients with daily living skills, personal goals, and social activities. Available positions include fulltime with excellent benefits, part-time with a set schedule, and flexible subbing. Stop by our local office in the United Way Center or visit our website at www.stonebelt.org to learn more about who we are and those whom we are fortunate to support each day.

Stone Belt

1531 13th Street, Columbus, IN 47201 hireme@stonebelt.org www.stonebelt.org EOE (812)376-7149 ext. 221 M/F/H/ Visit our booth at The Republic's Career Fair on monday, September 21st at the Clarion Hotel (noon-5pm).

We look forward to meeting you!

Career Fair 2015 21

Are you a mother transitioning back to the workforce? Here is advice from career consultants and other professionals.

Don’t rush in

tips for re-entering the workforce

Before you update your résumé, create a LinkedIn profile or start applying for jobs, take the time to figure out what inspires you and what will offer deep meaning and reward.

Consider hiring a personal coach to help you hone in on the skills, abilities, motivations and desires you have to bring to this next phase of your life.

When you do finally begin applying for jobs, your clarity of purpose and authentic enthusiasm for the opportunity will set you apart from other candidates. That said, WaveWorks Coaching’s Anne Moellering believes sometimes jumping in is a good strategy. “I coach my clients to be comfortable not having all of the answers.

Taking action can be more important than getting it right the first time back into paid work,” she says.

Make it public

Once you have clarity on your plans to re-enter the paid workforce,

LINDAL GROUP provides valves and molded actuators to the aerosol industry, producing over 2 billion parts per year.

Established in 1959 and never ceasing to innovate, LINDAL has become one of the global market leaders in aerosol technology. Based in Europe, we serve our customers all over the world from our plants located in Europe and the Americas.

Lindal North America, located in Columbus, produces valves, actuators, and spray caps for aerosol products.

Our clean, climate controlled facility has high speed assembly lines and injection molding production centers which operate on a three shift schedule.

We offer competitive wages with benefit package (Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, 401(k), STD, LTD).

We are always looking for qualified talent to be a part of our management, maintenance and production teams, injection molding and electrical experience a plus.

Please visit our booth at The Republic Career Fair or send your resume to dara.olsen@lindalgroup.com.

22 Career Fair 2015

tell the world. Consider building your own “board of directors” who can help champion this next phase of your life. These can be friends, mentors, people with whom you have volunteered and family. It was Kriste Michelini’s friends who helped guide her to her second career as an interior designer. She says “owning” your process can be empowering and will help overcome feelings of self-doubt that inhibit action.

Redefine your narrative

Your career narrative is essential to helping employers understand how they can best use your talents and abilities. Once you have clarified your objectives and developed a first draft of your résumé, your LinkedIn profile and the story of who you are and what you have to offer, meet with people.

Jeanine Cowan, Silicon Valley regional coordinator for Jewish Vocational Services, says one of the biggest mistakes that job hunters make is to come to interviews not fully prepared. Informational interviews with friends and friends of friends who are in the industry or hold jobs similar to

what you want can help you practice how to tell your story.

The power of the network

Everyone in your wide network has a network of their own. They may know just the person, job or company that is looking for someone with your skills and abilities. Mary Page Platerink wouldn’t have secured seed funding for her brainchild in the medicinal beverage industry without the help of a previous mentor and their network of investors. She credits keeping that relationship strong with helping her succeed today.

Don’t give up

Rejection, and lots of it, is part of job hunting. You can choose to convince yourself you aren’t employable because you’ve been out of the workforce. Or you can do what Alison Cormack did. By refining her résumé to better match the job description and finding an advocate to help smooth the way, she was able to break through the online application process at Google and find her dream job.

— San Jose Mercury News (TNS)

Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation (BCSC) is a PreK-12 public school corporation located in Bartholomew County, Indiana. With 12,000 students and 1,800 full-time and part-time employees, we are continually looking for staff to support our mission : Deeper Learning is our individualized approach for preparing all learners to succeed in a competitive global economy and democratic society and to tackle the complex issues they will encounter.

We currently have openings for: - ICare (our before and after school program) - Bus drivers - Cafeteria - Teacher assistants - Substitute teachers

To access our current open positions please visit our website at: www.bcsc.k12.in.us.

No matter how tech-savvy you are, you have to get along with people

By Diane Stafford The Kansas City Star (TNS) Automation and self-service have replaced a lot of jobs. Computer programming and technology skills are requirements for others.

But the ability to interact well, person to person, remains vital for career success.

A recent article in the Harvard Business Review cited a National Bureau of Economic Research study that argues that “highskilled, hard-to-automate jobs will increasingly demand social adeptness.” In other words, you can’t hide behind a keyboard and expect to prosper.

The experts in no way downgrade the importance of technology skills. You must have command of your field — cutting-edge command is even better — but you also need to get along with others. David Deming, an associate professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, said it this way in the Harvard Business Review: “If it’s true that work is becoming more team-based, and there’s a lot of evidence

that it is, then it ought to be true that people who are more able to work with others will be more valuable. Because the thing about computers, technology and machines is that they’re very good at the specific things they’re programmed to be good at, but they’re not flexible.”

Ah, flexibility. It’s a word heard often from hirers who know that the job you’re hired for today might evolve into something different tomorrow. New or fewer co-workers might come into the picture. Experts say adapting to change is the ability to adjust when your “comparative advantage” shifts.

A machine can’t do that kind of adaptation on the spot; it has to be reprogrammed. The competitive advantage for humans, despite what you read about artificial intelligence gains, is that we are better able to adapt to change quickly.

There’s some evidence that intelligence, your basic IQ, gives an edge in human adaptability. Smart people may find it easier to think through the reasons for change, quickly

understand their altered roles and see how they need to adapt. But those smarts aren’t enough in many real-world applications.

Here’s why: Workplaces are veritable cesspools of office politics, as you’ve probably noticed. Throw in personal relationships with bosses, co-worker cliques and fighting for scarce resources (pay, promotions, top assignments) and even the best brains can be taxed.

Thus, a raft of social science research points to the heightened value of relationship building. IQ may not be as important as EQ, or “emotional intelligence.” Also called “soft skills,” these involve interpersonal awareness and interaction, no matter the white-collar, blue-collar, pink-collar or no-collar job.

Here are two key questions to ask yourself: n Do you see yourself as others see you? n Do you treat others — colleagues, clients, customers — as you wish to be treated?

Honest answers to both can help measure your social skills reputation and likelihood for career success.

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Great Career Opportunity MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN YOUR LIFE & IN THE LIVES OF OTHERS! Are you interested in a challenging yet fulfilling career? Do you feel good when you see others advance and reach their personal goals? Then perhaps DSI is the employer for you! We have degreed and non-degreed Positions available.

The exciting thing about working at DSI is that there are many types of jobs that are needed to support those we serve. Regardless of the job task or position, every employee is part of a unique and cohesive effort that has been praised and emulated by successful businesses and other organizations throughout the field.

BENEFITS: Besides the opportunity to work in a professional yet comfortable setting, DSI offers many excellent benefits: Flexible Work Schedule Paid Training Travel Reimbursement Paid Leave Time (increases with seniority) Paid Holiday Time Health Insurance for Employees working 30 hrs or more 125K Flex Plan Short Term Disability Employer Paid Life Insurance Direct Deposit

To apply for open positions:

Please visit our booth at The Republic Career Fair on Monday, September 21st at the Clarion Hotel from Noon-5pm.

We look forward to meeting you!

We will have HR Professionals on staff at the fair to speak with job seekers one-on-one.

If you are unable to attend the event, please apply in person at:

2920 Tenth Street, Columbus, IN 47201 or apply online at:

www.dsiservices.org EOE