Where the Jobs Are 2018 by Volume One Magazine

Get ting that perfect job is like hit ting your target. It’s a challenge at first. You need to learn the right skills, find your balance, work hard, and keep your eyes open for traffic. It doesn’t always work out the first time, and falling off can be painful and discouraging. But don’t

despair: Volume One’s special jobs section is here to give you the resources, statistics, and advice you need to take the training wheels off, shift into the right gear, and cruise down the road of success.

PR E S E NTE D BY

1 0 TO P TI PS FOR JOB HU NTE RS polish your résumé – and your attitude – to land your dream job WORDS: BARBARA ARNOLD

WWW.AMTEC.US.COM / CREATIVE COMMONS 2.0

egardless of the unemployment rate, finding the right job can be a challenge. Volume One reached out to these Chippewa Valley experts and organizations to help compile this job hunters’ guide. Keep in mind these 10 tips while seeking the job that’s right for you.

1. HAVE THE RIGHT ATTITUDE

Attitude IS everything. “Life is 10 percent of what happens to me and 90 percent of how I react to it,” according to pastor and educator Charles R. Swindoll. Surround yourself with your hallelujah chorus, i.e., those who support and cheer you on. Get rid of the Greek chorus, i.e., those who bellyache, complain, and bring you down. Cut the cord with negative thinkers who zap the energy out of you.

3. BE ORGANIZED

“Stay organized in your search! Create a document where you can save job site information like usernames, passwords, website addresses, networking contacts (with notes on your conversations), and follow-up actions. Being able to refer back to information collected over time can be vital when you are active in your job search.” –Bryan Barts, Director of Career Services at UW-Stout “Make sure your materials are ready; cover letter format handy that you are ready to tailor to each job you apply for, résumé is proofread, aligns with the job you are applying for, and ready to be given to an employer, references are aware that you are actively looking for work, and you have their approval.” – Lindy Schneider, Career Services Specialist at Chippewa Valley Technical College

4. CUSTOMIZE WITH KEY WORDS

“Target your résumé and cover letter to specific companies. Make changes to these application materials based on the organization and the position you are applying for.” – Staci Heidtke, UW-Eau Claire According to a recent article on Money.com, companies now use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to pore through numerous résumés they get for any open position. The ATS scans your résumé for keywords applicable to the job you’re applying for. Approximately 75 percent of candidates are taken out of consideration before a human even eyeballs your résumé. ATS software is designed to scan vertically, so résumé that are centered are the best bet. Want to get through the “bot?” Make your résumé and application match what the job is asking for, and be able to back up with your skills and experience.

“The biggest barrier I see nowadays is employers who are not responding to applicants. Or they receive what appears to be a spam email from an employer they applied to that says they have selected another candidate.” – Andy Vinson, Owner, CEO, Advanced Staffing, LLC There is a very fine line between being politely persistent and being a pesky pest. So walk the followup line carefully. “Consider finding a mentor or two that you trust to give you constructive, authentic feedback about your job application materials and your chance of getting a job you apply for.” – Staci Heidtke

8. WHAT ARE SOME BARRIERS FOR JOB SEEEKER IN TODAY’S ECONOMY?

2. NETWORK

“Over 70 percent of today’s jobs are in the “hidden job market” and are not advertised as posted positions.” – Staci Heidtke, associate director of Career Services at UW-Eau Claire “Build relations – family, friends, acquaintances, former employers, and many more are important people when looking for a job. Most jobs are not advertised. Hiring is done through connections. Enquire within your own network, or try our network. Contact businesses directly – many appreciate your initiative.” – Candi Geist, Market Leader at Manpower

7. WHAT SHOULD I DO WHEN I DON’T HEAR ANYTHING BACK?

5. USE TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIAL MEDIA

“Use technology to your advantage. Sites like LinkedIn and others are working for you 24/7. Keep them updated and complete.” – Bryan Barts “LinkedIn has a great ‘Jobs’ function. It is easy then to see which of your connections work for an organization. Reach out to them to garner tips for the application and interview process.” – Staci Heidtke

6. RESOURCES

“Technology certainly makes finding a job easier. But don’t forget about the human touch. Who you know still holds weight, and traditional contact methods do yield results. Employee referrals are held in high regard. Networking with industry peers or volunteering in your community can open doors. Staffing and recruitment firms can serve as a bridge to permanent employment, help job seekers get the experience needed to develop a career path, and serve as a job seeker’s advocate with the clients they service.” – Laura Schick, Branch Manager at FlexStaff, Inc. “Find a partner – like a staffing/recruiting agency. They make it easy for you to job search. … Applying with us is like applying with 50 area businesses.” – Nicole Kauphusman, Territory General Manager at Express Employment Professionals The Job Center of Wisconsin, 221 W. Madison St., in Eau Claire, is a tremendous resource for job seekers. They offer a multitude of free workshops ranging from how to use keywords in your résumé to how to prepare for a job interview and more. Counselors will meet with you one-on-one to review and discuss your job search strategies. There is a weekly job club for job seekers, and the center has job specialists trained to work with veterans and those with disabilities.

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“In today’s economy, in this region, the largest barrier that exists for many job seekers is that they simply do not meet the qualifications for positions. Increasingly, companies are becoming much more specific in the qualifications required of positions they are looking to hire: education, experience, and skills – especially technical skills.” – Bryan Barts “With a low unemployment rate, the competition for positions rises! So, you need to SELL yourself! Organizations will be particular with their candidate selection. Put effort into the job application and pre-screening process. Don’t rush it! Be prepared though to act quickly and make yourself available for interviews. Interview, interview, interview. Some companies just share the great parts about the job, so be sure to ask questions about the more challenging aspects of the position.” – Joe Underwood, Royal Credit Union, Chippewa Valley Chapter of the Society for Human Resource Managers (CVSHRM)

9. YES, THERE’S LOW UNEMPLOYMENT, BUT WHAT DOES THAT REALLY MEAN FOR THE JOB SEEKER?

“Avoid falling prey to the “Shiny Penny Syndrome” – In a tight market, employers are offering an array of incentives to attract candidates to consider their opening over that of another. As a result, it may prove hard to resist the immediate lure of higher wages and promised perks. Do your research. … Rely on your research to reveal those fundamental elements that hold true regardless of the state of the economy because there will always be a shinier penny around the corner.” – Laura Schick “In a low unemployment market it may seem like there are no consequences to actions because you can find another job right away if you are let go or quit a job. Just remember, the economy will shift, and then your résumé will be left with many job hops and no longevity. Always be thinking of the future. This may mean staying at a job even when opportunities exist with higher pay because you are looking to master a skill set, build longevity, grow internally in the company, and essentially find a long-term, solid career home!” – Nicole Kauphusman

10. AND FINALLY, BE PERSISTENT! Never give up, Never quit. Persist!

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THE SHIFTING JOB L AN DSCAPE UW-Stout speaker: Industry, education need to work together to meet labor needs WORDS: PA M POWERS / UW- STOUT

ith an increase in contract workers and robots, the work landscape is ever changing, according to James R. Stone III, director of the National Research Center for Career and Technical Education at the Southern Regional Education Board in Atlanta. Stone spoke at the Career and Technical Education Summit June 18-19 at UW-Stout in Menomonie. The event was for stakeholders in the career and technical workforce education field. About 90 people attended the summit in Harvey Hall. In his keynote address, “Moving Toward High-Quality CTE: A Systems Approach,” Stone said 54 million Americans “are now freelance workers with no benefits, sick leave, or retirement. There is a lot changing fundamentally in the workplace.” Robots are not only moving into manufacturing but farming, medicine,

and human resources professions, Stone said. Meanwhile, it is getting more difficult to find electricians, plumbers, and carpenters. He suggested more partnerships between industry and education within regional labor markets to meet the needs of business and industry and to provide career opportunities for young people. “Career development starts in elementary school if it is going to be done well,” Stone said. “Social skills are increasingly important in the workplace of today and tomorrow.” Apprenticeships need to increase. Wisconsin has youth apprenticeships, but 70 percent of students in Austria and 60 percent in Germany take part in an apprenticeship, he said. The Southern Regional Education Board works with 16 member states to improve public education at every level. It was created in 1948 by Southern governors and legislators who recognized

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From left to right, retired Menomonie schools Superintendent Chris Stratton; Lisa Maas, vice president of human resources at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, Green Bay; and Timm Boettcher, president and CEO at Realityworks, Eau Claire, take part in a panel discussion at the CTE Summit at UW-Stout.

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the link between education and economic vitality. A panel discussion, “Developing Leadership Potential in Others” featured Timm Boettcher, president and chief executive officer at Realityworks in Eau Claire, which is known for infant simulators; Chris Stratton, retired Menomonie school superintendent and educational consultant with CESA 11; and Lisa Maas, vice president of Human Resources at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, Green Bay. Boettcher said some industries are paying educators to learn about their companies to help bridge the gap between education and industry and to bring real-world examples back to classrooms. “Getting out there and learning about the real world, they can bring back ideas for curriculum changes,” Boettcher said. Stratton said career and technical education teachers from Menomonie

would visit business and industry for professional development. “Any time you can do some meaningful exchange, there is learning on both parts,” Stratton said. Maas said employers need to understand the importance of the workers and how they help industry to succeed and particularly to grow leaders from within a company. Boettcher has had to learn to allow people to fail, trusting they will learn from it, he said. Stratton pointed out that leaders learn to allow others to grow and evolve, developing trust. “Trust is a big deal,” Stratton said. “Trust is something hard to earn and sometimes super easy to lose.” UW-Stout offers a Bachelor of Science degree in career, technical education, and training, as well as a master’s, doctorate, and leadership certificate in the field.

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JOBS BY THE NUMB ERS

It’s easy to get snow blindness from the blizzard of employment numbers you hear on the news. Unemployment statistics are updated monthly, sometimes get adjusted when new data comes in, and they constantly fluctuate. In the past few years, fortunately, they’ve generally been fluctuating in the right direction: downward. Between May 2017 and this May – the last month for which stats are available – the share of the workforce without jobs fell in the nation, the state, and the Eau Claire metro area (which consists of Eau Claire and Chippewa counties). Meanwhile, the size of the labor force grew, too, which means that not only do a bigger share of us have jobs, but there are also more of us working in total. TOTAL LABOR FORCE (Eau Claire metro area)

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE (Eau Claire metro area)

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE (Wisconsin)

94,333

2.8%

3.8%

May 2018

2.6%

May 2018

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE (United States):

(preliminary, not seasonally adjusted)

May 2018

(preliminary)

(preliminary, seasonally adjusted)

93,114

2.8%

3.1%

4.3%

May 2017

(not seasonally adjusted)

(seasonally adjusted)

Source: Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

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STUDENTS EXPLORE THE WORLD OF STEM CVTC camp offers fun way to learn science, engineering

van Eslinger manipulated the remote control and tried to keep the car under control while going as fast as possible around a corner of the track. It made sense that he was chosen to be his team’s driver. “I have one of my own cars at home,” said Eslinger, 14, of Chippewa Falls. “The hardest part is doing the turning, going slow and then fast. My suggestion is to go slower on a curve, so you stay tighter to the inside.” That’s a principle of physics, one of the hard sciences, and well within the realm of what educators call STEM – science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Increasing interest among young people in STEM subjects, and, ultimately, STEM careers, is the idea behind the annual STEM race camp at Chippewa Valley Technical College, held this year June 18-21 at CVTC’s Manufacturing Education Center in Eau Claire. “We’re trying to satisfy the kids’ natural interest in science and technology in a fun way,” said CVTC instructor Kurt Carlson. “The racing is the fun part, but they learn about scientific principles like friction, heat, aerodynamics, and safety, too.” Groups of students are provided with scale-model radio-controlled race cars and learn to make modifications on them using STEM principles that might give them an advantage. They also learn about different ways to power the cars. “We learned about how to use solar and wind power to charge the cars,” said Reid Gibbs, 13, of Chippewa Falls. “We designed our own windmill blades to see how many amps we could get.” “We used some blades they had here, then made our own based on what we thought would work best,” Eslinger added. “We learned about foam tires and rubber tires,” said Hunter Moritz of Menomonie. “Depending on the tires, it changes the speed and the traction. You use less friction when you’re on a straightaway. You want more friction when you’re turning.” The students explored STEM subjects beyond their applications to the race cars.“They got to use CVTC’s electron microscope investigating a fruit fly,” Carlson said. Another lesson covered polymers. “We put the stuff used in diapers in water because it absorbs, and it became like a gel,” Eslinger said. Another kind

WORDS: MARK GUNDERMAN / CVTC

of polymer is like fake snow, and other kinds of polymers are used in model race cars. “The rubber in the tires is a polymer,” Carlson said. “So is the plastic in the windshield and even the tape they use.” The camp appeared to accomplish

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its purpose. The students had fun and it piqued their interest in science. “My favorite subject in school is science,” Moritz said. “I’ve thought about going into science because I like experimenting with things,” Gibbs said. “There’s a national shortage of peo-

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ple going into STEM-related fields, and a lot of STEM jobs are in manufacturing,” said Jeff Sullivan, dean of manufacturing and skilled trades at CVTC. “We want to stimulate interest in these fields among young people who may not realize how exciting and challenging STEM careers can be.”

WISCONSIN LACKS ‘ B R AIN GAIN’ State lags in attracting college educated workers from elsewhere

W O R D S : T E S S A C O N R OY, M AT T H E W K U R E S , A N D S T E V E N D E L L E R / U W - E X T E N S I O N

isconsin’s higher education system plays an essential role in the state’s overall economy: Educated workers are essential to a future with competitive wages, innovative industry, and entrepreneurial activity. Although the state’s university and technical colleges, combined with low rates of workers leaving, suggest that homegrown, talented workers could be the key to economic growth in Wisconsin, a 2016 report suggests there are opportunities to improve Wisconsin’s education pipeline. The report, “Shifting Wisconsin Labor Resources: A Review of Educational Attainment” issued by the UW-Extension Center for Community and Economic Development and UW-Madison Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, focuses on the impact of education on the workforce and the state’s business climate.

LOWER NUMBER OF COLLEGE GRADUATES THAN U.S.

While Wisconsin has a strong high school graduation rate, it has the least educated workforce in the Upper Midwest. The decline in performance across several measures of education attainment between high school and the workforce suggests that there may be trouble spots in the education pipeline. Early in the pipeline, Wisconsin performs well, with nearly 88 percent of students graduating from high school. But compared to neighboring states, Wisconsin begins to lag with its share of 18to 24-year-olds enrolled in college and graduate school. Wisconsin falls further behind in its college degree attainment rate: 29 percent of the population age 25 and older has a bachelor’s degree or

higher, compared to the U.S. average of 32.5 percent. One possible explanation for relatively low degree attainment is the cost of college tuition, which is prohibitive for some students. Yet, tuition at the UW-Madison is lower than its land-grant institution counterparts in Illinois, Michigan, and Minnesota. An average debt of about $29,000 for students who graduated college in Wisconsin in 2014 is less than that of students in nearby states. Although a larger percentage of Wisconsin students who graduated in 2014 had debt: 70 percent in Wisconsin, a figure even with Minnesota and higher than rates of 68 percent in Iowa and 62 percent in Michigan. Thus, though the amount of debt per student is lower in Wisconsin, the wide spread of this debt suggests more students borrow money to get bachelor’s degrees. A more detailed analysis in this research suggests that residents, especially men younger than 35, may be underutilizing post high-school education and training. Men have fallen behind women in attaining bachelor’s degrees in nearly every Wisconsin county, reversing trends of past generations. Given the connection between college degrees and entrepreneurship, the study suggests that women-owned businesses should be at the forefront of the state’s economic growth and development policies.

‘DRAIN’ VS. ‘GAIN’

Wisconsin’s pool of residents with higher education is made up of resident college graduates and educated workers who migrate from elsewhere. The research found that the majority of bachelor’s degree holders in Wisconsin tend to stay in the state. Wisconsin

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has a relatively low rate of out-migration among all states, suggesting that concern about “brain drain” – the loss of college graduates to other states – is somewhat misplaced. The number of college-educated workers coming into the state, however, is especially low. Rather than “brain drain,” Wisconsin suffers from a lack of “brain gain” – the ability to attract college-educated workers from outside its borders. Consequently, policies that focus on recruiting residents may be an important component in growing the state’s pool of educated workers.

CURRENT NEEDS OR FUTURE DIRECTIONS?

The types of jobs Wisconsin employers are offering are changing, along with the skills required to do them. Based on the state’s current economic environment, the research suggests Wisconsin will experience a shortage of quality jobs requiring a college degree or more – perhaps not enough positions to accommodate the state’s relatively small pool of bachelor’s degree-holding workers. This situation could result in more of the state’s college graduates seeking employment elsewhere. The growing segment of positions in Wisconsin that require a high school diploma or less will also face challenges. Although job growth generally fuels economic development, job quality is also an important component. Many jobs that don’t require a degree or diploma also don’t feature wages, benefits and stability that are conducive to a higher quality of living. As a result, large increases in lower-skill jobs could lead to an increase in Wisconsin’s “working poor.” Changing demographics in Wisconsin combined with younger adults having

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skills that do not match employer demand could leave jobs unfilled. Wisconsin may want to redirect its educational pipeline to prepare workers with skills that go beyond the demands of today’s industries and look to shape future industries. Approaches could include making use of workforce planning and policy to align with employers’ needs in high-growth industries, revamping educational programs to expose students to practical work experiences, accelerating training for low-skill adult workers provide more hands-on training, and assisting the people who are chronically unemployed. In addition to a focus on workers and their skills, it may make sense to focus on employers and their labor needs as well. Another possible strategy would be to reconsider the industrial mix in Wisconsin and foster the types of business that desire the skill sets of future Wisconsin workers. In the end, the ultimate goal of Wisconsin’s educational policies related to labor force preparation is to create positive economic opportunities for individuals. Tessa Conroy is an economic development specialist at the UW-Extension Center for Community and Economic Development and an assistant professor in the UW-Madison Department of Applied and Agricultural Economics. Matthew Kures is a community development specialist at the center. Steven Deller is a community development specialist at the center and a professor in the UW-Madison Department of Applied and Agriculture Economics. This article was originally published on WisContext, which produced the article in a partnership between Wisconsin Public Radio, Wisconsin Public Television, and Cooperative Extension. Learn more at WisContext.org.

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EAU CL AIR E EAR NS LESS BUT HAS MOR E

WORDS: TOM GIFFEY

e’ve got a lot of things going for us in the Chippewa Valley: natural beauty, friendly people, plentiful beer. Unemployment is low, and so is the cost of living. And now, according to some number-crunchers at the website RewardExpert.com, we can proclaim that Eau Claire is one of the “Top Places Where You Get the Most Bang For Your Paycheck.” At least that was the title of a recent article published on the website, which focuses on “personal finance and travel data reports.” Using data from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics, the website sought to calculate “which U.S. metropolitan areas have the best-paid workers with the shortest average workweeks,” or – to put it another way – “where do people work the least and earn the most?” Under their formula, Eau Claire ranked fifth out of the nation’s 387 metro areas. While the Eau Claire metro area (which consists of Eau Claire and Chippewa counties) ranked a middling 143rd

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in wages, it made up for that by placing fourth in average length of workweek (29.4 hours). The average hourly wage in the metro area was $24.62 as of March. For the record, that’s lower than the average hourly earning statewide but higher than what people earn in many similar-sized Wisconsin metro areas, including Appleton, Oshkosh, and Wausau. For the record, here’s the top 10: 1. Mankato-North Mankato, MN 2. Corvallis, OR 3. Chico, CA 4. Barnstable, MA 5. Eau Claire, WI 6. Santa Rosa, CA 7. Norwich-New London-Westerly, RI 8. Portsmouth, VA 9. San Luis Obispo-Paso RoblesArroyo Grande, CA 10. Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA To read more about the rankings and the methodology behind them, check out www.rewardexpert.com/blog/ studies/top-places-where-you-get-themost-bang-for-your-paycheck/.

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