Sunday, September 30, 2012

Article: Job seekers need a solid game plan

September 21, 2012 12:15 am

In her former life, Roni Chambers was a human resources manager whose expertise included tactics and procedures for laying off employees.

Today, she’s the executive director of Go! Network – a St. Louis nonprofit that helps the unemployed find new jobs. Go! Network was founded by the St. Patrick Center in early 2009, shortly after the layoffs of hundreds of employees at what was then called the Anheuser-Busch Co.

Go! Network, which has struggled to raise sustainable financing, receives free office space in St. Patrick Center, and its meetings take place there on Tuesdays. In recent months, Go! Network also has received donations from Boeing, Centene and smaller companies.

“We teach people how to use the tools to find a job in today’s world,” said Chambers, explaining that sessions include teaching people how to build a network of friends and former colleagues with tools such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

“Hope and encouragement is a big piece of this,” she said. “If we can shorten the time that a person is unemployed, because they know what to do, we have a healthier community.”

Chambers said that St. Louis has a glut of laid-off workers in the manufacturing sector, and that new jobs are springing up in the medical field, including long-term care facilities.

Since 2009, Go! Network programs have been free. But the nonprofit is transitioning to a fee-based system in which job seekers will be asked to pay sliding-scale fees of up to $100. “People have to have some skin in the game,” she said.

Chambers sat down with the Post-Dispatch recently for a brief interview about Go! Network, the St. Louis area job market and ways to find work.

What's the difference between Go! Network and corporate outplacement services?
I believe that the difference is the hope and encouragement that we infuse in the skills and training that we do, along with the fact that it’s a large community – it’s 65 to 120 people who come together every Tuesday and they share information.

What's a good basic strategy for finding work if you've been laid off?
A great basic strategy is to lay out a game plan, and that’s to mourn the loss of your job; it’s to take some time to discover who you are, it’s to build a brand around that discovery; it’s to do the research necessary to target the next industry or business; it’s to network using your tools in that next industry or business; it’s to deliver a great interview, and negotiate your next offer.

How do you boost the morale of clients who have been out of the workforce for a long time?
By listening. By sharing yourself, your experiences. By connecting them with the right places where they can find the hope and encouragement that they need. In many cases, they’ve been spinning their wheels because they haven’t put together a good strategy. So you teach the strategy, you make the connections, and you listen to them.

Are there enough opportunities for the unemployed to retrain and gain skills in another field?
I believe they are coming. I don’t believe that up to now there have been. But it’s clear now that the gap between the jobs that we have today and the workforce that we have today can be bridged through retraining, and that is beginning to happen all across the country. For example, St. Louis Community College is beginning to offer some retraining opportunities. It’s the soft skills -- communication skills, leadership skills -- that we’re missing. Much of that comes from the fact that they’re long-term unemployed and losing the skills that are necessary.

How should job applicants prepare for interviews?
Practice, practice, practice. There are hundreds of tools out there that list the 50 of the most asked questions… Practicing with your family, or your neighbors, or the community of Go! Network or any of those communities where you are being supported. It is about tightening the words and delivering them effectively so that the company interviewing you makes the offer.


RONI CHAMBERS
Position: Executive director of Go! Network
Age: 57
Marital status: Single (divorced). The mother of three children and five grandchildren.
Residence: De Soto
Previous employment: Director of human resources for sales division at Anheuser-Busch
Education: Bachelor's degree in business management from Maryville University

http://www.stltoday.com/business/local/five-questions-with-go-network-s-roni-chambers/article_c47500b8-002e-11e2-9525-0019bb30f31a.html

Friday, September 28, 2012

Macy's Call Center

Macy's is hiring full & part time customer service retails sales dept at their call center near Earth City. Referral day is Monday, Oct 1. Complete application online Macys.com.

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Vida Mexican Kitchen y Cantina Job Fair at St. Louis Galleria

Vida Mexican Kitchen y Cantina is hosting a job fair September 27-29. 9AM-8PM

Vida Mexican Kitchen y Cantina is currently hiring and is looking to fill 125 part-time and full-time positions, including servers, bartenders, hosts and cooks.

Job Seekers can also apply online at http://stlouis.vidacantina.com/contact

Located in the North end of the St. Louis Galleria, Vida Cantina is set to open in November. The restaurant will offer traditional, regional and contemporary Mexican-inspired foods, handcrafted margaritas and an extensive list of tequilas in a modern, exciting atmosphere.

http://marylandheights.patch.com/events/vida-mexican-kitchen-y-cantina?ncid=newsltuspatc00000001

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Recruitment Event - Wed, Oct 3rd 1-4pm


Kelly Services 
Recruitment Event
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
MO Career Center – St. Charles County
212 Turner Blvd.
St. Peters, MO 63376
1:00pm – 4:00pm
We are currently seeking candidates for the following exciting contract opportunities:
Project Manager – Responsible for all phases of projects of a highly complex nature. Takes projects from original concept through final implementation. 5+ years of previous project management experience.
 PC/LAN Tech – Responsible for the day to day performance and operation of both PC and LAN hardware and software.  1-3 years PC/LAN technical experience.
Refer to www.jobs.mo.gov Job Order #9665100 & #9665125. The Missouri Career Center is an equal opportunity employer/program.  Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities.
                                                       

Saturday, September 22, 2012

Diversity Career Fair - Oct 2nd, 2012

Headquarters Recruiting Events

The following recruiting events are your chance to meet and talk with an Edward Jones recruiter about current openings - or to learn more about our firm. We're always interested in meeting bright individuals who want to build a successful career. Take a look below to see when we'll be in your area. Please stop by and introduce yourself.

Edward Jones 3rd Annual Career Fairs
These events provide a unique opportunity to network with hiring leaders to learn about career opportunities in our headquarters locations and nationwide network of branch offices.

St. Louis, MO
  • When: Tuesday October 2, 2012 4:30p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
  • Where: Edward Jones Headquarters West Atrium
    12555 Manchester Road, Des Peres, MO 63131
  • Hear from our Chief Human Resources Officer, Anthony McBride, who will formally kick off the event at 5:00 p.m.
http://careers.edwardjones.com/us/headquarters/RecruitingEvents/index.html

Friday, September 21, 2012

Job Dreaming?

I got an email out of no where for a new jobs website called JobDreaming.com.

I took the time to create an account to see if it was worthwhile and it's very simple to sign up. You basically fill in the blanks in a giant cloud as to the type of job you are looking for, and then I assume you'll get emails for jobs that match.

I was a little frustrated by the fact that my real "dream job" of Sports Administration is not really listed as an option so I just selected a close alternative.

I also had trouble with the last "blank", which I think is supposed to hold the city's name but the field is limited to five characters. I sent them an email asking for clarification on that field.

In the meantime, I am waiting to see if I get any emails that match what I'm looking for...so I will let you know if this is a worthwhile website to use.

http://jobdreaming.com

Update 9/24: The last "box" is for zip code! I had been trying to type in a city or state. hehe I feel silly now.

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Extra Help, Inc

I found this jobs website on LinkedIn today: http://jobs.extrahelpinc.com/

This site lists jobs on BOTH sides of the river!

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Non Profit Jobs List

My friend Wendy posted this link today on Facebook for the NonProfit Times Career Center, which is a jobs list for Non Profit organizations.

http://careercenter.nptimes.com/jobs/state_province/missouri

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Job Post of the Day - Francis Howell School District

Job site of the day: Positions available through Francis Howell School District...

http://www.applitrack.com/fhsd/onlineapp/default.aspx?Category=Secretarial%2FClerical

I'm sure each school district has their own website as well.

Which leads me to believe that all the teachers out there can comment about how easy or difficult it must be to search for a school job!

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Holiday Job Fair at Chesterfield Mall and St. Clair Square

St. Louis, MO - Retailers are beginning to staff up for the upcoming holiday shopping season! Chesterfield Mall and St. Clair Square will host a job fair to assist in filling the open positions on Saturday, Sept. 8 from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. in Center Court.

More than 20 mall retailers including: Auntie Anne’s, Body Central, The Limited and New York & Company will be accepting applications and interviewing for a variety of seasonal, full-time and part-time positions.

“Many Chesterfield Mall and St. Clair Square stores have immediate openings they are looking to fill,” said Sean Phillips, regional marketing director. “This job fair is a great opportunity for people to find the perfect job – whether it’s a part-time position for the holiday season or a full-time job.”

For more information and a complete list of retailers that will be at the job fairs, visit www.Chesterfield-Mall.com or www.StClairSquare.com.


http://marylandheights.patch.com/announcements/holiday-job-fair-at-chesterfield-mall-and-st-clair-square?ncid=newsltuspatc00000001