NC to receive $298M to support education jobs

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan today announced that North Carolina will receive $298 million to support education jobs.

“There is a huge sense of urgency to get these funds out the door,” Duncan said. “I commend North Carolina for being one of the first to submit their application and thank our team at the Department for making funds available within a matter of days. These education dollars will help North Carolina keep thousands of teachers in the classroom working with our students this school year.”

The $10 billion education fund will support education jobs in the 2010-11 school year and be distributed to states by a formula based on population figures. States can distribute their funding to school districts based on their own primary funding formula or districts’ relative share of federal Title I funds.

Over the last two years, the Department has been able to support 300,000 education jobs through stimulus funding provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. At this time, seven states have drawn down 100 percent of previously allocated jobs funding, while 18 states total have drawn down 80 percent or more. A July report from the independent Center on Education Policy found that 75 percent of school districts that received stimulus funds expect to cut teaching positions in the upcoming school year.

Source: Asheville Citizen Times

Roller skating rink plans November opening

Roller skating is coming back to the mountains.

There has long been a need for affordable family fun and entertainment in Haywood County and Jackson County and it’s finally here. The Smoky Mountain Sk8way, located next to the Waynesville Cycle Center on Great Smoky Expressway, is scheduled to open in November.

The skating rink and family entertainment center will offer public skating, birthday parties, video arcade, ticket redemption counter, pro shop sponsored by the WNC Sk8 Shop, concession area, and soft play area. The Sk8way will also be host to school, church and daycare center field trips as well as private events, fitness classes and/or skating lessons.

Robert and JoLynn Bryant, a local couple known for such ventures as the WNC Visitors Center, WaynesvilleLive.com and SylvaLive.com Web sites, and Haywood County Clothing Recycles, have begun construction in the remodel of the building at 19025 Great Smoky Expressway. The two tried to open a skating rink in 2006 but never found a free spanning building that was large enough.

“We spotted a business that was moving out and called to inquire about it just out of curiosity,” Robert said. “It turned out the owner of the building, Troy Muse, is also the same man responsible for building and operating a skating rink here some years ago. Mr. Muse is happy to help bring skating back to the mountains and has been an invaluable informational resource for us. Our goal is to bring some fun to the mountains, create a few jobs and fill whatever needs this community may have whether that is church outings, roller fitness or skating parties.”

The Sk8way team is selling advertising/sponsorship packages to help with the start-up costs and is asking the community and local businesses for their support. “We weren’t really ready to open a skating rink now but sometimes that’s the way the best adventures start,” JoLynn said. “The fact that we finally found a building big enough and that we can expand in is a sign to us to move on it now. Sponsorships are what will allow us to build the quality of skating rink that Haywood County and Jackson County deserve.”

Currently, the Entrepreneurship class at Haywood Community College is working on a business plan for the Smoky Mountain Sk8way and other businesses, such as The Print Haus and Cornerstone Builders, are getting involved. If you would like to be a sponsor or get involved in some other way, visit http://www.SmokyMountainSk8way.com or call 550-0122.

Source: Asheville Citizen Times

Green advisers: Waste Reduction Partners helps Asheville-area organizations save money in environmentally friendly ways

A program aimed at helping local businesses, governments and schools save money in ways that are environmentally friendly was green before green was cool.

Waste Reduction Partners is a program of the Land-of-Sky Regional Council, a multicounty local government planning and development organization.

The program, started in 1992, taps into the volunteer expertise of retired scientists, engineers and others to develop cost-savings plans that also benefit the environment.

In 2000, the program teamed with the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources for management assistance. And in 2008, the program expanded to serve the entire state by opening a second office in Research Triangle Park under the auspices of the Triangle J Council of Governments.

“It’s something we’ve been doing a long time,” said Terry Albrecht, the state director of Waste Reduction Partners who works in the Land-of-Sky offices on Leicester Highway.

“It wasn’t called lowering your carbon footprint in 1995, but that’s what we’re doing,” Albrecht said. “It’s just been very grounded in a business sense.”

Over the years, the program has helped businesses, schools and local governments save hundreds of thousands of dollars in water and electricity charges, and in turn saved water and cut air pollution. It’s now in high demand with renewed interest in protecting the environment, and because of federal spending and grant programs aimed at promoting savings through sustainability measures such as energy audits.

Useful advice

The program got its start with the help of preliminary funding from the Tennessee Valley Authority, which wanted to put retired engineers and scientists to work with industries in the region to develop pollution prevention strategies and cut costs, Albrecht said.

Today, the program has about a $450,000 budget and receives money from federal, state and local sources, mainly grants. Waste Reduction Partners offers its services at no charge to its clients, who can see big cost savings or may land grants after receiving a report from the program. “Our group, over the past year and a half, has been able to assist 41 organizations — community colleges, schools, local governments — and help them receive $4.6 million in grant money,” Albrecht said.

Read entire article here

N.C. jobless rate dips to 10.3 percent

North Carolina’s unemployment rate dropped to 10.3 percent in May from 10.8 percent in April, the state Employment Security Commission said Friday.

The statewide jobless rate was 10.9 percent in May 2009.
“Our state’s economy continues to experience a measure of improvement, based on the May data,” says Lynn Holmes, ESC chairman. “While there has been an increase of almost 30,000 jobs over the last three months, we continue to experience variation in the growth among the job sectors.”

North Carolina continues to creep closer to the national unemployment rate, which was 9.7 percent in May.

The sectors experiencing the most job growth in North Carolina in May were government, which gained 16,100 jobs; professional and business services, which added 1,600 jobs; and trade, transportation and utilities, which grew by 1,300 jobs. The largest decreases took place in manufacturing, which lost 2,900 jobs; and leisure and hospitality, which lost 2,700 jobs.

Local unemployment rates for May will be released June 25. The jobless rate in the Charlotte metro area fell to 11.1 percent in April from 12.1 percent in March. Mecklenburg County’s jobless rate fell to 10.1 percent in April from 11 percent the previous month.

Source: Charlotte Business Journal

Job Seeker Video Tip: How to Turn a Job Fair into a Job Offer – Part 1 of 3

A job fair can and should be an important part of your job search process. However, the job fair isn’t usually the place to have your primary interview. It’s the place to EARN your first REAL interview. Think of it as the ‘sales pitch’ to sell yourself on another shot.

Our video shows you some of the things that you should know BEFORE going to a job fair.

Health care consulting firm to add 463 jobs in Charlotte

Gov. Bev Perdue today announced that Hewitt Associates, one of the world’s largest providers of human resources outsourcing and consulting services, plans to add 463 jobs to its Charlotte workforce over the next three years. The announcement was made possible in part by a Job Development Investment Grant.

“Creating jobs is my number one priority. Hewitt’s decision to expand in Mecklenburg County means new jobs for hundreds of North Carolinians,” Perdue said. “This announcement by an international industry leader can only strengthen North Carolina’s already strong reputation as a business-friendly state with a skilled and knowledgeable workforce.”

Illinois-based Hewitt Associates consults with more than 3,000 companies and administers human resources, health care, payroll and retirement programs to millions of employees and retirees worldwide. The company currently employs about 23,000 workers in more than 30 countries, including 534 workers in North Carolina

The 463 new jobs will be primarily human resources administration and information technology positions and will pay an average salary of approximately $43,600 a year plus benefits.

“We’re pleased with the growth prospects for our business, and particularly our Charlotte center,” said David Swift, vice president of HR Business Processing Outsourcing at Hewitt. “Charlotte is a great location for us to expand our business due to the available talent pool and we very much look forward to growing our presence here with the continued support of the state of North Carolina.”

Other partners who helped make this project possible include the N.C. Department of Commerce, N.C. Community Colleges and the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce

To facilitate this expansion, the state Economic Investment Committee today voted to award a Job Development Investment Grant to Hewitt. JDIGs are awarded only to new and expanding businesses and industrial projects whose benefits exceed the costs to the state and which would not be undertaken in North Carolina without the grant.

Read entire article here

A-B Tech recruiting for jobs program

Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College has announced that it is accepting students into a state job-training program.

Here’s the press release:

A-B Tech is registering students for its JobsNOW program, Fundamentals of Automated Machining. Classes are scheduled from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, April 12 to June 28 in the Technology Commercialization Center at the College’s Enka site.

In 11 weeks, completers will be qualified for such jobs as milling machine operator, lathe operator, screw machine operator and drill press operator.

Gov. Beverly Perdue established the JobsNOW initiative for North Carolina using American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) Funds. JobsNOW provides community colleges the infrastructure and resources to teach job skills needed for occupations where job growth is projected. Occupational programs are established so that individuals can complete the training within six months or less.

The course includes machine shop safety, shop math, measuring tools, and basic blueprint interpretation; introduction and operation of lathes, drill presses, saws, milling machines, bench grinders, and layout instruments. The training will include basic CNC introduction, operation, and programming.

Source / Full Story Here: Asheville Citizen Times

Regional economy ends 2009 on positive note

BOONE—Western North Carolina’s economy ended its roller coaster ride in 2009 with three consecutive months of growth.

The region’s economic activity, as measured by the Western North Carolina Economic Index, increased 1.0 percent in December 2009—the third consecutive monthly gain. The index, which tracks the level of economic activity in 25 Western North Carolina counties, increased at an annual rate of 6.0 percent in the fourth quarter of 2009. The national economy grew at a 5.7 percent rate during the same period.

“It appears we are turning a corner,” said Todd Cherry, a co-author of the report and director of the Center for Economic Research and Policy Analysis at Appalachian State University. “We haven’t ended a year with three consecutive months of regional growth in about two years. There is a long way to go yet, but the first step is beginning to see consistency in positive news about regional activity.”

The region’s unemployment picture remains troublesome, Cherry said. “It will take some time before we see the gains in economic activity translating to new jobs. The lack of jobs remains a problem, but we are heading in the right direction. However, that is little comfort for many.”

The unemployment remained mixed in the region, with rates higher in about half of the counties. “Interestingly, declines in unemployment were concentrated in the rural areas,” Cherry said.

Seasonally adjusted employment for western North Carolina fell in December, decreasing 0.37 percent. Statewide adjusted employment fell 0.7 percent. The region lost nearly 4,700 jobs in the fourth quarter of 2009.

Mapping the growth in employment over the preceding month provides a county-level account of job creation. Seasonally adjusted employment declined in all 25 WNC counties in December. Ashe, Transylvania and Rutherford counties had the largest losses in employment (1.62, 1.03 and 0.97 percent). Buncombe, Henderson and Swain counties had the smallest losses (0.12, 0.14 and 0.14 percent).

Seasonally adjusted WNC unemployment registered 12.2 percent in December—unchanged from the previous month. The state unemployment rate increased 0.5 points to 11.2 percent. The national unemployment rate remained unchanged at 10.0 percent.

The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate within the region’s rural counties registered 12.5 percent in December, down 0.2 points from November. In the region’s metro areas, unemployment increased 0.3 points in Asheville to 9.5 percent and increased 0.3 points in Hickory-Morganton-Lenoir to 15.2 percent.

Movement in the county-level seasonally adjusted unemployment rates was mixed in December. Adjusted unemployment rates increased in 14 of the 25 WNC counties in December. Graham County experienced the largest decline in the unemployment rate (0.88 points) while Caldwell County had the largest increase (1.26 points).

Graham, Caldwell and Rutherford counties had the highest unemployment rates in the region in December (17.27, 17.05 and 16.86 percent). Watauga, Buncombe and Polk counties had the lowest rates for the month (8.14, 9.16 and 9.19 percent).

Nineteen of the 25 counties had unemployment rates above 10 percent and six counties have rates more than 15 percent.

All counties have experienced higher unemployment rates during the past 12 months. Polk and Jackson counties had the smallest increases in unemployment rates (1.83 and 2.13 points) while Graham and Caldwell counties have had the largest increases in rates during the previous 12 months (6.13 and 6.11 points).

Seasonally adjusted initial claims for unemployment insurance in the region, a leading indicator of unemployment, increased 14.2 percent in December. Initial claims decreased 11.4 percent in Asheville and increased 18.0 percent in Hickory-Morganton-Lenoir.

The WNC Index provides a monthly account of economic conditions for western North Carolina and is typically released the fifth week following each month.  For more information, visit www.cerpa.appstate.edu/wncindex.php.

The WNC Index and Report is a cooperative effort by AdvantageWest-North Carolina and Appalachian’s Center for Economic Research and Policy Analysis, and the Walker College of Business.

Source: University News

Interviewing Is Not My Favorite Activity

Many people find interviewing to be very stressful.  Typically it is because they don’t know what to expect or understand how to give the interviewer the information they are looking for in the format that is desired.  Most companies have moved to a behavioral style of interviewing that focuses on understanding how you have handled specific situations.  The implication being that the best indicator of how you will handle a specific situation in the future is how you have handled them in the past.  So how do you convey all of this information about you in a format that makes sense?

The first step in preparing for an interview, whether in person or over the phone is writing out your top 5-7 accomplishments.  Each should cover at least a half page. Anything less and you are not thoroughly considering all of the appropriate details to the accomplishment.  I tell my clients that all companies, regardless of industry, have the same problems.  If you can describe how you have solved those problems at one company, the implication is that you will be able to do the same thing for the company you are interviewing with.  This seemingly small, but significant step of preparation will differentiate you from the other candidates.

The first step in the interview process is typically a phone interview.  The phone interview is now a way for employers to avoid the time and expense of bringing in additional candidates.  The added emphasis on screening requires better preparation in the form of researching the company and the interviewer.  Make sure to ask enough detailed questions so that you have a very good understanding of the issues you would face in the position.  Selling to those needs will significantly set you apart from the rest of your competition.

Most interviewers will develop an opinion of the candidate within the first 5 minutes.  So how do you quickly develop a rapport with someone that you have never met?  Prior to the interview you need to research each of the people that you will be interviewing with on Google and LinkedIn.  This information will give you a feel for the interviewer’s professional accomplishments and consequently what has been important to them in their career.  If the interview occurs in the individuals office, take note of all of the pictures, awards, and other items hanging on the walls.  People will often hire individuals that they like.  By asking sincere questions that show a genuine interest in someone’s accomplishments and activities, you will build great rapport.   Other ways include giving a firm handshake, maintaining good eye contact, and expressing a positive attitude by smiling.

As mentioned earlier, most companies have begun using behavioral interview questions as part of the interview process.   These questions start with “tell me about a time when”.  In order to successfully answer a behavioral interview question you need to keep a few things in mind.  First, formulate your answer using the STAR method, which breaks down as Situation, Task, Action, and Result.  The situation is a high level overview of the issue or project.  The task is the specific piece of that issue or project that you are responsible for carrying out.  Action refers to what you actually did to resolve the problem or complete the project.  Result is the most important part of the answer and refers to the final outcome.  The most successful interviewers are able to tie the positive results they have accomplished during their career with the interviewers current needs to demonstrate how they can have an immediate impact.  Finally when answering a behavioral interview question keep in mind your use of ‘I’ versus ‘we’.  To a behavioral interviewer, the term ‘we’ means that you are part of a group that did everything.  The term ‘I’ shows that you were responsible for a given result.  A company is not hiring the team they are hiring you, so be careful to use the appropriate term in order to convey your intended meaning.

Now that you know how to answer questions, let’s look at how to ask good questions.  Many hiring managers have told me how they can tell just as much about the quality of the candidate from the questions they answer as they can from the questions they ask.  Based on the research you have done on the company and the information you have gathered, ask quality well thought-out questions.    The more information you have about the position and the company, the better you can sell yourself for the role.

You have done everything right up to this point.  Make sure to finish it off by closing the interview appropriately.  At the conclusion of each interview express your interest to the interviewer in a short one to two minute statement.  Upon concluding the conversation with the hiring manager, make sure to also ask for the job and the timeline for next steps.  I have had numerous occasions of excellent candidates interviewing for a role that don’t get the offer simply because they don’t ask for job. Finally, follow up with each of the interviewers with a thank you note.  Although a written note is great, it will rarely be able to get to the interviewers before they make a decision.  As such, email is your best bet.

Follow the steps above when interviewing and you are sure to stand out as a preferred candidate.  Best of luck with the interview!

For more information on Career Search Strategies contact Steve Gray at 704 877 5522 or check us out at http://www.careersearchstrategies.net

Stay positive and I wish you much success in you search.

Steve Gray

Career Search Strategies

704 877 5522

sgray@careersearchstrategies.net

http://www.careersearchstrategies.net

Network, Network, Network

I am sure you have heard this numerous times and here comes one more, success in the job search is all about networking.  Many people tell me they are networking and do not understand why they are not getting any results.  The reason is they are not networking EFFECTIVELY.

So what is effective networking?  To have a successful and effective job search you need to employ a variety of different types of networking, each with their own focus.  Certain things may work great for others and not as well for you and vice versa.  Find the things that are producing results for you and focus on them.

From a broad perspective you want to allocate your time among networking events based on the return they provide in the form of jobs leads.  For example, you are not likely to get more than 10-15% of your job leads from networking groups so devote no more than 15% of your time to them.  As I wrote in ‘Finding the Hidden Job Market’, direct calls to your target companies is the most effective use of your time and should take up the largest portion of your week.

Many of the clients I work with find it frustrating that they know a large number of people, but can’t seem to mobilize them in such a way to produce results for their job search.  The key is to give them a well defined description that describes in detail who you are professionally and what types of roles you are seeking.  This is often referred to as a personal marketing plan.  It should include a high level overview of your transferable skills and experience: basically a condensed high level resume.  You want to include what specific industries, companies, and geographies you are targeting and ask your network for feedback on who they know that fits the profile.  I suggest keeping the list of companies to around 50, so it is manageable for both you and them.

LinkedIn is an incredible networking resource that is often underutilized.  By combining the contacts that you have access to on LinkedIn with the tools learned in ‘Finding the Hidden Job Market’, you can easily find your target person or someone that can connect you to that person at most any company.  LinkedIn also has job postings and shows you how you are connected to people in that company as well as numerous other resources to aid in your job search.  Be sure to explore the website in detail and learn all it has to offer.

Networking groups can be a great resource to help get you out of the house and around people that are experiencing the same or similar problems.  In addition, those people all have contacts you can utilize for your job search.  By sharing a focused description of what types of positions you are seeking, the group can also help to locate job leads you may have missed.  When selecting a group, you ideally want one that has people with a similar personality to yours, a size of 10-20 people so you can get to know them, and individuals that are pursuing roles that are complementary to that which you are seeking so that you can share job leads.

Business cards are the way that business is done today.  Make sure that you have a card with your contact information such as cell phone, email, and address listed on the front of the card.  You can also use the back of the card to list some core competencies or a brief description of the role you are seeking.  When you receive a business card it is helpful to write on the card a few words to help you remember the individual and any details about what information you can provide for them.  Remember networking is a two way street, in order to get information you have to give information.

I have shared a small portion of the networking options that exist.  You should also consider things like industry trade associations, professional groups, your kids school, hobby specific groups, your local church, and numerous others.  No single thing is the silver bullet of networking.  Be creative and find ways to utilize all of the resources available to you.

The most successful networkers understand and do three things very well;

• Provide their network with a specific yet concise statement of what type of role they are seeking, and specifically how that person can help
• Maintain a vested interest in providing others with relevant information that will ensure their success
• Proactively reach out to others that fit the profile outlined in the personal marketing plan

Learn to do these three effectively and I can assure you, that success will be just around the corner!

Upcoming classes

If your job search seems like it is going nowhere, take a look at the following classes currently available in the Charlotte area.  These classes will also be given online starting in February 2010.

Topic – How to Use LinkedIn Effectively for your  Job Search January 26^th 7p -830p in the Northlake Mall Area exit 18 off I-77 (call for details)
Cost – $30 or sign up for both sessions for $50 Prepayment Required

Topic – Networking for Success in your Job Search January 27^th 7p – 830p in the Northlake Mall Area exit 18 off I-77 (call for details)
Cost – $30 or sign up for both sessions for $50 Prepayment required

For payment instructions please call or email me at the number below

For more information on Career Search Strategies contact Steve Gray at 704 877 5522 or SGray@careersearchstrategies.net