Steve McNair’s former restaurant reopens

The restaurant once owned by Tennessee Titans quarterback Steve McNair has reopened.

According to WKRN-TV, Gridiron9 is open again after Alexis Springer purchased it from McNair’s estate.

McNair was slain in July 2009 shortly after he opened the restaurant. His girlfriend at the time shot him in what police called a murder/suicide.

The restaurant had been closed since the slaying.

Restaurant officials said they would have a grand opening in November.

Source: Wate.com

GM recalling about 400 workers in Tennessee

A source familiar with the decision says General Motors is recalling about 400 idled union workers to its Spring Hill plant in Tennessee to build a four-cylinder engine.

An official briefed about the new jobs who declined to be identified because an official announcement is pending provided the count to The Associated Press on Tuesday.

GM spokeswoman Sherrie Childers Arb said a media advisory about a Friday announcement at Spring Hill was forthcoming but she declined further comment.

The Detroit Free Press first reported the decision citing an anonymous source.

GM laid off about 2,000 workers at Spring Hill last year, and about 800 of those workers have relocated to GM plants in other states.

Source: Wate.com

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

Does Your Cover Letter ASK for the Job Interview?

Job seekers all over the country miss their golden opportunity to land an interview for the job they want- often for one simple reason. They neglect to ASK for one. They write a great cover letter, listing their accomplishments, their abilities, and the accolades they received for the work they’ve done. But they leave out an essential sentence:
May I come in for an interview?

Or

I would love to interview for this position, can we schedule a time next week?

There is no question that you can and will be called for more job interviews if you take that one step- asking for the opportunity to meet in person. Without the question, your cover letter fails to fully work in your favor. So be sure that every cover letter you write includes a request for a job interview.

Twice is Nice!

Ask for an interview in the beginning of your cover letter and again towards the end. It’s fine to use a friendly tone, but don’t be afraid to be direct too. You’re asking the hiring manager to give you a call and invite you in to talk about the job you both want to fill. This is as basic as it gets. Asking is one of simplest and more effective job-search tips you will read anywhere at any time. I hope you’ll take it to heart, use it, and then watch the results pour in.

Source: OdinJobs

UT-K welcomes first MBA Entrepreneur Fellows

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville is kicking off its MBA Entrepreneur Fellow program this fall, where students are paid to start a business while earning their degrees.

According to a news release from the UT College of Business Administration, it is the only program of its kind in the country.

Each fellow receives a $30,000 scholarship – $10,000 for each of the program’s three semesters.

They must make satisfactory progress toward launching or growing their business idea to continue receiving funding.

This year, three students received the fellowships. They are: Paul Haymore from Marietta, Ga., and Matt Parton and Brian Mohney from Knoxville.

Mohney called the fellowship “a dream come true.”

Source: WATE.com

Lava opens fabric plant in York

Lava USA Inc. is spending $3.8 million to bring a 30-job fabrics operation to York.

The family-owned company makes knitted fabrics for mattress covers and has started production in the 100,000-square-foot former Sattler Plastics building at 601 Railroad Avenue.

Lava expects to have 10 employees by year end and reach 30 within five years.

Robert Jones is plant manager.

Buddy Motz, chairman of the York County Council, says the new jobs and investment are welcome in western York County.

“It is refreshing to see a globally competitive manufacturing operation added to York County’s rich textile history,” he says.

Founded in 1925 and based in Belgium, Lava also has manufacturing operations in Belgium. It has a sales office in Waterloo, S.C.
The company also makes mattress ticking.

Source: Charlotte Business Journal

American Textile Opens Davidson Office

Sometimes we need a reminder that textiles are still woven into the fabric of the Carolinas.

The American Textile Co., which is based outside of Pittsburgh, realized it when the company wanted to grow its bed-fashion product development and marketing segments.

Some of the best folks in those two fields hail from the Carolinas and specifically the Charlotte area, says Blake Ruttenberg, American Textile executive vice president of sales and marketing.

The new hires really didn’t want to leave the Carolinas so American Textile decided to open an office in Davidson. On Aug. 27, opened a four-person office in the Harbor Place development in Davidson.
“We said rather than trying to convince them to move to Pittsburgh, let’s just join them,” Ruttenberg says.

For example, Mette Odom, American Textile’s new vice president of marketing, is the former vice president of marketing at Springs Global US Inc. Others came to the company from the former Pillowtex Corp. and Sara Lee Corp.

The result of the new hires was most of the company’s product development and marketing leadership will be based in Davidson. Ruttenberg expects to add a fifth person to the Davidson office by the end of the year and perhaps more in the future, he says.

But don’t expect the company to move its 200-employee headquarters in Duquesne, Pa., Ruttenberg says.

American Textile is a big supplier of bed pillows, mattress and pillow protectors and pads. It has 400 employees.

Source: Charlotte Business Journal

Communicating the Value of Volunteering and Non-Paid Work on Your Job Resume

The goal of your resume and cover letter is to get a hiring manager’s attention and ultimately entice him to invite you in for an interview. Using volunteer work or community service on your resume not only shows that you are an involved citizen of your community, but if your volunteer work is applicable to the job you are seeking, it absolutely should be on your resume.

Many people re-entering the workforce after a significant period of time can use their volunteer activities to show their knowledge, skills and the ability to work well with others. There are many volunteer positions that are not just “given away” because you want to volunteer. Human resource managers know this, and respect the work and required skill-sets just as they do paid employment.

Whether a paid position or volunteered, the organizational skills, communication skills and the ability to lead, work on a team or coordinate with multiple organizations to accomplish a goal are critical skills that are actively sought out by employers. Ensure you communicate these skills and experience to prospective employers.

The popular opinion on resume formats waiver considerably and it can be difficult to decide the proper format to use for yours. In the past there have been formats that include a section for Volunteer Work or Community Service. When determining how and where to place your volunteer work in your resume do not use a separate section.

Instead, integrate your volunteer work into your Work Experience or Work History section of your resume. It is important to communicate that you are a volunteer and are involved in the community, but you do not have to use words such as “Volunteer” as your job title. Use the title for the position or work that you did. For example, if you volunteered to manage a community clean-up project, use the title Project Manager in your work experience.

It is important to understand that your resume should be tailored for the job that you are applying. Throwing your volunteer work onto a resume or in a cover letter just to fill space, or show that you’ve done something, anything, is irrelevant to an employer. Your resume should be easy to read, with plenty of white space. Most of your volunteer work can easily be articulated in such a way to support the position you are applying for, just don’t add it because of the lack of better substance.

You should always communicate all of your relevant experience, whether it was from paid employment or volunteer work. It does not matter to a hiring manager where those skills, knowledge or experience were received; the fact that you have them is what is important.

Source: AssociatedContent.com

Five Common Job Interview Mistakes to Avoid

Interviewing for a job can be a stressful experience. It’s easy to get nervous but you’ll have a lot less to worry about if you avoid the following 5 common mistakes:

Arrive Late

Probably the worst thing you can do when interviewing for a job is arrive to the interview late. Not being on time to your first encounter with your future boss is like introducing yourself to someone new with a punch to the face. It makes a bad first impression. Arriving late to the interview says to your potential employer that punctuality is not one of your priorities. If you can’t even make it on time to interview for the job, there’s no reason for the interviewer to believe you’ll perform any better if hired. Be sure you and your potential employer settle on an interview time that works for both of you. If the employer suggests a time or date that you know you probably can’t make, don’t be afraid to tell them that time doesn’t work for you and request to do the interview at another time.

Don’t Listen

If you exhibit poor listening skills in the interview, chances aren’t very high that you’ll do much better on the job. Be sure to listen carefully to the questions the interviewer asks you and make sure the response you give is the one the question is asking for. If, for example, the interviewer asks about what experience you have that relates to the position you applied for, don’t tell him or her about your last job which has nothing to do with the job for which you are interviewing for. Listening and comprehending what you’ve been asked are important as these skills let employers know you’ll be able to do what they ask without a lot of further clarification.

Don’t Ask Questions

By not asking any questions during the interview, you appear to be unmotivated and possibly uninterested in the job for which you are applying. Don’t be afraid to ask your interviewer questions about the job. It shows initiative on your part. Just be sure to be as professional as possible and try to avoid interrupting the interviewer with a question that is likely to be answered later on in the interview.

Try to Take the Lead

While showing an interest and asking questions are important, you don’t want to seem like you’re trying to take the lead in the interview. It makes you seem arrogant and although employers do look favorably upon those with leadership qualities, they tend to hire people that they believe can work well as part of a team. When you answer questions about your previous jobs, try to use the pronoun “we” instead of “I” when appropriate. Show that you’re a team player.

Dress Inappropriately

One of the most common mistakes interviewees make (especially younger ones) is to dress inappropriately to a job interview. Like it or not, how you present yourself says a lot about you to your employee. Don’t show up to a job interview in jeans and a T-shirt. Men, wear slacks, some nice shoes, with a button-up shirt and a tie. Ladies, dress pants or a skirt (of appropriate length for a professional setting) with a nice shirt are a good way to go. Avoid low cut tops. Depending on the job you are interviewing for, you may also need to make sure not to overdress. While a suit may look nice, it may not be the appropriate attire for a stock room position.

Stay calm and avoid these 5 mistakes and you’re sure to make the best out of your next job interview.

Source: AssociatedContent.com