Happy New Year!

During this time of resolutions we make to improve our lives, we thought we'd give you some food for thought about ways to make yourself a more competitive job seeker in what may seem an impossible job market.

Give Your Skill Set a Facelift

This new year may not be inspiring tremendous optimism in the hearts and minds of job seekers (and even those that are currently employed in many cases), but we try to look at times like these as an opportunity for job seekers to consider refreshing or strengthening their skill set in a given area, or possibly even changing direction completely. 

NW Louisiana is blessed to have a diversified economy, made up of employers that require a wide variety of skill sets among their workforce, some of which are in critical demand.  In addition, the next several years will see the beginning of a retirement trend among baby boomers, taking large numbers of workers in skilled trades out of the active workforce (who will be the electricians, plumbers and carpenters of the future???).  

NW Louisiana has many options for job seekers (or even those currently employed) to boost your skill set among our public and private colleges, universities, community and technical colleges in the area.  Options range from certificate programs that can be acquired in a matter of weeks to technical diplomas that take a few months to associate degrees and beyond.  Often all a job seeker needs to become a more attractive candidate is to learn a new software program offered through the continuing ed department of a local college or university.  Most importantly, our regional educational and training institutions are doing everything they can to make it as easy as possible for you to get the training you want and need, from offering financial aid to on-line degree programs.

To find out more about the industries that are projected to continue growing in NW LA and ways you can get trained for those industries, visit NEON's Industry Sector Spotlight, or to access links to the colleges, universities and other opportunities for growing your skills in this region, visit NEON's Education page .

Network, Network, Network!

Many people think of "networking" as one of those activities they like to do about as much as visiting the dentist or having blood drawn, but try to reframe the way you approach networking.  Good or bad, many employers today still rely primarily on word of mouth when they have positions to fill.  Your dream job may be one handshake away at the next young professionals' event you hear about, or your upcoming alumni gathering. 

Any occasion where people are gathered is an opportunity for you to expand your network.  Do not be embarrassed to let the people you meet know you are looking for a job; one benefit of living in a community like Northwest Louisiana is that, more often than not, people want to help.

• Frequently check NEON's Upcoming Events calendar for community, networking and job-related events
• Sign up for your alumni newsletter to stay in the know on upcoming events to network with fellow alumni in the region (you already have a connection with these people, so use that to your advantage!)
• Take advantage of the unbelievable power of social networking tools like Facebook and LinkedIn to grow your list of contacts and resources for finding a job
• Read the daily and weekly newspapers in your area for business and community related events that would provide good networking opportunities
• Look for industry associations that pertain to your skill set and sign up so that you have access to their local networking events.
• Volunteer at an organization you care about. You may not look at volunteering as an opportunity to network, but the person working side by side with you as a fellow volunteer could be the CEO of a company you are interested in AND you now have a strong personal connection over something you both care about. To see a list of volunteer opportunities in NWLA, click here and select the"Self-Fulfillment" page.

Keep Your Personal Data Up-to-Date and Handy

When your successful networking delivers you an opportunity to connect with an employer you are interested in, have your resume up to date and ready to forward to your new contact.  Email is the fastest and easiest way to send your resume these days and if you don't have an email account there are many places where you can get one for free (MSN Hotmail, Yahoo, Google).  If you need help with resume and cover letter writing, there are many on-line sources for guidance (visit NEON's Job Seeker Resources section to see some examples of resume assistance sites).

Explore All NWLA Job Seekers Resources Regularly

Never assume that a job site or employment service agency is not for you.  Employers utilize a wide variety of resources to connect with the talent they want, so leave no stone unturned in your job search.  Schedule a block of time each day to explore regional job sites listed in the NEON Job Seeker Resources section . Don't get frustrated if you don't see an opportunity that interests you on the first visit to a site because new opportunities will pop up each day.  And be sure to post your resume on the careers site of the Louisiana Workforce Commission; it's a free service provided by the State of Louisiana and the database of resumes is accessed by a wide variety of employers with jobs in the state.

Also be sure to peruse the Employer Profiles on the NEON site regularly to read about NW Louisiana companies and the kind of talent they regularly seek.  We are adding new profiles often and you may discover a local company you have never heard of before that is looking for just the skill set you possess.