Spring Cleaning for Job Seekers

When was the last time you reviewed your resume?

Are you up-to-date on the latest computer software used by companies in your target industry?

Have you looked at your Facebook or MySpace page from an employer's perspective?

Have you renewed your membership to industry or trade associations that offer great networking opportunities and regular updates on local and national trends?

Is your contact information current at your college/university alumni office?  Sometimes those newsletters they send out can provide extremely useful networking opportunities to connect with alumni in your target industry. 

If your answer to any of these questions is "no", today is a good day to do a little spring cleaning of your personal resource portfolio. 

You should also check out the new NEON Advice Column for job seekers, where we will regularly feature a local or regional workforce professional's advice to help make you more competitive while trekking down your career path. This month's edition explains why and how to use a recruiter in your job search.

Upcoming Events

• FREE Cyber Security Training Workshop at SUSLA, March 4-5
• LSUS Economic Outlook Conference, March 4
• SUSLA 5th Annual Economic Outlook Forum, March 27
• La. Regional College Career Fair, April 4

Click here to see our complete detailed calendar of upcoming career, networking and community events!

What kinds of skills are regional employers looking for?  Do you meet their ideal candidate profile?  Check out NEON's Employer Profiles to find the answers to these questions. 

To learn about specific talent needs of regional employers, visit NEON's Hiring News.

Training News

There are ample opportunities locally for you to add to your skills portfolio, making you more marketable to employers.  Below are some of the latest offerings at regional colleges and universities:

• EnCana Oil & Gas Announces 2009 Scholarship Opportunities
• FREE Cyber Security Training Workshop at SUSLA March 4-5
• Check out registration dates for summer session of new Cyber Info Tech Degrees at BPCC
• New Industrial Instrumentation Scholarship at LTC Northwest campus
• LPN and CNA training at LSUS

Click here to learn more about training programs in Northwest Louisiana.

New Employer Profiles

If you are currently seeking a job in Northwest Louisiana or will soon begin the process, it helps to know your market.  Below are the latest regional companies profiled on the NEON website.  Click here to see the full list of profiled employers.

Did You know?

• Movie Maker Magazine selected Shreveport as one of the 2009 Best Places to Live for independent filmmakers.  To learn more about how they made their selections, click here.
• Coworking spaces are being embraced by large cities with mass lay-offs.  Click here to read more about how this out-of-the-corporate-box workspace concept can be a life vest for workers caught in a tidal wave of lay-offs and turn them into the entrepreneurs that can fuel our recovery.