Jobs Expo could turn your life around

Got work?

Despite rhetoric on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. that change we can believe in is here, and contrary to claims that unemployment is on the run, the answer to that question is, for far too many Americans, especially African Americans, a flat “No.”

For that matter, having a job doesn’t necessarily mean earning enough money to make ends meet. If you work part-time, odds are it’s not only on one job. You probably have, at a bare minimum, two of them. Like Jason Borths, who’s employed at Hennepin Theater Trust, L.L. Bean, Target Center and the Minnesota Twins.

“I have been doing this for so long,” Borths observes, “that it’s second nature to me. I know a lot of people that work three or more jobs. The jobs all allow for some scheduling flexibility, but I don’t get much of a social life. Also, since these are all part-time, they don’t offer benefits that a full-time job would. I have thought about going back to a full-time position, but if I am going to be earning less per hour then I currently make, it’s not personally worth it.”

It wouldn’t be surprising, if you have a full-time job, that you supplement that income with work on the side. And the days of two people living under the same roof with only one being the breadwinner are long gone. Add to all of this the fact that, if you aren’t working at all, you desperately need someplace to punch a clock, be it full- or part-time.

All of which makes the upcoming Diversity Career, Resource and Education Expo an event job-seekers will do well not to miss out on. At least 20 companies and corporations along with City and State entities capable of offering opportunities to turn one’s employment situation around will converge at the Metropolitan Ballroom in Minneapolis on May 20 for the purpose of attracting prospects. Among those represented will be the Minnesota Department of Corrections, the City of Saint Paul Department of Human Rights and Equal Economic Opportunity, Metro Transit, and Excel Energy, just to mention a few.

Who should be sure and attend? Potential employees who are interested in beginning a career. Whether you’re new to the job market, trying to upgrade from part-time employment or have found yourself in a dead-end job (it’s not uncommon these days to settle for what you can get until you can get what you want) and are in search of something with a future to it, here is something worth taking a shot at.

You will, of course, be simply looking to get a foot in the door as climbing the ladder to success starts with stepping up onto the lowest rung. Accordingly, your objective will be a position pursuant such considerations as on-the-job training, an internship, becoming an
apprentice, working under a mentor, or a combination of any of these aspects of entry-level duties.

Further, in the event you’re not certain what direction to choose other than being sure you want out of your present circumstance, there is on-site career counseling free of
charge.

The principle behind the Diversity Career, Resource and Education Expo is that employers be receptive to diverse candidates and have for consideration jobs that will pay a living wage or provide a route thereto. In this regard, Raenell Dorn, vice-president of human resources for The Minnesota Twins, states, “The Minnesota Twins are looking forward to be being a part of the Diversity Career, Resource and Education Expo. The Twins have long had a commitment to diversity and welcome all individuals to apply for any open positions. We post all job openings from entry level to management. All full-time jobs pay competitive salaries and provide solid benefits. In addition to full-time, we post all part-time positions. [The] part-time positions are primarily related to game dates.”

It should go without saying but all too often bears stating that the most important thing about an opportunity like this is being prepared when it knocks on the door. Key to attending the expo is adhering to the fundamentals of job interviewing, since that, to all intent and purpose, is what you are doing.

You’re there looking over the companies to see what they have to offer you, certainly. By the same token, though the representatives aren’t officially interviewing you, make no mistake: They are keeping an eye out for qualities their employers will want in an individual.

Bearing that in mind, it works to your advantage to see to it that you properly present yourself, and that you are professional in your appearance and armed with that perennial
requisite, the well-organized résumé.

The Expo takes place in the Metropolitan Ballroom, 5418 Wayzata Boulevard in Minneapolis, on Wednesday, May 20, 3-6 pm.

Dwight Hobbes welcomes reader responses to P.O. Box 50357, Mpls., 55403.