» By Chaseton Donahoe
Staff Writer
The Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce held a career development workshop in the APSU African American Cultural Center on Wednesday, Feb. 27.
It was a chance for people seeking employment opportunities to discover new techniques for searching for available jobs and primarily consisted of a series of examples and descriptions of the best ways to secure a job.
Many tips were given at the event from three speakers. The first two speakers, Wayne Simpson and Tyrone Parker, were marketing workers from the Department of Labor and Workforce. They help match people with available jobs by contacting employees regularly to find which positions are best for each individual. The last speaker was the department’s career advisor, Michele Lowe.
All three speakers provided detailed examples of the best ways to set oneself apart in terms of appearance and behavior.
“People don’t realize that before they go get a job, there’s a process they have to go through,” Simpson said. “When I get a résumé, the first thing I do is say, ‘when can we meet?’”
For the interview process, dressing appropriately is a huge concern. Simpson made the point that in an interview, “Your clothes should never speak before you do.”
Two short skits were performed, one detailing what not to do during an interview, and the other detailing what one should do. These were focused primarily on dress and behavior.
Lowe explained, “Even if you are just picking up an application, dress to get hired right then.” She stated that the most important thing to keep in mind was that, “It’s not about you. It’s about revenue, about how much you can make the company.”
The last point made was that it is often the little details that can make or break your chances of getting hired. Attention to detail means much more than you think. Two people can have the exact same credentials, but a small detail out of place that the employer notices may make all the difference.
A person has to speak once the interview starts. At that point, job applications and résumés no longer matter; what matters is whether one can speak. Something small may be what sets a person apart from the competition, and those will be noticed, because as Lowe noted, “Someone’s always watching.”
The Tennessee Dept. of Labor and Workforce helps job-hunters discover new tactics and learn new skills, while they assist individuals locate employment opportunities in the future.
