If you are unable to see this page click here: http://www.returntoroots.org/e-blast/February2009/Jobseeker/

Greetings from Return to Roots!

In months past, Return to Roots has brought you news about regional job fair information, events we think you might be interested in, and exciting updates, business tips and opportunities throughout Virginia's Great Southwest and the Return to Roots program. We are still committed to keeping you abreast of the latest events and opportunities in Virginia’s Great Southwest, but we wanted to specifically address those who are looking for a career in the region or looking to stay in the region.

As of this past month, we have 2,304 registrants!  The number of registrants is increasing daily—in fact, during the first week of February alone, we had an influx of over 90 registrants to the website.  Now, more than ever, it has become imperative that career seekers use every resource possible to find a career opportunity anywhere—not just in Virginia’s Great Southwest.   

We have 535 registered employers, and 44 posted openings, including Physical Therapist Assistant, Field Service Technician and Social Worker. These employers have openings waiting to be filled by you.  Accessing career information and obtaining a career in Southwestern Virginia is as easy as logging on, posting an accurate and up-to-date resume, and applying for positions for which you are suited.

Recent feedback from registered businesses are noting to us that the applicants they receive either are not qualified for the position or are unaware of what the position entails when they apply for it.  They also report to us that the lack of an up-to-date resume keeps them from offering interviews to many of the Return to Roots applicants.

Please, in this time of economic burden, remember to update your resume information and post current contact information! Read the job description carefully and thoroughly before applying, and consider the area in which you want to live before applying for a position.  Times may be hard, but you can still take into consideration where you want to live, work and play.

Employers are waiting to contact registrants about job opportunities.  This is not possible without current contact information and an up to date resume! Please ensure that you have your updated and correct information posted to the website.

Blue Ridge PBS JobQuest

Join Blue Ridge PBS in a community service partnership addressing the employment challenges facing our citizens. JobQuest—a monthly one-hour program broadcast live from the Blue Ridge PBS studio– make job seekers aware of job openings in our region.

The program is a partnership with Virginia Economic Bridge, Inc, the Return to Roots program. and other organizations and area business resources. Employment experts and local leaders are on hand to share their insights on the local job market. Human resource experts from the area will are in the studio to take viewer calls and offer tips on the hiring process. JobQuest is a high-definition production of Blue Ridge PBS.

To learn more click here.

The next hour-long program will be aired on Tuesday, March 17th at 7:00 PM.

logo

Send Us Your Sucess Stories!

We are continuously looking for success stories to feature on our website.  We would love to hear from you if you have been interviewed or been hired by a company found through the Return to Roots  program since registering with us. If you have a success story, please email Carl Mitchell, Program Manager, cmitchell@vebinc.org.

Virginia’s Great Southwest

Are you or someone you know interested in returning to or living inVirginia’s Great Southwest? Be sure to visit www.swvaonline.org. This website provides information for locals, tourists, visitors and for newcomers relocating to Southwest Virginia.

Local Events in SWVA

Barter Theatre Presents:
Of Mice and Men

MiceandMen

This captivating tale of two traveling workers, George and Lennie, illuminates their quest for the American dream.  But as all too often happens, "the best laid schemes o' mice and men" go awry in this timeless American masterpiece.

To buy tickets, visit www.bartertheatre.com or call 276-628-3991 for Reservations

Blue Ridge Backroads at the Rex Theater

rextheater

Visit the Historic Rex Theater in Downtown Galax every Friday evening for a unique Live Radio Show featuring Bluegrass and Oldtime Bands performing on stage. Blue Ridge Backroads Live is presented by a group of area Volunteers and has been taking place at The Rex Theater since 1999. It is broadcasted live on WBRF 98.1FM. Call for more information.

Rex Theater
113 East Grayson Street
Galax, VA 24333

Telephone:
Phone: (276) 238-8130

Mountain Music Jam

Music Jam


Every Wednesday evening at the Historic 1908 Courthouse! Come to play. Come to listen. Come to dance.

Experience a true mountain music jam, where you will hear acoustic, unamplified music as it is played when folks seek only to entertain themselves and each other.

Historic 1908 Courthouse lawn
Main Street
Independence, VA 24348

Telephone:
Phone: (276) 773-2000

Website:
www.graysoncountyva.com

Entrepreneur Express Workshops

Radford University
February 26, 2009
3:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Homecoming Week Activity
Radford, VA
Register Here!

Smyth County
March 19, 2009
9:00 AM to Noon
Smyth Career and Technology Center
Seven Mile Ford
Register Here!

Wythe/Bland
April 30, 2009
9:00 AM to Noon
Wytheville Meeting Center
Wytheville, VA
Register Here!

 

Direct Job Seeker Outreach

Since November 25, 2009, Return to Roots has been providing the Job Seeker with information through our Notification Program.  This program notifies Job Seekers of job postings that fit the categories they selected when they registered. We have sent out over 2,200 emails to alert potential employees of new job postings!  These alerts have been useful to Job Seekers looking for very specific careers.  We hope to broaden our services by offering Job Seeker notification to Employers looking for very specific Job Seekers soon.  This service is just one way Return to Roots is committing itself to helping both the Employer and Job Seeker in this tough economic time.

Business Outreach Phone Calls

Each week we contact Employers who have had Job Seekers apply for positions.  Since January 1, 2009, we have had over 252 Job Seeker registrants on our site.  These Job Seekers and those previously registered have applied for more than 110 different positions through over 20 registered employers. We have had approximately 20 resumes reviewed and considered for employment and 1 individual interviewed for a position. 

Return to Roots Job Opportunities

Each month, we will be featuring a short selection of the job postings that are available on www.returntoroots.org. If you are interested in the positions, know someone who is or are interested in other job opportunities, please be sure to visit the site.

Take a glance at the list below to see this month's featured opportunities!

Position: Engineering Faculty

Employer: Virginia Highlands Community College, Abingdon, VA

Description:

Qualifications:

  • Master's degree in with a minimum of 18 graduate semester hours in Engineering from a regionally accredited institution required.
  • College teaching experience preferred.
  • Willingness to develop and teach courses via distance learning platforms required.
  • Experience in developing and delivering instruction via distance learning platforms preferred.
  • Candidates must be proficient in oral and written communication in the English language.

Position Responsibilities:

  • Teach day and evening classes in engineering at on campus locations and in distance format.
  • Develop and deliver engineering courses in distance learning format.
  • Teach mathematics courses at the discretion of supervisor.
  • Be involved in the recruitment and retention of students for the engineering program.
  • Establish and assess student outcomes and participate in Institutional Effectiveness initiatives to include assessment and program review.
  • Maintain ten office hours per week with accessibility to students.
  • Advise students on programs of study.
  • Serve on college committees.
  • Pursue professional growth and development activities in his/her discipline.
  • Participate in college, community and professional activities.
  • Perform other duties as assigned by supervisor.

Application Process: 

Applicants must submit a completed Commonwealth of Virginia Application for Employment; resume; a letter of interest addressing qualifications for position, view of the community college faculty role and professional aspirations; unofficial copies of all college transcripts; and a list of three references with names, addresses, telephone numbers and email addresses. Position open until filled. Review of complete application packets will begin March 12, 2009. Documents may be submitted as original documents or attached to email. Official transcripts are required before a contract will be issued. It is the applicant's sole responsibility to ensure that required documentation is received. Application materials may be accessed at www.vhcc.edu/humanresources. Direct materials to Human Resource Manager, Virginia Highlands Community College, POB 828, Abingdon, VA  24212. Email: humanresources@vhcc.edu

Position: Psychiatrists

Employer: SWVMHI

Description:

SWVMHI, located on 85 acres of tranquility in Marion, Virginia invites applications for our Psychiatrist openings. We are a progressive Joint Commission-accredited psychiatric hospital, with 172 beds serving adult, geriatric, and forensic patients. We offer a team oriented environment based on recovery principles, university affiliation, and an excellent compensation and benefits package. We seek candidates who are board certified or eligible in psychiatry to work with adult patients (18-64) and geriatric patients (ages 65 and older).  The chosen candidates for these positions will possess or be eligible for licensure to practice medicine in Virginia. Candidates may qualify for loan repayment with the Virginia Department of Health. You may call the Human Resources Office at 276-783-1204 or visit our website www.swvmhi.dmhmrsas.virginia.gov for more information.

Position: Visitor's Center Operations & Marketing Manager

Employer: Smyth County Tourism Association

Description:

The Smyth County Tourism Association is seeking a full-time employee to assist its tourism director. Primary duties include greeting and assisting the public, maintaining inventories, updating the tourism web site, coordinating volunteer schedules, and providing administrative assistance. Must be self-motivated, able to work independently and think creatively, have good organizational skills, and be able to effectively manage multiple projects simultaneously. Working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and HTML required. Working knowledge of InDesign, Dreamweaver, Flash, and PHP desired. Some weekend work (Saturday and Sunday) required. Submit resume to: SCTA, Atten.: Barbara DeBord, Dir., 408 Whitetop Rd., Chilhowie, VA 24319 or via email at barb@visitvirginiamountains.com by 5 p.m Friday, February 20, 2009.

Express

A series of entrepreneurial business and management workshops are being held across Virginia to assist new business startups and existing small businesses!
These workshops are designed to provide information on available business resources and deliver practical, hands-on training covering key elements of business practice. Workshop segments will include information on how to start and operate a business, growing an existing business, marketing strategies, financing and available resources.
In addition, participants will receive a resource directory that will provide "how to" information for many types of businesses including tourism-related businesses, agricultural businesses, and retail operations.

Admission is free to all events. Please check the dates and locations section of this site for a list of dates and venues where this workshop will be held.

You may register for the workshop you wish to attend by clicking the registration link under the desired workshop on the Dates and Locations page and by completing the registration form. Please note advance registration is required to attend.

Please also visit http://www.vastartup.org/sellva for Selling to the Commonwealth workshop events and http://www.vastartup.org/training for Entrepreneur Express Fundamentals Education and Training workshop events. To register for any Entrepreneur Express workshop or for more information, visit http://www.vastartup.org

Each week our website features 3 blogs on South West Virginia Topics. To read more blogs by student intern writers, go to Return to Roots.

Exploring Your Career Options

What do you want to be when you grow up?

You may think that this question only applied to you when you were five, but just because you’ve already obtained your Bachelors or Masters Degree in a specific field does not mean you can’t explore a range of career options.

In recent generations, it was expected that a person would go through two to three jobs before settling down… In today’s generation it is expected that a person will go through two to three careers before figuring out what suits their skills and interests most. So what are your options?

Researching your industry and field is the best way to open your eyes to the many directions you can take in your own career path. For most technical jobs, certification in specific areas is generally a requirement for different specializations, but for liberal arts majors, the opportunities are virtually limitless.

CareerFYI has a list of resources for exploring industries ranging from the real estate market to the video gaming market.  WetFeet offers job seekers insight into both the industry and career of their choice. This site can offer you guidance into what city your industry is booming in, as well as what companies are the major players. Not only will the site tell you what your job prospects are for a specific field, but it will also give you some tips for breaking into an industry.

If you feel like just a number among many in a PR firm, try working in the PR department for a specific company whose products interest you. If you’re bored of the environment of an IT company, showcase your technology skills for a company in an industry such as education or nonprofit. It may just be a matter of changing your work environment or location. For example, if you have sales experience but don’t feel like your work is very rewarding, take a look on the Return to Roots career site at the opportunity to work as an Admissions Representative for National College.

The learning process never ends, and it’s never too late to get another degree or change the direction of your career path. Simply switching industries or relocating to a more desirable location may be all it takes to reignite that passion in your career field. Check out the Return to Roots listing of higher education opportunities in Southwest Virginia to find out where you can obtain an advanced degree or certification. Now is the time to explore what you want to be when you grow up.

-Kristina Ticknor
Kristina is a December 2008 graduate of Virginia Tech and an intern with the Return to Roots program.

 

Upcoming Career Fairs

Directions Spring Career Fair
Date: March 17, 2009 10AM - 4PM
Location: Squires Student Center, Blacksburg, Va
For more information contact Debbie Wilson at 540 231-8131

UVA Wise Career and Internship Fair
Date: March 18, 2009 12PM - 3PM
Location: UVA at Wise
For more information e-mail wisecareers@virginia.edu or call 276 376-1005

Southwest Virginia Career Connection                 
Date: Wed., March 25, 2009, 9AM-1PM
Location: Southwest Virginia Community College, King Community Center Gymnasium
Route 19 (6 miles south of Claypool Hill intersection of Rte. 19 &460) Cedar Bluff, VA
Sponsored by: Southwest Virginia Community College, Southwest Small Business Development Center, Mountain Empire Community College and Virginia Highlands Community College

Hospitality and Tourism Management Career Fair
Date: March 26, 2009
Location: Virginia Tech
For more information contact Andrea Pitt at 540 231-8429

New River Valley Job Fair Expo
Date: April 2, 2009 10AM - 3PM
Location: New River Community College

Career Connections Job Fair
Date: April 8, 2009 9AM - 1PM
Location: Danville Community College

Bluefield State Job Fair
Date: April 8, 2009 9AM - 2PM
Location: BSC, Rt. 52, Bluefield, WV 24701
Co-Sponsored by: Bluefield State College, Bluefield College, Concord  College, New River Community and Technical College, Southwest Virginia Community College and Wytheville Community College   

Interstate Career Fair
Date: April 16, 2009 12PM - 5PM
Location: Holiday Inn, Exit 7/Interstate 81, Bristol, VA
Click here to see a complete list of participating companies, email sharon.peery@sw.edu or call 276.964.7544