Greetings from Return to Roots!

In this issue:

• Greetings from Return to Roots!
• 100 new jobs for SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA
• Governor McDonnell Travels to CIT and NVTC to Sign Major Components of “Jobs and Opportunity” Agenda
• Young job-seekers hiding their Facebook pages
• Resume Review Service
• Send Us Your Success Stories!

Greetings from Return to Roots!

Spring has sprung at Return to Roots! The Spring season always begins a flurry of job and career fairs, with soon to be college graduates seeking to find employment and those who are looking at making career moves or recovering from a job loss all  looking for the opportunity to engage themselves in the job market! It has definitely been a difficult year for many employers and job seekers but with popping of the daffodils so does hope spring eternal! We have added over 100 jobs in the past two weeks in addition to the 100 DIRECTV/Convergys jobs Congressman Rick Boucher and Governor Bob McDonnell just announced Tuesday, March 30, 2010.

Check out the position descriptions and apply online via Return to Roots now!

Please remember to update your profile information and post your updated resume! Employers are constantly posting and updating posts, so it is imperative that you keep your information up to date!

Our mission is to encourage people to join the Return to Roots’ communities through the processes of promoting communities, advertising careers, and establishing businesses. We're asking you to come home; give the website a chance and if you have any questions or concerns ever with the site, to please let us know.

Visit www.RTRSWVA.org and see how we're working to support your community!

We thank you for your support and promise to continue to promote opportunities in the region as best as we possibly can.

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Governor McDonnell Announces Virtual Call Center
in Southwest Virginia

~DIRECTV/Convergys project will create 100 new jobs from three regions~

RICHMOND- Governor Bob McDonnell today announced that DIRECTV, the world's most popular video service, and its customer service partner, Convergys, plan to establish a virtual call center in Southwest Virginia. The project will create 100 new jobs, recruiting from three regions: the New River Valley, made up of the counties of Floyd, Giles, Montgomery, Pulaski and the City of Radford; Virgina’s aCorridor, which consists of the City of Bristol and the City of Galax and Washington, Smyth, Wythe, Grayson, Carroll and Bland counties; and Virginia’s e-Region, made up Lee, Wise, Scott, Buchanan, Russell, Tazewell and Dickenson counties and the City of Norton. Read More...

BOUCHER ANNOUNCES 100 NEW JOBS FOR SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA

Boucher’s Showcasing Southwest Virginia Program Brings DIRECTV Virtual Call Center to the Region

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Governor McDonnell Travels to CIT and NVTC to Sign Major Components of “Jobs and Opportunity” Agenda

Joined at Event by Democratic and Republican Lawmakers; Leaders of Virginia Technology and Business Communities

HERNDON- Flanked by Democratic and Republican lawmakers and Northern Virginia technology and business leaders, Governor Bob McDonnell today signed into law a number of bills from his successful “Jobs and Opportunity” legislative agenda that received broad bipartisan backing in the recent General Assembly session. The signing ceremony was held at the Center for Innovative Technology and Northern Virginia Technology Council in Herndon.

McDonnell’s “Jobs and Opportunity” legislative agenda consisted of measures designed to spur job creation and promote economic development in Virginia. Read More...

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Young job-seekers hiding their Facebook pages

(CNN) -- Justin Gawel says there's nothing too incriminating on his Facebook page.

"There are a lot of pictures of drinking [but] nothing naked or anything -- at least I don't think so," he said jokingly.

Even so, the Michigan State University junior recently changed his Facebook display name to "Dustin Jawel" to keep his personal life from potential employers while applying for summer internships. Read More...

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Resume Review Service

So, you are looking for a job.

Is your phone ringing off the hook?
How many interviews do you have lined up?
Are you qualified but not getting any results?

If you aren't hearing back from employers, your resume might be the problem.
The difference between getting a job interview and being rejected could be how you write and present your resume.

Before you enter the highly competitive job market, let the Return to Roots (RTR) staff review and critique your resume to ensure that you present your strengths and experience in the best way possible.

Click here to learn more about this service.

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Send Us Your Success 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 hired by anyone using the Return to Roots  program since registering with us.If you have a success story, please email Carl Mitchell, , cmitchell@vebinc.org.

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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.

Where's Your Competition?

The list you see above represents the top ten states that Return to Roots has had visiting the website. You're not the only ones with an eye on Southwest Virginia!

RTR on
Watch Success Stories of the Return To Roots Program in Southwest Virginia

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 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, April 13 at 7:00 PM.

Return to Roots is a proud partner of JobQuest.

Email JobQuest at jobquest@blueridgepbs.org