Lawrence career fair to help out-of-work residents

Exhibitors at Community Career Connection

Exhibitors lined up for a career fair as part of Community Career Connection, set for June 16; organizers say employment openings vary by company:

Allen Press, Berry Plastics, Brandon Woods, Capitol Federal Savings Bank, city of Lawrence, Douglas County Bank, and Douglas County Visiting Nurses, Rehabilitation and Hospice Care Inc.

Also: Express Employment Professionals, FedEx Ground, First State Bank and Trust, Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, Haase and Long, and HR Benefits Inc.

Also: Johnson County Community College, Lawrence Journal-World, Lawrence Memorial Hospital, Lawrence Workforce Center, Massage Envy, Maximus Fitness and Wellness, and Midland Care Connection.

Also: New York Life, Prescription Solutions, Sedona Staffing, Staff Management, Sunflower Broadband, Trinity In-Home Care, and ZLB Plasma.

More than two dozen employers will participate in a career fair as part of a larger event designed to help out-of-work Lawrencians succeed in applying, dressing and interviewing for employment.

Community Career Connection is set for 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. June 16 at Pinnacle Career Institute, 1601 W. 23rd, Suite 200 in Lawrence. Details are available online at CommunityCareerConnection.com.

The event is being organized by area officials who work in human resources, with the effort sponsored by employers in the region — all willing to help give people the best chance to go from job hunting to gainful employment.

Participants in the free event are encouraged to bring their résumés and cover letters, both to provide to potential employers and to have them reviewed and critiqued by experts in the field.

Either way, organizers say, people looking for work can jump-start their existing job searches or otherwise be prepared once the economy starts revving up again. The event is being designed to cover a variety of topics and resources job-seeking people need to succeed.

The job fair will run the entire time, with at least 28 exhibitors lined up to share their stories — and perhaps discuss potential job openings — with participants.

Local human resources professionals will be available to meet one-on-one with participants to run through practice interview questions and review résumés and cover letters.

A variety of speakers and panel discussions also are scheduled, including:

• “Dress for Success … on a Budget,” at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m., with Nikki Maples of Adecco.

• “Benefits, Budgeting and Financial Planning,” at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m., with a panel of financial experts sharing information about health insurance, retirement plans and managing money when temporarily out of work.

• “Stress Management and Nutrition,” at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m., with local experts advising how to stay well during a job search.

• “Hear from the Experts,” at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m., with human resources managers explaining what they’re looking for during job interviews.

• “Interviewing Tips,” at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m., with Carol Rau of Career Advantage.

• “Networking as a Job Search Strategy,” at 3 p.m. and 5 p.m., with experts from Lee Hecht Harrison outlining key components for conducting a successful effort.

• “Community Resources Panel,” at 3 p.m. and 5 p.m., featuring representatives from Cottonwood, Health Care Access, Kansas Department of Labor, Kansas University Small Business Development Center, Lawrence Diploma Completion Program, Lawrence Public Library, and Lawrence Workforce Center.

• “Résumés and Cover Letters,” at 3 p.m. and 5 p.m., with Carol Rau offering effective writing techniques.

Event sponsors include Adecco, Career Advantage, Douglas County Bank, Flory Design, Lawrence Chamber of Commerce, Lee Hecht Harrison, Martin-Smith Personnel Services Inc., Pinnacle Career Institute, Prescription Solutions, Society for Human Resource Management and The World Company, owners of the Journal-World and Sunflower Broadband.