Job-seekers can make Community Career Connection on Oct. 23

Career fair is second to come to Lawrence

A career fair will be conducted as part of Community Career Connection, set for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 23 at Pinnacle Career Institute, 1600 W. 23rd St., Suite 200. Among scheduled exhibitors:

Adecco, Allen Press, Amarr Garage Doors, Berry Plastics Corp., Capitol Federal Savings, Community Living Opportunities, CSL Plasma, Del Monte, and Douglas County Bank.

Also: Douglas County Visiting Nurses Rehabilitation and Hospice Care, Express Employment Professionals, FedEx Ground, Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, H&R Block, Kansas University, Lawrence Diploma Completion Center, Lawrence Journal-World and Lawrence Memorial Hospital.

Also: Lawrence Workforce Center, Manpower Inc., Massage Envy, Prescription Solutions, Sedona Staffing, Student Financial Aid Services, Sunflower Broadband, Trinity In-Home Care and U.S. Army.

For more information, visit CommunityCareerConnection.com.

Organizers of the upcoming Community Career Connection are expecting plenty of motivated attendees to stop by for what will be the second job fair and networking event in four months.

Unfortunately, the need for such a program — and the advice, connections and job prospects that come from it — continue to endure or even expand, as area employers struggle to maintain payrolls or even operations.

“The timing couldn’t be better — again,” said Shirley Martin-Smith, an event organizer and owner of the Adecco franchise and Martin-Smith Personnel Services Inc. in Lawrence.

The latest Community Career Connection is set for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 23 at Pinnacle Career Institute, 1600 W. 23rd St., Suite 200.

Limited child care will be available for children up to age 6, by contacting Success by 6, 842-8719.

Like the initial June 16 event, the second edition will give out-of-work area residents a chance to meet face-to-face with potential employers, collect job-searching advice, and compose and refine cover letters and résumés.

The goal: Get people back to work, or at least steer them in a direction that can lead to employment once companies start hiring again.

The event is a volunteer effort, led by human-resources officials, job consultants and other area professionals whose business it is to find, hire and retain employees.

Community Career Connection will feature four workshops:

• “Networking: A Job-Search Strategy.” Lee Hecht Harrison’s employment experts outline how to position yourself for learning about — and landing — unadvertised jobs.

• “More than an Interview.” Mary McKenzie of Douglas County Bank and Peter Steimle of Sedona Staffing offer strategies and tips for answering tough questions and professional presenting skills and experience.

• “More than a Résumé.” Kari Heide of Career Advantage outlines proven techniques to get your résumé and cover letter noticed.

• “Career Shifts and Changes.” Carol Rau of Career Advantage advises how to adapt a career path in a competitive job market.

Also scheduled will be three panel discussions, with area hiring professionals sharing advice and expertise on:

• “Hear from the Experts,” explaining what they look for during job interviews.

• “Your Personal Life — Not as Personal as You May Think,” discussing pitfalls to avoid involving drug screens, credit checks and even clicks on Facebook and other Internet sites.

• “Successful Salary Strategies,” detailing how to seek the highest salary while not sacrificing a job offer.

Sponsors for the event are Adecco, Career Advantage, Douglas County Bank, the Jayhawk Chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management, Flory Design, Lawrence Chamber of Commerce, Lee Hecht Harrison, Martin-Smith Personnel Services, Pinnacle Career Institute, Prescription Solutions and The World Company.