1

THE COMPETITIVE EDGE

“...The Workforce & Business Development Program will still provide all of the services under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), as well as assist area small businesses providing business development services. The programs fit well together and can offer a better client experience as a comprehensive program.”

- Keith Pitts CAC of Pike County

Executive Director

In This Issue

Program Merge

Tax Information

What to Research Before a Job Interview

Success Story

Contact Us

FREE Tax Preparation

Workforce & Business Development’s New Logo

T he Community Action Committee of Pike County is proud to announce the merger of the Business Development Program and the Employment and Training Program effective

January 1, 2018. The Program is now the Workforce & Business Development Program.

Keith Pitts, Executive Director for the Community Action Committee of Pike County stated, “The merger and name change reflect the consolidation of two programs that serve a similar client dynamic. The Workforce & Business Development Program will still provide all of the services under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), as well as assist area small businesses providing business development services. The programs fit well together and can offer a better client experience as a comprehensive program.” By working together as one, the Program will serve Pike County and the surrounding area offering expertise in small business services, free income tax preparation, financial literacy, as well as WIOA and TANF programs and services that prepare adults and youth facing serious barriers to employment. The program will continue to be an active partner of OhioMeansJobs. The OhioMeansJobs Resource Center offers an array of free resources for job search, career planning, and access to community resources. The Resource Center will continue to be

OhioMeansJobs Pike County Quarterly Newsletter Winter, 2018

Continued on page 2

The Community Action Committee of Pike County Announces Program Merger: Workforce & Business Development

2

open to the public Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Anyone seeking employment can visit the Resource Center during normal business hours. All services will continue without interruption. The Workforce & Business Development Staff will continue to be housed at the Community Action Committee of Pike County’s main agency location at 941 Market Street, Piketon, Ohio. “I believe the merger of the departments is a win-win for all involved. Having the programs together as one program allows us to offer services directly that previously had to be completed by a referral process. The new program will allow a more universal approach to helping individuals and businesses.” “I am so excited to lead this very talented group of people in continuing to offer employment and small business services to our community and am looking forward to the enhancing the Program,” stated Lisa Pfeifer, Workforce & Business Development Program Director. Some of the Workforce & Business Development Services offered include Career Readiness Workshops, Customized Training, Occupational Classroom Training, On-the-Job Training (OJT), Internship Training, Youth Programs, and Resume Development Services. Monies are allocated specifically for youth between the ages of 14-24, adults that are unemployed or incumbent workers, individuals unemployed due to a plant closure or long-term unemployment, and individuals with little or no work experience. Youth applicants must meet 100% of the Poverty Guidelines or 70% of the Lower Living Standard Income Levels (whichever is highest) or meet specified criteria. Adult Applicants must meet 200% of the Poverty Guidelines, and Dislocated Workers must have a notice of permanent layoff or plant closure prior to enrollment.

Services offered to area Small Businesses (including start-ups) include small business classes and one-on-one training and technical assistance, computer training in Excel and QuickBooks, as well as the Small Business Loan Program that offers financing to individuals in Jackson, Pike, Ross, Scioto, Adams, Brown, and Lawrence Counties wanting to start, expand, or purchase a small business.

For more information on the Workforce & Business Development programs, please contact them at 740-289-2371 or toll free at 1-866-820-1185. Visit them on the web: www.workforcebusinessdevelopment.org or find them on Facebook!

Want to file your own taxes? Here’s how to file for free:

Go online at https://www.unitedway.org/

myfreetaxes Or

Go to www.pikecac.org. Click “Programs and

Services”. Then click “Free Tax Preparation”.

Questions? Call our free helpline at 1-855-MY-TX-HELP (1-855-698-9435).

Continued from Front

Basic Computer Workshop Offered

Thursday, February 22nd, 2018

from 9:00 am-12:00 pm at OhioMeansJobs Pike

County!

Create documents in Microsoft Word, save

documents to your email account, create an email account, and download

documents to your desktop for future

changes!

Call 740-289-2371 and talk to DeeDee (ext.

7089) to reserve your seat today!

3

Open Interview Success Story!

“Just a quick note to relay to you and the Team at OhioMeansJobs Pike County that I was very pleased with the end results for the hiring session we held. Your team demonstrated flexibility in what proved to be a very productive day. All told I was able to interview 33 people during the course of the day and ended up hiring 8. The campaign strategy that you put together was productive and I look forward to repeating the success at our next session. Best regards to you and the team!”

Mike Bryce, Human Resource Manager, PGW Auto Glass.

Continued on page 4

What to Research Before a Job Interview By Mary Lorenz | January 10, 2018 Preparing for a job interview is more than just practicing common interview questions

and choosing the right outfit – it’s also about researching the company and the role. When you take the time to research, not only will you get a better feel for what the company is looking for and how you will fit in, it will also help you stand out from the other candidates. Employers want someone who is familiar with the company, and they will be impressed that you went the extra mile and did your homework. Here are some key things you should know about a company before sitting down for the job interview. What does the company do? It may sound obvious, but knowing what the company actually does is key. Hiring managers almost always ask what you know about the company in order to gauge your interest level and industry knowledge. If you don’t have a good answer to this question, it tells the hiring manager that you don’t really care about the company – you just want a job. What will the job entail? While the interview gives you a chance to learn more about the intricacies of the role, you should try to understand as much as you can about the role prior to the interview. This will give you a chance to find out where you can contribute and prepare to discuss why you would be the ideal person for this role. What are the company’s values? It’s not enough to know what the company does, but also why they do it. Not only will you learn more about the company and get information that will impress the hiring manager, but you will also see how it aligns with your own values and further assess whether or not this is the right company for you. Who are the clients? A big part of understanding the company – and your potential in it – is understanding the company’s customer base. Who uses the company’s products and services? What audience does the company market to? Showing you understand the company’s customers and their needs will further set you apart as a knowledgeable and enthusiastic candidate. Most companies will list their notable clients on their website. You can also check the company’s blog, case studies and white papers to find out more.

4

Contact Us Give us a call for more information about our services. OhioMeansJobs Pike County 941 Market Street Piketon, Ohio 45661 (740) 289-2371 Toll-Free (866) 820-1185

What's new and noteworthy? Most hiring managers will already expect you to have an initial understanding of what the company does, but if you show that you’re on top of news and trends, you’ll make an even bigger impression. Take the time to find out what the company has been up to lately, and you’ll get a better understanding of where the company is going and it’s place in the industry. For instance, is the company launching any new products or services? Has it received any recognition or awards recently? Has it received any other recent press that is worth noting? Who are the leaders? Knowing a bit about the company's leadership team can be helpful in researching and preparing for an interview. Not only is it one more way to show the interviewer you’ve done your research, but you’ll get more insight into the company’s values and culture. Plus, depending on the size of the company and the position for which you're interviewing, you may find yourself meeting with one of these leaders in person. Who is your interviewer? Having some background information on the person with whom you’ll be interviewing can potentially help you prepare for the kinds of questions to expect. Get the name and title of the person with whom you’ll be interviewing, then see if you have any common connections who can offer any insight into this person’s personality. Otherwise, you can do some old-fashioned internet research. Look for shared interests that can help you build a rapport. (Feel weird about Googling your interviewer? It might help to know that they’ve likely done a little intel on you.) Where to research The following resources can help you dig deeper and get the insight you need for your interview. The company website: The company’s website is the obvious starting point to learn about what the company does, its mission and its values (usually found on its “About Us” page). Most companies also have a dedicated “Careers” section where you can learn about what it’s like to work there, the culture and the benefits. Check out the company press room to learn about new or upcoming product launches, awards received or other company news. Social media: Browse the company’s social media pages for more up-to-date news and exciting happenings at the company. Seeing how the company interacts with fans and followers on social media can also help you get a closer look inside the culture and values. Company review sites: Third-party sites, such as Glassdoor, allow current and former employees to rate and review the company. Learn more about what it’s like to work there and what you can expect from leadership. Google news: Doing a Google news search for the company will help you find information the company might not necessarily post on social media or its website. You may also find interviews with leadership, which will give you further insight into the values of the company.

Source: CareerBuilder

Continued from Page 3

Partners Aspire http://www.pikectc.org/able.aspx VANTAGE Aging http://www.matureservices.org/ets/portsmouth.php Ohio Department of Job & Family Services http://jfs.ohio.gov ODJFS Veteran Representative http://jfs.ohio.gov/veterans/index.stm Workforce & Business Development workforcebusinessdevelop-ment.org Pike County Department of Job & Family Services Www.pikecojfs.org Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities http://www.ood.ohio.gov/ Valley View Health Centers http://valleyviewhealth.org/

5

6