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  15th annual job fair planned for April 6

    By Dan Thomas
    IV Leader Staff


    Over 600 people from the college and community are expected to attend the annual Job Fair planned for Thursday, April 6 in the gymnasium.
    Organizers have sent out invitations to 380 employers and it is expected that at least 60 of those will be present for the fair. The employers will come from wide range of different industries include child care, education, health care, government services, hospitalization, retail and law enforcement.
    Sharon Barthelemy is the coordinator of Career Services at Illinois Valley Community College and has been involved with the job fair for the last three years. Barthelemy believes that the fair is beneficial to students, even if they aren’t seeking a job right now.
    “It is great practice for students; after all, at some stage everyone will need to get a job,” Barthelemy said.
    “It will actually save students a lot of work. At the fair there will be 60 different employers all in one room.”
    IVCC has been running workshops on the last Wednesday of every month to help students prepare for the job fair. The workshops cover areas such as letter writing, interviewing techniques, how to dress and how to behave in a professional atmosphere.
    “Appearance and cleanliness are very important to employers,” admits Barthelemy.
    “Most employers have a mental picture of an ideal candidate and are tray to match it with you.”
    Employers are required to meet specific criteria in order to be part of the job fair. “They have to mirror programs offered by IVCC and reflect the employment needs of the students,” said Barthelemy.
    There will be salaried positions offered, full time, part time and seasonal, as well as internships.
    Barthelemy expects some employers to draw a lot of hopeful job seekers. “A lot of job seekers are very interested in PetSmart,” she said. “Verizon Wireless, Home Depot and Caterpillar are all companies that are expanding in the area as well.”
    Those attending the fair should come prepared for on-the-spot interviews, with at least 10 copies of their resume on hand.     Candidates are required to have a high school diploma or equivalent with basic skills in reading and math. Many of the industries will require further education and training.

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