Services for Job Seekers and Job Providers

In the last episode of “An Education That Works” that aired on March 03, Kenneth Kinney of Victory University has interviewed Kevin Blair of Workforce Investment Network.

Kenneth has asked some important questions on training job seekers and assisting job providers in the Memphis job market. Here is more from the interview.

Connecting Job Seekers and Providers

On the objective of Workforce Investment Network (WIN), Blair said that WIN is to help prepare the workforce in the Memphis Metropolitan area by providing job training to job seekers and help them locate jobs.

WIN acts as a bridge to connect the job seekers and the job providers using different programs but essentially it leverages federal funds to offer resources and training to people. For the business people, WIN provides tools to train their current and new employees.

WIN For Job Seekers

On the services provided by WIN for job seekers, Blair explained that WIN provides services that give access to online job search. Furthermore, people who are looking for job opportunities through WIN will get assistance from experienced people with knowledge on the usage of resources and tools. WIN also provides specialized training on job search through workshops.

It conducts 4-hour workshops on resume preparation, interview skills, and soft skills as a complimentary for job preparation. These workshops are aimed at helping people in need of a career transition and who have been laid off during recession and downsizing periods.

Another resource from WIN is the access to Individual Training Accounts (ITAs) that leverage federal funds. To get qualified for an ITA, job seekers have to go through the process of qualification. If the candidate gets qualified, WIN can issue up to $4,000 as a credit for job skills training and education. To provide this training, WIN has partnered with a whole variety of training providers that include universities such as University of Memphis, Victory University, etc.

WIN For Job Givers

On the role of WIN for business organizations that provides jobs, Blair mentioned that WIN helps business organizations find the right candidate with good resume and relevant skills. WIN ensures that the organization has a pipeline of skilled candidates to draw from.

If you have missed out on the show, listen to it at www.kwam990.com

Do watch out for the next episode of “An Education That Works” coming Tuesday at 8 am. Kenneth Kinney of Victory University will be back with another interesting episode on education and career success.

Also, check out other episodes of the show at AM990 on demand link at the www.kwam990.com Website.

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Psychology – A Study About Us And Others

A recent news article talked about the Psychology of superheroes and the influence of comics among the people. This might be one of the examples to prove how Psychology as a subject enlarges with people and gets interesting as we dig it deeper. Let us see what Psychology as a subject and the career opportunities it offers in our world where machine replaces people.

One should definitely note that machine can only replace the work; it can never replace people. Thus, it is important that everyone be aware of this important subject that analysis the science of behavior.

Need of the Society

Psychology is in great demand as education and as a career. In today’s society, many of the problems come under behavioral issues making Psychology as the important need to treat illness. Related illnesses include chronic health conditions or disease, violence, drug addiction, poor personal relationships, etc.

Careers in Psychology

An undergraduate course is an excellent preparation for higher education in this field. Upon completion of under graduation, further education can be also pursued in various other fields including business, medicine, computer science, etc.

Graduates with advanced degrees in Psychology are increasing in numbers indicating the increase in interest towards the subject among this generation.

Occupations for psychologists include Substance Abuse and Behavioral Counselors, Educational, Guidance, School, and Vocational Counselors, etc.

Psychology Course at Victory University

Victory University offers Bachelor of Science in Psychology on campus. Upon successful completion of this course, students can pursue graduate education. To pursue upper-level courses, students must complete subjects such as General Psychology and Introduction to Psychology Research.

Victory University also offers this course online as Bachelor of Psychology. 

Psychology courses (both on campus and online) offered by Victory University are 120 credit hour degree programs. These courses can be completed normally within 10 semesters.

Psychology is usually viewed as a difficult human analysis subject that involves complex theories and experiments. It is sometimes even associated with ‘Psycho’. But, it is an urge and curiosity of human beings to know about themselves and others. Let us learn about us.

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Quality Networking Through LinkedIn

In the last episode of “An Education That Works”, Kenneth Kinney of Victory University interviewed Crystal Braswell, the Corporate Communications Manager of LinkedIn.

Crystal Braswell answered for some of the important questions regarding networking opportunities through LinkedIn for career improvement. Here are some of the excerpts from the interview.

Networking Opportunity with LinkedIn

With LinkedIn, a candidate avails the networking opportunity with about 277 million professionals around the world. This networking opportunity is not only about the power of the immediate network but also about the expanded network, its quality and the opportunities it presents for a candidate’s career development.

LinkedIn Profile Creation

LinkedIn is a tool to build professional identity and network. Thus, the important advice for the user is to create and build a profile on LinkedIn. Adding the photo in the profile can increase the visibility of the user to the recruiter by 11 times. After creating a profile, details about the candidate has to be filled in the summary section. Also, details about personal information, skills, education, and work history of the user have to be given in the relevant sections.

If the user is a student, information about the completed courses or the current courses has to be filled. More information on completed projects, volunteering work, and internship experience can be given.

University Pages of LinkedIn

In August, LinkedIn has introduced University pages dedicated especially for Universities, students, and potential students. In September, the age limit was lowered to 14. Thus, students in this age and above in the US can build their professional identity through LinkedIn and start communicating to build their network.

Finding job through LinkedIn

LinkedIn provides the opportunity to get to know about an organization and establish connections with the inside people to get an introduction. This is an opportunity to put forward the profile to the relevant people in the organization.

Quality Vs Quantity Networking with LinkedIn

Quality networking can be done through LinkedIn by establishing connections with new and relevant people. Obtaining new contacts and introductions are the key factor for quality networking. New introductions can lead to new opportunities, business leads, sales leads, etc. 

At the end of the show, Kenneth reminded the listeners about the 1st annual multicultural job fair that is going to happen on April 13, 2014 at Memphis.

If you have missed out on the show, listen to it at www.kwam990.com.

Do watch out for the next episode of “An Education That Works” coming Tuesday at 8 am. Kenneth Kinney of Victory University will be back with another interesting episode on education and career success.

Also, check out other episodes of the show at AM990 on demand link at the www.kwam990.com Website.

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Role of HR in the Growth of an Organization

In a recent episode of “An Education That Works”, Kenneth Kinney of Victory University has discussed with Austin Baker of HRO Partners about the role of Human Resource in the growth of an organization, hiring process and opportunities for candidates in the local job market.

Talking about his company, Austin Baker said that HRO Partners offers direct solutions for companies that require HR assistance from outside. He pointed out that HRO Partners adds more horsepower and offers better solutions and for organizations that possess in-house HR department.

Trends in HR Outsourcing 

Baker discussed with Kenneth about the trends in HR department in the last 10 years in the local Memphis area. He said that there were a lot of trends in the HR industry that made the industry grow. Particularly, in the recent times, the HR Outsourcing or Consulting has been growing in a rapid way. In fact, it is found to be one of the largest growing departments.

In the US, there are organizations that exist with a need for HR assistance. But they are hesitant to invest. In the next 6 years, there is an increasing employment opportunity of about 45-60% in the US workforce. Thus, the concerned organizations should recognize the need of HR to attract and retain the right talent.

HR can also assist an organization to comply with any new laws when hiring new talent and finding out new jobs like knowledge workers, problem solvers rather than traditional jobs.

Memphis Job Market

Every year, Memphis produces about 6 to 7 thousand graduates. This provides scope to hire from the new talent.

Even though the job market consists of talented young professionals looking out for job opportunities, there are problems for the HR to hire the right candidate for the right job.

Advice for Young Talent

Baker urged the student community to prepare themselves for the job requirements. He said that the students should show proof to the employers that they have what it takes to get hired. They should show the evidence of some kind of experience which can include a certificate program, an internship experience or a volunteering activity.

He mentioned that there are opportunities for young aggressive talent in the job market. But there are also a lot of challenges in the entry-level positions. Young graduates should exhibit unique skills like problem solving skills in order to get hired.

For more information about HRO Partners, please visit: http://www.hro-partners.com/

If you have missed out on the show, listen to it at www.kwam990.com.

Do watch out for the next episode of “An Education That Works” coming Tuesday at 8 am. Kenneth Kinney of Victory University will be back with another interesting episode on education and career success.

Also, check out other episodes of the show at AM990 on demand link at the www.kwam990.com Website.

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The Right Method To Find The Right Job

Education, experience – and extensive research will get you the right job.

In another episode of “An Education That Works”, Kenneth Kinney of Victory University has interviewed the Vice President and Manager of Temporary Services, a division of the Gateway Group, Jered Haddad and discussed with him about the current job market in the local Memphis area and career opportunities it offers for the job seekers.

Rising Employment Opportunities

When Kenneth asked about the rising job market, Haddad said that the job market in Memphis is currently flooding with opportunities. There is a dearth of qualified candidates for various positions. Employers are looking for potential candidates to fill the vacancies. As far as industries are concern, departments like healthcare, engineering, IT, etc are growing up presenting ample opportunities for job seekers to find a right place to work.

He also said that candidates should develop their skills that are required for these jobs which can be built through education from the classroom and from the outside world.

When discussed about the services provided by the Temporary Services as an employment firm, Haddad said that the firm is looking for potential candidates to train them in the different areas. This training should help them to establish a career for themselves.

The Job Search Process

Haddad also explained about the steps involved in the job search process by the Temporary Services. He said that the first step in the job search process is the preparation of a well-written resume. The resume will be prepared based on the experience and accomplishments of the job seeker. This resume will then be sent across various organizations to schedule interviews.

Talking more about the resume, Haddad said that a resume should be created based on a basic structure that involves drafting the necessary information about the candidate that can be highlighted against the opportunities available in the job market. He also added that a resume should be tailored to reflect the skill sets that the employers would find eligible to hire a candidate for a particular position.

Haddad stressed on the importance of an employment firm for new graduates to avail necessary guidance. He said that these candidates should look out for new opportunities that are available in the job market with an open mind. They should be ready to pick up jobs that are even temporary to get in to the workforce.

If you have missed out on the show, listen to it at www.kwam990.com.

Do watch out for the next episode of “An Education That Works” coming Tuesday at 8 am. Kenneth Kinney of Victory University will be back with more secrets on education and career success.

Also, check out other episodes of the show at AM990 on demand link at the www.kwam990.com Website.

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Reading A Book Means Meditating

Reading is important. Reading deeply is even more important. When a person reads, he meditates. He meditates the ideas and analyzes the thoughts and conclusions drawn by the author in any writing. Sometimes, in the deep meditation stage, a reader stops thinking about the author and starts conversing. This stage makes the reader completely honest with his or her inner self. Thus, meditation unveils as the reader goes deep into a book. There are questions being asked and searched inside a write-up or a book.

Thus, a book is for readers and not for skimmers. An article on the internet might be skimmed, but not a book. Internet articles are browsed for quick life information. But a book is read deeply to understand a concept. 

As known, the exposure of internet to this generation readers, especially students, is vast. Of course, there are e-books, but the interest level of a reader with an e-book compared to a paper book is still in question. 

In ‘Lectures to My Students’, Charles H. Spurgeon has said, “A student will find that his mental constitution is more affected by one book thoroughly mastered than by twenty books he has merely skimmed.” It is important to read a book thoroughly and understand deeply.

How does a book produce the magic effect of illusion in the reader’s mind? The illusion is arrived at when the book explains a situation in a dramatic way. A book of meanings would be a dictionary; and a book explaining such meaning through an explanation – is a story.

Story brings life to any piece of writing. A book contains stories. It can either be fictional or a non-fiction. Stories help us to feel, imagine and understand the world. In situations where our minds get doubtful and curious, such story telling quenches our thirst, which we better know as the “food for thought”.

A similar food for thought session is going to be conducted at the Victory University campus on February 25th. As part of the Take Up and Read, the Common Readings Program, Victory University is conducting a discussion and book review session. The discussion will be led by Professor Jonathan Vowell. The book on discussion is The Knowledge of the Holy by popular evangelical author A. W. Tozer.

For more information on the session, e-mail to Faculty Moderator and Professor Jonathan Vowell at jvowell@victory.edu

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Subjects That Address The Societal Needs

Law, Sociology, Economics were some of the topics of discussion in the recent episode of “An Education That Works” on KWAM AM990. In the variety hour, Kenneth Kinney of Victory University has talked with some of the interesting people of the local Memphis area.

The show started with the interview of Steve Shields from Jackson, Shields, Yeiser & Holt, a nationally known boutique law firm, followed by Derek Goldfarb, Assistant General Manager of the Memphis Redbirds, and Tangina Sanders, the State Coordinator for Youth Villages Mentoring Program.

Here are some of the education excerpts from the show.

Law - The Odd One Out

Kenneth discussed with Steve Shields about the career opportunities for law students. Steve said that law students should realize that the law industry is different from the rest. They should be ready to break grounds and look for opportunities from nonconventional areas. For example, instead of waiting for an opportunity from a traditional law firm, students should try their hands at law jobs available at the government, the corporations, the private consulting firms, etc.

Law students should try to be patient and should be ready to attempt something that was not required in the past. Moreover, they have to start networking and establishing contacts during their II year of the college itself, said Shields.

Sociology – A Study of Human Behavior

Followed by the interview, Kenneth interviewed Derek Goldfarb who is the assistant General Manager of the Memphis Redbirds. Memphis Redbirds are kick starting their 2014 season with an Opening Night on April 11, Friday night, 7.05 pm at Iowa followed by a day game on April 13.

When Kenneth asked about Goldfarb’s interesting mix of double major in Sociology and Economics, he replied that Sociology and Economics help him excel in his role in the sports industry. He talked about the subject Sociology stating that it is a study of human behavior and enables a person to learn about the society, the people, and their relationship with the society.

Psychology – A Way To Serve The Society

Later on the show, Kenneth interviewed Tangina Sanders who holds a double major in Human Services and Psychology. She is now the State Coordinator for Youth Villages Mentoring Program. Sanders said that Youth Villages, as an organization, helps the troubled youth in a variety of ways. It conducts different mentoring programs to support youth in their special needs.

She mentioned that youth without proper guidance would struggle in so many different areas in life for which they would require proper guidance. These mentoring programs help them recover. Some of these recovered youngsters opt to become a mentor and try to give back what they have received from the organization.

If you have missed out on the show, listen to it at www.kwam990.com.

Do watch out for the next episode of “An Education That Works” coming Tuesday at 8 am. Kenneth Kinney of Victory University will be back with another interesting episode on education and career success.

Also, check out other episodes of the show at AM990 on demand link at the www.kwam990.com Website.

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