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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, April 29, 2013

50 Is Great.... When It's The Number Of Jobs!

This Thursday, May 2, there will be a second Employer Of The Day Event at Ottawa County Michigan Works! in Holland. That will be two EOTD events in the same week. The Employer Of The Day will be NOVO 1 Contact Centers. NOVO 1 will be on site accepting applications and conducting interviews from 11:00am – 1:00pm.

NOVO 1 Contact Centers has 50 open positions. They have immediate openings for 25 Roadside Assistance Advisors and for 25 Non-licensed Health Insurance Advisors.

Roadside Assistance Advisors are trained to assist motorists through inbound calls. These are full-time direct hire positions with benefits. These include dental, life, medical, optical, paid vacation and 401(k). Wages for these positions begin at $9.00 per hour and hires are provided all necessary training and onboarding.

Non-licensed Health Insurance Advisors assist through inbound calls questions related to company health insurance for contracted organizations. It is helpful if applicants for these positions have had prior experience related to prescription drug plans, Medicare, medical terminology or general experience in the health care / health insurance industry. These are full-time, direct hire positions with benefits which include dental, life, medical, optical, paid vacation and 401(k). Wages for these positions begin at $10.00 per hour. NOVO 1 will provide new hires necessary training and onboarding.

NOVO 1 Contact Centers requires an online application process that applicants are free to complete on site at Ottawa County Michigan Works!

Applicants are asked to bring an updated resume which can also be created or updated and printed on site.

The Holland location of Ottawa County Michigan Works! is located at 121 Clover Street, between 8th Street and Chicago Drive.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, April 26, 2013

JCI Battery and Haworth - Competing For You

Kelly Services will be the Employer Of The Day on Tuesday, April 30 at Ottawa County Michigan Works! in Holland from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm.

In addition to hiring for JCI Battery (12 openings), Kelly Services will also be hiring 10 Assemblers for Haworth at their Douglas South Holland plant.

These first-shift positions are temporary-to-permant with opportunity for advancement. Individuals will have the opportunity to apply for full-time employment after one year. The wages for these positions range from $10 - $17.00 per hour.

Individuals are asked to bring a copy of their resume and to be ready to interview. Anyone is welcome to create/update their resume and to make hard copies as necessary at OCMW.

The Holland service center is located at 121 Clover Street, between 8th Street and Chicago Drive.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, April 18, 2013

It's Take-Your-Pick Tuesday! 30 Jobs To Choose From!

On Tuesday, April 22 Elwood Staffing will be the Employer Of The Day at the Holland location of Ottawa County Michigan Works! The service center is located at 121 Clover Street between 8th Street and Chicago Drive.

Elwood Staffing will be on site from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm, hiring for Johnson Controls, Lakewood facility, The Stow Company and Bodycote.

Johnson Controls, Lakewood facility is looking to fill up to 20 Machine Operator positions. These are temporary-to-permanent positions that will be eligible to apply for full-time employment after 520 hours. There is opportunity for advancement and hours range from 40 – 60 per week. Wages for these positions start at $8.50 with a cap of $10.07 and benefits include: dental, life, medical, optical and 401(k).

The Stow Company is looking for 5 Machine Operators with CNC experience. These are full-time temporary positions for 40 – 50 hours per week. Wages for these positions are $9.75 per hour and benefits include dental, life, medical, optical and 401(k).

Bodycote is hoping to fill open positions for 5 Bin Loaders. These positions work 40 hours per week and wages start at $9.00 per hour. These are temporary-to-permanent positions and benefits include medical, dental, earned paid holidays and vision. 

All applicants are asked to register online at elwoodjobs.com which can be done on site at the Employer Of The Day event, and to bring an updated copy of their resume. Resumes can be created / updated using the office equipment at Ottawa County Michigan Works! and hard copies can be made as necessary.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 8, 2013

Contact:
Joel Westmaas, Program Supervisor, Ottawa County Michigan Works, (616) 494-8828, jwestmaas@ocmwa.org

ReadyNOW Spurs Spinoff: Gear Up!

Building on the core curriculum of its popular ReadsyNOW events, Ottawa County Michigan Works! is announcing its new 2-part public workshop called Gear Up!

Gear Up! Takes the main topics of ReadyNOW and condenses them into two workshops. The first is the workshop for Resume and Cover Letters and the second workshop focuses on Interviewing Skills.

"We're creating a much more enriching experience through these workshops. The participants are given more real-world scenarios instead of generic answers to generic topics. Participants find a much more tailored experience," says Emily Santellan, Program Manager for Ottawa County Michigan Works!

What makes these workshop different from others is the level of discussion led by the OCMW staff, and the engagement of the participants. Each registered participant for the Resume And Cover Letter workshop is asked to bring the latest version of his/her resume that will be discussed and updated by the end of the session.

In the Interviewing workshops participants cover standard topics such as what to wear and what to bring to an interview. Additional topics not normally covered in standard workshops include use of body language and other non-verbal cues that compose essential soft skills. "The ability to read body language and to better control your own is a great skill to have," says Santellan, "we provide examples of non-verbal cues and how the interviewee can sometimes make the interviewer more comfortable or engaged." This technique can sometimes mean the difference between an interview that is successful or unsuccessful.

Both workshops take a standard topic that applies to all job seekers from any background, and adds extra depth and discussion. "We provide ample time not only for discussion of each participant's key questions, but we take the time to develop the individual's resume and even a cover letter if there are real positions they are preparing to apply for," says Santellan.

"Both workshops were really valuable to me," says Jeff Lautenschleger of Grand Haven, MI. "I'd read a lot online but it was much better to sit with a group and discuss these topics in detail. I walked away with some valuable information, an updated resume and a cover letter. Plus I have the confidence to go through a good interview and to follow up afterwards."

Gear Up! workshops have been designed around the basic ReadyNOW experience which includes more interaction with real-world examples. As the workshops evolve OCMW hopes to involve local employers, many of whom have already expressed interest in participating.

The Gear Up! workshops require online registration here https://www.miottawa.org/EventCalendar/ where the exact schedule is found. The workshops are held conveniently at both the Holland and Grand Haven service centers.

Employment Expertise - Business Services - When To Speak With The Press

Question: There is a small issue at my company and I’m getting calls from the media. What should I do?

Typically when a business owner or manager gets a call from a news team or reporter his/her first inclination is to not return the call hoping the problem will go away.

Depending on the problem at your company the story is not likely to disappear. The reporter will report on what he or she knows.

Volumes have been written on this subject and lucrative professions are built on walking companies through the media’s spotlight. The variables related to what is at issue, who should address it and when it should be addressed, are myriad. Some guiding principles remain in place and can apply to your situation:

1. Call back. The story will run with or without you. Be sure your organization is represented.
   
   
2. You’re not talking to the reporter. You are talking to your customers, employees, shareholders, peers and the community. What is important for them to know about this issue?
   
   
3. Be positive. Never lie. Positive spin isn’t lying. Being positive may entail admitting the issue but also explaining how the issue is being addressed. Your company’s position must be stated clearly and put in the best possible light.
   
   
4. Answer the questions you want answered, not necessarily the ones you are being asked. What you’re being asked may miss the mark on what you want in print/online or sent over the airwaves.
   
   
5. Have a conversation with the reporter before the camera is turned on or anything goes on the record. Give some background, and ask for details on their story.

We can all think of recent stories that might have been different if a company representative had provided an alternative viewpoint. Instead the media sometimes has no choice but to present just one side. Not responding to press inquiries has the potential to make a problem even bigger. That can risk tainting the company’s brand and reputation.

Regionally our reporters like positive stories and do their best to represent both sides. Be sure you represent yours in the clearest way you can. Return the call.

Story on the Holland Sentinel

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