Career Connectors

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Bri Martinez

Avondale EDGE and Career Connectors to Match Multiple Industry Job Candidates with Hiring Businesses at the Avondale Visitor & Conference Center

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For immediate release: February 15, 2023

Avondale Edge and Career Connectors will host an in-person Hiring Expo to support local Avondale businesses with their 2023 hiring needs. This free in-person hiring expo will connect job seekers to more than 20 hiring companies. This event is free to both employers and job candidates.

Date: Wednesday, February 22, 2023

Time: 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Location: Avondale Visitor & Conference Center located at 11490 Civic Center Dr. Avondale, AZ 85323.

Job seekers can register for free at this link: https://app.careerconnectors.org/avondale  

Job seekers will have the opportunity to meet and network with employers from multiple industries located in Avondale currently hiring for hundreds of open positions. Candidates have an opportunity to explore a variety of positions from entry level to executive. High school juniors and seniors will be attending from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. as well to discuss job openings, internships, apprenticeships, and future career pathway opportunities.

Hiring companies in attendance include Agua Fria High School District #216, Alaska USA Federal Credit Union, Albertsons, Avondale Elementary School District, Boswell Transitional Care of Cascadia, Census Bureau, City of Avondale Human Resources, Clearsky Healthcare, Elwood Staffing Goodyear, Good Neighbor Support Services, Hilton Garden Inn Avondale, Home Building Academy, Integrated Medical Services, Legends Furniture, Littleton Elementary School District #65, Nesco Resource, NOAH, Proverbs Group Home LLC, Rio Salado Community College, Southwest Key Programs, The Exchange, The Literacy Lab, and WESCO.

“It is an exciting time for those entering or re-entering the workforce, looking for a new opportunity or considering a career change,” said Ken Chapa, Avondale’s Economic and Tourism Director. “Avondale businesses are offering quality entry-level to advanced positions and we encourage our local talent to live, work and grow right here in the Southwest Valley.”  

This is the first in a series of career & hiring expos that will be hosted by Avondale EDGE in the coming year of 2023. Funded through the American Rescue Plan Act, the city will support growing industries such as healthcare, information technology, manufacturing, and logistics by matching qualified job candidates with local open positions.

Jessica Pierce, Founder/CEO of Career Connectors said: “City of Avondale and Career Connectors share a mission to connect residents with the right opportunities and assist companies in identifying the ideal candidates for their open positions. This creates stronger,

more sustainable communities. With the continued business expansion in Arizona, partnering complementary resources to increase capacity and provide a comprehensive career track is critical. In partnership, we can meet escalating workforce needs of the Greater Avondale business market. This Career Expo is part of the solution!” 

About Avondale EDGE 

Avondale EDGE is an initiative of the Avondale Office of Economic Development, providing high-quality programming, comprehensive support tools, and resources, with multiple opportunities for businesses to network. Programming includes timely and relevant educational events, interactive networking, and business appreciation all year long. Avondale businesses are encouraged to take advantage of the programs and services offered by Avondale EDGE: AvondaleEDGE.com and on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram: @AvondaleEDGE  

About Career Connectors 

Career Connectors is innovating how people land careers and employers build talent. As Arizona’s fastest-growing employment services program, check out our unparalleled breadth of offerings at www.CareerConnectors.org or call 480-442-5806.

#AvondaleEDGE

Avondale EDGE and Career Connectors to Host Second In-Person Hiring Expo of 2023 for City of Avondale

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For immediate release: May 3, 2023

Avondale Edge and Career Connectors will host an in-person Hiring Expo to support local Avondale businesses with their 2023 hiring needs. This free in-person hiring expo will be hosted on Wednesday, May 10th, 2023 from 11:00 a.m.– 2:00 p.m. at the Avondale Visitor & Conference Center located at 11490 Civic Center Dr. Avondale, AZ 85323. This event is free to both employers and job candidates.

Job seekers can register for free at this link: https://app.careerconnectors.org/avondale  

Job seekers will have the opportunity to meet and network with employers from multiple industries located in Avondale currently hiring for hundreds of open positions. Hiring companies include A New Leaf Bank Work$, Agua Fria High School District, Avondale Elementary School District, AZ Department of Public Safety, City of Avondale, Elwood Staffing, Global Credit Union, Good Neighbor Support Services, HealthMarkets Health Insurance Agency, Littleton Elementary School District #65, Luke Airforce Base, Nesco Resource, New Life Center, Rio Salado Community College, Salad and Go, Southwest Key Programs, State Farm, The Literacy Lab, The Vitamin Shoppe, Tolleson Union High School District, United States Census Bureau, and Wesco. Candidates have an opportunity to explore a variety of positions from entry level to executive. High school juniors, seniors and community college students will be attending from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. as well to discuss job openings, internships, apprenticeships, and future career pathway opportunities.

“It is an exciting time for those entering or re-entering the workforce, looking for a new opportunity or considering a career change,” said Ken Chapa, Avondale’s Economic and Tourism Director. “Avondale businesses are offering quality entry-level to advanced positions, and we encourage our local talent to live, work and grow right here in the Southwest Valley.”  

This is the third in a series of career & hiring expos that are being hosted by Avondale EDGE in the last year. Funded through the American Rescue Plan Act, the city will support growing industries such as healthcare, manufacturing, transportation and logistics by matching qualified job candidates with local open positions.

Jessica Pierce, Founder/CEO of Career Connectors said: “City of Avondale and Career Connectors share a mission to connect residents with the right opportunities and assist companies in identifying the ideal candidates for their open positions. This creates stronger,

more sustainable communities. With the continued business expansion in Arizona, partnering complementary resources to increase capacity and provide a comprehensive career track is critical. In partnership, we can meet escalating workforce needs of the Greater Avondale business market. This Career Expo is part of the solution!”   

About Avondale EDGE 

Avondale EDGE is an initiative of the Avondale Office of Economic Development, providing high-quality programming, comprehensive support tools, and resources, with multiple opportunities for businesses to network. Programming includes timely and relevant educational events, interactive networking, and business appreciation all year long. Avondale businesses are encouraged to take advantage of the programs and services offered by Avondale EDGE: AvondaleEDGE.com and on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram: @AvondaleEDGE  

About Career Connectors 

Career Connectors is innovating how people land careers and employers build talent. As Arizona’s fastest-growing employment services program, check out our unparalleled breadth of offerings at www.CareerConnectors.org or call 480-442-5806.

#AvondaleEDGE

7 Ways To Successfully Navigate Change

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Written by Melissa W., Talent Acquisition Manager for Achieve

Change. It’s the one thing we know we can count on, right?

Currently, I’m in a season of experiencing a lot of change both professionally and personally. Don’t get me wrong, some of this change is amazing, but it doesn’t change the fact (no pun intended) that all this change makes me feel out of sorts. Mark Twain said, “I’m in favor of progress; it’s change I don’t like.” I couldn’t agree more, Mark!

I want to be on the other side of this change already. I want to have the clean process, the shiny new system, the amazing relationships, the personal growth, but…don’t touch my schedule or habits or life or anything that disrupts my safe and cozy environment. That’s not how it works though.

So, when I’m faced with something I’m not sure how to approach, I go directly to the experts. Who’s done it already? Who’s done it well? I reached out to a handful of leaders I greatly respect and admire to get their take and share their stories and tips on how they’ve navigated through change.

Consider how the change makes you feel.

Nineveh D., Sr. Manager, Payment Operations

I have been working at Achieve for almost 10 years so it’s safe to say I have experienced a lot of change, ranging from minor process updates to changes that have impacted my life. The first thing I do when change is announced is watch for my initial response. Is it stress, frustration, excitement, fear, confusion, blatant resistance? Once I pin down my initial reaction, I look at what’s going on in my life to see if things are imbalanced. Am I putting enough time into other areas of my life or do things need to shift? If the change has a positive impact, I am grateful and I share that joy with others around me. If it ends up challenging me, then I look for the areas of opportunity that pop up inside of me and I embrace the uncomfortable process of growth. These are my “character developing seasons” where things may not look great on the surface but I gain the most internal development.

Surround yourself with the right people.

Ninja R., Sr. Unit Manager, Sales

Personally and professionally, 2022 has been a year of change, challenges, and overcoming adversity. My tribe and therapy have helped me through all of the lows of the year; while also celebrating me for all that I am. My tribe sees past my imperfections, faults, and quirkiness. They believe in me, sometimes more than I believe in myself. While they’re supporting me, therapy is allowing me to celebrate myself and believe that I can do literally anything that I set my mind to, regardless of the situation.

If you want to thrive through change, look at your values.

Joseph K., VP, Chief Security Officer and Head of Technology Risk Management

Heraclitus, the Greek philosopher stated that the only constant in life is change…this is perhaps truer today than it was in the past.  With this view in mind, thriving or excelling through change is rooted on values and principles that one espouses, that become magnified during times of change. When we had to move our entire workforce to securely work remotely at the height of Covid, multiple teams rallied to ensure successful business continuity. There were countless meetings and deliberations at many levels that resulted in positive outcomes for our employees, customers, and the business in general. In essence, we all thrived in the unprecedented change moment because we valued collaboration.

It’s okay to not have all the answers.

Sara V., Director, Customer Service

When I first joined Achieve, I had recently left a 22-year career with an employer where I was seen as the expert. In my first days in my new role, I felt a bit lost and overwhelmed as I didn’t fully understand all that we do. I realized I was no longer the expert and felt very uncomfortable not being the go-to person that everyone reached out to for help. I asked myself “How am I going to lead leaders and support them and their teams when I have no idea what we even do?”

Whenever I feel overwhelmed, I always pause and take a step back and work on a solution to not feeling that way. I was hired because of my leadership skills and know that leaders don’t always have all the answers. I created a plan to meet with my team to get to know them and their roles in the business. It’s okay to not know everything as long as you’re honest with your team, identify who the “go-to” people are, and just focus on understanding your people and building trust.

When you’re the one making changes, listen.

Symon R., Sr. Director, Customer Service

People always approach change with a “What’s in it for me?” or the WIIFM perspective. We all do it.  It is in our nature.  Is this new policy going to make my job easier or harder; and if so – why?  How are new operating hours going to impact my home life? The list goes on. That is why the most crucial thing to do when changing anything is listening first, listening second, and listening third.  Once someone feels truly heard and understood, then they are more open to listening.  If someone does not feel heard, then all change is adversarial, buy-in takes much longer, and the overall impact to the experience is not as profound as it could be. 

Embracing change is a skill.

Jake F., VP, Legal Partner Networks

I’ve realized throughout my career that if you can not learn to navigate and thrive when presented with change, paralysis will quickly take over your career aspirations.

I’ve learned through my experience that thriving and excelling through change can be an acquired skill through effort and motivation. This skill has proven beneficial throughout my career and led me to achieve the career aspirations I had set for myself over 20 years, sitting in my cubicle admiring those around me. 

Break it down.

Beth D., Sr. Director, Settlement Operations

When you’re approached with change, you know you’re almost never going to change back to what was. Breaking it down into smaller pieces can make it feel less intimidating. What parts are making me anxious? If it’s the unknown, ask more questions. Is it a change that is beyond my skill set? Find out where you need to go to learn more so you can prepare.

Face your change head on, but not all of it at one time, just one piece at a time.

Are you going through some change right now? Let me know how you approach change and share your tips on how to navigate in the comments below.

Simple Tips To Guide You Toward Career Advancement

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Written by Caitlin V., Internal Recruiter for Freedom Financial Network

At Freedom Financial, one of our core values is “Get Better” and embracing this value creates an environment of self-improvement, learning from our mistakes, and using what we learn to grow. One way we foster internal mobility and career growth is allowing employees to apply for a new position within the company after only 90 days. We consider internal talent first and we encourage employees to strive toward their ultimate career and personal goals.

I began my journey with Freedom in Customer Service but after some time, I decided to explore other options. I applied for a Recruiting Assistant job that had just been posted. I was thrilled to be selected for the position and I spent a year assisting a brilliant team of recruiters who taught me so much that I was promoted into a recruiter role myself. I am appreciative to have found a career I am truly passionate about.

Because of my gratitude for Freedom’s growth culture, I became an Internal Recruiter and Career Counselor. I recruit for positions that are exclusively available to current employees. I also offer counseling for employees who want to discuss their growth options, resume writing, or interviewing.

Although everyone’s ideal career path is different and each employee has a diverse skillset and experience, here is some of the most common advice that I provide to our employees working toward career advancement.

Ensure that you have mastered your current position

The best way to prove you are ready for a new challenge is to excel in your current job. Hiring managers will often seek references or proof of your success. Keep copies of scorecards or feedback about your performance and reliability so you can share or highlight these in your interview and on your resume. If someone is struggling in their current role it can be difficult for a manager to consider giving that person a new challenge.

Share your interest with your leadership team

Most of our employees have consistent coaching sessions with leadership. This is the perfect platform to discuss your performance and areas of opportunity. You can also use these sessions to talk about career goals. Most leaders can offer advice or recommendations for how to achieve your goals. They may even assign you special projects or leadership tasks that you can add to your resume.

Research the positions you are interested in
I highly recommend learning all you can about a position before you apply. Read the full job description and think of ways you can prove that you meet the requirements. Think of situations when you have used the skillsets mentioned in the job description. In some cases, your supervisor might be able to help you set up a side-by-side with someone who is currently in that position. This is a great way to see the work up close and ask questions about why that person enjoys their job or what their biggest challenges are.

Brush up on interview skills
Some of the most challenging interview questions are behavioral-based questions. These questions will ask you to tell the interview about a time that you used a certain skillset or came up against a particular challenge. The interviewer wants to hear about a specific situation from a current or previous job. The best way to answer these questions is to use the S.T.A.R method:

*S= Situation: Describe the situation you were in or the request you received.
*T= Task: What was the goal or what was being asked of you?
*A= Action: Describe the actions you took in order to reach the goal or complete the request.
*R= Result: What was the outcome? How did it end? Was the customer/leader satisfied and how could you tell? What did you learn?

Taking the leap toward a new career can be exciting as well as nerve-wracking. Following these guidelines should take some of the guess work out of your development pathway. The thought and work you put into your career search and the interview process will tell you more about yourself and whether you can see yourself succeed in a new area of the business or, possibly, a whole new industry.

1/27/22 – Show Out When You Show Up

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Guest Speaker, Bridgett McGowen, award-winning international professional speaker and presenter.

Written by Sheri Kerr

Bridgett McGowen is an award-winning speaker and author.  Bridgett’s positive vibes vibrate through the Zoom microphone and shined through the computer screen.  She believes everyone has the ability to “Show Out When You Show Up”.   Bridgett starts her speech with a question –  Do you hear the words – “No”, or “You are wrong”, or  “You can’t do that!”  The audience responded in the Zoom chat by commenting about their experience.  Those expressions can hurt a person and create low confidence. Bridgett stresses that everyone has what they need to show up and show out.  “Have you heard about the 40 percent rule?” she asks the audience.  This comes from the book, “You Can’t Hurt Me” by David Googins.  His book outlines how people only use 40 percent of themselves and then people give up.  When we have 60 percent more energy and ability within us. Bridgett realized she was living the 40 percent rule and had the potential to use the other 60 percent inside herself.  She had an epiphany!  She suddenly realized she could perform her duties at work and shine the light on herself at the same time.   There are three steps to “Show Out When You Show Up” with the energy for people to recognize your value.  It requires for a person to do three things daily:

  • Know, Act, & Believe where there’s a will, there’s a way!    
    • Don’t be down about your circumstances! You might now see the path or how you’ll afford it, but wait for it  – as a revelation will arise.
    • Second, respond to criticism only when necessary when it is constructive.  Never say the word “JUST” as you are not just anything. 
  •  Think to yourself – how do I want to be remembered? Be confident! Use a song that inspires you.  Listen to the song and replay it in your head.  Hold your head up high, shoulders back, smile, and laser focused eyes. Do this all the time and it will become a natural part of you.  A genius is a talent that is easy for you to do. What can you do better than most with very little effort – name it, own it, and push it by asking yourself what is the next level with your talent
    • Don’t move to fast and not slow.  Go the speed of a model on a cat walk. 
  • Showing up as the Best version of yourself.  Be the person that has energy or being “on” and know when to be engaging.
    • Sometimes you’ll not feel it, but push through and be your authentic self.
    • Recognize your skills and talents and use them to the fullest.

She stressed:

  • Avoid using labels! You are not a “Just” anything. As the term “just” mimimzes your value and worth.  
  • Stop negativity
  • Don’t get down, but realize determination is the key.

Finally, Bridgett encourages the audience that despite any past hurts a person can “Show Up” and shine the light on themselves. 

BCBSAZ (Blue Cross Blue Shield), Liz Carrion, Talent Acquisition Mgr

Blue Cross Blue Shield has offices in Phoenix, East Valley, Flagstaff, and Tucson. The employees range from baby boomers, millennials, and Gen X with 70% females and 39% minorities. BCBSAZ recruits candidates willing to commit themselves, a person that wants a career, a person BCBS can invest in and values the same things they do. They offer robust benefits for all full-time employees.

Career Opportunities Include:

•Customer Service Representative

•Financial Analysts

•IT (Project Managers, Product Owners, Developers)

•Clinical (QA Analysts, Compliance Specialists,

•Data & Analytics (Actuarial Analysts, Data Science)

Go to BCBS career site: https://jobs.azblue.com/

Candidates can learn more by engaging with the chat bot

Arizona Dept of Health Services, Tracy Outlaw, Talent Acquisition Business Partner

Department of Health Services Purpose, Mission, and Vision

•Arizona State Hospital Patients & Families, Arizona Community Protection &Treatment Center

•Directors Office – Office of Strategic Initiatives, Public Information Office, Office of Border Health

•Licensing – Child care licensing, long term care licensing, Marijuana, Vital Records

•Planning & Operations – Human Resources, Financial Services, Information Technology Services

•Preparedness – Epidemiology and Disease Control, Public Health Emergency Preparedness, State Laboratory Services, Emergency medical Services & Trauma System

•Prevention – Healthy People Healthy Communities IGA, Women’s and Children’s Health, Tobacco and Chronic Disease

ADHS Mission: To promote, Protect and improve the health and wellness of individuals and communities in Arizona.

ADHS Vision: Health and wellness for all Arizonans.

•AZ Dept of Health Services is one state agency out of 130.   State Agencies comprised of executive branch, authorities, commission, councils, administrative, legislation, judicial, registrars offices

•Department of Health Services, Water Resources, Revenue, Public Safety, DOT, Pioneers Home, Lottery, Juvenile Corrections, Housing, Game & Fish, DCS, DEES, Board of Barbers, AZ Parks & Trails, AZ Capitol Museum, Department of Administration and many more

•You can choose from more than 1,700 types of career opportunities, all with the same employer, making job mobility and career advancement easy. With so many diverse roles, you can see why our employees join state service and never want to leave!

ADHS promotes alternative work schedules, flexible hours. We have positions that can fit any stage in your career, from entry to senior level

AZDH is hiring for multiple positions, levels, and offer a massive benefits package: https://www.azstatejobs.gov

The Entrepreneur’s Source, Anna Brambilla, Career Ownership Coach She helps professionals seek a better fit in their profession.  She is a career coach and desires to help others. She has helped 100 clients explore career or franchise options.