A joint effort by the Village of New Lenox, the Library and the Chamber of Commerce is taking aim at joblessness. As a result, they've created an intensive program called "Boot Camp for Job Seekers." The heart of the program is the availability of one-on-one resume and cover letter reviews.

The program, scheduled to take place from 5-8 p.m. Nov. 14 and Dec. 12 at the New Lenox Public Library, is an all-out effort to get people back to work, said Nancy Hoehn, village economic development director. Pros from the human resources (HR) field and related experts are working together to help employment seekers overcome the hurdles of landing a job.

To participate, sign up for a 30 minute one-on-one session with an HR professional. Hoehn said, the point is to get your cover letter and resume noticed by job-hiring employers. To register:

• Call the New Lenox Public Library at (815)-485-2605 and select either Nov. 14 or Dec. 12.
• Submit a draft of your resume and sample cover letter to Kate Hall, director of the library, at least one week prior to the session.
• Answer a questionnaire about your job search.
• Boot camp coordinators are encouraging attendees to show up a few minutes before their scheduled interview to stay on schedule.

"Because what worked five years ago (for resumes) is outdated today," Hoehn said, a priority has been placed on individual resume reviews. Village HR Director Debbi Smetana is expected to be on-hand to spot potential red flags that might get a resume tossed, such as a lack of quantitative data or an unprofessional email address.

Boot Camp for Job Seekers is born out of the ShareFest 2012 Job Fair

The current boot camp program was born out of the ShareFest 2012 Job Fair held in September at village hall. Having worked with about 400 participants at the earlier fair, what facilitators learned was how much people saw the benefit of coming together in an atmosphere that was supportive and authentic.

At the same time, job fair coordinators realized a broader perspective. There is a potential here to build in ways that would advance workforce development from the point of view of manufacturers as well as the labor market, she said.

Job seekers from New Lenox and surrounding communities are welcome to attend.

Over time, program coordinators are planning to address further strategies and issues that lead toward viable employment. The village together with officials from New Lenox Public Library and New Lenox Chamber of Commerce are making a concerted effort to achieve job placement success. The ultimate goal is to prepare the job force for the job market, she added.  

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