Iowa is about to send a new crop of job-hunting high school and college graduates into the marketplace, and some will find success much faster than others. Susan McBroom, a vocational rehabilitation counselor in Urbandale, says the quality of your resume will quickly determine your odds of going from a job-seeker to someone’s newest employee. McBroom discusses the most common resume error. “People are not matching the resume to the job that they’re applying for,” McBroom says. “It’s really important that they match their skill sets to the position they’re applying to. If they don’t know their skill set, there’s a resource called O’Net Online that they can find each job broken down to the specific skill set.”

The address for that website is: www.onetonline.org. While a one-page resume was once the rule, McBroom says a two-page resume is now standard, but she says don’t go beyond two pages. “It takes a recruiter about 15 seconds to look through a resume,” McBroom says. “What I tell new grads is to be sure that if you don’t have a long work history, put things in there that would be internships, big projects, things like that.”

About 90-percent of employers now hire electronically, so having an e-resume that can be attached to an email cover letter is a must. Resumes need to be kept simple, using plain lettering and nothing fancy. Despite the economic downturn of the past few years, McBroom is optimistic about the job market, adding, it’s excellent if you’re looking for positions in the medical field. “Anything in nursing, certified medical assistant, medication aid, psych aid, and the last two don’t require a four-year degree,” McBroom says. “The job market is getting better. The unemployment rate for ages 19 to 24 is about 12% but that does include new graduates so, it’s really important to have a perfect resume out there.”

Iowa’s jobless rate is about five-percent, well below the national jobless rate of about seven-and-a-half percent. Being aggressive is key. Many ads say “no calls” but she says to call anyway, a week after you send your resume, just to see if they got it or have any questions. While social media sites are popular, McBroom doesn’t recommend being on one unless it’s private and visible by only a limited number of people. If you’re on Facebook or Twitter, she says: “Be careful what you put out there. Employers do research social media. If possible, set your Facebook to private. Keep in mind, others may access information from it.”

(Radio Iowa)

Atlantic Fire and Rescue and Medivac Ambulance have responded to the scene of a personal injury accident this morning near the Wal-Mart store. The Cass County Communications Center said the crash between a pickup and a van happened at around 8:55-a.m. on 7th Street, at the stop-lights in between the Wal-Mart and Atlantic Super 8 motel.

One person, described as a middle-aged female, suffered head injuries. She was not wearing a seat belt. Officials say her vehicle’s airbags did deploy upon impact. Additional details are currently not available.

The Atlantic City Council, Wednesday, approved the first reading of a 5.5-percent rate increase for sewer service. Two more readings are necessary before the increase is passed. City Administrator Doug Harris says if approved on the third and final reading, the monthly base fee for usage up to 3,000 gallons will increase $1.50 per month, from $27.00 to $28.50. Additional usage above 3,000 gallons will increase 30-cents, from $5.50 to $5.80 per thousand gallons over 3,000.Harris said the increase is needed to fund Debt Service and Operating costs of the new wastewater treatment plant.

The Council also held a public hearing on the sale of a lot at 314 Walnut Street. After receiving no written or oral comments on the matter, the Council gave its permission to sell the property for $30,000 to Jacob Weitzel, who plans to build a restaurant/sports bar on the site, with office space and luxury condominiums possible in the future, for the structure’s upper floors. The sale was contingent on the City having the first right of refusal to buy back the property, if a building is no erected on the site within a reasonable time frame.

And, the Atlantic City Council approved the issuance of General Obligation Bonds for $2.7-million. The G-O bonds will fund the cost of construction for various infrastructure improvements and a grant to Iowa Western Community College for building improvements. The Council tabled action pertaining to a purchase agreement for just over $7-million in Sewer Revenue Bonds, until their June 5th meeting.