Thursday, May 3, 2012 Clinton County News Page 13

Clinton County NewsThe deadline for all display advertising is Monday at 4 p.m. The deadline for all news items and pictures is Tuesday at 10 a.m.

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NEWS travels to Mexico

Ronald and Betty Appleby and Tabitha and Brent Stratton went on vacation last week to Cozumel, Mexico and took the Clinton County News with them.

The importance of interviewing: Tips and tools for job-seekers

By: Dr. Mike Searcy,Somerset Community College

Workforce Kentucky re-cently reported that the Com-monwealth’s seasonally adjusted preliminary unemployment rate dropped to 8.7 percent in Feb-ruary 2012 from 8.8 percent in January 2012. According to the Office of Employment and Training (OET), an agency of the Kentucky Education and Work-force Development Cabinet, this marks the eighth consecu-tive month the rate has declined. This means that as more local businesses and organizations continue to build or re-build their workforce, it will become even more important for job-seekers to be fully prepared to put their best foot forward during the in-terview process for potential em-ployment.

As a professor of communi-cation at Somerset Community College, I find it to be more im-portant than ever to prepare our students, as well as other com-munity members, for these inter-views so that both the company and the potential employee find the best fit for stable, challenging

work.When an interview opportu-

nity arises, most people become nervous about making a positive impression. While a few nerves are common and expected, it is also important to remember that an interview is a two-way pro-cess. Employers and potential employees are interviewing one another. Remember that if hired, you will spend a large part of your time at or with an organi-zation or business. For that rea-son, it is important to interview wisely.

You are selling yourself and your skills during an interview and potential employees need to be prepared from the very start. To put forward your best, it is important to evaluate the job de-scription first. What are the ma-jor job skills? What are the duties the job entails? Do I have the skills necessary to fulfill these needs?

Next, a well-prepared applica-tion should include a resume and a cover letter. Resumes should identify who you are, your career objective, your education and ex-perience, references (if request-

ed), special skills and interests, activities and honors and awards you may have received.

In today’s world where social media plays a key role in many of our lives, it is also impera-tive to examine your profile and publically accessible information from the viewpoint of a potential employer. Ask yourself if there is anything you need to change and then change it if necessary.

Next, potential employees should always do research. Find out everything you can about the your future potential employer. Make contacts with others at the company or organization, check their record with the Better Busi-ness Bureau and harness the power of the internet to find out everything you can before going face-to-face for an interview.

Dr. Mike Searcy is an instruc-tor of communication at Som-erset Community College. He is also the founding consultant for Communication Resource Consulting, Inc. Dr. Searcy has presented information on various communication topics around the nation and globe. He can be reached at (606) 451-6796 or at

mike.searcy@kctcs.edu. Dr. Mike’s

Top Ten Interview Tips:· Be on time· Turn your cell phone off· Hygiene is important· How you dress is important to the impression you relay:· Avoid excessive jewelry· Avoid excessive perfume· Avoid flamboyant clothes· It is better to be overdressed than too casual· Be aware of your body language· Be aware of your verbal lan-guage· Avoid being negative· Keep your remarks positive· Avoid negative remarks about previous job experiences or re-sponsibilities· Don’t make jokes· Don’t flirt with the interviewer· Pace your question responses (take pauses if needed)

The Kentucky State Police Driver Testing Branch will be-gin using a new rider skills test for motorcycle operator’s license applicants on May 1. Developed by the Motorcycle Safety Foun-dation (MSF), the new test is de-signed to better determine if op-erators possess sufficient safety skills for riding motorcycles in traffic.

The new test expands Ken-tucky’s current motorcycle skill test from two to four exercises, which must be completed on a closed course and evaluated by a KSP driver’s license examiner. The exercises include: left turn/normal stop; cone weave/right turn from a stop; quick stop and obstacle swerve. The changes ap-ply to both two-wheel and three-wheel motorcycles tests.

Updates regarding the new test have been made to the Ken-tucky Driver’s Manual, which is available online at kentuckys-tatepolice.org under the Driver Testing Branch link. A video about the new test will be avail-able at YouTube.com in the near future.

MSF Director James G. Heideman, Ph.D. and Wayne Steele, of the Kentucky Motor-cycle Program at Eastern Ken-tucky University, were instru-mental in instituting the new test in Kentucky.

MSF is a national, not-for-profit organization which has provided technical assistance to

state training and licensing pro-gram for more than 30 years in the area of motorcycle safety and testing.

“Our implementation of this new test highlights Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month in May,” says KSP Commissioner Rodney Brewer. “It comes at a critical time since statistics show a significant increase in motorcy-cle-related crashes in Kentucky this year. Hopefully, the new test will help motorcycle operators get off to a safe start with sound, fundamental riding skills that will make Kentucky’s roads and highways a safer place for every-one.”

KSP will offer a free, three-hour, classroom-based, motor-cycle safety seminar taught by a certified MSF RiderCoach on May 17 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. To register for the seminar, visit the KSP website at http://www.kentuckystatepolice.org/pdf/reg-istrationform_2012.pdf .

The agency will also host its fifth annual Motorcycle Safety Day awareness program on June 22 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event includes safety exhib-its, motorcycle vendors, a news conference and a police-escorted ride through scenic rural areas. To register for the program, visit the KSP website at www.ken-tuckystatepolice.org.

Both events will be held at KSP headquarters, 919 Versailles Rd. in Frankfort.

New motorcycle operator’s license test to begin May 1