The Orlando Venues Vote – Will this create jobs? YOU BET!!!

First of all, for the record, OrlandoJobs.com does support the building of the venue project in Orlando Florida. This would include a new arena, performing arts center and refurbishing of the Citrus Bowl. What makes this billion dollar project such a hot topic is just that…a billion dollars! The money is coming from many sources and the economic impact for Central Florida will be great.

Also for the record, we are not in any way a part of Orlando City or Orange County government. I will leave the voting up to our elected officials who have done the homework we can’t do as a citizens trying to figure out how all the pieces fit together. It is a massive project that will shape Orlando for years to come.

Why does OrlandoJobs.com support the project? It is very simple…jobs. Yes, we understand the new arena replace jobs already being performed at the Amway arena. However, the new arena will create more jobs at these events and more events each year. Also, a major performing arts center will create numerous jobs.

While we do get some great events in Central Florida, our community can go after even more. With new facilities, Orlando is a no brainer to entice incredible entertainment, arts and sports events. With these events are jobs.

YES, Jobs. Jobs of all kinds. Event day jobs, sales jobs, marketing jobs, advertising jobs, maintenance jobs, landscaping jobs, food service jobs, management jobs, medical jobs, technology jobs, website jobs, telecommunication jobs, logistic jobs, purchasing jobs, legal jobs, administrative jobs and many other opportunities.

How about the jobs created around the venues? You bet. If you look at any venue project in any city, major development has moved in and creates and/or expands business districts. Think about all of the possibilities.

But what gets me most excited about the venue project is the fact that companies in other parts of the country that are considering moving their operations to Central Florida will now be able to factor in world class facilities during their decision process. Why is this important? Smart companies who understand that human capital (employees) are their biggest asset need to “protect their investment”. The more a region can offer its citizens not only benefit the companies already here, but the ones considering relocating! For example, Burnham has made a great commitment to our area!

Finally, I have had the opportunity to recruit many professionals to Central Florida over the years. I truly believe we will have a better shot of attracting talented people to the area and also retain professionals that are already here. While Orlando is a great place to live, people who come from cities like Boston, Chicago, Denver, Dallas and many others parts of the country will turn jobs down. I have had many excuses, but the one the always hurts the most is we have no culture.

It is time we change that perception. With the new venues, we know new jobs will be created. We know new business will come. Orlando will truly be a world class city.

Are you ready to take a Virtual Interview?

If you could attend all of next week’s interviews virtually, would you? More importantly, should you? I am NOT referencing video conferencing; rather, new online technology allows you to create a computer generated image of yourself – an “avatar” – that will meet emplyers in a virtual room and communicate with them via instant message. You have access to unlimited resources to make sure your finished product resembles the “real” you. The outcome is surprising! To find out more about avatars and to view examples, visit http://www.secondlife.com/.

So is virtual interviewing right for you? The following points are some companies’ reasons for utilizing the Virtual Interview:

For Employers:

1) It’s cost effective to screen candidates.
2) It can help you narrow the pool of candidates.
3) You’ll be able to screen out of town candidates from anywhere.

For You:

1) It enables you to undergo the interview from a comfortable location: your residence.
2) You can concentrate directly on your questions, without the worry of initial appearance and non-verbal communication.
3) You can display some of your ability on a technical level. (Hopefully, your computer generated avatar will resemble aspects of your personality as well as your image. In fact, there is already this site that will help you pick out your interviewing outfit!

Many major companies have tried virtual interviews (read WSJ article), and the results vary. In the future, avatars may become widely accepted, but it is too soon to get overly excited about this type of interviewing.

Companies who have an element of artistic creativity (ad agencies, animators, graphic design firms, etc.) may be able to put virtual interviewing to good use, but the average company and the average candidate are either unable or unwilling to invest the time and effort into creating an avatar that can function as their online “other.” Online resume is still the most practiced manner of initial contact.

I can’t imagine and Orlando companies interviewing this way in the near future. For one, they are having a tough time finding qualified candidates for a lot of their specialized jobs. Most companies probably won’t have the time to wait for you to create your “customer service specialist ” avatar. (Although, it would be interesting to see what that looks like!)

This video on YouTube shows a slightly satirical version of humans reenacting what life would be like if you were an avatar. I guess applying online or picking up the phone may be the best way to get that next job.