In today’s Wall Street Journal, there was an article highlighting the importance of college graduates to a region. The article suggests that the more college graduates in a region also provides more employment opportunities for high-school graduate population.

This further illustrates the importance of attracting and retaining the skilled and college-educated workforce of younger professionals as has been chronicled on this blog for several years.

The talent of these individuals drive regional economies and create opportunities for individuals with lesser educational attainment. Unfortunately, strategies and public sector funding continues to focus more on helping create and generate hourly jobs for people who are less likely to grow a regional economy.

That is why the strategy of job seekers acquiring new skills through continuing education continues to be the best alternative at addressing complex regional economic issues.

I was recently asked to be a guest on Roanoke, Va Cox Media’s monthly local cable show Connections (hosted by Kim Stanley) to discuss the job search process using new/social media. Still only 6-10% of people get jobs online. Social media is no substitute for face-to-face job searching yet it cannot be ignored. Thanks to Cox Media for this opportunity to chat about this topic.

If you are looking for a creative way to get the job you want, then you must view this video explaining how the job seeker did it. This is what a Perfect Job Seeker does.

Economic Development Online by Ubalde and Krueger

As a follow up to Economic Development Marketing, Ubalde clearly explains and offers solutions for the different types of online tools economic developers can use to transform a region. Through charts, graphs, stories and screen shots, the book outlines how ED professionals can implement new technologies their private sector customers are using such as Yelp, Four Square, cloud computing, SEO, SEM, SMO, Twitter, to leverage results and gain credibility in the complex and competitive industry.

For example, Ubalde says the implementation of ED strategy should be distributed to a much larger legion of voices and partners that can share, forward, tweet, like and communicate your message.

The days of a select few groupthinkers setting traditional regional economic policy is behind us.  The present and future of economic development is empowering individuals in your offline community – who have a presence in these online communities – to share and implement your vision.

ED professionals would be operating irresponsibly by not becoming a user, student and expert of the book’s content. Further, creative leaders who set regional economic development strategy would be wise to align with Ubalde’s organization – ZoomPropsector.com.

We are often asked by many folks for help and assistance on their individual job searches. As a result of the demand, we will be holding a webinar on Tuesday, April 20 at 9 a.m. Please contact me for more details. There are only 15 slots available. If you cannot make it, then you can view the slides here.