Sorry but you just can't make this sh!t up!!! I personally find it insulting! What now? "American Idol" for jobs? In what other disgusting way would we have to serve our Masters?!? I am telling you ... we are quickly becoming a Serf society!
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/orl-careereoki3009jan30,0,1339537.story
If you're singing the blues about being unemployed in these tough economic times, you might want to grab a camera and capture your melancholy on video. It just might help you find a job.
It's an unusual talent show called "Careereoki," in which job-seekers submit videos of themselves singing about a career they want to pursue. The winner will get a prize package valued at $8,000, which includes a scholarship for career training, job shadowing in the chosen career field, a gift certificate for a personal makeover and a $100 gas card.
The unusual talent show is being run by Workforce Central Florida, Orange County Public Schools and an advertising agency called EVOK.
While the prizes will probably lure people, Workforce Central Florida, which handles training and other employment issues for the state, is hoping the contest will inspire some creative -- and qualified -- job applicants.
"I think this is going to hit a different audience for us, perhaps a more youthful and creative audience. I think it's going to stir a buzz," said Kimberly Cornett, a spokesperson for Workforce Central Florida.
More than 40 job-seekers have submitted videos, but "Careereoki's" sponsors are expecting hundreds of submissions before the winner is announced Feb. 16, said Jourdan Hathaway, director of client services for EVOK, the advertising firm that pitched the idea to the agencies.
"Other than doing some boring advertising, we thought we would do something out of the box," said Stephen Hendricks, senior marketing manager for the school district's Career and Technical Education division.
Down-on-their-luck job-seekers are channeling their frustrations into catchy lyrics and dance moves. One submission, called "Put a Glove On It," features three would-be medical assistants singing and dancing to the beat of Beyonce's "Single Ladies: Put A Ring On It."
"And if you wanna be safe, put your gloves on it, " the women sing.
Daniel Gonzalez, 18, a computer-systems student at Mid Florida Tech, said he entered the contest because he needs money to continue his education.
Gonzalez, who made a video in which he and a friend rap about having "more gigs [gigabytes] than a pig's got ham," said he had never heard of Workforce Central Florida before entering the contest. "Careereoki" is a good way for the organization to reach people his age, Gonzalez said.
"Of course it's kind of cheesy, but that's the whole point," he said.
All the videos are posted on the Web site of Power 95.3 FM (WPYO), a sponsor of the "Careereoki" campaign. The contestants will be judged on their creativity and not their singing ability, Hathaway said.
Hathaway said both the school district and Workforce Central Florida are facing shrinking advertising budgets in the midst of the economic downturn.
These agencies needed to stretch their advertising dollars and try a more innovative approach than traditional marketing at job fairs and on billboards, she said.
"We wanted to discover how to reach out to these job-seekers in a way that would be a little bit different, something that could make people laugh a little bit in really tough times," Hathaway said.
Satta Sarmah can be reached at ssarmah@orlandosentinel.com or 386-851-7911
comments (2)
digg |
share on Facebook | 
e-mail it
POST A COMMENT
