Letter to the Editor

Is an unstable economy and scarce job availability waiting to greet you as you cross the commencement stage at your college this spring? The economic climate was the same for me when I graduated from UW-L in 2009. I wish I knew of a way to set myself apart in the sea of resumes that I would be competing with for jobs then. Now that I finally know how to accomplish that, I want to share it with everyone facing the foreboding "real world."

I believe that serving as a tutor for Minnesota Reading Corps is the perfect way to set yourself apart and they're hiring over 1,000 tutors across the state right now. Minnesota Reading Corps is an early-literacy program that uses research-based methods proven to improve children's reading abilities. By working on literacy skills with children age three through grade three, they are moving closer to their goal of helping all Minnesota children become successful readers by the end of the third grade. Not only do the tutors help their students see what they're made of, our tutors also impress upon their future employers what they're made of.

Flexibility. Working in a school means each day will bring something new. Each child you'll serve is different from the next. You need to be flexible enough to adjust your plan as bumps in your schedule arise, recover from the adjustments, and make a smooth transition. All the while you'll be multi-tasking while sticking to a tight schedule of tutoring 16-20 students a day. What a valuable addition you will make to a company in any field as you keep up with new and ever-changing responsibilities.

Dedication. Tutors set serious goals for their students and stick to them. This means that tutors need to spend time analyzing each student's progress, and be creative and intuitive enough to uncover new ways to improve skills within their students as soon as possible. Dedication to each student's growth is the thread that weaves this process together smoothly.

Passion for a cause. An 11 month commitment isn't something to take lightly. Your commitment to serve through Minnesota Reading Corps or its sister organization Minnesota Math Corps will show your potential employers how serious you are about making your community a better place. A benevolent, philanthropic individual brings an uplifting and encouraging vibe to any work environment. Your future employer will be confident in your ability to work well with others and know that you will be invested in making the company a better place too.

Through serving as a tutor through Minnesota Reading or Math Corps, you will show your future employers that you are the unique, long-term employee for whom they're searching. For more information and to apply today visit www.MinnesotaReadingCorps.org or www.MinnesotaMathCorps.org. Contact recruitment@mnedc.org or 866-859-2825 with questions.