In addition to announcing when Honda would be looking to fill its Honda plant with employees, the company also released details as to where it would cast its net into the candidate pool.

With Decatur County acting as the epicenter, Honda will extend its resume-seeking arm out an hour’s drive in every direction. In all, residents of 20 Indiana counties are invited to vie for the nearly 2,000 positions beginning Sunday.

In order to be considered for one of the production associate jobs, applicants must reside in one of the following counties: Bartholomew, Brown, Dearborn, Decatur, Fayette, Franklin, Hancock, Henry, Jackson, Jefferson, Jennings, Johnson, Marion, Ohio, Ripley, Rush, Shelby, Switzerland, Union or Wayne. No preference will be given to applicants from one county over another.

“There are a few factors that go into this decision, and we base it on our past experiences in Ohio and Alabama,” Honda spokesman David Iida said. “Too much travel will put the safety of our associates in jeopardy, and we also have an attendance policy. We think anything within an hour allows us to extend this opportunity to as many residents as possible while staying within a reasonable distance.”

Honda’s desire to have its associates live near by is not a new concept but some have balked at the announcement. The Daily News reported as far back as September that Honda would hire from an area close to its newest plant.

“I’ve read some things questioning this and I don’t know why it’s popping up now,” Iida said. “While the hiring will come from a certain area, the benefits to the state will be far reaching. A lot of tax dollars will be pulled back to the state and our suppliers all over the area will see increased business.”

While the timing and geography of the process have been flushed out, defining the perfect Honda applicant is next to impossible.

Spending your entire adult life in a factory setting, or even an auto plant, may not get your ticket punched automatically.

“We are looking for quality people with the right attitude; we need associates who will fit well in our teamwork concept,” Iida said. “A person who accepts challenges and is flexible will make a good associate.”

A candidate’s background and previous employment comes into play only as it relates to the aforementioned attributes.

“Our company is filled with people from very diverse backgrounds who are now doing things unrelated to their previous employment,” Iida said. “We see strength in diversity. People with different backgrounds and experiences bring eyes into new ideas and we appreciate the added value that brings.”

Although Honda eventually will hire 2,000 new associates, this won’t happen at breakneck speed. Iida asks people to be patient.

“We are doing this in phases and by the end of this year we will have hired people from the first phase,” he said. “If an applicant doesn’t get a call in the first month or two, they shouldn’t say, ‘I lost out.’ This will take some time to ramp up, and we will keep applications on file for two years.”

Before Honda gets those applications, they will be processed by the Indiana Department of Workforce Development WorkOne Offices. Applications will be accepted only online at the Web site: www.indiana.honda.com. Interested individuals who do not have access to a computer may contact their local Indiana Department of Workforce Development WorkOne Office to obtain assistance in completing the online application process. Applicants must be 18 years of age and have a high school degree or GED to be considered for production employment opportunities.

“We expect a huge volume of applications and the DWD will help us make sure they are filled out completely, help us get through some of the initial volume and assist those applicants who may not have access to a computer,” Iida said. “In the end, however, Honda will make all of the hiring decisions.”