| Out of work? Join the Job Club by Stephen Dravis
Photo by Rebecca Dravis Above: Steve Terrien of Easthampton, left, tells fellow job-seekers about the Website that lists jobs Monday at the weekly session of Job Club. Chuck Gaylord of Pittsfield, right, listens.
Weekly group helps local people find a job...
Peg Stone used to work as a career counselor.
You might not think she would be inclined to seek help from a support group for job-seekers.
But when she found herself between jobs this spring, the BerkshireWorks Job Club was an invaluable resource for her, the Lenox resident said. "Being unemployed is such a stress," Stone said. "It's a nightmare really and very scary.
Being with a group of other people who are going through the experience was, for me, very supportive."
Millie Calesky, a consultant based in Hinsdale, started the Job Club in May to help unemployed area residents develop job-finding strategies and skills and take strength in the fact that they are not alone.
"It has been my experience that support can make all the difference between success and failure," said Calesky, a professional development coach. "For many of these people, many of them are capable but it's very lonely to be job seeking. You're on your own. It's very helpful for them to come to BerkshireWorks. There are great resources that are free. ... The Job Club is only one of many programs BerkshireWorks offers."
But it is an important one for folks like Pittsfield's Alvin Beal, who made the club's Monday afternoon meetings a regular part of his week when he was out of work earlier this year.
"I went every single Monday that I was not in an interview," said Beal, who has since landed a full-time job. "It is all done in a very open and friendly and confidential setting. You talk about what's working for you, what's not working for you. ... You say, 'What am I doing that someone else might benefit from?' "
That kind of sharing is the first phase of each week's meeting, Calesky said.
"I'll ask them to talk about what are some of the constructive steps they've taken over the last week," she said. "Everyone introduces themselves, and in the course of that, people might make suggestions. There is a networking component to it. People might say, 'Did you hear about this (job opening)?' or 'Do you know so-and-so?' "
The second part of the club usually involves a presentation by Calesky about job search techniques. Recently, for example, she gave a presentation on resume; this past Monday's meeting focused on networking.
Stone, who now works part-time for an area chiropractor, said job-hunting tips are valuable no matter how much success you may have had finding work in the past.
"Every person you talk to has a different take on how to put together a resume and how to interview," she said. "I did career counseling in Washington, D.C., 10 years ago. There are new techniques now."
In the final third of the one-hour club meetings, Calesky has participants break up into pairs and develop a list of priorities for the week ahead, she said. Then the participants share those personal "to-do" lists with the group to reinforce their commitment to take positive steps.
Beal said that proactive approach helped make the club a good way to start a week in the job market.
"I'm a big planner, and a couple of people drew that from me," he said. "We learned to hit the job search in a planned manner.
"We asked, 'What's your plan? What's your objective? What are you going to do?' When you left, at least you had a plan to do something and you had put some thought into what your week was going to be like."
Involvement with the Job Club also opens the door to BerkshireWorks, where job seekers can find the tools the need to put their plan into action.
"BerkshireWorks has great resources which are free," Calesky said.
"They can make it their offices. They have computers people can use, copiers, phones, a fax machine. Plus they have workshops.
"They list jobs and they have their own job fairs. ... It's a great opportunity for people in the Job Club to practice introducing themselves to people, talking on the spot about themselves and their strengths."
You can get that same kind of practice in the club itself - in a setting where everyone knows what you are going through because they are in the same boat.
"One of the problems job-seekers have is talking about themselves,"
Calesky said. "You have to do that in a job interview. Because of how the Job Club is set up, everyone has to participate.
"Some of the people in the group might be extroverted. But for others, this is very hard for them. This is a safe environment where they can get some practice."
That environment is what Pat Fiske of Great Barrington likes about the Job Club.
Fiske, who recently found herself downsized after seven years with the same company, said starting over has been "a learning experience for her." The Job Club has been a way to get her in the door of BerkshireWorks and get moving on finding another job in the field of accounts payable/customer service.
"It does get you chatting with other people," she said.
And besides the networking benefits of that kind of informal talk, there's another benefit to it, Fiske said: support from people in the same boat.
"You don't want to get too depressed," she said.
The BerkshireWorks Job Club meets Mondays from 1 to 2 p.m. at the BerkshireWorks Career Center, 160 North St. in Pittsfield. Register by calling 413-499-2220, ext. 110, or visit berkshireworks.org.
Job Club to discuss tips for successful interviewing
iBerkshires.com- June 06, 2007
The next meeting of the BerkshireWorks Job Club will be held on Monday, June 11, 2007. This meeting will focus on interviewing strategies that have been shown to be highly successful. The Job Club is an ongoing, free support group facilitated by Coach Millie Calesky. It provides a safe setting in which job seekers can network, share wins and challenges, learn helpful tips, and gain information about new opportunities.
The group meets every Monday from 1-2 PM. Optional networking time begins at 12:45 p.m. The job club is hosted by BerkshireWorks Career Center at 160 North Street in Pittsfield. There is no charge to attend. Please pre-register by calling 413-499-2220, ext. 110, or register online at www.berkshireworks.org.
Millie Calesky, a business coach and trainer, facilitates the group. Millie specializes in inspiring professionals to clarify their goals, get past obstacles, and then reach for and achieve what they want most. She addresses audiences in an upbeat, dynamic, and personal way on subjects including self-motivation, thriving in the midst of transition, and strategies for attaining professional success. As a writer, she specializes in topics concerning personal and professional development, health and wellness, self-acknowledgment and self-care.
BerkshireWorks Career Centers in Pittsfield and North Adams are among the 37 full service Massachusetts One Stop Career Centers located throughout the Commonwealth. The Centers offer a variety of employment-related services for both job seekers and businesses. Job seekers are offered job search assistance and access to online job listings, career counseling, and workshops. Training can also be provided for clients meeting eligibility requirements. Business and employer services include access to qualified applicants, job postings, prescreening, testing, interview and conference rooms, and assistance with small and large-scale recruiting activities. For more information on upcoming events and programs, visit www.berkshireworks.org.
| | Berkshire Trade & Commerce * March 2009 Short-Term membership preferred at 'job club' click here to view article. BerkshireWorks Job Club - job-seekers working together
By Millie Calesky – Business and Life Coach, Speaker & Trainer
“What I appreciate about the Job Club is that people of all life stages, economic circumstances, and abilities work together at the same table to help one another in the job search process.” – Phlox Laucher, a job club participant
Looking for work can be lonely and frustrating. If you’re used to the structure that a job provides, it can be tough to self-motivate and create new routines to support your search process. Since May 2007, the BerkshireWorks Career Center has been offering a free weekly job club to its clients and to the community. The group meets from 1 – 2 PM every Monday -- the day when seekers must face reality and reconnect with their search. The group is lead by Millie Calesky, a business & life coach. Millie motivates group members to appreciate their strengths, clarify their goals, develop an action plan, and move forward.
What happens at a meeting?
According to Phlox Laucher, “It's hard to remain hopeful after you lose your job. In the Job Club we stay positive by recognizing and celebrating each other’s successes. Millie and my Job Club colleagues help me set achievable weekly goals that keep me moving in the right direction. When I get discouraged and want to give up, showing up on Monday afternoons and being with others who are going through the same thing can help a lot.”
Participants are encouraged to attend as often as possible. The tone is unconditionally positive – members are asked to not criticize anyone in the group, especially themselves! Confidentiality is also requested, so everyone can feel free to share openly.
The meeting begins with a mini-presentation and discussion on issues related to job seeking. Topics include: how to stay focused, how to manage one’s time effectively, and strategies for dealing with inevitable highs and lows of the search process. In a round robin, members check in around progress made in the past week. They can bring questions to the group, ask for suggestions, and exchange referrals and leads. Members also work in teams, list priorities and make commitments for the week ahead.
Once they register with BerkshireWorks, members are free to utilize the resources, including computers, newspapers, copiers, faxes, and the library. Free workshops, trainings, and counseling are available after attending an optional informational session.
Benefits
Attending regularly helps participants stick with the job-seeking process and not give up. One participant wanted to learn how to use a computer, but just trying to learn made her so nervous that she broke out in hives. Through the encouragement that she got in the group, she persevered, found a good training program, and came away with new skills. She startled club members when she announced, after two weeks’ training, that she was ready to design her own business card!
By listening to others sharing, participants often say that they feel more connected and less alone. They may see their situation in a different light or realize that they have more options than they once thought. They develop a sense of camaraderie with fellow members. A buddy list is circulated, and members are encouraged to stay in touch throughout the week.
According to Richard Bolles, author of What Color is Your Parachute?, one-third to one-half of all job-hunters simply give up within 2 months. They get so overwhelmed that they just stop trying, casting their professional fate to the wind. Given the fact that you often spend more of your precious hours on the job than anywhere else, it makes sense that you put a solid effort into your search, and find a position that you like – one that’s well suited to your skills and values. Attending the job club can help you best achieve this goal.
To pre-register and/or for more information:
Please contact BerkshireWorks Career Center – 413-499-2220, ext. 110 or www.berkshireworks.org
Using Discussion Groups in Your Job Search
By George H Smith
Discussion Groups Job Search Resources
Online discussion groups are email-based, subject-specific forums. People subscribe to groups that discuss issues that are relevant to them personally or professionally. Discussion Groups provide a quick, easy, and convenient way to share and receive information in a variety of specialty areas. Mailing lists cover a broad variety of topics and fields. Many carry job postings, and they are a good resource for networking contacts, industry trends, and other developments. Anyone involved in a job search can benefit from participating in newsletters and forums.
All groups have a list manager who controls the subscriber list, and some groups have a moderator that controls the flow and direction of topics within the group. Once you join a discussion group, you can pose questions and participate in an online dialog with other members. Your question(s) will automatically be distributed via e-mail to all others who have registered to participate in the group. Any responses will be automatically sent to you via email. In addition, you will receive, via email, questions and answers submitted by others.
All discussion lists provide some basic instruction about how to join. Interested parties send an email to the list administrator requesting to be added to the list. The list administrator then adds you to the group and sends you a confirmation mailing with information about how to post messages to the list, and information about unsubscribing.
Lists and forums usually do not have posting requirements and you can participate without contributing to the discussions. If you don't want to subscribe to mailing lists, you can use the searchable archives to look for information.
Remember that Networking is an essential component of an effective job search. The development of specialized online discussion groups has made it easier for job seekers to meet and interact with other professionals in the same field or industry. The greatest advantage of discussion groups is that all the subscribers have an interest in the subject matter. And networking is all about building your personal contacts, especially within your given career field, so joining one or more discussion groups related to your career can grow your network of contacts.
Tips for Your Job Search
Use the Newsletter Directory to find services that list available discussion groups. Search the lists to find specific groups useful in your job search. Use a dedicated email account for participation, for example HotMail, to protect your privacy. If they allow members to post comments or questions, just monitor the postings for a while to see what the rules of conduct are. If you decide to participate, be sure that your posting is about the subject and well written. Don't be afraid to ask for help or information, but be careful if that's all you do. You'll have the greatest success with most groups by sharing your expertise and advice. Assume that all the posts are public information and don't post any information or comments that you would not want your present or future employer to see.
This article was written by George Smith of JobMetaSeek, a career and job search service for managers, professionals and executives in the United States and Canada.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=George_H_Smith
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