Workshop on August 6, 6:30 PM

"Effectively Introducing YOU: Titles, Metrics and Selling Points" by Kim Coburn

Kim Coburn is the founder and principal of The Coburn Company, a premier leadership development and executive coaching firm. 

Kim urges her clients to end the tendency to introduce themselves as a “has been”. Her presentation will teach you to  craft an introduction that effectively presents your title, showcases data that proves you are good and highlights some of your “selling points”.

To register for the workshop, please click here

"Don't drive with your brakes on," advises Trish Pratt

When we're looking for a new job, are we working harder than we need to? Presenter Trish Pratt, executive and career development coach, started her interactive discussion by asking that question. Throughout the presentation, she helped us to identify ways in which we could be "driving with the brakes on" and showed us ways to overcome some of the psychological obstacles we might create.

Explaining that searching for a job can be a good way to learn more about ourselves, Trish outlined some job search strategies that can help us to feel more positive about our search. First, a resume summarizes your skills and experience. Networking meetings are a good venue for introducing yourself and letting people know what you're looking for. Job websites such as Indeed and Monster, on-line applications and social networking sites like LinkedIn are all helpful avenues for learning about available jobs. And finally, it's critical to follow up on leads, job openings and referrals promptly.

Noting that the job seeker is the driver of each strategy, Trish stressed the importance of several key factors for success. Your confidence in your resume, abilities, and connections, your attitude towards your search, the clarity of your objectives, your level of organization as you navigate your search, your focus and follow-through can all shape your path forward. The stories you tell yourself help to clarify how you're thinking. Thestrategies you choose, your beliefs and perspectives, your feelings, perceptions, habits (do we apologize too much, for example?), and patterns (ways of approaching and responding to challenges and opportunities) are all key components to your job search.

If you notice that there are interview questions that you dread, that you're wondering if you really want the job or career path you're looking for, that your tool set or skill level isn't as current as it used to be, that your resume doesn't inspire your confidence, that you're still thinking about a "flub" you made on a past interview, or that you're not following up on a lead, job posting or interview, then it's likely that you're "driving with the brakes on." So to keep your job search in "Drive," check in with yourself daily to notice quickly if the brakes are on. If you're using strategies that you don't feel good about, it's helpful to distinguish facts from perceptions. Engaging in physical activity and doing something fun every day boost your energy level. Stay connected to your support group, and remember the value you bring to your work. Volunteering can be a great way to keep your skills fresh and may lead to some new networking connections. And you can even hire a coach!

Posted by Cynthia Carlson, WIN Coordinator

"Are you driving with your brakes on?" Presentation by Trish Pratt on July 23rd

WIN workshop on July 23, 6:30-8 PM

Navigating a job search when you are unemployed may be one of the greatest challenges you’ll experience in the course of your career.  Success often comes easier and sooner when you can maintain focus, clarity, and a high level of confidence.  In fact, if all of these are not aligned and feeding your energy and enthusiasm, your search can feel difficult and slow -- as if you are driving with the brakes on.  In this discussion, we’ll look at ways to help you notice and manage these qualities in your search so that you stay on-course and keep the brakes off your success!


Trish Pratt is an Executive and Career Development Coach.  For the past 15 years, she has coached clients across the U.S., working extensively in the areas of Career and Leadership success.  She has a Master’s Degree from Tufts University, is Certified as an Executive and Professional Coach, and specializes in career and personal development, and pattern recognition.   For more information you can visit her website at: www.momentumcoaching.com.

To register for the workshop, click here.

Hope to see you there!

Dynamic Presentation by Jaclyn Jarmulowicz

When you're looking for a job, your age can be a barrier in all stages of life. Presenter Jaclyn Jarmulowicz, workshop facilitator and program coordinator at the Framingham office of  Employment and Training Resources, a Massachusetts One-Stop Career Center, offered valuable suggestions for neutralizing the age factor in your job applications and during a job interview.

We all deal with age discrimination at varying levels throughout our lives. The keys to overcoming that are knowing your own value, knowing your audience, and selling your value to prospective employers. There are many factors that are not within our control in the job search process, so we need to identify and work with those things that we can control.

Jaclyn suggested four steps that job seekers should take to redirect attention from our age. First, address it early on to help eliminate age-related assumptions that may be held by recruiters and interviewers. We can do that by owning it, disarming it and proving it with actual examples of ways in which we've demonstrated adaptability to change, dependability, and career successes. 

For older job seekers, it's important to avoid using phrases like "at my age," when I was your age," and "young people today." Those phrases feed into age-related stereotypes.

When creating your resume, remove your education dates--they're often a good clue to your age. Your job history should go back only 10 - 15 years, not more. You can include important items from earlier jobs in a "career highlights" or "selected accomplishments" section. And be sure to include soft skills you possess, like mentoring.

It's important to consider all your options when looking for a job. Contract and temporary positions may lead to more permanent jobs, and you'll have the advantage of being a known quantity. Self-employment may be a good choice for some people. Volunteering can be a great way to make new networking connections and possibly gain new skills. Government jobs at both the state and federal could also be considered.

Job seekers should definitely create a LinkedIn profile with a professional, current photograph of yourself. Your "look" is important; clothing, hair style, make-up and accessories should be up-to-date. If you need some help to make a change, you could ask family members and friends for their advice. 

Last and most important of all, maintain a positive attitude throughout your search It's often a difficult thing to do, but it could play a crucial role in your ultimate success in landing a job. Find ways to build happiness and positive emotions into your daily life; they'll help to open your mind for exploration and to build critical skills. Pursuing activities you enjoy, spending time with good friends, former colleagues and family members and exercising or meditating can all foster a positive mindset, critical for job seekers of any age.

Posted by Cynthia Carlson