"Jobs, Careers, Lives & Futures" on March 12

Shrewsbury-based Joe Ryan is a learning and organizational development professional and a certified change and leadership coach with over 17 years of experience. His areas of expertise are change management, leadership development, supervisory and management development, critical thinking and problem solving.

This is the outline of his presentation:

1. Let us reframe unemployment from something negative to an opportunity to reconsider your future and ALL its possibilities.
2. The Futility of Cemented Beliefs and Actions
3. Recognize Your Belief System and Its Impact on Your Ability to Change and Progress
4. Dip Your Big Toe in the Pool of Constructive Change

To register for the workshop, please click here

Green Careers by Jen Boudrie

Presenter Jen Boudrie gave job seekers another avenue to explore while searching for jobs--a career in a green industry. Opening with "The planet needs environmental sustainability and people need jobs," Jen provided a comprehensive overview of green jobs and how and where to find them.

Because of climate change, population growth, economic development and natural resource depletion, there are many opportunities for green jobs across industries. According to Jen, any job can be green--or greener. Government, businesses and nonprofits all offer opportunities for green careers. The fields of energy, water, materials/waste, purchasing, transportation and management are all looking for ways to be "greener."

Jen offered tips and resources for those interested in exploring green careers and held a Q & A at the conclusion of her presentation. 

Cynthia Carlson - WIN participant

Mick Verran's presentation

On Wednesday evening, eighteen job seekers benefited from presenter Mick Verran's vast experience in planning, managing and executing job searches. Mick introduced the concept of a "portfolio career," a strategy particularly helpful to those who have many interests and a variety of career experiences. A combination of projects, consulting, sub-contracting, teaching, coaching and products can create a good mix of employment opportunities. For those who are seeking full-time employment, Mick provided a structured approach to targeting potential employers, planning a job search and managing your time effectively. Key to both approaches is careful consideration of financial implications and personal interests and motivation. 

Cynthia Carlson, WIN participant

Targeting and Planning Your Job Search by Mick Verran

The next WIN (Work Initiative Network) workshop to be held at the Shrewsbury Public Library on Feb 12^th from 6:30-8 PM will be “Targeting and Planning Your Job Search” by Mick Verran. He will go over what is called a portfolio career. A "portfolio career" is a collection of revenue streams consisting of part-time employment; freelancing or consulting engagements; short-term contracts; and "products" that together add up to a full-time job. People with varied interests and diverse experience can explore a "portfolio career." Even those firmly committed to a full-time position can take a stimulating and fresh look at their skills and experience and embark on a new career path. Mick Verran, an organization consultant with over 30 years' experience, will help you 

• Take stock of all your skills and experiences
• Clarify the value of each of your capabilities
• Identify existing and potential customers
• Consider how you might monetize your diverse capabilities
• Target new job opportunities

To register for the workshop, please click here

Suzanne Gray's Workshop

Fifteen WIN participants gained from Suzanne Gray's expertise at yesterday's workshop. Suzanne first talked about why many are considering business ownership.  She reviewed statistics that many have themselves experienced, with downsizing and corporate mergers.  She called this “The New Career Economy”.  Suzanne shared her expertise in starting a business, thinking through transferable skills and personal and professional goals; and the importance of managing and marketing the business, not only be the technician.  Suzanne went on to review the basic pros and cons of independent businesses; investing in a resale of a business and franchises.  She wrapped up the workshop with a discussion around some of her successful clients, and where they are today, and questions to consider when exploring if business ownership would be a good fit.   

Self-employment & Business Ownership - January 8, 6:30-8pm

Suzanne Gray (Business Coach at "The Entrepreneur's Source") will walk us through the joys and realities of self-employment. What should potential entrepreneurs consider before they start their own business? Suzanne Gray will lead us through an exploration of self employment as a viable career path. 

Please click on the link below to sign-up for this free workshop.

WIN Workshop Sign-up

Revving Up Your Job Search for 2014 - Susan P Joyce

Susan P. Joyce (President of NETability Inc., Publisher/Editor of Job-Hunt.org & WorkCoachCafe.com), presented a very useful, informative workshop on 'How To Rev Up Your Job Search For Success In The New Year.'

She quoted Dick Bolles' statement - "Google is the new resume." The job search truth of the 21st century is - "What happens in Vegas, stays in Google, Bing etc." Employers are overwhelmed with resumes for most postings. Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) are used for resume storage, screening and retrieval. And, candidate qualifications are verified via the internet - on social media (primarily LinkedIn). The main challenge for the job seeker is how to stand out from the crowd. In order to do that, one has to be appropriately and positively visible:

• Find-able in the ATS system.

• Find-able in Google and Bing.

• Attract the right employers and jobs to you with your personal SEO (search engine optimization).

• Create/protect a professional persona (social proof of who you are and what you did)

The 3 key elements for your online reputation:

1. Your 'screen name'- Job search and career name that uniquely identifies you.

2. Personal Social Proof - Online results confirm resume content.

3. Personal SEO - Positive content is found on the right searches for you.

In job search today, recruiters/employers assume that your internet visibility - your public profiles, activities, and connections - reflect who you truly are.

Customizing your resume, being fully prepared for an interview and having a complete LinkedIn profile are important factors for job seekers. Susan stressed that social proof is not optional. For creating social proof, LinkedIn is the most valuable resource. Other useful resources that she mentioned are:

SusanIreland.com for excellent resume advice, and

TagCrowd.com and Wordle.net for analyzing the keywords used for your target jobs and LinkedIn profile.