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

"Using Age to Advantage" - July 9, 6:30-8 PM

Jaclyn Jarmulowicz is a workforce and communications professional who is employed by Employment and Training Resources, a Massachusetts One-Stop Career Center. She is a workshop facilitator and program coordinator with experience working with both recently dislocated workers as well as the long-term unemployed.  She works diligently to bring a think-outside-the-box perspective to the job search process. She will be presenting a workshop that focuses on how to use your age and experience as an advantage in a weak economic climate. The goals of the workshop will be to discuss the changing job landscape/new options for workers, how to age proof your résumé, outline the advantages older workers bring to the workplace, identify strategies to “get in the door” and develop effective answers to challenging age-related interview questions.

To register for this workshop, please click here

Ali Kafel on Finding A Job In Today's Online World

Ali Kafel, a Shrewsbury resident, is the Director Marketing for Extreme Networks and also an Adjunct Professor at Suffolk University where he is currently teaching CareerLinks, a course on personal branding and marketing, career building, and job searches. On June 25, he gave an excellent presentation on some of the tools that job seekers can use during a job search.

Ali emphasized the importance of LinkedIn:

• Recruiters will find you if are on LinkedIn. Employers can reach out to you and you can reach out to hiring managers.
• It's not who YOU know. It's who knows you or who can find you.
• You can connect with people from your college or with your ex-bosses or former colleagues.
• You could ask for an informational interview with a person who works in the company you are interested in.
• If you want to send a message to someone you're not connected to, see what groups they belong to. You can then join one of the groups and then send a message to them.

 Twitter can also be used effectively by people wanting to transition to a new job or career

• Learn about a company and its managers by following them on Twitter
• Use Twitter to create a brand for yourself

Ali explained how blogging too is a great way to make yourself visible.

He gave some tips on resume writing:

• Make sure to use the keywords relevant to the job you're applying for.
• List the achievements that prove your claims; focus on your completed projects or accomplishments, not just the tasks you've performed
• Use power verbs to describe your achievements
• Write your own resume and then get it proofread by others

Ali had a wealth of information to share and has promised to come back for another WIN presentation!

Catherine Storing's Dynamic Presentation

Confidence coach Catherine Storing gave job seekers valuable tips about preparing for, participating in and following up on job interviews--tips that can enhance your chances of landing the position you want.

Her first rule: Know your resume. You may get asked a question about something you've listed on it, and you should be prepared to answer it knowledgeably.

Make sure your resume includes current contact information, including a "gmail" account. According to Catherine, if you list a "yahoo" or "aol" account you're dating yourself. Your e-mail address should include your name for clear identification and to help prevent it from getting directed into a potential interviewer's Spam folder. It's also a good idea to set up a Skype account in case someone needs to talk with you face to face but can't be available for a personal interview.

If you've been invited to have a telephone interview, make sure you're wide awake and energized, and dress up as you would for a personal interview. You're more likely to make a good first impression.

Research the company and know where you're going before your interviews. Ask about company culture--you want to dress appropriately, but also be comfortable.

Remember that the interview process is for both the potential employer's and your own benefit; listen to what's said, but also to what's not said so you can make an informed decision about whether or not the job is a good fit for you.

Ask the Human Resources representative about salary range, hours of work and benefits; those aren't appropriate questions for the hiring manager or others who may be part of the interview process. Sit up straight, speak clearly and with confidence.

 Your attire is a key part of the first impression you give, so be sure to dress appropriately for the company and position. One good way to determine what's appropriate is to drive by the company first thing in the morning or at lunch time so you can observe what employees are wearing. Always prepare your interview wardrobe the day before; choose carefully to ensure that your clothes are clean, pressed, and comfortable for you when you're standing and when you're sitting down. Your shoes must be clean and polished, and your hair should be neat and styled. Women should carry a basic, mid-sized purse  and  avoid flat shoes; a small heel  or platform shoe will help your posture and gait. All candidates should have a folder of some sort in which to carry extra copies of resumes and other papers you may need.

Catherine listed some questions that you should always ask if possible:

What is your management style?

What is your most pressing problem or need?

What qualities would your ideal candidate possess?

Why is the position open and for how long has it been available?

What is a typical day like?

What do you like best about your job?

What accomplishments are you most proud of?

Take notes on the answers; you can offer some relevant examples of ways you can help the company in your answers to questions asked of you.

Always send an e-mail thank you message the day after the interview. If you haven't heard back from the company after a week or so, you can send an inquiry into the status of the interview process, and send a second message a week later if you still haven't heard anything.

Catherine concluded her dynamic presentation by emphasizing the importance of having your references ready, and of letting your references know that they should expect a call from a specific person at a particular company. She stayed after the presentation to answer questions, and offered to address specific issues via e-mail.

Posted by Cynthia Carlson