Need to Change Careers? Attend this 12-Week, No Fee Job Seeker Workshop

Greg Watkins, President of the Capstone Search Group alerted me to a "no fee" Job Seeker Workshop in Columbus, Ohio on September 10, 2009 at 6 pm.

This Job Seeker Workshop runs for 12 weeks beginning on Thursday September 10th and running through December 3 in Columbus, Ohio. Feel free to forward this information to friends, colleagues or neighbors. The only cost to this workshop is $40 for the workbook materials; the course lasts 12 weeks. No need to pre-register, walk-ins are welcome.

Greg Watkins will lead this workshop and is donating his expertise to lead attendees through a detailed process of seeking a new career. Greg is a small business owner for 12 years in the Central Ohio area focused in the recruitment, coaching and outplacement discipline. The typical cost of this type of coaching would normally be in the thousands.

No other services are “sold” at this workshop; it is strictly a servant mentality and is being offered through Greg’s church. The workshop has graduated over 4,000 unemployed / under employed people over the last eight years. There are “scholarships” offered for those who cannot afford the $40 cost of materials.

The workshop promptly begins at 6:00 PM Thursday September 10th. Click here for a link to Google Maps to directions to the Upper Arlington Lutheran Church at 2300 Lytham Road,Columbus OH, 43220.

From what I understand from Greg, it is okay if someone misses the first class or a week or two during the session; however, it is best to make to as many weeks as possible as the material builds week to week. The church website linked here has week by week topics.

There is no pre-registration needed (just show up) and purchase of the materials is not required, but suggested. People are welcome to “audit” the class before purchasing the materials.

Click here for a printable job seeker workshop flyer with information. For more information contact Greg at: gwatkins@mriohio.com or call 614-486-1388 extension 102.

How Facebook Can You Get Fired!

Social media is great when used correctly. Click full screen to be able to read the small print.

Five Ways Facebook Can Get You Fired

View more presentations from Paul Dunay.

Models to Grow Your Million Dollar Business - With or Without Employees

Featured speaker: Norma Rist, Norma J. Rist CEO Consulting, Akron Ohio
Topic: Models to Grow Your Million Dollar Business - With or Without Employees
Where: The Monarch Building, Lower Level 5885 Landerbrook Drive, Mayfield Heights
Northeast Ohio
When: Mon 08/17/09 11:30am - 1:00pm
Type of Event: Business
No registration required.
Questions: 330-865-5900

Check out the Job Hunting and Career Focused Resources at Your Local Public Library

The Akron Public Library has a tremendous resource for those who are transitioning careers, job hunting or simply honing their interviewing skills. I was blown away by the depth and breadth of these resources.

Although all of these handouts are available on line, it may be worth a trip downstairs to the business section because the library also has books about various industries and career areas. There are computers right there so you can research on line easily too.

It might seem to you that libraries are a thing of the past now that the internet is at your fingertips, but now more than ever we need help in organizing, culling through and finding the most relevant and important information for our specific needs. I'd say that the Akron Public Library's job hunting section did an outstanding job of it! For a close up look at all these handouts, click on Job Shop.

Click here for directions to the downtown Akron, Ohio location of the Akron-Summit County Public Library.


Other websites that may be helpful:
Job Skills

ATHENA International Panel Discusses the Unique Approach Women Have to Leadership

I had the pleasure of attending an inspirational evening on Thursday where Martha Mayhood Mertz, the founder of ATHENA International, came to Cleveland, Ohio.

During the evening, a panelist of successful women leaders discussed business, getting started, the difference women make as leaders, and key qualities of a leader in a “Distinctive & Transforming Approach to Leadership” discussion.

Shown from right to left in this photo:

• Denise Fugo, President & CEO of Sammy's, famous for weddings, banquets, meetings and catering in Cleveland.


• Debra Adams Simmons, managing editor of the Plain Dealer and board member of ATHENA International


• Rita Singh, owner of S&A Consulting Group, organizer/host of the event and the advocate who brought the ATHENA Award to India.


• Martha Mayhood Mertz, founder of ATHENA International, an organization dedicated to honoring, developing and supporting women leaders


• Barbara J. Danforth, president of the Greater Cleveland Chapter of the YWCA and 2005 ATHENA Award recipient


• Margaret W. Wong, Cleveland immigration lawyer and national law specialist

Great Opportunity from Personal Branding Expert

This from Twitter and Facebook:

Dan Schawbel Anyone interested in a paid internship (must be soph/junior in the Boston area)?

Paid internship. Email him.


I've profiled him a few times. This would be a great opportunity.

Founder of ATHENA International to Come to Cleveland

ATHENA International Award receipient Rita Singh is bringing Martha Mayhood Mertz (pictured at right), founder of ATHENA International to Cleveland for an inspiring leadership event.

A dessert reception to be held on Thursday August 13, 2009 5-8:30 pm at Corporate College East at 440 Richmond Road, Warrensville Heights will feature ATHENA International Founder and celebrated author, Martha Mayhood Mertz who will provide the keynote presentation.

A panel of noted speakers from Cleveland Leadership will discuss a "Distinctive and Transforming Approach to Leadership."

In addition, Martha's book "Becoming ATHENA: Eight Principles of Enlightened Leadership" will be available for book signings.

Find out more about and register here for the leadership event in Cleveland. Sponsorship info is also available here.

Learn more here about ATHENA International, an organization that supports, honors and develops women leaders.

This is a "don't miss it" event!

Resources for Marketing Communications Positions

If you're located in Northeast Ohio, specifically the Akron or Cleveland area and looking for a marketing position, here are some great resources and links that may help:

• http://www.aafcleveland.com


• http://www.akronadfed.net


• http://www.akronprsa.org


• http://www.clevelandama.com


• http://www.cleveland.careerboard.com


• http://www.iabccleveland.com


• http://www.prsacleveland.org


• http://www.pressclubcleveland.com


• http://www.webassociation.com

Job Hunting Ideas for Recent Grads or For Those Transitioning to a New Career

Take some ideas from these posts for recent graduates or other job hunters preparing to enter the job market for their next step with their career.. If you in the mode of transitioning from college to career or you're an experienced professional ready to move into a new opportunity, take a few moments to check out these helpful sites:

1. Google Student Blog's Grad Tips: Every Friday, this blog posts tips for recent grads that help streamline the job search process. The entire blog (not just Friday tips) are great for honing your computer shortcut skills.
   
   One of the first things that happens after you graduate and move away from your network in school is that you don't have your "brain trust" sitting in the next room. Google's Student Blog can help you discover new and faster ways of using Googles array of aps like Google Docs, and short cuts to using Gmail. It's like having your favorite computer nerd who knows every trick sitting next to you.
   


2. The Resume Girl : Lots of great thoughts and tips. Sign up for her newsletter and Facebook Fan page too. It looks like she's eager to provide some one-on-one coaching, which can be really helpful if you're stuck.
   


3. How to decide which job offer: Okay, okay. It seems like you're just trying to get an interview or find someone to talk with you about a possible position. But soon, could be very soon, you'll be faced with making a decision about taking an offer. Here's some good advice of things to consider other than just commute time, vacation package and salary.
   


4. Tips for various job hunting situations: Every situation is different, each person's story is different. Here is a site with many variations on a theme.

Women Leaders in India: first female parliament speaker

India already has a woman President, and now the first woman speaker.

NEW DELHI, June 3 (UPI) -- A member of a lower caste in the now outlawed caste system, Meira Kumar, Wednesday was unanimously elected the first woman speaker of India's parliament.

The 64-year-old lawmaker from the Congress party, whose coalition government was returned to power after last month's elections, will hold the country's top Constitutional post, the Press Trust of India reported. She was elected unopposed.

A resolution in parliament naming her speaker, which was moved by Sonia Gandhi, president of the Congress-led coalition, was approved by a voice vote in the lower house of parliament. Leaders of all major opposition parties also had similar motions proposing her name for the post.

Kumar, a member of the Dalit community, is a former Indian Foreign Service officer and also had been a federal minister.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who belongs to the minority Sikh community, said Kumar's selection is a historic moment for the country, and praised her service as a distinguished diplomat and 25 years in parliament, PTI reported.

Kumar said she would make every effort to ensure the dignity of the lower house and its members.

She is the daughter of the late Jagjivan Ram, a former deputy prime minister of India.

India already has a woman President.

Ins and Outs of Internships: Study of 125 Companies Who Hire Interns

Considering an internship? You'll want to read the this recent study of 125 companies internship practices and pay rates in this 42 page PowerPoint report of the 2009 study.

Created by the Employers Resource Council and Northeast Ohio Council on Higher Education, it was designed to provide Northeast Ohio employers with important information regarding internship employment practices to help them better attract, retain and develop new talent that will stimulate their long-term growth and success. I think that it also can help interns better understand what a company is looking for and how the process works.

It includes answers to questions like:

• What are the primary reasons the organizations use interns?
• What is the benefit to the organization?
• How much do organizations pay?
• What are the non-pay benefits that interns get?
• How do companies find the interns?

Check out the 2009 ERC / NOCHE Internship Pay Rates & Practices Survey.

Create a Brand Strategy to Help You Position Yourself

I think it's important to have a personal brand strategy before you begin job hunting when you want to build your career. It's fine not to have one if you just want a job to earn some money for a while.

But if you're in the early stages of building your career, or in the midst of a career transition, having a brand strategy is one of the key ways of helping you create a clear path for yourself.

Ask yourself these questions when building your strategy:

• What do I want to accomplish?
• What am I good at doing?
• What am I passionate about?
• What skills & knowledge are companies looking for?
• How do I want to be described when someone describes me to a potential job referral?

Jot down the words that entered your head when you read those questions. This is the beginning of a mind map, which is a way to capture feelings, thoughts and images all on a piece of paper. It's a great way to begin to organize your strategy on positioning yourself as a brand.

3 Words that Contain the Secret of Getting the Next Job

Networking.
Networking.
Networking.

According to this report, 73% of executives get their next job by networking.

Only 3% by cold calling, researching companies... and only 1% by just sending out resumes.

Use online networking. Face to Face networking. Who do you know? Who do they know?

The 600 Seconds That Can Make All the Difference at a Job Interview

First impressions count! And even more so at a job interview.

You can improve your odds of success by mentally rehearsing the first 10 minutes.

Walk through your posture, your handshake, your accessories and especially your answers to the most common questions traditionally asked at the beginning of each interview. Practice. Practice. Practice.

What are those most common questions? No, I don't mean questions about the weather or if you had trouble finding the location.

Find them here in the 10 Biggest Minutes of Your Interview article. Thanks to executive recruiter Jim Walton at Black in Business for leading me to this article.

You're a Mentor Too -- Even if You Don't Realize It!

Great article on mentoring by Indie Business blog's Donna Marie. No matter what your age or your experience level, you can always reach back and give someone a hand.

If you are an Indie Business owner, rest assured that the next generation of entrepreneurs is watching you. They are looking to see you try new things, to observe what works and what doesn’t work. They’re watching what you say and what you do. They’re receiving guidance and direction from you when they visit your website, your blog, your Twitter page, your Facebook page, your YouTube page.

I think you're a mentor even if you're not an independent business owner.

During difficult economic times when it seems almost impossible to find a job of your dreams, helping others along the way is actually the key to making progress. Like the old saying "What goes around, comes around."

Job Hunters in Northeast Ohio

You may be interested in this link to the JobMagnet.org website.

The JobMagnet.org advanced manufacturing employment portal served Northeast Ohio employers, job seekers and students from June 2007 through December 2008. MAGNET thanks the hundreds of employers and job seekers who have used the JobMagnet.org database over the past 18 months.

I know that the unemployment figures in Northeast Ohio range from 9.3% in Summit County to 14.3% in Trumbull County.

Good luck to everyone searching for jobs and to the employers who are trying to stay in business when orders for products and services are reduced as a result of the economic downturn.

This may be the time for starting a business. I believe I heard from someone that the Chinese symbol for Change is also the same symbol for Opportunity.

Athena International Leadership Summit Hosts Women's Organizations in Panel Discussion

On Monday I attended the ATHENA International Leadership Summit where women's organizations discussed women in leadership. Interesting and dynamic discussions developed and I enjoyed learning more about each organization's role and leadership programs.

Brand Yourself On Line Using Social Media, Social Networking

While job hunting, branding helps you to position yourself in the market place. What type of employer are you trying to attract and how do you want them to think of you?

So how do you do that? Dan Schwabel invited Jacob Share as a guest author on Personal Branding has 50+ Tips to Brand Yourself Online


While some of the tips are HUGE and take months/years to perfect, you can start today by leaving insightful comments on blogs that pertain to your industry and field.

Just visit Google Blog Search to find blogs that deal with your subject matter. When you find the blog, read the post and leave an insightful reply. Don't just leave comment that is a mini ad for you and your services.

Two Women Business Owners Market their Own Business

I recently met two women who are business owners and are making the most of inexpensive marketing techniques:

Read more about the 4 inexpensive marketing techniques Crystal Robinson uses to market her SlimmerWithin business.

Read more about how Bella Rokhman helps people. Bella Rokhman owns ABC International Employment Services, Inc of Solon, Ohio USA.

Returnships (Think Internships) Help Women Returning to Workforce

Have you been out of the workforce for a while? One of the reasons cited for women making less than men on average is that many put their careers on hold to help raise the family, manage the household after a career move to a new state, or to help take care of aging parents.

Now there is a faster way to return to the workforce, thanks to a new program developed by Sara Lee's Brenda Barnes. Trendsite's Marti Barletta in Something Sweet From Sara Lee says:

Returnships will resonate with anyone who temporarily left the work force, or wished that they could have. Your brands will benefit -- I predict you will see them tossed into lots of shopping carts.

According to an article in Forbes magazine:

Sara Lee, which operates brands including Ball Park, Hillshire Farms and Jimmy Dean, can't promise full-time positions for the participants at the end of their returnship. The company laid off 300 of its 1,200 staffers in April; 100 of them worked at the headquarters. But there's always a need for talent, Barnes says. Women (and men) who want a slice of the pie should submit applications this fall for a February 2009 start.

Thanks for the info Marti!