Job Seeker & Networking Groups

NETWORKING & JOBSEEKER GROUPS

If you or someone you know is unemployed, check out these job seeker groups in the Raleigh area. Many offer job search and resume assistance to help job seekers become employed again as soon as possible.

SUNDAY MEETINGS

Career Connections Networking 9:15-10:30 a.m. Crossroads Fellowship, 2721 E. Millbrook Road.,  Room 758, Raleigh

MONDAY MEETINGS
Colonial Job Seekers 8:15 – 11:00 a.m.
Colonial Baptist Church, 6051 Tryon Road, Cary

St. Raphael’s Catholic Church (first Monday) 7:30 p.m.
5801 Falls of Neuse Road, Raleigh

TUESDAY MEETINGS
St. Mike’s Career Transition Group 7:30-9:00 a.m.
St. Michael the Archangel Roman Catholic Church, 804 Highhouse Road, Cary

Career Transition Support Group, White Memorial Presbyterian Church, 9:00-11:00 a.m.
1704 Oberlin Road, Raleigh

WEDNESDAY MEETINGS

Career Transformations 8:00-9:30 a.m.
Saint Andrews Presbyterian Church, 7506 Falls of Neuse Road, Raleigh

Job Connections 8:30-10:30 a.m. (2nd and 4th Wednesday)
St. Francis of Assisi, , 11401 Leesville Road, Raleigh

THURSDAY MEETINGS

St. Andrew the Apostle Roman Catholic Church, 6-7:30 p.m. (3rd Thursday)
3008 Old Raleigh Road, Apex

Triangle Job Information Exchange, 9:30-11:00 a.m., 4th Thursday
Panera Bread, Brier Creek, 7840 Alexander Promenade Place, Raleigh
Find Triangle Job Information on LinkedIn

FRIDAY MEETINGS

Career Connections Networking 9-10:30 a.m. Crossroads Fellowship, 2721 E. Millbrook Road., Room 767, Raleigh

 SATURDAY MEETINGS

St. Thomas More Jobs Network Ministry (2nd and 4th Saturday)
940 Carmichael Street, Chapel Hill, NC 27514

 OTHER MEETINGS
Check the JobLink Career Center – Wake County for networking group meetings and workshops.

Check the JobLink Career Center – Durham for networking group meetings and workshops.

Triangle Networking Group
Matrix Resourcing, 2803 Slater Rd #105 Morrisville

* Always verify time and day of meeting with each location. Time and day can change without notice to My Career Voyage.

 

 

New Year’s Resolution: Plan a Career Voyage

Year after year people vow to make and keep New Year’s resolutions. Many resolve to lose weight, work out more, quit smoking, cut down on drinking, save more money, or take that trip they always wanted to go on. Rarely, if all, have I heard people say they are going to assess thier career.

Managing a career is like planning a trip. To plan a trip you need to develop an itinerary. To manage a career, you need to develop a career plan. Both require some research, planning and navigation.

Suppose you are planning to go on a career voyage. You need a destination. What navigational tools would you need for the journey?

First, you would need a spyglass to assess your interests and match them to possible destinations. You would think about activities you enjoy doing – activities that match your interests and personality. What do you enjoy doing?

Second, you would need a compass to locate the places where you could do the activities you enjoy. Where can you do the things you enjoy doing?

The third tool for the voyage is a navigational chart where you would plan your route. How can you get to the destination(s) where you can do the things you want to do?

The fourth tool is the wheel, or rudder. Will you take the wheel and navigate in the direction you want to go? It may take many stops (interviews, networking) to get there, but you have a plan and know where you are going. Don’t stop until you arrive at your destination.

Last, it’s important to stay on course. Once you have made it to your destination, you may reassess the situation – develop other interests and want to explore them. This may require a new leg to the voyage, and a new plan. But you have the navigational tools and experience to take the wheel and steer wherever you want to go. Just to remember, no matter what happens along the way, stay on course.

How A Powerful Resume Got the Job

My step-daughter graduated college this year with a BS in Accounting with honors. At the end of her last semester she asked her advisor for resume advice. The advisor told her to focus her resume on coursework, not her work experience because her work experience isn’t “relevant” to the type of positions that she would be applying to. After hearing this, I almost hit the floor.

Her main job during high school was supervisor for a major ice cream store, and she held some volunteer positions involving fundraising, treasurer etc. Hello! She certainly does have relevant, transferable skills and abilities, like: leadership, management, balancing a cash drawer against sales receipts, inventory control, just to name a few.

After I picked myself up off the floor, my step-daughter asked for my advice. She wrote up a chronological resume and sent me a job description for a position she was applying to. We talked about how her skills will transfer to the position in the tax firm. We also discussed how her knowledge (GPA and honors) and personal qualities would be very desireable. After formatting and editing her impressive resume, she sent it in.

The next thing that happened blew me away. The next day, she received a phone call from the tax firm and was asked if she could start the following Monday. No interview!

Typically a resume is designed to get an applicant an interview, but not the job.

I have one last piece of advice for my step-daughter: Call your advisor and tell him/her how you got the job with a resume (and not interview) crafted to focus on your competencies and work experience.

You go girl!

Temporary Work May be the Way to Go

Have you been out or work for awhile and bills are piling up?

Are you in a transition and don’t know what you want to do next?

Whatever your situation, temporary or contract work may be the answer to the problem. Many employers use temporary agencies to find workers for short-term projects. Some of these positions may offer benefits. Other times, employers may hire temporary workers as permanent employees. Temporary or contract work offers  the employer an opportunity to try out the worker. This also gives the worker a chance to see how good a fit he/she is for the position and/or company.

Working as a temporary/contract can also expand one’s network. By putting yourself out there and letting others see your skills, work ethic, and personality can bring other opportunities that can lead to a permanent position elsewhere.

Many temporary agencies specialize in specific areas. Contact agencies that specialize in your field, or where your skills can be transferred to another field. Make an appointment to speak with an employment specialist so that you can start receiving tempoary positions directly. Also check agency websites for weekly posts. If you are not getting leads, call the agency(s) to check in and say you are still interrested in positions. It may be good to work with more than one agency so you get more opportunities.

The world of work is changing and temporary/contract work is on the rise. It may be that workers in the near future may have to seek out more temporary opportunities.

What You Post Can Hurt

Did you know that hiring managers often look for candidates and check them out online?
Yes, they do. In fact, many will check out potential candidates on FaceBook and other social media websites, and by googling their name.

Does the saying, “You are known by the company you keep” sound familiar?

Although social media privacy settings may be set for friends only, hiring managers and recruiters can still find ways to visit your personal page or the page of someone you know. You may not think about these things before you post. Even if you are not looking for a job, or you just don’t care, what you say can show up on the page of someone else who does care, or who is looking for a job. A hiring manager may not call your friend or relative in for an interview, based on something you, and others posted. Not all of your connections want to see posts or “likes” that are in poor taste, nor do they want others who come to their page to see them either.
In the future, consider what you post.
To those who don’t appreciate the poor taste posts, you can always remove the poster from your page, even though you would rather keep in touch with that person. After all, there are other methods of communication, like the phone, e-mail, or face-to-face.

Be careful what you post.

Character Counts in the Workplace

Have you heard the saying, “Character counts”? Well, it does count. Character can be applied to all of life, especially career life. How we display our personality traits to employers, co-workers and customers is by our attitude, words and actions.
The Josephson Institite (JI) of southern California, developer of the national youth program Character Counts!, also developed a program for businesses called “The Six Pillars of Character” based on six character traits: 

• trustworthiness: having integrity; being honest, reliable and loyal
• respect: be courteous, tolerant; accept differences and show dignity
• responsibility: be self-controlled and accountable for your actions; do your best
• fairness: play by the rules, be open-minded
• caring: being kind and compassionate, help those in need
• citizenship: obey laws and rules; be involved in community

When it comes to finding a job, desirable character, or personality traits, is just as important as skills, abilities and knowledge. Think about your personality traits, and how you have demonstrated these traits in the workplace. Be ready to use examples in your interviews.

Emergency Medical Services Veteran Strikes New Career Note

Who said you must be under 30 and beautiful to make it to Nashville? That may be the criteria for American Idol contestants, but not for late bloomer, Don Mathews of Galesburg, Michigan, whose song Tribute to EMS (Emergency Medical Services) has become a counseling tool for emergency responders around the world.

“I was shocked when I first learned about this,” said Mathews. “I wrote ‘Tribute to EMS’ because I had no one to talk to for counseling after a very traumatic call.” After 40 years in Emergency Medical Services (EMS)

Don Mathews

 it was difficult for Mathews to understand why he was not coping as time passed. He questioned God about his career choice and wondered if it mattered to anyone else. “I kept thinking about that call during church and when I went home I wrote the song ‘Tribute to EMS‘. Once I started writing I couldn’t stop. The words just flowed from me.”

After sharing the song with other EMS personnel, Mathews was encouraged to record Tribute to EMS and make it available to others in the profession. Uponhearing how emergency response personnel in the New York City (NYC) area were having trouble coping with the tragedy of September 11, 2001, Mathews sent the song to the City of New York Fire Department’s Counseling Services Unit who sent a letter that said, “We send you our gratitude for your letter and song. We passed it around the office and had many people listen to it, counselors, staff and firefighters alike. It was a topic of great discussion and everyone sends their thanks for being able to express what many cannot.” 

Mathews believes that because of his 40-year EMS career he can related to other EMS workers on a personal level. “Even though I’m not a licensed counselor, when someone is having problems I can listen and understand where they are coming from,” Mathews said. “Sometimes you just need to talk to someone who’s been there.” 

“Tribute to EMS” has made its way across the United States resulting in letters of thanks from fire stations in Los Angeles to ambulance garages in Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina. Mathews has also received e-mail from EMS professionals in Bulgaria, New South Whales Australia, and Germany where the song lyrics have been translated to their own language for use in counseling sessions.

“I just wish I had a way to get it [Tribute to EMS] out to help all EMS workers. I just hope that all of my music will help somebody someplace.’’

Of all the letters Mathews has received, there’s one he treasures most. It says, “I applaud your commitment to service.” Your efforts reflect the true spirit of our Nation.” It was signed by then President, George W. Bush.

Since December 2004, Mathews has written 50 songs, mostly from places he had been from Portland, Oregon to Raleigh, North Carolina. While staying in Raleigh, he performed at Deep South, Oliver Twist, Scooters, The Berkeley Café, The Royal Bean, The Big Easy and MVPs, and he did some recording at Underground Sound Recording Studio in Greensboro.

Mathews has performed for Fire, EMS, and Military Personnel around the country at his own expense to help with everything from stress relief to fundraisers including the 10th Annual POW/MIA Balloon Launch on Memorial Day 2006 in Milwaukee, Wisc., and the T.K. and J.P. Music Fest [on the White House lawn?] in Washington, D.C. July 17-19, 2009. He has written and sung songs for military men and women who are enlisted, prisoners of war and homeless veterans. I have strong feelings about the plight of the homeless, especially our veterans and would love to raise money for homeless veterans.

So far Mathews has three Nashville releases: Angels in an Ambulance, Sugar & Spice, and You’re My Miracle. His first CD, Memories of You, is available to purchase online through CDBaby.com, and donmathewsenterprise.com

Mathews said he would love to break the odds in the music business and to hear one of his songs hit the Top 40 on the radio. “I’d like to get labels to think outside the box and understand that people like me have a lot to offer if they will take the time to listen,” he said. 

Mathews, a BMI licensed artist working with the Artist Development Network in Nashville, Tenn., is seeking a label. He uses his down time to travel with his wife Ruth and perform. Their goal is to raise awareness of the need for nationwide support and counseling services for all Emergency Response Service. To Book Don Mathews, contact Chris Mathews by e-mail at broncoaudio@yahoo.com