Thursday, June 30, 2011

Hopkinton Networkers Group - "Personal Branding"

Hello Everyone,
The agenda for this Friday's Hopkinton Networkers Group (HNG) meeting will be featured by our speaker, Wendy Gelberg. The facilitator for this week will be Gil Krispien. We will devote the first hour, from 10 to 11 AM to the following agenda: Welcome, Landings, Announcements, New Member Intros, and Needs & Leads. Please arrive early, so we can make every effort to start on time. In the second hour, Wendy will talk about "Personal Branding."

"Personal Branding"

Most of us are familiar with the concept of "brand" as it relates to the products we buy or the companies we do business with - but how does that relate to the notion of "personal branding" in your career or job search? In her talk on "Personal Branding," Wendy will define what personal branding is all about so you can take charge of your brand and have it work for you. You'll learn specific steps on how to define and communicate your brand to increase the probability that appropriate professional opportunities find you.

About Wendy Gelberg:

Wendy Gelberg is the founder of Gentle Job Search/Advantage Resumes and author of The Successful Introvert: How to Enhance Your Job Search and Advance Your Career. She is a certified career coach and resume writer whose expertise is in helping people who are uncomfortable "tooting their own horn." Wendy gives workshops, coaches individuals, and writes articles and blogs on all aspects of the job search process. Samples of her resumes and career advice appear in over 20 books. Wendy has owned her business for over 12 years. She has been an introvert her whole life. Contact Wendy at wendy@gentlejobsearch.com.

Schedule for HNG Meetings:

July 15, 2011 Patricia Hunt Sinacole "A Practical Guide to Landing a Job in Today's Employment Market."
August 5, 2011 Gail Greenberg
August 19, 2011 Amy Mosher STEMPower Program
September 2, 2011 Workshop
September 16, 2011 Dan DeMaioNewton "Dealing with the Afflictive Emotions of Job Seeking"

General Information:

The networking group meets in Hopkinton, at St. John the Evangelist Church parish hall. The meeting occurs, from 10 to 12 noon, and will meet the first and third Friday of the month. The parish hall has a capacity for 250 people and there is plenty of parking spaces in the parking lot and on the street. Around the perimeter of the parish hall are rooms to allow us to have focused network groups or for any other purpose we need. We chose every other Friday to allow everyone to attend the Acton Networking Group or any other networking group, if they wanted, on the Friday we do not meet.

We will maintain our close affiliation with Acton Networkers by using the same list-server to share information between the groups. Any e-mails specific to the Hopkinton Networking Group (HNG) will be indicated in the subject line either by "Hopkinton Networking Group" or "HNG"; this way anyone attending these meetings will know the e-mail is intended for them.

We will follow the following agenda items:
Welcome
Landings (with doughnuts)
Announcements
New member introductions
Needs and Leads
Speaker(s), Workshop, or Focus Group
Cleanup

For those new members who give their introductions, this is what we would like to know:
Name
Skills and Value Statement
Where have you been?
Where are you going?
Your title
Your target companies
Geography of search
Name and e-mail address

If anyone wants to join our team, please let one of us know; we could always use the extra help and input for ideas.

Directions:
Take Rt. 495 North/South and get off Exit 21A. Go through three traffic lights. Colella's Supermarket is on the right at the third traffic light. The first street after the third traffic light is Church Street, take a right turn. The church is on the right. Go around to the left of the parking lot and go into the side entrance of the parish hall.

Depending upon where you live, perhaps you may want to use Mapquest for a more direct route. The address of the church is:
St. John the Evangelist
20 Church Street
Hopkinton, MA 01748

Regards,
Hopkinton Networkers Group (HNG) Coordinators:
Sandra Cipriani sandraopps@comcast.net
Steven Hakar hakar4@hotmail.comm
Gil Krispien g.krispien@verizon.net
Sandra Lowther sandy_lowther@charter.net
Barbara McKee barb6635@comcast.net
Salpi Sarafian ssarafian@rcn.com


Thursday, June 23, 2011

What are the "tangible benefits"?

Neal Schaffer writes:
The intent of this blog post was not to convince you to delete Foursquare yourself but to reconsider your own ROI of being active on various social media sites or utilizing certain social media tools that might provide a lot of eye candy or seem fun at the time but might not have much tangible benefits to you. From a corporate social media marketing perspective, there are compelling ways of using Foursquare and engaging with their 10 million users as part of your marketing mix and social media efforts, but I will save that content for a future blog post.
You'll need to click through to Neal's website to read the full post with his thoughts about Foursquare.

As an occasional user of Foursquare myself I do reconsider from time to time my use. Especially when my wife gives me that look and says: "What are you doing? Checking in?"

The real message for today is what social tools are you using and why? Do they bring value to your presence, your brand, what you are trying to accomplish?



Wednesday, June 22, 2011

R.I. gets $524K to help unemployed find jobs

Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:

via PBN.com - Latest Stories by By PBN Staff on 6/21/11

Rhode Island will receive $524,394 to provide re-employment and eligibility assessments to residents receiving unemployment insurance.

Things you can do from here:

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

"an inability to comprehend scale"

Not good news, it is what it is:
In May of 2011, the total level of employment in California at 15.947 million is actually lower than it was in May of 2000, at 15.975 million. That’s not only a lost decade, but most important of all, that’s an entire decade in which the obligations of pension funds, state debt, private debt, and costs rose–but can no longer be supported by wage growth, or revenues. A depression need not be a Great Depression. However, a depression is certainly distinct from a recession—the business cycle variety that marked the post-war era. 
It frankly doesn’t matter that some states, or even the United States, created non-farm jobs since the lows of 2009. 
The US economy is a large system that employed over 146 million at its peak last decade. Now, having added nearly 30 million to its population over the 10 years, the US employs 6-7 million people less than in 2005. The implications for the operating costs of this system, from Social Security to Defense Spending are obvious.

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/noise-not-a-recovery-2011-6#ixzz1Pqr9LWaZ


Monday, June 20, 2011

Mass. unemployment benefits to vanish for 6,500

Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:


Massachusetts residents who've been unemployed longer than 86 weeks will no longer be eligible for jobless benefits starting July 9, as a result of the state's falling unemployment rate. The change will lead to the loss of benefits for 6,500 unemployed residents as of that date, according to the state workforce office. Another 13,500 residents are within 13 weeks of the cutoff — meaning that more residents could be impacted soon if they're unable to find jobs. Currently, residents can receive 93 weeks of unemployment benefits in total, which includes both state and federal unemployment...

Things you can do from here:

Saturday, June 18, 2011

Recent jobless rates

Northeast, Midwest record lowest jobless rates

by 

R.I. jobless rate unchanged in May; 4th month of job gains

by 

The picture is not good overall. If you are still looking, keep positive. The right spot for you will come.



Thursday, June 16, 2011

Hopkinton Networkers Group - "How to use the Boston Business Journal as a Job Search Tool"

Hello Everyone,
The agenda for this Friday's Hopkinton Networkers Group (HNG) meeting will be featured by our speaker, Abby Grant. The facilitator for this week will be William Lam, which will be his last because he will be delving into training as an insurance agent. We will devote the first hour, from 10 to 11 AM to the following agenda: Welcome, Landings, Announcements, New Member Intros, and Needs & Leads. Please arrive early, so we can make every effort to start on time. In the second hour, Abby will talk about "How to use the Boston Business Journal as a Job Search Tool."

How to Use the Boston Business Journal as a Job Search Tool:
How can we more effectively use resources such as the Boston Business Journal (BBJ) as a tool in a job search? The Boston Business Journal is the leading business publication covering regional business. You will discover how to turn up job leads and connect with leading industries and top executives. All attendees will receive a 4 Week Free Trial Subscription to the BBJ and a copy of the current issue.

About Abby Grant:

Abby brings a unique perspective with a background in recruiting and recently completed her own job search. She has close to 20 years working in the communications field including publishing, advertising and public relations. Abby currently works in the Circulation Group at the Boston Business Journal - Boston's premier business publication. Prior to that, she was with Hollister, a Boston-based recruiting and staffing firm, conducting business development for the creative and marketing group. She has held business development and account management roles for several Boston-based public relations and advertising agencies. Abby holds a B.A. from the University of New Hampshire and a M.A. from Emerson College.


Schedule for HNG Meetings:

July 1, 2011 Wendy Gelberg Personal Branding
July 15, 2011 Patricia Hunt Sinacole "A Practical Guide to Landing a Job in Today's Employment Market."
August 5, 2011 Gail Greenberg
August 19, 2011 Amy Mosher STEMPower Program
September 2, 2011 Workshop
September 16, 2011 Dan DeMaioNewton "Dealing with the Afflictive Emotions of Job Seeking"

General Information:

The networking group meets in Hopkinton, at St. John the Evangelist Church parish hall. The meeting occurs, from 10 to 12 noon, and will meet the first and third Friday of the month. The parish hall has a capacity for 250 people and there is plenty of parking spaces in the parking lot and on the street. Around the perimeter of the parish hall are rooms to allow us to have focused network groups or for any other purpose we need. We chose every other Friday to allow everyone to attend the Acton Networking Group or any other networking group, if they wanted, on the Friday we do not meet.
We will maintain our close affiliation with Acton Networkers by using the same list-server to share information between the groups. Any e-mails specific to the Hopkinton Networking Group (HNG) will be indicated in the subject line either by "Hopkinton Networking Group" or "HNG"; this way anyone attending these meetings will know the e-mail is intended for them.

We will follow the following agenda items:
Welcome
Landings (with doughnuts)
Announcements
New member introductions
Needs and Leads
Speaker(s), Workshop, or Focus Group
Cleanup

For those new members who give their introductions, this is what we would like to know:
Name
Skills and Value Statement
Where have you been?
Where are you going?
Your title
Your target companies
Geography of search
Name and e-mail address

If anyone wants to join our team, please let one of us know; we could always use the extra help and input for ideas.

Directions:
Take Rt. 495 North/South and get off Exit 21A. Go through three traffic lights. Colella's Supermarket is on the right at the third traffic light. The first street after the third traffic light is Church Street, take a right turn. The church is on the right. Go around to the left of the parking lot and go into the side entrance of the parish hall.
Depending upon where you live, perhaps you may want to use Mapquest for a more direct route. The address of the church is:
St. John the Evangelist
20 Church Street
Hopkinton, MA 01748

Regards,
Hopkinton Networkers Group (HNG) Coordinators:
Steven Hakar hakar4@hotmail.comm
Gil Krispien g.krispien@verizon.net
William Lam wmlam508@yahoo.com
Barbara McKee barb6635@comcast.net
Salpi Sarafian ssarafian@rcn.com


Wednesday, June 15, 2011

NE employee compensation costs highest in U.S.

Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:

via PBN.com - Latest Stories by document.write('');By Kimberley Donoghue PBN Web EditorTwitter: @kydonoghue on 6/14/11

Total employee compensation costs in March were highest in New England, at $33.56 per hour, according to private industry data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Monday.

Things you can do from here:

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Survey: Boston job market among strongest in nation

Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:


Despite the gloomy outlook for the national economy, Boston has "one of the strongest" employment outlooks in the nation, according to a new survey from Manpower. Third quarter hiring is expected to be stronger than the second quarter, with 25 percent of employers in the Boston metro area saying they plan to increase staff levels, according The Manpower Employment Outlook Survey. The survey reports that areas of strong growth include construction, durable and non-durable goods manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade, information, and leisure and hospitality, among other...

Things you can do from here:

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Sweet or sour?

Tim Sanders writes:
The reality is, when your mood state is sour or low, you physically cannot deliver your best. You have voices in your head, limiting your concentration. Your appearance and tone betray your mood, taking away your ability to resonate.

Tim goes on to provide some advice on how to get out of the funky sour mood. It is good advice.

You need to be in a good mood for your interview, for your networking event, to help convey the good person that you are.




Monday, June 6, 2011

Thumbs Up for Rock and Roll!

Here's is some good advice. Shared with enthusiasm!




Doesn't that get your day started on the right foot?


Thanks to Angela Maiers for the pointer to this!


Thursday, June 2, 2011

Hopkinton Network Group meets Fri - Jun 3rd at 10:00 AM

Hello Everyone,
The agenda for this Friday's Hopkinton Networkers Group (HNG) meeting will be featured by a workshop on Interview Questions. The facilitator for this week will be Salpi Sarafian. We will devote the first hour, from 10 to 11 AM to the following agenda: Welcome, Landings, Announcements, New Member Intros, and Needs & Leads. Please arrive early, so we can make every effort to start on time. In the second hour, a workshop on Interview Questions will be done.

Workshop on Interview Questions

The procedure will be as follows:
The facilitator, Salpi, initially chooses someone to be interviewed, e.g., Marilyn. Marilyn picks an interview question from the coffee can of questions and then Salpi asks Marilyn this question. She responds and the attendees analyze / critique her response. Marilyn then selects someone to interview, e.g., Joe. Joe chooses a question from the coffee can and Marilyn acts as the interviewer and asks him the question he picked. Joe responds and those present analyze / critique his response. Joe then chooses someone to interview, and so on, and so on. In the past when we had many attend the meetings, we broke out into small groups and went into the classrooms, and the facilitator in each room acted as the interviewer. This was nice and effective; however, we did not have the advantage of hearing responses from the other classrooms. With our lower attendance numbers, now everyone can share in the analysis of the responses plus be both interviewer and interviewee. This will get more people involved and a good interaction within the group.

Schedule for HNG Meetings:

June 17, 2011 Abby Grant Using Boston Business Journal for the job search
July 1, 2011 Wendy Gelberg Personal Branding
July 15, 2011 Patricia Hunt Sinacole "A Practical Guide to Landing a Job in Today's Employment Market."
August 5, 2011 Gail Greenberg
August 19, 2011 Amy Mosher STEMPower Program
September 2, 2011 Workshop
September 16, 2011 Dan DeMaioNewton "Dealing with the Afflictive Emotions of Job Seeking"

General Information:

The networking group meets in Hopkinton, at St. John the Evangelist Church parish hall. The meeting occurs, from 10 to 12 noon, and will meet the first and third Friday of the month. The parish hall has a capacity for 250 people and there is plenty of parking spaces in the parking lot and on the street. Around the perimeter of the parish hall are rooms to allow us to have focused network groups or for any other purpose we need. We chose every other Friday to allow everyone to attend the Acton Networking Group or any other networking group, if they wanted, on the Friday we do not meet.

We will maintain our close affiliation with Acton Networkers by using the same list-server to share information between the groups. Any e-mails specific to the Hopkinton Networking Group (HNG) will be indicated in the subject line either by "Hopkinton Networking Group" or "HNG"; this way anyone attending these meetings will know the e-mail is intended for them.

We will follow the following agenda items:
Welcome
Landings (with doughnuts)
Announcements
New member introductions
Needs and Leads
Speaker(s), Workshop, or Focus Group
Cleanup

For those new members who give their introductions, this is what we would like to know:
Name
Skills and Value Statement
Where have you been?
Where are you going?
Your title
Your target companies
Geography of search
Name and e-mail address

If anyone wants to join our team, please let one of us know; we could always use the extra help and input for ideas.

Directions:
Take Rt. 495 North/South and get off Exit 21A. Go through three traffic lights. Colella's Supermarket is on the right at the third traffic light. The first street after the third traffic light is Church Street, take a right turn. The church is on the right. Go around to the left of the parking lot and go into the side entrance of the parish hall.

Depending upon where you live, perhaps you may want to use Mapquest for a more direct route. The address of the church is:
St. John the Evangelist
20 Church Street
Hopkinton, MA 01748

Regards,
Hopkinton Networkers Group (HNG) Coordinators

Steven Hakar - hakar4@hotmail.com
Gil Krispien - g.krispien@verizon.net
William Lam - wmlam508@yahoo.com
Barbara McKee - barb6635@comcast.net
Salpi Sarafian - ssarafian@rcn.com