Program Synopsis:
Navigating Job Transition: Getting Grounded, Gaining Ground
By Ginna Ryan, Mauge, Inc.

On February 17, 2010, The Career Transitions Center of Chicago (CTC) hosted members of CREW Chicago for an overview of their services.  The mission of the CTC is to provide professional, emotional and spiritual support to those seeking a job, looking for meaningful work, or otherwise undergoing a career transition.  The organization is membership based and is open to anyone who might benefit from its services. Membership includes access to personal coaching, use of evaluation tools to determine personal strengths and weaknesses, skill building sessions for networking, interviewing and resume writing.  They also offer cubicle spaces that are fully loaded with access to phone & internet.

Anita Jenke, Executive Director, wrapped up the program with “Gaining Ground”.  Anita stated that any search or career transition should be treated as a project.  We need to create tools, execute a plan and chart our progress.  She outlined what the first 90 days of a search should look like: Get organized, develop a results oriented resume, research job titles, set goals and, most importantly, keep up with your networking and volunteer work. While job hunting online is helpful, the face-to-face interactions are invaluable.  Anita also discussed the importance of updating skill sets.  She told us about one program - Workforce Investment Act (WIA) - which is designed to provide quality employment and training services to assist eligible individuals in finding and qualifying for meaningful employment, and to help employers find the skilled workers they need to compete and succeed in business.  The last item that Anita stressed to the group was remembering common courtesies – confirming appointments, being on time, sending a thank you and keeping your support group apprised of your progress.

Thank you to Laura & Anita for a very informative and timely lunch session.