“So, What Do You Do?”

By Danny Syto, Cohort 8

I was very fortunate to have worked for a boss who allowed me to create my own job title just as long as it does not have the word “Chief” in it. So I claimed the title “Emperor of Project Management.”  It was amusing at that time and sure to get a chuckle when I was asked “What do you do?” whether it is in the office or in networking events.

However, things changed when I was laid off.  First of all, I do not like the phrase “laid off”.  It has such a negative connotation. I wish there was another word for it.  The corporate world use the polite term “Reduction in Force” but then people changed it into a verb by saying “I was RIFed”.  I would rather use the term “Job Seeker.” 

Things changed when I became a Job Seeker.  Inevitably, during one of the functions I was attending with my kids and other parents, I was asked the question “So, what do you do?”  I felt like I had a big neon sign on my back that said “laid off” and I could not tell them that I was still the “Emperor.”  The best I could do is mumble the words “I’m in transition” while looking down at the floor. 

I felt like I was subhuman because I know what’s behind that seemingly innocuous first question we often ask of strangers.  It meant “How much money do you make? What is your socioeconomic status? How do I compare to you? Are you worth my time?”

A couple of times I tried to dodge the question by saying “I’m a Dad of three boys and we like to go fishing and hang out together.”  I still get in a tight spot when they follow up with a more direct “Where exactly do you work?”  Whenever I encounter these questions I often end up writing an entire page in my journal with reflections of why I felt like dirt.  I remember gathering my kids to tell them that if anyone asks what I do, tell them I’m retired.  “I used to be a Rocket Scientist, but I’m now retired, get it?” “Dad, I didn’t know you were a Rocket Scientist, can we still buy that video game?”   Later on, I found that this could backfire and hinder my chances of getting employed.

Since joining the LA Fellows I learned that I can control how to respond to these situations. There are times when strangers just want to strike up a conversation or engage in small talk.  I see the possibility of networking. These days, I respond according to the situation.  I really enjoy volunteering for my nonprofit and there was a time when I confidently said “I’m a Grant Writer” looking at them straight in the eye.  It even surprised some people who were close to me knowing that I’m not employed, - or am I?  In that particular situation, I found out that the other person was also a job seeker.

The best response however, is just telling them that I’m a Project Management Professional looking for better opportunities.  It’s a fact, these days people who are employed will need to continually look for better opportunities.  It’s also a matter of which small voice in my head I choose listen to: Am I a victim of the situation? Am I the captain of my ship?

Next time someone asks you the question, “What do you do?” Tell them what you are passionate about.

I’m passionate about sharing what I know.  As an LA Fellow, I continue to learn and challenge myself. Most of all, I am an active job seeker, that’s what I do. 

 

By the way, I’m no longer the Emperor; I’m here to serve you.

 

LA Fellows Getting More Attention Online

All of us here at the LA Fellows program are excited to see the online press pick up on the story we previously posted about, which ran on NextAvenue.com. This article has since been reposted on Forbes.com and referenced and linked to in an article on jobs.aol.com. We are very proud of the difference we are making and happy that the world is hearing about the work we do.

To see the additional articles, click on the following links:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/nextavenue/2013/11/13/programs-and-tips-to-help-the-long-term-unemployed/

http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2013/11/18/5-programs-helping-the-long-term-unemployed-find-work/

If you know anyone in the Los Angeles area who is looking for a job, please have them read these articles and come to one of our orientations. Also, please retweet, like, and share on all of your social media accounts - LA Fellows is making a difference!

 

New Dates and Location: LA Fellows Program is Seeking Unemployed Job Seekers for Free Training and Networking Opportunities

Los Angeles Valley College Job Training is searching for unemployed men and women for the LA Fellows program. The program will provide unemployed individuals with skills training and volunteer opportunities while they seek full-time positions.

LA Fellows participants will be selected through an application and interview process. They will receive nine weeks of training at Los Angeles Valley College covering executive level topics, including, critical thinking, advanced job search skills, and how to generate effective business leads. In return, participants will volunteer their time and talents by sharing their professional expertise through project based roles at local nonprofits.

The LA Fellows participants will acquire new skill sets, encounter countless opportunities to network with professionals, and project a marketable career candidate impression while presenting a community-focused image.

We hope you can join us at one of our informational sessions to learn more about the LA Fellows program and application process, and get your questions answered. Job Seekers only need to attend one informational session.

LA Fellows Informational Sessions:

When:

Wednesday, December 11, 9:00am

Tuesday, December 17, 9:00am

Where:

Los Angeles Valley College

5800 Fulton Avenue
Valley Glen, CA 91401-4096

Building:   Library

Room:       200 A, 2^nd Floor

Parking:

Free parking in Lot B at the corner of Oxnard St. and Fulton Ave. Parking tickets will not be issued during the informational sessions.

An additional orientation will be held:

When:

Friday, December 6, 10:00am

Where:

Pacoima EDD/WorkSource

11623 Glen Oaks Blvd.

Pacoima, CA 91331

Parking:

Free parking on site

An application is available online and you are encouraged to fill it out prior to attending the informational session – but it is not required to attend.

If you know other job seekers who might be interested in the program, please encourage them to attend one of the informational sessions.

For more information about the LA Fellows program, please visit: www.lafellows.org or call 818.947.2941.

LA Fellows is Making National News

Most of our readers are well past their Sesame Street years, but did you know that PBS has created a place for us just around the corner? Their website, Next Avenue, is a place where "grown-ups keep growing." There is a whole section on Work and Purpose with lots of informative articles that job seekers could find useful.

Next Avenue reporter Elizabeth Isele spoke to LA Fellows Program Director Allison Silver and two of our many LA Fellows graduates, Nicholas Koutouras of Cohort 2 and Christine Stenberg of Cohort 1 about our unique, award-winning program. Their stories are heavily featured in an article just posted about getting work after long-term unemployment. Check out the original story here:

http://www.nextavenue.org/article/2013-11/programs-and-tips-help-long-term-unemployed



or read on...

Programs and Tips to Help the Long-Term Unemployed

How workers over 50 can land a position, even if they've been jobless for months

More than 4 million Americans today make up the nation’s “long-term unemployed,” those who have been out of work for 27 weeks or more. That’s down from 5 million a year ago, but still an enormous number.

About the only good news for these people, often in their 50s or 60s, is that there are some innovative public/private collaborative programs successfully getting the long-term unemployed back to work.

If you’re 50+ and have been looking for a job for awhile or know someone like that, these programs are worth a look.

Workforce agencies across the country are reaching out to help thousands of displaced boomers, according to Yvette Chocolaad, employment and training director for the National Association of State Workforce Agencies. Exacerbating the challenge is the increased complexity of job searches today. People looking for work now need social media marketing and personal branding skills as well as an ability to craft their resumes to include the right keywords and meet employers’ needs.

The Platform to Employment Program

One program with proven success is the Connecticut-based Platform to Employment, profiled by Next Avenue in January and featured on 60 Minutes. Platform to Employment gives jobless people five weeks of training and then places them as interns at local employers — where they generally wind up getting hired.

Lately, Platform to Employment has expanded across the country. This year, the concept has popped up in Dallas, Cincinnati, San Diego, Chicago, Minneapolis, Newark, N.J., and, most recently, Denver. Detroit and Orlando, Fla., are on tap for this winter and San Francisco is expected to follow early next year.

The LA Fellows Program

Chocolaad also gives high marks to the LA Fellows program. Here's how it works, along with advice for midlife job-seekers from two graduates, Nicholas Koutouras and Christine Stenberg.

Launched in 2010, LA Fellows was created at Los Angeles Valley College, which saw an opportunity to address two pressing community problems: Thousands of highly skilled, middle manager-level men and women looking for work and 30 percent of local nonprofits were in danger of closing because of staffing cutbacks due to the economic climate.

The program was originally funded by Los Angeles’s Community Development Department and is now supported by local WorkSource Centers, plus a variety of government and private partners.

The LA Fellows are selected through an application and interview process just as rigorous as if the candidates were applying for jobs. Project director Allison Silver says she looks for proactive job seekers with a serious commitment and an eagerness to learn.

Once accepted, Fellows receive seven weeks of free training, including sessions on beefing up their computer and networking skills. Then they’re matched up with nearby nonprofits, where they volunteer their services for 100 hours. The projects range from updating websites to creating marketing plans to event planning to grant writing.

So far, 230 LA Fellows have graduated (each class is called a cohort) and the program has a nearly 70 percent job placement rate in Los Angeles, a city with one of the country's highest unemployment rates: 9.2 percent.

Silver says employers now come to her, asking: "How can I get an LA Fellow to come and work for me?"

Koutouras' Success Story and Advice

Here’s how LA Fellows' graduates Nicholas Koutouras and Christine Stenberg parlayed their training into satisfying, well-paid jobs and the advice they offer to the unemployed:
 LA Fellows graduate Nicholas Koutouras
Koutouras was in his late 40's when he lost his job as senior financial manager at a bank in May 2010. With a master's degree in accounting and information systems, he had built a successful career as a finance exec with large banks, insurers and accounting firms until a corporate merger eliminated his position.

Koutouras knew that hiring managers preferred to offer jobs to people who were currently working and that an LA Fellow volunteering assignment would fill that bill. After being accepted as a Fellow and going through the program's training, he was matched with the Los Angeles Ronald McDonald House to be a grant writer there.

Just prior to starting that volunteer work, however, Koutouras landed a full-time job as a senior vice president at a major national bank. He took the position (and has since been promoted). But eager to honor his Fellows commitment, Koutouras also joined a finance development committee for the Ronald McDonald House's Board of Trustees.

These days, Koutouras continues volunteering in his community — he’s on the board of the Ronald McDonald House and another group — and is an LA Fellows mentor.

Koutouras’ tips for job hunters:

1. Go get your future. "Be proactive. Once you've decided the direction you wish to go, target a company or industry and focus on preparing for your next role there," he says.

2. Join a professional organization. "Don't tell yourself you can't afford the dues; many waive their fees or reduce them for people who are currently unemployed," says Koutouras. "I joined the Financial Professionals International Association and within months I was made vice president of programs. This allowed me to directly interface with more than 300 senior level executives and practice 'my unemployed story' in a safe environment."

3. Don't waste your time sending out blind resumes or scrolling through web job boards. "Tap the hidden job market revealed to you through your network connections," he says. "Through this effort, you will learn about expansion plans at your target companies, job openings due to promotions and turnover and the identities of influential decision makers. Be sure to follow up on any of their

hidden' job tips."

Stenberg's Success Story and Advice

LA Fellows graduate Christine Stenberg

Christine Stenberg, then in her early 50s, endured a traumatic 30 days from mid-April to mid-May in 2010. Her relationship ended, two of her Labrador retrievers died and she was laid off from her IT management position due to a cutback.

Then, Stenberg was chosen for the first LA Fellows class and she has never looked back.

Her Fellows volunteer match was at a WorkSource career development center, where she trained and helped place unemployed individuals in bio-tech and pharmaceutical companies. After 43 hours of volunteering, WorkSource hired her full-time.

She then helped 60 clients find jobs before the poor economy forced the government to slash funding at the center. Sensing layoffs were coming, Stenberg drew on her new found LA Fellows confidence and skills to land a business analyst job at the National Notary Association.

Stenberg, who has since been promoted to IT manager, shares her story with each new LA Fellows class. Her three tips for the unemployed:

1. Stay positive. "Over time, your situation will change," says Stenberg. "I could have been extremely down when I lost my job and dogs. Instead, the day I was laid off, I arrived home to find four offers on my home that I had put up for sale. As a result, I didn’t have to worry about my finances and could focus on my job search."

2. Research your options online. "See what a company you're interested in says about itself," she advises. "But even more importantly, find out what others are saying about that company. What's its culture? Would you feel comfortable working there? Are current employees happy or do you spot a lot of turnover? If you like what you learn, use your networks to find an employee at the company who’d be willing to give you an informational interview."

3. Don’t let fear hold you back. "On my first day at LA Fellows," Stenberg says, "I expressed my fear of public speaking, which is a skill that’s key to your success in the program. Throughout the training, I took advantage of every opportunity to speak publicly and, as the program concluded, my colleagues selected me as one of our graduation speakers. Now that I’ve overcome this fear, I have spoken to the Los Angeles Mayor's committee and the Los Angeles Community College Board of Directors, among others, about the importance of the LA Fellows program and what it did for me."

The LA Fellows Experience by Jonathan Berger

At the informational orientations that are held to introduce people to the LA Fellows program, former Fellows come in and share their experience in the program to give job seekers who are considering applying the inside scoop on what they can expect. Jonathan Berger of Cohort 8 spoke at a recent session and agreed to share his thoughts for the blog as well:

Why did you apply for the LA Fellows program?
 

I am an attorney. I went to UCLA undergrad and then USC Law School.  I even did a semester at Notre Dame.  So I always have someone to root for on a Saturday afternoon.  In my career I’ve worked for several large hospital and healthcare companies, most recently a 12-year stint with a large pharmaceutical company.  Everything was going quite well for me until the division that I was working for was closed down by the parent company.  I was laid off, and went on unemployment for the first time in my life.

 

In many ways I was very lucky.  I was given a generous severance package in light of my length of service, and I was even brought back for a time as a consultant to help with the wind down.  I was provided “outplacement” services including a private coach for interviewing skills and job search strategies, a resume consultant to revise and improve my resume, and similar services.  It was a great “package” – but it didn’t work!

 

I thought that I was doing all the right things, sending out resumes, using the job boards like Indeed, Monster and Simply Hired. I was going to some networking meetings and things like that.   I had some interviews with some good organizations here in Los Angeles, up in the Bay Area, even Arizona.  I came close several times, but nothing clicked.  Over time I settled into a routine of half-heartedly applying for jobs that I didn’t expect to get.  Getting comfortable with being unemployed.  Finding things to occupy my time but not really getting anywhere.

 

Then I heard about the LA Fellows.  I came to an Orientation to find out more about the program.  I didn’t really know what to expect, but I had a feeling that this program was what I needed to get myself back on track.  There’s a famous saying that goes:  “90% of success is showing up”.  I showed up!

What you gained from the training portion of LA Fellows?
 

It may be a cliché that we’re tired of hearing:  “You only get out of something what you put in” – but that sums up the LA Fellows program very well.  Allison Silver and her team have assembled one of the best groups of instructors that I’ve ever seen and put together a series of classes that are more than simply a job search boot camp, they actually provide an education on not only how to be the candidate that will be selected, but how keep that job and continue to build your skills and your network to prepare you for the job after that, and the job after that, and so on. 

What were the benefits of being a part of Cohort 8?

 

There were twenty-two Fellows in Cohort 8.  It wasn’t quite the cast of the movie “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” but we were a very diverse group.  We did, however, have a few things in common: We’re serious about improving ourselves professionally and we look out for one another!  We are willing to learn, and we are willing to help each other.  Whether it was looking over each other’s resume, conducting practice interviews, staying after class to help with setting up a LinkedIn profile or sharing job leads, the Crazy Eights work as a team.  It was nice to be part of a team again.

 

It was also really good to have a regular schedule.  It may seem strange to say, but having things to do, assignments with due dates, etc., are exactly what we needed to get our minds back in shape.  The instructors know that there’d be nothing worse for us than to land a job and then fall flat on our faces on a task, or have attendance problems with being late.

 

The class schedule is rigorous.  The days are long and the breaks were short.  But that’s what the “real world” is like, isn’t it?  This program will get you in shape – believe me.

Where did you volunteer and what did gain from your nonprofit volunteer experience?

 

I came from the for profit sector.  I didn’t have much experience with nonprofits, at least not with how they operate and what the internal dynamics are like.  As part of the LA Fellows program, and in return for the education and training that LA Fellows receive, they are required to perform 100 hours of service for a nonprofit organization.   The LA Fellows program has a network of nonprofit organizations that are eager to have bright, motivated folks work as interns to gain work experience and make connections.

 

In order to get your internship you have to apply for the jobs the same way you would a “real” job. I got valuable experience applying for the internship positions, tailoring and sending resumes, scheduling interviews, showing up for interviews, being on time, not spilling my coffee, having a spare resume with me and remembering what it says, all that good stuff.

How did being an LA Fellows help you land your job/get more interviews, etc.?

 

The nonprofit internship interviews were a very positive experience.  In particular, it felt nice to be “wanted” and for it to be more of a “two-way street”, where I was actually interviewing the nonprofit and deciding if it was a good fit for me. 

 

My volunteer work was done at The Center for Nonprofit Management in downtown LA.  It is a “capacity builder” helping other nonprofits in Southern California with management and organization strategies, consulting services and executive coaching.  My work there has given me valuable experience in my sector, healthcare, and it has given me something real and current to talk about in interviews, networking conversations, etc.

So, did the LA Fellows work for you?

 

Yes, it worked!  Just recently, I had a three-hour interview with a small law firm downtown.  It  was great to feel so prepared and confident.  I used my STAR stories (where one gives an example of a “Situation, Task, Action and Result” that demonstrates one’s skills and experience) and I presented a strong and well-reasoned case for how the hiring manager would be glad to hire me.  So, I was delighted to be offered a job as an attorney working on healthcare and corporate transactions, which is exactly the kind of work that I wanted to do! The job is starting out as a part-time position, which is actually good so that I can ease into it.  But I get the feeling that it’s going to be full-time fairly soon.

 

I would advise candidates for the LA Fellows program to take the application very seriously, especially the essay or personal statement portion. Even if writing isn’t your strong suit if you’re honest about who you are and what you want to do then that will come through.  Allison and the LA Fellows team spend many hours on the selection process, and there really are many qualified people who don’t get in – so don’t be discouraged if you don’t get chosen the first time, you can apply again.

I can honestly say that I don’t think that I’d have gotten my new job without the training and support that I received from the LA Fellows program.  If you want to really take your job search to the next level then this is the program for you.

The Difference Volunteering Makes

In addition to 140 hours of classroom training on job search techniques and executive level professional topics, an important part of the LA Fellows program involves each Fellow volunteering at least 100 hours of their time and talents for a project at a nonprofit organization of their choice. The volunteer component is the piece that sets LA Fellows apart from other programs designed to retrain and get unemployed individuals back to work.

The most recent class (or “Cohort” in Fellow-speak) graduated August 30th and has shown amazing cohesiveness and commitment to staying in touch, supporting each other and making sure they all stay on the path of what they learned in the program until they are re-employed. The “Crazy 8’s,” as LA Fellows Cohort 8 has dubbed themselves, recently gathered for their weekly accountability meeting to check in on their progress, cheer for those who’ve landed jobs so far and chart their plans for the next week. Most of them have now completed their 100 hour commitment to their nonprofits and they reflected on their experiences.

Bruce Elsperger, an experienced live-entertainment management professional, chose to donate his hours to EngAGE, an organization that brings the arts to local senior centers. Bruce spent his hours teaching drama and improv classes for three of their centers around the Los Angeles area. When he started LA Fellows training, he was thinking of finding a career that would allow him to work with baby-boomers making the transition to the next phase of life. According to Bruce, his volunteer internship reaffirmed that passion and made him more sure of the path he wants to pursue.

At one center he taught at, he had a dramatic performance for their last class. On the day of the performance, one of the seniors was taken to the hospital (over protestations that he couldn’t miss the show!) and Bruce had to fill in. That meant someone had to take over the duties of the narrator that Bruce, as the director, would otherwise have done. He asked one of the ladies who came to the group but had not previously participated if she would take over for him. She was honored that he believed she could do it and told him after the show, “You have just fulfilled one of the items on my bucket list.” 

At another site, a small group gathered on their last day to do prepared readings. One woman arrived for the class who had not previously been available to attend. Bruce let her know it was the last day, but asked if she would be willing to do a cold reading with one of the other residents. She agreed, with the disclaimer that she had never done anything like that before. As showbiz folks would say, she killed, she performed like an expert actress. As she returned to her seat showered by applause, she told him “You have fulfilled a 5 year old’s dream.”

As each of the three classes was ending, evaluation forms were passed out to the participants to solicit feedback on the experience. There were many rave reviews, praising his efforts, but Bruce told the other Fellows at the meeting about one particular evaluation that really touched him. After the participant wrote that the best thing about the class was the teacher, the form asked what he/she had learned. The answer was: “to try to live again.”

As Bruce’s experience shows, LA Fellows volunteer component gives participants an opportunity to try new things, keep their existing skills current and test their ideas for transitioning. It also reminds Fellows that they are not defined by their unemployment, they are still professionals, valuable experts who have a lot to contribute.  The organizations Fellows serve, and their clients, benefit in so many meaningful ways.

Of course the most important thing is that LA Fellows helps people get back to work. In addition to all the good he did for others, Bruce got a paying job offer to teach a series of classes for one of the senior centers he worked at. Bravo Bruce! Another LA Fellows success story, in more ways than one.

Become an LA Fellow - Now Recruiting for Cohort 9!

Los Angeles Valley College Job Training is searching for unemployed men and women for the LA Fellows program. The program will provide unemployed mid-career individuals with skills training and volunteer opportunities while they seek full-time positions.

LA Fellows participants will be selected through an application and interview process. They will receive nine weeks of training at Los Angeles Valley College covering executive level topics, including critical thinking, advanced job search skills, and how to generate effective business leads. In return, participants will volunteer their time and talents by sharing their professional expertise through project based roles at local nonprofits.

The LA Fellows participants will acquire new skill sets, encounter countless opportunities to network with professionals, and project a marketable career candidate impression while presenting a community-focused image.

Interested individuals can join us at one of our informational sessions to learn more about the LA Fellows program and application process, and get their questions answered. Job Seekers only need to attend one informational session.

LA Fellows Informational Sessions - Be prepared to stay two hours. There are two locations:

******************************************************
Friday, October 18, 9:00am
Friday, October 25, 9:00am
Wednesday, October 30, 9:00am

Los Angeles Valley College
5800 Fulton Avenue – Job Training Office
Valley Glen, CA 91401-4096
Located in Administration Building

Free parking in available in Lot B at the corner of Oxnard St. and Fulton Ave. Parking tickets will not be issued during the informational sessions. ******************************************************
Tuesday, October 29, 10:00am

Pacoima EDD/WorkSource
11623 Glen Oaks Blvd.
Pacoima, CA 91331

Free parking on site
*****************************************************

An application is available online and you are encouraged to fill it out prior to attending the informational session – but it is not required to attend. If you know other job seekers who might be interested in the program, please encourage them to attend one of the informational sessions.

For more information about the LA Fellows program, please visit: www.lafellows.org or call 818.947.2941.