Orientation Dates Announced for LA Fellows Cohort 14 - Classes Start March 21st

Orientations Scheduled for West Hollywood and Marina Del Rey, Two More at Los Angeles Valley College - Attend One Session to Learn About Becoming an LA Fellow

Who are the LA Fellows?

Los Angeles Valley College’s LA Fellows program is a unique collaboration combining professional development and volunteerism as a meaningful pathway to employment. LA Fellows are motivated, hard-working, enthusiastic professionals with solid work experience who are unemployed and are actively seeking their next career opportunity. A highly recognized program, LA Fellows has appeared in Forbes.com, the New York Times, KTLA Channel 5 news, and has been spotlighted by the Department of Labor.

Make a Difference in Your Career

LA Fellows receive nine weeks of free training in advanced job-seeking skills and executive-level topics including leadership, critical thinking, and generating job leads. Optional classes in advanced computer skills and grant writing are available to participants. Training begins July 27, 2015.

Be the Difference in Your Community

LA Fellows volunteer their professional expertise through project-based roles at local nonprofit organizations. Designed to use the skills and ideas taught in class to augment the nonprofit experience and reinforce learning, the program provides participants with invaluable career growth skills, job search assistance, and the opportunity to give back to the community while seeking full-time employment.

Become an LA Fellow

Attend an informational session to learn more about the program and application process. Job seekers only need to attend one informational session. Be prepared to stay two hours. Visit www.lafellows.org or call 818.947.2941 for more information.

Information Sessions:

June 26^th  - 10:30 a.m.

 JVS West Hollywood AJCC

at the

West Hollywood Library

625 N. San Vicente Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90069

Parking is in the building and is validated for 3 hours.

July 1^st – 10:00 a.m.

 JVS WorkSource Center

13160 Mindanao Way #240

Marina Del Rey, CA 90292

Check in at Suite 105

Free validated parking

July 7^th  & 10^th - 10:00 a.m.

 Los Angeles Valley College

5800 Fulton Avenue

Valley Glen, CA 91401-4096

Located in the Library building, Second Floor, Room 201

Free parking on the 4th floor of the Parking Structure at the corner of Hatteras St. and Ethel Ave. Campus map is available at www.lavc.edu/map.

Job Seeker's Handbook: Two Questions for Transitioners

Education, family, the workplace, the Internet - there's a lot of information out there about how to be a good employee, but did anyone ever teach you how to be unemployed? This is the third installment of an ongoing series of advice from people who have been there. This post was written by Mary Turner, member of LA Fellows Cohort 7 and currently the Program Assistant for LA Fellows.

When I came to LA Fellows, I knew I was in transition career-wise: I didn't want to go back to what I had been doing, but I wasn't sure where I wanted to go. I was randomly applying to jobs that seemed to use some of my skills, without really looking at the bigger picture of what the companies did or where they might lead my career, and I got zero response to the resumes I was sending out. I had no direction.

Two questions, designed to help people find their passion, that really changed my ideas about the focus of my job search were posed to to me in LA Fellows. The first was:

"Where are you the happiest?" Picture the scene. This could be anywhere, theoretical or practical, whether sitting on the beach listening to the surf on an unnamed tropical island, or tinkering with a short-wave radio kit with your kids. It's usually the first thing that comes to your mind when the question is asked. From there it's a matter of drilling down to what it is about that scenario that is the real source of joy. Being outdoors? Working with kids? Figuring out something technical? Can you transfer a kernel of whatever that is to your professional role?

The other question was:

"What makes you angry?" Anger is another form of passion. That thing that really gets us worked up could be a reason to look forward to going to work, if we can find a way to harness that passion in a productive way. Especially in the nonprofit sector, a lot of people find satisfaction in being part of the fight to solve an important problem. What gets you worked up, and is there a way to use that?

Once I was able to tap into my passion and connect it to a goal, the enthusiasm I was able to show in my job search increased exponentially. I started to formulate a vision not just of my next job, but of my career. With the guidance of the wonderful instructors of the LA Fellows program, I was able to formulate a marketing plan for product "Me." I was clearer on what skills to cultivate for future success, what knowledge to pursue, and how to build a network that supports both my long-term and my short-term goals.

Then one day it all clicked. Literally. In one twenty-four hour period I was offered not one, but two paid positions, and asked to take on an important volunteer project for a nonprofit that means a lot to me. After months of not getting anything, I had offers. I had a decision to make. I ultimately chose the job with the LA Fellows program because it aligned more closely with my goals and afforded me the chance to take that volunteer opportunity and continue volunteering on a regular basis. By having clarity and understanding what makes me happy, and why, I've been empowered to make informed, strategic decisions in my career, not just for this job, but for any that may come after it.

1000 Words: When You Give, You Get

It can be hard to describe to people what the LA Fellows experience is before they've lived it firsthand. Knowing that a picture is worth 1,000 words, here are a few to help you visualize what it's like to be an LA Fellow.

It's not uncommon for people who hear about LA Fellows to think "I need to find a paying job, how can I spend 100 hours of my job search time to volunteer - for free?" The volunteer component of the program actually helps Fellows get back to work faster in several ways:

• The matching process is structured to give Fellows an opportunity to practice the skills they learn in class someplace other than the high-pressure environment of an interview.
• It gives structure to the job search, encourages time management and improves focus.
• Working for a cause they feel passionate about, and making a difference, bolsters confidence.
• It's a chance to learn new skills and exercise established ones to show employers current relevant experience on a resume.
• The Fellows project a community-focused image and expand their networks to include active leaders in their communities.

Here are images from just a few of the 300+ LA fellows who've used their time to make a difference in the community while making a difference in their job search.

Center for Nonprofit Management

My Friends Place

Center for Nonprofit Management

Operation Gratitude

Habitat for Humanity

Operation Gratitude

The Soldiers Project

Learn more about the LA Fellows program at www.lafellows.org. 

How LA Fellows Made the Difference in My Job Search

After 18 months I received my first paycheck again last week, and it felt pretty good! 

Its Sunday night, and as I take a moment to mentally prepare for my work week ahead, I take a pause to reflect on the last 18 months, and the steps I've taken to get back into --- living.

I won't share my whole story but I assure you, there was plenty of drama and near misses, but with lots of love from family, friends, God, and my own determination and perseverance, I made it through the toughest of times. 

As I began to ponder how I was going to climb back into the job market, I knew I wanted to lend value, and to find a position that was enriching to me in a spiritual sense even more so than financially.  I began chasing job opportunities with no real game plan or defined process in place. I had previously found success and figured I would naturally find it again - a bad approach. I quickly realized it was going to take a lot more hard work and focus in order to be successful. It was a great day in late December when I discovered and was subsequently accepted into the LA Fellows program. 

LA Fellows brought structure, focus and skills to my regimen, and gave me the qualifications required as the CEO of my job search. Classes provided me tangible skills in resume writing, interviewing, and delivering presentations, but it also helped me get mentally jazzed about me, my job search, and a career path. Importantly I regained the confidence that I had value to deliver to my next employer, and the ability to present my value proposition throughout my job search. The program also provided the opportunity to regain my footing while volunteering at a nonprofit, and proved to be an excellent step in preparing me to re-enter the workforce.

When job hunting, I initially sought a possible shift into the nonprofit world, and while I ultimately accepted a job back in private industry, I have not forgotten the spirit of LA Fellows. Get myself back into production, but give something back in return. While I'm still learning my new paying gig, I have every confidence that I'll thrive in the role. The exciting news is that last week I also took on a Corporate Committee member position for JDRF and their largest fundraising event of the year JDRF One Walk at the Rose Bowl. It will be another opportunity to continue paying back dividends on the great experience that was LA Fellows - Cohort 11.

I express a big thank you to my Cohort who shared valuable lessons, our enlightened instructors who reinforced my skills and courage, and the administrators and sponsors who believed in me and put together such a rewarding experience that is LA Fellows .

Stay well.

 

Frank P. Sulzberger

Cohort 11

Frank completed his 100 hours of nonprofit service for LA Fellows with the Center for Nonprofit Management as a Consulting Program Associate. He is currently working as a Vice President and Senior Control officer in the investment services division of the Bank of New York Mellon.

A Challenge for Cohort 11

After four years and helping over 300 LA Fellows, it’s exciting to receive updates from the Fellows to hear how their lives have changed since going through the program. We were moved recently when we received an update from Nick Koutouras from Cohort 2. He wrote:

Allison,

I hope all is well.  I just wanted to share some good news. 

Four years ago, almost to the day, I started Cohort 2 as a mid-career professional trying to find my way into the next stage of my life. This year, on January 1, 2015, I officially started my year as Chairman of the Board for the Los Angeles Ronald McDonald House. 

Four years ago, I had never raised even a single dollar for charity.  Today, I am honored to let you know that I have helped bring in thousands of dollars to the organization through both personal and professional contacts.

Four years ago, LA Fellows introduced me to Los Angeles Ronald McDonald House.

Today, I thank you, Allison, and the rest of the team for creating the LA Fellows program. 

Today, I thank Lynnette Ward for suggesting I attend LA Fellows. 

And, today I thanked Jeffrey Janis, Director of Development at Los Angeles Ronald McDonald House, for posting a volunteer opportunity with LA Fellows.

However, we need some help out here. 

 

My challenge to Cohort 11 is simple.  Engage with your LA Fellows program leaders.  Listen and hear what they say.  Apply their advice and tools. Accept their critique.

Courageously make a change in yourself.   Proudly own your destiny.  Be that shiny penny. 

Passionately execute your responsibilities with your non-profit partner.  Make a difference.  Make a profound difference in yourself and in your community. 

I want to hear about another LA Fellows success story.  Will you be that success story?

 

Best regards,

Nick

 

We are so proud of Nick and all of the over 300 graduates to date who’ve made LA Fellows a success. The fact that they keep giving back is another testament to the strength of  the program's teaching. We hope that, as graduation approaches, Cohort 11 will rise up to meet the challenge Nick has put forth. 

For more information on the Los Angeles Ronald Mc Donald House and how you can get involved, please check out their website at http://rmhcsc.org/losangeles/

 

LA Fellows was Highlighted in the New York Times!

The LA Fellows program continues to garner recognition for its unique approach to getting unemployed professionals back to work faster. We were very happy to see the program featured in a recent article in the New York Times about programs that help people interested in changing careers to the nonprofit industry make the switch.

You can see the article here:

New York Times: how-to-profit-modestly-by-moving-to-a-nonprofit

We are proud to see our success held up as a model for change and hope that increased recognition brings the opportunity to continue to share this exemplary program with an even wider group of job seekers who need it.

Need a free space for non-profit events?

Are you or anyone you know looking for the perfect space to host a non-profit event?

I would like to offer my office space in Old Town Pasadena at no expense to any local non-profit organizations.

There is approximately 5,000 sq ft available, including a large outside patio and kitchen area, which can fit about 250-300 people with plenty of room for tables, live music, bar, etc. I have relationships with Pasadena Magazine and other local newspapers and will make sure they attend the event. Again, the space is free, but only available for designated 501(c) non-profit organizations.

You can see pictures of the space at: http://www.jagpasadena.com/

The address is 42 S. Pasadena Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91105. Here is a map of the property: http://goo.gl/maps/7V1Lg

You are more than welcome to come by and see the space anytime; just give me a call to schedule.

If you have any questions or know of anyone who might be interested, please let me know.

Respectfully,


Tom Flanagan
TOM FLANAGAN
Real Estate Agent

John Aaroe Group
42 S. Pasadena Avenue
Pasadena, CA 91105
626.204.7180 office
310.650.5511 cell
tom@aaroe.com
tomflanagan.com
aaroe.com

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.

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.

LA Fellows has been the most powerful tool in my job search

LA Fellows has been the most powerful tool in my job search. The support and connections are limitless. I am a professional fundraiser, so I chose The Southern California Center for Non Profit Management as my 100 hour internship. My official title for the volunteer position was Logistics and Seminar Recruiter.




In this role, I coordinated seminars, participated in grant writing, leadership, social media, marketing, and fund development meetings, and I met the founders and the fundraisers from more nonprofits then I ever knew existed.



This all culminated on Friday May 10th with the 501 Conference. Speakers at this huge event included the president and CEO of United Way, the President of Southern California Grantmakers, the Executive Director of First 5, Los Angeles and the author of "Who Stole the American Dream.”



I am so inspired by everyone I have met. And yes, these are the people who will change poverty, education and entire communities in LA. Yes we will!!

Debra Goldfield

LA Fellow Cohort 7

Why Join LA Fellows?

It’s a fair question for people considering applying for LA Fellows to ask: What’s in it for me? If I spend those 140 hours in classes, and that 100 hours at a non-profit organization doing volunteer work, what do I get out of it? It takes away from spending that time actually looking for a job, doesn’t it?

As a graduate of Cohort 7 I can tell you LA Fellows is well worth the time spent.

Prior to starting the program, I was spending hours every day hunched over my laptop scanning for job postings and sending out resumes, with nary an interview to show for it. I assumed it was the economy, the fact that hundreds of resumes are received for every job posted. I went to the Work Source centers and invariably found myself in line next to someone looking sad and defeated who said, as if scripted, “I’ve been out of work for over a year.” I had begun to believe that that was just the reality in 2013. I had begun to believe that I would have to continue on this way until, as if by magic, some soulless employer with a job that paid even less than my previous one, and had nothing to do with my goals in life, called and agreed to let me serve a portion of my existence in their employ.

It seemed pretty bleak.

Through LA Fellows, I found that I was only doing 25% of what I could have been doing to find a job. Yes, the internet is one tool that everyone should use, but it’s not the only tool and certainly not as effective overall as other things one could be doing. The instructors de-mystified things like social media (Did you know you can get a job through Twitter?) and taught me about building my online brand as a job searcher. I learned that networking is not a four-letter word (I used to be so much better at spelling and math – what happened?) and it’s not as intimidating as it sounds, especially if you bring a friend. And I never would have thought to “bother” a stranger by calling/emailing them to ask to tap into their expertise through a short informational interview. All of these things help to make an individual more the known candidate, tap into the hidden job market and cut through the suck effect of the black hole that is the internet job search.

In addition, I got help on my resume. Prior to starting the program, I had gotten lots of free advice on what I should say and how I should format it. But many of the “experts” in person, in print and online, gave conflicting information. No version seemed markedly better than another. In class, Lynnette gave us sensible counsel on what the resume should look like and why. As a group, we got to know what each person’s experience was, what their strengths are, and where they wanted to take their careers; we helped each other translate that for potential hiring managers. I learned to stop advertising what I wasn’t selling, but to instead focus the document to play up the strengths I *did* want to use in my next position. We learned to change bullet-pointed duties to actual accomplishments, even when we took it for granted that we had none.

In LA Fellows, I met and got to know amazing people that I hope I stay in touch with for the rest of my life. Seeing myself through their eyes was a revelation, and a boost to my sometimes-lagging self-esteem. My spirits were raised because we laughed a LOT. When we struggled, or broke down in tears (yes, that’s how close we got), there was always a strong shoulder, Kleenex and help to move forward. Unlike before I joined, I no longer feel alone in this journey; they understand even better than family and friends because they’re right there on the path next to me. I frequently send job leads to my classmates that seem to match what they’re looking for, and they do the same for me. Did I mention we laugh a lot too?

I see the results of working the program, even now so soon after our graduation: Fellows landing jobs, getting more interviews, meeting interesting and influential people, finding the career path they want instead of the one they went down because it was there. I don’t panic when others succeed because I know it will happen for me too, thanks to everything we learned and thanks to the support of the program, the instructors and my fellow Fellows.

One caveat: you have to be willing to say “yes” to the opportunities offered and do the work. It’s a chance to learn (free for you!) a better way to job search. You just have to be open to it, and give it a try. If some part doesn’t work for you, you don’t have to keep using it, but you’ll have that resource if you need it.

So, will we see YOU at the next orientation?

Mary Turner

LA Fellows, Cohort 7