Orientation Dates Announced for LA Fellows Cohort 15

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

Job Seeker's Handbook: Don't Advertise What You're Not Selling

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 another installment of an ongoing series of advice from people who have been there.

A resume when done properly is a marketing document, a story written to show a potential employer the triumphs and outstanding career feats that have brought you to the logical conclusion that the job you're applying for is the obvious next step for you and the solution to that company's problems.

Employers don't like to sift through the entirety of a person's years of experience trying to figure out how they might be a fit for their company. If you don't spell out clearly what you can - and want to! - do for them, they will pass you by.

Tip #2

Don't advertise what you're not selling.

Just because you do something well, and have been successful with it in the past, doesn't mean that you should highlight it in your resume. For example, if you worked in a call center but disliked the one-on-one customer service aspect, don't play up the customer compliment awards you received but do highlight how you streamlined a computer process or were lauded for the accuracy of your documentation. If you want to be seen for your managerial skills, don't talk about how the office counted on you to make coffee and fill the copier with paper, detail how you took on a project or organized a meeting. If your background is in show biz, but you want to make a change to a more office-oriented environment, think about how you can highlight the skills you gained in the context of the business world, and leave out the industry jargon.

If you're not sure whether your resume aligns with the types of jobs you aspire to, have someone who doesn't know you look at the resume and tell you what type of job they think you'd be applying for. You might be surprised to learn what pitch your marketing document is making.

1000 Words: Networking, Interviewing, and Resumes - Oh My!

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.

There's an old joke wherein a tourist asks a New Yorker he meets on the street, "How do you get to Carnegie Hall?" and the New Yorker answers "Practice, practice, practice." The same is true of someone seeking a job. Although everyone would assume they know their own story, it takes practice to present it concisely and clearly in a way targeted to show an employer why they are the best candidate, whether in person at an interview or networking event, or on paper. LA Fellows provides a safe, supportive environment to hone interview skills, learn the art of networking, and craft a resume that a candidate can be proud to present.

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

LA Fellows Cohort 11 Shines

 Cohort 11 of the LA Fellows program wrapped up the eighth week of training last week and are preparing for their upcoming graduation. The Fellows have enthusiastically embraced the instruction in communication and leadership, made great strides in upgrading their resumes and interview skills and taken advantage of optional instruction in Microsoft Office and grant writing.

They are in the process of starting their volunteer assignments. They have teamed up with an impressive list of organizations this time including The Trust for Public Land, Silhouettes for Vets, the Valley Economic Alliance, The Center for Nonprofit Management, Councilman Paul Krekorian’s Office, and many others.

We are looking forward to seeing all the accomplishments that will come as a result of the initiative they have taken to move their careers forward in new directions.

Another Cohort of LA Fellows Nears Graduation

Every cohort of LA Fellows is told in the first week to take advantage of the time in class to connect with the diverse group of professionals there. For every group of LA Fellows, the training time passes quickly, and Cohort 10 has been no exception. As they finish the on-campus instructional portion of the program, start working on the nonprofit piece and prepare for graduation next week, here's a quick snapshop of some of the activities that have been preparing them for their return to the workforce...  



Many of the Fellows took advantage of the optional
computer classes which help them to brush up on their
Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint skills.





There were numerous opportunities for practicing their interview skills
and to brainstorm tweaks on cover letters and resumes.   

Fellows from previous Cohorts came by to give encouragement and first-hand insight on how to take their training and apply it to real-world situations.

They had lots of opportunities to exercise teamwork...





...Teamwork...

...And more teamwork! (Who says it all has to be serious and dull to be informative?)

The LA Fellows also got many opportunities to practice their presentation skills
and get comfortable speaking in front of a room full of people.

Most importantly, Cohort 10 has embraced the greatest lesson of the LA Fellows program: the power of a network. They share ideas, resources, and support. The hardest part of unemployment can be the isolation and uncertainty that comes from sitting alone in front of a computer hoping someone responds to a resume. LA Fellows learn the skills to make that a tiny part of the search and instead focus on effective strategies that connect experienced workers with real employers. Cohort 10 has proven that they are strong enough to step out of their comfort zones, smart enough to say yes to opportunity, and have the fortitude to follow this training to their next success.

We can't wait to see the wonderful things they achieve.