Shownotes
In this episode of "Looking Forward Our Way," hosts Carol Ventresca and Brett Johnson are joined by expert guest Sharon Hamersley to discuss the crucial topic of career ownership within the job market.
As a local expert in job searching and skill-building, Sharon emphasizes the importance of intentional networking and skill acquisition, catering to job seekers and those seeking to advance in their current roles. The conversation delves into the challenges of job hunting, the impact of ageism in the workforce, and how to stay prepared for potential job changes even while employed.
Sharon stresses the significance of professional organizations, both local and national, as valuable networking resources, particularly for remote work opportunities. She advocates for building contacts and acquiring new skills, emphasizing that job security is not guaranteed, making it essential for individuals to stay prepared for future opportunities.
The hosts delve into the fatigue and challenges of job hunting, to which Sharon advises keeping notes on issues and compliments in the new job, making skill-building and networking less overwhelming. The conversation touches on the feeling of guilt for job searching while employed and the balancing act between employer loyalty and self-preservation.
The episode addresses the challenges older adults face in job searches and focuses on career ownership while maintaining employment. The hosts and Sharon have worked with students and clients from ages 18 to 80 in educational and job search areas for many years, providing a well-rounded perspective on career management at any stage of life.
Treat networking as an enjoyable part of personal development rather than a chore, emphasizing its benefits and the need to find enjoyment in learning. Sharon suggests leveraging the plethora of free or low-cost resources for job seekers, including professional organizations, civic clubs, volunteering, and alumni networks for career support and job fairs.
The conversation also addresses signs that an employer may not be interested in helping individuals grow or may be considering eliminating their position, providing clues to be aware of and steps to take to prepare for the future. Don't forget the importance of staying updated on AI technology and skills and the growing use of artificial intelligence in the workforce, underscoring the need for continuous learning and skill acquisition.
Sharon stresses the importance of networking as a continuous process, encouraging listeners to stay in touch with contacts to keep their network warm for potential career opportunities. Professional organizations and trade publications are highlighted as offering valuable learning opportunities and insights into industry changes.
We also cover the support from employers in skill-building, the steps individuals can take to assess their current environment and engage in productive conversations with supervisors or HR, and the role of alumni organizations and nonprofits in providing job opportunities and support programs.
Top 5 Takeaways
1. Intentional networking and skill-building are essential for both job seekers and those currently employed, emphasizing the need for continuous career development.
2. Professional organizations and local/national networks are valuable resources for job opportunities and industry insights, especially in a remote work environment.
3. Staying prepared for potential job changes and being proactive in acquiring new skills are key strategies for career ownership, even while employed.
4. Ageism, rapidly changing work environments, and the use of AI are significant factors affecting career progression and job security, highlighting the importance of staying adaptable and current in the workforce.
5. Recognizing signs that an employer may not be invested in an employee's growth and being honest with oneself about the work environment is crucial for career preparedness.
Memorable Moments
02:37 Job hunting is a frustrating challenge for older adults.
05:57 Employers are not loyal.
08:44 Watch out for signs of declining company health.
12:48 Recognize economic cycles, assess skills, and seek feedback.
15:36 Adapt to changing work environment and contribute effectively.
17:50 Continuously learn new skills for career advancement.
20:41 Utilize professional resources to stay ahead in your industry.
23:36 Intentional networking: skill building, occasional outreach.
27:10 Networking is important for job search success.
31:14 Columbus offers various job search resources.
35:37 Keep notes for career success and autonomy.
Sharon Hamersley has been dedicated to helping people in their career journey for nearly 40 years. Starting as an academic adviser at Ohio State, she has spent the last 10-12 years running her own business focused on guiding and empowering individuals through job searches and career advancements. Through coaching, tools, and resources, Sharon aims to give people the self-confidence and knowledge they need to identify and reach their next career step.
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Recorded in Studio C at 511 Studios. A production of Circle270Media Podcast Consultants.
Copyright 2024 Carol Ventresca and Brett Johnson
Transcripts
We are Looking Forward Our Way from Studio C in the 511 Studios in the Brewery District to South Downtown Columbus, Ohio. Hi. This is Brett. Older adults have ceaseless job challenges as we've talked about numerous times on this podcast, and that's, You know, whether they're employed or in a job search, we've had many discussions, regarding ageism in job searches. Today, we're focusing on a different issue though. What steps should we take while we are already in paid employment, whether it's a new job or one we've spent years performing?
Carol Ventresca [:Brett, our friend and local expert, Sharon Hamersley, is here to provide our listeners with the critical information on Owning their career. Sharon's been our guide to job searching for many years and always willing to provide us with current information Needed by so many job applicants. Some of you know Sharon as the LinkedIn coach or the resume coach. She has generously provides job searching information to Central Ohioans in many formats, including working with nonprofits, Our local libraries and through her various workshops and training programs. So welcome, Sharon, to the studio today, and thanks so much for giving us your time again.
Sharon Hamersly [:Thanks so much, and I'm really glad to be here with my good friends, Carol and Brett.
Carol Ventresca [:We've been doing this a long time.
Sharon Hamersly [:Yes. We have, and it gets better Every time. That's true.
Carol Ventresca [:That is very true.
Brett Johnson [:So talk about your background briefly and the services you've been providing to jobs seekers for these many, many years.
Sharon Hamersly [:Well, my goal is also to give people the tools and the information, but most of all, The self confidence that they need to conduct a job search, move forward in their career. I've been doing this now for well, If you count the time that I spent at Ohio State as an academic adviser, close to 40 years. But, Basically, the last 10 or 12 years, I've actually made, a business out of helping people Get to that next step. Identify that next step and get to it through, the coaching and tools and resources that I provide.
Carol Ventresca [:Sharon and I have actually worked with students and clients literally from the age of 18 to 80 Exactly. In their educational and job search Areas. Yeah. And we've been doing this a long time. I don't know that I've got 40 years, but Yeah. I'm probably pushing it.
Sharon Hamersly [:Yeah. Probably close. You know? If you
Carol Ventresca [:count Yeah.
Sharon Hamersly [:If you count your years with employment for seniors, for sure.
Carol Ventresca [:Yeah. Well and even when I was working for the state, we did I was at employment Services for the state. So Yeah. I wasn't working with clients directly, but still doing all that stuff. So, Sharon, job hunting is a challenge. I mean, anybody who goes through a job search is just, Frustration is at is at the top of your list of of emotions that you're going through. And it's important that we learn to control The process. As you said, self confidence is one of the many key factors, and older adults have, they especially if they've lost their job, it's it's it's critical.
Carol Ventresca [:But when you actually land a position, you're in that job, You're just putting along, doing it doing what's what they're asking you to do. It's very tempting to sit back, relax, and concentrate on the daily work As opposed to long term career path. Is it a good strategy, or should you continue to own or control your career?
Sharon Hamersly [:Well, it's really tempting just to focus on what's right in front of you. And and, Really, when you're in a job, a lot of your time and your effort goes into doing the very best job you can in the job that you have. However, when you focus on that exclusively, you can miss many types of opportunities to grow. And here's the thing. A job can end at any time. I mean, every week, we see layoff notices. You know? Big companies, Amazon. You know? I noticed that I think it was Chase was gonna lay off 95 employees at one of their locations.
Sharon Hamersly [:So Right. It's really so, just being a worker bee, can leave you truly unprepared for a sudden shift in your career path. So it's it is important To pay attention to what you're doing and to do a really good job because that does hopefully the groundwork for whatever is next. But, you know, It's really also important to be very cognizant of what you are you know, what might be next and look for some opportunities To prepare for that.
Carol Ventresca [:And the the change in a job, whether it you lose it, you lose hours, whatever, Happens very suddenly. Yes. You can't go back and gain that time to prepare yourself While you're working. You you can't go back. So if you wait till you are out of a job, it's it I don't wanna say it's too late, but You're over a much bigger hill to this point.
Sharon Hamersly [:You're really behind you're really behind in your timeline for looking for work.
Carol Ventresca [:Right. Yep. Right. Yep.
Brett Johnson [:Well and, also, that you have to address, this is all inside of you, though, is that you feel guilty.
Sharon Hamersly [:Yep. That
Brett Johnson [:while you're working, you feel like you're kind of, you know, dissing the boss by doing that sort of Light search? Yep. Keeping your eye on the on, you know, what's maybe next. Can you address that just a little bit? It's like, don't, I I know the answer is don't feel guilty, but it's that but you do have to get over that hill.
Sharon Hamersly [:That that's true. Here's the thing. You there there's a there's a thought out there that you have to be loyal to your employer. Well, guess what? Employers are not loyal to you. So, I mean and and, you know, maybe, you know, maybe they should be or There there is this image of a sort of golden age when you worked for a long time for the same employer, and you got promoted and all of those things. Well, that hasn't been true for at least the past 20 years, and I don't think it was ever actually really the case. So, there there's a you there's a little bit of balancing act there between, you know, Doing what your employer needs you to do and looking out for yourself, but you you do have to do that. You have to have that balancing act.
Sharon Hamersly [:See that.
Carol Ventresca [:Lovely. That's
Brett Johnson [:a really good way of putting it. Yeah. I I appreciate that perspective
Sharon Hamersly [:because I
Brett Johnson [:because I've never been able to answer that.
Sharon Hamersly [:Yeah. Yeah. To some point.
Carol Ventresca [:Really two sides to the same coin. The the coin is that you are increasing your skill level. One side is you're doing it for future opportunities. The other side is increasing your skill level could possibly help your employer. Yeah. So just because you are increasing your skill level doesn't mean the employer isn't going to Something out of it. Yeah.
Brett Johnson [:True. That's a good point. Yeah. Right. So you're working every day, you're receiving your salary, and and perhaps you occasionally think about what might be next and how you can prepare. It also isn't always obvious that an employer is not interested in helping you grow your career or may even be thinking about eliminating your position. I mean, Talk about the extremes. What are some clues you should be aware of before it's too late?
Sharon Hamersly [:Well, there are signs. Some are pretty subtle, and some are not so subtle that you should pay attention to. One area, If you're starting to get negative feedback when previously you'd be gotten positive feedback with your reviews That your work was satisfactory or you even receive compliments on the quality of your work, and now you're Something seems to have shifted somewhere. So that's that's a clue to pay attention to. That can be really subtle because you can think, well, maybe my manager just had a bad day or something like that. You know? And and you don't really give it too much thought. Areas where you should really start to pay attention are if you get a reduction in hours worked. That can be a real sign.
Sharon Hamersly [:And and in some cases, that has nothing to do with you. The company is just there.
Brett Johnson [:It's the health of the company. Yeah.
Sharon Hamersly [:It's the health of the company. Yeah. But, But if other employees are maintaining or increasing your their workload and you're getting your hours cut, Then that should be something that you should pay attention to too. And another this is starting to be a bigger red flag. Reduction in responsibilities. Previously, You've had a team of people working with you, and now it's just you you've had some responsibilities taken off your plate Or even assign some tasks that, you know, are basically the there are things that any, entry level person could do, and now all of a sudden they're asking you to do that. And, again, sometimes that's just that the company is really not very great shape. And And if you see these types of things, you should also be looking out for any signs that the company really is not in great shape because That is a big red flag that says pay attention here.
Sharon Hamersly [:You may actually need to jump. So Mhmm. And then, If you're not getting any opportunities and you see that other people are to get training and skill building, that would be another one. And then, if you're not being included in meetings, it's sort of like, oh, we're going you know, you're you're not important to this meeting. We're gonna shut you out, and that's A big red flag, you know, when you previously had input.
Carol Ventresca [:When you think about the first point On getting negative feedback very suddenly, how many of us have gone through changes in managers or supervisors? Particularly, if you've been in a company for a long time and now you suddenly have a somebody who's your supervisor who's half your age. That is, can be a huge red flag that you really need to watch for where, an employer may be looking at eliminating your position. Yep. And I
Sharon Hamersly [:think that's true. And and it is you know, there's always a there's always a challenge in the intergenerational workforce. But And you have to you really do have to kind of think about, well, how does this person see the world differently from me? And there can be some good conversations around that. But if you're really just getting shut down, you know, you're you're trying to hold up your end of the deal, and you're you're not Getting anywhere, that's really you you do have to watch for that type of thing. And really start thinking about, So what am I going to do next? This is just this this doesn't look like it's going down a path that I really wanna The go down.
Carol Ventresca [:Right. Yeah. Right.
Brett Johnson [:And and, you know, everything you've said there, it it's not all based on age. It can happen to any age. I mean, I guess it is based on age, but it's not Ageism Yeah. Necessarily.
Sharon Hamersly [:I I
Brett Johnson [:guess I'm not trying to deflate that the ageism is a pro is is not a problem. But if you look at it from a 25 year old or a 30 5 year to 45 year old, all these things can happen.
Sharon Hamersly [:Yeah. And they do regularly. Yeah. Absolutely.
Brett Johnson [:Right.
Carol Ventresca [:Good point. Good point. Okay. So That's your 1st step. You've seen these things happen to you in your daily work. You're wonder you're sitting back wondering, maybe my Employer isn't interested in helping me grow and continue in this organization. What steps do you need to take to ensure that no matter what happens in your current position, you're prepared to move forward.
Sharon Hamersly [:Yes. Well, I would say the first step is just to be really honest with yourself. I mean, yeah, we can kind of settle in and be kind of comfortable in position, just kind of Floating along, doing, you know, doing what we need to do. And, maybe maybe the, You're not really putting out that little bit of extra that, you know, would would get you noticed and maybe would counteract some of the Negative feedback that you're getting. So that that would be my first step. And then take a look at the current environment. We've already mentioned this. You know? As the situation the company changed or the economic environment.
Sharon Hamersly [:So if the company is somehow gotten on, shaky financial grounds, that's not just gonna impact you. That's gonna impact everybody in the company. Economic environment. I mean, we have economic cycles. Stuff goes up, stuff goes down. Well, we've been through a really, Really interesting economic cycle. In fact, I think we're still in it right now, but you know? So Then the next step is, you know, after you've done your self assessment, make a list of projects that you've worked on over the past year or 2 years, And identify what you have contributed and what skills you used. And then finally, make it a point To sit down with your manager and ask, you know, ask for their honest assessment, what could you do better? How could you better support business goals and emphasize that your goal is to contribute and be an outstanding employee? So, you want you wanna do all of this because you owe that to yourself.
Sharon Hamersly [:Feedback, you know, even feedback that that, you know, is saying, hey. There's a problem here. That's some that's good feedback and something that you should pay attention to.
Carol Ventresca [:Because it could be something that could be easily fixed. Had you Dealt with it.
Sharon Hamersly [:Yeah. Exactly. But now here's the bottom line. If you find that your manager is unwilling to engage with you, That's, of course, a huge red flag, and you should be prepared and laying the groundwork to move on. And I would I would think that would be even if, you know, even if the company were a good financial shaper, you couldn't see any other reason Why this is happening except maybe you've had a change in managers or something like that. That would be a very good reason to say, okay. I can see that my time here is probably gonna be limited. I really need to double down on getting myself ready for my next step.
Sharon Hamersly [:So
Carol Ventresca [:Right. And and I think To going and having those conversations with your supervisors or managers or HR, whoever you talk to, What's really important is that you're walking in, being willing to listen to them. Yes. You're not you're not walking in being defensive. You just want clarification. But if you walk in and be defensive, you're gonna get shut down.
Sharon Hamersly [:Yeah. Yeah. And yep. This has to be a two way conversation, and you have You have to be very open to hearing what they have to say even if it's not something you really And
Carol Ventresca [:and willing to try to make a change. Yeah. If if you don't wanna hear those things, you may not wanna have that conversation. Yeah.
Brett Johnson [:Right. Right. Well, ageism is often a contributing factor to that situation, this situation, situation. But what other factors might be affecting your diminished position?
Sharon Hamersly [:Okay. So the primary factor is The rapidly changing involving work and economic environment. I think that's really the primary cause of this. And this is incidentally, And we'll talk more about this in a minute, you know, why you really need to keep your skills up to date, ensure that you are tracking your contributions, And making an effort to understand your employer's needs and address them. So all of those things, you wanna be one of those folks who does step up To the plate does, you know, pay attention to what you're seeing. It can be difficult depending on the environment to say, Hey. I really see a problem here, and, I have a have a solution. Don't don't point out a problem that you don't have a solution for.
Carol Ventresca [:Point. Yeah.
Sharon Hamersly [:Yeah. But but make every effort in in the position. And part part of one of your skills is just the ability to recognize When there's something that does need to be fixed and and developing solutions to get it fixed, that's actually a great skill to have. It's one of our soft skills as we call them, but a very critical skill for any employee. And and it will help you in your career progression Even if you decide that you're gonna move on from wherever you're currently employed. Right. So
Carol Ventresca [:I I think building skills, continuing to learn, Being open to new information is probably one of the hardest things for workers in our economy To deal with. So many times, I've talked to folks, and, they they have not learned anything new since they graduated from college 30 years ago. And and you can't you have to always be willing to learn something new. But, also, employers need to Help in that skill building, it doesn't always happen. Once you are working and you're in a position working on those skills, You can't just depend on that employer to teach you. What should we remember and and do in our own phases of skill building even if Well, after we've landed that job.
Sharon Hamersly [:Well, as we previously mentioned, it's not wise to simply sit on your current skill set. Investigate what additional skills are necessary to advance in your career even if you're not looking to Be promoted to a very high level. Sometimes, just moving to a different area within the business Requires many of the skills you have and some that you don't yet have. And making a lateral move can be actually very beneficial for your career If you're willing to, identify and acquire the those additional skills. And I will say One skill that is clearly going to be needed and has been in the news a lot is the ability to use artificial intelligence Or AI, to be more productive in your work. And employees are very rightly concerned about AI. And the best strategy is to keep up with this technology to identify where it's going to be most useful in your work. Because you can either grab hold of this technology and use it to your advantage, or I think you really will be behind In terms of that.
Sharon Hamersly [:So you you need to start to understand that. And and it's a big and constantly evolving Field. And I don't claim to know a lot about it yet either, but I can tell you one thing for sure. I'm working with it right now pretty much on a daily basis To discover how it can make me more productive. So, I I think that that's really important no matter what your position is. And, there there is going to be more automation, but, you know, you can make yourself useful using AI Rather than just sitting there and wait waiting for AI to basically eliminate your job. Right. So so, Another thing, skill building area is that whatever your profession is, there's likely a professional Organization.
Sharon Hamersly [:The the people that get ahead of the field are the ones that are really active in your professional organization and learning. Your professional organization offers great learning opportunities. There are yearly conferences. There are podcasts. There are webinars. There are all kinds of things. I had, my personal experience with my professional organizations is we have an annual conference. We have a webinar every other month.
Sharon Hamersly [:We have 2 or 3 kind of social events every year, but at social events, obviously, you're gonna be networking. Great chance to learn, ask people maybe in slightly different areas how they got there, and identify maybe some skills you could use if you thought That might be of interest to you.
Carol Ventresca [:Right. And and when you think about it, going back to that your comments about the AI, You can't just learn this by reading the newspaper. You have to sorta delve into your company and your industry. How better to do that than utilizing those professional organizations, trade Trade journals or trade publications, that's where you're probably going to be able to find those tips On what AI is doing to your industry. Yes. Exactly. What you're doing in terms of your actual career going Forward to the Future is going to give you the information you need today on things like AI or Changes in, not just in processes, but in the industry itself. For instance, Lots of changes in the in insurance industry because insurance carriers aren't giving out new policies.
Carol Ventresca [:How does that change what you are doing in your job in that insurance industry? Yeah. So there are things that are going on that you're going to learn That you'll be able to kinda put all those pieces together into the puzzle.
Sharon Hamersly [:Exactly. So that's that that is really important, I think.
Brett Johnson [:Well, older adults, sometimes have difficulty in building their network. They see the value of networking for job search and make an effort to participate in networking events, but What should we be doing with our network once we have a job?
Sharon Hamersly [:That's an excellent question. The because the best time To build your network is when you have a job. And let's be clear about this. Networking is not an event. It's a process. And we we go through that process many, many times over the course. So you can evaluate and should evaluate who's currently in your network and take some action to keep in touch with it. You know, in sales, this is called keeping warm leads out there because you may not need them today, but you might need them tomorrow.
Sharon Hamersly [:So, This could be something as simple as a quick note. Hope you're doing well. Would love to hear what's new or, you know, if they're local. People now are so dispersed. You know, this may be a colleague who's on the other side of the country, but, you know, you were you've worked with them or you worked in person with them in the past. Just keep in touch with them. If they're local, you know, just sit down over a cup of coffee or lunch at some point.
Brett Johnson [:You're talking like once a year. Right?
Carol Ventresca [:Yeah. Once a year.
Brett Johnson [:Once a year.
Carol Ventresca [:Once a year. How much better? You know, Zoom with coffee or that's Sharon, Zoom with coffee. For me, it's Zoom with wine.
Sharon Hamersly [:You know? Well, it depends on the time of day. Exactly.
Carol Ventresca [:Well, it's 5 o'clock somewhere.
Sharon Hamersly [:Right? Yeah. Right. Exactly. So, And, you want to even if you're planning to stay in your current role, you know, for the foreseeable future, Be intentional about building contacts that if needed, can contact you with new opportunities. So and that kind of goes back to the skill building because one way that you can build your network is to look at Skills that you might need to acquire in your current job or if you're thinking of maybe making a lateral move, find people that are already there, Start talking to them. You know? And, again, this this isn't something that you do every day, every week, even every month, but every couple of months. And then just like the we mentioned previously, you reach out to them, you know, maybe once a year or maybe you see an article and you're like, hey. I thought of you, I'm I'm just gonna pass this along.
Sharon Hamersly [:Right. Those types of things. And the other thing is and I'm really hammering on this because I think it is really important, and people don't understand it real well. Your professional organization is your best Local resource for networking. That's your local professional organization, but by extension, the national professional organizations as well. Because you can have, you know, people now people do work remotely. There may be opportunities out there that you wouldn't even be aware of If you did participate in both your local and your national professional organizations. So
Brett Johnson [:Yeah. How would you address And this kinda goes along with what we just talked about too. What's coming back into my mind is all the fatigue that goes into finding that job that you finally found.
Sharon Hamersly [:Yep.
Brett Johnson [:And then you're saying right now, but, Sharon, I'm burned out. I I I did all this work to get this job, and now you're telling me I don't even get a honeymoon Time period Yeah. Of working again, how how do you, with your clients, approach that, yep, I get it. I know there's fatigue in this, but what what are some tricks in your mind, I guess, to kinda go, here's how you get over those hurdles? Because you've got to keep doing this.
Sharon Hamersly [:Yes. You do have to keep doing this. Now I think some people think, okay. They've They've just settled into a job. Your primary objective in starting that new job is to make sure That you're doing really, really well in that new job because you're probably gonna have a 90 day evaluation or something. But here's the trick. It's not so much then about doing networking and all this other stuff we mentioned, but, you know, as you start to work on projects, keep some notes. You know? If you notice any issues that are in the company, just keep some notes initially.
Sharon Hamersly [:Hey. You're the new person on the block. Know, you don't wanna go out there waving your flag and going, you got a problem here, but, you know, just keep notes. And once To start that habit of keeping notes, and maybe somebody gave you a nice compliment, you know, keep the email, you know, all of that. So just initially just little things. It's not that big thing. And then as you get more settled in the job, Then these other things like the skill building and the networking and everything, will come a little bit more naturally to you, And you won't feel like it's just like, oof, on top of working, I gotta do all this.
Carol Ventresca [:So I I think too that I I always used to tell clients that I was a great networker because I was inherently nosy. And so I'd asked people a lot of questions just because I was interested in what they were doing. When you're networking for a job, when you're out of work and try and having difficulty paying bills, networking is difficult because it's emotionally draining, Because you have all of these other needs that can't be met until you get a job. Take networking as A fun part of what you're doing after you've actually landed that position. Don't look at networking as a chore. Look at it as making yourself a better person. It's no different really than going to the gym every day. It and it and you really make it part of your, The the every make it an an an additional point on your everyday list of activities, but Now you can do it and enjoy it because you don't have that extra stress from not being able to pay your bills or or Make sure your kids are in school or whatever.
Carol Ventresca [:Yeah. So it that's I think we've we've lost the, The beauty of and the enjoyment of learning, and you really need to kind of find that again. Yes.
Sharon Hamersly [:I think so. And and here's the thing about that. The person who benefits most from that, and this is you can see this as selfish or not, It's you. Right. You you really do benefit from that. And and don't don't think just because You you you know, you're working and all of that that you don't deserve to have some of these things. You definitely deserve. Look.
Sharon Hamersly [:You had to work really, really hard and Probably go through some pretty hard times to get this job. So enjoy being able to do Things for yourself and not having to worry about where your next paycheck is coming from. And in the process, keeping yourself current, laying a good foundation, building your self confidence. So that's that's really what
Carol Ventresca [:Right. Yeah. Right. Well, Sharon, you know, one of the things that we always talk about are all of the resource programs and services available to job seekers in our community. Central Ohio is, just immensely blessed on having so much out there for people, and most of it is either free or very low cost. What are some of your recommendations on, what people can do and what they can take advantage of to help them Not only in the career the job search, but in maintaining their position.
Sharon Hamersly [:Yeah. Well, professional organizations are are, of course, great resources. And also consider civic clubs like Rotary or Civitan or something like that. That's a great way. I mean, When when you join a or an organization like that, you've got a built in network all of a sudden. You know? It it's just there. Chambers of commerce, you know, is, they're mostly for business people, but why wouldn't you you know, if there's something that's particularly interesting, why wouldn't you go to a Chamber of Commerce event? I think that that's that's great. A great strategy is not just joining organizations, but volunteering, you know, and And, even becoming an officer because that boosts your professional visibility and also your community visibility And, and credibility.
Sharon Hamersly [:You know, volunteering is always a great thing. Volunteering for a cause you're really passionate about. I think that actually gives you a boost, you know, even you know, we go up and down when we're working too. You know? Some days are just not very fun. And so but if you have these other activities that really give you boost and and help you understand how you can help other people, I think that's great.
Carol Ventresca [:And an easy way to have something to talk about on LinkedIn.
Sharon Hamersly [:Yeah. Exactly. Yeah. And, you know, here here at Columbus, there are many great organizations that offer job search support to candidates of all ages. And you don't have to be out of a job. If you're in one of the situations we discussed where you're starting to See that things may be shaky with your current employer. I would make a proactive outreach to some of these organizations To see what resources might be available to you and where to get started, Ohio means jobs, Jewish family services, Goodwill, New Directions Career Center offers support to women in transition. And if you're an Ohio State alum or, in fact, an alum of most Ohio colleges, there is a dedicated alumni job search, Job fair, network that you can take advantage of, and I would definitely do so.
Sharon Hamersly [:I There either was an alumni job fair recently or there's there's one coming up very shortly
Carol Ventresca [:Right.
Sharon Hamersly [:That's sponsored Jointly by Ohio State and a lot of the other Ohio colleges and universities. So that's something, to think about. And, Most alumni associations have career centers, so you can take advantage of them or at least investigate What resources that, your college or university offers to their alumni. And I think all of that's important.
Carol Ventresca [:And and, Many of the alumni organizations have, job boards. Yep. So for Ohio State, as you know, hire a Buckeye. Buckeye's hiring Buckeyes. But, also, if your college or university doesn't have an alumni association, career services office. Check back with your college because many times, they will have opportunities, If nothing else, letting you use the job board. And, again, it's the notion that alumni hiring alumni. The the other part that I wanted to add to this, if you're not in Central Ohio.
Carol Ventresca [:Think in terms of the same ideas. Go to your college wherever you it's located. Go to your State or county entity that does that works on workforce development. They will have programs, workshops, Job boards, all of that for you. And if you are looking for a nonprofit to help you, there are many, many nonprofits. The Goodwill, services programs across the country have job programs. The Jewish family services programs across the country have job programs, And anybody can go to these. You don't have to either be disabled or only in the Jewish community.
Carol Ventresca [:They're open to everybody. But just, call, For us, we can call The Columbus Foundation and get names or go to their website, get names of of other nonprofits. Go to, whatever foundation is in your community and see if they have names of nonprofits that do job search Services, and and they're out there. We will include all of that information on our resources sheet on the website when this Podcast is posted. Mhmm. We always provide our guests an opportunity for the last words of wisdom. So tell us, what did we not talk about today or, reiterate something? But give us those last words that are going to help our listeners Owning their career.
Sharon Hamersly [:Well, I would say that the most important strategy that you can use to own your career is to recognize that you are the person in charge of your career. And, you know, one one thing that we really didn't mention in that Great detail. But I I would just say, make sure that you keep good records all the time. It doesn't have to be that, you're you're doing this on a daily or even weekly basis. But, you know, when you get your annual evaluations, Hopefully, your company does annual evaluations. Not everybody does. But when you get your annual evaluations, make sure you keep a copy or an electronic copy. If you get complimentary emails from clients or supervisors or whoever, just forward that to your personal email address.
Sharon Hamersly [:Keep a little file. That way, no matter what situation you're in, if you have those notes, If you have those reviews, if you have those other little bits of information, that's gonna be really helpful In terms of whatever the next step is, whether it's sudden or really well planned out, you'll have a lot of information That you can put into your next resume, maybe your LinkedIn profile. And I would say those are really good things to have. And the other part of this is, like I said, you are the captain of your ship. Don't let anybody else tell you, including your employer to your earlier question, Brett, that you you shouldn't actually Take charge of who you are, what you want, and the path that you're going to take to get there.
Brett Johnson [:So Yeah. Oh, many thanks to Sharon, our LinkedIn coach and local expert assisting job seekers throughout Central Ohio. Thanks for joining us. This has been good. I'm glad we talked about when you finally have the job because it's always been the Mhmm. The reverse. I think this has been a good, you know, confirmation that you will get a job.
Sharon Hamersly [:Yes. And
Brett Johnson [:this is what you gotta do. So, thank you for joining us listeners. Don't forget to check out our show notes on the website for contact information and the resources we've discussed today. We've also Created a collection of Sharon's episodes, previous episodes, so it's a nice, real easy link to click on it, and all of a sudden, all these other episodes that Sharon's been a guest on will populate so that you can listen to those as well too. So go to the website. Check out that. You can find out, find all this information at looking forward our way.com. We're looking forward to hearing your feedback on this and any of our other podcast episodes.
