Searching for Work, continued

The following statement appeared in the Sunday, March 29, 2009 bulletin of the Presbyterian Church in Westfield, NJ. Although I did not write it, or provide any input, it captures the essence of the work we are doing—

“Signs of God’s Work Among Us…
Church is a place where we can come and share our burdens with others. It is a place where we can help bear the burdens of others. Searching for Work is a group that lives out this practice every Tuesday morning. Those who are in a period of job transition gather together to share their stories, their successes, their failures, their learnings, and their mutual support and encouragement. It is a place where God is experienced through gathering of the saints: ‘And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching’ (Hebrews 10: 24–25)”

Searching for Work

This is a brief description of my latest project. It has been an interesting and challenging experience working with a group of people who have been affected by the recession.

Searching for Work is a networking group with a common goal—to assist members in their search for employment. It is an outreach program of The Presbyterian Church in Westfield, NJ that is led by experienced volunteers who serve as advisors to the group.

Its mission is to support people actively searching for work, who want to—

• Develop their job search skills
• Improve their networking techniques
• Share their experiences so that others in the group can benefit and learn
• Participate in a community that encourages spiritual, emotional, and personal growth as part of their search process

The purpose of the program is to provide members with tools and techniques required for a successful job search. We place an emphasis on networking as an integral part of a successful search for employment. We use Linkedin.com as the networking web site of choice.

The program is free, and open to people who are committed to finding employment, and willing to share their search experiences with group members. Meetings are held Tuesday mornings, 9:00 AM–10 AM in the Parish House library of the Presbyterian Church in Westfield.