Searching for work when you need it is hard enough; many of us don’t fit into perfect skillsets and job titles. So imagine making your job search in a brand new city with no network or connections at all.
Jennifer Kennedy moved to Pittsburgh from California in October last year. Jennifer is a woman of no small determination and energy. She found JFCS Career Development Center in a Google search of career resources, and became a client.
She had been a curriculum and learning professional and sought the same kind of work here. Her career counselor at JFCS, Pam Day, covered all the usual bases: resume, cover letter and applicable workshops. Jennifer went to them all. “I felt like I had a whole team in my corner,” she said.
But Jennifer said what she appreciated most was the holistic approach of JFCS. She and Pam systematically examined different companies to see which might have the kind of position she sought. They made a plan to start creating a professional network. At their weekly meetings, Jennifer was expected to report everything she had done that week and how it had worked out.
“The accountability factor was good for me,” said Jennifer. “We made a to-do list every week, and that gave me the energy and discipline to get out there and do every item on the list.”
In May, Jennifer’s hard work paid off when she was offered a learning specialist position at UPMC, a job she was very excited to start on June 3.
In an email we received just this week, Jennifer updated us on her job: “Things are going well at the job,” she wrote. “I’m slowly beginning to facilitate more classes and take on additional projects. Things are going a bit slower than I anticipated, but I have definitely learned a lot and am looking forward to growing as a professional and trainer!”
If you need help getting your career in gear, call us at 412-422-5627!