Workshops

Barb’s extensive career includes training and facilitating groups, special education, and career coaching. Barb enjoys working with all job seekers, but especially those with special needs. In fact, one of her favorite jobs involved helping parents of youth with disabilities develop a school-to-adulthood transition plan. She offers job seekers hope, a fresh perspective at looking at skills, and can link people with disabilities in the workplace to a wealth of resources. She is extremely talented at training and facilitating groups and helping people transitioning to a new field. Barb’s experience with special education and disability services gives her a supportive style of training with unique skills for identifying barriers and applying creative problem solving.

What is the best advice you have for first-time job seekers?
 Every job you have will teach you skills to take forward to your next position. Be sure to search for a job that meets your needs now.  One of my first jobs was frying taco shells – it was hard work. 

What advice do you have for someone changing careers?    
 Take the time to really analyze your skills. Next, consider all the things you have to offer to an employer. Finally, consider new environments that best suit you and your abilities.

How can you help job seekers?

• Hope
• New way of looking at skills and potential jobs
• Information and support related to disabilities in the workplace

CJ’s career spans many areas from ballet to auto mechanic to web design to construction to career coach to entrepreneurship and several other positions in between. She is a poster child for networking with 28 jobs and three careers under her belt. All the positions were the result of cultivating relationships before she needed them. As a career coach, she helps job seekers find confidence, guides them on their paths to self-discovery, and offers to be an accountability partner. 

What advice do you have for first-time job seekers?

Identify five companies you want to work for and create a strategy to land a position with one of your choices.

What advice do you have for someone changing careers? 

Cultivate and utilize your network. Informational interviews are underutilized, yet they are great ways to vicariously test the waters before making a career change.  

What advice do you have for someone laid off or re-entering the workforce?

Step back, take a deep breath and imagine what a great day at work looks like. Be sure to think about the ideal environment, co-workers and bosses, and the type work that brings you joy.  Next, give yourself permission to follow that dream. There is no reason to settle or take the first job that comes along.  

Elizabeth’s background ranges from work as a mental health therapist and a relationship coach to writing business and science articles for national magazines and teaching communication at the university level. As a trainer, she inspires people to recognize their strengths rather than stumbling over their weaknesses. She combines a sense of humor with a passion for showing people how to be confident and successful.

What are the top three ways you help job seekers?

• Teaching professional communication and presentation skills
• Focusing on confidence-building through goal achievement 
• Helping people identify skills and spotlight them in resumes, interviews and on the job

What is the best advice you have for first-time job seekers?

Focus on defining your strengths and skills and then create a strategy that sells those skill sets to companies. Network constantly and take advantage of educational opportunities through the county! 

What advice do you have for someone that was laid off or re-entering the workforce?

Dust yourself off. Wash off your wounds. Turn your sites on your strengths and fabulous qualities as soon as possible. Reach out to everyone who can be supportive and a resource.

Jack is dedicated to serving the public and his previous jobs include high school business and marketing teacher, aquatics instructor, and high school official. One of his specialties is teaching Microsoft Word and Excel workshops. Students enjoy his patient and humorous teaching style, and that he takes complex ideas and explains them using simple to understand examples.

What advice you have for first-time job seekers? 

Never give up.

What advice do you have for someone changing careers? 

Do whatever it takes to find a career you love doing.

What advice do you have for someone that was laid off or re-entering the workforce?

Do not take it personally. Be a friend to yourself. Make re-entering the workforce your full-time job until it happens.

What is your favorite quote? 

“Whatever you are, be a good one.” -President Abraham Lincoln

John’s career covers real estate, teaching high school and college students marketing and business, and helping job seekers find their passion. He understands that everyone he meets has lived a very different life and takes this into consideration when teaching workshops. He enjoys injecting humor and real-life examples into teaching, which allows participants to enjoy learning in a relaxed and casual environment. 

What advice can you offer to first-time job seekers?

Always do more than what is expected of you and try to become the type of person other people want to be around.

What advice can you offer for someone changing careers?  

Don’t limit yourself and be sure to pursue something you will enjoy doing.

What advice can you offer someone that has been let go or is re-entering the workforce? 

Get back to work as soon as possible. Don’t lose your confidence.

Rosa is an energetic and committed facilitator known for inspiring hope and momentum for participants’ job-seeking journeys. Her workshops arm job seekers with best practices and the latest tips and tricks to stand out to prospective employers. She teaches using a lighthearted and upbeat approach, while sharing relevant resources that lead to exciting new opportunities. Rosa encourages job seekers to listen and trust their personal preferences when looking for work.

What is the best advice you have for first-time job seekers? 

Be curious. Try a variety of jobs, even if you do not think you will like the work. Job seekers should also connect with those that excel in their positions and learn all they can from those individuals.

What advice do you have for someone changing careers? 

Make sure to persistently network within the space you wish to occupy. And, remember to be a resource to those whom you network with and try to learn why when you receive a no for an answer. 

What advice do you have for someone that was laid off or re-entering the workforce? 

It’s important to grieve the loss and take time for self-care and seek counseling. Individuals should also create a five-year plan to determine the skills, job, industry, or role they want. Finally, create goals and milestones that bring you closer to a career you want to pursue.