Career Transition Workshop

Workshop for Job Seekers and Career Decision Makers

"Invaluable advice - it made me think of things I would have ignored."

"Gave me confidence - taught me to present myself more powerfully."

"I enjoyed learning practical information in a spiritual context."

"I found a job quickly by putting the lessons to work."

A new workshop series begins March 29, 2008

The Career Transition Workshop will give you practical, down-to-earth information integrated with Scriptural insight to help you in your job search, career decision or career planning activity. Over the eight-week series, you will sharpen your understanding of the talents, skills and abilities God has given you; assess the strengths of your educational and work experience; and learn to target the career that right for you.

Sessions will be in an informal and personalized format taught by Dave Cox, a professional career consultant. Classes will include Bible-oriented vocational approaches as well as practical job search instruction based on Dave's experiences in management consulting and career coaching. Participants will receive a Career Decision workbook as a continuing resource and weekly written handouts.

What You Will Learn

How to decide whether to stay in your current position or move on to an opportunity where you can find greater satisfaction and improve your performance.
How to assess your strengths, skills, talents, personality, values, experience, interests and spiritual gifts as part of setting a job search strategy.
How to know God's will for your life and what that may mean in developing a lifetime career plan.
How to increase your understanding of today's "high tech" workplace and be better prepared to master constant change.
How to develop an effective resume and "personal handbill" so you can more effectively market your talents and possible contributions to the workplace.
How to network and "getting the word out" so you can discover the "hidden job market."
Using the internet to discover opportunities.

Who Should Attend?

Those who wonder whether they might be in the wrong job altogether and would like to find more meaning in their work.
Those who are out of work or concerned about the possibility of losing their job.
Those who are trying to make an important career decision such as retirement or moving to a new assignment or industry.
Those who are considering going back to work after being homemakers for a time.
Those who would like to find ways to improve their performance in their current jobs.

Time and Location

We will meet for eight Saturdays, 8:00-10:00 am, beginning March 29, 2008, at Wheaton Bible Church in room B3/4. The content of each class is interrelated, but it is not necessary to attend all the classes to benefit. Feel free to join the group at any time. Make-up materials will be provided to bring you up-to-date.

Partial List of Topics Discussed

Assessment of Talents and Strengths: Understanding how God has equipped you to do your best work, guides you and enables your most important accomplishments.
Dealing with Feelings: Overcoming the emotional impact of job loss, drawing on spiritual comfort through God's promises as well as enhancing your personal support system.
Resume Writing and Self-Marketing: Creating a resume and personal handbill showing how you solve problems and pursue achievement opportunities. How to become proactive in discovering organizations needing your strongest capabilities.
Special Challenges: Senior workers; lack of experience; many job changes; changing industries; diversity issues. How to "quit smart." How to "unretire."
Developing an effective Search Strategy: Developing multiple career options; dealing with search firms; making certain your personal references are prepared to help you.
Pursuing Non-traditional Career Options: Entrepreneurial and consulting opportunity tradeoffs and implementation strategies are pursued.
Negotiating Job Offers: Learn win-win job offer evaluation and how to decide whether this is the right company, culture and job description for you.
Effective Networking: Maximizing the impact of your personal contacts. Helping your personal network lead you toward contacts with knowledge about a situation where you may become employed.
Correspondence Techniques: Writing good cover letters for your resumes and persuasive target letters to executives of organizations where you have an interest.
Successful Interviews: Discovering the major needs of potential employers so that you can present yourself as an effective problem solver. How to answer tough questions.
Succeeding in the New Job: Getting off to a fast start and making the most of your new opportunity. Applying the lessons learned from your career transition experience.

About the Teacher

Dave Cox is a professional career consultant and executive coach and was with one of the leading national career management organizations before starting his own coaching firm. Before becoming a consultant, Dave was a marketing executive for IBM for 27 years managing many different marketing organizations throughout the United States. Dave combines his business skills and knowledge of Scripture to lead upbeat sessions tailored to the needs of workshop attendees.

Some sessions will be led by subject matter experts who work with the attendees for a week or two. Knowledge about topics such as resume writing, internet usage, working with search firms and interviewing will be enhanced in this way.

Contact Information

If you have questions or would like more information, please contact Erica Rinde at neatorinde@comcast.net or 630.260.0399. Registration is not required.

Donation

A $25 donation for the notebook materials would be appreciated.