AARP features LaidOff Camp

Yes, the Nov-Dec issue of AARP Magazine features a full page on LaidOff Camp and PinkSlip Parties (page 13).

Thanks to the organizers

On this New England Thanksgiving Day, I'd like to thank the core team for helping me to organize the event. We spent a bunch of time and learned a whole lot. Without the support from these folks, the event could not have gotten as far as it did.

Barbara http://www.linkedin.com/in/barbarayates
Brenda http://www.linkedin.com/in/brendabrassard
Marilyn http://www.linkedin.com/in/marilyntjohnson
Pauline http://www.linkedin.com/in/paulinelussier
Bruce http://www.linkedin.com/in/brucereirden
Patricia http://www.linkedin.com/pub/patricia-strauss/11/a88/b00

We will regroup and plan for an event in Fed/Mar that with some better registration success will actually happen.

Be positive! Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Refunds should have been received

The registration refund to your credit card should have appeared. The decision to cancel the event was made Thursday evening, November 5th. The Eventbrite refund to my own credit card showed up dated November 6th.

If you haven't seen your refund on your next monthly statement, let me know.

Canceled - so what's next?

So the event was canceled. What do we do next?

We figure out how to do things differently the next time so that we achieve sufficient registrations and don't have to cancel.

How do you keep in touch?
1 - You can subscribe to the blog. There are subscription options along the left column (via RSS Feed or email).

2 - You can become a fan of our Facebook page. There is a link along the left column.

LaidOff Camp Attleboro/Providence - EVENT CANCELED

Event: LaidOff Camp Attleboro/Providence - CANCELED

Date: Saturday, November 07, 2009 from 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM (ET)

Location:
Living Waters Church
15 John L Dietsch Blvd
North Attleboro, MA 02763

For more information click here: http://laidoffcampprovidence.blogspot.com/

Regretfully, the event has been canceled. We only achieved one third of the required registrations for this non-profit, all-volunteer event to break even.

The Team will gather information on what we learned during this process and likely attempt to create an event sometime early in 2010.

Your registration fee will be refunded in full to the credit card you used to register.
Thank you for your interest.

Last ditch effort

To be completely honest, this event is perilously close to being canceled for lack of participation. You have shown faith in the event by registering. We thank you for that.

Unfortunately, we need this event to break even and with the current registrations, that is not possible.

We'll take Thursday to give it one more try to gather enough registrations. There are a couple of networking events the organizers will be attending to help spread the word.

You can help by getting two people to sign up.

If they won't be able to participate, we'd like to understand why. We'll do a survey to gather information in our event review. It could help make planning for an event like this in the future successful.

If we do cancel, the notification will be sent out after 9:00 PM Thursday.

We appreciate your help in this effort.

On behalf of the all volunteer organizing committee,

Steve Sherlock


Register for LaidOff Camp Attleboro/Providence here

The location is convenient

We have located a fine facility to hold LaidOffCamp Attleboro/Providence. The Living Waters Church in North Attleboro has been gracious and accommodating working with us to plan for this event. You may recall that they hosted the United Regional Chamber of Commerce Job Fair in September.

Living Waters is conveniently located off Exit 5 on  i95. Whether traveling northbound or southbound, the directions are the same. Take Exit 5. Turn right at the end of the exit, turn right at the first light and right again into the first driveway.

Go right, right, right to LaidOff Camp!

Here are some photos of the facility to help you navigate around the building the day of LaidOff Camp:




The registration info also includes directions to Living Waters Church. In the meantime you can view the local map here.


Register for LaidOff Camp Attleboro/Providence here

Johnson & Johnson announce a restructuring

Johnson and Johnson announced a restructuring that will reduce jobs by 8,400. The Wall Street Journal article says in part:

Cost savings will be achieved primarily by reducing layers of management, increasing individual spans of control, and simplifying business structures and processes across the company’s global operations.

Position eliminations will form only one component of the savings.  Weldon said, “These types of changes are difficult under any circumstances, and will have a very personal impact on people who have been dedicated to the mission of Johnson & Johnson.  We recognize their contributions to the achievements of our business, and are committed to treating them fairly and with respect throughout this process.”

The folks affected by this new announcement could use a LaidOff Camp in their local area.


Register for LaidOff Camp Attleboro/Providence here

Do you have a story for the lemonade book?

When we chose which stories to film for Lemonade, much of the final decision came down to logistics. They had to have lost a job in advertising. They had to be available on a specific shoot days in either LA, Boston, or NYC. And they had to be willing to tell their story on camera.


Unfortunately, some of my favorite submissions had to be shelved because one or all of those conditions weren’t met. But their stories still need to be told. So, once again, I’m leaping blindly into a world in which I have no knowledge or experience: book publishing.

....

Please email submissions to me directly at erik@pleasefeedtheanimals.com with the title “Lemonade Essay.”

UPDATE 10/23/09: I realize after just one day that I won’t be able to read through all the essays myself. Please, submit just your abstract for now that summarizes your story in about 100 words. Thank you.

You can read the full posting here

If you haven't viewed the trailer to the Lemonade Movie, you can view it here.


Register for LaidOff Camp Attleboro/Providence here

Session: The 3Vs of Very Effective Interviewing

Session topic: The 3Vs of Very Effective Interviewing 

What's beyond the questions and answers? The verbal, vocal and visual tips that can put you higher on the list of potential candidates or even swing the votes in your favor.

Bio:  Corinne Settlow is a Certified Career Coach with a naturally intuitive sense for people’s potential and a unique understanding of their individual learning styles.  Training/coaching has always been an element in her corporate life and has played a big role in her personal life through sports, theatre and music. Combining these experiences with the passion, enjoyment and rewards of helping people achieve their goals makes career coaching her dream job. Corinne's viewpoint: "There's opportunity in every direction."
 

Register for LaidOff Camp Attleboro/Providence here

Are you looking for work?

Do you know someone looking for work? You are not alone. With unemployment at 13% in RI and 9.3% in MA, there are lots of folks out of work and looking.

There is a heavy population of those 40+ looking for work. There is also a significant number of recent college graduates out looking for work.

In the course of my own job search effort, one thing became evident: the power of we. Who you know is as important as what you know. By talking with each other, sharing our experiences, sharing what has worked or didn't work. By networking with each, sharing our connections, who knows who, we can help each other get a better connection to the next position.

With as many resumes being submitted for each job posting, the pile for the hiring manager is overwhelming. How do you get out of the pile? Your network!

A core group my connections who understand the "power of we" are working hard to put together the LaidOff Camp. The camp will facilitate the best practices of the job search effort. In one afternoon, over the course of four hours, you'll be able to participate in a session to help your own individual job search effort. Sessions on networking, using LinkedIn, interview tips, a practice interview session and others are being planned for this event.

This is a non-profit effort. The $10 charge will simply allow us to cover the facility fee and provide some refreshments during the afternoon.

For this small dollar cost, you will walk away with more knowledge, more connections and hopefully more confidence in taking the next step in your job search effort.

You should visit the LaidOff Camp website to register.

You should tell whomever you know that is looking for work about this event.

We are in this together and the 'power of we' can help us achieve success!


Register for LaidOff Camp Attleboro/Providence here

Job Help is on the Way

Two days to mark your calendar for next week:

1 - Wednesday, Nov 5th

The United Regional Chamber of Commerce, in conjunction with Living Waters Church, is sponsoring Employment Workshops and a Job Fair on Nov. 5 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Living Waters Church, 15 John L. Dietsch Blvd., North Attleborough. Companies that are actively hiring, as well as representatives from educational facilities, will be at the event.

Do you or someone you know need to sharpen your job search skills? Then you are welcome to attend this free event!

The following workshops will be offered in two sessions (10:30 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.) and (11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.):
          * Ten Tips for the Tongue Tied
          * Interview Tips for the Non-Salesperson
          * Develop a Marketing Plan for Your Job Search
          * 10 Most Common Interview Mistakes

Need a resume? We can help you prepare your resume and print it on the spot.


2 - Saturday, November 7th

Register for LaidOff Camp Attleboro/Providence here

Register now, please!

There is no such thing as a free lunch! The economic wisdom of TANSTAAFL is well known and accepted. Someone needs to pay directly or indirectly.

Your LaidOff Camp Attleboro/Providence is a perfect example of this. The facility to hold this event costs money. The Living Waters Church has been very gracious in providing a very aggressive price for this event, especially because of the cause and their desire to help.

If we could hold this out in some open space that would be one thing but the nature of the discussions and presentations require something to cover us from the elements (nevermind this wonderfully unpredictable New England weather!)

So you get to contribute and sponsor this event with your $10 registration fee. By the time the Eventbrite and credit card processing fees are subtracted from the $10, the team ends up with 8 dollars and change. This is budgeted to cover the facility and refreshments for up to 200 folks.

There is flexibility in the budget if we don't need refreshments for 200 but we still need to cover the facility fee. Hence, the plea for your registration before the event. We will need to make a go/no-go call around mid-week.

The team is composed of volunteers contributing their time and effort for this worthy event. We can't afford to sponsor this from our pockets. Most of us have been looking for work for sometime. We are in the same boat as you are.

You can help make this event a success in two ways:
1 - register early
2 - be an active participant when you arrive

You should leave with more knowledge about the job search, more connections and hopefully an extra dose of confidence to add the spring to the next step in your job search.

All this for $10!

Can you get a better deal elsewhere?

Register for LaidOff Camp Attleboro/Providence here


Note: a full accounting of the event budget will be made available to all.

Session: How To Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile For The Job Search

Session Topic: How To Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile For The Job Search

Just signing up for LinkedIn is not enough! This session will cover 10 ways job seekers can optimize their LinkedIn profile for their job search. Topics will include Your LinkedIn Audience, Verbiage Best Practices, Keywords and LinkedIn Don’ts. Even the LinkedIn addicts in the crowd should walk away with at least one new idea.

Marci Reynolds is the CEO of J2B Marketing, a “Job Seeker 2 Business”™ Internet Marketing & Online Copywriting Services Firm based in Framingham, Massachusetts. From LinkedIn profile makeovers to launching Twitter strategies, J2B harnesses the latest internet and marketing communication tools available to help Job Seekers get back to work faster. Marci Reynolds was previously VP, North America Sales Operations at Monster.com. 

Learn more at www.j2bmarketing.com.
 
Register for LaidOff Camp Attleboro/Providence here

What do I wear to LaidOff Camp?

LaidOff Camp is a networking opportunity so first impressions will count. We recommend business casual. We want you to be comfortable and presentable without having to go all out and dress for an interview.

Here is a quick listing of links with more details on how to dress for an interview and for a networking event:

From About.Com - Dress for success

How to dress for business networking

From Ladders - Dress to Network  - Every Encounter Counts

From College Fashion - How to Dress for Networking Events

If you find other good sources, you can share them in a comment here, or on our Facebook page.


We'll see you dressed for a good impression on November 7th!




Register for LaidOff Camp Attleboro/Providence here

This is "a performance-driven marketplace"

Last February, designer Michael Locascio started calling recruiters after he was abruptly laid off from a Chicago-area company. “Usually within a couple of weeks, I would find something, even just project-based work, but this time there was nothing or the pay was ridiculously low,” he says.

Locascio, 50, always disdained networking. “I felt like you’re always asking someone for a favor,” he says. But last summer, out of desperation, he joined St. Hubert Job and Networking Ministry, one of Chicago’s largest free job-support groups. “There was a no-whining policy,” he says. “You’re there to stay focused on the task.”

The ministry breaks participants into small groups of eight to 12 job seekers from different occupations who problem-solved, shared job leads and held each other accountable for progress. “That helped to keep me going—seeing others land jobs,” says Locascio.

Read the full article in AARP Bulletin Today.

LaidOff Camp is designed to provide the same type of experience as a networking group, compressed into one afternoon. You get to choose the sessions you need and make new connections at the same time.


Register for LaidOff Camp Attleboro/Providence here

Should we have a session on posture?

The body and mind connection is reinforced with another study:

Researchers found that people who were told to sit up straight were more likely to believe thoughts they wrote down while in that posture concerning whether they were qualified for a job. On the other hand, those who were slumped over their desks were less likely to accept these written-down feelings about their own qualifications…

Read the full post here.


So in addition to keeping good posture during your interview, it is also important to keep good posture when you are preparing your plan, when you are preparing your application to a job posting. 


Should we have a session on posture at LaidOff Camp?

Register for LaidOff Camp Attleboro/Providence here

How bad is unemployment in New England?

The Wall Street Journal provides a nice interactive chart to pick five states to compare. I do subscribe to the Journal online edition and took a screen shot to share here.

Rhode Island leads the pack with 13%. Connecticut 9.8% leads Massachusetts with 9.3%. Vermont actually improved on the bottom 6.7% and New Hampshire passed it with 7.2%.

These are not great numbers to work with, hence one of the reasons why LaidOff Camp is so important. You need an edge to get your resume out of the pile that flows in every time some one posts a position for hire.

You can come to LaidOff Camp, share what you know, pick up tips and tricks from others and take the next step in your job search with more confidence!

This is something you CAN do.

Register for LaidOff Camp Attleboro/Providence here

Press Release on Event Published

Attleboro/Providence LaidOff Camp, Region’s First,

Will Offer Networking Opportunities, Motivational Boost

for Massachusetts, Rhode Island Job Seekers

___

Event is scheduled for November 7, from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The location: Living Waters Church, 15 John L. Dietsch Blvd., North Attleboro, Mass.

NORTH ATTLEBORO, Mass.——New England, a region especially hard-hit by the current economic slump, will play host soon to its first LaidOff Camp. The Attleboro/Providence LaidOff Camp is expected to draw several hundred job seekers from Massachusetts, Rhode Island and neighboring states.

LaidOff Camps are springing up around the country in response to the recession. The camps offer peer-to-peer learning, networking opportunities and motivational support for laid-off and unemployed workers. Previous LaidOff Camps have been held in Los Angeles, Dallas, Miami and New York.


The Attleboro/Providence LaidOff Camp is scheduled for Saturday, November 7, from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. The location: Living Waters Church, 15 John L. Dietsch Blvd., North Attleboro, Mass. 


Persons interested in attending should register at http://laidoffcampprovidence.blogspot.com.


Attendees will be asked to check in at the Living Waters Church on Nov. 7, between 12:00 and 12:45 p.m. LaidOff Camp tickets purchased in advance will cost $10 per person; tickets purchased on the day of the conference are $15. Proceeds from tickets will help defray conference expenses. Coffee, refreshments and snacks will be served during the conference. 


Directions to the Living Waters Church can be found on the church’s website (www.achurchonthemove.com).


“This is an ‘unconference’ for the unemployed and underemployed,” says Steve Sherlock, a LaidOff Camp organizer. “The event’s organizers and session facilitators all have experience dealing with the challenges of layoffs and unemployment, and they are enthusiastic about sharing what they’ve learned in a peer-to-peer setting.”


“LaidOff Camp participants will not only acquire dozens of new LinkedIn connections. More importantly, they will share experiences and ideas with their peers, make potentially valuable new contacts and refine their job search skills. And at the end of the day they’ll return home more confident and motivated to pursue new opportunities.”


LaidOff Camp Agenda


The Attleboro/Providence LaidOff Camp will feature both seminar-like sessions and informal opportunities to network in small groups. The camp’s agenda will be adapted to reflect the needs and interests of participants.


State employment officials from Massachusetts and Rhode Island will be on hand to answer questions and discuss resources available for unemployed and laid-off workers. There will also be sessions devoted to job interviews and the use of social media sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

Call for session leaders and topics

What topic would you like to have discussed at the LaidOff Camp? This is your conference. It will be a good time to get your questions about the job search process answered.

 

Use the comments or send an email to laidoffcampprovidence@gmail.com

 

 

For session leaders: please send along the following info -

• Title for your proposed session
• Brief description to tell the attendees what the session will cover, what they can leave with
• Whether you'd bring your laptop to present, or use handouts, or just talk/interact with the group
• A brief bio of yourself

 

 

Note: We are planning to have a representative from both MA and RI to answer questions around unemployment.

 

 

 

 

Vulnerable is beautiful!

So you were laid off. It may have come as a shock. The economy is not so great right now. It is hard to keep looking. It is hard to keep up your spirits. The financial pressures are starting to mount.

You are not in this alone. The recently released JOLT numbers said that there were 2.4 million jobs posted. It also said that there were 15.1 million people looking for those jobs. Tough competition, yes.

You are not in this alone. You can stay alone and looking.

Or you can admit you are looking and job a networking group. Over the course of their meetings (whether weekly or monthly or?) you'll get to learn something from a guest speaker and network with others.

You can also come to Laid Off Camp on November 7th. For the one afternoon, for the cost of only $10, you'll get to share your tips and tricks of the job search with others.

Gain confidence in sharing what you know. Learn something new. Network with others.

And leave the event with more confidence, more knowledge, and a greater network behind you to take your next step in the job search!


Vulnerable Is Beautiful from Rachael Maddox on Vimeo.

Why wait, why not register now!

Vulnerable is beautiful. Especially when you are in good company!


Many thanks to Amy Palko for pointing out this video clip for me. Timing is everything.

LaidOff Camp Registration

The registration is now open.

Your cost - $10.

Why $10? The small charge covers the facility fee and provides for some refreshments during the afternoon.

Your benefit -

“LaidOff Camp participants will not only acquire dozens of new LinkedIn connections. More importantly, they will share experiences and ideas with their peers, make potentially valuable new contacts and refine their job search skills. And at the end of the day they’ll return home more confident and motivated to pursue new opportunities.”

Note: The capacity of the event we are planning for is 200.

The place for positive thinking

You see, the human mind is the last great unexplored continent on earth. It contains riches beyond our wildest dreams. It will return anything we want to plant.

So only plant good & great seeds in your mind… and if some poison ones have slipped into the soil… yank em out and be sure to get the roots!

Read the full posting over at Kirk Weisler's Thought 4 the Day (T4D).

Consider subscribing to his almost daily email if you like this message and could use more of them. They do not always have a religious bent but they are thought provoking.

This is just as important a message for the job search as anything else you hear. Be positive and the positiveness will come through.

Where can you gain some positive thinking? LaidOff Camp! The sharing and collaboration from the group should generate plenty of positive reinforcement to go forth empowered with more knowledge and connections.

Consider registering for LaidOff Camp Attleboro/Providence here

We have a location - Living Waters Church, North Attleboro

We have located a fine facility to hold LaidOffCamp Attleboro/Providence. The Living Waters Church in North Attleboro has been gracious and accommodating working with us to plan for this event. You may recall that they hosted the United Regional Chamber of Commerce Job Fair in September.

Here are some photos of the facility to help you navigate around the building the day of LaidOff Camp:




The registration info will include directions to Living Waters Church. In the meantime you can view the local map here.

What to expect by participating in a LaidOff Camp

What should you expect when participating in the LaidOffCamp Attleboro/Providence? Here are a few tips:

Preparation for the event

• Pre-register for the event to give the coordinators a good idea as to how many people are coming.

• Come early, but not too early - Showing up at the announced starting time will be fine. Show up earlier, and you'll get drafted for setup work (much appreciated!). Show up later, and you'll miss some social activity and the session scheduling.

• Be ready to participate - come with an idea for a session you can lead. You don't have to be an expert at your topic; as long as it's not too specific, there'll probably be someone else present who can help you out. You can also contribute to the conversation during a session. This is a great way to participate, since it spreads knowledge from everyone, instead of just the leader.

The day of the event

• When you arrive, go to the pre-registration table, where you can claim/make your nametag. Make your way into the gathering place, where you should find lots of people to network with.

• We plan to start by gathering together in the Assembly Hall. We'll review the schedule for the afternoon. If you see that a session you're interested in is not being offered, check with some neighbors to see if they would be interested, and then approach organizers. We will have some open slots for ad-hoc sessions to be scheduled the day of the Laid Off Camp.

• We plan on having time slots of 45 minutes for sessions. This should allow for a brief presentation and plenty of Q&A. We will allow for 15 minutes between session for follow up and additional networking. We are planning for refreshments to be available.

• As you finish the last session, please look around the room and pick up any trash. We want to leave the facility in as good and clean a condition as when we walked in. Every little bit you can do will help the overall event. 


Note: the starting points for this posting came from the LaidOff Camp wiki

Hold the date - Nov 7th!

The Attleboro/Providence Laid Off Camp Team is bringing the unconference peer-to-peer learning format to the unemployed. Hold the date, Saturday Nov 7th, from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM.

Who should attend?

• Are you unemployed 
• Are you exploring entrepreneurial activities 
• Are you currently employed and willing to help

If you answered yes to any one of these, then the LaidOff Camp is for you.

The peer-to-peer learning format of the unconference will

• facilitate sharing the tips and tricks we have all learned while looking for work 
• provide additional networking opportunities 
• empower the unemployed to take the next step in their job search with more knowledge and confidence

Additional details and the registration process will be available by October 12th.

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Welcome!

This is the blog for LaidOff Camp Providence, RI.

Our wiki page can be found here

If you create content or conversation around LaidOff Camp Providence, please use the tag "LOCPVD".