The Small Groups Pay Off

Things got tough for job hunters after 9/11, as you will see in some of the stories in this issue. But most of those who stuck with it were successful.

We tell job hunters to follow every step of the process, regardless of how long they may have been searching before they came to us. Our research shows that those who touch on every step get jobs faster.

Our research also shows that those who attend the small groups get jobs faster and at higher rates of pay than those who only see a counselor privately during their searches. Furthermore, there is no difference in search time for those who attend a physical group or a teleconference group. In fact, most of our attendees are in the teleconference groups: we are better able to control the number of attendees so each person gets adequate time, and there’s less distraction from the sounds of other groups meeting in the same room. Coaches and attendees alike say that the teleconference groups tend to be more intense: everyone is focused on the person who is speaking and all are thinking about that person’s search.

As a career coach, I love the small groups. We tend to attract very intelligent clients who study the materials and bring a lot of personal insight to the group. In addition, Five O’Clock Clubbers are a helpful bunch, giving contacts, practicing with each other between meetings, reviewing each other’s cover letters, and simply offering encouragement and advice. Group members say things I never would have thought of myself, and have the guts to tell a fellow member why that person should not take a job, should not tell her friendly boss that she is looking for a job, needs to get in to see people rather than simply having meetings by phone, and perhaps needs to sound a little more senior than the job hunter may be coming across in our meetings. You won’t get that kind of on-target advice from your family and friends, nor from all the well-meaning people you may meet outside of the Five O’Clock Club.

So trust your small group. Attend regularly so your coach and small group members get to know you. Keep in touch with your small group members outside of the group. Finally, try to keep a positive attitude. A continuous negative attitude has an adverse effect both on you and on the other members of the group—but especially on you. Think of things you can be grateful for, regardless of your situation. There are people who are far worse off. And while this may seem like a pollyanna attitude on my part, I too have faced the depths and have had to say these same things to myself.

Be sure to do your friends a favor and tell them about us. And do yourself a favor and ask your employer to allow you to use The Five O’Clock Club as your outplacement provider. We’re the best bargain around. You’ll get up to 14 hours of guaranteed private counseling as well as a full year in the small group (and the books, tapes, and other materials). And many clients save a few hours of that time until after they start their new jobs to navigate the political waters.

Revised Website
 The cover of this newsletter shows you a graphic from the first phase of our revised website. Our website was developed in the early stages of the Internet and served us well these many years. We will be moving slowly on the new look and navigation, keeping our budget in mind.

That’s it for now.
  Cheers, Kate
 President and Editor-in-Chief