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Job hunters are not always the best judges of what they need during
a search. For example, most are interested in lectures on answering
ads or working with search firms. We will cover those topics, but, strategically,
they are relatively unimportant in an effective job search.
At The Five O'Clock Club, you get the information you really need in
your search--such as how to target more effectively, how to get more
interviews, and how to turn job interviews into offers.
What's more, you will work in a small group with some of the best counselors
around. In these strategy sessions, your group will help you decide
what to do, this week and every week, to move your search along. And
you will learn by coaching and being coached by others in your group.
Here are a few other points:
- For best results, attend on a regular basis.
Your group gets to know you and will coach you to eliminate whatever
you may be doing wrong--or refine what you are doing right.
- Those who think they need to come to a
session only to ask a quick question are usually wrong. Often the
problem started weeks before the job hunter realized it. Or the
problem may be more complex than the job hunter realizes and require a
few sessions to straighten out.
- The Five O'Clock Club is a "members only"
organization. Membership is $49 a year and includes a Beginners Kit to
get you started in your search, a subscription to our newsletter, and
other benefits. To get started in the small group sessions, you must
purchase a minimum of ten sessions, which includes the set of 15
audiotaped presenttions on Five O'Clock Club methodology.
- After that, you may purchase groups of a
minimum of five or ten sessions to continue in the group.
- If you miss a session, you may make it up at any time. You may
even transfer unused time to a friend.
- Although many people find jobs quickly (even
people who have been unemployed a long time), others have more
difficult searches. Plan to be in it for the long haul and you'll do
better.
- Carefully read all of the material in the
Beginner's Kit that you got with your membership in The Five O'Clock
Club.
- The first week you attend, pay attention to
the strategies used by the others in your group. Soak up all the
information you can.
- Read the books before you come in the second week. They will help
you move your search along.
To register
- Fill out an application for
the 'Insider' Program. If you are not already a member, we can sign you
up for membership when we process your Insider program application.
- If you are already
a member, just call 212-286-9332 to reserve a space for the first time you
will attend. Remember that the program is continuous and yu can start at
any time.
- Read the books ahead of time, or purchase
them before your first meeting.
To assign you to a small
group, we need to know:
- your current (or last) field or industry,
- the kind of job you woul like next (if you
know),
- your desired salary range in general
terms.
If you would rather see a private
counselor before starting, you must be a member. Then fill out the
Coach Request Form
or call 1-800-538-6645 ext. 210 for
suggested names.
What Happens
at the Meetings?
Each week
, job
searchers from various industries and professions meet in small
groups. Some groups specialize in professionals, managers and executives. Others in
recent college graduates. Usually, half are employed; half unemployed.
The weekly program is
in two parts. First, there is an audiotaped lecture on an aspect of
The Five O'Clock Club methodology (to be listened to ahead of time). Job
hunters meet weekly in small teleconferenced groups headed by senior full-time, professional career
counselors.
Get the text books,
audio CD's and beginners Kit. Listen to the lecture and get
assigned to your small group. During the first session, listen
to the others in your group. You learn a lot by listening
to how your peers are strategizing their
searches.
By the second
week, you will have read the materials. Now we can start to work on
your search strategy and help you
decide what to do next to
move your search along. For example, we'll help you figure out how to
get more interviews in your target area, or how to turn an interview into
a job offer.
In the third week
, you will see major progress in the other members of
your group, and you may notice major progress in your own search as well.
By the third or fourth week
, most members are conducting a full and effective search. Over
the remaining weeks, you will tend to keep up a full search rather than
go after only one or two possibilities. You will regularly aim to have
6 to 10 things "in the works" at all times. These will generally be
in specific target areas that you have identified, will keep your search
on target, and increase your chances of getting multiple job offers to
choose from.
Those who stick with the process find that it works.
Some people prefer to just observe for a few weeks before they start their
job search, and that's okay, too.
How Much Does it Cost?
It is against
the policy of The Five O'Clock Club to charge inidividuals heavy
up-front fees. (Our competitors charge $4000 to $6000 up front.) A
typical Five O'Clock Club fee is 10 session for $400 for those who have
earned less than
$100,000 a year and $600 for 10 sessions for those who want to
be in the $100,000 and over group. This fee includes audiotapes of fifteen presentations. (Note:
Those who attend physical meetings do not get free audiotapes.) For administrative reasons,
we charge for 5 or 10 additional sessions at a time.
You
must have the materials so you can look at them before the second session.
That's why it is important for you to buy the four books --
perhaps at our website. Otherwise, you will tend to waste the time of the others
in the group by asking questions that are covered in the texts.
Is The Club right for
me?
The Five O'Clock Club process is for you if:
- You are looking for a job or consulting work.
- You have some idea of the kind of work you want.
- You are a professional, manager or executive -- or want to be.
- You want to participate in a group process on a regular basis.
- You realize that finding or changing jobs and
careers is hard work . . . which you are absolutely willing and able
to do.
If you have no idea about the kind of job you want next, you
may attend one or two group sessions to start. Then, however, see a
counselor privately
for one or
two sessions, develop tentative job targets, and then return to the group.
You may work privately with your small-group counselor or contact us for
recommendations through our website (fill out a Coach Request Form), or by calling 1-800-538-6645
ext. 210.
How long will it take me to get a job?
Although our members tend to be from fields or
industries where they expect to have a difficult search, the average
person who attends regularly finds a new position within ten
sessions. Some take less time, and others take more.
One thing we know for sure: research shows that those who get
regular coaching during their searches get jobs faster
and at higher rates of pay than those who search on their own or simply
take a course
. This makes sense. If a person comes only when they think they
have a problem, they are usually wrong. They probably had a problem a
few weeks ago, but didn't realize it. Or the problem may be different
from what they thought. Those who come regularly benefit from the observations
others make about their searches. Problems are solved before they become
severe, or are prevented altogether.
Those who attend regularly also learn a lot by paying attention and helping
others in the group. This "second-hand" learning can cut weeks from your
search. When you hear the problems of others who are ahead of you in the
search, you can avoid those problems completely. People in your group
will come to know you, and will point out subtleties you may not have
noticed and interviewers will never tell you.
Will I be with others from my same
field/industry?
Probably, but it's not that important. If you were a salesperson, for
example, would you want to be with seven other salespeople?
Probably
not. You will learn a lot and have a much more creative search if you
are in a group with people who are in your general salary range but not
exactly like you. Our clients are from virtually every field
and industry. The process
is what will help you. The search techniques are the
same for anyone assigned to your small group.
We've been doing this since 1978, and understand your needs. That's why
the mix we provide is the best you can get.
How can you charge such a small session fee?
- We have no advertising costs because 90% of those who attend have been
referred by other members.
A hefty up-front fee would bind you to us, but we
have been more succcessful by treating people ethically and having
them pretty much "pay as they go." We need a certain number of people
to cover expenses. When lots of people get jobs quickly and leave us,
we could go intot he red. But so long as members refer others, we will
continue to provide this service at a fair price.
- We focus strictly on job search
strategy, and encourage our clients to attend free outside
support groups if they need emotional support. We focus on getting
jobs, which reduces the time clients spend with us and the
amount they pay.
- We attract the best counselors, and our
clients make more progress per session than they would elsewhere,
which also reduces their costs.
- We have expert administrators and a sophisticated computer system that
reduces our overhead and increases our ability to track your progress.
May I change counselors?
Yes. Some care is taken in assigning you to your initial counselor.
However, if you want to change once for any reason, you may do it. We don't
encourage group hopping: it is better for you to stick with a group so that
everyone gets to know you. On the other hand, we want you to feel
comfortable. So if you tell The Five O'Clock Club you prefer a different group, you
will be transferred immediately.
What if I have questions outside of
the group?
Some people prefer to see their group counselor
privately. Others prefer to meet with a different counselor to get
another point-of-view. Whatever you decide, remember that
the group fee does not cover counselor time
outside of the group session.
Therefore, if you want to be able
to ask a counselor a "quick question" in between sessions, you
would normally meet with the counselor first for a private session so he or she
gets to know you better. "Easy, quick questions" are often more
complicated than they appear. After your first private session, some counselors will
allow you to pay in advance for one hour of counseling time, which
you can then use for quick questions (usually a 15-minute minimum is charged).
Since each counselor has an individual way of operating, find out how
the counselor arranges these things.
What if I want
to start my own business?
The process of becoming a consultant
is essentially the same
as job hunting, and lots of consultants attend regular Five O'Clock Club meetings. However, if
you want to buy a franchise or an existing business or
start a growth business, you should see a private counselor.
How can I be sure that The Five
O'Clock Club small group sessions will be right for me?
Whatever you decide, just
remember that it has been proven that those who receive regular help
during their searches get a job faster and at higher rates of pay than
those who search on their own or simply attend a course. If you get
a job just one or two weeks faster because of this program, it will more
than have paid for itself. And you may transfer
unused sessions to anyone you choose. However, the
person that you choose must be or become a member.
The Five O'Clock Club is plain,
easy-going and unconventional. .
. .
Members or guests need not don their
dress suits to attend the meetings.
(From the Club History, written in the 1890's)
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