This section contains meetings we've held previously.

 

July 10, 2010

My Career Transitions Presents 

Topic: Interviewing Skills

Speaker: Meloney Sallie-Dosunmu

Guest Host:  Cabrini College Alumni and the Cooperative and Career Development Department at Cabrini College

Location:  Cabrini College,  Widener Lecture Hall

The job interview is your own personal sales meeting. This session offers:

•  practical advice on how to excel in a variety of different types of interviews including phone interviews, panel interviews, situational interviews, and behavioral interviews.
• success strategies that should be incorporated into your interview documents.
• discussion how to practice answering tough questions will be provided.

Meloney Sallie-Dosunmu's Bio: 

Meloney J. Sallie-Dosunmu is the Director of Training & Development for Thermo Fisher Scientific. BioPharma Services Division in Center Valley PA. in this global role, she and her team are responsible for training and development for 6,000 employees in the US, UK, Switzerland, India, Latin America and China. ThermoFisher Scientific, the world leader in science, provides analytical instruments, lab equipment, software and services to the scientific and pharmaceutical industries.

For over a decade, Meloney served as Senior Manager of Organizational Effectiveness & Talent at Just Born in Bethlehem, PA. In this capacity, she was responsible for oversight of Talent Management, which includes the employee life cycle from pre-hire to retire. Additionally, she served as the HR Business Partner for the Brand Development & Corporate Services Division, Direct to Consumer Division and the Finance Division.

In addition to her role in corporate leadership, Ms. Sallie-Dosunmu serves as an Adjunct Faculty for DeSales University, teaching both in the classroom and online in the ACCESS Program, which is an accelerated degree completion program for adults returning to school.

As an avid community activist, Meloney serves on the governing council for the Women’s Leadership Initiative of the United Way, the president of the Board of Directors for the Lincoln Leadership Academy Charter School and president of the Liberty Bell Rotary Club in Allentown. Meloney is past president of Eastern PA Chapter of ASTD and co founder of the annual CEO Forum. Additional volunteer activities include SHRM of the Lehigh Valley, YWCA of Bethlehem Women Achieving New Directions (WAND) program and Union Baptist Church.

In 2009 Meloney received two prestigious awards including the Women of Distinction Award for Community Service from Girl Scouts, Greater Northeast Council and the Learning Leader Award for making an impact on Workplace Learning and Performance in Eastern Pa from the Eastern PA Chapter of ASTD.

Meloney has an MBA from Rosemont College and a Bachelors Degree in Counseling from Wilberforce University.

Link to Meloney's handout

Link to Meloney's presentation

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June 12, 2010

The My Career Transitions Meeting scheduled for June has been canceled. We apologize for any inconvenience. A communication will be sent to our members via e-mail and an announcement through the LinkedIn group. Please check the My Career Transitions website in July for further details on the next meeting.

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May 8, 2010

My Career Transitions Presents

Topic: Get the Job You Want, Even When No One's Hiring

Speaker: Ford R. Myers

Location: Villanova University, CEER Bldg., Room 001 (downstairs)

Today’s job market is the toughest since the Great Depression, and many of the challenges are here to stay. Even so, you CAN get the job you want – IF you apply fresh approaches to the search. Get the Job You Want, Even When No One’s Hiring is a powerful seminar based on Ford Myers’ best-selling book by the same name.

Attendees will learn:

• How to land a good job in the midst of an economic crisis
• How to address the realities of this job market with real-world, actionable steps
• How to see this economic downturn as a positive career opportunity
• How to seize on job opportunities that aren’t posted yet
• How to make yourself an instant asset to potential employers
• How to clearly stand-out as the best candidate
• How to “recession-proof” your career for the long term
• And much more ...

Join career expert and speaker Ford R. Myers, while he maps the new world of job search and reveals essential strategies for your career success.

Ford R. Myers' Bio:

FORD R. MYERS is President of Career Potential, LLC. His firm helps clients take charge of their careers, create the work they love, and earn what they deserve! He has held senior consulting positions at three of the nation’s largest career service firms. Ford’s articles and interviews have appeared in many national magazines and newspapers, and he has conducted presentations at numerous companies, associations and universities. In addition, Ford has been a frequent guest on television and radio programs across the country. He is author of Get The Job You Want, Even When No One’s Hiring, published by John Wiley & Sons. More information is available at: careerpotential.com and fordmyers.com.

 Link to Ford's Presentation

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April 10, 2010

My Career Transitions Presents

Topic: Making Linked In Work For You

Speaker: Oliver Picher

Location:  Penn State, Brandywine Campus, Commons Bldg.

It’s easy to get started with LinkedIn. You add in a little bit of information about yourself and your past jobs, invite a few colleagues or perhaps accept a few invites, and there you are on LinkedIn.

So, what do you do next? How do you get beyond “being on LinkedIn” to “being successful through LinkedIn”?

In his presentation, Oliver Picher will share the three critical success factors that make a difference in your experience with LinkedIn. You will learn what makes a successful LinkedIn profile. You will understand the value of building LinkedIn connections that are aligned with your goals. You will see that most people fail with Linked because they fail to actively use it to build relationships.

Oliver will also discuss some ways you can use LinkedIn’s tools and features to accomplish your professional goals. You will come away from the presentation with a list of specific ideas that you can implement immediately.

Oliver Picher's Bio:

Oliver Picher helps people tell their story.

Oliver is founder and president of Visible Influence, LLC, a network of professionals dedicated to helping businesses, executives, and professionals make themselves more visible and attract more business.

Oliver has most recently been active in Content Marketing, using targeted and compelling original content to reach and engage potential clients and partners. His work with Basecamp Business and the Mid-Atlantic Capital Alliance has created a ground-breaking business events calendar “network” targeted at entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and professionals.

Oliver is also active in professional networking, conducting training and coaching sessions on LinkedIn and writing a regular column on Philadelphia networking at funwithnetworking.com.

 - - - Presentation will arrive shortly - - -  

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March 13, 2010

My Career Transitions Presents 

Topic: Develop Your Value Proposition

Speaker: My Career Transitions Team

Location:  Villanova, CEER Building, Room 001

This meeting of MyCareerTransitions will be all about YOU! In this crazy and competitive job market, you MUST have a compelling value proposition and this is much more than what is on your business card!

Come and be part of highly interactive and FUN series of workshops led by the entire MyCareerTransitions team that are all about helping YOU develop a winning value proposition and advancing your competitive edge.

Do NOT miss this one time chance to develop refine one of the most important components of your search-YOU.

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February 13, 2010

My Career Transitions Presents 

Topic: Franchising - Is It Right for You?

Speaker: Dan Citrenbaum

Location:  Villanova, CEER Building, Room 001

Dan is a franchise consultant, working with experienced business people to help them explore options in franchising.

His presentation will cover:

What are some different ways of owning your own business?

How to determine if franchising is right for you?

What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of franchises?

Are there franchises that are safe to start in this type of economy?

What are some common misconceptions about franchising?

Dan Citrenbaum's Bio:

Dan has been involved in advising small business owners and managers for more than 25 years. He has helped thousands of business people realize their dreams of business ownership and controlling their own destiny.

Dan has a B.A. in Economics from Dickinson College and an M.B.A. from the University of Pittsburgh, with concentrations in Accounting and Finance.

 Dan's Presentation to MCT

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January 09, 2010

My Career Transitions Presents 

Topic: I Have Landed ...

Speaker: Come Learn How 5 Outstanding Professionals Found a Great Job

Panel:  Joe Chera, Syd Weinstein, Jerry Block, Sandy Sloyer, and Jerry Hampton

Location:  Villanova, CEER Building, Room 001

Link to meeting highlights...

Joe Chera's Bio:  Joe Chera is an accomplished sales, marketing, and business development executive, with over twenty five years of demonstrated success in growing Healthcare and Technology businesses. He is currently a Global Account Executive for Microsoft's Health & Life Sciences business. Prior to that, Joe held various senior management positions with such stellar companies as GE, Philips, Siemens, Acuson, BTG, and Covidien. He has been through 3 career transitions due to corporate restructuring, and lived to tell about it. Joe’s complete Linked In profile

 Syd Weinstein's Bio:  Sydney S. Weinstein brings over 25 years of technology and IT experience as a senior IT executive and strategist with the entrepreneurial experience necessary to grow companies. He was formally the CTO of SevenEcho, LLC, CIO for Patron Solutions, LP (A Comcast-Spectacor Company) and the founder of Datacomp Systems, Inc. and Myxa Corporation. With over 30 years experience in the IT field, he has helped start-ups and mid-sized companies develop IT strategies, architect products, and build manageable datacenters and global networks.

Syd was a pioneer in network security, firewall design and development, and business to business e-commerce. Along the way he has assisted Primavera Systems, CDNOW, Inside-the-Web, Looksmart, Half.com, Planalytics (Weatherplanner), Lenox, The Philadelphia Stock Exchange, and many others.

Syd is an adjunct associate professor at Villanova University. He has written on Networking, Security, Software Development and Systems Administration and holds a green belt certification in Six Sigma. He is a member of the Greater Philadelphia Senior Executive Group and the Society for Information Management.

Jerry Block's Bio:  Jerry Block is a Sales Director/Vice-president with BNY Mellon Wealth Management, where he actively works within the community developing and maintaining long term relationships. Utilizing his entrepreneurial spirit, prior to BNY Mellon, he managed his own consulting firm, which specialized in developing and executing effective business plans. Earlier in his career, he led sales organizations ranging in size from $2 million to $500 million, where he managed over 100 people and served as a company officer. His business acumen has provided a unique background for working within the financial sector.

Jerry is currently a professional member of and contributor to The Chester County Estate Planning Council, The Delaware County Estate Planning Council, the Business Leaders Network, Main Line Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Philadelphia Senior Executive Group, and the University of Wisconsin Alumni Association.

Sandy Sloyer's Bio:  Sandy Sloyer joined this recently merged food processing company in 2009. Previously, she led finance and accounting for divisions in ARAMARK’s Sports and Entertainment group. Prior to joining ARAMARK, she was the CFO for various national and regional organizations, mostly recently Cottman Transmissions, a national franchise organization with over 400 locations. Her career includes leading these companies through major initiatives, ownership changes or restructurings.

She began her career with the New York office of Price Waterhouse and is a Certified Public Accountant. She earned her BA in Accounting and Music from Taylor University in Upland, IN and MBA from Moravian College in Bethlehem, PA.

Jerry Hampton's Bio:  Jerry Hampton is an accomplished employee benefit consultant. Since 1981 Jerry has helped clients maximize their investment in their human capital, working with leading companies including NutriSystem, Marsh McClennan, Swiss Life and AIG. His career has included work throughout the US, in Asia, the Caribbean and Europe, for companies ranging from the Fortune 50 to start-up organizations.

In May 2009 Jerry joined Innovative Benefit Planning to focus on medium sized companies and their employee benefit needs in the health, retirement and wealth creation areas. He is active in numerous associations including the Society For Human Resource Management and Greater Philadelphia Senior Executive Group.

Jerry resides in Moorestown, NJ with his wife and two children.

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December, 2009

No Meeting

Topic: Interview Mastery - Unveil Your Brilliance

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November 14, 2009

My Career Transitions Presents

Speaker: Karen Huller, Charesume

Location:  Cinema in the Connelly Center at Villanova

Unlearn tactics that can increase interview anxiety, often requiring memorization, evasion or deception. Learn the strategies that improve your level of comfort and confidence, maximizing your chances of being offered favorable opportunities AND compensation packages. We will examine the agenda and perspective of the employer so that you can understand the intention of the interview and how to optimize the outcome.  Come prepared with the interview questions that have tripped you up in the past or the ones you fear the most.

Karen Huller Bio

Karen Huller founded Charésumé in 2006 to apply her six years of recruiting and executive search experience and other corporate experience to help job seekers develop their own true job security – their ability to transition.  The interaction Mrs. Huller had with candidates and hiring managers supplied an insightful education on how employers, including Fortune 500 Pharmaceutical and Financial Services companies, identify talent out of a vast pool of candidates. She gained deep familiarity with the phraseology and behavior that consistently aided candidates through the placement process to accepting an optimal offer. The coaching she provides is practical and procedural. Her clients are active participants, ensuring that they acquire the life skill of transitioning and confidence in their ability to manage their own career.

Since beginning Charésumé, Mrs. Huller continues to engage a variety of mentors and coaches, many of who are among her team of experts available to compliment Charésumé’s suite of services. She is a member of the Career Management Alliance and is certified by the Professional Association of Résumé Writers and Career Coaches as  a CPRW (Certified Professional Résumé Writer). Of most value to her clients, however, are her strategic partnerships with over 35 select recruiting firms and dozens of human resources professionals within hiring organizations.  Through these relationships, Mrs. Huller not only stays ahead of the curve of transition trends, but she is also able to make powerful recommendations for her brilliant clients.

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October 10, 2009

My Career Transitions Presents

Topic: Philadelphia Business Journal 

Speakers: Bernard Dagenais & Lyn Kremer

Location Villanova University, CEER Bldg., Room 001

Philadelphia Business Journal Publisher Lyn Kremer and Editor Bernie Dagenais will show you how to navigate the paper to get a jump on job openings before they hit any other job hunting resource. Each week, the paper reports on local companies that are growing despite the economy, people moving on to bigger and better opportunities leaving job openings in their wake, and events and activities that help job seekers stand out from the crowd.  
This workshop will provide: 
- A how-to guide to finding leads for new and expanding businesses
- Insight that will help you look past the news to find openings before they’re announced
- Online and print tools to make great first impressions and build relationships with potential employers
- Archival research that will help you draft an informed cover letter or prepare for the interview better than the competition 
 
About the speakers:
Bernard Dagenais, editor of the Philadelphia Business Journal, has worked with newspapers for nearly 25 years. He reported and edited papers in Vermont before leaving for Washington, D.C. He worked for The Washington Times for six years and joined American City Business Journals, Philadelphia Business Journal’s parent company, in 2000 as editor of a technology journal. Since arriving in Philadelphia in November 2002, Bernie helped redesigned the paper, beefed up coverage government news and expanded web-based operations. The newspaper has won numerous awards under Dagenais, including the 2009 Society of American Business Editors and Writers “General Excellence” award.  
Lyn Kremer has been the publisher of Philadelphia Business Journal since January, 1992. She oversees the total operations of the paper including the advertising sales, editorial, circulation, production and finance. Under her leadership, the paper has introduced “Corporate Philanthropy Summit” and South Jersey 25 and Women of Distinction programs. Before joining the Philadelphia Business Journal, Lyn served as sales manager for Crain’s Chicago Business, the country’s largest regional business newsweekly. Originally from Jacksonville, Florida, Lyn has an undergraduate degree in anthropology from University of Florida and a master’s in Library Science from Florida State University.

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September 12, 2009

My Career Transitions Presents 
Topic: Personal Branding - You Are A Brand – Think Like One – with Bart Ruff
Speaker: Bart Ruff 
Location:  Villanova University, CEER Bldg., Room 001

Like it or not, you are a brand - even if you disagree, don't want to be, or do nothing about it. And instead of a big advertising budget, you probably only have your reputation, network, and a resume. Do you really understand what your brand is? Why should a company pick you? If you don't have a very clear answer to these questions, you need to stop and rethink your positioning before inefficiently spending more of your time and other resources.  
By attending this session, you will get:

 
A different perspective on you, the brand. 
A better understanding of the key attributes you offer an employer and how they view your brand compared to their many other brand choices 
A basic understanding of brand management and brand marketing, starting with some fun exercises and then bringing them in closer to look at individuals as brands 
A template to help you refine your own brand and a go to market strategy that focuses on the right types of jobs 
About the Speaker: 

 MyCareerTransitions leader, Bart Ruff, steps into the speaker role in September for his annual seminar on why you need to think of yourself as a brand. He has been in marketing since he was six years old. He was a Campus Brand Manager for Miller Beer, Director of Field Marketing at HBO, and most recently is Sr. Brand Manager for Retail Brand Group, a company that creates and executes restaurant brands. He has an MBA and BS in Marketing from Penn State. After going through his own career transition, he founded a career group to help others, and then merged it into and grew what is now called My Career Transitions, a not-for-profit organization that helps professionals in the Greater Philadelphia area navigate job loss/transition. He's passionate about building brands, marketing, and helping others.

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August, 2009

No meeting

The subtle differences in every step of the job search process determine who ultimately lands the job and who does not. This is especially true in a bad economy, when unemployment is high and the job market is so competitive. Learn key strategies to help you succeed in your job search. Discover tools to gain access to your target market. Delve into the planning process, and learn how to properly communicate your value to prospective employers. This presentation will show you how to stand-out as the candidate of choice, and get the offer!

Ford R. Myers is President of Career Potential, LLC. Since 1992, he has been providing professional services in career consulting and executive coaching. After counseling thousands of individuals on their careers, Ford drew from his diverse experience to create Career Potential. Ford has served on the staffs of three prominent career management firms - Right Management Consultants, Manchester, and Lee Hecht Harrison, where he was Vice President, Director of Professional Services. In recognition of outstanding business contributions, both Right Management Consultants and Lee Hecht Harrison honored Ford with professional service awards - including the prestigious "President's Award." He is author of two books: "The Ultimate Career Guide" and "Get The Job You Want - Even When No One's Hiring" (John Wiley & Sons, May 2009). Ford's education includes a Bachelor's Degree in Communications, and a Master's Degree in Human Resource Development. He has studied extensively with The Coaches' Training Institute and National Training Laboratories. Ford is also a certified consultant for Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, Strong Interest Inventory, Leadership Effectiveness Analysis, Personal Directions and other career assessments.

SPONSOR: This month's meeting is sponsored in honor of the late George "Jordy" Weber.

If you would like to sponsor a meeting or honor someone, just let us know at mycareertransitions@gmail.com

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June 13, 2009

MyCareerTransitions Presents:

"Career Development & Social Media"

Speaker: Speaker Valeria Maltoni
 
What does it mean for a professional seeking career opportunities to have a blog and an online portfolio? How can companies recruit candidates in a more meaningful way? How do smart recruiters use LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and other social media to find top talent?

Social media is perfect for career development as it allows professionals to show what they know and think, interact with peers and build connections, learn from others, find mentors, and build a personal brand - to be known. Recruitment can be an outcome of this involvement. Recruiters and to a lesser degree companies are starting to use social media to spot candidates. But it's not an overnight thing, it's a slow process. And it can be messy, if one is not careful or does not have a personal brand strategy and goals.

Speaker Valeria Maltoni helps businesses underst and how customers and communities have changed marketing, public relations, and communications - and how to build value in this new environment. Her

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May 9, 2009

My Career Transitions Presents:

“A View from the Recruiters Seat”

With Adam Berman
Manager in Kreischer Miller’s Human Capital Resources

Join us for the May program of My Career Transitions as we welcome Adam Berman of Kreischer Miller!
Adam will share with us his view and perspective of the current job market and how professionals in career transition can best prepare themselves for the job of job search!
Adam will speak about the current thinking and methods of job search and share his tips and thoughts on how to make the best of this time.

Adam Berman’s Professional Bio:

Adam Berman is a Manager in Kreischer Miller’s Human Capital Resources group focused on building the Interim Executive Practice as well as assisting with executive search and other human resources consulting services. His commitment is to customer success, delivering the desired results in a timely and cost-effective manner.

Adam brings nearly a decade of professional staffing experience in a variety of roles to Kreischer Miller. Prior to joining Kreischer Miller, Adam’s role was leading the business development function in a firm focused on contract and direct placements within the pharma/biotech, engineering/construction and clinical research market sectors. He also ran the organization’s search group, developed business opportunities for engineering consultants and recruited for key clients. Prior to his staffing experience, Adam held a variety of leadership positions in higher education within student affairs divisions.
Adam is a board member of the Philadelphia Human Resources Planning Society and holds a leadership position with the Institute of Management
Accountants local chapter. He also actively participates in the Association of Corporate Growth and the MAC Alliance. He is frequently an invited speaker on Interim Executive Consulting to groups including Chempharma, the Greater Philadelphia Senior Executive Group, Execunet, The Financial Executives Networking Group, and the Philadelphia Chapter of the Institute of Management Accountants.

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April 18, 2009

My Career Transitions Presents 

Legal Aspects of Employment and Severance 
Speaker: Todd Ewan 
Speaker: Partner, Fisher & Porter, LLC 

Todd is a nationally known labor attorney. He will address the things that we as employees should be looking at and watching out for as we move through transition, and re-engagement in the labor force. He will offer tips and advice on how to evaluate separation and severance agreements. Todd will also talk with us about what rights we have as workers and how to make sure we protect ourselves.