Shavuos Forum 2009 Discussion & Suggestions

At the Shavuos forum several suggestions were offered where people can seek out help during these tough economic times. Below you will find "links/email" to various agencies for networking opportunities in the city that can benefit job seekers, those that have jobs to offer, and anyone looking to get more business, make connections, even find shidduchim (not all these events listed will provide the latter, given that they are not Jewish in nature).

Click on any of the links listed below

Many professions and industries have their own niche networking events. Individuals can consider starting their own networking group or hosting a one-time event. A synagogue such as YIKGH might have a Sunday-after-minyan bi-monthly event (with food!) for Queens area people to meet and compare notes, for men and women.

A Letter of Encouragement

Hi,
This past shabbos/shavuos (at YIKGH Forum) I spoke about how I went about finding the current job that I’m in. I was asked to email it to the shul, so here it is:
In late 2008 I was told that I had 45 days to find another job; I was being laid off. I worked for a firm that developed shopping centers and the credit crunch had hit us hard.
So I started hitting the job boards. Monster, careerbuilder, Hotjobs. But, no one ever got back to me. Not even once.
So I decided to take another approach. I made a list of all the successful and well-connected people I knew. I ended up with about twenty names. I called each of them, one by one, and asked them all the same question: "Do you know of five people, who work in the real estate industry, that you could introduce me to?" The first person I spoke to introduced me to three people - one by phone and two by e-mail. Those three people introduced me to another five people and those five to another two. My first contact had generated a total of ten introductions! Five people even asked for my resume. I felt encouraged and energized. So I continued down my list. Eventually my list of twenty contacts produced over 100 introductions. I must have sent my resume to at least 75 people. Eventually I got "introduced" to my current employer. Someone at his firm was retiring and they needed to replace him asap. But here's the clincher: they hadn't put the job on the market yet. They hadn't interviewed anyone else. The reason I got the job - aside from the obvious divine intervention - is because I wasn't really competing with anyone else. I was the only person they ever interviewed. This method requires a healthy dose of initiative and persistence. But the rewards are there for those who put in the effort. I also want to remind people that at the end of the day it’s all in hashem’s hand. You have to daven. Period end of story. Once you’ve done your part (hishtadlus) and you’ve asked hashem to do his part (divine intervention) you can then sit back with the comfort and relief of knowing that it is no longer in your hands. You’ve done everything you can and now it’s up to Hashem.
Jeremie Lederer
Vice President - Asset Management

Rugby Realty Co., Inc.
145 Huguenot Street
Suite 300A
New Rochelle, NY 10801
Ph: 914-633-3666
Fax: 914-633-5249
www.rugbyrealty.com

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