Job Search Accountability Team

One of the most useful things that happened for me in my first layoff was to be put into a job search accountability team by my outplacement services consultant.  This became my “group therapy,” because let’s face it, getting laid off can be very disheartening and really whacks your self-esteem a good one upside the head. 

A year later, when I got laid off the second time, I did not have local outplacement services to rely upon, and started up my own group from within the Lake County Prosperity Forum membership, as we’d been seeing more and more unemployed folks coming to our networking meetings.  Obviously I’m not facilitating these “Opportunity Connect” meetings anymore, but I’m glad to say they’re still ocurring, thanks to Carol Malecha.  

The basic structure of job search accountability teams is fairly straight-forward.  Here are the guidelines I drew up for Opportunity Connect – feel free to not re-invent the wheel and start your own group!

Goals:

• Support each other while we search for our next job

• Serve as a sounding board for each other

• Hold ourselves accountable for producing results that will get us closer to our next job

• Share leads, job search effectiveness tools, target company information, and connections

• Mentor each other, and new team members in job search & networking skills

• Establish meaningful networking connections with each other

Targeted Weekly Results:

• FIVE job applications submitted

• FOUR networking events attended

• THREE informational interviews conducted

• TWO personal development activities completed (e.g., training, excercise, volunteering)

• ONE face-to-face job interview

Format:

• Standing weekly meetings — same time & location, 2 hours in length

• Group size no larger than 8-10 people

• Round-table format — each person will have 5 minutes to review their weekly results, as well as their goals for the following week.

• Questions for the group will be put in the parking lot and addressed after all members have reviewed their results for the week

Ground Rules:

• NO WHINING – we are here to help each other keep focused on what we can control and to remain positive

• What happens in the group stays in the group

• Yes/No questions to the group are off limits

• Hiring Managers / Recruiters that are LCPF members are welcome to join the teams, but must participate in the full weekly meeting, should share connections and advice, and may solicit leads for open positions during the round-table discussion in lieu of giving a job search update.

• Each weekly meeting will be moderated on a rotating basis by someone within the group, to be agreed upon at the end of the previous week’s meeting.

• If you cannot attend a weekly meeting, you should email at least two other people in the group in advance to request that they provide your weekly update for you.

 Note:  Yes, the 5-4-3-2-1 goals are challenging — that’s the whole point.  Do what you can.  We turned it into a challenge — whomever would be the first to hit all goals in one week would be bought breakfast!  

The most important, and last piece of guidance on job search teams — HAVE FUN!  These are your peers – they understand what you are going through.