Week 12 - End of this Road, but the Journey Continues

The Trip

I may have mentioned in an earlier post that when I signed up as a volunteer for this program, I initially thought that I would play the role of an invisible fly on the wall; here to observe program participants and report on the Going Places Network by Walmart program in its first installment in Hudson County, NJ.

I immediately realized from the very first session that I was mistaken.  I discovered right away that there was much for ME to learn as well.

The clients are amazing.  Their insights about life are revealing and their passion to move forward and build better lives for themselves and their families is inspiring.

This week marked the last week for this particular group and in review of such a huge milestone for many of the women, program coordinator, Linda Street, asked the women to offer some feedback about their goal progress and what they would take away most from this program. Here are a few soundbites from our very last session:

Words from Your Fellow Travelers
"I am sorry that the program is over, but I feel that this experience has helped me a lot"
"I found a nursing school right next to my house"
"I've started school"
"I graduate from school this month"
"The mock interviews gave me more confidence"
"I have an interview today!"

Your Guide

And speaking of interviews...this week's guest speaker, Abby Kohut aka Absolutely Abby, gave us the "inside scoop" on what recruiters, head hunters and potential employers are really looking for when trying to fill positions.  Her insight in regards to Linkedin profile strategies was even eye-opening to a "know-it-all" like myself.  I made dramatic changes to my own profile as soon as I returned home. As an added bonus, Abby also gave us all free copies of her book Top 12 Interview Questions Exposed.  It's a quick read, but incredible resource that puts one right into the mind of the interviewer.  I highly recommend it!  Check out Abby in the video below:

Lastly...

I want to thank Dress for Success Hudson County for giving me the opportunity to sit in with these wonderful women in the Going Places by Walmart program.  I have made new friends and valuable contacts.  Hopefully my time and input has been helpful to at least one person because quite honestly I have been inspired by every participant in the group.

Thanks also goes to Cristina Nieves, my fellow blogger, who has filled in on those weeks I could not attend and last but not least a big 'ole hug and squeeze for Linda Street for pulling me to the side that lovely Spring day in the hair salon to ask the simple question "What do you do?"

Week 11 - A Rest Stop

The Trip

The energy in the room was filled with expectation, wonder, sadness, curiosity and presence.  How do I know this?

As a group, we were instructed to breath, relax and remain quiet for a moment. An invisible cloud seemed to rise above us and from us. This cloud was was a "pressure system" filled with everything all of us were feeling when we awoke that morning and brought with us to this next to last session.

Our guests for this week's session were Miranda and Lissette from Heaven on Earth Associates. This session was like none other because we had the chance to remove ourselves from the stress and fatigue of everyday life and transfer that energy to a more spiritual connection with our fellow travelers in the program.

Miranda, led us in a brief meditation session and as a result, we were able to clearly vocalize the feelings we had buried that morning.

It was amazing!

Your Guide

Heaven on Earth Associates' mission "to educate & connect people to their rightful self through the healing power of massage therapy/bodywork" became apparent as both Miranda and Lissette told us the stories of their journey, struggles and chance encounters which culminated in the achievement of their dreams as massage therapists and healers.

They asked us to believe in ourselves and to believe that we could do anything if we just visualize it. Visualization is the practice of seeing oneself (drawing a mental picture) in the position or situation that is desired.
The ladies were treated to wonderful chair massages that provided an even more relaxing element to the session.  I think quite a few are now hooked!

Words from Your Fellow Travelers

"I feel so relaxed"
"I should get this done more often"
"I don't usually reveal myself emotionally like this, but I feel glad that I did"

Week 7 - Travel Gear

The Trip

I've interviewed several people during my professional career.  Not once did their attire factor into my decision as to whether I should hire them or not.  I wasn't your typical run of the mill hiring manager though and thus, one shouldn't use me an example for any case studies on the do's and don'ts of interview dressing.  I dance to the beat of a different drummer my friends...
That being said, I do know what employers-at-large come to expect and our program coordinator, Linda Street, gave us a very consise and visually entertaining presentation on building a professional wardrobe.

Your Guide

Why Build a Professional Basic Wardrobe?

• Looking professional makes others view you as professional
• Having a polished look puts you in a more "business like" mindset.
• Stocking up on those few key pieces without spending a lot of money provides easy, interchangeable options to wear.
• It’s fun to play the savvy professional woman’s role –a smart wardrobe can help you do that.

Here are the recommended 10 Wardrobe Essentials

1. Suit - well fitted
2. Blouse/Shell - not low cut
3. Dress Tees/Camisole - not tight
4. Pencil Skirt - slim all the way around
5. Blazer - well fitted, 3-button
6. Spring Dresses - wrap or sheath
7. Pants/Trouser - flat front
8. Cardigan Sweater - fitted, not tight
9. Trench Coat - belted
10. Accessories - foundation garments, pumps, ballet flats, belts, stud earrings, pearl necklace, tote/professional shoulder bag, and summer scarves

Words from Your Fellow Travelers
"Think fitted, not tight"
"I'd love to be able to keep my style"
"These ideas can work for me!"

Week 4 - It Seems, Your Bags are Already Packed!!!

The Trip
One of the best, most rewarding jobs of my life was awarded to me even though I had no experience in the field…or so I thought.

I wanted to enter an emerging industry and quite frankly at the time, there weren’t many people out there who knew how to do the job. So I was fortunate enough to get an interview with a company that was looking for someone that had other skills that were “related” to what they really needed. After a series of meetings, I got the gig and loved working in an environment where I was free to shape the course of that company’s future success.

This week, our guest speaker at Dress for Success Hudson County’s Going Places by Walmart workshop, was Ms. Pamela O'Halloran formerly of Dress for Success Worldwide. The topic of this session was Transferable Job Skills; in other words how to identify and use what you've already got.
Pamela started off the discussion by asking clients to think about how to apply their life experiences to:

• Asses the skills they already have
• Extract key terms from those life experiences
• Come up with language to put in their resumes

This task may seem like a waste of time to some, but a couple of really cool examples of how to apply this exercise to roles a few of us take for granted:

   BUSY MOTHER                          EFFICIENT MULTI-TASKER
 

EXPLAINING A PROCESS               TRAINING PEOPLE


Your Guide

• Networking is valuable – Talk to friends and reach out to former colleagues to help refresh your memory about certain results you accomplished
• Borrow Language - Use wording from job postings in your resume
• Volunteering builds skills and your network – let the people you’re working with and for, that you are serious about working there full-time if an opportunity presents itself

Words from Your Fellow Travelers

“Treat volunteer work like it’s your real job!”
“I like the energy in this group!”
“Looking forward to working on my resume more to change some of the wording.”
“When I get feedback about certain skills I lack, I go out and get training to learn that skill.”
“I have MANY interviews now!”
“Create the highest, grandest, vision possible for your life because you become what you believe” - Oprah Winfrey

Travel Advisory

Rising Tide Capital – The Community Business Academy
Linkedin – Get the most from your professional network

Week 3 - Visiting The Richest Man in Babylon

Tiffany "TheBudgetnista" Aliche with the ladies of the Dress for Success Going Place Network by Walmart

The Trip

Volunteer work takes a very personal turn…

I have disrespected money…blatantly for most of my life.

This was an epiphany I had just after this week’s session.  It’s one of the harshest things I’ve had to admit about myself in a long time, but now that I’ve said it, I am sure there is something I can do to rectify the offense.

After a review of Week 2 with the clients, the group was introduced to our guest speaker: Ms. Tiffany “TheBudgetnista” Aliche.  Right away I became keenly aware of her exuberant energy.  She took charge right away and began her presentation by telling us the story of the first bicycle she ever bought…as a kid. 

I’m not sure what everyone else expected to hear from Tiffany and as I mentioned in last week’s post, I left my expectations home.  I purposefully decided NOT to do any research on her because I wanted to be completely objective upon our introduction.  Her next story was a quick synopsis of the book The Richest Man in Babylon by George S. Clason.  The basic premise provides the reader with the "golden rules" of money that we should all live by.

Next up! The session, which was a flurry of opinions, ideals, and disagreements all surrounding the issue of money philosophies, was masterfully facilitated by Tiffany.  In the end, most of the women confirmed they were in trouble and I was certainly right there with them.  Tiffany made us all take a cold hard look at our poor spending habits directly in the face so that we could become more accountable for our actions yet motivated to make positive changes moving forward.  Tiffany walked the group through a portion of Day One in her book; The One Week Budget, where clients were asked to:

1.   list every single expense

2.   apply a monthly dollar amount to each expense

3.   subtract that amount from their monthly income

4.   determine if they had money left or if they were in the hole

  

After the calculations were tallied, you could hear a pin drop.  We all know what that meant.  But instead of seeing fear or discouragement on the faces of the women, I saw the look of realization and personal strength; the determination to make a change.

Later, after a giggly photo session (see group pic above), Tiffany was nice enough to offer me a ride to the PATH station…poor girl!  It was like putting a chronically ill hypochondriac in a car with a doctor.  I think I spilled my entire financial guts to her in less than five minutes.  You gotta give it to her, she’s a good listener!  One of the last things I recall muttering to her before I got out of the car was that I had an “existential philosophy” about money…hahahaaaaaaa.  What in the world was I talking about? Pure gibberish!  Excuses, excuses, excuses…

As soon I got home, I started browsing her book first as she suggested and have marked a day this week to start my Day One calculations.  In the meantime, I’m still reading The Richest Man in Babylon and I am totally captivated by its simple yet enlightening message that will indeed “change your money mindset”.  It has for me.  Thanks Tiffany!

Your Guide

Rules to live by: From the Richest Man in Babylon

Acquire Money - A part of all you earn is yours to keep. It should be not less than a tenth no matter how little you earn. It can be as much more as you can afford. Pay yourself first.

Keep Money - Advice is one thing that is freely given away, but watch that you take only what is worth having. He, who takes advice about his savings from one who is inexperienced in such matters, shall pay with his savings for proving the falsity of their opinions.

Use Money - make gold (money) work for you

Rules to live by: From TheBudgetnista

“Need” means what you CAN’T LIVE without

“You don’t have to have a lot to have a lot”

Words from Your Fellow Travelers

Tiffany,
I was just in the Going Places Networking Workshop. You were/are amazing and have changed my life! Thank you! Your Seminar today was great! Extremely helpful, you have encouraged me to take on a different/better life. I am so glad to have crossed paths with you! Thank you so much!! You are amazing! Glad you kept going because you are helping so many people. :) Congratulations and good luck on all the great things coming in the future!

From a DFS client

Hello Linda,
Thanks SOOOOOOO much for inviting me to facilitate the workshop. The ladies truly touched my heart and reminded me exactly why I began working as "TheBudgetnista" in the first place. I decided in college that I wanted to live a life of service, and I've chosen financial literacy as my vehicle. I'm really grateful for the platform you've provided in letting me help others, learn how to help themselves. I look forward to the next one.
All the best and more,

Tiffany

Travel Advisory

The Budgetnista

The One Week Budget – Learn to create your money management system in 7 days or less!

The Richest Man in Babylon

Photos from Our Trip

Week 1 - Time to Pack

The Trip

There's something about new beginnings...

I've always had a problem with managing my expectations about new experiences in my life.  For me, the problem with setting unrealistic expectations has always been that I always made the wrong assumptions about what's going to happen.  I mean, I basically get the gist of how I should behave, what is expected of me and what the outcome should involve.  But what I always used to get wrong (and I have no idea why), were my pre-conceived notions about the people I would encounter.

So if you recall from the last post, I finally met the "elusive" Linda Street from Dress for Success Hudson County.  She's great! Check!  She recruits me as a volunteer to document the workshops she organized for the Going Places Network by Walmart. Check!  She sends me some literature on the program and links me to their website.  Check!  I read up on everything.  I jot down ideas about the blog. Check and Check! And then, (here's where it used to go wrong)...I would start daydreaming about people I hadn't even met yet.  Usually this would end with me being totally surprised (or disappointed depending on the circumstances) and caught off guard.  I've recently changed this about myself and I was fortunate enough to meet the Dress for Success clients with this new found attitude...and I'm so glad I did!

Linda gave a very comprehensive presentation which outlined:

• An Introduction to the Program
• Standards of Accountability - "rules of the road" and what to expect from the workshops
• Goal Setting - brainstorming about what the clients want to get out of the program
• Lead Topics - Change Management and Organizing Your Job Search

I sat there scribbling notes, making sure to catch as many important points as I could.  I tried to stay completely neutral until Linda posed an innocent enough question to the group:

"What strengths do you fall back on when you are struggling?"

The answer from one woman was equally innocent (to paraphrase):

"I know I have to take care of my children so I keep going; knowing that I have to care for them not matter what."

Something about her answer created excitable feedback from the other clients which in turn transformed into a very emotional discussion surrounding the issue of personal strength, self-valuation, and the fighting power in all of us. 

Tears were shed, consoling ensued, and I felt like we all had that sisterhood bondy-thingy moment that always tends to happens when you stick a bunch of women in a room long enough…very enlightening indeed…sigh.

Your Guide

·    Manage Your Expectations – develop realistic ones and measure what is working and what isn’t

·    Stay Motivated – Take care of yourself emotionally, physically and financially

·    Overcoming Obstacles - Having a positive attitude from the start will help increase the chances of an employment opportunity.  Once there is positive self-talk then the next step is planning for occupational goals.

·    Create a Support Network - Continue participation in Going Places Network by Walmart and schedule appointments with one friend a week for two months

·    Focus on Your Personal Strengths – Taking a cue from the discussion mentioned above “What doesn’t kill you will only make you stronger.” and from George Elliott, “It’s never too late to be what you might have been.”

Words from Fellow Travelers

Quotes from clients when asked about their personal strengths:

“I love my strong personality”

“My mother is my role model”

“I’m proud of the fact that I’m a good mother”

“God is my strength”

Preparing for The Journey

The Trip
It's so "interesting" how God, The Universe, Fate, or whatever celestial energy you believe in, works.  I'm always amazed at how people and/or opportunities enter my life just when I need them.
Here's an example for yall...
My daughters and I have been getting our hair done at the same salon for over four years.  The salon owner, Jennifer, and I have become good friends during this time and every once in a while she would always mention another friend of hers named Linda who I have never met; which was strange in itself because I have met many of her friends over the years and Linda wasn't one of them. 
I was starting to think that Linda was a figment of Jennifer's imagination...
When I finally did meet Linda, it was totally by chance and that's a crazy thing to say since we eventually did meet at a networking event...IN THE SALON!  No one introduced us.  She was just a random woman who started a conversation with me and whose name didn't click until later on in the day when Jennifer asked me, "Did you meet Linda?"

Needless to say (but I will), timing is everything. A chance meeting is everything. 

When she and I eventually sat down for a good 'ole chat, we discovered that our paths were in parallel.  Linda Street works for Dress for Success Hudson County and is the Program Coordinator for the Going Places Network by Walmart.

This program, funded by a national grant from the Walmart Foundation, is designed to help unemployed and under-employed Dress for Success clients gain professional skills, accelerate their job search and build confidence through weekly training sessions, one-on-one career coaching and networking in a supportive environment.

Linda was thinking it would be nice to have someone sit in and document the program's workshops so that she could post the summaries and outcomes on their website, and guess who was working towards beefing up her blogging activities??? Amazing.  I met Linda almost two weeks before the program was about to begin and this is the preview post written to prepare myself and the reader for our journey.

Your Guide 

• Always tell people you meet, what it is that you do or want to do - I have a good friend who teases me about this.  Every time we hang out and meet new people, I always ask them "What do you do?".  She thinks it's a turn-off for guys, but I don't care.  I'm not trying to find out how much money they make.  I want to know so I can see if there is any way we can help one another...that's all :)
• Always follow-up - even if you can't put your finger on what it is you have in common with someone you meet, make sure you follow-up with a phone call, text, or email.  You never know when you will need to reach out to that person and you want to make sure they remember you.
• Keep your mind and heart open - being positive has never failed me.  I didn't say it was easy, BUT keeping your mind focused on the goals you want to achieve and visualizing yourself doing what you want to do, makes that "dream" a reality...cliche, but true.

The first program group  of 15-20 women will meet every Wednesday 10a-12p April 13 – June 29 at a lovely loft complex in Jersey City, NJ.  Stay tuned for more!

  

Week 6 - Visting Fellow Travelers

This blog post, courtesy of fellow blogger AND DFS Hudson County client Cristina Nieves!!

The Trip
Sometimes all you need is a great story or some encouraging words to spark the rocket that sends you shooting straight towards your dreams.

We were all very grateful when a former client of Dress for Success paid us a visit. Carol Graham, a Weight Loss Consultant and Life Coach for Jenny Craig, created a great wave of encouragement when she came to visit. Her beautiful words and personal experience allowed us to relate to someone who was able to overcome most of the problems we are currently facing. It was uplifting and simply what the doctor ordered. Carol had great advice and you could feel it and almost see it coming straight from her heart.

 

Your Guide

• Get out of the "I just have to do something/anything" mindset
• It takes the same amount of energy to do what you like and what you don't like, so why not do what you like?
• We find ourselves focusing on what we can't do, focus on what you can!
• Take the baby steps and with the work and strength you'll reach your goals
• Don't stop! You're in your meantime.

As Carol spoke you could see the effect she was having on all of us. It was extremely inspirational. She gave us two assignments to complete.
The first was to create a list of what you like to do and also what you are good at. What is the same on both lists? Find your passion!

The other was to make a promise to yourself to [think it] [speak it] [live it]. She wanted to stress the importance of knowing what you are capable of doing. Don't be afraid, let go, let her out! My favorite piece of advice was a very powerful statement, "They say the sky is the limit but that is not true. There is space beyond the sky, get there!" Carol Graham. Take the time to complete these two assignments because they will allow you to create a better relationship with yourself. You need to make sure you make time to listen to yourself. To realize your desires, your dreams and what you deserve.

ASK YOURSELF



STAND UP AND SAY IT!

Words from Your Fellow Travelers

"They say the sky is the limit but that is not true. There is space beyond the sky, get there!"

"I will let her out!"

"I am ready!"

"Focus on what you CAN do."

"Don't stop. You're in your meantime."

"You really changed my life today, thank you!"

Travel Advisory

Daily Inspiration!

http://www.facebook.com/FearlessWomen

http://inspirationeveryday.blogspot.com/