PSG to be Rebranded

With so many of NJ’s unemployed up in arms about a recent announcement concerning the restructuring of the PSG (Professional Service Group), I’d like to address the rumors. PSG is not being disbanding; it’s coming back with a new name and will be bigger and better than ever!

PSG is being rebranded and will be rolled out in July, 2012 as Jersey Job Clubs. The goal of the transformation is to have Jersey Job Club coverage in every local area - county and major cities throughout the state, and also to begin six statewide sector-based Jersey Job Clubs. This is exciting news!

The former PSG group serviced less than 1% of the over 400,000 unemployed people in NJ. In addition, the people serviced were located in mostly suburban areas and not the cities where unemployment rates are the highest. Many people who would have liked to attend the meetings, trainings and networking events were put off by the word, “Professional” in the title; they felt the group was for managerial level professionals or those with advanced degrees.

Over the next two months, members of the Bureau of Labor and Workforce Development will be conducting a series of focus groups with former PSG members, facilitators and jobseekers to understand the needs of jobseekers and to compile a list of best practices. The Jersey Job Clubs will also incorporate many exciting tools including jobs4jersey.com resources and resume registration, effective job search techniques, interview preparation, labor market information and speakers who will provide consistent information around the state.

I look forward to the rollout of the Jersey Job Clubs and hope that you will join me in welcoming the change.

Professional Services Group - PSG

I've noticed quite a change over the past two years in the job search process and job seekers are becoming quite savvy.  Yesterday I gave a "Job Search for the Age 40+ Worker" class for a local Professional Services Group (PSG).  There must have been 50 people there and they were all on top of the newest strategies and tools to help them with their job search. How’d they do that, I wondered?  The answer was right in front of me.  They make it their business to stay on top of the job search process.

PSG groups offer many services for the job seeker.  You'll find trainings, career fairs, social events, websites, member profiles and so much more. What I liked best about this group was their terminology and support.  Right before they started the meeting they went through the list of those who had "landed", or found a job.  Whether or not the person was in attendance, the room erupted into applause.  It was so warm, genuine and almost as if I had walked into someone's living room.

If I were a local employer, I'd attend one of the PSG Monday meetings. The expertise is extraordinary.  I watched people making an effort to get involved in committees so that they could sharpen their existing skills and learn new ones. I watched people who I knew never did any public speaking in their former jobs, take a microphone and announce a project or make a request.  I saw train-the-trainer huddles going on as people with hopes of landing, passed on their expertise to the newer members.  It was like a business being run on a Monday morning; only the local office was a church basement. 

Bravo to the PSG and other networking groups that sharpen the skill sets of the unemployed and give them a sense of community and purpose.  For more information on Professional Service Groups, please contact your local unemployment office.  I met with the Central Jersey PSG Chapter; please see what your state offers.