Jewish Vocational Service :: Programs

Donate | Volunteer | Search

Career Coaching & Advising

Employment Programs

Jewish Community Programs

Kohn

Jewish Employment Network

Jewish Community Programs

Jewish Employment Network

| Workshops | Frequently Asked Questions |

The Jewish Employment Network (JEN) is the JVS outreach program to the Jewish community, presenting career workshops and events in partnership with Bay Area synagogues and Jewish agencies. JEN provides a convenient entry point for Bay Area Jews who want to access the wealth of career resources that JVS has to offer.

Check the JEN calendar below for workshops and events on such topics as:

Re-careering after 50

Returning to the workforce after raising children

Career planning for retirement

Job search for recent grads

Recession-Proofing Your Career

Blogging, social networking, and other technology trends

Online Career networking

Careers that make a difference

Jobs in the nonprofit sector

Most programs are offered at no cost. To attend any of the following workshops, please register below by clicking the links below each workshop. Or contact Wendy Verba, JEN Coordinator, 415-782-6293.

JEN is supported by the Jewish Community Federation (JCF) of San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin and Sonoma Counties, and by the Walter and Elise Haas Fund.

Workshops New Topics! New Venues! East Bay, South Peninsula, North Peninsula, San Francisco
Wednesday, August 20 7:00pm - 9:00pm Jewish Community Center of San Francisco 3200 California Street San Francisco, CA	What Do I Want To Be When I Retire? (FREE!) How do you make the most of the retirement years ahead of you? How will you spend your time, keep active and stay fulfilled? Do you hope to start a new career, travel, spend more time with family, volunteer, get in shape? This workshop will help you find your own answers to these questions, using career planning techniques to explore your interests and dreams and put your plan into action. Pre-register now!
September 2008
Thursdays, September 4, 11, 18, 25 9:30am - 11:30am JFCS Parents Place 200 Channing Ave. Palo Alto, CA 94301-2415	Moms in Career Transition (fee: $100 for four-week series) A four-week career exploration group for moms who are looking to re-establish satisfying careers. Whether you’ve been out of the workforce while raising children or have continued to work but are looking for a career change, this group is for you! Led by Barbara Gottesman, a seasoned career coach (and mom!), this group will share ideas and feedback, contacts and strategies to help each member define and reach her career goals. It’s just the push you need to get started! Pre-register now!

Wednesday, September 10 7:00pm - 9:00pm Congregation Sha’ar Zahav 290 Dolores Street (at 16th) San Francisco	Recession-Proofing Your Career (FREE!) The employment outlook may be bleak but there is much you can do to keep your career (and income) on track. Be proactive and learn some great tips from these panelists on understanding the employment market, staying networked and connected, using online networking tools, updating skills, filling employment gaps, and keeping motivated. You’ll leave with the positive outlook and hands-on tools you need to succeed in an unstable economy. Pre-register now! Moderator: Marcia Ruben, Executive Coach and Management Consultant, Ruben Consulting Group Panelists: Jeremy Verba, CEO, Piczo, Inc.; Missy Longshore, Regional Director, Commongood Careers; Maynard Jenkins, Human Resources Business Partner, Kaiser Permanente; Lisa Toppin, Vice President, Human Resources, Charles Schwab. Co-sponsors: Congregation Sha’ar Zahav, Congregation Sherith Israel, Congregation Emanu-El, JCF LGBT Alliance, Jewish Community Center of San Francisco, Hebrew Free Loan Association, Shalom Bayit, Congregation Beth Israel Judea (and others)

Tuesday, September 16 7:00pm - 9:00pm Peninsula Temple Sholom 1655 Sebastian Drive, Burlingame	Networking for Success: Tips from the Pros (FREE!) How do you set yourself up for the best jobs and career moves? How do you re-enter the workforce after taking a break? Three words: network, network, network! This panel of successful professionals will share their networking secrets (and mistakes!) along with specific techniques that you can use to get closer to the professional community that interests you and the jobs within it. Pre-register now! Moderator: Charlene Li, VP and senior analyst, Forrester Research and author, Groundswell: Winning in a World Transformed by Social Technologies Panelists: Jeremy Verba, CEO, Piczo, Inc.; Judy Bloom, development officer, Jewish Community Endowment Fund; Naomi Snyder Greenstone, senior counsel, human resources, Abbott Laboratories

Wednesday, September 17 7:00pm - 9:00pm Jewish Community Center of San Francisco 3200 California Street San Francisco, CA	Women in Career Transition (FREE!) This hands-on career exploration workshop is for women who are looking to re-establish or boost satisfying careers. Whether you’ve scaled back or opted out of the workforce during a life transition, or have continued to work but are looking for a career change, this group is for you! Participants will share ideas and feedback, contacts and strategies to help each member define and reach her career goals. It’s just the push you need to get started! Led by career coach Linda Lesem. Pre-register now! Co-sponsors: JCCSF and Shalom Bayit

Sunday, September 21 10:00am - 12:00pm JFCS/East Bay Suse Moyal Center for Older Adult Services, 828 San Pablo Ave, Ste 1044 Albany	Re-Careering After 50 (FREE!) If retirement is not an option, there are still ways to leverage your work experience to balance financial needs with personal satisfaction. Have your priorities changed over time? Are you hoping to stabilize your income? Looking for more time for other aspects of your life? Frustrated by age discrimination in the workplace? You will explore these issues and more, and leave this workshop with the action plan and motivation you need to move confidently into the future. Pre-register now!
October 2008
Sunday, October 19 10:30am - 12:30pm Albert L. Schultz JCC 4000 Middlefield Road, Building R, Palo Alto	What Do I Want To Be When I Retire? (FREE!) How do you make the most of the retirement years ahead of you? How will you spend your time, keep active and stay fulfilled? Do you hope to start a new career, travel, spend more time with family, volunteer, get in shape? This workshop will help you find your own answers to these questions, using career planning techniques to explore your interests and dreams and put your plan into action. Pre-register now!

Sunday, October 19 9:30am - 11:30am PJCC Computer Lab 800 Foster City Blvd. Foster City	Online Networking for Jobs and Careers (FREE!) Online networking sites like LinkedIn and Facebook have become powerful tools in any professional job search. In fact, a professional online presence is almost a requirement in today’s job market. But what does that mean? You’ll learn what networking tools are out there and how to use them strategically. You’ll also find out how to professionalize your online image so that the next time a hiring manager “Googles” you, they will like what they see! Pre-register now!

Thursdays, October 23, 30, November 6, 13 9:30am - 11:30am Parents Place at SF JFCS 1710 Scott Street San Francisco	Moms in Career Transition (fee: $100 for four-week series) A four-week career exploration group for moms who are looking to re-establish satisfying careers. Whether you’ve been out of the workforce while raising children or have continued to work but are looking for a career change, this group is for you! Led by a seasoned career coach (and mom), this group will share ideas and feedback, contacts and strategies to help each member define and reach her career goals. It’s just the push you need to get started! Led by career coach Linda Lesem. Pre-register now! Co-sponsors: Parents Place and JFCS Single Parent Program

Sunday, October 26 9:30am - 11:30am Congregation Sherith Israel 2266 California St. San Francisco	Now for Something Completely Different: Changing Careers and Making it Work (FREE!) Do you dread going to work on Monday mornings? Or, are you returning to work after taking a break and want anything but your last job? You may have gotten yourself into the wrong career, but this workshop can help put you on track to the right one. You’ll learn concrete strategies for researching and networking in a new field, identify transferable skills and begin to re-cast your resume. This workshop is most helpful for those who have one or more ideas of what they’d rather be doing or a vision of a “dream job.” Pre-register now!

Tuesdays, October 28, November 4, 11, 18 9:30am - 11:30am Congregation Netivot Shalom 1316 University Ave. Berkeley	Moms in Career Transition (fee: $100 for four-week series) A four-week career exploration group for moms who are looking to re-establish satisfying careers. Whether you’ve been out of the workforce while raising children or have continued to work but are looking for a career change, this group is for you! Led by a seasoned career coach (and mom), this group will share ideas and feedback, contacts and strategies to help each member define and reach her career goals. It’s just the push you need to get started! Pre-register now!
November 2008
Sunday, November 9 3:00pm - 5:00pm PJCC 800 Foster City Blvd. Foster City	What Do I Want To Be When I Retire? (FREE!) How do you make the most of the retirement years ahead of you? How will you spend your time, keep active and stay fulfilled? Do you hope to start a new career, travel, spend more time with family, volunteer, get in shape? This workshop will help you find your own answers to these questions, using career planning techniques to explore your interests and dreams and put your plan into action. Pre-register now!

Wednesday, November 19 7:00pm - 9:00pm Jewish Community Center of San Francisco 3200 California Street San Francisco, CA	Online Networking for Jobs and Careers (FREE!) Online networking sites like LinkedIn and Facebook have become powerful tools in any professional job search. In fact, a professional online presence is almost a requirement in today’s job market. But what does that mean? You’ll learn what networking tools are out there and how to use them strategically. You’ll also find out how to professionalize your online image so that the next time a hiring manager “Googles” you, they will like what they see! Pre-register now!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Jewish Employment Network?
The Jewish Employment Network supports job-seekers at all stages of career development. JVS offers educational workshops throughout the community to assist job-seekers with a variety of skills-building, from computer training to informational interviewing.

What does it cost to attend a workshop?
Thanks to funding from the Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin and Sonoma Counties and the Walter & Elise Haas Fund, many workshops are offered at no cost to participants.

Do I have to register in advance?
Yes! Although we welcome walk-ins to all of our sessions, registration is required for all participants. Most workshops are “stand alone” sessions that do not require more than a one-time commitment. We also offer workshop series to explore certain topics in more depth.

Where are workshops offered?
Our workshops are offered at Jewish community agencies, such as Jewish Community Centers, and at synagogues throughout the Bay Area.

Do I have to be Jewish to participate?
No. While JEN is designed to meet the needs of the Jewish community and create opportunities for professional networking within that community, we welcome individuals from any background or ethnicity.

What other services does JVS offer?
JVS serves individuals from all walks of life seeking work or in career transition. We offer a variety of services including job search coaching and workshops, intensive training programs, and a Technology Access Center. Most of our services are offered at no cost to participants.

Copyright © 2006 Jewish Vocational Service. All Rights Reserved.
225 Bush Street, Suite 400, San Francisco, CA 94104 (Map)
Email: hire@jvs.org

Phone: (415) 391-3600, Fax: (415) 391-3617, TDD: (415) 391-2846