New Career Transitions Center aims to help West Michigan professionals land new jobs

Deborah Johnson Wood

A new West Michigan nonprofit group aims to be a catalyst for mid-career professionals who are seeking jobs or are ready to transition to a new career.

The Career Transitions Center West Michigan (CTCwm) recently launched a series of free seminars and one-on-one meetings to introduce the organization's program of workshops and career coaching geared to help white collar professionals find and land new jobs.

"We want to help people manage their own career path," says founder Russ Gardner. "Most people only seek jobs once or twice in their life and need strategies for their next steps. They need people to help them learn who's hiring, who's not and what jobs are out there – and they don't need to do it alone."

CTCwm's four-month program has several facets that include ongoing one-on-one coaching with trained professionals, a weekly peer-to-peer support group, and four workshops that help job seekers learn new techniques and discover potential new career paths:
• Know Yourself and Where You're Going
• Present Your Best Self in Writing
• Networking: An Essential Tool for Career and Life
• Awesome Interviewing & Confident Negotiating

"They'll build a manual of information from the workshops, and in the peer groups they'll get to bounce things off peers who are going through the same transition," Gardner says. "The career coaches are retired or working professionals who will act as a sounding board for clients."

The organization is working to establish a bricks-and-mortar presence, Gardner says. Until then, activities will be held in a number of locations around West Michigan.

The program costs $225.

"We realize clients will probably be pulling the money for the fee from other things they need to pay," Gardner says. "But in order to make sure people are invested, we want them to put a little skin in the game. The important thing is for them to know that they do not have to go through this journey by themselves."

Source: Russ Gardner, Career Transitions Center West Michigan

Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at [email protected]. Development News tips can be sent to [email protected].