Part of the training is writing 'poison letters,' which lets people get the acrimony out of their bloodstreams. In addition to confidence building, Mr. Hazan and other volunteers teach practical skills, such as computing and online job research. In their previous jobs someone else did this. All they had to do was read reports. The state and federal job banks don't speak to our audience.
OPEN members seek out and call on the human-resources departments of major employers who are hiring.
We give them the chance to utilize an executive search firm that'll cost them nothing, because it's their tax dollars at work. Experience Unlimited participants return to work quickly, according to Ms. Wilson. There's something about the structure and the moral support and the fact that someone's keeping track of how you're doing. Still, she says, most members come in via personal referrals instead of through EDD channels. We could paper the Valley with marketing material, but many professionals are skeptical about something that's no-fee and sponsored by the government, until they come to see the benefits of our programs.