How to get most out of job support groups

Job clubs, networking groups, job support circles, job search success groups -- have you heard these names and wondered what people do there? Perhaps you attend one or more of these groups on a regular basis, or volunteer to arrange the sessions.

There are enough people involved in these efforts, either as organizers or participants, to warrant a primer. Here, then, is a quick guide to the overall structure of the meetings, as well as some pluses and minuses to being involved with them, and strategies to make them worth your while.

Overview

Although the names of these groups seem to differentiate them, in fact they are more alike than different. As a rule, these are weekly or semiweekly sessions that are open to all comers and feature an agenda focused on job search topics. Some networking-only groups, or groups led by private organizations might limit attendance to job seekers fitting specific criteria, such as past employment in a particular field.

Very commonly, the agenda for a one- or two-hour meeting will include a speaker or featured subject of discussion, a round-robin introduction where each participant explains his or her job goal, and a small-group or general networking period where job leads are shared. Religiously based sessions also will include prayer or inspirational readings.

The hosts of these sessions may be state workforce center employees, volunteers from the community, or professionals in the career counseling field. The meetings, even when nonreligious, often take place in a house of worship where there is no fee for the space. They also may be found in coffee shops and workforce centers.

Pluses

Regular participants and job club leaders will tell you that the benefits of attending are difficult to measure, but usually notable. For instance, participants may find that they are more structured in their overall job search efforts because they know they will be asked to share results at next week’s meeting.

Another benefit can come from the subject matter being discussed, particularly when it is presented skillfully. Learning better methods of networking, interviewing or cover-letter writing can provide the tactical skills that most job seekers find themselves lacking, at least at the beginning of a job search.

Still another benefit to attending these sessions is the emotional boost people say they receive from going someplace where others know their name and take the time to ask how they’re doing. In a process as isolating and impersonal as job search can seem, this benefit looms large.

Not to be discounted, of course, are the actual job leads that some groups focus on distributing. While the number and quality of the leads can vary, having them available lends to the feeling of productivity in the meeting.

Minuses

Well, as anyone can tell you, a roomful of unemployed people can quickly turn gloomy. A frequent complaint about job clubs is that the round-robin introductions are filled with people venting about how long they’ve been out of work and how impossible the job market is to crack. The feeling from abstainers is that these sad sacks would do better to skip the meeting and get to work on the job search.

Along the same lines, there is legitimate concern among job search professionals and even the hosts of some meetings about creating a dependency on the weekly session. When someone gets enough of their needs met there, the feeling is, they lose some of their motivation for the search. Unemployment begins to be the norm in their circle, rather than a situation to be ended as quickly as possible.

Strategies

If you would like to make the most of a job club or support group, you will benefit from knowing what you want to gain from the experience. When emotional support is the goal, it’s important to try a few groups until you find one that feels like home to you. On the other hand, if you’re looking for tactical support, don’t worry if the group feels like home -- focus instead on the leader’s knowledge and the quality of the information being shared.

Whatever your goals for the process, you’ll also want to set goals for your own participation. These goals can range from taking home new leads to meeting new people to network with later to simply staying connected to the world while you’re going through a difficult time.