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ProMatch Workshops
ProMatch offers a diversity of workshops that are member-led. You can take (or even facilitate) workshops that cover such skills as team building, facilitation, interviewing, networking, and more. Please go to the ProMatch calendar to view this month's scheduled workshops. Also on this calendar are the schedules for volunteers who come to ProMatch to assist current members with career counseling, internet searching, and the like.
The following choices link to further information about workshops and volunteers. If you would like to see the recommended sequence for workshops, please click on this link.
ORIENTATION
WORKSHOP
Orientation: The first step for professionals interested
in ProMatch, this workshop provides an overview of key elements for
an effective work search. Topics include positioning statements, accomplishment
statements (PSRs) developing a personal marketing campaign, and some
tips for effective interviewing. All participants are encouraged to
form Success Teams during the interval between this workshop and their
ProMatch enrollment.
[Prerequisites: None. Advanced sign-ups are
not necessary.]
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PSR
AND RESUME WORKSHOPS
PSR
1 (Problem-Solution-Result): PSRs are brief and credible stories
with a logical structure that leaves the listener or reader with a memorable
picture of a ProMatch member's work accomplishments, skills, or strengths.
The PSR 1 workshop is an introduction to the concept of PSRs, and how
they can be used in resumes, interviews, cover letters, and elevator
speeches to engage listeners and increase interest in finding out more
about you.
[Prerequisites: None. Students are encouraged
to bring a copy of their resume to the class, as well as any employment
evaluations or awards, as these items provide an excellent starting
point for PSR development.]
PSR
2 (Problem-Solution-Result): The PSR 2 workshop takes over where
the PSR 1 workshop leaves off. This interactive workshop is designed
to help the student flesh-out more PSRs to add to her/his arsenal. The
workshop focuses on building PSR skeletons into fully developed PSRs,
rather than going through the extraction process. There is very little
actual instruction, with most of the attention devoted to interaction
within small groups led by experienced co-facilitators.
[Prerequisites: PSR 1 or an equivalent workshop.
Students must have at least two PSR "skeletons" to bring to
the class.]
[Prerequisites: None. This workshop is a prerequisite for Resume 2 and Resume Components.]
Resume
Components: This workshop is an extension of Resume Facts, and covers
the essential resume components in greater detail. Each resume components
area will have breakout team exercises to allow participants "hands-on"
interaction to refine their resume areas and to solicit feedback and
recommendations from their team members. Workshop will also include
a discussion on the use of cover letters, how to position on a resume,
employment time gaps, and career transitions. Discuss functional vs
chronological resume formats, and other topics on producing a winning
resume.
[Prerequisites: Resume Facts - JSC, and PSR
1]
Resume
2: This is an interactive lab-environment that permits participants
to review eight other resumes and have their resume reviewed sequentially
by eight other ProMatch members. This workshop helps the participant
refine their resume based upon comments and suggestions from reviewers
regarding improvements in both style and content. The workshop is suitable
for all ProMatch members, even if their resumes need only small refinements.
ProMatch members with "perfect" resumes will frequently discover
that perfection is elusive, but creating and maintaining an error-free,
first-rate resume is not.
[Prerequisites: Resume Facts - JSC, and PSR
1]
PSR,
Resume, and Profile Drop-In Coaching: This drop-in is for those
of you who have one or a few specific PSRs you wish to practice or some
focused resume or ProMatch profile questions. It is not intended to
be an exhaustive review of your resume. If that is desired, please sign
up for the Resume 2 workshop. Information about these services can be
found on the ProMatch bulletin board.
[Prerequisites: None]
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INTERVIEWING
WORKSHOPS
Ace
the Interview - JSC: The simplest interview questions can be the
most challenging. Learn how to handle questions about your salary requirements,
your weaknesses, and your strengths. Discover effective, proven techniques
to prepare you for tough job interviews. Offered by the staff of the
CONNECT! Job Seeker Center. Please go to the CONNECT! Job Seeker Center
front desk to find out where the workshop is being held. ProMatch members
receive 1 service hour for attending this workshop.
[Prerequisites: None. This workshop is a prerequisite
for Interview 2, 3, and 4.]
Interview
2 - Behavioral-Based Interview: In this workshop, members have an
opportunity to develop and practice effective answers to tough behavioral
questions that characterize many job interviews today. Since behavioral
questions require examples of employment performance and life-style
situations, members learn how to prepare answers for behavioral questions
asked during the interview.
[Prerequisites: PSR 1 is required, Ace the
Interview-JSC is recommended]
Interview
3 - Interview Telephone Interviewing: Phone interviews require different
techniques, and present different challenges than the in-person interview.
Students learn to communicate effectively on the phone to get them to
the face-to-face interview. Up to ten students can practice these techniques
in mock interviews.
[Prerequisites: PSR 1 is required, Ace the
Interview-JSC and Interview 2 are recommended]
Interview
4 - Interview Dress Rehearsal: This dynamic and confidence-building
workshop provides members with an opportunity to practice a formal job
interview. Attendees submit their resumes and a job advertisement prior
to the workshop, and every effort is made to schedule an appropriate
"interviewer" who matches the member's expertise. Participants
receive constructive feedback from the interviewer and other members,
and the interview can be videotaped (optional). Members are encouraged
to use this workshop to develop effective responses to tough interview
questions while practicing their interviewing skills in a safe environment.
[Prerequisites: PSR 1, Ace the Interview-JSC,
and Interview 2]
Negotiations: This workshop, facilitated by an outside volunteer retired executive, is for all members who would like to enhance their effectiveness when negotiating job scope, compensation, and other particulars of a job offer. This is a full day, hands-on workshop in which participants will practice actual negotiations. Countless ProMatch alumni have cited this workshop as one of the most valuable of everything we offer.
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NETWORKING AND JOB SEARCH WORKSHOPS
Jump Start Your Job Search:
This is one of the first workshops for professionals in ProMatch after going through Orientation. The workshop provides details of key elements for an effective work search. Topics include: understanding the job search process, identifying where you are in the process, identifying "sticking points" and strategies to become unstuck, understanding the importance of networking, and understanding the resources available to you through CONNECT!, NOVA, and ProMatch.
[Prerequisites: None.]
Team Up for Success:
This workshop is designed for ProMatch members to gain an understanding about the importance and value of Success Teams. The workshop also provides a suggested format for structuring Success Team meetings. The workshop consists of: Success Team basics (What, Why, and How), focused activities to help participants find compatible potential Success Teammates, creation of Success Teams, how to get your Success Team off to a good start, and to keep the team on track.
[Prerequisites: None.]
Networking:
Good networking is an essential part of any job search. The Networking
workshop teaches the process of networking - preparation, getting
contacts, setting up a meeting, conducting a meeting, and follow-through
- and gives some tips and practice to help get you started.
[Prerequisites: None. It is highly recommended
that students already have a resume and PSR (Problem-Solution-Result)
statements.]
Job
Search Strategy Group: This weekly "round table" group,
held in the ProMatch Huddle, with assistance from volunteer Steve
Piazzale. It is open to current ProMatch members and graduates, as
well as ProMatch alumni currently on the waiting list to return to
membership.
The purpose of the group is to give each attendee who has arrived
by the starting time the opportunity to ask the Group's wisdom and
suggestions for dealing with some troublesome issues on his/her job
search process. We divide the number of attendees into the 90 minutes
of time, and give equal time to each person. The combined wisdom of
this group is really great, and we encourage members/grads/alumni
to make use of this resource.
Marketing
Yourself: This is an introduction to marketing used for individual
career planning. Students of the workshop will be presented with both
strategic and tactical practices as formulated in a Personal Marketing
plan (PMP). The workshop is designed with instruction, discussion,
and exercises. Students are asked to participate. Through participation,
students have the opportunity to develop their own appreciation and
understanding for marketing in an individualized job search.
[Prerequisites: None. It is highly recommended
that students already have a resume and PSR (Problem-Solution-Result)
statements.]
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VOLUNTEERS
AND SPECIAL WORKSHOPS
Fred Goodfellow: Fred
has a Ph.D and is available in the ProMatch Huddle on Wednesday
mornings to share his expertise in searching for employment
opportunities and leads.
Steve Piazzale: Steve can help you clarify your goals and focus your job search as well as write effective resumes and cover letters, network to the hidden job market, prep for interviews, and cope with related stresses. Steve has a Stanford University Sociology Ph.D. with training in Psychology, and a Santa Clara University Mathematics B.S. He has a private practice as a Career/Life Coach, writes job/career articles for the Los Altos Town Crier, and has his own television show, "You're Hired!" Steve has years of experience as a technical/marketing communications writer (PeopleSoft, Computer Associates), a grant proposal writer (California Wellness Foundation, Stanford University Hospital), and a journalist (SF Chronicle, USA Today). Contact him at Steve@BayAreaCareerCoach.com; his website is www.BayAreaCareerCoach.com
Consulting
and Contracting:
This full-day workshop is held at the Entrepreneur
Center in San Jose, and is presented by a retired executive volunteer
who is a small business consultant. The workshop is designed to help
you decide whether or not you want to become a consultant, and what
one needs to do to establish a consulting business.
[Prerequisites: None]
In
Transition: As we go through any change - unemployment and career
transition being one - feelings of loss, confusion and disconnection
are common and expected. This workshop will explore transition and
managing change from recognizing the signs to actively addressing
how to move ourselves forward.
[Prerequisites: None]
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CONNECT!
Job Seeker Center 
420
S. Pastoria Ave. 
Sunnyvale, CA 94086 408-736-2391 TTY: 408-774-5448 
Fax: 408-737-1247 promatch@promatch.org