An Interview with Judy Sacks, Director of Career Moves at JVS Boston

August 9. 2010

Judy Sacks is the Director of Career Moves at Jewish Vocational Services in Boston. She recently took some time out of her schedule to answer a few questions about a new project that JVS is starting in Boston to help recent college graduates as they begin their job search.

NVR: For people who may not be familiar with the work that JVS is doing with Jewish young adults in Boston, can you tell us a little about how the program for “pre-professionals” developed?

In that JVS has been providing career development assistance to the greater Boston Jewish community of professionals for over 70 years, we have always included young and pre-professionals in our services, though they haven’t been a target population for us. Up to now, new graduates had the option of very good career services from their colleges and universities. And, ever since the explosion of the internet and more recently, social networking, young adults seemed pretty well able to find and secure jobs on their own. On the contrary, with the aging of the boomers and downturn in the economy leading to depletion of savings, etc., our job seeker and career changer population has been getting older. However, the current economic recession has been particularly painful for young adults, just graduating and those one year out. The outlook is fairly bleak; a recent MSNBC report says that nation-wide the unemployment rate for this group is 15%. There is a need for job seekers today to get a “leg up” and make sure that their resume is not only good but outstanding and that they are using social and in-person networking to full potential. We are uniquely able, because of our connection with the CJP community, to offer our clients information interviews with professionals in their field or in the field they wish to enter.

In order to serve this particular demographic, we feel that we need an advisory board or young adults task force to inform and advise staff on their needs and interests.

NVR: Do you programs like this exist elsewhere?

I polled other JVS’s about their services.  Many just fold career counseling and job search into their regular services. One affiliate is running a program this week called Generation GPS – Your Roadmap from College to Career…I intend to get more info.  Some JVSs have long-standing internship programs …something to look into.

NVR: What are some of the challenges your organization faces in working with this particular demographic?

As I have said, this group of individuals doesn’t think they need a service like ours – but we can add value and expertise to their job search.  Some people also think that a community-based organization cannot possibly be “first- rate”.  There are parents who are willing to spend thousands of dollars at a private firm for essentially the same service they get through us.  Also, I am sensitive to the fact that except for one staff member who is not quite 30, the rest of my small staff range from 50 to 65!  I am looking to get the Gen Y perspective from Gen Y’ers themselves.

NVR: What would be the ideal outcome for this project?

The ideal outcome would include the following:

• That we establish a task force or roundtable of your professionals who are able to advise us on the needs and interests of this demographic , and through augmented programming we are able to:
• Attract increased numbers of Jewish pre and young professionals to Career Moves services and programs who, through their engagement gain skills and contacts leading to jobs and careers.
• That we develop some lasting relationships with local Hillels (like Tufts where we will hold a program in the Fall).
• That through their engagement with JVS, both the committee members and clients gain a positive connection to the Jewish community in Boston and the efforts of the CJP community.
• That after a  year or two on the committee, certain individuals, through their work and interests and talents show themselves to be a good match for being invited to join the JVS Board of Directors, thus including the viewpoint of the younger generation on our board.

NVR: What are some of the ways that you are connecting with this group of “pre-professionals” ?

• We developed a marketing piece that offers greatly reduced costs for two of our services. For new grads.
• We held two programs in the Spring – one on careers in social media and the other a networking evening for young professionals…both were at the Microsoft Center in Cambridge, a “cool” site for young people.
• We have a Linkedin Group as well as a Facebook and Twitter presence.
• We solicit contact info and periodically send e-blasts and post events and services on our Career-moves.org web site. I also send info to many synagogues to post.

NVR: Can you tell us a little about some of the other people who are involved in this project?

The project or taskforce will be staffed by Julie Unger, our professional networks coordinator, who has done already a great deal to increase our visibility with all demographics, but especially with the younger generation.  We have the total support and oversight by Jerry Rubin, our President and CEO as well as the JVS Jewish Services Committee, now chaired by Cantor Steven Weiss. In terms of members of the task force, we are still in formation but several of the members were recommended by the CJP staff person connected with their Kadimah or leadership training program for volunteers. Other members were recommended by individuals on staff or they are former clients. I have now reached out to Julie Sue Goldwasser at CJP who oversees the programs for younger adults and she is hopefully going to refer a few people. I would like a group of 10 or 12 . So far I have about 6 but not all people can come to our first meeting.

NVR: If there are individuals in the community who would like to become involved with this project, how can they get more information about it?

I encourage anyone who wants more information or wants to become involved to contact Julie Unger at junger@jvs-boston.org or me at jsacks@jvs-boston.org