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February 6, 2009
Who you know helps
Jewish grads seeking connections turn to Hillel.
ALLEGRA LEVY
Vancouver Hillel knows it isn't who you are, it's who you know that matters most. So, after decades of service to the Jewish community, they are widening their networking scope.
Coinciding with a costly long-term upgrade of University of British Columbia Hillel – a new building – the creation of Hillel Young Jewish Urbanites (HYJU), now one year old, is filling a need to stay relevant and engaged with the public during a sticky transition.
On Jan. 29, the HYJU kicked off their professional division speaker series, a progressive four-month spread of lectures and workshops on topics pertinent to the hopeful job hunter. Each workshop will build on the last, beginning with ideas of leadership and culminating with how to lead a "balanced, successful life."
The first lecture was led by Dr. Micha Popper, an Israeli psychology professor currently visiting Simon Fraser University from the University of Haifa. His interactive presentation revolved around the nature of people and their inherent need to be led, transitioning nicely into group work later in the evening.
Although Hillel does not usually reach beyond the university-age group, creating a venue for Jewish young adults to network in a business setting was a natural next step, building on the connection Hillel already fosters between its members and the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver.
In addition to providing campus buzz around Jewish issues and providing space for Jewish activities, Hillel is now playing Yenta for its graduates, exploiting a close proximity and legacy relationship to some of the strongest members of the Jewish community. HYJU represents one of many attempts over the past two years for Hillel to grab new footholds in the youth community.
The HYJU is designed to connect recent university graduates and 22- to 33-year-olds with professional contacts in the broader Jewish community. Although the program has been relatively quiet until now, the shrinking job market for young people has proved a boon to their programs.
The series comes at a time when, instead of celebrating their graduations, many Canadian graduates are feeling the sting of rejection. Statistics Canada data show that job options for them are down four per cent from last year, contributing heavily to an overall 1.5 per cent decline in the wider job market, a fact that has more than a few students fearing for their financial futures.
Nicole, an impending graduate, sees the HYJU as an opportunity to network within the community and a chance to beat the bad odds. "I am intimidated to be graduating and starting my professional life in this economy. Everything seems to be a gamble."
Despite confidence in her education, Nicole knows that she will need more than skill to find a job. "I have contacts from jobs or activities, but networking is vital. It's important to get to know the community."
Although the first session, held on Jan. 29, drew only about 12 participants in the desired age bracket, Kara Mintzberg, Vancouver Hillel's assistant communications director, is optimistic. "We had a decent response," she said, citing another Hillel event scheduled the same night as part of the problem. Nonetheless, Mintzberg said that it was quality over quantity and the evening was a success. "The calibre of the participants attending the first session was extremely high, with diverse educational and professional backgrounds," she said.
The speaker series is designed to "Strengthen communication between established and new professionals," said Mintzberg. "By participating, members and mentors grow their contact base, expand professional avenues and exchange ideas." The program is meant to equip participants with the know-how and the confidence to seek opportunities effectively and to teach them how to remain proactive – not to set them up with a job offer.
The structure for each session will remain unchanged, with a keynote speaker, an information package and light refreshments. The entire series will be business intensive, with a focus on group discussions.
Future workshops will take place the last Thursday of the month at 7 p.m. in the Oakridge Auditorium and will cover: Personal Marketing Strategies, Succeeding in the Workplace, Getting What You Want, and Leading a Balanced Successful Life. Participants are asked to pre-register online at www.vancouverhillel.ca under the HYJU heading.
Allegra Levy is a Vancouver freelance writer.
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