The SMARTvt Job Club Syllabus outlines a 13-week course to help job seekers find employment through acquiring job search skills. The course objectives are to help participants describe their value to employers, build professional networks, conduct effective job searches including interviews, and negotiate salaries. Weekly sessions focus on topics like personal branding, the hidden job market, resume writing, and interviewing. Participants complete assignments between sessions and have access to mentoring and networking opportunities to differentiate themselves in today's competitive job market.

1. S pecific
M easurable
A ttainable
R elevant
T imely
SMARTvt Job Club Syllabus:
13 weeks that will change your life!
Purpose
Job seekers who invest in the SMARTvt Job Club training gain help finding
a job and acquire skills they can use to become and remain employed. We
use the best known job search techniques to help individuals differentiate
themselves from the competition, find viable opportunities, and make a
case for why and how they will add value to a prospective employer in
Our Mission today’s competitive global economy.
We transform challenge into opportunity. Course Objectives
SMARTvt is committed to changing the At the end of this course, you will be able to:
way the marketplace thinks about human  Convincingly describe the value your brand will deliver to an
capital, addressing the needs and
employer.
challenges of those driven to achieve the
 Build a network of people and professional contacts.
next level of success by providing the
 Conduct a systematic search that lands interviews.
essential differentiating skills, tools and
perspective you need to take your career  Complete productive and successful job interviews.
to the next level.  Follow up professionally on any contact.
 Negotiate a competitive salary.
Organizational Structure  Project an effective, compelling personal presence.
Job Club is a structured, weekly group Weekly Activities
meeting which assists professionals in Each unit runs up to three hours in a group setting. Participants invest one
changing their mindsets from being long to three additional hours per week in focus sessions to build skills related
term employees into becoming effective to the topic. The focus sessions occur as small group practice sessions or
value-added solution providers to an one-on-one coaching customized to individual needs. Every unit includes
organization. Based on Nathan Haslett’s assignments and an expectation to practice new skills on one’s own time
ground breaking work on the Community and concurrently with an active job hunt. The weekly units are:
Support model, Job Club unleashes the
power of group dynamics to transform our 1. 13 Weeks That Change Your World
professional point of view in a safe and 2. Up in the Air
supportive environment. 3. Hidden Job Market
4. Collateral Development – Resumes
The Job Club offers a unique opportunity 5. Graded: Applied Theory
to differentiate oneself in today’s 6. Interviews
competitive job market. SMARTvt offers a 7. Business Etiquette: Political Sensitivity / Diversity
jump start access to an established Awareness – 1st Five Days
professionals network throughout New 8. Credentialing
England and the USA. 9. Act Like a Manager
The Bench is a consultancy practice 10. Lifetime Employability
11. How to Succeed and Think Like an Engineer
staffed by our most accomplished
12. Bridging to New Work
associates. SMARTvt provides local
13. Alternative Careers
business with access to the diverse skills
of our membership to solve structural, Required Preparation
technical and strategic business You will have work to accomplish prior to starting each session. Unless
challenges. Membership to the Bench is prior arrangements are made with your SMARTvt sponsor and instructor,
by invitation only. you must have completed all assignments or readings from the previous
SMARTvt is a 501(c)3 not for profit organization. week.
298 College Street, Burlington, VT 05401 | +1 802-318-4135
www.smartvt.org or see LinkedIN, Facebook and Twitter

2. Job Club members Candidates and New Members Tasks and Assignments
will participate in: After enrolling in this course, you must schedule the first two of four
workshop appointments at the Vermont Department of Labor: 1)
Assessing your Employability, and 2) Resume Writing, to be
 Weekly club meetings with completed prior to Unit 1, and Unit 2, respectively. These workshops
individual topic-specific breakouts will initiate you to more intensive individual coaching on similar tasks which
immediately following will be scheduled with SMARTvt professionals.
 A focused discussion on the
basics of personal branding and The prospective member must setup the required accounts on LinkedIN,
career development SMARTvt.org, and paid the enrollment fee via Paypal on
 Skills and professional http://www.meetup.com/Job-Club-SMARTvt-The-Bench/. You should
development training continuously monitor the positions and companies posting to
 Individual goal setting and http://www.jobsinvt.com Seven Days http://www.7dvt.com/ and group or
accountability association on LinkedIN in your area(s) of specialization.
 Building a personal branding tool
kit Norms
 Developing and delivering the SMARTvt is committed to the principle of not discriminating against
winning elevator pitch individuals on the basis of personal beliefs or characteristics such as
 Writing the effective resume political views, religion, national or ethnic origin, race, color, sex, sexual
 Developing a value proposition orientation, gender identity, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability
 Building a multi-dimensional unrelated to job or program requirements.
social media network
 Distinguishing yourself from the Members understand that their participation, attendance and forward
market thinking are keys to the success of the group. Networking is essential for
 Winning interview skills success; members will work diligently on expanding their business and
 One on one coaching and professional networks. At minimum, business casual dress code is
mentoring with leading industry required at every meeting.
executives Every member is responsible for knowing and adhering to the values and
 Uncovering the hidden job market standards set forth in the Code of Conduct. Violations are cause for
 Free access to SMARTvt disciplinary action up to and including membership termination at
webinars and networking events SMARTvt.
 Potential temporary job and
consulting opportunities Reading List
Pierson, Orville. The Unwritten Rules of the Highly Effective Job
Search: The Proven Program Used by the World's
Leading Career Services Company
Pierson, Orville Highly Effective Networking: Meet the Right
www.smartvt.org People and Get a Great Job
Pink, Daniel H. A Whole New Mind: Why Right‐Brainers Will
Rule the Future
Free Agent Nation: The Future of Working for
Yourself
Websites of interest re: Vermont and policy initiatives
1. Lake Champlain Chamber of Commerce
http://www.vermont.org/chamber/positions.aspx
2. Vermont Business Roundtable
http://vtroundtable.org/policy-center/
3. State job training efforts
http://recovery.vermont.gov/jobtraining
4. VEDA programs
http://www.veda.org/
298 College Street, Burlington, VT 05401 | +1 802-318-4135
www.smartvt.org or see LinkedIN, Facebook and Twitter