By Hannah Rubin/Project Ezrah
Project Ezrah is amplifying its impact.
Since its 2001 launch, the Englewood-based nonprofit has provided a suite of career-related services: finessing resumes, preparing candidates for interviews and offering salary negotiation tips.
Director of Employment Jeff Mendelson sums it up well: “We help individuals create search strategies that increase traction and reduce frustration,” he said. “That empowers people in an often-stressful chapter.”
But Project Ezrah’s value proposition is not restricted to job seekers. Holistic career strategy and networking advice are also there for the taking, even for those ensconced in satisfying roles.
Because the organization’s daily work is necessarily individualized—maneuvering around a person’s goals and needs—its leaders relish opportunities for broader reach.
Exhibit A: Project Ezrah’s upcoming July 23 Career Summit at Young Israel of Teaneck, called “Job Growth Hacks from HR Experts.”
“We’re partnering with lay leaders to bring our expertise to the masses,” said Executive Director Rachel Krich. “This event is for anyone in the work world who wants to be proactive about enhancing their prospects and learning to promote themselves.”
The insights promise to be sophisticated and bountiful.
Following early-morning networking à la muffins and coffee, the event will feature a keynote session provocatively titled “What Most of Us Get Mostly Wrong When We Think About Careers.” The address will be given by Gary Belsky, former editor-in-chief of ESPN The Magazine, president of the media consulting firm Elland Road Partners, and New York Times bestselling author of eight books.
The ensuing panel will feature HR heavyweights, who will share insights accrued from years in corporate corridors.
Moderator Rachel Book, chief people officer at CheckAlt, will pose questions mulled over by aspirants everywhere: How can I build my network? How should shifting market trends impact my job-seeking approach? How can I plan for career development while still employed?
And the panelists—an impressive crew—will doubtless be prepared. Numbering among them are Leora Hertan, director of talent management and compensation at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett; Lawrence “Laizer” Albert, HR product and people analytics team lead at Google; Leigh Bonner-Levine, head of talent at VMG Technology; and Chaim Singer, head of tech recruiting at Flatiron Health.
Participants will then split to attend one of two breakout sessions. Singer will deliver a talk called “Freakonomics of Resume Customization From an HR Recruiter,” while Bonner-Levine presents “The Missing Link: How to Successfully Get in Front of Companies With LinkedIn and Other Resources.”
The event will wind down with a light repast and a chance to mingle with business leaders from the community—an opportunity of considerable value. (One never knows where serendipitous can-you-pass-the-salad encounters may lead.)
As for the motivation behind the gathering?
“We’re coalescing around a communal need,” said Krich. “Career guidance is fundamental, and we’re building community around that.”
She stressed that the event is of global appeal: whether you’re a recent grad or seasoned professional, scouring job boards or waxing lyrical about your current role. Future iterations of the summit may be stratified by industry or career phase.
For Judy Dubin, one of the event’s organizers, its purpose hits close to home: “Many talented individuals contributed to my professional development,” she said. “I’m humbled to pay it forward.”
Register for Project Ezrah’s Career Summit on Sunday, July 23 at Young Israel of Teaneck, 868 Perry Lane. Doors open at 8:45 a.m.; program begins at 9:30 a.m. Free headshots to be offered on site. RSVP preferred but not required. To register or for more information, visit https://www.ezrah.org/career-summit/ or email [email protected]
