Those interested in attending need to RSVP at http://infointerviewcharlotte.eventbrite.com or call 704-501-3087. This two-hour, interactive Career Workshop is being facilitated by University of Phoenix Charlotte Campus Director, Shannon Eckard, and UOP Faculty, Bill Crigger (President of Compass Career Management Solutions-OI Partners).

In today’s intense job market, this program is a great opportunity to prepare to be as effective as possible for future interviews.

I received a message from a reader this past week who described that very scenario. She was laid off in June of last year, she hasn’t worked since, and she’s feeling very isolated. She misses having face-to-face contact and wanted to know of job support groups that may offer her an outlet.

The great news for her is that there are great, supportive and engaging groups in our area with facilitators who are passionate about helping. Something interesting has happened, though, in the past year or so. Many of the groups have seen dwindling attendance. Some have decided for now that their mission is complete.

Bill Crigger is president and managing partner at Compass Career Management Solutions-OI Partners in Charlotte. He and his wife, Robyn, are active in job support groups, including Charlotte Professionals, which Bill helps lead in two locations twice monthly.

“In 2009, we had 60 people attending the group. People came in and you almost needed a bull horn,” he said. “Now we’re averaging about eight people at both locations.”

The good news in that number is, at least on the surface, it looks like more folks are finding work. One way Crigger gauges hiring is by looking at human resource jobs. “Those are jobs you don’t have to fill. I’ve seen more HR jobs since November than the two years prior totaled together,” he said. “Why hire training people if you don’t plan on growing?” It looks like companies are growing.

Even with an uptick in hiring, job support groups remain an invaluable resource in our community. They offer motivation, opportunities to network and even a chance to talk one on one with a facilitator or guest speaker.

“It helps the individual realize that they are not alone. That is huge,” added Crigger. It also gets you out of the house. Crigger advised going to several different groups.

“Pick one closest to you. Pick two farther away and attend those meetings. Then find one that seems to fit you,” he said. “Go from south Charlotte maybe up to Davidson. You may not know people up there. You’ll immediately expand your network potential.”

If you’re interested in either attending or helping with a career support group, you can access an updated roster at cits.groupsite.com/main/ from Rich Sauser, founder of Charlotte-based The Public You. There is a highlighted link to the list there on the home page.

It’s still a good idea to call or email the listed contact to make sure the group is meeting and that the location hasn’t changed. To the reader who sparked this column, good luck in your journey. I hope you find a group that offers you the opportunity to network and the motivation to launch a successful search.

On a side note, Rich Sauser is conducting a survey related to job support groups. One goal is to get more specific information about why some have seen attendance drop. The information will then be used to help leaders better focus their mission for the needs of job seekers in the current economy. You can access the questionnaire on the above-mentioned website.

To reach Bill Crigger, check out his company’s website at www.compasscareer.com

Copyright 2012 . All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/01/29/2965389/theres-still-support-for-job-seekers.html#storylink=cpy

The national telephone poll of 637 working Americans was conducted on behalf of Workplace Options, a Raleigh-based consulting firm. The results showed that 77 percent of workers felt the millennial generation has a different attitude toward workplace responsibility than other age groups. Millennials are people born primarily in the 1980s and early 1990s, who started coming of age at the new millennium.

Furthermore, 68 percent said they think millennial workers are less motivated to take on responsibility and produce quality work; 46 percent said they think millennials are less engaged at work than others.

Bill Crigger, President of Charlotte-based Compass Career Management Solutions, said he hears of such conflicts when talking with human-resources professionals.

“Part of it is just how fast technology and workplaces are changing,” said Crigger, 62. “Anytime there’s a large influx of people into the workforce, it changes.”

Many conflicts, Crigger said, originate because of differing attitudes about corporate cultures. Older workers expected to climb a career ladder, he said. “I literally sat in chair one, then moved to chair two, and so on,” Crigger said. “(Young workers) are not interested in climbing a ladder. They’ve been raised under the tech gurus, the whole ‘anyone can do this in a garage’ mindset. Other generations find that a little frustrating.”

Workplace Options said the poll’s results could be partially due to timing. “The attitudes reflected in this poll may stem, in part, from the responsibilities younger workers typically have as more junior employees, but this is certainly a trend to monitor,” said Workplace Options CEO Dean Debnam, in a statement.

Respondents in the millennial generation didn’t grade themselves much better, the poll found. Fifty-four percent said peers in their age group are less motivated to take on responsibility, and 34 percent said millennial workers are less engaged than others.

The one area where everyone agreed they had an edge is technology – 78 percent said millennials have an advantage.