My career began with communications positions at ABC News, NBC News and Nickelodeon where I helped promote the work of network superstars like Barbara Walters, Jane Pauley and Maria Shriver.
After several years of that, I decided to turn my attention to a group of people who I thought could benefit from my hard work a whole lot more: young women entering the workplace.
I founded Women For Hire in July 1999 for two reasons.
The first was to give bright young women from all colleges and universities (not just the biggest ones) who are serious about professional careers a place exclusively for them to feel comfortable and confident while meeting face-to-face with top recruiters. In essence, giving them that foot-in-the-door.
I also wanted to offer leading employers the opportunity to meet in one place with a diverse group of terrific female candidates, including college seniors, grad students and experienced professionals.
I left the safety of my steady career in PR to make a go of it. For the first year, until last summer, it was just me–in the corner of my Manhattan bedroom, cold-calling college recruiters at major companies I wanted to target for participation. I recruited my own army of volunteers–my mom, my husband, a dear old aunt and even my 76-year-old father in law–to help me plan and execute our first two events. (Never underestimate your family: mine came through for me at a time when I needed them most. Even my three kids were pretty helpful.)
How’d I get the idea? A while ago, I was hanging out with my brother David’s college friends, many of whom were women. This was right before their senior year of college at NYU. I expected tremendous excitement and enthusiasm about finishing up and getting out on their own.
Instead, I learned they were most anxious about how they’d land jobs.
These were smart, sophisticated women: no lack of egos among this group. They were genuinely concerned about their ability to get in front of employers, to beat the competition and to begin their careers.
They now have a place of their own five of them, actually, in New York, Boston, Chicago, Dallas and Atlanta, where we now host career fairs several times a year. (Upcoming events in 2001 include New York on June 19 and Oct. 23; Dallas on Oct. 2; Chicago on Oct. 10; Boston on Oct. 30; Atlanta on Nov. 6.)
An amazing roster of leading companies in nearly every line of business–from IBM, Motorola, Sun Microsystems and PricewaterhouseCoopers to iVillage, Lifetime TV, DoubleClick and the CIA–participate. (Since the participants vary in each market, please check our website at http://www.womenforhire.com for a complete list of companies and their job descriptions.)
The media also picked up quickly on the Women For Hire concept. We were featured four times on NBC’s Today show, among other coverage, which led to an overwhelming national response from women asking how they could tap into our services.
One thing that’s critical when looking for a job is maintaining and exuding self-confidence. Really being your best. I think women appreciate an environment that’s supportive of them and conducive to making them feel their best while learning about career opportunities and interviewing for jobs. Women For Hire events also level the playing field for lots of amazing women–regardless of the school they attended.
We also attract candidates with up to seven years of professional experience, as well as those interested in securing part-time, work-from-home and other flexible arrangements.
On the side of employers, we know one of the greatest challenges is finding truly qualified candidates in a time-efficient and cost-effective manner, especially in a competitive environment. We’re very successful on this front.
While the Internet will clearly play a more important role in recruiting in the future, it’s impossible to underestimate the value and importance of “real world” interaction. While technology seems more amazing every day, the best employers don’t rely exclusively on online services for recruiting. It’s just one piece of their overall program.
Employers and candidates are out to develop lasting relationships. And all relationships demand personal contact and interaction. That’s why job fairs work.
Furthermore, diversity is not a cyclical issue or a meaningless buzzword. It’s a necessity that makes good business sense, and most companies wrestle with it. We help employers fulfill their important diversity goals.
My professional goals are still a work in progress, and I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished. From a one-woman at-home operation to a great office with a fabulous team that’s committed to producing the best career fairs.
Nothing’s more rewarding than getting an email from a young woman who attended one of our events thanking us for helping to jumpstart her career. We also get great feedback from those who don’t land jobs, but who say it was worth the experience because it improved their networking skills, which is invaluable.
The greatest lesson is knowing it’s possible to start something big from nothing more than a solid idea. Very limited financing, basic office equipment and most importantly a huge desire to succeed were and still are the key ingredients to our great success.
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Tory Johnson is the Founder/CEO of Women For Hire. Reach her by email at tory@womenforhire.com.
Tags: business start up, job searching
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