Cards of Change: Helping Job Seekers Reflect and Move Forward

Required Materials

• Digital Camera


• Computer with Internet connection and projector
  

Preparation

1. Have job seekers bring in business cards from their past job.


2. Set up a space to capture quality digital images of business cards.

Method

Say:  We are going to take the pain from your old jobs and use that pain to create hope and aspiration for your future. And, we are going to use a fun, cool new web 2.0 site to do this exercise.  Cards of Change is a website that believes everything that happens to an individual can have a positive effect, and being unemployed can be a catalyst for success. Their approach is a creative way to rejuvenate your motivation in your job search and can help you connect a positive element to your challenging situation. Here's the Cards of Change mission:

Read:  There's more talent out on the streets than ever before. Brilliant people looking to reshape their country, build their career and perhaps even grow your business. Cards of change is a place where the glass is always half-full. A destination where all the bad news of the day takes a back seat to stories of individual success. Our mission is to collect as many business cards and stories of positive change of people who have recently been laid off and connect them with new opportunities from potential employers, business partners and people who make the effort to look on the bright side of life.

Say:  Everyone take out one of your cards now and cross out your previous contact information.  When you are done with that write your current email address.

Do:  Wait for everyone to get this done.

Say:  Now, in the space remaining on the card, write a message that best represents the next chapter of your life or one positive change that happened in your life as a result of being laid off or downsized.  For example, "NOT SPENDING 2 HRS IN TRAFFIC!" or "YOGA AT 11 AM."  Now it's your turn.  Think of something fun, deep, meaningful.  Whatever makes sense to you.

Do:  Give them time to think and write.

Say:  Pass your card to the front.  We are now going to load your cards onto cardsofchange.com.  Employers can access your card with a keyword or by scrolling through the pictures. After clicking on the picture of your business card, they are able to read your positive message and can contact you by email.  Then, it will be up to you to pursue the relationship.

Do:  Collect the cards, photograph them and upload them to www.cardsofchange.com.  Show the cards as they are loaded onto the site.  Allow people to discuss the messages on the cards.

Do:  Encourage job seekers to visit the www.cardsofchange.com site and add keywords and tags so a prospective employer can find you in your targeted industry.

Ask:  Do you think this will work in helping you get a job?

Do:  Listen to results and repeat what is said back to the job seekers.

Say:  Whether this gets you a job or not isn't the primary reason we did this exercise.  The primary purpose is for the experience of turning your past into your future.  There's a saying, "The past is history.  Tomorrow is a mystery.  All we have is now.  That's why they call it the present."  The past is gone.  It is important to let it go. 

Pause:

Say:  Your old job is over.  And, the future is not here yet.  It is important that you have a positive outlook for your future.  You will not be on unemployment forever.  You won't. 

Pause:

Say:  And, here we are in the present.  It is really all that we have. So, it's good to say something positive about our present situation.  I hope that you are able to remember this always as you move from being unemployed to being employed.