WorkCoachCafe Continues with a New “Team”

Ronnie Ann has moved on to the next stage in her career and life.  This is good for her, and we all wish her well!  She has accomplished amazing things with WorkCoachCafe building a community of members who support each other and this blog.

WorkCoachCafe is now my responsibility.  Ronnie Ann’s are the proverbial “big shoes” to fill, and I will do my best, honoring what Ronnie Ann has created over 5 years of hard work, and, hopefully, continuing to help people with work and job search issues.  Fortunately, I won’t be alone, and new people will join this team – soon, hopefully.

Who am I?  My name is Susan P. Joyce, and I have run another job search-related website, Job-Hunt.org, since 1998.  Many talented people have contributed to the support that Job-Hunt provides to job seekers, and I’m hoping that we will be able to do a similar thing with WorkCoachCafe. 

Calling all job search and workplace experts!

This team needs to grow and diversify so we can help more people succeed at work and in their careers. If you are a career professional, HR manager or rep, or just someone with many years of experience in the workplace, and you would like to help others navigate through the often fun, sometimes disappointing, world of work, please contact me.  Tell me about your experience and why you’d like to join the WorkCoachCafe Team. 

Who is Susan P. Joyce?

My career has been quite diverse – from government to higher education to small firm to gigantic firm to my own company (since 1995).  And I experienced two layoffs during that period, including taking one job that was a bad fit.  But, all of those experiences led me to this point, so I’m happy about my career (so far):

• Graduating from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln (Go Big Red!) with a degree in education, I was supposed to be a high school Engish, history, and/or civics teacher.  However, student teaching, my last semester in college, was a horrible experience, and it killed my interest in going directly into teaching. 
• So, rather than find a teaching job I’d probably hate, I joined the United States Marine Corps, and proudly served my 3-year enlistment.  Layoff # 1 - the Vietnam War ended, and the US Department of Defense instituted a “RIF” (“Reduction in Force”), laying off hundreds of thousands of military members.  It was a very educational experience, and I am very proud of serving!  Semper Fi to all the other Marines out there!
• After the USMC, my husband and I moved to Massachusetts where I found a job in the Personnel Office (a.k.a. Human Resources) at Harvard University.  I was an “information systems specialist” (geek) at Harvard.  Needless to say, working at Harvard was also a very educational experience.
• After 5 years at Harvard, I joined a small Boston compensation consulting firm where I helped run massive compensation surveys (salary, bonus, stock options, etc.).  This was the “bad fit” mentioned above.  However, working in a consulting firm demonstrated the market value of an MBA, so…
• I went back to school, this time Boston University’s Graduate School of Management, where I earned that MBA.  Another educational experience, of course!
• From business school, I joined Digital Equipment Corporation where I worked, mostly happily, with over 120,000 other employees for 10+ years until Digital tanked.  What a great ride it was!  I learned a great deal and worked with many excellent people.  Then, Layoff #2.  Went through the whole outplacement experience (thank you DBM!), but set my sites on establishing my own company, which I did in 1995.
• In 1998, my company NETability, Inc., purchased Job-Hunt.org which I have run since then.
• In 2011, NETability, Inc. purchased WorkCoachCafe.com, which I am hoping to run for many more years.

So, that’s my story.  I’ve done a lot.  Made a lot of mistakes.  Had my share of successes.  And, generally, had a good time, althought there were definitely highs and lows.  In WorkCoachCafe, I will share my experience and perspective to try to help you avoid making my mistakes or making the mistakes I’ve seen others make.

So, do join me on this journey that is the WorkCoachCafe!

Good luck with your job search and with your career!

Cheers!
Susan