Landed Former PSGCNJ Member Stephanie Jones Gives Back

When Stephanie Jones, once a familiar face at PSGCNJ general and committee meetings, landed a position as a consultant at a major corporation, she did not forget the colleagues she left behind. She recently made a generous contribution to the organization, which is deeply appreciated by PSGCNJ.

Said Jones, “I feel a sense of responsibility because I was in the position of being unemployed for such an extended period of time. I know what it’s like and I have a sense of obligation to those I left behind. I hope PSG will be around for a long time to come!”

Such support is crucial to PSGCNJ as it continues to provide much needed services to its members. Originally part of the State of New Jersey Department Of Labor, the organization was cut from the budget in 2011, which could have signaled the beginning of its demise. Instead the group began the long, arduous process of becoming a 501c(3) non-profit.

Remembered Jones, “Thanks to the determination of its dedicated membership, PSGCNJ continued with its important work and became a volunteer organization. It had to become sustainable and started fund raising.”

Jones took on a lot of responsibility in the 20 months she spent as an active PSGCNJ member, serving as chair of the marketing committee, branding, strategic planning, analytics, social media marketing, among others.

“My experience had multiple benefits,” said Jones. “I started out at a slow pace with my volunteerism but then I realized that I could sharpen my skills and have something relevant added to my resume. It also added structure to my week and I found the group to be motivational. I was able to utilize my skill set. It was also a great vehicle for networking and to learn more about job hunt skills with all the relevant subject matter guest speakers presented every week. My experience benefited me because I directly landed as a result of my involvement in the group. I made a strong first impression in my interview, which is something they teach you how to do in the guest speaker presentations.”

She has this advice for those are still job hunting, “My recommendation to everyone is to be engaged with the group, be out and about rubbing elbows with those who are employed and stay positive. Most of the landing stories I have heard lately are all a direct result of networking and building relationships over time, so network, network and then network some more. You never know who you might bump into!”