Lisa: RISE came together in the summer of 2020 as an initiative by The Jewish Federations of North America and JPRO Network to support people who work in Jewish community whose roles had been impacted by the pandemic.
If someone had been furloughed or laid off from their role in the Jewish sector, they could come to RISE to get resources and support – primarily through career coaching.
Lisa: I actually saw a posting about RISE’s career coaching in The Year of the Jewish Woman Facebook group that Rachel Gildiner runs. At the time, I was at a career pivot point myself and I was exploring new opportunities and recently started working with my alma mater (University of Redlands in Southern California) to help recent graduates who needed support applying to jobs. I was using my background in leadership development and talent acquisition to help grads improve their job applications materials. So, I applied to work as a career coach with RISE and got accepted!
I’ve supported about 5 or 6 individuals through RISE. It’s completely free and is focused on career coaching on multiple levels. Whether people are looking for a resume or LinkedIn refresh, thinking more strategically about how to network, or trying to determine what kind of work they want to be doing next, RISE offers help. The pandemic has served as a major reflection point for a lot of people. This year, people have been taking the time to understand their strengths, what fills their cup, and how they can find a job that does both.
Lisa: Yes, I’ve also launched my own professional coaching business, Lisa Dubler Coaching, and have already supported about 60 people through that. Last month, I started a new job as a career coach at General Assembly where I’ll be helping students who are looking to pivot to a career in technology. But, I’ll still be taking on my own clients on the side.
With my own consulting business, I’m helping people beyond tech industries who wants to learn how to own their story, understand their strengths, and network effectively through the lens of curiosity.
Lisa: Too often people think hiring a coach is a sign of weakness, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. The role of a coach is to help you broaden and shift your perspective. Especially during this tough time, the extra support can go a long way. Through my own experience, I’ve learned just how powerful it can be to work with a coach.
If people are experiencing a challenging time in their career, I don’t want them to feel discouraged, but to know that right now there really are resources out there to help.
Lisa: I’ve always been the friend that people go to seek out professional advice. That, combined with my training in talent acquisition and leadership development at The Washington Post and The Schusterman Foundation, and also going through job loss myself – it seemed like a natural fit. I’m high empathy and like to make people happy. People I’ve worked with have landed jobs at places like Peloton, Amazon, Apple, and I really feel like this is where I’m supposed to be.
Lisa: I’d like to create resources and tools for people. Even if someone can’t afford to work with a coach, they can come to my website (that will be launching soon!) and feel like they are getting some nuggets of wisdom that they can carry with them. I also want to carry over my skills as a connector and convener. I want to figure out how I can create spaces for people who want to figure out how to learn together in community.
Lisa: Contact me at lisa.yochelson@gmail.com or on LinkedIn. I offer free consults so we can see if we jive together and learn more about your goals before we get started.
Also, if you work or worked for a Jewish organization and have been furloughed or lost your job during this pandemic, definitely check out RISE and you can get up to 4 free coaching sessions.
Lisa: I know these are tough times, but try to use this as an opportunity to lean into understanding your strengths and approach your job search with an open mind and through the lens of curiosity.
The views and opinions expressed in this blog and on this website are solely those of the original authors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of the organization GatherDC, the GatherDC staff, the GatherDC board, and/or any/all contributors to this site.
