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#1
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![]() Hi, I wonder if the regulars at sowpub could do some brainstorming with me about an idea I have.
I recently attended a professional development seminar that lasted 4 weeks. I met 19 other participants and we're trying to keep in touch and help one another stay motivated. All of us at one time were employed in fairly good paying jobs, but were downsized over the last 6-13 months. We are also all 40+. Many in their mid-late 50's. Some are looking at the self-employment route, others still haven't gotten their heads around how to market their services and are looking for the traditional job. These men and women are all professionals, civil engineers, Presidents and CEOs of small to medium sized manufacturing and technology companies, marketing directors, accountants, ex. cop now private investigator, business analyst and many other types in our group. There is certainly a wide range of talent and skills among the members. My object is for us to grow our network, help one another by exchanging ideas, offering advice, and find some way for us to put this talent base to work for us. I thought of creating a community forum where we could meet online and both exchange ideas and invite others outside the group to join in. Communityzero.com comes to mind as a place to start such a group. And this is where I'm stuck. Naturally, I need to sell the idea to the group, but before I do so, I want to go to them with a bit more sturcture around my idea. Keeping in mind, this group, although made up of professionals, many are not into the net as I am. Can you see this kind of group dynamics making sense if I set up a community group forum? Other than word-of-mouth among all members, how can we get others of like mind to paritcipate? I'd like to keep it regional, i.e. mainly in SW Ontario, Canada. Why? Many of the group are really not internet savvy. They use the internet to post their resumes, research prospective employers and access email and job related functions, but that's it. They really don't use the internet for surfing and research as much as I do. Once we're set up in this kind of forum, can we use search engines to get listed if we don't have our own domain name? Any suggestions on how we could turn this into a viable business opportunity down the road? All comments or suggestions would be most welcome. Thanks. Eliz. |
#2
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![]() Hi Elizabeth ~
You might consider setting up an email list instead. This makes it easy for people to join and leave and easy for them to get their messages. Related to this you can set up a free group on Yahoo! (groups.yahoo.com) that will be delivered via email and displayed on the web as files. In addition you can have files to download and profiles. Most importantly you can set it to be a private group. So no one gets in without be approved. Some like privacy like this. Best of all it's all free and Yahoo! takes care of the technical end of things. I only know this cause I belong to a couple of private groups on Yahoo! and it's work out well. Hope that helps a bit. ~ Dan Butler The book that should have come with your computer... |
#3
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![]() Hi Dan, thanks for the idea about setting up an email list instead.
I went to (groups.yahoo.com) and didn't find it particularly easy to set up, in as much as I would be doing the setup and there would probably be a co-host. I actually think a forum like communityzero offers the same as the email list, it's free, allows for privae or public messaging, and allows for file uploads, storage of images, etc. I guess it's not so much the setup that I'm concerned about, but more so finding a way to provide a profile of all the members so that they can be marketable to others. And perhaps I can't accomplilsh the two things with just a mail list or community forum. Anyway, thanks for your comments. I appreciate your thoughts. Eliz. |
#4
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![]() >
Sounds like a great idea Eliz... Here is my contribution to the brainstorm.. You could start with a forum through network54 and promote it as a support group for the downsized; call it something like "down but not out": a support and motivation network for downsized professionals..the objective could be to help each other network to find jobs and resources...for the people who are not net savvy: give them the url for the forum and eventually ask them if it is ok for you to post their resumes on your own website... (a website for your members resumes) You could eventually start a newsletter for your group keeping them abreast of new net resources and interviews with career counselors etc... I think even the novice will be able to post to a message board like the ones at Network54... In short, you could start a web community for over 40 downsized professionals... I can invision some of your links and resources to come right from this and other marketing boards as I'm sure some of these professionals will be looking for ways to market themselves and their services...another potential resource would be Julie's passion site because some of the members might even want to find their passion especially if they are thinking of a career change...Sounds like an excellent idea! Keep us posted...I'm anxious to hear the other ideas... Hi, I wonder if the regulars at sowpub could > do some brainstorming with me about an idea > I have. > I recently attended a professional > development seminar that lasted 4 weeks. I > met 19 other participants and we're trying > to keep in touch and help one another stay > motivated. All of us at one time were > employed in fairly good paying jobs, but > were downsized over the last 6-13 months. We > are also all 40+. Many in their mid-late > 50's. Some are looking at the > self-employment route, others still haven't > gotten their heads around how to market > their services and are looking for the > traditional job. These men and women are all > professionals, civil engineers, Presidents > and CEOs of small to medium sized > manufacturing and technology companies, > marketing directors, accountants, ex. cop > now private investigator, business analyst > and many other types in our group. > There is certainly a wide range of talent > and skills among the members. My object is > for us to grow our network, help one another > by exchanging ideas, offering advice, and > find some way for us to put this talent base > to work for us. I thought of creating a > community forum where we could meet online > and both exchange ideas and invite others > outside the group to join in. > Communityzero.com comes to mind as a place > to start such a group. > And this is where I'm stuck. Naturally, I > need to sell the idea to the group, but > before I do so, I want to go to them with a > bit more sturcture around my idea. Keeping > in mind, this group, although made up of > professionals, many are not into the net as > I am. > Can you see this kind of group dynamics > making sense if I set up a community group > forum? > Other than word-of-mouth among all members, > how can we get others of like mind to > paritcipate? > I'd like to keep it regional, i.e. mainly in > SW Ontario, Canada. Why? Many of the group > are really not internet savvy. They use the > internet to post their resumes, research > prospective employers and access email and > job related functions, but that's it. They > really don't use the internet for surfing > and research as much as I do. > Once we're set up in this kind of forum, can > we use search engines to get listed if we > don't have our own domain name? > Any suggestions on how we could turn this > into a viable business opportunity down the > road? > All comments or suggestions would be most > welcome. > Thanks. > Eliz. |
#5
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![]() check out one of the hottest online
communities which is steadily growing... How this might apply to what you want to do? You could form an online community for the downsized with similar categories of jobs and resumes which you will see on the following website...notice in particular how the resumes are posted near the links for jobs... this model works because the employers pay a nominal fee to post jobs...and because this website is a microcosm of a community it is a big draw because of the free resources available in the community...Notice this community board also has forums for discussions... Another point: it is a simple website..without a lot of graphics but full of good information. Here is the site; spend sometime there and get inspired for a similar website in your area... area... > Hi, I wonder if the regulars at sowpub could > do some brainstorming with me about an idea > I have. > I recently attended a professional > development seminar that lasted 4 weeks. I > met 19 other participants and we're trying > to keep in touch and help one another stay > motivated. All of us at one time were > employed in fairly good paying jobs, but > were downsized over the last 6-13 months. We > are also all 40+. Many in their mid-late > 50's. Some are looking at the > self-employment route, others still haven't > gotten their heads around how to market > their services and are looking for the > traditional job. These men and women are all > professionals, civil engineers, Presidents > and CEOs of small to medium sized > manufacturing and technology companies, > marketing directors, accountants, ex. cop > now private investigator, business analyst > and many other types in our group. > There is certainly a wide range of talent > and skills among the members. My object is > for us to grow our network, help one another > by exchanging ideas, offering advice, and > find some way for us to put this talent base > to work for us. I thought of creating a > community forum where we could meet online > and both exchange ideas and invite others > outside the group to join in. > Communityzero.com comes to mind as a place > to start such a group. > And this is where I'm stuck. Naturally, I > need to sell the idea to the group, but > before I do so, I want to go to them with a > bit more sturcture around my idea. Keeping > in mind, this group, although made up of > professionals, many are not into the net as > I am. > Can you see this kind of group dynamics > making sense if I set up a community group > forum? > Other than word-of-mouth among all members, > how can we get others of like mind to > paritcipate? > I'd like to keep it regional, i.e. mainly in > SW Ontario, Canada. Why? Many of the group > are really not internet savvy. They use the > internet to post their resumes, research > prospective employers and access email and > job related functions, but that's it. They > really don't use the internet for surfing > and research as much as I do. > Once we're set up in this kind of forum, can > we use search engines to get listed if we > don't have our own domain name? > Any suggestions on how we could turn this > into a viable business opportunity down the > road? > All comments or suggestions would be most > welcome. > Thanks. > Eliz. Inspiration for your online community |
#6
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![]() I just downloaded this software and will be using it for some projects. The best part is it is free for personal and commercial use.
It also comes with steps to install it yourself. Link is below. Dennis ikonboard software |
#7
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