We organize occasional workshops as well as a biweekly Job Hunt Support Group for those who are actively looking for a job.

Upcoming meetings can be found in the events calendar. If you already have a user profile on this site, and are interested in joining the Job Hunt Support Group, please join our Job Hunt Group network, so we can send you reminders for upcoming meetings and (occasionally) job openings or job hunt advise. If you are not a member yet, please fill out this form or send an email to focusoncareers@pwg-basel.ch before each meeting, to let us know you will be joining.

Never underestimate the power of a clear vision

By Lara MacKenzie

To look for a job in a foreign country where you do not speak the local language and do not have local qualifications is tough. You may start to doubt your capabilities and the more rejections you receive, the more your motivation might wane.

However, it gave me the luxury to be introspective, to think about what I really enjoyed most about previous jobs, what type of company and colleagues I like to work with, as well as to identify skills beyond the obvious, to be open to new experiences and to try new activities. It also forced me to think about my personal priorities and identity beyond being a career woman.

What I learnt was that it’s important to take the time to create a vision for what I wanted in work and in my personal life, to ensure that I created a ‘Lara’ brand around this with a consistent message when networking, creating my CV as well as in my social encounters. If the vision comes from your core, then this is easy to be consistent. It’s also easier if you have support, from loved one’s, friends and also from others like the PWG group.

The PWG focus on careers group provided a fun, interactive platform for discussion about our

• One minute ‘elevator speech’
• Personal brand
• CV
• Highs of the week
• Planned job applications
• Networking leads
• Frustrations
• Preparation for interviews

I always left the meeting feeling that, even though I didn’t have a job, at least I was not alone, had practiced my elevator speech, had verbalized my plan for the next 2 weeks, possibly had a networking lead and that, hopefully I had helped someone in the group with their CV or preparation for an interview. This was all over a tasty cup of cappuccino with some interesting, international ladies!

Six months after starting a job I enjoy, what amazes me most is that it is in line with what my vision was, not what it was right at the start, but what it had developed into over time after all of the input I received from numerous sources. Therefore, my strong recommendation is never underestimate the importance & power of having a clear vision!

Reviews of past Focus on Career workshops