Testimonials - the Proof

Click on Member name for details.

Member NameEmployer
Paul Ahlstrom Maxtor 
Curtis Albrecht Unemployed 
Clark Anderson  
Cliff Ankersen Lantek Systems, Inc. 
Ilka Archambault Hewlett-Packard 
Leila Bauer CU Boulder 
Debbie Berardino Blackhawk GeoServices 
Dale Breidenbach Confluence Communications 
Jan Buitron Writing for Cutter.com 
Gary Clark Vestas Blades America 
Karen Cody-Hopkins Law Firm 
Dave Colliton FortNet (.org) 
Glenda Comstock Sara Lee 
Ken Davis Value Plastics 
Russ Dean Kinkos 
Jeff Dinius  
Dan Dorenfeld ADIC 
Gary Edelmaier LSI Logic Storage Systems 
Kevin Garten TPI 
Patrick Griffin  
Ken Grindall none 
Mike Grothus Dot Hill Systems 
Tom Hall Dot Hill 
Dave Hansen HEI 
Scott Hapner FC Area Chamber of Commerce 
Robert Harper  
Joe Harpring Johns Manville 
Olian Helsel  
Charlie Huguenot Envisage Consultancy Services 
Diana Hutchinson Woodward Governor 
Martin Jones  
Tinyee Jue VaporTech 
Ken Kappeler Intel 
David Keaton self 
Karen Keeran Colorado Inspection Agency 
Jordan Kobalka  
Scott Lamons Hewlett-Packard 
Maureen Lienau CSU 
Jeff Loh Jacobs Engineering Group 
Dan Matheson  
Steve Mecham LSI Corp. Engenio Storage Grou 
Craig Mueller Geogolf, LLC 
David Mullaney Excelsior Software 
Mari Murphy IT Larimer County Government 
Greg Nellis Out of State 
Matthew Neswold Synergetics @ USDA 
Connie ODell CO Consulting 
Robert Peever Self 
Frank Peluso Dept of Veteran Affairs, Denve 
Ken Pelzel Xcel Energy 
Chris Perry www.CorAccess.com 
Dave Perry Confluence Communications 
Mark Peterson BI, Inc 
Sirois Randy AT&T 
Gayle Richardson Analyst 
Hitomi Salazar BreakThrough MGT 
Lesley Salvon Great Panes Glassworks, Inc. 
Cathy Sands Ensight Services 
Carol Satterlee Northrop Grumman 
Kevin Saxton C3D Corp 
Jim Schaffner Aerotek 
Patricia Schuller Ball Areospace 
Donald Simmons  
Tina Simmons Helix 
Frank Sinkule Seeking Work 
John Spencer ADDed Potential Coaching, Volt 
Patty Surman Anthem Blue Cross & Blue Shiel 
Doug Tabor The Root Group 
John Taylor Tyco Healthcare Valleylab 
Dan Thompson Ball Aerospace 
Michelle Tschudy Storage Tek 
Jose Luis Vallejo New York Life 
Deb Van Sickle Abacus/DoubleClick 
Gregory Vogl Remote Data Backups 
Mark Wagner DakoCytomation 
Bill Watkins StrikeWire LLC 
Walter Weaver Medoneonline 
Charles Wells TruStile Doors, Inc. 
Paul Whitehead SBC - Texas 
Wendy Wyckaert HP 
x x 
Lingzhen Zhao FC public library 

Details

Paul Ahlstrom  Maxtor 
Hi Dave,

I would like to present this information in person, but my first day at work
at Maxtor in Longmont is Monday, 8/11/03, after receiving an official offer
Thursday, 8/7/03. First, I want to thank you and the rest of the Longnet staff,
as well as all the Longnet members, who have provided encouragement,
information, knowledge, and support through my unemployment. Your advice
and encouragement was invaluable.

The following is a demonstration of how networking succeeds, especially
through groups like Longnet. Ever since my unemployment began, I had
been networking with friends and former associates for job leads, and attending networking meetings at Longnet and other places. Four of my five on-site
interviews were obtained at least in part through networking, and the job I
landed was definitely due to networking. When I discovered the openings at
Maxtor, also through Longnet, I applied online, but immediately requested an inside contact from Longnet. One of the members (Mark Wagner) was a former
coworker of a person in the group the job was targeted for (although I didn't
know that at the time). The Maxtor employee forwarded it to a senior engineer,
who called me for a phone screen. Once the hiring manager was back in town, an
on-site interview was arranged, and it turned out to be a very good fit for me.
They had already interviewed 3 others, and another candidate was interviewing
the same day as me. The kicker in this diatribe is this: the last interviewer
told me that my on-line application/resume had been screened out, since I
didn't have "disc drive" in my experience listing (he said they corrected
this later, since that experience wasn't needed for this position, but it
would have been too late for me). So, the only way my resume got the
necessary visibility was through my Longnet connection.

Thanks again for your help and support. If I get a chance, I'll be sure to
stop by to a meeting.

Best Regards,
Paul Ahlstrom

 
Curtis Albrecht  Unemployed 
Completed 12-month civilian contract in Iraq (09/17/2007)
Completed 10-month military deployment in Kuwait (04/30/2006) 
Clark Anderson   
1) A friend (previous co-worker / supervisor) recommended hiring me. This temporary position lasted for a year!

2) My resume was found on The LongNet (predecessor to CollectiveNet) website. That lead to an interview and a very good 5 week temporary job! 
Cliff Ankersen  Lantek Systems, Inc. 
This group has been a big help in learning some of the ways to go about a job search effectively. There are certain things which help any job search, a group like this working together is always much better than going it alone.
I highly recommend this network and all that the members have to offer.

The future is not ours to see, so we must be open for potential opportunities in places where we may not expect them. My latest position was yet another directed opportunity from above.

Keep your eyes and ears open.

May God be with you all in your search efforts. 
Ilka Archambault  Hewlett-Packard 
Hello NoCoNet Members,
First of all I sincerely thank NoCoNet and its members and I cannot stress enough the importance of the existence of this organization. And since Doug loves to hear success stories ... here is another one:
As some of you know, in May I accepted a 3.5 months contract position as Program Manager at LSI Logic. Unfortunately the business situation does not allow an extension of my contract or to hire me permanently so I started looking for other opportunities a couple of weeks ago.
By pure chance (I usually don't look for postings here) I saw a Project Manager position posted on CollectiveNet by Adecco. Although the job description was not all that of a great match I sent my resume anyway. By the time I interviewed, the job description had changed so much that it turned into a 100% match for my diverse background and my present career goal.
To make a long story short, this week -- on my birthday -- I accepted a 3 months contract-to-hire position as Sales/Marketing Program Manager with StarTek in Greeley starting September.
I want to thank all of the NoCoNet members who responded to my inquiry for inside information about the company. Especially I want to thank Tim Stroh, who took quite a bit the time on a Sunday evening to talk with me about StarTek. It was extremely helpful during the interview. THANKS!
Again, I want to stress the importance of connecting with people, using the tools and networking opportunities of NoCoNet and CollectiveNet. Do company monitoring. And don't hesitate to ask your fellow NoCoNet members for help with job opportunities.
I know by now, despite all good intentions, once one gets a job it is really hard to stay involved and connected as much. I cannot come to any meetings but I will keep my eyes and ears open for leads and if I see opportunities to help I will do that.
All the best!
Stay in touch!
Ilka Archambault. 
Leila Bauer  CU Boulder 
I found a job! And an excellent one at that! Today was my first day on the job at the University of Colorado in Boulder. I am a Grant Accountant working for the Accounting and Budget Services in the Sponsor Projects area. It is very exciting. This is a great opportunity for me. I appreciate all the help and support that I received from the Longnet group. The meetings really helped me fine-tune my presentation style. After several years of working for the military, I didn't realize how rusty I had become! Thanks for everything - you guys are brilliant! 
Debbie Berardino  Blackhawk GeoServices 
After being laid off from Sun Microsystems in November 2001,
I applied for many jobs both on-line and from the newspaper.
I also attended networking meetings with 3 different groups.
I took a temporary job at the company where I am currently
employed. I answered an ad in the Denver Post. It took
six months being a temp, but finally in March I was made
full time.  
Dale Breidenbach  Confluence Communications 
I'd like to report that myself and Dale Breidenbach are now employed
at Confluence Communications, in Fort Collins.

To the members of Collectivenet and NoConet, I'd like to thank you
all for your help and support during 2003. It is very key that you
keep looking for opportunities and keep your networks open. Things
change and you MUST keep the networks current and active. I kept in
touch with Confluence and they had not one, but two opportunities.
This is change from 2-3 months ago. Dale and I were able to
interview, evaluate and then accept positions at Confluence.

I would like to stay active w/ NoCoNet/Collective net as much as
possible as Conlflunence will be working with many companies on the
front range and I'll pass on info as I can.

If any of you run across opportunites at companies where you feel
they might need marketing support and services, please drop me an
email. With the outsourcing trend, I expect many companies will need
marketing services and support. BTW - we are finding that the
planning and organization skills learned at HP are in high demand at
many companies!

Thanks again and here is the new contact information. Feel free to
pass this information on to any contacts that might need our
marketing servies.

 
Jan Buitron  Writing for Cutter.com 
Just finished a Master's Degree in Information Assurance in the top 1% of my class.
My school job ended in September, so I am back in the job market.
- - - -
YAY!! I am back in Boulder County! Anyone with a clearance can contact me for immediate consideration for work at IBM, Boulder. (6-29-2007)
- - - - - - - - -

It has been an interesting 10 months. I have met lots of supportive, intelligent people. Having a group like LongNet makes the tough haul between jobs a little smoother. I have enjoyed getting to know every one. I started my new job on March 10, 2005. I will keep folks posted how things go.

RMIUG-Jobs group is what got my resume "in the face" of the hiring manager at Tuff Shed! May Collectivenet reach its goal of 100% placement.
 
Gary Clark  Vestas Blades America 
NoCoNet is a great way to help improve your network and networking skills. They also help fine tune all aspects of your job search activities. The best part of NoCoNet is the camaraderie and job hunting support that the group (and many individuals) provide every Monday morning. It helps motivate you to reach your weekly goals.  
Karen Cody-Hopkins  Law Firm 
I am happy to help people looking for employment in the legal field. Also our law firm does bankruptcy and employment law cases so one of my colleagues may be able to answer questions in those areas.

 
Dave Colliton  FortNet (.org) 
A Linked IN user. 
Glenda Comstock  Sara Lee 
I have accepted a position as Key Account Manager with the Sara Lee Fresh Bakery Group. It puts me in an underemployed position but with a good company and growth potential. You can move me to Alumni and hopefully can be a resource for positions with Sara Lee.



 
Ken Davis  Value Plastics 
To all of Longnet:

I can clearly say that Longnet had a direct impact on me finding my job. If not for Bob Bowman inviting the director of HR from Intrado to a meeting, I would have never had the opportunity to make that first connection.

From there I continued to develop and enhance my relationship with Intrado through networking. Finally, I got the right interview and a job offer. So I am living proof that thing we do and talk about at our meeting do really work.

Thanks to Bob and the members of Longnet for all your help.
 
Russ Dean  Kinkos 
Hello,
Thanks for sending the e-mail. I am working again. I took a position as an Assistant Branch Manager for FedEx Kinko's. 
Jeff Dinius   
I have accepted employment with Customer Service Associates (CSA). I have enjoyed working with the people in NoCoNet. I have received more benefit from Collectivenet than I could have ever expected. Thanks so much for the support and encouragement. 
Dan Dorenfeld  ADIC 
03/2004
I'd like to thank Dave Hansen and Collectivenet for providing
the service that they do. It has been very useful to me. I have
this job due to staying in contact with my recruiter. It pays
to persevere.
 
Gary Edelmaier  LSI Logic Storage Systems 
Today I started my new job at LSI Logic Storage Sytems in Boulder.
Thanks for all the support for the six months that I was
unemployed. The job resulted from a former co-worker who passed my
name on to an engineer at LSI Logic who passed my resume up the
line. You never know who is thinking about you.

Take care. I will keep my eyes and ears open.

Gary
 
Kevin Garten  TPI 
Longnet was a positive influence during my unemployment. By meeting on Monday it helped me set the tone for my week and helped me get going. The members of Longnet care about each other and are willing to help anyone. It is a good resource for networking and learning good networking skills. Please contact me if I can be of assistance to anyone in the Longnet group. 
Patrick Griffin   
I am currently employeed at Maxim Systems 
Ken Grindall  none 
Key reference letters available on request! 
Mike Grothus  Dot Hill Systems 
I just began working at Dot Hill Systems, Inc. in Longmont. Dot Hill is a market leader in providing flexible storage offerings (SAN's) and responsive service and support to OEMs and system integrators. Thanks to all the people at Longnet for their support. It was through networking that this job came to me, so do keep working on your networks if you are still searching for a job. 
Tom Hall  Dot Hill 
I was reluctant to write a testimonial, since I thought my situtation was unusual, but then I realized that that's probably one of the first things people need to realize when they get laid off - their situation is ALWAYS unusual. In fact, it's unique. 
Dave Hansen  HEI 
Hi all, After over 18 months of looking for that illusive “next position”, I too have accepted an offer. Med Source interviewed me almost 2 months ago and just came through this week. This is a great engineering position with a lot of possibilities. But it wouldn’t have happened without the connections in Collectivenet.

This position was posted to the Collectivenet though one of the members and was not made public except through the Collectivenet. The member that posted it knew the hiring manager and was able to pass that information on. Without the extensive network of professionals that we all have created, I would still be looking. I intend on continuing to remain as active as possible in the group and hope that I can pass on leads that will benefit others.

The best words of wisdom that I could pass on is this, “Don’t give up, add a new job hunting strategy to your plan everyday and talk to everybody”.
 
Scott Hapner  FC Area Chamber of Commerce 
Many Thanks to all the wonderfull people at NoCoNet. The program was always a wonderful way to start the week. Each meeting was benificial in some aspect of my job search. It pays to get involved, too. I became employed very soon after I started volunteering (sorry guys). I hope to be of service to you in the future with resources from my new career at the Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce. Please contact me any time. Scott Hapner (970) 482-3751 ex 100, shapner@fcchamber.org 
Robert Harper   
Dave,

I am working now. Thank you for the reminder.
 
Joe Harpring  Johns Manville 
As of 23 September I have received and accepted a written offer from Johns Manville in Denver, Colorado. I will start there on October 5, 2009, as a Quality Specialist in their Roofing Systems Group.

Thanks very much to all the leaders, supporters, and friends in NoCoNet, Collectivenet, and other networking groups. I appreciate your support, and will return the support by referring any opportunities I find.

Thanks again,
-Joe Harpring 
Olian Helsel   
now have a great job that is right up my alley and I enjoy it. Not only that but the pay is great. 
Charlie Huguenot  Envisage Consultancy Services 
The Director of Engineering job that I have was not advertised and I was recommended by a ex co worker who I met at a recent soccer meet. So the moral of the story is network like crazy and you never know who may have a contact for your next dream job!!!!! 
Diana Hutchinson  Woodward Governor 
I really enjoyed my participation in NoCoNet -- thanks for the help in honing my skills and keeping my energy level up. The company monitoring program really helped me with motivation and a method for learning about new companies. Several NoCoNet members and alumni helped me with job leads and company information. I am glad to have met so many great people and I hope to keep in contact and help others along the way.
 
Martin Jones   
I returned to work a week ago. I am working as a HR Mgr (of all things) and
operations manager for a small land development and construction company. 
Tinyee Jue  VaporTech 
Initially responded to job ad in the Broomfield Enterprise. Checked on job status weekly. Persistence pays off along with keeping in touch with people that know you, especially your references. I believe my persistence landed me the initial interview, confidence in my ability to do the stated job and my pending PMP certification got me the second interview. The closer, however, was keeping in touch with my former management who gave me a glowing recommendation. One of the panel interviewers worked for my former company and knew three of my references! Because I knew they wanted me and was a good fit for the position, I was able to counter their initial offer. They say the biggest raise you will ever get is during your initial salary negotiation. Don't be afraid to ask for more money. Be sure to be diplomatic and non-threatening about it. Do you homework and know your value upfront (check salary.com for industry standards). Good luck! 
Ken Kappeler  Intel 
Employed at Intel.  
David Keaton  self 
I gained quite a bit from the groups under the Collectivenet umbrella. The techniques I learned made a huge difference in my ability to get noticed, get an interview, and get the job (or in my case a contract, since I am a consultant).
 
Karen Keeran  Colorado Inspection Agency 
Hello Dave,

I am employed as a Controller for a small company in Windsor called Colorado Inspection Agency. I started at the end of March.

Thanks for being a resource for folks who are searching.

Best Regards,

Karen S. Keeran
 
Jordan Kobalka   
Collectivenet is a good resource for those seeking employment. I found my job through networking with several members.

Here is a list of actions I think are important in the job search process:

Things to do for job search.

1) File unemployment ASAP
2) It's a numbers game - 1000 "touches" to get 10 interviews for 1 job offer.
2a) 20 touches per week = recruiters, people, phone calls, applications
3) Decide on geographic preferences. Companies typically won't pay in this environment. Paying your own way is tax deductable, but can still be a considerable expense.
4) Budget based on your current savings. How long can you last? Eliminate "luxury" items.
5) If still employed (lame duck,) ask for severance/outplacement services.
6) Reconstitute networking list.
7) Don't depend on web. Most jobs are hidden and you need an insider.
8) Update resume
9) Career centers/libraries have directories of companies:
Rocky Mountain High Tech Directory
Tech & Manufacturer's Directory
9a) Find interesting companies - from directories/driving around business parks.
9b) Research them (web)
9c) Network to find names
9d) Write proposals/regular cover letters. Modify resume for each company
9e) Resume drops (dealing with front desk gatekeeper)

10) WRITE (by hand) thank you notes to everybody you have an interview with. Especially the "people of power."
 
Scott Lamons  Hewlett-Packard 
I'm currently working in HP's Open Source Program Office based in Fort Collins where I manage HP's Open Source software governance program company wide. 
Maureen Lienau  CSU 
I recently signed on for a position with Princeton REview in Colorado so as much as I enjoyed receiving this postings, I will not be needing them anymore.
 
Jeff Loh  Jacobs Engineering Group 
Update: I'm currently employed, indirectly through collectivenet I was able to expand my network to eventually land this job. I recommend anyone looking for work to use every resource available to you, and keep at it!

~~~~~~~~~~~~ bio~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Experienced mid-level project manager and data analyst, with proven success in process improvement, data integration, and EPCM industry (infrastructure) background. Customer focused, results oriented and self-starting. Skills offered include AM/FM systems, CAD and GIS, as well as process tracking and project management tools (MS Project, Clarify, Remedy, SQL) 
Dan Matheson   
I will be starting a permanent half-time job on
1 Sep. The other half will be working on my Ph.D.

Good luck with your job serach.

--Dan Matheson
 
Steve Mecham  LSI Corp. Engenio Storage Grou 
Actions:
* Targeted several high-tech growing markets with Northern Colorado locations
* Learned about those markets and suppliers including informational interviews
* Networked for contacts
* Tailored resume, cover letter
* Developed solid answer for "Why should we hire you?" to provide clear value from background plus understanding of the company and market 
Craig Mueller  Geogolf, LLC 
I'm very pleased with the varied ways NoCoNet helped me present my value proposition, manage the vagaries of job seeking, provided me job leads, and, especially, provided a worthy place to invest my energies and keep my skills sharp.

Geogolf is a technology startup targeting the leisure golf marketplace. Winter 09: we're building a feasibility demonstration of our product idea and seeking partner/customer development funding in 2010.

-- Craig M 
David Mullaney  Excelsior Software 
NoCoNet (like the other grassroots organizations in CollectiveNet) has been a big part of my successful job search. The leads, networking, training, service and fellowship have been a real blessing. During my last search (Nov 2007-Apr 2008), I learned more about what I want in a company and a position, and I held out for it successfully. 
Mari Murphy  IT Larimer County Government 
Marketing/Communications professional with successful track record creating cost effective programs on time within budget. 
Greg Nellis  Out of State 
I am working... thanks ... in California!

 
Matthew Neswold  Synergetics @ USDA 
I started out PT with Synergetics and converted to Fulltime with benefits as contract Employee @ the USDA 
Connie ODell  CO Consulting 
There were three things I found contributed most significantly to obtaining my first contract, which has allowed me to start a profitable design verification consulting business. They were:
1) Staying current with verification and EDA standards by volunteering on standards committees (Free), and attending conferences and training in my field ($$$),
2) Attending local EDA events, and giving almost everyone there my elevator speech, along with a friendly inquiry about possible opportunities that match it (Free),
3) Having a searchable resume on the Collectivent website (Free)

I did many, many other things in my job search, but these are the three that delivered the obvious payback.

Connie L. O'Dell
http://co-consulting.net
 
Robert Peever  Self 
looking for technicians work or low profile engineering. Much experience in test equipment and computerized testing. much experience to bring to the team.
 
Frank Peluso  Dept of Veteran Affairs, Denve 
LongNet and CollectiveNet are incredible sources of Job Leads, that every job seeker should have and be a member of. If you know someone who isn’t a memeber, bring them along to a meeting, or at the least, show the URL to one of the affiliated network groups in the Front Range. To not be a member is like being in the dark during your job search.  
Ken Pelzel  Xcel Energy 
10/24/03
Wow! Finally a member of the gainfully employed club! It's been a
struggle, but the networking groups have helped immensely.
I was active in three groups: Longnet, NoCoNet, and Christian
Career Circle (SHM). I also was a member, but not very active in:
HighTech Network, North Denver (DBM), RMIUG, and others. I
encourage multiple network group involvement. They are all a
little different, and offer help in different ways. I received
numerous job leads from the groups including at least two real
offers.
As more and more local companies are signed up to post jobs to
Collectivenet (that's where you come in), Job Searchers will
benefit immensely -- as will Colorado companies.
I do have a few caveats and words of advice.
1) Apply the BS test to any and all advice from those whose job
it is to make a living from the unemployed. In the final analysis
you are the best judge of what's right for you. (This includes
stuff I say here.)

2) There is no such thing as the perfect resume', cover letter,
interview technique. Pat rules don't apply. Customization to the
job is the key. It is true that hiring managers spend little time
reading your resume', and next to no time reading your cover letter
so make them hard-hitting so they get noticed, but don't sweat every
little detail.

3) Be focussed. If you have a job search strategy that says, "well I
was a test engineer, but I could do production management, or product
design, or yada yada yada," you need to distill down. I started out
that way because I felt I could get a job faster / easier if I cast a
wider net. However, I found I got more interviews, job offers, interest
when I became more targeted. Companies don't want to train / will not
train; so they want people who can contribute immediately. If you appear
as too much of a generalist they will take the specialist first.

4) If you are not a technical jock (or jockette) you probably
have been disappointed, as I was, with the constant emphasis at
network meetings on software, engineer, IT, and network jobs ad
nauseum. Be patient. You can still learn from the people on the
dark side. They aren't very helpful in finding job leads, but
they have a fair understanding of company culture, future
prospects, etc. Besides they will probably end up working for you.
(Just kidding!)

Finally, I want to thank those people who are in leadership roles
at Longnet, NoCoNet, and SHM for keeping these valuable groups
going. You know who you are. Keep up the good work.

Hang in there! Give and you will receive!

 
Chris Perry  www.CorAccess.com 
You have all heard it before, networking and having an inside contact is the best way to get a job. Ditto here.

I was unemployed for 2 years from my field and bridged the time with all kinds of things I can't list on a resume, such as a children's ski instructor.

Thankfully, I was recently employed by a small start up company by my former manager at US West. It was my first interview for an engineering position since he hired me before, in July 2000.

Although the CollectiveNet groups did not directly get me this position, it did help change my attitude, increase my job search skills and personal confidence to be able to meet and to work with new people.

I don't think anyone could have been more alone during unemployment than I was. There were literrally weeks on end where I did not speak a word on the phone or in person. When it came time to speak English, the connection from my brain to mouth had become loose.

Force yourself to smile and talk with new people. It is hard at first and unfruitfull, but in time the positive energy will start to come back to you. I forgot I had such a good sense of humor.

Best of luck to whomever may find themselves reading this.

chris-perry@ieee.org  
Dave Perry  Confluence Communications 
I'd like to report that myself and Dale Breidenbach are now employed
at Confluence Communications, in Fort Collins.

To the members of Collectivenet and NoConet, I'd like to thank you
all for your help and support during 2003. It is very key that you
keep looking for opportunities and keep your networks open. Things
change and you MUST keep the networks current and active. I kept in
touch with Confluence and they had not one, but two opportunities.
This is change from 2-3 months ago. Dale and I were able to
interview, evaluate and then accept positions at Confluence.

I would like to stay active w/ NoCoNet/Collective net as much as
possible as Conlflunence will be working with many companies on the
front range and I'll pass on info as I can.

If any of you run across opportunites at companies where you feel
they might need marketing support and services, please drop me an
email. With the outsourcing trend, I expect many companies will need
marketing services and support. BTW - we are finding that the
planning and organization skills learned at HP are in high demand at
many companies!

Thanks again and here is the new contact information. Feel free to
pass this information on to any contacts that might need our
marketing servies.

 
Mark Peterson  BI, Inc 
I recently accepted a job with BI, Inc. The entire process took approximately 3 months from when I first learned about the job becoming available to when they offered me the job. Stressful, yes, but well worth it. I have a short commute and enjoy the people I work with. My advice to everyone is network and don't give up. Networking and knowing people is what enabled me to get this job 
Sirois Randy  AT&T 
Never believe what you see and feel when job hunting. Anything is possible. Go forward unafraid and God will be ahead of you. 
Gayle Richardson  Analyst 
I've accepted a job offer and I start on
Monday. It's with a start-up management consulting firm that has
been in business for 2 years. They are growing and I'll be coming as a Sr.
Analyst/Interim Operations Manager. I'm very excited about this
opportunity.
 
Hitomi Salazar  BreakThrough MGT 
I would like to thank everyone in CollectiveNet and LongNet for their support
during my job search. I just accepted a position at Breakthrough Management
Group, Inc. (BMG) as their Java software engineer.

I got laid off Avaya last July and did very slow job search for a while. I was
very disappointed at that time. Mr. Steve Snakey told me about LongNet and I
decided to join LongNet in November. Mr. Steve Sankey kindly helped me to set
up the interview at Maxtor. The interview went very well but I did not get a
job offer from Maxtor.


After the interview, I decided to think what was wrong in my job search. Then I
took the following actions:

Limited a job search 3 hours/days


Studied web technologies I need to have as a web application developer.
Talked to many recruiters to improve my resume.
Work on the open source project to improve my technical skills.
Become subscribers for RMIUS, and Java Users group (Mr. Clark Anderson
recommended me.)





Last few months, I only applied for jobs through CollectiveNet, RMIUG, and DJUG
(Denver Java Users Groups) and got so many office interviews. To be honest, I
was about to stop job search since I am expecting my first baby on October. My
husband laughed at me whenever I went to the office interviews with big
stomach. That is why I am so glad to get a job offer. I am going to start
working for BMG next Monday.


I do not think I would not get any job offers if I was not a member of
CollectiveNet and LongNet. I appreciate LongNet member’s advise and support. I
enjoyed attending the meeting so much. Thank you so much and good luck on your
job search.



 
Lesley Salvon  Great Panes Glassworks, Inc. 
My employer said they found my information on the "Colorado State Employment" web site (not sure which), so in my case, they found me.  
Cathy Sands  Ensight Services 
Thanks , I’m now working now at Ensight Services

 
Carol Satterlee  Northrop Grumman 
Collectivenet,


I would like to thank everyone for their help and support and I would recommand collectivenet for anyone looking for work. Networking is the best way. Best of luck to everyone and thanks for all the help.

Carol Satterlee  
Kevin Saxton  C3D Corp 
I'm now working at C3D Corporation as Vice President

I don't need any other help right now but I do like keeping up to date, and I still connect with a number of people who are actively looking for new careers.

Thanks,
Kevin Saxton
 
Jim Schaffner  Aerotek 
I recently secured a part-time electronics engineering job via craigslist. you never know who is looking for what out there. 
Patricia Schuller  Ball Areospace 
I started as an Executive Asst. at Ball Aerospace in Broomfield on 12/15--the job I've been waiting for since 3/18/03!

So I am officially an alum!

I'm working hard to bring two more people on at Ball. When I had my orientation on 12/15, the HR rep said they have 342 job reqs to fill--and that we should tell all our friends to check the Ball website daily.

Thank you for your moral support at the Sacred Heart of Mary job networking meetings and also for the Collectivenet help.
 
Donald Simmons   
If you need it tested and it is electronic or electrical - I am able and capable of
insuring that the product WILL MEET the
applicable specifications BEFORE it gets
to your customer!
OR
to manufacturing from development! 
Tina Simmons  Helix 
I found a full-time four week temporary positon with Helix Technology as a buyer/planner. I resently became certified in production & inventory management through a society called APICS. The hiring manager was in my class and knew I was looking for work in this field. 
Frank Sinkule  Seeking Work 
Keep in touch with your past employers. I have been re-hired in the past, and recently I was given great job search tips and information from my former bosses. 
John Spencer  ADDed Potential Coaching, Volt 
I took early retirement from Hewlett-Packard after a 27 year career as an engineer and project manager. I retired August 30, 2002.
I trained to be a life coach at the Coaches Training Institute and graduated June 1, 2003.
I became an organizer for NoCoNet in May 2003. 
Patty Surman  Anthem Blue Cross & Blue Shiel 
It's been a while since I've been to Longnet, so you
probably don't remember me, but ...

I'm happy to report that after working a six week temp
position at a healthcare benefits broker and currently
a temp position back at Sun Microsystems, I received
an offer for a permanent (well, as permanent as
anything can be these days) full-time position at
Anthem Blue Cross & Blue Shield in Denver.

I start my new job as a Marketing Communications
Specialist on Monday, September 8th.

The offer came after a pretty intense round of
interviews, but I'd have never gotten the first
interview had it not been for a lot of networking. So
tell everyone it works! It takes a long time (or at
least it did for me), but it's the best way to go.

It's been nine months since I was laid off from Sun,
and am so glad to be back in the work force. In a new
industry, too, which was my goal.

Longnet's an awesome group, and I received a lot of
support in the time I attended. I pray that you and
everyone in Longnet is successful in getting the job
and the career that they hope for.
 
Doug Tabor  The Root Group 
From: Douglas Tabor <dtabor@w...>
Date: Mon Sep 16, 2002 9:03 pm
Subject: Long Overdue <and long email>

ADVERTISEMENT

First of all ... this is a long email and gives a lot more
of the story than last Sunday's Daily Camera did. It is long
and if you didn't know me or are not interested, delete NOW.

Yes, I know that the account of the process is long overdue.
After all, I'm working, this is week two on the job and I
even received my first paycheck.

Each story needs a beginning; a chronology.

My last day at Sun was 10/30/2001 with an official end date
of 11/7/2001 (I still can't figure that one out.)

About a month later on 12/17 I had lunch with my friend Dan,
who I used to work with and now, who I work with again at the
Root Group. He had heard thru the grapevine that I was RIFed
by Sun and that he had recently started his news sales position
after a layoff from Lucent had left him unemployed.

Unfortunately, he was not aware of any open positions at the
Root Group, though suggested submitting a resume anyway. He
did mention that another fellow we had both worked with at
Sun (and for Dan, before at Auto-Trol) might have an open
position where he was working.

On Monday 3/18/2002 I received a call out of the blue from
Jerry at Grau Data to say he needed a technical person with
my kind of backgroup to work with him. The next day, I suited
up and interviewed with them for about 3 hours. Two days
later I interviewed the rest of the Colorado staff and was on
the phone with the president in Germany. All was good at this
point.

* Until I appeared in person, no resume was ever seen. So what
has been said is true ... a resume is only a reference document
for AFTER you get in the door.

Now let me say this ... my ONE successful web application
occured on that Friday 3/22/2002 with an interview at ADIC
in Englewood. The interviews there went well and that was
the end of that story. No bung-ya letter or anything.

On the other hand, Jerry called several times to let me know
what was (or wasn't) happening. On 4/5/2002, I had another
phone interview with Germany.

On 4/20/2002 the president of Grau came over for business
and interviewed me at the Boulderado that Saturday morning.
I believe that this interview went very well.

Monday afternoon, 4/22/02, I attended, on Jerry's request, a
sales meeting in Louisville. This was the beginning of my
'virtual employee' status. In early May sales calls were made
to a number of prospect Grau customers. Even did some
research to create a custom presentation for one prospect in
early June.

<Is this getting too long?>

One of the biggest factors, I believe, in being hired was 1)
the slowdown in IT capX acquisition and 2) figuring out how
to pay me ... I have to apologize to John (since he is doing
a presentation tomorrow on negotiating salary) ... I had
mentioned what I made at Sun and the number of digits
initially scared them. To invest a bit more "skin in the
game" I would lower the base by 25-30% and get a percentage
on revenue.

Remember Dan? From the beginning of the story? I had lunch
with him again on 6/14 and he explained what was going on
in his world and how he would like to have me working with
him.

That same week, I was out on another call with Jerry and
the president of Grau ... again.

On July 26th, I had both my last 'virtual employee' experience
and my first interview with the president at the Root Group.

August 7th I was on my way to Las Vegas, on behalf of although
not an employee of the Root Group, for a VAR sales meeting
to meet some of the people I "might" be working with in the
future.

After being interviewed by the Daily Camera on 8/13, it was
two weeks later that I received an offer of employment. Again,
some of the delay was in defining a compensation package where
there was "shared risk/shared reward" to augment a lower base
salary.

In order to bring me up to a run from day one, I did invest
a couple of afternoons of 'orientation' at the Root Group
going thru programs, processes and procedures.

Finally on September 9th, I became an employee ... and had
sales calls on my first day! I'm off and running.

So, in summary ... what worked and what didn't?

Networking, Networking, Networking ... thank you Jim, Bob,
Tracy, Terrie and others in the coaching world for that.

Between these adventures, I attended many, many networking
events ... the regular weekly kind, the monthly type and
the once or once-in-a-while types. Always getting in front
of people and giving the pitch or giving others contacts I
found. Certainly wasn't sleeping in. It was a busy time
and even though it didn't net a job for me, it did help
bouy up the energy levels.

Resumes really didn't work with the return on investment
being very low .. I'd guesstimate around 5%

Business cards seem to work better as they are an easy
pocket reminder for those you meet. I did get an
interview/consulting marketing meeting at a small
company in Boulder .. which could have been contract work.

Knowing as much as you can about a business that you're
persuing is goodness. Know their market, products, competition,
their people, business model, customers and their
customers' customers.

Be flexible ... but don't give up more than you should,
including self-esteem. In this economy, employers are
looking at two things ... increasing revenues and
decreasing expenses. BOTTOM LINE. So if you know you can
contribute, share in the risk of having you on board. Or
negotiate a 3 month/6 month review in your contract so that
once they see you in action, you can be comp-ed upward.

Always, always, always be Positive and Optmistic. I knew
something would happen at some point and I had to have
faith in that ... otherwise, I would be crazier than I am
now.

My friends, thank you for YOUR support of me ... the
smiles, the encouragement, knowing we were in the same
boat and going to be OK was what made it for me. THANK YOU!

Now my duty is to help by keeping an ear out for opportunities
for you. There is a LOT of seasoned talent on these aliases
and you should be working at a job you want. I will be
staying on the aliases (if you will have me after this letter)
and contributing as I can. Contact me if you think I might be
able to help you.

Best of Luck to you all,

Douglas Tabor
Network Storage Evangelist,
Making Technology Understandable, Fun and Profitable
Pre-Sales Systems Engineer/Marketing/Education @ The Root Group


Douglas Tabor
dtabor@w...
http://www.wright.com/wci.html 
John Taylor  Tyco Healthcare Valleylab 
I will begin my employement full time on 4/11/05 with Tyco Healthcare Valleylab 
Dan Thompson  Ball Aerospace 
I was unemployed for nearly 9 months, during which time I networked with
friends & work associates, fellow LongNet members, friends of friends, etc. I
also made use of the many internet job search boards.

I wound up getting 2 excellent job offers within 2 days of each other! One of
these job opportunities came through a Monster.com search agent. The other,
which I accepted, came through a friend of a friend. I was the first of many
people interviewed. I knew from the day of the interview that this was the job
I desired. One of my interviews that day was cut short, so I took the liberty
of calling that person back & asking him if he'd like to continue our interview
in person or by phone, which he did. I think that made an impression.
Afterwards, I followed up alternately with the hiring manager & the recruiter
every other week. I never let them forget me & used every opportunity (within
reason) to remind them why I was exactly what they needed in the position. It
took 13 weeks for them to finish all their interviews, check my references and
give me the offer.

Speaking of references, I prepped all my references with a "heads-up" email,
including the job description, so they would know ahead of time exactly what
this employer was looking for in relation to my background.

I can't say enough about the value of the LongNet group to people who are
looking for employment. This group is a tremendous link for networking, job
information and inside contacts, as well encouragement to keep after it.

It's one thing to be without work for a month or two. It's quite another for
it to stretch into 6, 9, 12, 15 months or more. My family & I have learned
first-hand just how faithful God is during this time. We never missed a
payment or a meal. I want to acknowledge how great a Provider God is,
regardless of my employment status!

I want to encourage all you LongNet people to keep after it, and not give up.
If you haven't done so already, I also encourage you to seek the Lord while He
may be found.

Best Wishes,

Dan Thompson 
Michelle Tschudy  Storage Tek 
Keep being persistent. This is an employers market so candidates shouldn't be surprised if companies don't negotiate. You can try but be careful.

I started networking at STK in August and got the job in November. I plan to keep networking while employed. Networking is important! 
Jose Luis Vallejo  New York Life 
I started
working for New York Life Insurance Corporation as agent and registered
representative June the 1st-2004-
 
Deb Van Sickle  Abacus/DoubleClick 
I am pleased to announce that I have been offered and have accepted a position with Abacus, subsidiary of DoubleClick. After being unemployed and underemployed for the past two years, it is a great feeling to know that I am about to embark on beginning the "rest of my career" very soon.

I intend to continue to be an alumni member of the Longnet group. Please feel free to use me as a resource for information on this company. I don't begin my new position until December 8th so can't do anything before then.

Good luck to all of you.. .... I can't really give you any advice on how I got this position. I don't even remember applying for it. But I think "the big guy upstairs" had a lot to do with it. All I can really say is keep the faith and never give up hope. He has something for everyone when the time is right.

Deb Van Sickle
 
Gregory Vogl  Remote Data Backups 
After four months and 60 job applications in three states, a job found me. My brother Jim hired me as a full-time web writer/editor for Remote Data Backups in Fort Collins. No job application, no interview. It's not what you know, but who you know? Seriously, though, NoCoNet and CollectiveNet were both valuable resources for me. They helped me to acculturate to what has become a foreign country to me after so many years overseas. I learned much about networking, searching, applying and interviewing for jobs. The job I have is so far only a stop-gap (though it pays ten times what I was making overseas) so I may be back again to NoCoNet to give back some of what I gained, and continue the search. Thanks to everyone for their help. 
Mark Wagner  DakoCytomation 
Through word on the Longnet alias, I looked up DakoCytomation and found out they were looking for a high tech technician. After reviewing the job description, I saw that it not only was something I could do, but challenging as well. Not challenging like "I hate this job, but I'll keep doing it" but challengine interesting with alot to learn. Looked like fun, so I applied. Then, I pinged the Longnet alias for inside information. A couple people had applied or interviewed there, and their advice helped alot!

I did a phone screening, then and interview with a small group, then a second
interview, then they told me they were offering the position! Woo HOOO!

(PS: its still cool there!) 
Bill Watkins  StrikeWire LLC 
Dave,
I've accepted a position with a small startup company. I'm not 100% sure that it will be permanent but am very hopeful based on
our initial contracts.

I'm very interested in continuing to stay in touch with Collectivenet if that's possible as a possible employer
 
Walter Weaver  Medoneonline 
I am working. Took a position with Med1Online, a distributor of capital
medical equipment.

 
Charles Wells  TruStile Doors, Inc. 
April 25, 2005

I found that I get more hits on my Monster resume when I "renew" it daily. I've had several phone interviews and a few in-person interviews as a result of my resume being on Monster. 
Paul Whitehead  SBC - Texas 
I just wanted to thank everyone in Collectivenet and Longnet for all their
collective efforts and support during my long job hunt. I've recently
accepted a position at SBC as their Executive Director of Advanced Access
Technologies. After two years of on and off-again looking (while consulting
on the side) and only rarely getting any serious interest. I had 3 serious
in-depth interviews with 3 very good companies in the last two months
eventually ending in this offer. Keep your heads up as hiring is definitely
turning around in some sectors.

 
Wendy Wyckaert  HP 
Hi All-
I just wanted to thank you for your support in my job search. I was
just hired for a 1 yr temp position at HP Loveland, doing tech
marketing. My hire success was due to CollectiveNet in part, and
networking in part.

Ages ago, a temp position was posted with CollectiveNet at HP
Loveland, which I almost landed, but had some health issues to attend
to first. However, I kept in touch with the hiring manager and one of
my ex-collegues from my HP days. When they had another position open
up, they thought of me and gave me a call, and asked me to apply! Two
days later, I had the job!

So, hang in there, and keep networking!

Cheers,
Wendy Wyckaert
 
x x 
Lingzhen Zhao  FC public library 
I am glad to announce that I found a job in the City
of Fort Collins Public Library as a Technical Support
Technician.