It had been years since Vicki Belzer worked outside the home; she was very busy raising her two children. With her son and daughter grown, and Belzer now divorced, she was ready to get back out in the work force, and needed help. That’s when a friend told her about Jewish Employment Services and Career Coach Joyce Hill.
“Joyce was so sweet and welcoming,” Belzer said. “She didn’t look at me like I was an idiot because I had little experience.”
Today, Belzer is employed by Eye Associates of Overland Park, working as part of the office staff. She’s grateful for JES and its staff who helped her in the job search.
When Belzer connected with JES, she had a little bit of experience having worked in the optical department at a Target Store.
“I loved meeting the people and helping them choose their glasses,” she said.
However, Belzer left her Target job last summer to spend time with her children and travel to Israel to see her son. Once back home, it was time to go back to work, but she wasn’t sure how to start the process all over again.
“I didn’t have a resume or anything,” Belzer said. “That’s when someone told me about this service. It was so incredible.”
JES has much to offer those in a job search — career assessment, resume development, individualized and group coaching, interviewing and networking skills, job search strategies and connections to jobs. Gayl Reinsch leads the JES team and helps participants make connections in the job market and search for existing employment opportunities. JES holds monthly Job Club meetings and skills-building workshops as well as providing the services of two career coaches — Hill and Cari Boasberg — to help members of the community land employment.
Belzer attended a Job Club meeting then made an appointment with Hill, who asked helpful questions.
“She would ask me specific things, and she gave me homework to think about,” Belzer said. “It helped me highlight my skills.”
With Hill’s help, Belzer put together a resume, received training on interviewing and networking skills and headed out to find a job, which she got right away as a medical technician. After a month, she decided to look for another position that had more people contact; that’s when she joined Eye Associates.
“The company I work for is so service oriented and people oriented,” she said. “I love it.”
Belzer gives much credit to JES for helping her land her current position.
“They were invaluable,” she said of the JES staff. “I never felt rushed. They were welcoming, respectful, regardless of my non-professional position.”
Working with JES gave Belzer confidence and peace of mind.
“It gave me a sense of comfort. If I had questions I could get them answered and if they couldn’t answer them, they would find someone who could,” Belzer said.
By contacting JES, “it opened this door and there was this big ray of sunshine,” Belzer said. “I was really taken care of.”
Weekly orientation sessions jumpstart the process for new job seekers. For date and time contact JES at or (913) 327-8278.
Upcoming JES programs include the April 23 Job Club that will feature a LinkedIn demonstration (4-7 p.m.) and the April 26 Networking Happy Hour (5:30-6:30 p.m.) in the Galleria of the Jewish Community Campus’ theatre entrance. Belzer has some advice for others looking for a job.
“Take advantage of this service and use it to its fullest. It’s amazing,” she said.
JES is a joint program of Jewish Family Services and Jewish Vocational Service that connects members of the Jewish community with jobs. JES is funded by The Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City, the Lowenstein Brothers Foundation, the Jewish Heritage Foundation the Morgan Family Foundation and the Sosland Foundation