Previous NCJS Meetings

Zoom Meeting Link:

NCJS ZOOM MEETING CONNECTION

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To see previous meetings, use the links in the left column to select a year to view meeting details.

Monday, July 27, 2026

7:30 – 9:00pm EDT
[online meeting room will open at 7:15pm]

North Coast Job Seekers Meeting

Career Direction & Goal Setting

Speaker: Sarah Beveridge

Sarah Beveridge serves with the United Labor Agency and OhioMeansJobs, helping Clevelanders clarify career direction and set achievable goals. A creative, dreamer, and proud nerd, she blends empathy with practical tools—résumé strategy, focused search plans, and accountability habits—to turn uncertainty into momentum. She’s passionate about purpose-driven work and community impact.

Meeting Host & Facilitator: Terese McGroarty

NCJS Advisory Board Member | See her bio here

Monday, August 10, 2026

7:30 – 9:00pm EDT
[online meeting room will open at 7:15pm]

North Coast Job Seekers Meeting

Job Search Troubleshooting

Facilitator: Terese McGroarty

Join with other job seekers and a team of experienced advisors in our NCJS Job Search Troubleshooting Meeting to address issues YOU are facing in your job search.

• The job market is getting more and more competitive.

• No one responds even though you've sent your resume everywhere!

• You're not getting interviews.

• Your experience doesn't fit the jobs that are out there.

• You're feeling discouraged, frustrated, and scared.

Bring it on! NCJS Troubleshooting Meetings are a place to bring your isssues to get some help, guidance, and tools from our advisors and other job seekers. Don't do it alone. We are here to help, and EVERYONE is welcome.

Meeting Facilitator: Terese McGroarty

NCJS Advisory Board Member | See her bio here

Monday, August 24, 2026

7:30 – 9:00pm EDT
[online meeting room will open at 7:15pm]

North Coast Job Seekers Meeting

Rethink the Resume:

Don't Let AI Make You Average

Speaker: Annette Garsteck

Join with other job seekers and a team of experienced advisors in our NCJS Job Search Troubleshooting Meeting to address issues YOU are facing in your job search.

AI has changed résumé writing forever.

Today, nearly every job seeker has access to the same exact tools to write, edit, and customize their résumé. The result? Hiring managers are seeing more polished résumés than ever before... and more that sound exactly alike.

In this practical session, Master Professional Career Coach and former Fortune 50 hiring manager Annette Garsteck shares how to use AI as a powerful assistant without allowing it to erase what differentiates you. You'll learn how to avoid sounding the same as everyone else, showcase your unique value, and create a résumé that clearly shows your impact.

If you are actively job searching or preparing for your next career move, you'll leave with practical strategies for using AI wisely and creating a résumé that opens doors.

Because the goal isn't to have the best AI-generated résumé. It's to have the résumé that gets you called for an interview.

Annette Garsteck is a Master Professional Career Coach (MPCC), Senior Professional Résumé Writer (SPRW), author, and former Fortune 50 hiring manager who has helped professionals navigate career transitions, earn promotions, and land opportunities they once thought were out of reach.

Drawing on her experience reviewing thousands of résumés and hiring top talent, Annette teaches professionals how to stand out in today's AI-driven job market without losing the authenticity and unique value that makes them memorable. Her practical, engaging presentations combine insider hiring insights with actionable strategies audiences can immediately apply.

Annette is the founder of Annette Garsteck Career Consulting, author of Own Your Career: Take Control + Accelerate Your Professional Growth, and co-host of Exposing the Hidden Reality. Her career expertise has been recognized by and featured in Influence & Digest, SUCCESS Magazine, Fast Company, and the BBC.

Meeting Host & Facilitator: Jean Gagné

NCJS Advisory Board Member | See his bio here

Monday, September 14, 2026

7:30 – 9:00pm ET
North Coast Job Seekers Meeting

An NCJS Special Event

You are cordially invited to join us for our next

In-Person Networking Event

A Unique Opportunity to Practice and Improve Networking Skills

In-Person Gathering will be at

Sandler Training by MP Solutions

Spectrum Office Building

6060 Rockside Woods Blvd N #105

Independence, OH

7:30 – 9:00pm

We are excited to invite you to our upcoming North Coast Job Seekers In-Person Networking Event! This is a unique opportunity to meet with fellow job seekers, practice your elevator pitch, and get personalized feedback from our experienced advisory board members—all in a welcoming, supportive environment. A few skill-building highlights:

• Elevator Speech Practice: Hone your pitch and gain the confidence to introduce yourself effectively in any professional setting.
• Advisor Insights: Work one-on-one with members of our advisory board who will provide expert advice and guidance on improving your job search strategy.
• Networking Opportunities: Build meaningful connections with other professionals who are also navigating the job market.

Whether you're actively seeking a new position or simply want to enhance your professional networking skills, this event is for you! Don’t miss out on the chance to gain valuable insights and elevate your job search game.

[There will be no Zoom meeting with this event]

Meeting Host & Facilitator: Jean Gagné

NCJS Advisory Board Member | See her bio here

Monday, September 28, 2026

7:30 – 9:00pm EDT
[online meeting room will open at 7:15pm]

North Coast Job Seekers Meeting

How to Use LinkedIn for Job Search

Speaker: Katherine Burik

You might know that LinkedIn is an important job search tool, but do you know what to do with it? Is it enough to have a nice-looking profile? Are we restricted to talking to people we already know or can we reach out to people we don’t know yet? How do we do that? What makes someone else want to talk to me?

Every job seeker struggles with these questions. The answer is closer and easier than you think! You can make a huge impact on your job search by being curious and active on LinkedIn. 

Learn to use LinkedIn more effectively to move your job search forward with this informative and interactive workshop, Be a LinkedIn Job Search Pro! Join Katherine Burik, The Interview Doctor, to learn four strategic techniques. 

KATHERINE BURIK is the founder of The Interview Doctor, Inc.^® offering fast action remedies to help you find your ideal job. Her coaching techniques come directly from her personal experience as a business leader organizing her own job searches, creating a better way to interview, and figuring out how to “network” as a shy person to get ahead in her career.

Job search is a repeatable process, regardless of your role. Without the right plan and quality tools to navigate the process, your search for a job or the right career will take forever and feel awful.
 
A professional speaker & published author, Katherine has a BA History from Northwestern University and MS Industrial Relations from Loyola University of Chicago. She has been certified SPHR by Society of Human Resource Managers and is a Registered Corporate Coach.

Originally from Chicago then transplanted to Northeast Ohio, Katherine has been a virtual coach for years. Since change is the only constant, Katherine embraces whatever life sends her way with positive energy and enthusiasm to get the most out of life. 

Meeting Host: Vicky DePiore

NCJS Advisory Board Member | See her bio here

These are previous topics, speakers, and resources North Coast Job Seekers provided for its members. The first meeting of each month (on the Second Monday) is ordinarily a Networking Meeting.  The other monthly meeting involves a speaker and presentation. Join us in future meetings to sharpen your job seeking skills, interact with well-connected professionals, and learn from some of the North Coast's best job skill leaders.