The Jewish Vocational Service (JVS) Human Services are offering a free virtual support group for college graduates who graduated during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

This virtual support group is aimed at Michigan residents, who are seeking jobs and between the ages of 21 and 25 years old. The support group series began on Jan. 27 and lasts four weeks. 

Throughout the four week program, there will be workshops focusing on job hunting, building resumes and cover letters, how to network with others, creating job search plan, how to prepare for pitches and mock interviews.

The support group was established by JVS Human Services, a non-profit organization founded in Detroit, Michigan, in 1941. According to their website, their mission is to help the metro Detroit community and their families by providing counseling, training, and other supportive services, while including Jewish values. 

Jason Charnas, Director of Business and Career Services of JVS discussed the process behind creating the program marketed towards recent college graduates of 2020.

"We often look around at the programs and services we’re offering, and we look at the different groups we’re servicing, and we recognized that those people that have graduated or are graduating from college in the spring of 2020 face challenges unlike college graduates seen before the pandemic,” Charnas said. 

Charnas described the JVS Human Services’ goal behind the support group for recent graduates during this time of need.

“The ultimate goal is to be able to provide a supportive network and a supportive group for people, who are in similar predictions, to be able to work together and received services from our staff, so we can help people on that employment journey,” Charnas said.

Hannah Bergers, JVS Employment Specialist, is a recent college graduate from The University of Michigan. However, she was able to overcome her challenges of finding a job when she applied for her current position at JVS. 

Bergers understand how recent graduates feel about finding a job, after graduation, and the obstacles each person faces. Berger expressed how her transition from college into the job-hunting field was a stressful process.

“During Covid-19, I wish I would've known that people who have been laid off, and have a lot more experiences, have been applying to the same entry and junior-level positions like I was... I was really hard on myself about that and not realizing that the competition was more fierce and it wasn’t probably something I did wrong,” Bergers said.

JVS Human Services, Charnas, and Bergers are looking forward to helping recent college students towards their goals within their work field of choice. Each participant in the support group will have access to an individual, one-on-one, session.  

A  second virtual support group is also planned for the months of April and May, for recent college graduates of 2021. 

For more information visit the JVS Human Services website or Facebook page.

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