Career event helps women ‘refresh, inspire, support, empower’

EDMONDS — Shirley Abreu’s job search never ends.

“I’m always job hunting. I’m an independent contractor,” said the self-employed corporate travel director.

The Edmonds resident recently got some help with her unceasing job search at the recent RISE Career Training Workshop for women, a first for its sponsor, the YWCA Seattle King Snohomish.

The workshop, held at the Edmonds Center for the Arts, offered job-seekers the opportunity to create a LinkedIn page, fine-tune a resume or spend 20 minutes with a career coach.

“RISE stands for refresh, inspire, support, empower,” said Annalee Schafranek, YWCA’s public relations and marketing manager.

Abreu took advantage of a group of volunteers offering free head shots.

“I got a new haircut, and I need a new photo to update my LinkedIn page,” she said.

Alicia Crank, the YWCA’s corporate relations officer, organized the event.

“All the volunteers are women from the Edmonds business community,” Crank said. “It was an easy ask. It was a way to give back and help their neighbors.”

Crank is also a member of the Snohomish County Airport Commission, a volunteer advisory group to the county executive.

Workshop volunteers included Jenny Anttila, an interview coach experienced in conducting executive searches; Kristen Cline, an accountant and resume coach; and Elizabeth Lambert,Sarah Sewalelot and Erika Jones, stylists and make-up experts at The Refinery Salon in Edmonds.

“As a young woman I didn’t know how to write a resume or how to interview,” Sewalelot said. “This is a resource.”

The workshop, held Aug. 22, coincided with and recognized Black Women’s Equal Pay Day, Schafranek said.

“Equal Pay Day is the symbolic day when women’s earnings ‘catch up’ to men’s earnings from the previous year,” said Schafranek, citing an American Association of University Women report.

“It takes black women 20 months to earn what a white male earns in one year,” Schafranek said.

White and Asian women fare better, earning the equivalent in 15 to 16 months, the association said.

Volunteers from Sno-Isle Libraries included Emily Felt, lead librarian for business services.

The library offers a find-a-job page and a Resume Lab with “real, live writing experts” who can review your resume or cover letter within one business day, Felt said.

Mary Anne Dillon, executive director of the YWCA Snohomish branch, and Kizha Davidson, its chief communications officer, showcased the group’s Everett clothing bank. The Working Wardrobe program offers free, business-appropriate attire to homeless or low-income women who need clothing for an interview or job, Dillon said.

The YWCA hopes to offer more career training workshops for women locally.

Janice Podsada; jpodsada@heraldnet.com; 425-339-3097; Twitter: JanicePods