The volunteer we feature this month has only been with the organization since December of 2021 but has already made a big impact. Volunteering as our Marketing Leader to manage our two websites, social media posts and marketing activities as well as serving in her role as the Hudson Job Search Administrator, Kim Kitchen is this month’s Featured Advisor:
Professional Background
After almost a decade in the mortgage and finance industry, Kim Kitchen started a digital marketing company, Burning River Marketing, specializing in search engine optimization (SEO) for local small businesses. She is also a Director of Business Network International (BNI), where she works with chapters across northeast Ohio to launch, grow and maximize their membership opportunities.
Q: What inspired you to become an Advisor with Hudson Job Search?
A: I had wanted to get more involved in my own community of North Olmsted and was actively looking for volunteering opportunities when Michael Polovick suggested I get involved.
Q: How long have you been an Advisor with Hudson Job Search?
A: Not even two years.
Q: What do you enjoy the most about your role as an Advisor with the organization?
A: Ironically, I initially came on as an Advisor but have never taken on a job seeker to advise. Instead I was told my skillset could help the organization from a marketing perspective and was kind of thrown (willingly) into re-vamping the website, rolling out a new logo, flyers and starting this “Featured Advisor” post, among other marketing activities.
Q: What’s your favorite Hudson Job Search story?
Honestly, I love the story of this one client, Brian, let’s call him, who had just been laid off as a Quality Management Specialist for a pretty big company. I asked him what industry he was targeting and he didn’t know. He said maybe engineering or project management because he wasn’t sure what other companies would call the position. And he seemed a little apprehensive to network at first. After a few months of attending our Monday Night Speaker Meetings and working with an Advisor, he had two great job offers – one at Moen and one at Swagelock. Working with his Advisor he negotiated the best terms and it was just great to see what the process could do for him. I felt like he went from seeming disoriented, to being given direction and focus, and ultimately having two great options to choose from.
Q: What would you say to someone who is thinking about becoming a Hudson Job Search Advisor?
A: Absolutely do it! For just a few hours a month you make such a big difference in someone’s life, in a family and in a community. I have so much respect for our Advisors. They are really making a huge contribution just by helping someone during a stressful time.
Q: How did you learn how to advise Job Seekers?
A: I have not worked with any job seekers yet but the onboarding process for a new advisor is pretty simple. After they attend a few Advisors’ meetings they’ll see quickly how to help their job seeker. And the other Advisors are eager to help you to learn the process.
Q: If Hudson Job Search could do anything, with limitless donations, what would you like to see the organization accomplish in the next 5 years?
A: No question, a CMS. We could really use a Content Management System that manages our job seekers, our advisors, the pipeline and steps they are at in the process as well as send out emails to remind clients and advisors about upcoming meetings. By investing in some automation of messaging, we could reach more people instead of use our resources on manually tracking progress in spreadsheets.
See other Featured Advisors below:
