NEWTOWN—Parishioners at St. Rose have found a way to help each other and the community through a networking group focused on career development.
The Northern Fairfield Professionals networking group has been meeting once a month for more than a decade. The group turned to virtual Zoom meetings when they could no longer meet in person because of the coronavirus pandemic.
“It’s a way to give back and help people when they become unemployed,” said John Barry, owner of the staffing firm ITech Consulting Partners who co-founded the group with a candidate who was looking for a job.
At the time, the candidate mentioned there were networking groups in Westchester and Southern Fairfield County and she wanted to start one in Northern Fairfield County with him, since he helps professionals in their job search. He agreed. She landed a job a year later and moved to Atlanta. Since then, Barry and his wife, Mary have been managing the group.
In the beginning, the group met in restaurants but that was not ideal because of the associated costs.
The group tried meeting at the Danbury Public Library to utilize free meeting space but limited parking and library hours made it difficult.
As a member of the Knights of Columbus, Barry turned to his brotherhood and the organization agreed to sponsor the group and allow them to use the new meeting building on the St. Rose campus in Newtown.
“The Knights of Columbus is an organization that helps people in the community,” Barry said. “It was a natural fit.”
The networking group hosts topical speakers who donate their time and expertise with presentations about networking, resume writing, how to use social platforms to search for a job and other professional development topics.
Recent speakers include Laura Powers of Powers Career Coaching on “Navigating Career Transition in Extraordinary Times,” and Jason Hyde, author of “Career Fulfillment Found” on, “Three Things Unemployed Professionals Must Know to Overcome Frustration and Fear.”
Paddy Viswanathan, a member of the group who recently landed a job said Hyde’s presentation was so impactful, that he recommended Hyde to another networking group.
“Jason gave a lot of people a lot of hope in that meeting,” Viswanathan said adding that he is happy for the virtual meetings because he would not be able to attend otherwise since he lives out-of-state.
Viswanathan said the value of networking groups is immeasurable.
“Most of the people I’ve seen got their job through networking,” Viswanathan said. “They teach techniques and provide access to people who you would not meet otherwise. More importantly, it is a tremendous support system.”
Viswanathan said he held on to his faith and prayed and his hope was buoyed by the successes of fellow group members. “When somebody got a job, you got strength out of it and felt happy for them. I was rooting for them,” he said.
Viswanathan said he is grateful for Barry and like-minded people who organize networking groups to help others. “People like John Barry are doing God’s work,” he said.
Once a year, the Northern Fairfield Professionals networking group hosts talent acquisition representatives from local companies to participate in a recruiter panel and answer questions from group members.
The group also hosts an annual elevator speech workshop in August. “Everybody should have an elevator speech ready with what they do and the value they bring to the employer,” Barry said. “You never know who you will talk to that may know of a potential position for you.”
The in-person networking meetings, which Barry hopes to bring back when it is safe to do so, attract anywhere from 25-45 people. The Zoom meetings, which include networking and an opportunity for people to share their efforts and successes have grown to over 60 people.
Barry invites members who have landed a job to attend a future meeting and briefly talk about how they found their job and share any tips they used in their job search.
“It’s a highlight of our network meetings,” Barry said of hearing from members who have landed a job. “It encourages people, when they see people who have landed jobs and are sharing how they found their job.”
“We encourage people, even after they landed their job, to continue to attend meetings,” Barry said, noting that networking is an ongoing process. “Networking is about establishing and nurturing long-term, mutually beneficial relationships with the people you meet.”
Note: Northern Fairfield Professionals networking group meets on the second Tuesday of every month from 6 pm to 7:30 pm If you would like to attend a Northern Fairfield Professionals networking meeting please contact John Barry at john@itechcp.com.
By Kathy-Ann Gobin
