EDENPRAIRIE GRACE CHURCH | 9301 Eden Prairie Rd | Eden Prairie, MN 55347
Our purpose is to help unemployed and misemployed people with effective strategies and resources for a job search, while helping them hear and follow God's calling in their life and their work.
FREE JOB SEARCH SEMINARS AND WEBINARS
1st Thursday MORNING of each month | 7:30 - 9:00 am
(IN-PERSON ONLY at Grace Church in Eden Prairie)
FOLLOWED BY THE IN-PERSON NWG group meeting beginning at 9am
FOLLOWED BY our MICRO JOB-FAIR featuring employers each month
AND a "Financial Considerations in Job Transition" Q&A beginning at 10:45am
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2nd Thursday EVENING of each month | 7:00 - 8:30 pm
(IN-PERSON ONLY at Woodbury Lutheran Church)
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3rd Thursday MORNING of each month | 7:30 - 9:00 am (Central Time)
(ONLINE Webinar Only)
These FREE Seminars include an introduction to all the additional free but valuable resources you will find through MN Crossroads Career Network.
At our Monthly Seminars, we feature a guest speaker presenting topics related to job search, networking, and lead generation.
OUR UPCOMING GUEST SPEAKERS AND TOPICS
IN-PERSON ONLY:
at Grace Church - Eden Prairie
Resilient Job Searching: Emotional Skills for the Long Game
with: Julie Thiel
Thursday Morning, February 5th
7:30 am - 9:00 am
No Registration Necessary! Just come and connect with others!
Job searching can be far more emotionally demanding than most people expect.
Uncertainty, rejection, and long periods of waiting can quietly drain motivation and confidence, even for capable and experienced professionals.
This session helps job seekers understand why these reactions are so common and learn practical ways to stay engaged without burning out. Drawing on well-established research and real-world experience, we will explore how emotions influence job-search behavior and introduce simple, usable emotional skills to navigate the ups and downs of the process with greater clarity and resilience.
Participants will:
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Understand why job searching often leads to discouragement, avoidance, or loss of motivation
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Learn how the way we interpret job-search stressors can shape emotions and behavior
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Explore why positive emotional experiences support resilience during prolonged uncertainty
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Walk away with a few practical emotional intelligence skills they can apply immediately during their job search
Julie Thiel is a senior HR executive with more than 30 years of experience leading talent, leadership development, and people strategy across a wide range of organizations. She’s worked closely with executives and hiring leaders throughout her career, making real hiring decisions and supporting people through growth, change, and transition.
She’s the founder of Thiel Talent Strategy, a firm she created to help small business owners take HR off their plate and build strong, people-first organizations. Julie brings an honest, insider perspective to job seekers, grounded in decades of experience on the employer side of the table.
...Then stay after the presentation, at 9am for the Networking With Grace Meeting and our MICRO JOB FAIR and "FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS DURING JOB TRANSITION" Q&A at 10:45!
JULIE THIEL
RICH BRADEN
IN-PERSON ONLY:
Effective Job Search Strategy: How to Target the Right Role With Precision
with: Rich Braden
Thursday Evening, January 12th
7:00 - 8:30 pm
No Registration Necessary! Just come and connect with others!
Is your job search going nowhere fast? Are you tired of watching rejection emails pile up while wondering what you’re doing wrong? The truth is, many job seekers struggle with strategy and targeting.
A well‑designed job search strategy doesn’t just help you apply to more roles; it dramatically increases your chances of getting noticed, getting interviews, and ultimately landing the right job. In this session, you’ll learn the four foundational elements that transform a scattered search into a focused, high‑impact campaign that gets real results.
Rich Braden is Managing Partner of Braden Performance Consulting. Rich is a highly accomplished learning and development consultant in Fortune 500 companies, Braden specializes in creating innovative training systems that drive global workforce agility and measurable performance outcomes. With dual advanced degrees (MBA, MEd), he excels at aligning business strategy with talent development through data-driven approaches like Voice of Customer research, leadership modeling, and competency frameworks. Known for his expertise in transforming traditional training into experiential, work-based learning ecosystems, Braden is a trusted advisor on high-impact education and leader development strategies that unlock organizational potential and competitive advantage.
ONLINE ONLY:
Pre-Register to Participate
The Interview's Over, Now What?
with: Kristy Busija
Thursday Morning, February 19th
7:30 - 9:00 am
Pre-Register Here to Participate in This Webinar
Master the critical post-interview phase with confidence, whether you're facing silence, rejection, or multiple offers. This practical course guides you through emotional intelligence, strategic decision-making, and offer negotiations.
You'll Learn:
• How to transform interview outcomes into opportunities
• Strategic offer evaluation techniques
• Smart negotiation tactics, even for exceptional offers
• Professional follow-up strategies
• Multiple offer comparison frameworks
Perfect For:
Professionals seeking to navigate post-interview decisions with confidence and transform uncertainty into empowered action. From managing emotions to negotiating benefits, you'll develop the tools to make informed career choices.
Before becoming an award-winning business owner, best-selling author, and Forbes contributor, Kristy Busija, the CEO & Founder of Next Conversation Consulting, was known by her clients as the one who makes sense out of their chaos. When others see mess and confusion, she sees a beautiful puzzle in the making. That means she can quickly and concisely give you actionable steps you can take today!
KRISTY BUSIJA
IN-PERSON ONLY:
at Grace Church - Eden Prairie
Let's Make Your LinkedIn Profile Work for You
with: Jennifer Radke
Thursday Morning, March 5th
7:30 am - 9:00 am
No Registration Necessary! Just come and connect with others!
Join Social Media Strategist and leadership speaker Jennifer Radke for an engaging, hands-on workshop designed to turn your LinkedIn profile into a powerful tool for career advancement.
Whether you're job hunting, exploring the fractional workforce, or building a professional brand, this interactive session will guide you through practical strategies to optimize your profile and engage meaningfully on the platform.
Bring your laptop or mobile device and get ready to:
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Evaluate your current profile through a critical lens
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Explore techniques for authentic human connection in digital spaces
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Learn how to search strategically and connect with the right people
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Craft customized outreach messages that stand out
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Leverage LinkedIn’s tools for visibility and credibility in today’s job market
LinkedIn is more than just a resume, and when you use it with purpose and intention, it can help you reach your goals.
Jennifer Radke is an international speaker, author, and strategic business leader with over 15 years of experience in sales and leadership. The real-world solutions she brings to her training stem from her experience in coaching, developing and training employees and businesses of all sizes.
As the CEO of the National Institute for Social Media she spends her time helping professionals strategically utilize social media in the business environment through training and certification. Jennifer has a BA from the University of Minnesota-Morris and an MS in Organizational Leadership in addition to being an NISM-certified Social Media Strategist (SMS) and instructor.
...Then stay after the presentation, at 9am for the Networking With Grace Meeting and our MICRO JOB FAIR and "FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS DURING JOB TRANSITION" Q&A at 10:45!
JENNIFER RADKE
MICHAEL HURLEY
IN-PERSON ONLY:
Navigating Applicant Tracking Systems
with: Michael Hurley
Thursday Evening, March 12th
7:00 - 8:30 pm
No Registration Necessary! Just come and connect with others!
Best Practices,
What You May Not know,
What You Should Know, and What You Don’t Need To Know
This highly informative and practical seminar will cover:
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What is an ATS System?
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Why do companies use ATS systems?
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How do companies use ATS systems?
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How many ATS systems are there?
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How to be prepared to navigate multiple ATS systems?
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Resumes and ATS system challenges.
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How should I approach applying across multiple ATS systems?
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What can you control?
Michael Hurley has been in talent acquisition for more than 30 years, spanning professional-level search experiences in corporate, contract consulting, and third-party recruiting roles with Fortune 500 companies.
He’s successfully recruited talent across the US in multiple disciplines and industries during this time including software engineering, finance, accounting, tax, audit, marketing, and sales. He has tremendous experience as a liaison between candidates and corporations as part of the hiring process and has worked with several Applicant Tacking Systems.
Michael has been a part of the Crossroads leadership team for over 10 years and regularly facilitates the Job Search Training classes.