We are pleased to announce the 2nd annual ISES Minnesota Star Awards! This ceremony will again showcase Minnesota's multitude of talent in the event industry. This is your chance to shine! Be recognized by your colleagues, give credibility to your hard work and show the international event community that you are among the best the local industry has to offer.

The ISES "Minnesota Star" Awards program was established to identify and honor the state of Minnesota's "best of the best" in the event planning industry. You won't want to miss your chance to be included in this year's list of winners! The Minneapolis/St. Paul Chapter of ISES is looking for the events that you're proud of, the events that you worked the hardest on and the events that you just can't wait to show everyone.

The link below will direct you to the Call for Entries, which has a complete listing and explanation of the 16 categories being presented, as well as the rules and regulations and information about where to send your entry.

Be sure to take a few minutes to look through the list of categories and start formulating the list of events that you will plan to enter into the competition. Don't miss your opportunity to be a STAR!

Click here to download the Call for Entries in .pdf form

Happy Holidays!

Since I'm sure that, like me, you're all busy catching up after a busy holiday season, I'm going to keep this nice and short. I'm hoping that despite the busy holiday time, each of you had an opportunity to relax and enjoy some of the time with family and friends.

On behalf of the entire Board of Directors, I would also like to wish all of you a very happy New Year. May you have a successful, happy and healthy year both at home and at the office. We look forward to seeing you throughout the year at many of our various ISES sponsored events and to learning even more about you and your business.

Enjoy the New Year!

Jodi Collen
jodi@ises-msp.org

Are you the type of person who is always planning the party? Whether it is a birthday bash or just a get together, friends and colleagues always tap you on the shoulder to make it an event. In this holiday season, family members are counting on you for the feast, the festivities and/or the fun! Since many of us work in the event industry, the connection is natural. But have you ever considered stepping up and starting your own home-based event business? Have you considered putting your skills to action either part-time or full- time? How would you begin? Where would you find your clients? What’s your niche, your pitch, and what should you be worried about!?

Jill Moran, CSEP, was our guest for the November ISES meeting, held November 10 at the beautiful Interlachan Country Club in Edina. Owner of her own home-based business, jsmoran & associates, and author of the Esprit-winning book, How to Start a Home-Based Event Planning Business, Jill has been planning events around the world for more than 15 years. She shared her experience and tips on finding your niche, spotting trends, marketing and making your pitch to clients, branding your business and building your image, and managing the balancing act between home and business in a home-based business – which is immensely important if you are trying to start your own business. Her greatest tip: Set goals and know how you measure success. If that means one meeting a year, good for you! Just know that pretty soon it will be ten!

When asked what one thing she didn’t expect to have happen when she started her own business, Jill said, “That I would get such great clients and choice events.” And how does Jill find those great clients? By continually networking throughout the industry and at her local ISES meetings in Boston. With 54 members, guests, and students in attendance at the November meeting, networking opportunities were everywhere!

On December 8, ISES members and guests enjoyed a revitalizing experience at Intelligent Nutrients (IN). This event was all about communication, self awareness and relaxation! Attendees networked during a scrumptious organic lunch featuring tuna & chicken salad sandwiches, chips & salsa, salad and desserts all within IN's unique 'zen' environment. Guests could also find out more about the upcoming Minnesota Star Awards and check into membership benefits before having their aura's read, back massaged or hands rubbed with an essential oil treatment. A rejuvenating experience for mind, body & soul was had by all!

By Andrea Marfell

People make New Year’s resolutions with the best intentions, but they often fail for lack of a solid action plan. If you’ve resolved for 2006 to move your career forward into a new industry, occupation or level of responsibility, increase your chances of success with this three-part action plan focused on results.

1. Know your career objective
2. Update your resume and cover letters
3. Update your network and networking skills

1. Know your career objective

Knowing your career objective may sound obvious and easy. If, however, you are dissatisfied with your current position, it can be difficult to sort out the good from the bad. You may not fully understand the target of your dissatisfaction: Is it your job or your employer; your company’s culture or your supervisor? Analyzing what you want in a job is a good start in determining the best new job for you. If you are uncertain what type of position to focus on, start by identifying the transferable skills you enjoy(ed) using in your current or past positions. A professional career coach can be helpful in sorting out what you want to keep and, more importantly, what you want to avoid in your next position.

2. Update your resume and cover letters

If it has been a while since your last job search, your resume may no longer reflect your current career direction. Don’t forget the most important elements of a strong resume: solid achievements that illustrate your transferable skills, and key words and phrases to capture employers’ attention and interest.

Cover letters can make the difference between a warm reception or a cold shoulder. While it’s true that not all resume screeners read cover letters, those who do are never impressed—and are often put off by cover letters that sound phony or mass-produced. If you are uncertain of your resume writing skills, a professional resume writer can transform your so-so resume & cover letters into true selling tools.

3. Update your network and networking skills

A good job-search network consists of all those persons who can provide information about future or current career opportunities. You say you don’t have a network? You probably do, but you just haven’t thought about people who could fit this category. Start by identifying groups of people that you are in contact with on a regular basis, such as professional associations, church, college alumni groups, and neighborhood associations. Then identify the individuals within those groups with whom you feel comfortable and who could help you learn of job leads.

Many of my resume and coaching clients lament their poor networking skills. I always tell them not to worry; they are in good company because most people feel inadequate when it comes to networking. Before you dismiss the value of a strong network, remember: In securing all-important job interviews, it’s very often not what you know but who you know. There are many resources available for learning how to build and utilize a network to your job-search advantage: books, online articles, workshops, and career coaches trained in the most effective networking techniques.

Once you’ve put your job-search action plan into practice, you’ll be on your way to a better job and a better life.

Deborah Walker, CCMC
Career Coach ~ Resume Writer
Find more job-search tips and resume samples at:
www.AlphaAdvantage.com
Email: Deb@AlphaAdvantage.com