LEGAL ALIEN'S GUIDE. Building a Career and Life in Chicago, Illinois.

"The Legal Alien’s Guide" is now available in the library!

2008-08-18T09:46:00.000-07:00

Great news!!!

I just found out that "The Legal Alien's Guide" is now available in the Chicago Public Library! You can see the infomration on the book at http://www.chipublib.org/search/details/cn/8309954?branch=128 You can also place it on hold on the website if you need to.

The website mentions that the book is located in the following branch: HWLC 4th Floor. This is the central Harolnd Washington Library Center conveniently located downtown Chicago in the Loop, 400 S. State street 60605, tel 312-747-4300

Hours:
Mon 09:00 AM-09:00 PM
Tue 09:00 AM-09:00 PM
Wed 09:00 AM-09:00 PM
Thu 09:00 AM-09:00 PM
Fri 09:00 AM-05:00 PM
Sat 09:00 AM-05:00 PM
Sun 01:00 PM-05:00 PM

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Most helpful Chicago Guide
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Immigration lawyers - are they really helpful?

2008-08-14T09:42:00.000-07:00

Today I would like to share with you another personal observation. I meet a lot of immigrants and I went through the immigration process myself and I know that out of all organizations there is only one with which an immigrant deals most closely and sometimes for a very long period of time, not just months but years - this is the office of their immigration lawyer. Since every immigrant spends so much time (and money) dealing with an immigration lawyer from the point of view of the former the latter is considered to be an expert on a wide variety of issues related to immigration and generally life in the U.S. Immigrants seek advice from their immigration lawyers beyond their visa or green card but how willing are they to help? - Not very much.

When "The Legal Alien's Guide" was published I sent an official letter and press release to all immigration lawyers in Chicagoand that I could find in an official legal directory on the Internet. I believed that they should see the value of it and make sure each there client knows about it and may be have access to it in their office if the need be. Not a single lawyer responded! Not one wanted to learn more information to provide their clients better service and help them with a friendly advice on life after green card. Nobody wanted to deal with something they are not paid for.

The only immigration lawyer that expressed interest and understood the value of the guide was Tony Kim whom I met at one of the networking events and now his profile is featured on "Best of Chicago" page on the "Legal Alien's Guide" website http://www.legalaliensguide.com/BestChic I guess he was the only one interested because he really new what hardships immigrants endure since his parent immigrated to the U.S. from South Korea.

So I would challenge every immigration lawyer (and you can challenge yours too) to open their minds beyond legal matters and not do their job with just with one goal of making money but with a goal of helping people they bring into this country as much as they can.

I would qualify every immigration lawyer working in Chicagoland according the following grade system:
Grade 1: he/she heard about "The Legal Alien's Guide" and can give some advice on life after green card
Grade 2: he/she has a copy of "The Legal Alien's Guide" in their office so that a client can have a look at it and find the information he needs
Grade 3: he/she presents each client with "The Legal Alien's Guide" for FREE as a "thank you" for spending thousands of dollars in THEIR legal office. This to me would be the highest level of customer service.

So ask your lawyer and see where he/she stands. I think lawyers became too money focused and would not move their finger for anything you have not covered by your check and I believe it's time to do something to make them become more customer-focused.

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Most helpful Chicago Guide
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Another interesting international event

2008-08-07T08:42:00.000-07:00

This event will be of interest especially for women.

International Visitors Center of Chicago organizes a reception honoring the 2008 U.S. State Department Middle East Partnership Initiative Fellows(a/k/a the "MEPI Ladies")

WHEN: Tuesday, August 19 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
WHERE: the hospitality suite and rooftop terrace of the MDA City Apartments 63 East Lake Street, Chicago

Join the party and mingle with outstanding business and professional women from the Middle East and North Africa,with a special performance by the SIFA Africa Children's Choir of Ugandaand refreshments by the award-winning chefGloria "The Hat" Hafer

PRICE: $25.00
RSVP by August 15 at the IVCC website: http://www.ivcc.org/

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Celebrate Olympic Games!

2008-08-02T10:14:00.000-07:00

Join young professionals, members and friends of the International Visitors Center of Chicago and the International Trade Club of Chicago to celebrate the start of the Olympic Games! This is a unique opportunity to mingle with international community in Chicago. There will be opportunity to network with a great group of professionals.

WHEN: Friday, August 8, 2008 6:30 - 10:30 p.m.
WHERE: Dave and Buster's 1030 N. Clark Street Chicago, IL 60610
Cost - $30

The festivities include a buffet dinner, cash bar, trivia games & prizes, and lots of socializing. We will enjoy our party in a private room with a huge TV screen airing the Opening Ceremony.

RSVPs required. To register, please contact Lexy Sobel at (312) 254-1800 x102 or Lsobel@ivcc.org

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July Monthly Entrepreneurship Social

2008-07-29T10:59:00.000-07:00

Please join the Jules F. Knapp Entrepreneurship Center, the University Technology Park at IIT, and Wexford Science + Technology for their monthly networking event on Thursday, July 31st!

The monthly social brings together the entrepreneurship community both within IIT and the greater Chicagoland area and provides them with the opportunity to network and share experiences with fellow entrepreneurs. Whether you are currently an entrepreneur or are considering starting a business, this event can help you make the connections you need to get your new venture started or grow your existing business. Come explore what the Knapp Center, University Tech Park, Wexford and IIT have to offer!Refreshments will be served.

There is absolutely no charge for this event, but RSVPs are requested and should be made to keplinger@iit.edu.
WHEN: 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. July 31, 2008T
WHERE: Technology Business Center AtriumUniversity Technology Park at IIT, 3440 South Dearborn, Chicago IL

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Internet networking

2008-07-21T07:50:00.000-07:00

Everyone should be aware of the fact that networking not onloy happens face-to-face but on-line too. Even if you don't do any on-line networking, chances are your prospective employer does and you have to be ready to present you best "on-linw image". Here is an interesting article form ComputerWorld.com:

"Perform an Internet search for your name. You might be surprised by what you find - an offensive comment, a negative blog post about a previous employer, or even unflattering pictures taken at a party. If you find such material, contact the Web site's owner or webmaster and ask to have the content removed.

If you find that you can't have the negative content removed, make sure you're prepared to address the matter if an interviewer brings it up. In most cases, employers will understand as long as you're honest. The best way to limit the effect of any negative material about you is to make sure it's counterbalanced by a substantial amount of positive, professional information.

Consider launching a polished website or blog related to your career. Feature your accomplishments, skills and certifications, and link to any professional associations you belong to. Controlling your online image doesn't mean blotting out any evidence of individuality or creativity. Employers know that you have a life outside of work and that a lot of online information should be taken with a grain of salt. But as more and more companies turn to the Web to learn about their potential hires, it makes sense to control what information they may find. "

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Most helpful Chicago Guide
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Networking dinner

2008-07-15T14:50:00.000-07:00

The event below will be of interest to the international crowd, especially if you are in business. Also it is a great opportunity to get to know these important Chicago organizations that hold a lot of interesting events: International Trade Association and Swiss-American Business Council.

THE INTERNATIONAL TRADE ASSOCIATION OF GREATER CHICAGO
with the Swiss – American Business Council
Invite you to a dinner program:
THE U.S. DOLLAR’S FUTURE AGAINST THE EURO,
SWISS FRANC, JAPANESE YEN AND CHINESE YUAN

Presentations by:
Angie Kappel
Vice President, Foreign Exchange
KeyBank

Nicholas Savramis
Senior Vice President, Currency Risk Mgmt.
Charter One Bank

The U.S. dollar lost 15% of its value against major currencies over the course of last year.
Our experts will discuss the recent movements of the U.S. dollar and provide an outlook
for importers and exporters to plan for currency movements through the balance of 2008.

Tuesday, July 22, 2008
ROSEWOOD RESTAURANT
9421 West Higgins Road, Rosemont, IL
5:30 p.m. – Registration
6:00 p.m. – Program
7:00 p.m. – Dinner

ITA/GC and SABC members and their guests - $40; Non-members - $50

Please Make Your Reservations Early: Contact the ITA/GC by 4:00 p.m., Friday, July 18
Tel: 773/725-1106 rsvp@itagc.org Fax: 773/725-2294

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Search Engine Optimization

2008-07-10T14:21:00.000-07:00

So there you are ready to implement "my own business" dream in the Land of Opportunity. Whatever that business might be you will get nowhere if you don't have Internet presence. Internet can give you limitless opportunities if you know where to find them. For that you need to address 2 issues:
1. Internet marketing strategy for your company
2. Your website SEO (search engine optimization)

Getting an MBA in Marketing, successfully running my own 2 businesses, thorough research and subsequent work with my clients and NAWBO (National Association of Women Business Owners) members where I sit on the Advisory Board as a Marketing advisor made me an expert in Internet Marketing and if you ever need help on that side of the business my company will be very glad to assist you: http://www.emadvice.com/marketingtools.html

But the SEO dilemma was never really solved for me until yesterday. "SEO" is now a buzz word and plenty of companies claim to be the best in the field. Unfortunately many of them don't go beyond the claim. I read many articles about SEO scam where you pay a lot of money but don't get real results or the methods used by the SEO company are not always ethical.

However, yesterday I found a company that really stood out of the crowd. They are simply called The Search Engine Guys http://www.thesearchengineguys.com/ I don't normally write about for-profit companies but I believe this is the one useful resource all small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs should know about.

What did I like about them? First of all, their principles and exclusive partnership policy: they work only with one client per practice area, per geographic area, i.e. they won't work for your competitors. Second of all, they were the first company ever that didn't tell me: "We can do it, you just pay". They honestly said that the service I wanted would be too expensive and having analysed my business they saw it would be hard for me to bring enough income to make a profit. Instead of ripping me off they game me some great free advice on what I can do instead of investing money in the service I thought I should get. They could have landed a great project but they were concerned about my budget, not theirs. How often do you see that?

Starting a new business is a stressful matter. It requires substantial investment and along the way you will have to rely on certain partners who will work together with you: your suppliers, your legal advisors, your business consultant. You'll need to find the ones you trust and I am glad I could share with you the information about one of such trustworthy partners.

P.S. The Search Engine Guys is a Austin based company but they do have an office in Chicago. Here are the contact details:
Graham Smith
Partner, Web Strategist
The Search Engine Guys, LLC
312.480.5840 direct
800.267.1704 office
312.896.1443 fax

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Most helpful Chicago guide
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Order "The Legal Alien's Guide" at wholesale prices on my website

2008-07-07T11:44:00.000-07:00

Great news!!!

Now you can buy "The Legal Alien's Guide. Building a Career and Life in Chicago, Illinois" wholesale on my website: http://www.legalaliensguide.com/wholesale ! Before this day wholesale of the guide was only done through Ingram Booksellers, that is if you had an account with them. Now even if you don't have account with Ingram you can enjoy wholesale prices on my website if you need to buy 9 books or more for your organization or book store:

20% discount if you order 9 - 49 books
30% discount if you order 50 - 99 books
If you want to order 100 or more copies, please, contact me at info@emadvice.com for a VERY SPECIAL discount!

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Looking for partnership

2008-07-04T15:05:00.000-07:00

It's been 8 months since "The Legal Alien's Guide" has been published and those people who had a chance to read the book find it extremely useful (you can read comments and reviews on my website http://www.legalaliensguide.com ) The book has won a number of awards and support of the local Chicago government however it has been an up-hill battle for me because I am a "one person show": I self-published the book, I do the marketing & PR and it's been very difficult to reach out to wider audience. It is a shame because this guide could really help so many people!

I am looking now to partner with organizations who work with immigrants and people relocating to Chicago. If you represent such an organization or know of one that might be interested, please, send me an e-mail at info@emadvice.com

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Most helpful Chicago guide
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SummerDance

2008-07-01T09:12:00.000-07:00

In summer in Chicago there are less business related activities but much more opportunities for social interaction. The best way to meet people if you are new in town is to attend numerous FREE outdoor events, like concerts and festivals. My personal favourite is Chicago SummerDance which is going on from June 12 to August 24 this year.

This summer the Spirit of Music Garden in Grant Park becomes a unique outdoor urban dance space – the largest of its kind in the United States. Locals and visitors dance to the sounds of 43 top notch bands playing everything from swing, salsa and afrobeat to reggae, funk and klezmer, all on one huge dance floor. This year’s festival will feature an even wider range of music and dance styles than ever before, including polka, country, Argentine tango and zydeco.

Chicago SummerDance is an eleven-week festival featuring one-hour dance lessons by professional instructors, followed by two hours of live music and dancing on a 4,600 square foot open-air dance floor in the Spirit of Music Garden in Grant Park, 601 S. Michigan Ave. SummerDance events occur every Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening, 6 to 9:30 pm, and Sunday afternoon, 4 to 7 pm, weather-permitting. Chicago SummerDance is formatted into themes featuring world music ensembles on Thursdays; “popular nights” including jazz, Latin, country and funk on Fridays and Saturdays; and ballroom/big band on Sundays.

For more information, call the Chicago SummerDance Hotline at 312.742.4007 or visit http://www.chicagosummerdance.org/

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A letter from Chicago Mayor Hon. Richard M. Daley

2008-06-26T09:08:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I received a surprise letter by mail: my photo with Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley... autographed with best wishes! It is really a great feeling to be called "Honorable Tatiana Sorokina" and get a recognition of all my efforts!

The photo has an interesting story: end of May I was lucky to be invited to the Asian-American Leaders Reception hosted my the Mayor. He gave a passionated speech about how Chicago is the best city for immigrants. The Mayor was very excited that Chicago has always been a very welcoming city for immigrants and he seemed to be very proud that, according to him, in early 1930s "no one in Chicago spoke English!" Well, at least that's what he believes in. It felt like the Mayor is really doing his best to create a good atmosphere for all newcomers.

At the end of the reception I got second time lucky as I was offered to be photographed with the Mayor to commemorate the occasion. I new I would get the photo from the press office but I didn't hope to get it autographed in such a nice way!

I guess the Mayor really enjoyed and appreciated my book, "The Legal Alien's Guide", which I presented to him. In a letter I received earlier he wrote that it was "very thoughtful of me" to create such a Guide and present it to him. On my side, I really appreciate that Chicago Mayor appreciates what I am doing for Chicago and its residents.

You can see the infamous photo on my website http://www.legalaliensguide.com/ (where else would it be? :-)

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Most helpful Chicago guide
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Russian Women Magazine

2008-06-24T14:05:00.001-07:00

Among tons of information for immigrants with Hispanic and Asian background I finally found a great resource for my countrymen - everyone who speaks Russian and lives in the U.S., especially women. It is called Russian Women Magazine http://www.russianwomenmagazine.com/ This website is non-for-profit and has 4 objectives:
1. Exchange of information among Russian women who live abroad
2. Communication
3. Self-expression
4. Sharing of experience
The editor and producer, Olga Sapp, is a Russian herself living in USA. She says that her goal is "to help women to find themselves in a changing world". The Russian version of the site now has 600 pages full of advice and useful information.

The English version of the site was created for American men who either want to help their current Russian wife or are looking for a Russian wife.

I hope everyone can find something useful for oneself on this wonderful website.

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Most helpful Chicago guide
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"Healthy" networking

2008-06-19T08:34:00.000-07:00

My friend is organizing a fantastic event tomorrow (well, all her events are great but this one is really special): you will learn tips about healthy lifestyle, see fitness demonstration and have FREE healthy lunch. This is also a unique opportunity to network with variety of business professional in downtonw Chicago. You don't need to RSVP, just show up!

Access to the Boys Club - career related event for women

2008-06-18T17:43:00.000-07:00

Association of Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting is a "national, non-for-profit professional association that creates opportunities, adds value, and builds relationships for its members, the community and its business partners while expanding Latino Leadership in the global workforce". ALPFA organizes various interesting events and here is information about one of them:

Access to the Boys Club

Come join other female professionals at this year's Women of ALPFA events as we explore traditional male characteristics that women can use to advance their careers. The night will consist of intimate table discussions revolving around topics such as taking risks, emphasizing your achievements, and communicating effectively in a male dominated environment.

Date
June 19, 2008 (Thursday)
Time
06:00 P - 09:30 P
Location
University Club of Chicago, 76 E. Monroe Street Chicago IL 60613
Cost
Professional Member
$45.00
Professional Non-Member
$60.00
Student Member
$20.00
Student Non- Member
$30.00

Attire
Business Professional

For tickets and more information go to http://www.myalpfachicago.org/content/pe_woa.php
Contact
info@chicago.alpfa.org

If you don't manage to get to this events check their calendar, this organization is definitely worth keeping in mind even if you are not from Latino background.

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Most helpful Chicago guide
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Resume services and future seminars

2008-06-13T09:25:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I conducted another exciting seminar with a colleague of mine, Charlotte Weeks from Weeks Resume Service http://www.weeksresumeservice.com/ If you are looking for a job in Chicagoland she is a great resource for you. She is a Human Resources professional with experience writing achievement based resumes and targeted cover letters for a variety of fields.
She has experience "on the other side", i. e. she knows exactly what recruiters are looking for.

In addition Charlotte is just a very nice and compassionate person and has excellent "people" skills. Her rates are very reasonable too.

Finally, Charlotte is also a person who has a passion for helping others: she is doing it not only through her resume services but also through donating 10% of her proceeds to charity (United Way).

Her website is definitely worth checking out next time you are applying for a job.

We will continue to organize seminars together with Charlotte on the topics of networking + resume writing. Stay tuned for the up-coming dates! If you want to receive information about the up-coming dates of our seminars via e-mail, please send me a message via "Contact us form" http://www.legalaliensguide.com/contactus and I will add you to my distribution list.

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Federal Government is hiring

2008-06-09T14:37:00.000-07:00

I have recently read an interesting article in one of the career-related newsletters I receive. The job market may be tight in some places, but the federal government, is recruiting new employees. Two million people work for the federal government, and many are baby boomers. As baby boomers retire, federal jobs open up and are becoming available to new job seekers.

By the year 2013, the federal government expects that 40 percent of its workforce will retire, leaving 800,000 jobs to be filled. The federal government has a broad range of opportunities for job seekers of any discipline, from biology to engineering. The official Web site for federal employment is .http://www.usajobs.gov/ More than 100,000 jobs are currently listedwith salaries between $48,000 and $69,000 per year.

Good luck working for Uncle Sam! :-)

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June FREE networking opportunities

2008-06-05T11:26:00.000-07:00

June will be a great month for FREE networking opportunities:

EURO 2008 - EUROPEAN SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP 2008 IN SWITZERLAND AND AUSTRIA will kick off on June 7. Swiss-American Business Council, Goethe Institute and Austrian Consulate General in Chicago will be organize events around several games (see the schedule below). And each event will be a great opportunity for meeting people, social interaction but also business networking because a lot of the people who are on the distribution list of, say, Swiss-American Business Council are businessmen, entrepreneurs, etc. They will draw a good international crowd to these events so it is definitely worth checking them out!

OPENING MATCH of EURO 2008
Saturday, June 7, 2008
10:30 AM
(Kick-off time 11.00 AM)
SWITZERLAND : CZECH REPUBLIC
LIVE FROM THE ST. JAKOB STADIUM BASEL
Light Hors d’Oeuvres will be served
Cash Bar
Prizes will be raffled off during the intermission
ADMISSION FREE
Lobby, 323 East Wacker Drive, Chicago
RSVP by Friday, May 30, 2008. Email: http://b4.mail.yahoo.com/ym/emadvice.com/Compose?To=chi.culture@eda.admin.ch or call: 312 915 4528

Switzerland : Turkey
on Wednesday, June 11 beginning at 6 :00 PM
Austria : Germany
on Monday, June 16 beginning at 6 :00 PM
Emmit’s Irish Pub
495 North Milwaukee Ave, Chicago
http://www.emits.com/ or phone 312 563 9631
Hosted by the Austrian Trade Commission
Swiss-American Business Council (SABC)

Eleven Minutes – SOCCER short films
on Thursday, June 12
beginning at 6:00 PM
Goethe Institut Chicago
150 North Michigan Ave, Suite 200, Chicago
www.goethe.de/chicago or phone 312 263 0472
Hosted by the
Goethe Institut
Consulate General of Switzerland
Austrian Consulate General

EURO 2008 FINAL
on Sunday, June 29
beginning at 1:15 pm
Goethe Institut Chicago
150 North Michigan Ave, Suite 200, Chicago
www.goethe.de/chicago or phone 312 263 0472
Hosted by the
Austrian Consulate General in Chicago
Please note: all EURO 2008 soccer matches can be viewed live at the Goethe Institut Chicago. For information, see www.goethe.de/chicago or call 312 263 0472.

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Most helpful Chicago guide
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REMINDER: seminar for jobseekers, June 12.

2008-06-02T18:14:00.000-07:00

This is a reminder that I will be organizing my next seminar for job seekers (people in career transition, graduating students and newcomers to Chicagoland) It is called "A to Z of Successful Networking". The seminar will include Resume Writing Techniques session.

WHEN: June 12, 2008, 5.30 - 7.00 pm
WHERE: 111 West Jackson Boulevard, suite 1108, Chicago, IL 60604

Topics to be covered:
-why networking
- where to network
- how to network
-how to prepare for the event including how to create a perfect resume

Learn all tools and techniques to network comfortably and successfully on your own, connect with people, build relationships and acquire new customers.Also learn DOs and DON'Ts of resume writing.

Resume writing session is conducted by Charlotte Weeks who is a professional resume writer and owner of Weeks Resume Service. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Illinois State University, and spent over three years working in Human Resources. While experienced in all types of resume writing, her specialty is writing for people making career changes.

All participants will get a FREE copy of "The Legal Alien's Guide. Building a Career and Life in Chicago, Illinois" - the unique guide that has detailed listings of networking organizations, associations, groups and clubs in Chicago and suburbs.

Price: 37 USD

Please, register at http://www.legalaliensguide.com/Seminars

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Illinois Recruiters Association event

2008-05-27T09:06:00.000-07:00

The next Illinois Recruiters Association Extreme Networking Event has beenset for:

Date: Thursday, June 19th 2008

Time: 5:00pm to 8:00 p.m.

Location: Goose Island - Clybourn1800 North Clybourn Chicago, IL Phone: 312-915-0071 http://www.gooseisl%20and.com/pubs/%20clybourn.%20asp

Agenda: Power Networking - Build your network, Extreme face to face style,meet with hundreds of Illinois' top human capital professionals in one spot

Price per person: $40.00

Purchase your ticket: Visit http://www.illinois%20recruiters.%20org/

Benefits for attending: each guest will receive - Build your recruiting network with hundreds of Illinois' besthuman capital management professionals - Receive two drink tickets good for alcohol or soft drinks- Food will be served (buffet style) - You will receive a complete attendees list; including LinkedInURL's and e-mails.

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Most helpful Chicago guide
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The truth that all immigrants should know

2008-05-26T15:33:00.000-07:00

Before I published my book, "The Legal Alien's Guide", I thought that the main problem was that the information was not readily available to people and it was hard to filter it down to find organizations that would really help you to find a job or start/develop your own business in Chicagoland if you are new to the city. I naively believed that when I collect all the information and put it in an easy-to-use guide all problems will be resolved. I was wrong.

The biggest problem is that a lot of private and government organizations set up to help people actually prevent you from getting to the information you need and this is how it happens:

1. Some of the organizations will not move their finger if it is not financially beneficial to them. I came to several organisations working with international communities in Chicago and they appreciated the value of my book but they said that they will inform their members about it only if I pay them. Which means that those immigrant that signed up as members with them and in some instance paid (!) for membership are prevented from getting the information which they are entitled to get.

2. Some organizations are afraid of competition. I have about 200 associations, groups and clubs listed in my book so that every person can find something for his/her own needs, which may mean much better and more tailored services than they are getting currently (in case they are already receiving help from an organization). So I had a situation several times when an organization refused to post a link to my book on their website saying that "they already have all useful links their members may need". In reality they usually have 5 to 10 links that after my thorough investigation usually turn out to be non-competitive "nominal" links that don't threaten to take away members from this group because they provide similar (and may be better services)

3. Some organizations were created by one individual and though this person did a great job helping at least some people it would be too ambitious to think that 1 person can help everybody. However this type of organizations do not let the information about resources in my book to reach people because they consider themselves really good at networking and it seems to me that it bothers them that the idea to write a guide similar to mine didn't come to them first. They ignore all my requests to help in communicating to their members that new resources are available and feels like a dead end.

4. Not all government organizations are helpful either: one Illinois organization specifically set up to help immigrants refused to use my book to help the people they work with because... they simply didn't like the title of it.

And I am not asking them to sell my book, I am just asking them to let people know that it exists. I never expected that there will be such a resistance from all these organizations because they all claim on their websites that they were set up to help, inform, educate, etc.

So what can you do? Spread the word about the Guide - people have the right to know about resources available to them. If you are a member of any networking, immigrant, student or any other organization - ask them to send out the information about the book to their members, especially if you paid for membership, you paid to get information which you are not actually getting. If your organization has a resources library ask them to have a copy or two of the Guide there, again, you have the right for it. It will take a lot of effort to change people's selfish mentality but together we can do it!

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Most helpful Chicago guide
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Windy City Social

2008-05-21T10:31:00.000-07:00

Windy City Social / REP Chicago Power Networking

Date: Tuesday, June 17th

Location: English 444 N. Lasalle, Chicago

Description:Windy City Social and REP Chicago are teaming up to create a networking event that will connect you with other professionals from Chicagoland.

Enjoy the first drink and appetizers compliments of English while your meet and connect with other quality Chicago business people.

Ticket Price $10

More information at: http://www.windycitysocial.com/

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FREE English language classes

2008-05-16T18:02:00.000-07:00

Truman College in Chicago offers FREE adult education classes including English as a second language (ESL).

ESL program provides instruction for non-native speakers of English. ESL courses range from providing basic language and life skills for complete beginners to helping advanced students refine their English in preparation for higher education, vocational training, or a career. Reading, writing, listening, speaking, and grammar are included at all levels of instruction. Supplemental ESL classes are available in areas such as conversation, writing, and career development.

To enroll you have to be 18 years old or older.

For more information, please, visit their website: http://www.trumancollege.cc/adulted/ae_esl.php

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Most helpful Chicago guide
http://www.legalaliensguide.com

The Instituto Cervantes

2008-05-14T13:08:00.000-07:00

The Instituto Cervantes http://chicago.cervantes.es/en/default.shtmhas the same functions and provides the same services relative to the Spanish language and Spanish-speaking countries as Goethe Institut to German language and German-speaking countries (see my earlier posts).

The Institute Cervantes organize Spanish classes and various cultural events. The main activities include:

- Organizes the DELE (Spanish as a Foreign Language Exams).
- Issues official Spanish Language Certificates and Diplomas to our students.
- Organizes Spanish courses: general, skills, enrichment, specific purposes, for corporations, etc
- Offers professional development classes for teachers of Spanish.
- Supports Spanish Language and Culture researchers.
- Promotes cultural activities and events together with other organizations. In Chicago they cooperate with different institutions from Illinois, Spain and Latin America.

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Most helpful Chicago guide
http://www.legalaliensguide.com

My next seminar - June 12, 2008

2008-04-29T15:57:00.000-07:00

My next seminar, "A to Z of Successful Networking" will be in JUNE for job seekers (people in career transition, graduating students and newcomers to Chicagoland) and it will include Resume Writing Techniques session!!!

WHEN: June 12, 2008, 5.30 - 7.00 pm
WHERE: 111 West Jackson Boulevard, suite 1108, Chicago, IL 60604

Topics to be covered:
-why networking
- where to network
- how to network
-how to prepare for the event including how to create a perfect resume

Learn all tools and techniques to network comfortably and successfully on your own, connect with people, build relationships and acquire new customers. Also learn DOs and DON'Ts of resume writing. Resume writing session is conducted by Charlotte Weeks who is a professional resume writer and owner of Weeks Resume Service. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Illinois State University, and spent over three years working in Human Resources. While experienced in all types of resume writing, her specialty is writing for people making career changes. Charlotte is a member of the National Resume Writer's Association and the Professional Association of Resume Writers.

All participants will get a FREE copy of "The Legal Alien's Guide. Building a Career and Life in Chicago, Illinois" - the unique guide that has detailed listings of networking organizations, associations, groups and clubs in Chicago and suburbs.

Price: 37 USD

To register, please, go to http://www.legalaliensguide.com/Seminars

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Most helpful Chicago guide
http://www.legalaliensguide.com