Job Search Training, Networking, and Support
JSN has gained the reputation as providing some of the best job search training and networking in Austin, even when compared to government or fee-based services. Many participants travel more than 45 minutes to attend our training and meetings.
Job Seekers Network is an independent nonprofit 501(c)(3). In addition to continuing to offer the excellent programs and services it currently provides, JSN seeks to expand its offerings with enhanced programs and additional locations.
Mission Statement
JSN glorifies God by holistically supporting the unemployed/underemployed and providing excellent job search services, enabling them to find a better fitting job faster.
Job Seekers Network Fast Facts
Helped over 12,000 people
in 13 years
50% of incoming job seekers are unclear on next career step
75% said we helped them get a job at least 1 month faster
Leadership
Craig Foster
Executive Director & Board Secretary
Craig spent 20 years in corporate management, including 11 years as an executive with an Austin high tech company. He has his BBA and MBA from the University of Texas at Austin. Craig has helped and taught job seekers on and off for over 20 years. He was the volunteer Executive Director of the Interfaith Job Search Council and volunteer Director of the Career Transition Workshop.
When the economy hit hard times again in late 2008, Craig and his wife Debbie founded Job Seekers Network.
Debbie Foster
Co-Founder and Founding Board Member
Debbie was a founding board member and set up and implemented many of the original processes and procedures and continues to support JSN by volunteering in the areas of finance, registration and prayer. Debbie has a BBA in Finance from the University of Texas. She worked in the Telecom industry before transitioning to volunteer and non-profit work. Her background also includes management and leadership in various organizations and associations. Debbie’s calling is Luke 4:18 and spends much of her time now ministering to people through prayer, healing and deliverance.
Brian Furrow
Board Chair
Brian is a former Executive Human Resources Leader with Kraft Foods, which included responsibility for manufacturing plants, customer service & logistics organizations. He has been a coach with JSN since January 2019 and has a strong passion for encouraging and helping job-seekers realize their full potential, while finding personal fulfillment in their work.
Chuck Barber
Board Treasurer
Chuck studied business at Georgia Tech and has years of business and managerial experience in the areas of defense contracting, purchasing and finance. Chuck came to faith in Jesus Christ while serving in the Marine Corps and eventually transitioned from business into full-time ministry and is a pastor at Hill Country Bible Church of Austin. He is active in the areas of leadership development and local community outreach.
Will Thomson
Board Member
Will is the Founder and President of Bulls Eye Recruiting, LLC, a boutique and executive search firm. Bulls Eye Recruiting helps organizations find the "best of the best" sales, marketing and healthcare talent domestically and internationally. He has a long track record of success and has worked as a corporate recruiter for many large companies such as Dell, eBay, Rosetta Stone, Rainmaker Systems, and Balfour.
Shane Stevens
Board Member
Shane is currently Senior Vice President of Partnerships at TrueCar. After graduating from Texas A&M in 1998, he started his career in Austin as an Oracle Developer with National Instruments, worked as a Business Architect with USAA in San Antonio and eventually wandered his way into strategy and business development. Shane served as a non-profit coach with JSN through Austin Christian Fellowship's Ministry Advancement Academy. Shane, his wife Casie and their three children all get to know, love and serve Jesus Christ through ACF.
Kim Hollenshead
Board Member
Kim landed her first recruiting role in 1997 in Austin, TX, and has primarily worked at technology organizations. Throughout her tenure as a recruiter, she has hired roles in various areas including marketing, finance, legal, software, hardware, etc. She is currently a Contract Senior Recruiter at Chick-fil-A's Support Center in Atlanta, working remotely from her home in the Autin area. Kim is passionate about helping people find roles that reflect their passions and career goals. She is the proud daughter of pastors and grew up in West Columbia, TX. She’s a 7th-generation Texan and is the current President of the Georgetown chapter of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas. She has been married to her husband Charles since 2009 and is a bonus mom to 3 adult children as well as 3 grandchildren and currently a fur baby mom to 3 dogs and 3 cats.
Becky Terry
Director of Training and Communication
Becky has provided guidance in career direction, job search strategies and career management for the past 25 years. She currently provides career coaching and training through Job Seekers Network as the Director of Training & Communication, One Day Academy, and her own private coaching practice, Career Path Advising. Her past experience includes career counseling at a top 5 MBA program, several undergraduate universities, and human resources recruiting & training with a Fortune 50 company. She has an M.S. in Counselor Education and a B.S. in Psychology and B. A. in Elementary Education. A very popular JSN workshop series, which she developed and teaches, Design & Focus, serves over 125+ participants each year.
Madelyn Butler
Marketing + Program Coordinator
Madelyn came to Job Seekers Network because of the impact JSN had on her husband during his unemployment. Prior to being on staff at JSN, Madelyn worked in the interior design and fashion industries. She brings a unique skill set with a background in design, social media, marketing, and event planning. In addition to her creative knowledge and gifting, Madelyn is analytical, has a focused attention to detail, and loves Excel. She has a B.S. in Apparel Merchandising from Auburn University. Madelyn has a servant’s heart for people and building relationships and serves in leadership roles in various women’s and community ministries.
Statement of Beliefs
You don’t have to believe any of the following statements of beliefs to attend our meetings, but we wanted to let you know what we believe. Everyone is welcome to our meetings and we do not exclude, deny benefits to, or otherwise discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, or age, church or religious background. If you don’t want to talk about spiritual matters, let us know, and we’ll respect that.
- Absolute moral truth exists.
- The Bible is totally accurate in all of the principles it teaches and is the highest authority for what I believe.
- A person cannot earn their way into Heaven by trying to be good or do good works.
- Jesus Christ’s death on the cross is the only sacrifice that could remove the penalty of my sin.
- Jesus died on the cross as a substitute for sinful humanity, was buried, rose bodily from the tomb, ascended into Heaven where He ministers on the behalf of those who have trusted in Him, and someday will come again for His own.
- The Holy Spirit actively ministers to the world. This ministry includes restraining evil, convicting the unsaved of sin and bestowing God’s goodness on mankind. We also believe He ministers to every believer in Jesus Christ in numerous ways: regenerating, sealing, indwelling, baptizing into the Body of Christ, and the giving of spiritual gifts. Other ministries to believers include filling, assuring, teaching, guiding and comforting.
- God is the all-knowing, all-powerful creator of the world who still rules the universe today.
- Christians have the responsibility to share their faith in Christ and the gospel of Jesus Christ with others.
- Jesus is the only way for eternal life and salvation.
- Although there is only one God, He exists eternally in three persons as the Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
- Satan is considered to be a real being, not merely symbolic.
- The local church has the twofold purpose of the edification of believers and the evangelization of the unsaved.
- Sin is anything contrary to the character of God and biblical teaching.
- The Bible is God’s written revelation to humanity and is inspired by God, authoritative in all areas of life, without error in the original manuscripts, and is preserved reliably today and throughout history.
- We believe in the complete deity of Jesus Christ, his complete humanity, his virgin birth, sinless life, miracles, death on a cross to provide our redemption, bodily resurrection and ascension to heaven, present ministry of intercession for us, and his return to earth in power and glory.
- The deity of the Holy Spirit performs the miracle of new birth in an unbeliever and indwells believers, enabling them to live a godly life that would otherwise be impossible if attempted in our human efforts.
The job seeker will primarily find practical job search help at our meetings. This group is useful for the unemployed, the underemployed, the misemployed, and the unhappily employed.