WAKEFIELD, Mass., March 19, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Effective job seekers know a good education is the first step in competing for positions in a tight economy. Then, contacts and networking must follow in order to get ahead of the pack. To give its graduates added help along a career path, SEMPO Institute, the online distance learning division of SEMPO, (Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization), www.sempoinstitute.com, today announced it is launching a mentoring program whereby industry professionals help guide recent SEMPO Institute graduates through the competitive process of landing an online marketing job.
The mentoring program will be offered to SEMPO Institute students who have individually paid for an Institute course and earned a certificate of completion. "By working with a mentor, our graduates can gain further knowledge of the online marketing profession, design a career path that personally works for them, and obtain new contacts to help them secure a job," says Katie Donovan, SEMPO Institute Business Development Manager.
SEMPO Institute's first group of mentors is Niki Fielding, president and CEO, and Marc Engelsman, vice president, client programs and services, for Digital Brand Expressions (a SEMPO Circle member). "I always wished there was somebody who could help me find my way when I first got started in marketing," says Engelsman, "so I signed up for this the minute I saw it."
Says Fielding, "The mentoring program is a great opportunity to give SEMPO Institute graduates some added value while gaining perspective from the next generation of search marketers in the process."
To qualify as a SEMPO Institute mentor, an individual must have three or more years industry experience and three references and consent to a phone interview. They need to commit to a minimum six-month relationship with their mentee. Mentoring is expected to take about two hours a month.
Graduate mentees need to have passed at least one SEMPO Institute course, have less than two years industry experience and three references and consent to a phone interview. The Institute will assign mentees on a first come, first serve basis. Those interested in becoming a mentor or mentee can contact sales@sempoinstitute.com.
"Whenever possible, we will match up mentors and mentees by geographical location, by area of interest, such as social media or SEO, and by work environment, such as agency or in-house," says Donovan.
Among the activities mentors and mentees can engage in are further examining concepts covered in the courses, information on other resources such as blogs and conferences, discussions on the overall job picture, and introductions to others working in the industry.
About SEMPO Institute
SEMPO Institute is a non-profit, online career development organization, whose purpose is to educate and train professionals in the growing field of search engine marketing. Supported by SEMPO, SEMPO Institute's courses are developed by experts in search marketing and then peer-reviewed for accuracy and best practices. Since its first course in January, 2007, SEMPO Institute has educated close to 2,000 individuals in search marketing. SEMPO Institute's courses are available to SEMPO members and the general public. For more information, please visit www.SEMPOInstitute.com or call +1 (781) 876-6214.
The SEMPO Institute logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=4993