“It all started with an idea to help others,” recounts My Career Transitions’ founder, Bart Ruff. "My Dad was a successful HR vice president, and I saw him go through a painful job transition late in his career. That's where the passion for this came from. Then in 2005, when I opted for a package during a corporate downsizing, I wasn’t sure which direction to take my career—but I knew I could use my marketing and brand skills to build something to help others.”
He did use those skills, honed from years of experience at brands like HBO, to build the foundation of what would become My Career Transitions. Armed with a strategic plan scribbled on a piece of paper and the tenacity to build a volunteer organization from scratch, Bart started the meetings with four people in the basement of a local library.
Over time, that core group moved out of the basement. As My Career Transitions (then known simply as Career Transitions) grew, it evolved and underwent multiple transitions itself, including a merger with Company of Friends run by Valeria Maltoni, and then another merger with ASTD’s Philly Transitions run by Theresa Hummel-Krallinger. A name change to My Career Transitions followed to eliminate confusion with other organizations’ names and to coincide with the organization’s new web address that Bart purchased in the early years.
“I had a lot of ideas but I also knew I couldn’t build the organization by myself. Eventually other key people joined and helped, people like current President Annamarie Walter. That’s what My Career Transitions is—ideas, refined and executed by good people, with the core product being information and support for greater Philadelphia professionals in job transition, so they’re not alone. It uniquely fits a need in the community” says Ruff.
With an expanding network of members and volunteers, finding a large enough venue for regular meetings proved an ongoing challenge, recalls current President Annamarie Walter. She notes that a number of area colleges helped out, allowing the organization to host a meeting from time to time. Still, the group was essentially “homeless” for a year—that is, until Penn State’s Great Valley Campus in Malvern, PA, graciously opened its doors to My Career Transitions in January 2011. Thanks to the support of Penn State staff like Director of Alumni Career Services Cheryl Bonner, Carla Holway and then-Campus Chancellor Craig Edelbrock, My Career Transitions not only had a “home,” but the sponsorship of Penn State and its Great Valley Alumni Society as well.
“Moving to Penn State Great Valley was a major milestone for us.” Walter explains. They’ve provided the venue, plus stability, guidance, technical services, and event planning support by helping us with speakers. The partnership has been so significant for us.” Ruff attributes the success of the group in recent years to Walter, her team of volunteers, and the Penn State partnership.
In nearly two decades, My Career Transitions has helped more than 15,000 people by providing information and resources along with opportunities to network and learn new skills, so they’re not alone in transition. Monthly meetings (except August and December) feature guest speakers covering topics that range from resume writing to tips for maximizing your LinkedIn profile. Orientation sessions are offered for those new to transition, and the general session opens with speed networking so that everyone meets new people and expands their network before the speaker even starts.
“My goal was to build My Career Transitions into a local brand, an organization that was the best resource for professionals in the greater Philadelphia area who, despite successful careers and education, simply didn’t know how to navigate a downsizing or other career changes—a brand that would be around long after I had moved on to other things,” Ruff says. “Some people help in soup kitchens or other charities, I just happened to pay it forward by building an organization to serve a growing need. And over 20 volunteers carry that mission forward today.”
My Career Transitions achieved his goal—and then some. Attendance for meetings averaged 100–130 people each month prior to the pandemic. And every year for the past 15+ years, My Career Transitions has been ranked as one of the top regional networking associations by the Philadelphia Business Journal. Not bad for an idea that was scribbled on a piece of paper by a marketing guy wanted to help others after seeing his dad go through it.
Like what we're doing for others? GET INVOLVED! We need volunteers to help in various roles. Email us at mycareertransitions@gmail.com
Dedicated to Alfred B. Ruff - Dad and VP of HR, who overcame three job transitions late in his career.
