The Career Recognition Program seeks to recognize the achievements of women re-entering the workforce or women who have experienced an exceptional occurrence in their position.  Women, whether or not they are a member of BPW, compete through the application, interview, and public speech processes.  At each level of the competition, candidates will be monitored by three (3) impartial judges who will evaluate the candidates using a point system.  Through competition, this program will sharpen interviewing and public speaking skills.  The competition begins on the local level, where candidates complete an application followed by an interview with the local Career Recognition Committee.  Thereafter, the candidates will make a public speech presentation to the members of the local organization.  At the completion of the local competition, one candidate will be chosen to represent Buffalo/Amherst BPW at the BPW District VIII Career Recognition Competition usually held each May.  The winner of the local Career Recognition competition will go on to compete in a similar application, interview, and public speech process at the District Level.  On the District level, the local candidates compete with each other seeking to be the individual chosen to represent the District at the State Competition held during the BPW/NYS Annual Conference in June of each year.  Each District may only enter one competitor at the State Level Competition.  The winner of the State Competition will be awarded a monetary amount of $100.00 in addition to the State Career Recognition Award.

Eligibility:

• Woman of any age are eligible.  Exception: A person may not compete in the Young Careerist and Career Recognition competition in the same year.
  
  
• Each Candidate must have at least one (1) year, but less than (3) years, experience in the position for which recognition is sought.  If the candidate is seeking recognition for re-entry into the workforce, the applicant must have been absent from the workforce for at least three (3) years, prior to re-entry.
  
  
• Woman who have experienced a documented exceptional occurrence in their career (position) in the past three (3) years are eligible.  
  
  
• The applicant should be outstanding in one or more areas involving civic, community, educational and/or volunteer activities.
  
  
• The applicant must understand and support the goals and objectives of BPW/USA.
  
  
• The applicant must be available and willing to actively participate in the selection process at all level of competition.

Topic for the Public Speech:

One topic is chosen each year.  The Candidates will be required to make a public speech or presentation on the chosen topic.  The topic changes from year to year. 

The 2006-2007 Career Recognition topic is:

Edith Wharton wrote: “There are two ways of spreading light: To be the candle or the mirror that reflects it”.  

Mentoring and/or being mentored are two roles that many of us have experienced first hand.  Please tell us about an experience you have had with mentoring. Were you the mentor (candle) or the mentored (mirror)?  Discuss both the benefits and the challenges involved in mentoring or in being mentored and any lessons you learned from the experience.  Would it be possible to use what you have learned from your experience with mentoring to support your BPW efforts? Is so how?  If not, why not?

The local chapter of Business & Professional Women of Buffalo/Amherst will have its local Career Recognition Competition in January 11, 2007.  We encourage anyone interested in competing in the 2007 Career Recognition Competition to contact Fonda Dawn Kubiak as soon as possible.  The deadline to complete the application is December 31, 2006.  An application and Career Recognition Program Guidelines may also be obtained directly from the BPW/NYS website at: http://www.bpwnys.org/05-15-2005/programs.asp.  Completed applications should be submitted to the Career Recognition Committee prior to the deadline.

Buffalo/Amherst BPW Career Recognition Recipients:

• 2006 - Fonda Kubiak

To participate in this competition please contact Fonda Kubiak

© 2005 Business & Professional Women of Buffalo/Amherst
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