Remembering Robert Ronald, Founder of The Job Forum
July 24th marks 71 years since Robert Ronald established The Job Forum in San Francisco. As the longest continually running job search organization in the SF Bay Area, we’d like to remind you of the legacy a 26 year old immigrant left on generations of job hunters. An arduous journey to say the least, Robert fled Nazi Germany for Paris at the age of 7. The perils of war-torn Europe followed the boy and his family from the South of France to Havana, Cuba. The Ronald Family was fortunate enough to flee persecution thanks to visas provided by the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society. As the grandson of two Holocaust survivors, I was all ears learning about Ronald’s harrowing experience and the importance he put on setting career goals.
He created a forum setting where local business managers coached job coaching job seekers around a conference table. Even as events in offices have converted to the virtual Zoom setting, we carry on so many of his guiding principles. Still affiliated and sponsored by the SF Chamber of Commerce, more than 2600 job hunters received services from The Job Forum in the last year. Our team of dedicated volunteers strives to get people back to work and connects newcomers with managers at great Bay Area companies. Our founder passed away in May, 2022 at the age of 96. In large part through his inspiration and action, we have continued to pave the way for job seekers in the current work climate. Please think about helping by donations to the Robert Ronald Memorial Job Forum Fund.
To quote the great Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu, “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” Our support network will be here for you however long your job search runs its course! Our valuable services including but not limited to resume proofreading, LinkedIn 101, and industry q&a give job hunters a wealth of sustenance. Every single week for 70 years, the job seeker has felt empowered thanks to the organizational leadership displayed by volunteers at The Job Forum. The advice offered and comradery gives our attendees the firepower to “keep calm and carry on” during their career journeys. I can guarantee you’ll walk away from a workshop with a newfound connection or skill to help tackle a challenge.
Whether you’re in the process of seeking a new job or transitioning careers, The Job Forum is your one-stop shop. We want to create continuity and expansion of this proven community service for many more decades to come. Cheers to 70 more years as a powerful and positive impact in the San Francisco Bay Area. Thank you, Robert Ronald, for crafting an organization that continues to prevail in these unprecedented times.
