History of PAPEN

In 1992, Bill Jefferson was in the middle of a job search. He was uncovering plenty of job leads, but none were especially suited to his particular talents, skills and interests. Instead of discarding those leads, he began passing them on to his circle of acquaintances, some of whom were also unemployed. These people were also having similar experiences; few leads in their particular areas of expertise, but many leads that were undoubtedly perfect for someone else. This group began to meet regularly to exchange those leads and, over time, evolved into the organization that is today known as PAPEN.

Today, most new Participants come into PAPEN when they are unemployed, or when that possibility is on their horizon. But when they find a new or better job, many of them stay involved for the benefit it brings to their careers. They’ve acquired the skill of networking, and they’ve learned a lot about job search and career advancement. Above all, they know that networking is something you do for life, and that PAPEN is a constant source of friends, contacts, career help, and networking inspiration. As you start your PAPEN experience, very soon you’ll know that, too.