Stuart (preferring not to use his last name) has lived in Milwaukee for more than 20 years and worked most of that time as a general manager for a small company. That was until November 2002, when the company merged with another firm and eliminated his position.
At 47 years old with a family to support, he said, joining the ranks of the unemployed was humiliating as well as scary.
“I was given some severance pay, but that didn’t last very long. My wife works, but the loss of my income certainly changed our dynamics. Though I’m looking for a management job, I’ve reached the point where I’ll take what I can get,” he said.
He’s surely not alone in his plight to find a job. In June 2002, Sheldon Rosenfeld also lost his job due to a downsizing move where he worked.
According to his wife, Betty, “He never saw it coming. As he attempted to get another job, he became frustrated. He knew how to draft a cover letter and resume, etc., but just couldn’t figure out how to actually get an interview. We felt like we were missing something in the process.”
Though statistics are unavailable regarding unemployment in the local Jewish community, Jewish Family Services has seen an increased need for their services, reports Judy Strauss, vice president of program services for Jewish Family Services.
“We are seeing a higher incidence of family counseling intake due to frustration that is caused by loss of jobs and experiencing financial hardship. Families are struggling as a result,” she said.
More than support
Sylvan Leabman, president of Congregation Shalom, had heard that some area churches were organizing support groups for their unemployed members and wondered if the Jewish community could help in a similar manner.
He told The Chronicle, “As president of the synagogue, I was aware that we were receiving quite a few requests for dues adjustments because of economic circumstances. I approached Rabbi (Ronald) Shapiro about organizing an outplacement resource group at the temple. He had been privately counseling some congregants and was very supportive of the concept.”
Leabman noted that over the past year and a half, more than 70 families have experienced unemployment. “In a congregation of 1150 families, I think that’s a high number.”
As the group began to form, Betty Rosenfeld, who has experience in medical sales, teaching, and communication skills, and Jerry Moses, who is a professional employment recruiter, agreed to serve as chairs.
“Launched just six weeks ago, we advertised in our bulletin and have a core group of about ten people. Both men and women, most of whom are in job transition, range in age from 30s to 50s. Many are highly skilled such as engineers, accountants and company CEOs,” Rosenfeld said.
The group, which is open to the community, meets every two or three weeks, “depending on what’s going on,” Moses said.
He stressed that the program is more than a support group. “The goal is to help people get jobs. We concentrate on who can candidates be introduced to, told to call or network with that will lead to employment. We have a large congregational family on which we rely for contacts,” he said.
In addition, business professionals and other speakers address the group to offer their advice and suggestions.
Getting ‘ego-divested’
Stuart said he saw the meeting notice in the bulletin and decided to give it a try.
“It’s an interesting group and I enjoy getting together with others in similar [situations] to learn what their experiences have been in gaining employment. Some have been looking for a month while others have been at it over a year. We have common issues and can share our information,” he said.
“Betty and Jerry have suggested a lot of proactive ideas rather than a ‘woe is me’ attitude,” Stuart noted. “The group has definitely offered me an opportunity to meet people I otherwise would not have met.”
Moses said that most of the members need help in knowing where to start job-hunting and how to do it. “I tell them looking for a job is a full-time job. You can’t sit home waiting for the phone to ring.”
And, he advises they take every interview that comes their way until they actually have an offer – even if they don’t think they’d be interested in the position.
“They can practice their interviewing skills and you never know what that interview might lead to. Maybe the company has another opening or will have a [future] opening.”
Further, he explained the skills of networking. “It’s my feeling that employment seekers should never just come out and ask for a job. It’s far better to ask who an employer may know in their field or to be steered in the right direction. It’s a real tightrope between asking for guidance and a job.”
Rosenfeld said that while they try to be as positive as possible, some candidates may have to consider making financial allowances. “Some have been well-paid in their previous positions and likely won’t start where they left off. I tell them they should be ‘ego-divested’ when it comes to the paycheck if everything else about the job is good.”
Also, she suggests that they do something while they’re looking for what she called a “real” job. “For example, if someone likes to read, they could work at a bookstore. Or, if they like to cook, check out a store like Williams-Sonoma. Or Starbucks if they like coffee. I tell them it’s important to be in a comfortable environment and have a smile on their face. They can make the interim period satisfying in some way and make a little money, too. Everyone has to have a purpose in their life and somewhere to go when they get up.”
Stuart agrees. “Although the Dow Jones seems to be increasing, I haven’t seen a big bump in hiring here. The economy may be picking up, but Milwaukee is a small market. But, I’ll keep at it and try to maintain a positive attitude.”
Leabman concluded, “Some of our people said that they feel alone out there or that they did something wrong to cause their situation. It’s our hope that this program will help them maintain a positive attitude through counseling and networking. We’ve already made some referrals and hope more will happen.”
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