Back when the writing was on the wall, when Denise Kadlubowski could see the layoffs coming at the Crystal Lake typesetting company at which she'd planned to retire, she decided to take a part-time job at Wal-Mart.

This was in 2008, and the now 44-year-old decided to enroll in a two-year program through McHenry County College to receive a certification in the principles of business management. That way, when jobs once again started opening, Kadlubowski would have the credentials to match her 20 years of experience.

What she's found, since earning her certification in August 2010, is a different story. The open positions that lined up with the skills and pay she previously had were limited and extremely competitive. Kadlubowski has received two promotions in the last two years at Wal-Mart, but she still is making only about 60 percent of what she made at Black Dot.