Resources available to find, keep a job

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WOODSTOCK – The small room is filled with a dozen people of different ages, genders and ethnic backgrounds who appear to share little in common.

Yet almost everyone in line at the McHenry County Workforce Center had at least one common characteristic – they were looking for a job.

It’s a trend that’s been on the increase in McHenry County and elsewhere.

The county’s unemployment rate rose to 6.6 percent in June, a nearly 47 percent increase from the 4.5 percent rate a year earlier, according to the Illinois Department of Employment Security.

“[The unemployment rate] certainly does jump out at you. It definitely has increased this year,” said Julie Courtney, director of the workforce center, which administers the federal workforce investment act. “We’ve seen an increase in people seeking services.”

Certain parts of the economy are being hit harder than others.

The national housing slump is taking a particular toll on the local residential construction industry, said Chris Manheim, president of the McHenry County Economic Development Corp.

“Overall retail is not doing as well. The big hit of course is in the construction trade, and manufacturing is doing kind of mixed,” Manheim said.

The end effect is more people are out of work.

Chris Austin, 18, of Woodstock, said he recently lost his job in the food industry, and the job market didn’t look too promising.

“It’s really hard to find a job,” he said.

Nerve-wracking, maybe, but local experts suggest ways workers can improve their odds of keeping their job – or be better prepared if the ax falls.

How to keep your job

Workers concerned about job security should make an extra effort to be as visible as possible to their boss, recommends Yolanda Shebeko, president and part owner of A Plus Staffing in McHenry.

“Needless to say it’s not a time to take an extra vacation day; it’s not a time to take the dog to the vet. It’s a time to make yourself a priority to the company,” Shebeko said.

That could mean taking on new duties or learning skills not explicitly laid out in their job description, recommended Courtney.

“You want to get out of that box and say ‘How can I be most valuable to my company?’ ” she said. “You want employers to say, ‘We can’t lose this guy because he knows this, this, this and this’ versus the person who only knows one aspect of their job.”

It’s always a good idea to learn knew skills, regardless of your current job situation, Courtney said.

“In the [event] that something did happen, those are still activities you can take to your next job,” she said.

Besides learning new skills, showing extra effort in general is equally important, suggested Rich Wenzel, operations manager at Crystal Lake-based Working World Inc.

“Look to improve your performance and give 110 percent,” Wenzel said.

It also is a good idea to keep an updated résumé and stay networked with others in the field who may be aware of job openings, just in case, Courtney said.

How to handle losing a job

Losing a job is never easy. But losing your temper only makes the situation worse, Wenzel said.

“In a gracious way, ask your employer the reason for your termination,” Wenzel said. “If it’s some sort of job performance issue, you can ask them what you can do to improve.”

The situation is different if the firing isn’t performance-related but due to an outside circumstance, such as the state of the economy.

“Leave on a positive note and ask for references,” Wenzel said. “You want to make it a positive spin – as positive a spin as possible – with your departure. Don’t burn any bridges.”

While it is common to be upset, some employees actually feel liberated after being let go because it gives them the impetus to search for a career that better fits their true ambitions, Courtney said.

“Some people, believe it or not, see this as a blessing,” she said.

But losing a job also can be emotionally difficult. As with any loss, it’s natural to feel emotions such as disbelief or anger, Courtney said.

“Give yourself a day or two to basically grieve,” she said. “Then get yourself going.”

Getting that new job

Once you’ve collected yourself, it is important to start looking for a job in earnest, experts suggest.

“I would say for people that need a job, that their job is finding a job,” Wenzel said. “And not everything is advertised in the paper. Sometimes you need to go door to door.”

Job seekers also need to be realistic. So often Shebeko finds that her clients are unwilling to take a pay cut to find a new job.

“We see that across the board whether we talk to someone on the production floor or someone in management,” she said. “It’s really short-sighted thinking.”

Delaying taking a new job can lead to financial issues and to a résumé with ugly unemployment gaps, Shebeko said.

Some employers take such gaps as a warning that a job-seeker might not have the drive to stay working, she said.

A prolonged job search also can be hard emotionally on the job-seeker, who might find it difficult to stay positive.

“It’s psychological,” Shebeko said. “It’s more and more of an effort to present yourself and get yourself out there.”

In the current downturn, Manheim said workers with few skills were being hit hardest. He suggested that job seekers look for training that could help them land permanent employment.

“The nature of the jobs are changing,” he said. “If you have the right mix of skills, there’s work for you.”

How to handle money, health care

At the start of a search, job-seekers should examine what expenses they can cut for their budget “while it still seems like a choice and not a terrible necessity,” Shebeko recommended.

They also should apply for unemployment insurance, which can pay a portion of a person’s weekly salary up to a certain limit, Courtney suggested. At the workforce center, Courtney said she found that some people felt ashamed to apply for unemployment.

“It’s not like welfare or a handout. It’s an insurance program your employer has paid into,” she said. “Everybody should always apply regardless of the situation. ... It’s very important because it certainly takes some of the pressure off.”

Unemployment payments typically last about six months. However in June the federal government enacted a 13-week extension of unemployment benefits, which average $300 a week for up to 4 million jobless workers nationwide.

Getting health care coverage is another tricky issue after losing a job.

Job-seekers might be able to take advantage of different health programs, such as COBRA or FamilyCare. Under COBRA, people who lose their jobs in certain situations can keep insurance through their former work place for up to 18 months, but they have to pay the full premium costs.

Parents with children younger than 18 also might qualify for the state FamilyCare plan if they fall into a certain income bracket, Courtney said. Applying for private insurance also is an option, she said.