Support for the experienced

Groups provide older, unemployed workers an advocacy network to get back on their feet quickly

Story by David A. Hayford

THE LATEST LOCAL UNEMPLOYMENT DATA from the area reflects rates as low as 7.7 percent in Neenah and as high as 11.8 percent in Green Bay.

The ranks of unemployed have nearly doubled in the past year, but those layoffs have been especially hard on those age 50 and older hit by job loss and decimation of 401(k) plans and IRAs in the stock market crash.

Tom Nelson, chief operating officer for the American Association of Retired Persons, earlier this year summed up the challenges faced by more experienced workers seeking new employment.

“Workers age fifty and older have been buffeted by layoffs and reorganizations that have been spawned by the worst economic downturn in decades. Mature workers are especially vulnerable because it takes them longer to find new jobs, and they often face severe obstacles in getting health care coverage.”

Dealing with job loss

NOT TO SUGGEST THAT UNEMPLOYMENT and a job search is not daunting for any age group, but the plight of the “mature” worker hits home.  I interviewed several in that 50-plus age group who have experienced unemployment this year.

To most of us, termination came as a shock.

Reid Meisner has 27 years experience in the sales and marketing area. He was serving as president of a high-end flooring manufacturer in Charlotte, N.C. He received a phone call at 7 a.m. from the owner of the company and had expected “an employment contract to include ownership.” Instead he was told his services were no longer needed. 

I have a quarter century experience as chief financial officer in the financial services industry. I was stunned to hear the news that the bank decided to “go in a different direction” with the position after never receiving any type of employee evaluation or feedback as CFO.

Jim Bufton, on the other hand, was not shocked.

“I actually saw it coming, albeit too late.” Bufton committed to a new position at his former employer just before the meltdown last fall. “No way to foresee what happened over the next nine months.”

After reality sank in, all searched for unemployed support groups. There are many valuable groups in the area. This is the story of just one of them.

Reaching out to others

STU TRIBBEY, who found himself suddenly unemployed within the past year, helped to form a new support group for those seeking new employment. A member of St. Raphael Parish in Oshkosh, Tribbey approached Jeff Thorkildsen, director of business administration and development for the parish, and Pastoral Associate Vinal Van Bentham seeking assistance to organize those searching for gainful employment. About the same time, a religious education coordinator for the parish, whose husband had just lost his job, suggested, “someone ought to start a support group here.”

Both Thorkildsen and Van Bentham had experienced unemployment and job searches in the past, forged ahead and the RU – short for Recently unemployed and under-employed – Support Group was born.

The first meeting of RU Support was held at a local restaurant on a Monday morning this past January with Thorkildsen, Van Bentham and six others. The plan at that time was to hold monthly meetings. Monday morning was chosen because the members wanted a “reason to get up on Monday.” All agreed that monthly meetings would not be enough, that more frequent weekly sessions would be better.

Thorkildsen, as director of business administration for the parish, realized buying weekly breakfasts for participants would not fit in the parish budget, so the weekly sessions moved to a meeting room in the church, with doughnut holes and coffee provided.

Thorkildsen and Van Bentham decided it would be helpful to seek outside expertise to help in the mission. A source at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh referred the two to Cathy Huybers, a business services manager with the Fox Valley Workforce Development Board and Workforce Economics. Huybers joined the group at one of its early meetings and has been facilitator and coach since. She, too, experienced a long job search a few years ago after going back to school for a master’s degree in order to embark on a new career. Among the responsibilities of her current role with Workforce Economics, Huybers helps facilitate Career Changers Network groups in Fond du Lac and Oshkosh, a nearly 5-year-old program aimed at providing similar support and networked job search assistance to suddenly unemployed executives.

In addition, parish member Dennis Kotloski, owner of Recruiting Solutions Network USA in Appleton, volunteered his services to the group. He, too, is a veteran of unemployment and job searches in the past.

In April, after hearing about the group from a parish member, Ted Balser, a recently retired director of career services at UW-Oshkosh, volunteered his services to RU Support. He constantly challenges participants to take advantage of training opportunities, and to seek any venue to meet people and network.

Nearly 100 unemployed have participated in RU Support Group during the past 10 months, mostly coming from Oshkosh and nearby communities. All are welcome. Thorkildsen and Van Bentham reported that some came expecting to find jobs, and others to get financial help. But that is not the mission.

Getting down to business

THE TYPICAL MONDAY MORNING MEETING starts with a welcome from Vinal: “We’re not glad to see you here, but we are glad to be able to be here for you,” followed by a reflection by Thomas Merton read aloud by all in attendance, seeking God’s assistance to “lead me by the right road.”

Each attendee introduces themselves to the audience with an “elevator speech.” Huybers introduced the concept early on as a means to make a good impression in networking situations and with potential employers. It is a brief speech detailing name, type of position being sought, background to support the position, and two or three strengths demonstrating the ability to benefit an employer.

First time attendees have the opportunity to present more details, and to vent if they wish. After that, they are expected to move forward.

Huybers and Kotloski present topics and discussion to assist RU Support participants in their own job search. The 50-plus age group is concerned about age discrimination, euphemistically termed “being over-qualified.”

Tory Johnson, founder and CEO of Women for Hire, stated, “Despite laws prohibiting it, polls show that more than 70 percent of executives believe age discrimination in the workplace has increased in the past five years.”

Tribbey, one of the RU Support participants to have found a new job, reported, “no age discrimination was encountered. I am probably the oldest person at my new employer, but my skill set and years of experience” got me the opportunity. That is the type of enlightened employer the rest of us are seeking.

Another member of the group – a former supervisor – was asked in an interview about being satisfied in the non-supervisory position for which he interviewed. That can be challenging, especially if the supervisor is doing the interviewing.

Huybers and Kotloski discuss the issue of “over-qualified,” and provide resources from experts to deal with the issue. That advice is to focus on experience as opposed to age, demonstrate the ability to adapt to change, be sure to be tech savvy, and avoid using dates in resume and cover letters.

Huybers added that the job search climate has changed considerably from even 25 years ago, where a high school graduate could walk into an employer, announce they were available to work, and have a short interview right on the spot before being offered a job. Those who may have been employed with the same company right out of high school and now find themselves searching for a job again face entirely foreign aspects of creating a resume, applying to numerous job postings and enduring numerous interviews just to receive one job offer, Huybers said.

Reaching their goal 

HOW ARE MOST MEMBERS of the group approaching the job search?

Tribbey, one of the members of the group currently working, received a lead from a former co-worker, and landed a new job in ten weeks. The leaders, and others, have reminded the group numerous times that networking is the key to a successful job search. Between 70 to 75 percent of openings are filled that way.

The rest of us are adhering to the techniques taught in this and other support groups, especially networking. Bufton mentioned he “decided to reach outside my traditional channel. Scary thought.” We are told that success requires getting out of our “comfort zone.”

But there are serious concerns we have about finding the right employment fit. Remuneration is one. Tony Holt has 19 years experience in cost accounting, with nine of those years as a supervisor. “The fact that I may need to take a position lower than supervisor does concern me as it relates to less pay.”

Health insurance is another issue. Tribbey added that during the period in which he was unemployed, “gaining health insurance was also a big concern.” Concern was expressed about getting coverage when COBRA coverage expires from the most recent job. Or even paying for COBRA coverage after severance pay stops.

All of the participants mentioned above value what RU Support Group provides. There are many other talented people not mentioned here. It would take a book to tell all the stories. We support and challenge each other, and provide encouragement when needed. 

Finally, we share the joy of those who “graduate” from the group. Thus far, a total of 31 have reported back that they have found jobs.

Employers seeking to fill positions should look to RU Support Group and the many similar groups in the area. RU Support meets weekly on Mondays at St. Raphael Catholic Church in Oshkosh. Career Changers Network – a program through workforce economics – meets Tuesday afternoons in Menasha, Wednesday mornings in Fond du Lac and Wednesday afternoons in Oshkosh. All Career Changers meetings are held at the job centers in their respective communities. For more information, contact Cathy Huybers at Workforce Economics 920.720.5600 or cathy.huybers@workforceeconomics.org or Dennis Kotloski 920.830.8980 or dennis@rsnusa.com.

 David A. Hayford is an Oshkosh based freelance writer.