INFLUENCERS, EVENTS AND ISSUES ON OUR WEST SUBURBAN RADAR
LABOR LEADS Hunting for a position during a job-crushing pandemic is daunting, but not impossible By Christie Willhite
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or so many who have lost jobs or fear a layoff is looming, the pandemic is particularly scary. Health concerns are suddenly tangled up with questions of economic survival: How do I pay the bills? How do I find a job when businesses are closed? How do I compete with 30 million other people looking for work? Searching for a job is daunting in the best circumstances. But even amid Illinois’ social distancing rules, would-be workers can find coaching, networking opportunities, training, extended support, and—ultimately—a new position.
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“The thing we teach our clients—and that was true before and still is now—is stay engaged, be proactive, and make your job search your full-time job,” says Kimberly White, executive director of the Naperville-based Career and Networking Center. The nonprofit organization has been helping workers make career transitions since 1992, with a broad slate of offerings, from one-on-one job search coaching to networking and accountability groups to self-care seminars and leadership development. “These are very challenging times,” White says. “Folks need to continue to
look at what they bring to the table and think about how to transition those skills into multiple industries.” March alone saw a 33.6 percent increase in unemployed workers in Illinois—a figure largely attributable to the first two weeks of the state’s shelterat-home order, according to the Illinois Department of Employment Security. “This is an unprecedented time that we’re going through,” IDES spokesman Sam Salustro says. “In the first five weeks, we had more claims than in all of last year. This is five times greater than the Great Depression. The speed and velocity is astounding.” Not surprisingly, the sectors hit hardest initially were professional services, manufacturing, and leisure and hospitality, according to IDES reports. And White says the Career and Networking Center has begun hearing from entrepreneurs who have seen their customer base shrink or disappear. Yet some industries and job categories are growing in this new-look economy, says DuPage County Board member Tim Elliott, who chairs the county’s Economic Development Committee. “There are growth sectors, and we want to make sure people are aware of them,” he says. “Customer service, sales, retail at the big-box level, transportation, and warehouse operations. All the types of businesses that are remaining open, they are actively searching for employees.” Northeastern Illinois has thousands of job openings in customer service, healthcare, software development. and information technologies—a particularly strong sector with businesses and school systems operating virtually, says Lisa Schvach, executive director of workNet DuPage, a partnership of government agencies and employment services. Workers may need to reach beyond their previous industry to find employment, advises Schvach. “The big tip we give to people is to examine their transferrable skills,” she says. “If you’re transitioning from hospitality, you don’t need to limit your
