Jan 26, 2009 6:10 pm US/Pacific
Silicon Valley Tech Workers Seek Jobs Together
SUNNYVALE (CBS 5) ―
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ProMatch is helping the unemployed find Silicon Valley jobs.
CBS
Two and sometimes three times a week a lucky 200 people come to Sunnyvale's ProMatch, a job placement service for tech workers run through the EDD and Nova Workforce Board.
Former electronics managers, software engineers, and other technology workers review one anothers resumes, compare rolodexes, and provide moral support.
Perrine Crampton is a software project manager who said networking at ProMatch is a much better way to jobsearch than sitting in front of the computer.
"Sitting around and being depressed doesn't work. I can take a few days of being laid off and being depressed but I have to get on with it," she said.
Bob Bohi, another unemployed software project manager said having a routine while job searching is important to keep hopes and prospects up.
"Going to these groups, networking, you never know who you would talk to that might have that lead to the next positIon," said Bohi. "I got my previous two jobs by answering website postings and sending in my resume. I'd get a call and an interview and I'd get the job. These days, I think it'll be harder. You really need to network and know someone at the company."
With Silicon Valley unemployment numbers exceeding the national average, the ProMatch program has a wait list 100 long. Director Mike Curran said more government funding is needed to open similar programs, because he predicts more layoffs are looming.
"We have an increase in companies in Silicon Valley saying we think this downturn is going to take place for a while so we'd better cut earlier and sooner if we're going to be around a while," Curran said.
Boom and bust cycles are nothing new in Silicon Valley. The current layoffs are nothing like the 200,000 jobs lost during the dot-com bust. But, with 50,000 people losing their jobs in the Bay Area in just the past year unemployment is higher than the national average. In Santa Clara County it's 7.7% compared to 7.2% nationwide.
The bright spot is the potential for small businesses to hire part time or contract workers. There is a large pool of talent now including Perrine Crampton.
"I am going to get one of them 'gem' jobs. I have to believe that because that's how I have to go into the interviews. I know the right job is out there for me and it's a matter of finding it," she said.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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