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Three such parties have been held in Norwalk and Stamford through the sponsorship of FairfieldCountyJobs.com, a subsidiary of AllCountyJobs.Com, and Operations, Inc., a human resources consulting firm.
Chris Russell, President and Founder of AllCountyJobs.com, and David J. Lewis, President and Founder of Operations, Inc., were inspired by the success of pink slip parties in other metropolitan areas, such as New York. The two companies formed a partnership and hosted their first party on Feb. 24 at the Black Bear Saloon in South Norwalk. In a break with the format of traditional job fairs, firms did not maintain tables, but rather recruiters freely mixed with candidates. The resulting atmosphere was perhaps a bit too casual as it was often difficult for employers and job seekers to find one another. Quickly adjusting their strategy Russell and Lewis held a second party on March 24, also at the Black Bear Saloon, this time using a hybrid approach of company tables on the perimeter with a natural social space in the middle. Each party sold out for a combined attendance of 600 candidates. The success of these events prompted this correspondent, thirteen local companies, and nearly 200 job seekers to attend the third pink slip party at Hula Hanks in Stamford on April 21.
Entrants were each given a name tag color coded for their industry (sales, marketing, accounting, finance, information technology, customer service, administrative, human resources, manufacturing, or legal), and then they were off to meet the career counselors from Operations, Inc, recruiters, or other job seekers. David Lewis stated that, "People have to realize that finding a job is a full time job." As a result his counselors stressed the importance of research, targeting specific firms, and networking. Given the ease of online resume posting there can be a temptation to blindly send out as many resumes and cover letters as possible. However, in the current market recruiters are quickly overwhelmed with applications and one must look for alternatives so as to not to be lost in the throng. Lewis felt it was important for candidates to develop a strategic plan and to focus on getting onto a recruiter's radar. He highlighted the importance of approaching firms that may not be actively hiring; a technique that helps a candidate to be recognized by recruiters when an opening does arise. In describing the pink slip party Lewis states that, "This type of event creates opportunities," for employees to become salient in the flood of online resumes.
Once a candidate had received some advice and a quick review of his resume it was time to meet the recruiters from Aflac, Associates of Westport, AXA Advisors, Elite Placement Group, LLC, Frederic Fekkai, Harman International, Impact Personnel, Inc., Marucilli Agency, Northwestern Mutual, Verizon, Staples, and World Wrestling Entertainment. The company representatives were pleased with the turnout, which allowed them to meet potential employees in a setting that was above the fray of the online resumes but not an official interview. Erin Cali of Impact Personnel noted, "Everybody is upbeat and positive." David Rand of Westport Associates added, "We met some good people tonight."
After visiting a few recruiters, the candidates relaxed and began to network socially with each other. In the current market, Chris Russell has observed that most job openings, perhaps as many as 90 percent, are not posted. This fact reinforces the importance of networking and sharing information with fellow job seekers. For example, job offers are often rejected because of commuting distances or the need to relocate. A company may have been all set to hire, but lost a preferred candidate who doesn't want a long commute. Details such as this, exchanged at a pink slip party, could easily direct a new applicant to the position.
While the pink slip parties are a response to growing unemployment and the recession, they have become a cause for optimism. Lewis was proud to report that at least 15 people have found employment through the parties. In more general terms, Russell has noticed that there has been increased hiring for temporary positions, which is often a leading indicator for rising permanent employment. Moreover, Russell said that January is usually the best month for activity on his website, but that this year it was the worst. In other words, job postings have been steadily increasing since the start of 2009, a subtle yet hopeful trend.
As candidates braved the difficult market they were encouraged by Linda Schoff and Amy Luett, founders of TufItOut Designs. These stay at home moms decided that they wanted to provide inspiration and levity during the recession. They were on hand at Hula Hanks selling shirts bearing their trademark TufItOut Slogan, the bull and the bear of the stock market, and other quips such as "Wall Street Madoff with my $$." Co-founder Amy Luett noted that she, "wanted to help people make it through the tough times and let them know there is a bright side." Their clothing will be available in local boutiques, including Essi's Salon in Westport.
At the end of the evening Chris Russell commented, "I am definitely pleased with the turnout, it was a positive event for both job seekers and recruiters." The event received press coverage from many networks and newspapers, and it may even appear in an upcoming film directed by Juno Kim. This filmmaker has been documenting the plight of the unemployed in the tri-state area for the past several months. His finished product will be released at the end of the year, at which point people may recall that pink slip parties were just one of the ways people made it through the recession of days past.
