NOVA in the News

CBS-5 News (Link to original article)
August 21, 2009

Silicon Valley Group Helps Older Job Seekers

By Sue Kwon, CBS-5 News

A government-funded job search program in Silicon Valley is helping older job seekers get back in the workforce. ProMatch offers a comprehensive job search strategy, providing everything from peer-support to snacks.

At a recent Thursday morning meeting in Sunnyvale, about 200 participants came together to share their successes, offer support, and ask for contacts at various companies where they were interested in looking for work.

Jill Figone, who is looking for a job in Human Resources, said the group helps her stay motivated. "I think it's really a group of people who are going through the same situation at the same time," Figone said.

Bob Withers is a long-time job counselor, who helps run the ProMatch program. He said even in this tough job market, job seekers should have hope. One key, he said, is networking.

"There are jobs. They're just in the hidden job market as we call it and it takes networking and sleuthing and checking out possibilities with people that they know and the people that they know, know." said Withers.

Those entering the program are assigned a support group of fellow job seekers to keep them on track. Mandatory attendance at two weekly meetings is required. And participants are urged to come to the ProMatch office every day and treat their job search like a job. There are daily classes and workshops, private and peer counseling.

The program lasts six months, and according to Withers, 80 percent of attendees get some kind of job after 6 months. In some cases, it's a survival job, but, Withers says it helps them gets them back on track.

Right now, there's a waiting list, but Withers says, people who are interested should go to ProMatch's weekly orientation meeting, and sign up.

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