Jobless wave continues through suburbs

Paul Mantovani of Naperville wasn't surprised that his electronics company intended to streamline. The company had already started some cuts.

But last December, the IT administrator for the Midwest didn't expect to suddenly find himself without a job after 15 years.

"It was a complete shock," said Mantovani. "After 15 years, I felt kind of safe. I was the only who did that type of work and thought they wouldn't touch me."

He was forced to start over again. He started collecting his severance, unemployment benefits and advice from friends and family. That led him to Naperville-based Community Career Center to brush up his resume and interviewing skills and to seek out job leads.

"I had to go through a crash course on job searching," he said. "I never really had to do this before."

Mantovani, like thousands of others in recent months, became part of the massive jobless wave, part of the troubling recession that has plagued the nation as well as the Chicago area suburbs.

Just last week, about 22 companies in Illinois, including six in the suburbs, told the state that they were either laying off currently or intending to lay off about 2,500 through May.

That wave likely will show up in the next set of statistics from the Illinois Department of Employment Security. But its latest February report said the state was at 8.6 percent unemployment. Statewide March figures are expected this Thursday.

Already, nationwide unemployment was 8.5 percent in March and some experts predict double digits by the end of this year.

Closer to home, Lake County's unemployment jumped from 6.5 percent to 9.8 percent. And every metro region around Chicago saw its highest increases in about 20 years, according to figures from the Illinois Department of Employment Security.

While the state declined to forecast any upcoming unemployment reports, they said the hardest hit sectors so far have been construction, trade and transport, manufacturing and professional business services, said IDES spokesman Greg Rivara. He declined to provide any results yet for March.

Still, there is little escaping a further increase in unemployment, said Diane Swonk, chief economist and senior managing partner at Mesirow Financial in Chicago.

"Indeed, unemployment tends to peak a good five months after the recession officially ends, as those who had given up rejoin the labor force," said Swonk. "The carnage will be particularly bad if GM goes into bankruptcy. Many of those who service GM debts are located among the banks and insurance companies of Chicago."

Those waves of unemployment are particularly felt at The Community Career Center in Naperville, where Mantovani seeks assistance. Last year, the center had about 50 new job seekers each month. Now, it's about 100, and people are coming more frequently for help.

"What we are seeing are job seekers taking advantage of all of the one-on-one appointments and sometimes repeating them," said center Director Amy Weber. "Today, an average job search can take between six to 12 months. Because the job search is taking longer, the job seekers are taking advantage of all of the resources out there and spending more time getting additional help at the Community Career Center."

About six months ago, the Lisle Township Job Club was seeing about 35 people a month come though their doors looking for work. Today, it's 94, said the group's director Joy Maguire Dooley.

She's finding those job losses are across the board, compared to 2000-2003 when most of the unemployed were from technology companies.

"It's been a ripple effect now," she said. "When companies start laying off, then you see smaller companies, the suppliers or their customers, soon laying off. But there are some companies that are starting to hire again. Its cyclical."

But she's finding that those who lose their job now feel more helpless.

"It's more fear-based now, more so than I've ever seen it," she said. "People before always felt like they would eventually get a job. Now, they feel they might not get one at all and they're worried."

Eric Larson of Wheaton, a project manager for a communications company, lost his job last October and is still hopeful. He's been contacted a few times by headhunters hired to get candidates for specific positions.

"I've sent hundreds of resumes and get really excited just to get a rejection letter," Larson said. "At least, they're looking at it."

Need a job?

Here is a local sampling of job clubs, networking groups and other programs for the unemployed:

Suburban resources

• Community Career Center: 1871 Gowdey Road, Suite 210, Naperville. (630) 961-5665 or communitycareercenter.org.

• St. Hubert Job and Networking Ministry: St. Hubert Ministry Center, 729 Grand Canyon, Hoffman Estates. (847) 925-6005.

• Job seekers: Support group for those affected by unemployment. Larry Johnson at (847) 342-8125, e-mail Michael Whitney, Mwhi859716@aol.com.

• Career Resource Center Inc., Grove Cultural Campus, 40 E. Old Mill Road, Suite 105, Lake Forest. (847) 295-5626 or careerresourcecenter.org.

• Job Support Group, Holy Family Catholic Church, 2515 W. Palatine Road, Inverness. (847) 359-0042.

• Employment Bulletin Board, St. Mark's Lutheran Church, 200 S. Willie St., Mount Prospect. (847) 253-0631.

• Lisle Township Job Club: Joy Maguire Dooley. 4721 Indiana Ave., Lisle. (630) 968-1880 ext. 13.

• LDS Employment Resources Services, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 1801 N. Mill St. Suite F, Naperville. (630) 369-0785.

• Job Search Seminar, Christ Church of Oak Brook, 31st & York Road, Oak Brook. (630) 654-1882.

• College of DuPage Career Services Center, 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn. (630) 942-2230.

• Barrington Career Center, 600 Hart Road, Suite 275, Barrington. (847) 304-4157 or barringtoncareercenter.com

• Life Work Workshop, Willow Creek Community Church: 67 E. Algonquin Road, South Barrington. (847) 765-5000.

State help

Illinois Department of Employment Security offices offers help atides.state.il.us/ietc/network/index.asp and at these locations:

• 723 W. Algonquin Road, Arlington Heights. (847) 981-7400.

• 30 DuPage Court, Elgin. (847) 888-7900.

• 800 Lancer Lane at College of Lake County, Grayslake. (847) 543-7400.

• 837 S. Westmore/Meyers Road, Lombard. (630) 495-4345.

Educational institutions

Your alma mater may provide job resources. For instance, Harper College, Palatine, harpercollege.edu, offers weekly info sessions on the free tuition vouchers for the unemployed provided by Illinois workNet. Sessions often held in the Wojcik Conference Center on main campus. Resources also available for job searches and workshops at satellite office in the Arlington Heights Unemployment Office, 723 Algonquin Road. In addition, a job club provides speakers and networking opportunities.