Supporting Roles
Valentina Janek, Chris Fidis, JoAnn Fiorentino and Stephanie Carlino form a group of highly skilled professionals seeking work who support one another. They range in being out of work for an average of about three years. They all have kept their skill levels honed and have "worked" as volunteers to keep their finger on the pulse.
Janek says, "I think the world isn't ready for people who have experience anymore." Overqualified is a term they are all familiar with. Fidis asks, "What does that mean?" it means they don't want to pay, "once you hit a certain pay scale tier they are reluctant to hire you." Carlino is willing to work at jobs that pay half of what she was getting before. "Anyone of us would be thrilled beyond belief if we did get a job, but it is difficult...we are told 'we want to hire someone without your experience, who we can mold to fit the company'", Carlino feels she is not even given the chance.
Another problem this panel finds challenging is that the responsibility for not getting the job is thrown back on their shoulders. Carlino rejects that notion. She follows all the rules and says the companies she interviews are the ones who do not treat the interviewee with respect. "It is dehumanizing in the fact that they have reduced you to a non entity."
Fiorentino took a leap of faith and left the corporate world for non-profit. After 4 months she was laid off. Everyone encouraged her and said she would have no problems. She is finding that people call her in for interviews to pick her brain based on what she lists in the resume. "They do that a lot, you go on interviews and they want your ideas." she accounted. But she doesn't get the job.
"Loosing a job is very hard on your psyche, your pocket book and your life style, and you really do have to change." voiced Janek. "It's an emotional change and a drain...but you also loose a lot of friends." says Fiorentino. "People who you worked with who you thought would be there for you are not."
Listen to their heart wrenching struggles with their emotions and motivations.
Take notice of what they have to say about loyalty and dedication.
A thank you to Dianna O’Neil at the Long Island Volunteer Center, Hempstead, New York for allowing us to film at their facility.