In Wavering Economy, Many Area Job Seekers, Employers Still Hopeful

Unemployment may be up this month, but in Prospect Heights, many job seekers remain hopeful.

"There are jobs available – security and transportation are wide open right now," said Ben Marrano, 57, who was sitting outside Joyce Bakery enjoying a late-morning iced coffee.

The Park Place resident has been looking for a job since he was laid off from his security guard position at JPMorgan 15 months ago. Marrano has been having trouble finding a job because he needs something part-time, but even after a year of looking, he remains upbeat.

“I have a couple of leads. I think something will come of it,” he said. 

Nationwide job growth has waned in the past months, with the economy gaining just 18,000 jobs in June and the unemployment rate creeping from 9.2 percent in May to 9.1 percent in June, according to a statement released by the United States Department of Labor this morning. In May, the economy had grown by 25,000 jobs.

Derek Kilner, who graduated in May with a master's in nonprofit development from Princeton University, said 60 to 70 percent of his classmates have already found jobs. He's confident he will get one, too.

"It's a pretty good program," he said. "It may take a little while longer than I would like ideally, but I'm pretty hopeful that I'll find something," he said.

Government agencies have been hit the hardest by the downward trend in unemployment, struggling with the pressures of shrinking local, state and federal budgets, which nearly cost the city  and 4,675 teachers earlier this month. According to the report, 39,000 government jobs were cut in June. The previous month, 28,000 local government and 2,000 state jobs were cut.

But not all employers are shrinking their payroll. Abdul Jawad, part owner and manager of Met Food, 632 Vanderbilt Avenue in Prospect Heights, says he's still hiring – at least when one of the 20 positions at the supermarket become open. Throughout the recession Jawad has managed not to lay off a single person.

"We're a small business, so we try not to cut back. It takes a lot out of us to fire someone," he said, adding that because he sells food, his business has not suffered as badly as other sectors during the recession.

For many who have been on the job market for months or even years, however, the repeated rejection takes its toll.

Joanna Lindenbaum, a Prospect Heights career coach who specializes in helping women start businesses and find jobs, said most of her clients come to her in a less-than-optimistic state.

"I'd say (they’re) discouraged, exhausted and feeling almost run over by a truck. They've been out there for awhile trying to find something," she said.

Kristen V. Brown contributed to this report.