1. Maria Heidkamp
Director, New Start Career Network
Ready to Work Business Collaborative
Employer Leadership Roundtable, March 15, 2017

2. Long-term Unemployment During and After the Great Recession in New Jersey
More than 73,000 people in New Jersey – or 3 in 10 of the unemployed were LTU in 2016
Over three-quarters are unemployed a year or longer
Roughly half are over 45 years old

3. Who are the Long-term Unemployed?
Affects all:
Levels of education
Income groups
Ages
Occupations
Industries

4. Why are So Many People Unemployed for So Long?
Caused by:
Worst recession in 70 years; slow recovery
Age discrimination
Outdated job search skills
Lack of support and services
Attitudes and assumptions of employers about the long-term unemployed

5. Why are So Many People Unemployed for So Long?
NOT caused by:
Skills shortages
Lack of effort by the unemployed
Reluctance to accept lower pay
Dependence on governmental programs

6. The Devastating Impacts
“I just want to get my life back” — Unemployed worker
Financial disasters: Diminished earnings, more debt, bankruptcies, and foreclosures
Depleted savings, early or delayed retirement
Damaged health: Skipping visits to doctors, illness, stress, anxiety, depression, drug and alcohol abuse, suicide
Families in crisis
Government services: Higher spending on social supports; less revenues

7. The Long-term Unemployed are Not Getting Much Help
Government aid other than Unemployment Insurance
Help from
job coach 9%
13%
Attend job club/
networking meeting
Job training 4%
10%

8. The goal of the New Start Career Network is to provide older (ages 45+), long-term unemployed New Jersey job seekers with access to free, personalized career services, including web-based information resources and in-person and virtual career coaching.
Become a
newstartcareernetwork.org

9. New Start Career Network
Volunteer Career Coaches
Information and Advice
Older, Long-term Unemployed Job Seeker
Employer
Engagement
Access and Referral to Services

10. NSCN Partners and Collaborators

11. NSCN Quick Facts (as of 3/1/17)
Launch Date: October 20, 2015
Current Number of Job Seeker Members: 2,050
Number of NSCN Volunteer Career Coaches: 217
Number of Members Working with Coaches: 317 (15%)
Average Age of NSCN Members: 56
Education: 42% have a 4-year college degree; 26% have a graduate degree
Former Industry: IT (17%), Finance & Insurance (15%), Health Care (12%), Professional & Business Services (12%)
Average Time Unemployed: 1.9 years

12. Challenges facing NSCN Members
Stigma of long-term unemployment—evidence that LTU job seekers are passed over by employers, even when they have the requisite skills, credentials and experience.
Age discrimination—age has always been a factor, and the combination of age and long-term unemployment seems especially challenging for job seekers.
Diminished confidence—after months and years of unsuccessful job searching, LTU job seekers may be suffering from low self-esteem and a lack of confidence about their prospects.
Depression—some LTU job seekers have sunk into some level of depression; some are angry and anxious. Can result in poor presentation, especially in interviews.

13. Challenges facing NSCN Members
Isolation and weak social networks—many LTU job seekers are ashamed and retreat; many feel they have exhausted their opportunities to ask their former co-workers, friends, family for help finding jobs.
Outdated credentials and/or skills; weak computer skills.
Outdated or ineffective job search techniques—many are addicted to the computer for job search but not utilizing social media effectively and not using “facilitated networking” techniques.
Unrealistic expectations—though the longer they are unemployed, the more they are willing to compromise.

14. Employer Engagement Goals
Obtain commitments to consider qualified LTU job seekers.
Revise HR practices that reduce opportunities for LTU job seekers, such as applicant tracking systems that exclude LTU or anyone with below-average credit ratings.
Partner with the public workforce system, community colleges, and nonprofits to promote on-the-job training and tax credit for hiring LTUs.
Include older and LTU workers as workforce diversity and inclusion initiatives.
45 Employers participated in our 11/30/16 Job Fair! Wells Fargo, Prudential, Coca-Cola, Inventiv Health, UPS, Verizon Wireless, Robert Half
Next Job Fair: June 14, 2017

15. Become our Employer Partner!
By partnering with NSCN, you will reach an overlooked source of talent, while also helping the communities and economy of our state.
Ways to partner with the NSCN include:
Helping raise awareness of the NSCN
Providing funding or other in-kind resources to support general NSCN operations
Agreeing to consider hiring qualified NSCN members
Agreeing to consider providing partially subsidized returnships or on-the-job training opportunities for NSCN members
Encouraging current or former HR and other employees to volunteer as career coaches
Sharing your success stories regarding initiatives to hire long- term unemployed job seekers, older workers, or veterans

16. Preliminary Highlights from 2017 NSCN Member Survey

17. At the moment, what is your current outlook on finding a job
At the moment, what is your current outlook on finding a job? (Source: Member Survey preliminary highlights)

18. How long were you actively seeking employment before you found a job
How long were you actively seeking employment before you found a job? (Source: Member Survey preliminary highlights, based on 144 who are working)

19. Is your current pay now lower, higher, or about the same as the job you were doing before your period of long-term unemployment? (Source: Member Survey preliminary highlights)

20. Is your new job meant to be: (Source: Member Survey preliminary highlights, based on 144 who are working)

21. Maria Heidkamp heidkamp@rutgers.edu nscn@rutgers.edu 848-932-1756 www.newstartcareernetwork.org