Pink Slip Parties
A MSNBC article, “Jobless turn to pink slip parties for networking”, discusses how the growing pink-slip population is finding creative solutions to addressing their unemployed status. “Pink slip parties”–such as those hosted by an NYC Meetup group–offer an opportunity for employed professionals to network and meet recruiters. Which sounds great, except that the ratio of unemployed professionals to recruiters can’t be particularly favorable. This dynamic has left many unemployed professionals (obviously) absolutely desperate for work:
“Places have hiring freezes. And they have cutbacks. And they have layoffs. There are a lot more people in the job market,” said 32-year-old Ana Arrendell, who has been searching for work since August.
At first, she was looking only for a job in her field, graphic design. But as the months have gone by, Arrendell has lowered her expectations. “RIght now, I’ll take anything,” she said Friday as she left a New York City-run office that offers resume-writing assistance and interview training.
But, do desperate times call for desperate measures? Unfortunately, the rule of thumb here generally is, yes. However, its important to keep in mind that desperate doesn’t just mean giving up the things you want, it can also mean getting creative–which is exactly what Pink Slip Parties demonstrate. What is most interesting about these events is that it shows how people are creatively finding new solutions to a tough situation–one that has pushed most people well beyond their comfort zones.