Bruce Small, a recently laid-off resident of Raymond, never thought he’d be in a support group, let alone run one.

But with the economy sagging, unemployment figures up, and attitudes regarding the future of Maine’s labor market wavering between hopeful and doubtful, that’s exactly what’s happened. And one group of unemployed workers has found solid support here in the Lakes Region because of Small’s efforts.

The brainchild of Small, the Lakes Region Job Transition Network was founded in early summer with two other Windham men – Jim Sanville and Steve McFarland – as a resource for those seeking employment.

At its mid-September meeting, several folks showed up, mirroring the economic times. Six mostly middle-aged men sat around a table in the fellowship hall of the church listening to Small and other group leaders offer job-hunting tips. Most came seeking useful information, which they found. But they also went away with the knowledge they weren’t alone in their job-hunting struggle.

“Our purpose is two-fold,” said Small, who was employed as an independent contractor in the insurance industry until he was laid off in May. “We’re here as a support group, and we hope to offer those who come some job-hunting strategies.”

Small was inspired to found the job network after discussing his own struggles with finding a job with North Windham Union Church pastor Dana Reed. Reed suggested he reach out to others who were also struggling to find their next job.

“In talking with Dana, I realized I had the time and so I thought this would be a good cause: people in the same pain getting together and helping each other,” Small said.

Table talk

Conversation at the meeting was free-flowing, with Small operating as facilitator. He read from the job hunter’s handbook, “What Color is Your Parachute, 2009 Edition”, but mostly the two-hour-long meeting probed the backstories of the men as well as wisdom and knowledge each had gained in trying to find new jobs.

Though there was much sage advice given during the conversational back-and-forth, with the men chiming in when they had a question, or something to say. The exchanges covered many of the pitfalls and frustrations of unemployment.

“They’re holding a job fair next week,” Small started out one such conversation, drawing responses from the attendees.

“Are they worth going to?,” one man asked.

“Depends on what you’re looking for. Those job fairs can be pretty specific, health care or tech jobs being the biggest draws,” Small replied.

“I’ve never been to a job fair. Fill me in,” someone else said.

“I’ve been to one. It was really mobbed. They are mostly geared toward hourly positions,” one attendee lamented.

“I went to one recently and I left pretty quick. Maybe 15 minutes and I was out the door. I got so discouraged,” another man confessed.

“Yeah, but they can be good networking opportunities. You give your 30-second speech, and then you’ve got that link. The key is realizing it’s just the first step. You’re probably not going to go home having received a job offer,” Small said.

“Definitely practice that 30-second speech. But don’t bother dropping your resume. Instead, wait a week or two and hand them your resume in person. By doing that, you and your resume will stand out. And rather than being one of a 100 resumes in some stack of resumes that probably no one is going to read, your resume will be one of one,” another leader said.

“True, and then you can see if they’re right for you, not only if you’re right for them,” Small concluded.

Raymond’s Ralph Bartholomew

Among the men who arrived for the second meeting of the job network was Ralph Bartholomew of Raymond. Bartholomew, employed for many years as an accountant at Hancock Lumber in Casco, is typical of the men at the meeting who are finding life in unemployment challenging.

“I want to stay here in the Lakes Region, but it’s very hard to find any work, especially in my field,” he said.

After hearing the group discuss the scarcity of good-paying jobs, Bartholomew said he’s recently realized, “I just need to open myself up to other possibilities.”

He related his recent experiences of searching job Web sites such as Monster.com and jobsinme.com only to get lost in the sea of job applications.

“It’s becoming more and more real, how hard it is going to be to find a job in this economy,” Bartholomew said. “I thought it would be easy. I’d apply for a job, send out my resume and I’d get hired. I have great qualifications. Well, with the amount of competition out there, I’m finding that just isn’t necessarily true.”

South Casco’s Scott Plummer

Sitting beside Bartholomew at the meeting was Scott Plummer, a South Casco resident who, like Bartholomew, was also laid off from Hancock Lumber. Plummer has had a varied job history that includes dental hygienist and kitchen designer, and he is willing to do whatever it takes to find a new job.

But, he said, his dream job is to work as a disaster relief worker for the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

“I’ve already made some contacts,” Plummer told the group. “They say it’s not easy – the jobs are few and far between – but I’m willing to try.”

Plummer has dropped everything to take part in several disaster relief efforts, including cleaning up after a massive tornado leveled the community of Greensburg, Kan.

“It was the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done. There was an ocean of debris 4 feet deep. I cried for 10 minutes when I first got there. Such devastation,” Plummer said.

He then opened up to the group, comparing his job designing kitchens to helping rebuild a community.

“Helping those people rebuild their town was the only rewarding thing I’ve ever done,” Plummer said.

Showing the dual purpose of the Lakes Region Job Transition Network, which is to support and advise, Small listened to Plummer’s story and then suggested some practical advice.

“Have you looked into the American Red Cross? In addition to FEMA?” he asked.

Small then used Plummer as a real-life example of something he read in “What Color is Your Parachute?” Pursue your passion, the book advises.

“You want to look at what your passion is and follow it,” Small said. “A lot of employers are looking for people who are passionate about the job.”

Standish’s Chris Nelson

Chris Nelson, a former airplane mechanic affected by the slowdown in the airline industry post-Sept. 11, has been unemployed since March after a round of layoffs at a well-known hotel chain where he served as maintenance manager.

Nelson lives in Standish and has coached many surrounding schools’ football teams. Since March, he told the group he’s had three or four job interviews, “but no one calls back. You think you do a great job at the interview, leave feeling pretty good and then there’s nothing but silence.”

But recently, Nelson has changed his focus from maintenance to teaching. Since he has always enjoyed being around kids in his capacity as a coach, he recently received certification from the state qualifying him to work in public schools as an educational technician. He hasn’t received a job yet, but with his new credentials he believes he is close to landing a good job.

After congratulating Nelson for his ability to change career goals, one of the group’s leaders, Steve McFarland, who is employed as the workforce education coordinator for Windham Adult Education, then offered some advice.

“Taking what you’ve done with coaching and your success there, you’re now going in that direction,” McFarland said. “The next step is to start sending out resumes to every school in the area: Bonny Eagle, Westbrook, Windham, Gorham, Lake Region, Sacopee Valley. Just get it out there.”

After two meetings, the organizers are dedicated to following through with the program. Small said the group plans to meet every second and fourth Thursday of the month at 2 p.m. at the North Windham Union Church on Route 302.

“We’ll know we’re no longer needed when no one shows up,” said Sanville.

The next meeting of the Lakes Region Job Transition Network is Thursday, Oct. 9, at 2 p.m. All are welcomed to attend, and there is no charge. For more information, call 653-5185.

Bruce Small, founder of the Lakes Region Job Transition Network, offers guidance and practical help for people struggling to find employment.