Last week unemployed residents of central Florida were treated to free food and resume advice. Pie-Fection, a new locally owned and operated pizza parlor offered job seekers free pizza while Workforce Central Florida gave them career advice.
Restaurant co-owners Jon Diaz and Luke Fernbach are recent college graduates who grew up in the area and have seen the effect that double digit unemployment has had on their community. Nine months ago they opened their restaurant and now they feel they are able to give something back and show their support for their neighbors in need.
"We've seen how hard this area's been hit with the recession and now for us to be able to help out, even with a free pizza... it' means the world to us," said Fernbach. They offered anyone without a job one of their specialty made-to-order-while-you-watch medium pizzas in one of three choices, cheese, pepperoni, or an inspiring spinach sausage pizza. Diaz said that the spinach represents wealth and the sausage symbolizes prosperity, they call it “The Recession Feeder.”
People who came to the event without a job were able to leave full of pizza and full of confidence. "An opportunity to get a little bite to eat for free... I mean it's hard to believe, but it's a blessing,” said Isaac Crumpton who has been searching for a job in the area for over five months. He explained, "I've got a lot of experience and a great attitude, but just haven't been fortunate enough to find something that just fits me.”
A representative from Central Florida Workforce tried to help him with that. The career expert advised, "I would suggest having a targeted resume and having more than one resume." Having only one resume is like having only one pizza on the menu and it was holding Crumpton back. Focusing on his specific skills and how they fit into certain positions he was applying for would get him farther than offing a general crowd pleaser.
With over 200,000 unemployed in the central Florida area the owners of Pie-Fection hope to encourage other companies to honor the efforts of people willing to work but struggling to find opportunities.
By Heather Fairchild - Heather is a multimedia developer with experience in web, film, photography and animation as well as traditional fine arts like painting and sculpting. In addition to writing for RetailGigsBlog.com, she is co-founder of design and promotion company, Creative Kazoo with fellow Nexxt blogger, Staci Dennis. Heather’s spare time consists of making puppets, teaching Sunday School, building Legos and doing science experiments with her children.
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