Working World

You’ve seen a lot of closed-door meetings at work lately; your boss has trouble looking anyone in the eye; and your coworkers sit at their desks with furrowed brows. This usually means one thing: layoffs are on the horizon. One day you hear those fateful words, “Can I see you in my office?” You sit down opposite your boss, who proceeds to talk about the company’s troubles, and you feel yourself zone out during what can be described as a slow-motion sucker punch. Little by little you absorb the news: You’ve been pink-slipped.

Now what? Well, my friend, it’s time to party…pink-slip-style.

Back in 1910, pink slip parties found their humble beginnings in local New York taverns amid closing factories and an unstable economy. The recently unemployed would gather to commiserate on their new social status, knowing that everyone there was in the same boat. Then in the 1990s, as the tech sector sank and the economy (again) spiraled with it, parties closer to the ones you find today floated to the surface.

Now, with Wall Street on its knees, a flailing auto industry, and a housing market full of foreclosures, the pink slip party is experiencing another rebirth among the recently unemployed. And for some here in the City of Angels, it’s been a saving grace.

“There’s nothing more rewarding than finding someone a job,” said Beryl Smith, president of BCS Staffing and founder of Pink Slip Party L.A. “I’ve had people call and thank me because now they can buy groceries, now they can pay their rent.”

Founded in mid-February, Pink Slip Party L.A. and its growing reputation are riding on the back — actually, several backs — of generosity, starting with Beryl, who not only organizes the events but also pays for the cost of a party out of her own pocket, and continuing with the company Our Computer Tech, which gave Pink Slip its website for free for the first two years. Graphic artists at 100 Handmade have donated their time and talents, radio stations have given free airtime, and restaurants have graciously shared their space for a meager return of $5 drinks and appetizers bought by partygoers. All for one reason: to get people back to work.

“This economy has affected every single person, from clerks and administrative assistants to CFOs,” said Beryl. “[These parties are] going to help you, help me, help everyone else. It’s going to come around ten-fold.”

This idea of passing it forward didn’t resonate with recruiters at first, who didn’t want to give people false hope. But Beryl, being a recruiter herself, knows how they think, and at Pink Slip Party L.A.’s first event this past March, job seekers met with 18 recruiters in a casual and relaxed atmosphere, sharing ideas, snacking and bringing human interaction back into the hunt for a job.

“When I was a kid, the way we’d get a job was by putting on a suit and taking your resume directly to a company,” said Beryl. “Now people can search for jobs online. Here you get people in front of other people and get that connection from meeting someone.    

“In today’s work environment, face-to-face networking beats sending out resumes,” she continued. “It’s a great way to network with other unemployed people. You don’t know who knows who; It’s who do you know.”

While recruiters do use the time to connect people with jobs, these parties play with different rules compared to job fairs. Here, networking is the name of the game, and the casual, relaxed, one-on-one atmosphere gives people a chance to not only share their story (and maybe a drink) with one another, but also soak up ideas and tips from fellow job seekers.

Beryl said what makes her organization different is the representation of recruiters and companies who are hiring at all levels, not just middle and upper management.

“I think that recruiters, when they meet with candidates, should be saying, ‘What client can I present this candidate to so we can find that person a job?’ I’m not in it for the sale; I’m looking for the right fit for the person and the company.”

Since March, Beryl has organized four parties in Los Angeles with anywhere from 50 to 350 attendants. The next event will be on Tuesday, June 16 at the Blue Velvet Restaurant and Lounge. Companies on the attendance list include Time Warner and Colonial Life, along with recruiters. (See sidebar below for details about these and other pink slip parties in the area.)

“I started doing this because somebody needed to do it,” said Beryl. “Pink Slip Party L.A. will go on as long as we have to. If we help one person, we made a difference.”   

For more information about Pink Slip Party L.A., contact Beryl Smith at 310-691-2178, or email beryl@bcsstaffing.net.

Sidebar

Tuesday, June 16, from 6pm-8pm
@ Blue Velvet Restaurant and Lounge
750 S. Garland Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90017
Hosted by Pink Slip Party L.A.
Admission: $5
RSVP at www.pinkslippartyla.com

Monday, June 22, from 6pm-9pm
@ Hotel Palomar
10740 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90024
Hosted by Pink Slip Mixers 2.0
Admission: Free
RSVP at www.pinkslipmixers.com

Wednesday, June 24, from 6pm-9pm
“PinkSlipMixers Pay It Forward”
@ Bar Celona Restaurant of Pasadena
46 E. Colorado Blvd.
Pasadena, CA 91105
Hosted by Pink Slip Mixers 2.0
Admission: Free
(This event happens every fourth Wednesday of the month)
RSVP at www.pinkslipmixers.com

Tuesday, July 7, from 6pm-9pm
@ The Crescent Hotel
403 N. Crescent Drive
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Hosted by Boé Restaurant
(This event happens every first Tuesday of the month)

Wednesday, Aug. 5
@ Home Depot Center
18400 Avalon Blvd.
Carson, CA 90746
Hosted by Pink Slip Party L.A.
Admission: $10 (includes access to pro tennis match)
RSVP at www.pinkslippartyla.com

Beth Duggan is the assistant editor at Working World and Working Nurse magazines, and has worked in the trade publication and nonprofit industries for the past three years. See what she’s tweeting about at http://twitter.com/Beth_WorkWorld.