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CNN Saturday Morning News
Group of NYC Professionals Creates 'We Want Work'
Aired October 05, 2002 - 07:55 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: I'm sure there's a group of you out there that's just going, give me a break, I need a job. And if you want some tips on how to find a job, we invite you to watch this next story.
This is a strange juxtaposition, isn't it? Talk about from the -- it's the best of times, it's the worst of times kind of shift.
Anyway, CNN's Elaine Quijano has our story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): On the streets of New York City, pounding the pavement looks and sounds a little different these days.
LISA ROSEVEAR, CO-FOUNDER, WE WANT WORK: Qualified, educated professionals ready to hire! We are smart and fun!
QUIJANO: The equipment: not briefcases, but handbills and bold tactics.
ROSEVEAR: If you don't hire us, someone else will.
QUIJANO: Lisa Rosevear wants a job in public relations. She helped found the group We Want Work. It began when a handful of New York City professionals looking for jobs began to brainstorm.
ROSEVEAR: We conceived the idea of why not do something that's going to make them really see the people that are out there? And put some faces to the resumes? The thousands of resumes that are existing in New York, but also in America.
QUIJANO: The group launched its Web site last month. It lists the resumes of the We Want Work members, now 43 in all. Their strategy: what they call guerrilla tactics.
Standing on sidewalks, handing out flyers, which direct people to their Web site.
ROSEVEAR: How are you today? Look at our resumes and you get restaurant coupons.
TONY PETRIE, WE WANT WORK: My wife said, aren't you embarrassed? And I said, no, I mean -- if we're living in the car next month, aren't you going to be embarrassed? QUIJANO: One of the main ways these New Yorkers attract attention is with this old New York City cab, which advertises New Yorkers for hire and promotes their Web site.
In 10 days, their techniques have resulted in dozens of calls and e-mails.
FRANK TIRELLI, RECRUITER: I was very impressed by their innovation.
QUIJANO: Mostly from recruiters looking for job candidates for the corporate clients they serve. Recruiters like Frank Tirelli.
TIRELLI: Hi, Mark. How are you doing?
MARK DUBORSEY (ph): Fine; so we finally meet.
TIRELLI: That's right; thanks for coming by.
QUIJANO: Mark Duborsey (ph), a specialist in business development and international finance, and Lisa Rosevear met with Tirelli. After a brief interview, he was impressed by Lisa's enthusiasm.
TIRELLI: The energy that came through on the phone definitely came through on the interview, so, it was good.
QUIJANO: And so, thumbs up? Is she in your recruiting pool?
TIRELLI: She's in the pool.
QUIJANO: So far, no one has a job yet, but Lisa hopes the recruiting pool will improve her chances. In the meantime, she and the 42 others will continue pushing until We Want Work is out of business.
ROSEVEAR: We want work!
QUIJANO: Elaine Quijano, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired October 5, 2002 - 07:55 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: I'm sure there's a group of you out there that's just going, give me a break, I need a job. And if you want some tips on how to find a job, we invite you to watch this next story.
This is a strange juxtaposition, isn't it? Talk about from the -- it's the best of times, it's the worst of times kind of shift.
Anyway, CNN's Elaine Quijano has our story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): On the streets of New York City, pounding the pavement looks and sounds a little different these days.
LISA ROSEVEAR, CO-FOUNDER, WE WANT WORK: Qualified, educated professionals ready to hire! We are smart and fun!
QUIJANO: The equipment: not briefcases, but handbills and bold tactics.
ROSEVEAR: If you don't hire us, someone else will.
QUIJANO: Lisa Rosevear wants a job in public relations. She helped found the group We Want Work. It began when a handful of New York City professionals looking for jobs began to brainstorm.
ROSEVEAR: We conceived the idea of why not do something that's going to make them really see the people that are out there? And put some faces to the resumes? The thousands of resumes that are existing in New York, but also in America.
QUIJANO: The group launched its Web site last month. It lists the resumes of the We Want Work members, now 43 in all. Their strategy: what they call guerrilla tactics.
Standing on sidewalks, handing out flyers, which direct people to their Web site.
ROSEVEAR: How are you today? Look at our resumes and you get restaurant coupons.
TONY PETRIE, WE WANT WORK: My wife said, aren't you embarrassed? And I said, no, I mean -- if we're living in the car next month, aren't you going to be embarrassed? QUIJANO: One of the main ways these New Yorkers attract attention is with this old New York City cab, which advertises New Yorkers for hire and promotes their Web site.
In 10 days, their techniques have resulted in dozens of calls and e-mails.
FRANK TIRELLI, RECRUITER: I was very impressed by their innovation.
QUIJANO: Mostly from recruiters looking for job candidates for the corporate clients they serve. Recruiters like Frank Tirelli.
TIRELLI: Hi, Mark. How are you doing?
MARK DUBORSEY (ph): Fine; so we finally meet.
TIRELLI: That's right; thanks for coming by.
QUIJANO: Mark Duborsey (ph), a specialist in business development and international finance, and Lisa Rosevear met with Tirelli. After a brief interview, he was impressed by Lisa's enthusiasm.
TIRELLI: The energy that came through on the phone definitely came through on the interview, so, it was good.
QUIJANO: And so, thumbs up? Is she in your recruiting pool?
TIRELLI: She's in the pool.
QUIJANO: So far, no one has a job yet, but Lisa hopes the recruiting pool will improve her chances. In the meantime, she and the 42 others will continue pushing until We Want Work is out of business.
ROSEVEAR: We want work!
QUIJANO: Elaine Quijano, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
