Do you live in the Houston area or other areas where large numbers of Katrina Survivors are located? Do you have a laptop with 802.11 (wireless web)? Might you be able to spare a half a day or so sometime next week?
There are so many things those displaced by Katrina will need.
A job will be one of those things. Hopefully many will be able to be employed rebuilding the effected areas. Many more will be able to locate jobs elsewhere. But some will, in the mix of grieving, finding loved ones, getting basic services, finding a place to stay, etc., be behind the curve on finding a job.
Meanwhile I am certain that across the country there are thousands of people who are in a position to hire one or two of the displaced, and would love to help them get back on thier feet.
I want to help them find each other.
WOULD YOU HELP ME? unfold for more...
I was hoping to find that some of the big job sites (Monster, CareerBuilders) are already on top of this, but thier websites are mute on the subject, and some phonecalls placed so far have led me to believe they are not doing anything.
I believe I will, over the next night or two, try to build a very simple website to allow people to input (in the fastest way possible while still getting necessary information) a simple job application. Then, if that goes well, I may try to organize team(s) of people to decend on the Astrodome and other places where lots of survivors are, with thier own or with possibly temporarily donated laptops and run five minute interviews with anyone who is unsure where they will turn for a job and is possibly willing to relocate.
If organized, would you be able to join such a team?
Then (or simultaneously) the website would be publicized and made available for prospective employers to search through the applicants. The database built could be offered to some of the big job board sites-- on the understanding that they would provide free search for employers looking to hire such people.
From there the employer would have to contact the applicant(s) they are interested in (obviously current contact info would need to be part of the application) and interview them. The site would explain that they should be prepared to consider relocation funds, providing temporary housing, and also access to a emotional support system (church, psychiatrists, etc). I still think that there have to be many organiziations and companies out there willing to do this.
So, back to the original question: Do you live near or could you travel to one of the locations, and donate some time using your laptop to help people find jobs? Please take the poll and post comments and ideas below, and recommend this diary.
I would like to stress this is exploratory, I am not sure yet whether I can pull this off.