Excerpt
Barbara Myers managed accounts payable for Fort Wayne-based
Rarick's Easy Pay Rental Purchase until it was bought in late
June by Boca Raton, Fla.-based Rent Rite Inc.
Everyone in the corporate office was laid off, she says.
Those working in the 17 stores were allowed to re-apply for
their positions.
Myers had been at Rarick's for four years and collected four
weeks of severance pay. The Ossian woman, who is married with
three grown children, has been applying for accounting and
administrative assistant positions since she lost her job.
"I even went to Starbucks coffees to apply for a shift
supervisor position," she says, laughing. "It's kind of
disheartening. My husband says it takes time. But I don't know
how much time."
Although she doesn't have a college degree, the 54-year-old
feels over-qualified for many of the jobs listed in the
classifieds. She's held various positions in accounting and
retail.
"That's a plus or a minus, depending on who interviews you -
if they are looking for a degree or experience," she says. "And
it's the same thing with age. It can be a plus or a minus. The
age thing kind of scares me a bit."
Myers, who has shoulder-length gray hair with bangs, has
never collected unemployment benefits.
"This is my first time, and it took courage. Everyone said,
'You've worked a long time, and you deserve it,' " she says.
"But it still took courage to come in."
