-- In the year that she has been looking for a job, Anne Marie Tafoya has learned determination.
So when she returned to Burbank's WorkForce Connection on Olive Avenue recently to check the want ads, her tenacity garnered a small celebration: She helped the center log its 10,000th visit since it opened almost two years ago.
"When I walked in, everyone was looking at me, and I thought: What did I do? Do I come in here way too much?" said the 35-year-old Echo Park woman.
Like many others who use the center, Tafoya has turned a job search into a full-time occupation, learning how to submit resumes via e-mail, scouring Web sites and placing calls to potential employers.
Though the center does not provide placement, it helps those looking for jobs with access to the Internet at five computers, fax and copy machines, and resource materials -- all for free.
In a slow economy, timing for such a center couldn't be better, said WorkForce administrator Yvette Ulloa.
Burbank's downtown, now undergoing revitalization, will likely offer more retail job opportunities. A program to lure bigger businesses into Burbank also is under way, Ulloa said. The city's office vacancy rate remains high, she said, but the potential for businesses to occupy those spaces also remains high.
According to a recent economic report, Burbank's unemployment rate is 4.4 percent, lower than neighboring cities.
But Ulloa said the center has seen an increase in visits, from 100 a month when the center first opened to 1,000. Many are repeat visits, with 20 percent of the job seekers between the ages of 20 and 29, and another 20 percent between the ages of 30 and 39.
About 60 percent of those who use the center have found jobs, Ulloa said.
"Something else we're seeing is it's taking longer for people to find a job," Ulloa said. "Because the economy is so slow, employers are really taking their time hiring."
Many clients used to work in the entertainment industry or the media, Ulloa said. Some are looking for a career change.
She encourages people to consider the health field, for example, because it is continuously expanding.
"Another pattern we're seeing is that employers want everything submitted through the computer," Ulloa said. "Many things have changed technologically."
Kevin Miller, a 38-year-old Cincinnati native who moved to Burbank with his family last month, worked in television production and figured he could snag a job easily in the so-called Media Capital of the World.
And yet without experience in computer programs such as Excel or PowerPoint, Miller is finding himself a tough sell.
"If I can learn Excel or PowerPoint, then I could get into a lot of jobs," he said.
Burbank resident Fay Playsted is seeking office work. On her resume, she lists a variety of experience, such as being an administrative assistant for a landscaping business, and events coordinator for a Hollywood theater, legal assistant, and a degree from UC Berkeley in Slavic languages and literature.
"I'm proud of my eclectic background because that's what people want to see," she said. "I'm pretty adaptable. It's just a matter of convincing these employers that. Employers want people who know 12 different computer programs but what really counts is the person."
In the next few months, the center plans to expand its services by providing free resume-writing workshops, and building a link between the business community and job seekers, Ulloa said. The WorkForce Connection, which is part of the Verdugo Jobs Center in Glendale, also networks with similar organizations such as the Economic Alliance of the San Fernando Valley, Ulloa said.
Because the center is federally funded, outside residents are welcome to use the services.
Meanwhile, Tafoya, the 10,000th visitor, said she is continuing to hunt for a job in radio or television. The former traffic reporter was laid off and is seeking something similar.
"I try to stay positive," she said. "If you don't, your spirits go down the drain. You have to help yourself."
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