Julie M. Heup, an unemployed structural engineer from Slinger, Wis., recently attended a networking event where she handed a local employer two business cards: her own and that of her husband, Mark. Mr. Heup, a jobless supply-chain manager, often returns the favor.
The two 40-year-olds never anticipated simultaneous layoffs. "I figured the likelihood of it happening at the same time was slim to none," says Mr. Heup, who lost his job three months after his wife did in November. That's why "we are supporting each other," he says.
Double pink slips are proliferating, causing a double dose of trouble for affected couples. More people than ever are looking for work right now, complicating job searches and aggravating the emotional and financial setback of losing two incomes. Both the husband and the wife were jobless in 124,000 families last year, up from the 87,000 families with the same dilemma in 2006, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
But as the experience of some couples shows, being unemployed at the same time can give partners a double shot of support in finding employment. Practical assistance ranges from sharing networking introductions and outplacement services to interview role-playing. Even the idea of relocating may be easier to manage when one partner doesn't have to quit a job to follow the other.
Highly involved spouses "curtail the length of the dual unemployment," says David Mezzapelle, founder of JobsOver50.com, a free Web site. He recommends jobless couples closely scrutinize each other's lists of contacts -- even if they toiled in different industries. He finds the tactic frequently results in more interviews, improved networking and a job for one or both spouses.
A Connecticut couple began swapping contacts after they both got laid off late last year -- she from her job as a loan manager for GE Capital, a unit of General Electric Co., and he from his job as a UBS AG officer. With an enlarged network, "it is amazing how much further you can dig," she observes. (The couple requested anonymity.)
Her husband discovered that his wife's former boss at GE Capital is married to a financial adviser for J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. He used that connection to land interviews there for himself last month -- and began work May 4 as a wealth manager. In turn, he opened doors for his wife by contacting acquaintances at International Business Machines Corp. and Mercedes-Benz Credit Corp. She sent them her résumé, then got a Mercedes interview for an analyst's position. She started her new job there last Wednesday.
Roni Garnet, a vice president of Georgia-Pacific until her layoff last fall, introduced former co-workers to her husband, Garry, a senior project manager who has sought work since March 2008. Some of those ex-colleagues urged him to craft a personal marketing plan and expand his use of LinkedIn, a professional networking site. He is heeding the advice.
The Atlanta residents review each other's cover letters and thank-you notes. She criticizes them "probably more than I want her to do," Mr. Garnet says. At her suggestion, he added details about what he offers a potential employer. She says he "has helped me keep my communications brief."
Mock job interviews represent another mutual-assistance strategy for unemployed couples. Pose unexpected questions to your husband or wife that a would-be employer asked you, says Lynne A. Sarikas, head of the M.B.A. Career Center for Northeastern University's business school.
Some people resent a spouse telling them "you're sitting weirdly" during such sessions, however. With videotaping, their annoyance typically vanishes. The ex-UBS officer unsuccessfully encouraged his wife to relax more during her pretend interviews. But "once we started videotaping the sessions, he was able to point out my less-relaxed nuances," she recalls. "I am careful to avoid those flaws now."
Besides taping tough mock interviews, the Connecticut husband and wife initially stayed in the same room while one called a hiring official or networking contact. They hoped to critique each other's phone demeanor. They quickly realized the arrangement was too nerve-racking.
In many households with unemployed marital partners, one of the partner's previous employer provides outplacement counseling. The counseled individual should request informal coaching for the displaced mate, too.
Yet when Mr. Heup wanted an extra set of written job-hunting materials for his wife, the Lee Hecht Harrison counselor his former employer provided told him to share his copy, according to Barbara Barra, an executive vice president of the outplacement firm in Woodcliff Lake, N.J. "The proper response should have been to ... provide the requested materials," she now concedes.
Both Heups later attended Lee Hecht's online seminars about résumé writing and interviewing techniques. And officials volunteered to help Ms. Heup negotiate a job offer. The problem: The U.S. Navy wants to hire Ms. Heup as a civilian engineer in Norfolk, Va. But a Baltimore concern may soon offer Mr. Heup a job. The couple would face the ticklish question of relocation. "We want to make the best decision for the family," says Ms. Heup, mother of a 3-year-old boy. Telecommuting "would be too tough."
Though the Garnets are willing to move, she fears a huge loss from selling their residence. They're experiencing other strains. After her severance ended last month, the pair began spending their retirement savings.
To reduce the stress of dual unemployment, the Garnets recently decided they would go out for a movie or modest dinner every Friday, banning talk about job hunts. "It's something to look forward to," Ms. Garnet explains.