Back in 2004, it was a long shot. She quit her former job without having another lined up.
Frustrated over her online search for employment, she went to a job fair given by Women For Hire and in no time landed a job.
"This was well organized and think it's a forum where you can sell yourself without saying here's a piece of paper," Freedman said.
A team from Women for Hire is busy right now getting ready for the next New York job fair on February 24th. It's an event that for the first time will include men.
If you look at the unemployment stats, more men have lost their jobs than women," Tory Johnson said.
Johnson says in industries like manufacturing, construction and financial services, men are losing jobs faster than women.
She is the brains behind Women for Hire. Johnson started the career recruitment firm in 1999 from her bedroom. It's now a thriving company.
"We dig deep, shake all the trees to see who is hiring and, in fact, they do exist. They're out there," she said.
Many of them end up at Johnson's bi-annual job fair held in different cities. Each year about 1500 employers from IBM to the FBI show up.
Looking ahead, Johnson expects to see attendance soar as record numbers of qualified applicants reach out to her.
"It's a terrific opportunity to have a resume critique, free seminars and connect with other people who are in attendance. Some of our biggest success stories come from those who connect with others," Johnson said.
Women for Hire's next job fair is February 24 at the Sheraton in Midtown. Eyewitness News is working with the organization to help people make the most of a job fair.
We invite you to join us for an Eyewitness News special, Economic Crisis: The Job Chase, on Monday, February 23, 2009.
You can learn more about the job fair at www.womenforhire.com.
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