Happy Ending To Eden Prairie Man's Tireless Job Search
EDEN PRAIRIE (WCCO) -- As unemployment benefits get extended for the nation's jobless, there is one Eden Prairie man who won't need it.
WCCO-TV first shared Kevin Sperbeck's story back in September. At that point, the former food industry sales and marketing manager had been out of work for 18 long months and his unemployment benefits were about to expire.
Throughout the long ordeal, Sperbeck continued to get up each morning as if he was heading into the office. He said he'd treat each day as if his job search was his full-time job. Much of that time was spent staying current on happenings within the industry and making calls and staying in contact with people he knew.
"You've got to get out and network, and you can't be afraid to tell your story," said Sperbeck.
However, to Sperbeck, networking was as much about helping others as it was helping himself.
"I think I got more enjoyment and encouragement when I had a lead for someone else. I'd say, 'you know what? I know someone at that company,'" said Sperbeck.
Three months later, his positive attitude paid off. In the days before Thanksgiving, that long awaited call finally came. A contact in Milwaukee put Sperbeck in touch with a job lead in Arizona.
"You've got to keep your eyes and ears open, because you never know when a contact will happen," said Sperbeck.
It's that networking that Sperbeck credits with helping open the doors to his new job as general sales manager for a large food distributor in Phoenix.
After all he's been through and persevered, Sperbeck feels he's a better person for spending time in the ranks of the unemployed.
"To everybody out there, you will land," said Sperbeck. "Unfortunately, you don't know when."
WCCO-TV's Bill Hudson Reports
