Jesse Carmaco thought he had hit bottom.
Unemployed for two years, he had sent out 40 resumes without a response.
"I was actually thinking about McDonald's minimum wage, just to get some money flowing in," remembers the father of two.
Then his air conditioning went out and as luck would have it, his fortunes turned around. The A/C service tech told him that American Residential Services (ARS) was hiring dispatchers.
Carmaco was hired a month ago.
ARS is partnering with Home Depot to install and service heating and A/C units. The Corona-based company is expanding to Orange County with plans to add 50 jobs over the next year from service to sales.
Experts say California's unemployment rate can only get better if small businesses stay in business.
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"It really is the bulk of our economic prosperity," said Lucy Dunn of the Orange County Business Council. "Helping that small business succeed, grow to the next level, grow to the next level and become a big business."
Carmaco is happy to be one of 17 employees in ARS's Tustin office. His advice for others looking for work.
"Keep looking you'll find it. Maybe your air conditioning will break down and you’ll find a job that way," he said with a laugh.
