(NECN: Lauren Collins, Manchester, NH) - Finding creative solutions to make it out of the recession -- job seekers in New Hampshire are trying just that, looking to each other for support. New Hampshire's unemployment rate is about 7%. While that's one of the lowest rates in the country, it's little consolation to those who are out of work. Earl Wajenberg is married with a 13-year-old daughter. "I was working at Ezenia," he says, "which is a small software company in Nashua." The company had 40 employees. He was its only tech writer. But business was hit hard in the recession, "on October 2nd they laid off half their staff. Including me." "I've been out of work since October 23rd, 2009," says Deborah Shimkonis Nowicki. "I was a senior corporate analyst for Chase Paymentech here in Salem, New Hampshire." The single mom holds a bachelor's and is about to earn her second masters degree. "I'm not looking for a job. I'm qualified. I have a career. I'm looking to make a difference," she says. Both come regularly to a group that calls itself NH Networks. It meets once a week in Salem. It's an opportunity for the unemployed to open doors for themselves and for each other. "First you tell each other how you got laid off and how long its been, sort of cry on each other's shoulders a little bit," describes Wajenberg. "And then you talk about rumors and scuttlebutt and things about 'well I heard that there's jobs in your field down in Burlington, or wherever.'" On Monday, Governor John Lynch visited the group's weekly session to pitch his New Hampshire Working initiative, a three part plan to encourage employers to retain workers and to boost job training efforts. "I hope you're as enthusiastic about the program as I am," he told the crowd. Shimkonis-Nowicki is enthusiastic about the potential of these highly qualified professionals - many of whom were in the tech fields and have been out of work for at least a year. "I think it's time that we create our own jobs. We have the wherewithal; we have one of the highest educational level professionals in the entire country." She's interviewing for jobs, but also running for a full time paid position in her hometown of Londonderry. As for Wajenberg, he's trying to get another tech writing job, following the leads that come out of this room each week. "You keep trying. There's nothing else to do."