By ANDY SMITH, The Providence Journal

If you lost your job tomorrow, how long could you and your family last before you would be unable to cover basic living expenses such as rent or mortgage, food and transportation?

A lot of companies say the right thing when it comes to creating a diverse work force. But how many of them are actually doing the right thing?A recent survey by Adecco USA, a temporary staffing and recruitment company, found that 78 percent of workers who responded to the poll believed diversity was something companies publicized more than they actually achieved.

Peter L. Brown, who owns a company called The Workforce Builder, in Swansea, R.I., compares a business trying to match job candidates with the right job to an online dating service trying to match two halves of a couple. (Maybe that's because Brown met his wife through an online dating service six years ago.)

GLOCESTER, R.I.

You're on an elevator. Standing next to you is the CEO of a company you'd like to do business with. You have 30 seconds to introduce yourself, your company and your product.