Down But Not Out

‘At this point, I have gotten used to sleeping in in the mornings, so I’m looking more for part-time work’

I am a legal word processor. I was laid off by a multinational law firm in early April, 2009 due to a reduction in force. The firm laid off 93 people in the United States, including 16 in Los Angeles.  I received a six-month severance package and then went on unemployment.

It hasn’t been hard so far. I turned 66 last November and have started collecting Social Security. The Unemployment Office told me I could continue receiving unemployment benefits once I started receiving Social Security. But my unemployment benefits are coming to an end and I need to find a job.

I don’t think potential employers are wary of hiring me because I’ve been out of work so long. They usually have other good reasons.

I’m still looking for work.  At this point, I have gotten used to sleeping in in the mornings, so I’m looking more for part-time work. A friend and his wife, who are blind, have hired me to read their mail to them, go shopping, etc. But I will need more.

Sheila G., via email

‘I have a job now, but I’m a contractor’

I’m 38. Have a 3 year-old-son. I have a Masters and Bachelors in social science (my first mistake) and I wonder why I ever got an education.

I was working as a project specialist in Jacksonville, Florida as a full-time employee for about a year when I bought a house (my second mistake) Suddenly I was laid off. They (the same bank) brought me back on as a contractor, long enough for me to save some money, and I was laid off again.

From April of 2009 until October of 2009, I applied for unemployment and in the state of Florida, at the time it was $275/week. Obama passed a bill and gave us an extra $25 dollars a week. Thanks for that. It was money, but I was slowly losing the battle.

I left Jacksonville, Florida moved back to St. Louis, Missouri, in hopes of finding a job and rented out the house in Jacksonville for less/a month than what I owed. Because I didn’t and still don’t want to foreclose. However at this point I’m not sure I have a choice. Taxes went up in Florida and I don’t get the home exemption anymore since I don’t live there. (You can Google the home exemption)

I have a job now, but I’m a contractor, and was told it was ending Aug. 5. Then I was shifted to a project I’m on now, but it runs out (supposedly) at end of year. Who knows. I’m sure they ran “out of funding.” I’ve been told that before too.

My employer is notorious for letting go contractors though, so I’ve been sending out resumes left and right.

So far I’ve been lucky bouncing from one temp job to the next—but I hope my luck doesn’t run out. It’s just frustrating. It shouldn’t be this hard to find full-time work!

I’m looking at admin jobs, coordinator, anything. I leave off my Masters as well most times, because I don’t want the employer to think they have to pay for a person with a Masters. You never know.

I have played by the rules, I did everything right. I went to school, I made great grades, I did it all. And now I’m wondering what was it all for??

I’m not down and out but it’s close. I can see the wave coming and I’m trying to steer clear, and it’s really hard. I wish I could move to another country and make money, but as an American, I can’t really immigrate anywhere else. I see all these people wanting to come here to better their lives for the supposed American dream? And I think, “for what?” There is no dream. It’s just a nightmare covered in sugar.

Hope W., via email

‘All I can do is think about how great it would be if I could become permanent … and not a temp’

I lost my job in 2009 due to cutbacks in the company, shorty after that I lost my car (couldn’t keep up the payments) and lost my apartment (living in a room for $600.00 a month now in someone’s basement with very small windows).

The hardest thing was trying to stay on top of my work skills and make sure that I get the latest training for my fields of work i.e., Deltek CostPoint, Soloman, Access and Microsoft programs etc. The other things that was hard was loosing my apartment a place of my own, not being able to afford medication for my high blood pressure and asthma. I went to the state for assistance but they said that I was 3.59 over the limit for assistance but that they could cover my daughter who at the time was 16 years old. I felt like I was losing control of my life and couldn’t do anything about it no matter what I tried.

Yes, it is difficult to get hired when you’ve been out of work so long specially when you are 50 years old. Interviews had a way of making me feel like I should be retiring now that I was too old for a company to invest time in training me, that I would more so be an expense than an investment. I don’t know I guess my years of experience and loyalty as an offer just wasn’t enough. I am technologically inclined and electronically trained and I really look 30 years old not 50, I speak well and I am very professional. I have 3 different resumes and I have even altered my resume to fit the job descriptions, I’ve gone to unemployment workshops, resume workshops, Microsoft workshops etc. but so far I have not been able to land a permanent job.

The unemployment benefits were help for somewhat I was able to keep my apartment a little longer than if I didn’t have my benefits, I did not exhaust them but I don’t like depending on them either, I am currently temping at a company until Sept. 1, 2011 and I am registered with a temp company now but that can be a positive or a negative because some so far the companies I’ve been assigned to don’t want to pay the fee to buy me out of the temp agency. There is so much competition now that I know I don’t stand a chance of getting a permanent decent paying job without a college degree.

I just want to give up, if it was not for my daughter and me proving to her that all is not lost I probably would of crawled under and rock and died by now. I am so depressed I feel like I’m going to loose my mind sometimes but gotta keep up the smiling face at my work and the cordial hello’s to everyone as though nothing is wrong. I just want to work I have worked since I was 16 years old, it’s all I really know, sitting around doing nothing but housework and reading can be bad for your health let alone your work skills deteriorating.

I have not given up yet the temp work helps a lot but I fear if I get sick and miss days I will loose pay or worse my temp position to another temp. I haven’t given up on searching totally but I feel like I have no where else to send my resume to.

All I can do is think about how great it would be if I could become permanent with this company so I can get medical benefits and exhale because I know I am someones staff member and not a temp. I’ll just keeping praying that all will work out for me and my daughter who now live with her father because the room I have will only accommodate a full size bed and the space is too small for the two of us, but I know that I will be able to afford a place with at least enough space for her and I to live together. I miss having a normal working routine.

Betty O., via email

‘I miss working; I WANT to work, but no one is willing to give me the opportunity to prove myself’

I got laid off from a Toyota dealership. Sales at the store started to fall drastically and my department was one of the first to get cut back (Customer Relations Dept). I got laid off in November of 2009.

Constantly worrying about how I’m going to pay my bills is definitely the hardest thing. And it’s easy to get discouraged fast because you spend hours every day fixing up your resume, writing cover letters, looking for open positions, etc., and you never hear back from 99 percent of the employers. It seems like you’re just wasting your time.

Unemployment compensation is definitely not enough to live off of. I don’t know how I’ve made it so long. I’ve been living off unemployment and the bi-yearly checks I get from my school for my leftover financial aid. I have exhausted all of my regular  unemployment benefits. I applied for the emergency unemployment about 2-3 weeks ago, but have heard nothing back. It is frustrating dealing with the unemployment office. Every time you try to call and ask them to clarify things, the phone lines are  always busy and it just automatically disconnects your call. I have been unable to reach anyone to ask where my money is and why it’s taking so long.

There is definitely much more competition for work, especially for the  administrative/clerical field. Employers are offering much less pay and are asking for much more experience because they know they’ll be able to find someone desperate enough. Most all of the receptionist/office jobs I have come across require you to be bilingual and are asking for accounting skills as well and only offering $8-9 an hour.

I still have not found any work. Giving up is not an option. I still have bills to pay and need money to live. The only reason I have been able to survive for this long is due to great money management skills and pure luck. It’s frustrating because I miss working; I WANT to work, but no one is willing to give me the opportunity to prove myself.

It seems as though the only way to get a job is if it’s an area that you are extremely experienced in and are willing to take a drastic pay cut. As I said before, for those of us in the secretarial/administrative field, it’s extremely hard to find anything at all.
Employers would rather have an accountant that can also double as a receptionist, instead of a professional front desk clerk. Employers are looking to have as few employees as possible to save money, so you must be skilled in many areas to even be considered. I would recommend going to the library and taking their free educational courses on various computer software (Word, Excel, HTML, Photoshop, etc.) to sharpen your skills and volunteering somewhere where you can learn skills that will benefit your job hunting.

I think the long-term unemployed would make incredible employees. Being out of work for so long has shown me that I took my old job for granted. We are so desperate for work that if I was to get hired, I would work twice as hard as I used to. Being poor, hungry, and desperate drives you to never want to be that way again; it gives you determination and drive. Hiring a long-term unemployed person could be a great asset to a company. We would be loyal and grateful, and would work hard to prove ourselves so we won’t have to be in this situation ever again. All we need is a chance—an employer willing to give us a fair salary and the opportunity to prove our value.

Alicia B., via email

‘Care enough to inquire. Care enough to assist however you can.’

I was employed as a copywriter for an advertising agency in 2008-2009. In early March of 2009 I represented the only remaining creative employee at the company. Earlier that year all three graphic designers and our web designer had been let go. I was also “let go” in middle March.

The company had experienced difficulty in acquiring full payment from clients for work rendered, and with incomplete payments came the inability to continue paying employees. Hence, we were all laid off.

The most difficult thing about being out of work for months numbering more than six or seven was remaining positive in the face of frustration and disappointment. Having been employed as a writer for only 2 years after graduating college, my limited experience (barring any freelance I performed after being let go) had limited my ability to compete with the hundreds of unemployed senior copywriters applying for the same positions I was.

It’s hard to determine whether my lack of job inspired employers to look in the other direction. More often than not I never received an interview and only few inquired as to what I had been doing with my time prior to applying for an open position.

Unemployment benefits were practically useless. Conveniently, I do no have a family for whom I must provide. I found myself applying for positions of the entry/mid level status alongside of creatives with many years more experience than me. So yes, I have found the recession-era job market to be many times more competitive than its healthier predecessor.

I have been working part time as a baker for Philly Pretzel Factory since my most recent lay-off experience. The last job I was let go from was with a therapy provider. In the summer of 2010 they hired dozens of people, myself included and boasted the ability to grow their company substantially. After Medicare was cut before the end of the year (something they should have seen coming) they let 35 people go in one sitting. I, having been one of the most recent hired, was one of the first to go.

I have been working. But I’d also, up until recently been searching still for a writing position, to continue doing what I love. I’ve now decided to redirect my energies toward securing a position in sales (something I wouldn’t have done given the choice … but I feel I have no other choice at this time).

So far in my attempts to find meaningful work, my greatest comfort has come from the personal and professional connections I’ve made over the years. One of the greatest tools anyone can use is their sphere of influence, if not solely for a source of employment, then at least for advice and ideas. It has been the willingness of others to share these things with me that has made my journey that much less difficult. What can WE do to make things easier for the unemployed? We can be willing to help them on the level of citizen to citizen, not business professional to job seeker. Care enough to inquire. Care enough to assist however you can.

Dan H., via email

‘The future for the educated is not as bright as it was promised to be’

In two days I will have been jobless for 2 years. This is a milestone I am not proud of. I am 27, received my undergrad degree and currently working on my master’s degree. I worked for a non-profit organization that got into some trouble. Top management assured us we would keep our jobs—only for them to get sacked right after that.
Interim management then felt a need to re-interview the entire staff, asked them what they did on a daily basis and let go those they deemed useless to the organiation. If you assisted anybody whether in finance, research or clerical and were not paid from a grant from the university your luck was out—which is what happened to me.
The hardest thing about being unemployed is knowing how good of an employee you are and no employers seem to notice it. No matter how many times I re-do my resume, coverletter, have mock-interviews, nothing works out.
My unemployment money has run out and contrary to the belief of Republicans, I did not sit on my butt all day everyday basking in receiving money I did not work for. I applied for several jobs daily, walked in stores asking if they were hiring … I was not a lazy unemployed person. With me being out of work for two years I fear becoming undesirable—even in my young age. I even feel the need to “dumb down” my education in order to not be over-qualified.
I have managed to volunteer since being unemployed to gain experience in the field I studied in undergrad since I have not been able to obtain a paying job that will do the same for me. This has helped fill in the employment gap for me I guess. I cannot say if employers have been wary … they might be since I’am still unemployed.
There is definetely more competition. Not only are the unemployed seeking jobs but people who are employed are seeking better jobs. We also have to deal with the people “who know people”. It seems that if you don’t know anyone you wo’t get the job either.How can you make it easier for the unemployed to find work? I don’t think that is possible—not right now anyway. I have become discouraged yet I still search for jobs, maybe not as hardcore as I once did. I don’t know what else to do. The future for the educated is not as bright as it was promised to be.
Rosalyn B., via email

‘We just want what we had three years ago’

I had known layoffs were coming at Johnson & Johnson for months, but they were slow to move.  I had put my life on hold since April of 2008, waiting to hear if my Technical Analyst job of nearly 9 years would be eliminated.

Early January 2009, I learned it would be. They needed me to finish a long-term project, so I would be kept on until September 2009, which would have given me time to build my resume, brush up my contacts, etc, except that in early March, at age 35, I suffered a stroke. I worked very hard to rehabilitate as quickly as possible, and returned 6 months later, the project, and pretty much any assignment, gone.

With only 2 or so weeks left with the company, nobody wanted to give me work, and hardly anyone even spoke to me. My department director didn’t send so much as an email to see how I was doing, and I was let go as scheduled in October 2009.

As of today, I am still looking for work.  An old friend has thrown some part-time work at my old job as a stagehand my way, but it is not enough, and the physical nature of the job is killer, as I still suffer the after effects of the stroke.

Two years later, I have had two or three interviews out of over 400 job applications I have submitted, and maybe 8 or 9 of those have bothered to even send me a rejection. I still try because I have to. My COBRA benefits ran out this year, and the medical benefits my wife and I now have are not very good. 

I never thought I would wish so strongly for a desk job, but the pain remaining from the stroke is tremendous, and my body is not getting enough of a chance to heal. Our families have been great, but we don’t want to lose our home, or have to take anything else from anyone. We just want what we had three years ago.

Jim F., via email

‘I have led men in combat, but my last job was a temporary cashier position in the women’s department at Nordstrom’s’

I am an unemployed Iraq war veteran that hasn’t had steady work since I was Honorably discharged at the end of 2009. I have a BS in International Relations, an active security clearance, and I speak four languages. I am currently enrolled in an MBA program in hopes of bettering myself, and my situation, but being a college student doesn’t pay the bills, and I have been looking for full time employment for nearly 2 years.

I have led men in combat, but my last job was a temporary cashier position in the women’s department at Nordstrom’s—I led the team in sales, but they still didn’t keep me after the holidays. My concentration is in Finance, but I am looking for jobs in virtually any field. I don’t get many interviews, but when I do, I get a lot of handshakes and a “Thank you for your service, but you’re not what we’re looking for.”

Sometimes I am told that I am overqualified for their “entry level” job, but because I have no “entry level” experience, I am unqualified for anything higher. I am in the interview process for a logistical firm at the moment, and that may be looking good, but the process has already taken two months, and that is a long time to be waiting on a yes or a no. I have defeated an enemy in battle and then rebuilt their country. I know I have the skills to succeed in business, if only I could be given a chance.

Marshall, via comments