Story of my extended, ongoing unemployment - sound familiar? (receive, apply, work)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I am quite disturbed at the sheer number of the postings I have come across on city-data regarding various unemployment topics, including expiring benefits, hopelessness and depression, anger, etc., and I can empathize with every one of them. I think unemployment, and especially for an extended period (more than a year) is tough for an "outsider" to understand. Unless you've been there, you don't understand what thought processes somebody is going through.
I've been out of full-time work since February 2011. I am tired, discouraged, depressed, and fed up with the search. I own 2 part-time businesses affected by the bad economy, one of which I have basically shut down and one that is still clinging to life with minimal income. My wife works part-time, and I have also been working part-time and substitute teaching. I have cut expenses as much as possible, but have still burned through about $50,000 in home equity in the past year and a half just to live (mortgage, utilities, food, kids, etc.).
Following is my take and experiences with the different types of activities that I have been involved in for the past 19 months in my job search, and why they haven't been successful. I think the reason I am writing this is partially out of my deep frustration with the whole process and it is somewhat self-cleansing, and partially out of a desire to tell people they are not alone in their struggle:
Networking - This is probably one's best bet at getting a job - "it's who you know". The problem is, unless you personally know the hiring manager, and they are willing to hire you and bypass the hundreds of resumes they have received for an open position, networking is still a sure thing by any means. Possibly there is an "unposted" job they know about and will hire you for - I have yet to experience this in all of my networking endeavors. I recently interviewed for a position for which I personally knew one of the hiring managers, had 5 years of experience in the same field and 2 degrees, and they only interviewed 7 people. Needless to say, I'm still jobless. I know many managers at several companies, and if I run a job requisition past them for their company the vast majority say they either can't help me, or I can tell they really don't want to. Also, this can be hard on friendships - push too hard, and things get a bit awkward. Again, unless you've been there... Apply through that cold abyss known as the internet - The polar opposite of networking. Everyone has to do it, and all get the same results. I think my phone call to application ratio is about 1 in 40 or 50 I apply for, I will receive a call. I won't go in depth, but the sheer number of aps / resumes the company recruiter receives for jobs posted on the internet is staggering, and since there is no way to follow up on the ap, just send it, hope for a call and move on. There is no phone number you can call to check on the status of your ap. After speaking to a few major company recruiters about this, theconsensus is that if they find "X" number of qualified candidates in the first 50-100 aps, the rest are purged. Logic says to apply right after the job is posted. Contacting recruiters/ agencies / headhunters - With my family situation, I am choosing to stay in my home town, and I realize this limits my choices, although in today's market, no one is going to pay me to move to work for them anyway. The local employment agencies and recruiters are a joke - I honestly don't know how they make their money. They don't take or return calls, won't respond to aps or emails, and generally have only hourly or admin positions. At this point, I'm not choosy - I want to work, but can't even get consideration for ANY position they advertise. At least in my city, I won't waste my time any longer. Suit up and deliver resumes the old-fashioned way - Forget it, you will be told to go back to Step 2 above - apply through the internet, and you know how well that works...
Ok, that's all I can stand to write tonight. I feel a little better, and I hope there are people out there that don't feel that they are alone in this process. I often feel VERY isolated when I'm sitting in front of my computer contemplating the next ap or thinking about who to bother next about employment with their company. Keep up the search for the light at the end of the long, long tunnel.
Then they shipped all the machines to Costa Rica. I got unemployment AND Social Secerity at the same time. This is week #103 on UE and people say: I'm sooooo sorry you lost your job." Losing my job has turned out GREAT!! For 103 weeks I have been making MORE (take home) than EVER before!! The VA takes care of my health care for almost free....I'm in hog heaven!!
My plant owner has several plants in the Chicagoland area....everyone let go was offered a job at one of the other plants. 61 at the time....I said no. I got a severance package...UE/SS...and leaving was the best thing I ever did. Gloom and doom is not happening in all cases.
Then they shipped all the machines to Costa Rica. I got unemployment AND Social Secerity at the same time. This is week #103 on UE and people say: I'm sooooo sorry you lost your job." Losing my job has turned out GREAT!! For 103 weeks I have been making MORE (take home) than EVER before!! The VA takes care of my health care for almost free....I'm in hog heaven!!
My plant owner has several plants in the Chicagoland area....everyone let go was offered a job at one of the other plants. 61 at the time....I said no. I got a severance package...UE/SS...and leaving was the best thing I ever did. Gloom and doom is not happening in all cases.
While I am happy for you, I do not understand the logic of putting up a post like this. I do not see how this helps anyone else as most everyone else is WORSE off -by a long shot - on unemployment than they were when they were employed.
I understand your need to boast. Its not what I would do but different strokes.
I am also convinced that any employer or anyone associated with the UI fund would read your post and be even more infuriated as you laugh at the system, living better than you could have ever dreamed.
They then get up in the morning and make it harder on the next guy who applies .
Then they shipped all the machines to Costa Rica. I got unemployment AND Social Secerity at the same time. This is week #103 on UE and people say: I'm sooooo sorry you lost your job." Losing my job has turned out GREAT!! For 103 weeks I have been making MORE (take home) than EVER before!! The VA takes care of my health care for almost free....I'm in hog heaven!!
My plant owner has several plants in the Chicagoland area....everyone let go was offered a job at one of the other plants. 61 at the time....I said no. I got a severance package...UE/SS...and leaving was the best thing I ever did. Gloom and doom is not happening in all cases.
Being old and retired as not the same as being young and unemployed. If you are happy about getting social security and having to go to VA for medical, well you do not have very high standards.
I am quite disturbed at the sheer number of the postings I have come across on city-data regarding various unemployment topics, including expiring benefits, hopelessness and depression, anger, etc., and I can empathize with every one of them. I think unemployment, and especially for an extended period (more than a year) is tough for an "outsider" to understand. Unless you've been there, you don't understand what thought processes somebody is going through.
I've been out of full-time work since February 2011. I am tired, discouraged, depressed, and fed up with the search. I own 2 part-time businesses affected by the bad economy, one of which I have basically shut down and one that is still clinging to life with minimal income. My wife works part-time, and I have also been working part-time and substitute teaching. I have cut expenses as much as possible, but have still burned through about $50,000 in home equity in the past year and a half just to live (mortgage, utilities, food, kids, etc.).
Following is my take and experiences with the different types of activities that I have been involved in for the past 19 months in my job search, and why they haven't been successful. I think the reason I am writing this is partially out of my deep frustration with the whole process and it is somewhat self-cleansing, and partially out of a desire to tell people they are not alone in their struggle:
Networking - This is probably one's best bet at getting a job - "it's who you know". The problem is, unless you personally know the hiring manager, and they are willing to hire you and bypass the hundreds of resumes they have received for an open position, networking is still a sure thing by any means. Possibly there is an "unposted" job they know about and will hire you for - I have yet to experience this in all of my networking endeavors. I recently interviewed for a position for which I personally knew one of the hiring managers, had 5 years of experience in the same field and 2 degrees, and they only interviewed 7 people. Needless to say, I'm still jobless. I know many managers at several companies, and if I run a job requisition past them for their company the vast majority say they either can't help me, or I can tell they really don't want to. Also, this can be hard on friendships - push too hard, and things get a bit awkward. Again, unless you've been there... Apply through that cold abyss known as the internet - The polar opposite of networking. Everyone has to do it, and all get the same results. I think my phone call to application ratio is about 1 in 40 or 50 I apply for, I will receive a call. I won't go in depth, but the sheer number of aps / resumes the company recruiter receives for jobs posted on the internet is staggering, and since there is no way to follow up on the ap, just send it, hope for a call and move on. There is no phone number you can call to check on the status of your ap. After speaking to a few major company recruiters about this, theconsensus is that if they find "X" number of qualified candidates in the first 50-100 aps, the rest are purged. Logic says to apply right after the job is posted. Contacting recruiters/ agencies / headhunters - With my family situation, I am choosing to stay in my home town, and I realize this limits my choices, although in today's market, no one is going to pay me to move to work for them anyway. The local employment agencies and recruiters are a joke - I honestly don't know how they make their money. They don't take or return calls, won't respond to aps or emails, and generally have only hourly or admin positions. At this point, I'm not choosy - I want to work, but can't even get consideration for ANY position they advertise. At least in my city, I won't waste my time any longer. Suit up and deliver resumes the old-fashioned way - Forget it, you will be told to go back to Step 2 above - apply through the internet, and you know how well that works...
Ok, that's all I can stand to write tonight. I feel a little better, and I hope there are people out there that don't feel that they are alone in this process. I often feel VERY isolated when I'm sitting in front of my computer contemplating the next ap or thinking about who to bother next about employment with their company. Keep up the search for the light at the end of the long, long tunnel.
Very good post. I hear you! Sometimes I feel like all of us that did everything right - went to college, worked hard, bought a house and everything got the rug ripped out from under us.
They have cut my meds cost by 2/3's of what it was with Blue Cross/Blue Shield.
ok grandpa, your great. Now lets move on! Think of the original posters problem and not your own selfish butt. ITs called empathy.
Now to the OP, alot of people are in your situation. I have a good friend who is 61 and its a total disaster her situation. She is at that bad age that nobody wanter her. She is along time from SS and has no money. She may be living with me very soon in one of my bedrooms. Its just terrible. In NJ a busy bustling State I hear problems with UE and jobless all the time. I can't imagine living in a more rural State and how lousy things are for some. Lets hope after the election things get better. At least companies will know where they stand after the election and possible hire again. Im sorry for your problems.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I worked at my plant 43 years,,,,
