Being lumped in with the 99ers (collect, unemployed, employer, job)

[mistygrl092]

First, let me make it perfectly clear this is not a thread to belittle the 99ers. In fact, I think my situation might even be worse than that facing a 99er, however, someone might hold it against me (being out of work so long) and think I have been kicking back collecting UI (again, I know of many 99ers who have sent out 100s and 1000s of resumes).

Ok, so I quit my job in 2009 voluntarily. I had not been there long. In some ways, this makes me look like I was an idiot to walk away from a job to a potential employer. However, I don't want to be grouped in with those who would be perceived as a 99er who just wants to collect UI.

Am I better off saying nothing and letting employers assume I was laid off and received UI or should I make it clear in a cover letter that I quit (and therefore did not collect UI)?

BTW, here is a sobering article on the reality of being long term unemployed...

The Hard Truth: Companies Don't Hire Unemployed : NPR

[MrsBunny]

I think employer is more concerned about what you have been doing during the past 2 years than whether you collect UI or not. Rather than focusing on you are not a 99er who collected 99 weeks of UT, focus on how you have improved yourself during the past 2 years (learned new skills, volunteer job, temp job, went back to school, etc).