The job I lost
I was a Union Carpenter and worked on a big project until March 8th, 2009. I have been laid off ever since.
I was living in PA but the wife had also been out of work for over a year and finally got a job in upstate New York so we packed up and moved. She is now working at a job making a whole lot less then her last job. It's basically entry-level even though she has a Master's.
What it's like being unemployed
It really sucks. Over the past year I have been pounding the pavement for at least 6 hours a day. I am willing to take whatever I can find but am finding out that at age 58 there are not a whole lot of employers who want to offer you a job!
I have worked in construction for the past 30+ years and have applied for factory jobs along with many non-union jobs. I have turned in over 1100 resumes and in the last year have had a grand total of three interviews! One employer told me that having worked in construction all of those years, I know nothing else. Another told me that I would have a shot if I were 25 years younger! And the last one I never heard back from at all.
It just seems like the government would rather send 200 million dollars to other countries that have had earthquakes and such, but then just turn their backs on Americans who honestly need help! They could afford to pay more weeks if they would take the greed out of the government. Just last night on the news big officials at SEC making over 200,000 a year spent up to 8 hours a day watching porn! And doing it while taking taxpayers money to pay their salaries no less. It makes me really sick! They are not even doing their job and I can't find one!
I have begun to really give up hope fast. Pounding pavement day after day and then nothing to show for it anyway! Unemployment only goes so far. It's getting harder to pay the bills and keep up with everything. I honestly get a kick out of those who say that unemployed people are sitting at home watching TV and what not! I can tell that those saying that are not unemployed! It's easy to condemn someone when you are on the other side of the fence - let's just hope you stay there!
Advice
- I have learned that America does not like older workers at all, even though I know I can outwork most of the younger ones!
- I remember the value of work. I know how to work and never took it like I was entitled to a thing. I knew that in order to have anything I had to work for it.
