Guest DJ -A New Civil War
- I am willing to fight back with you. This country sucks!!
- —Guest NoHopeInOregon
4 years and Still No Job!
- Had a good job, excellent benefits and a condo. Today, I have nothing. Makes it really hard to believe in God. I am seriously depressed. I'm 49 and live in Oregon. As a single, childless woman--Oregon will not help me. Try getting through to the Governor and that worthless S#B doesn't care. Won't do a $$%$ thing to help the older jobless Oregonian. Had to go back to school and now have student loans. The only guarantee is that I'll have student loans to pay back but probably no job. I am depressed and discouraged. This state has NO free mental health for us and I have no insurance and no money to pay to get help. Thanks Obama and thanks Kitzbaher-You jerks!
- —Guest NoHopeInOregon
Real World
- This is very sad, honestly i see people that have jobs that don’t even deserve it. I'm 19 and amazed how the system is played out. We all are struggling but I am not going to give up . To me, I look at it like a war and Im not going to let them win. They want us to give up but you've got to remember where you came from because from all that, that’s how strong you are. I'm not giving up. I have big plans that will benefit the people that deserve it. It's a cruel world but I will do my best to help us all to succeed. That’s a promise from my heart and it stays solid.
- —Guest star
Try Office Temping
- I'm about to lose my benefits and am in a bit of a panic. I'm lucky to have my husband and keep praying for something. Meanwhile, I'm looking at office temp work through Kelly Services. It seems like they have a number of assignments. It's really hard being 50 in this job market. Many jobs aren't being advertised and it seems that many younger people are in the "On the Move" sections of our newspapers.
- —Guest Murphy Brown
Nowhere to get Help
- There is nowhere to get help these days if you're out of work. Well, so be it and that's how the Goverment thinks. If you speak only Englis, businesses won't give you a look. If you're born in the USA and speak only english, you wont get a job.
- —catherine_01
Government Washes Its Hands...
- Government Washes Its Hands of the Long Term Unemployed. They cut you off from unemployment benefits, think you're not trying or are lazy, they are wrong! It's discouraging/depressing/scary to look for work everyday, not finding anything, or you don't get considered because you are too old (in their opinion). Most American's live paycheck to paycheck, wages are low, bills/housing are high-no savings! Others who haven't lost their jobs due to layoffs/downsizing/budget cuts don't have a clue until it happens to them. Maybe they won't be so judgmental once it does. Those who got to keep their jobs actually COMPLAINED if they were asked to make concessions to keep their jobs!! I wish I had been given the opportunity and not just cut!! Evening news said 1 in 5 teachers in my area are being cut, and the remaining 4 will be given 2 pay raises!! How does THAT make sense? Our kids lose again. Just like me, those teachers DIDN'T DO ANYTHING WRONG. They showed up to work everyday, worked hard, and still got cut-it's not right!
- —Guest Vivian
Why They Refuse to Hire Us
- One year unemployed 5/12--what to do when nowhere wants to hire you for a job? IDK... when going after the same type of job we get no Luck! Maybe we've been looking at this the wrong way! Let's go for a total opposite job and maybe we could get hired... most of the times we refuse, and feels insulting to go lower than what we used to do in wages and career. For that we lose the benefit of being employed because we're to proud to stoop lower than our ability and knowledge allows us to. Take the job and something better will come along. used to doand bec
- —Guest tina
Survival of the Fittist
- After losing my job three years ago and spending all of my money seeking my child that a pedophile kidnapped, I lost my unemployment and used all of my money fighting a lost cause with the courts to attempt to get anyone to help me get my parenting time with my missing child. Now the courts gave jurisdiction to another state because they don't want to deal with it anymore and I am homeless without any money. My family and friends disowned me when I was begging them to help me with my missing child and custody case. They avoided me like I was cancer because they were afraid they might have to help me financially or help me with a place to live. I finally came to realize that when the economy is at its worst, people do not care about friends or even their own family, only about themselves and their almighty GOD, MONEY, more than human life itself. I have given up and just wait each day until the day I finally die and escape this life of hell that was caused by trusting others.
- —Guest Johnny
I Reached Out And Finally Some Hope!
- I took the advice of someone here who said 'reach out to family & friends for help'. I didn't ASK for help per se, but I let family members know how truly desperate my financial situation was. With 4 siblings over 50 and better off financially, one said "You'll figure it out-Good Luck" but one said, "We are sending you a check". I wept with joy as we are looking at the utilities being shut off, no cash for food/gas/car ins/other bills. I don't have a clue what I will receive, but I am THANKFUL for whatever I receive. I am like others who don't know what to do, spend my time applying for jobs hoping to be hired, or sit all day in the office that distributes cash aid and food stamps, not enough to live on but better than nothing like I have now (takes 6 wks to receive?). Shorten your resume to show only the last 5-6 yrs of employment to "appear younger", I did this and had 3 interviews yesterday back to back. Majority of interviews come from Craigslist posting for jobs. Call 211 for help!
- —Guest Carrie
My Unemployment is Almost Done
- Well I actually lost my job 7moths ago. I was accused of something I wasn't present to do and wasn't cleared of the allegation until 3-4months later. In that time, my brother lost his job. We both were jobless, in that time were 2months behind in rent and utilities. We were evicted and to top that off we had to sleep in our car with our mother who had a bladder infection from having to coil up in the car each nite. I'm hurt and ashamed that I can't get a better job to help our lives. My brother finally found a good paying job, but the we are always at a crossroads; either pay for the apartment, or pay the utilities and go without the apartment until next check. Cleaning ourselves is the hardest, but we go to the pool and maintain gym bill to have that access. But we both feel hurt and sad that we live a in a system that won't even helps us just because we are adults with no children? My unemployment took me 4-5months to get, now it's almost over. what to do?
- —Guest P1980
50+ and "Dead" to the Working World
- Age Discrimination has reared its ugly head. As a single mom for 15 years, I have a lot to offer companies from previous job experience and skills (working full-time for the last 34 yrs.). Still they don't want me, they want the young 20 and 30 year olds & fresh out of the universities. My unemployment was exhausted 7 mos ago, I cashed in my small retirement and now that's gone too. My parents are only ones in the family who have helped us to keep a roof overhead, others have turned their backs. I have to sell the few things of value I have left, the only items I have left to pass down to my children, to keep the utilities on. We never turned the heat on once this winter, and instead got a small utility heater and all sat around it in the livingroom, then just bundled up in bed, sleeping with a hat on our heads to keep us warm on 30 degree nites, and that's in Calif! I can't imagine what others in the east do! I shortened my resume to appear younger, at least I'm getting calls now. I will shine at the interview! God Bless!
- —Guest Carrie
No Help For Over 50
- Gosh, it is so depressing reading all these responses. I know how each feels though, as I am over 50, and unable to find work. Or sure, I look great, like one other participant mentioned, but get real, Google is out there. If you type in your name, right smack at the top is your age. And, with the rising cost of healthcare, especially if you are over 50, who would want to hire us? We are expensive, we have little time left compared to a 30 something "skinny thing" and we may not be worth the effort of training when you look at the years we have till SSI. Oh, I know what you're thinking, I can work 20 more years! Well, me too, but the reality is 62 is right around the corner for most of us, and regardless of what we feel, the company officials feel differently when you are interviewing and below that age level. My heart goes out to everyone out there. I am in the same predicament and just can't find anything. Hundreds and hundreds of resumes, and only 2 job interviews!
- —abjv
Standing on The Edge Sanity
- I lost my JOB on 17 Dec. 2010 and have been looking for a replacement without success. Since the age of 14, I've worked all my life and never once asked a single thing from the Government until now. I've been on unemployment. That is, until 3 weeks ago, when it suddenly ran out. I'm 60 years old and due to all the worry and stress, wound up in the hospital with a Pulmonary Embolism as well as, two times for pneumonia. During all this, I've still tried to have a positive attitude and continued to look for work under my newly aquired health conditions. If you think it's hard to find a JOB when you're 60, then you should try finding one when you also have a health problem.I've lost my car, my friends, my family, my health, my savings and now it looks like losing my house is next to go. No, maybe my sanity will go next and the rest won't even matter anymore. I'm just like millions out there that are about ready to give up.
- —Guest Michael
No Job, Unemployment Ending
- My unemployment runs out in June 2012. I have been unemployed since 12/31/2010. I am going to be losing my house in the next few months with no income. I live in a rural area with even fewer jobs than places with no jobs. I can't find a job at all. If there is a job, it's minimum wage, part time and no benefits and hundreds of people applying. I am going to have to move in with my parents. My mom is mentally and verbally abusive. I am 41 and still traumatized from my chilhood with her. I am not looking forward to being under her, trying to control me again and her screaming and yelling at me even in public. I am worried once I am in there I won't be able to ever afford to move out. I fear I may not be able to survive her this time around. I feel I have no hope and no future. I am freaked out and stressed out all the time. I am not religious and have issues even saying God, let alone praying. But I have tried praying. But if there is a God or whoever, why is this happening?
- —Guest Samantha
Job War. Unemployement frantics.
- I was notified via my local newspaper today that my federal extension would expire early in 2 weeks. I've been on unemployment for NEARLY 2 years. I have a Masters degree and have worked non-stop since I was 14, with the the majority of my jobs being long-term. I've been meeting my goal of applying for 100 jobs a week for the last year, but have only received one positive response (with no follow up). I've never gone on a job interview and not received the job, but NOW I can't even get an interview!! There is a horrible trap in todays economy of over educated, under-qualified workers. My most recent work experience, teaching Arts through a non-profit in public schools is prehistoric, and my Masters degree excludes me from working at blue collar jobs, that I know well. experienced in, and was raised around prior to my education. I relocated from my amazing small town for graduate school, and chance to help support my parents....and now I might be homeless next month.
- —Guest OverUnder
