long term unemployment

[CapeMayMommy]

My brother and my step-son have been unemployed for so long, it makes me sick with worry.

First, my brother: laid off in 2008. He is a college graduate--with honors-- who passed the cpa exam on the first try. He earned an excellent salary at a well known company.

Second, my step-son: laid off in early 2009. College graduate with honors in business.

These are two intelligent people. Yet, weeks go by with not even an interview. It only gets worse as time goes on. I've tried to help, but the "help wanted" ads in the local paper are fewer and fewer.

My brother, I admit , was slow to realize the reality. When he first was laid off, he depended on a recruiter. I think that may have been a mistake. He also wanted a job equal to what he had. Now his standards are lower, much lower.

I spoke with a friend on the phone recently. She said that her company laid off several people last year and none of them had yet to find a job.

I actually think that the unemployment situation is worst than they are saying . Are you long term unemployed, or know people who are?

 

[Kitty 34]

Two of my 3 sons are unemployed. My oldest was laid off from a college coaching job last Spring and has been looking ever since.

My youngest DS was laid off from an auto factory job a little over a year ago and still is looking for a job.

We're from Michigan and they say it's bad around here. I have to agree.

 

[ReneeA]

My DH was laid off for 6 months starting in 2008. He tried a commission only job because it was the only one he could find at the time, but he's not got the personality for that work, so made under $2k for 6 months of HARD work on his part.

At that point, his current employer called him up and asked if he wanted to come back - part time, no bennies (work when there is work). He went back a year ago, but works anywhere from 10-30 hours a week, made less than a third of his "normal" income last year, and we've been almost a year without insurance.

The only plus I could get out of this whole mess is that I had a year left to go in nursing school and he really picked up the slack at home with kids. He gets them to school, does some housework, volunteered to be Cubmaster for our school (and the pack went fro 12 kids to 35 kids with how active he keeps them). I know he's upset about the work situation, but I really couldn't be more proud of him and the way he's handled it. Now I'm done with school, have a full time job, and insurance will kick in next month.

Hopefully his work situation improves in 2010.

 

[aprilgail2]

Are you long term unemployed, or know people who are?

I don't know any who are unemployed here that have not found new jobs fairly quickly after being laid off but I have a friend in NC who was laid off for over a year and went back to school for a year and became a teacher and got a job pretty quick. My friend actually just picked up a second job at a big brand new BMW dealer that was just built and is opening soon-he used to be a salesperson at a local Chevy dealership that closed down.
Good luck to your borther and stepson-hope they find something soon.

 

[NHdisneylover]

How willing are they to relocate? When DHs plant was shut down about 80 people were out of a job. Most of the ones he knows who wanted to stay local are still out of work, or doing something very part time and tenuos. Everyone he kept in contact with who was willing to relocate found something with comporable pay within 4 months. Relocating in this economy is tough (we still have a house in New Hampshire not selling any time soon in this market) but it is better than not working.

Good luck to both of them.

 

[Kimberle]

Yes, a co-workers dh has been out of work for 13 mths. He's a HS grad (no college) and was selling cell phones at the time. (Well known cell phone store/company.) I get the feeling he's not looking to hard, though.

 

[wdwfan16]

The only two people I know that are laid-off are very recent. One at the end of 2009 and the other was laid-off this week. The people that I knew who were laid-off before are all employed now.

 

[NY Disney fan]

How willing are they to relocate?
Good luck to both of them.

In NYC so many people have relocated because they can't find work anywhere else. You will find people from Ohio, Nebraska and Michigan all over NYC.

 

[puffkin]

I am a CPA. I got laid off in June. During the summer there was not much out there. I would go weeks without sending out one resume. I was working with a recruiter too and there just wasn't much out there.

I went the temp route. It took awile to find something that paid enough to actually live on (still a significant pay cut) but I have been doing that since late September. Since the New Year I have really stepped up my job search again because I am not sure I want to stay at the company I am temping at if they would make an offer. But at least I have a job for now. However, there are many more jobs right now. I am finding at least 1 thing a day to send a resume out for. The recruiter has also found me several jobs that he is going to try and get interviews for. Things still aren't good, but there is a lot more out there now than even 4-5 months ago.

Since you are in Cape May, have they thought about trying for jobs closer to Philly? The recruiter I work with says there is much more movement in that market than my local market. Unfortunately I can't commute that far due to DS3 and my DH already having a 1 hour commute. Also, a word about working with a recruiter is that you have to constantly be on them. I send emails or phone my recruiter every 1-2 weeks to give updates and stay fresh on his mind.

 

[KELLY]

My dh starts a new job this monday after a 14 months of unemployment. It is a 4.00 a hour pay cut but just to have a real job is what counts. We were lucky we had enough in savings to get by for those months. We had a 12,000 put away. As unemployment don't even cover our mortgage. Our savings is at zero now. We had to put some on credit cards. But lucky for us we qualify for EIC this year on our tax return. I would like to put the money away but we need to pay off our credit card debt first. I'm so glad he found a job and buy next month will just about be debt free(credit card. Good luck to both of them.

 

[GirTheGecko]

My df has been off of work for over a year, with some temp work. It's been incredibly hard and you hear on the news that it's getting worse. One week alone, there was over 100,000 layoffs in our state. So now he was competing with those people plus everyone else who was laid off.

 

[Pooh_Friend#1]

My DH was laid off in April of 2008 and still does not have a job. He has now gone back to school since he cannot find a job. Hoping once he gets his degree it will be easier.

 

[manning]

My DH was laid off for 6 months starting in 2008. He tried a commission only job because it was the only one he could find at the time, but he's not got the personality for that work, so made under $2k for 6 months of HARD work on his part.

At that point, his current employer called him up and asked if he wanted to come back - part time, no bennies (work when there is work). He went back a year ago, but works anywhere from 10-30 hours a week, made less than a third of his "normal" income last year, and we've been almost a year without insurance.

The only plus I could get out of this whole mess is that I had a year left to go in nursing school and he really picked up the slack at home with kids. He gets them to school, does some housework, volunteered to be Cubmaster for our school (and the pack went fro 12 kids to 35 kids with how active he keeps them). I know he's upset about the work situation, but I really couldn't be more proud of him and the way he's handled it. Now I'm done with school, have a full time job, and insurance will kick in next month.

Hopefully his work situation improves in 2010.

Hey dad, you have nothing to be ashamed of. Anyone who is willing to pitch in and pick up the slack has a lot going for them. You're a team and happy. That's what is important.

 

[CapeMayMommy]

In NYC so many people have relocated because they can't find work anywhere else. You will find people from Ohio, Nebraska and Michigan all over NYC.

That's interesting because my brother and step-son are both in the NYC area. My step-son worked in Chelsea. My brother worked in northern New Jersey.

I imagine what might sound like a great salary in Nebraska or Ohio is really peanuts in NYC. I could see some employers trying to use this to their advantage.

Years ago, I did the opposite--I moved away from NYC. It seems that there were a lot of people with my degree/career/experience being produced in the local universities. The supply drove down the salaries.

I moved to Cape May, and where people with my degree were scarce. I had my choice of jobs and make about 37% more than I did in NYC---plus, with a lower cost of living I am financially a lot better off. Do I miss NYC? Everyday. But for a better quality of life for my kids, I'll adjust. (by the way--I am the exception, not the rule. Most people who relocate here see their salaries go down)

As for my brother---he's a bachelor. So is my stepson. I tell them---go anywhere , apply anywhere---even jobs abroad. But my brother doesn't want to leave NYC area.

 

[NHdisneylover]

As for my brother---he's a bachelor. So is my stepson. I tell them---go anywhere , apply anywhere---even jobs abroad. But my brother doesn't want to leave NYC area.

I do think your brother's unwillingness to relocate is likely a big part of the problem. It always seem to us that different careers do well in different areas at different times. So, many other careers may be doing well in NYC just not those your family is looking for. Hopefully it will pick up for them soon (or they will see the light and go to where the jobs are).

 

[padams]

Real unemployment is around 17% nationally when the long term unemployed (and no longer eligible for benefits) and those who have taken part time work are factored in to the unemployment rate.

The Atlanta Journal Constitution announced yesterday that Georgia will have 10,000 census jobs available. I would guess that 500,000 people will be hired for the census across the country. Of course these jobs are temporary but they will cut the unemployment numbers.

 

[katiedid36]

My DH has been laid off since May 2009. We are in Michigan. He has sent out hundreds of resumes & has had 2 interviews. At the one they told him they received over 500 resumes & interviewed 5. He has unemployment until June with the extensions. We have broadened our search to anything thing within an 8 hour drive of home. There just isn't much out there.

 

[Disfan1]

I was laid off in August of 2008 and have only been able to find part-time retail work. I like where I work now so if a full time job comes up there, I'm willing to stay. I've also sent out hundreds of resumes and only been to 3 interviews.

 

[tmarquez]

I know about 12 people personally that were in construction previously and they have all been out of work since 2008. These are people that don't have a lot of skills or education. The unemployment has run out for some so they aren't even counted in the numbers.

My next door enighbor hasn't even been able to pick up a part-time job at Mcdonalds...he is a hard worker and he'll take ANYthing...he has 2 kids.

 

[geffric]

I have been unemployed for almost a year.. have had lots of interviews but no offers. my salary expectations have been lowered a lot..so our family has had a major drop in income and may never recover to the old level.. BTW i have an MBA from a top school, but even with that , no luck..