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Unemployed
TheBrassMan
Member Posts: 3,807 ✭✭✭
By choice, that is. Been turning wrenches on bikes for 24 years and experienced severe burnout, thought my head was going to explode. Maybe I'll go for something new, like slinging fries at McD's or Wal Mart greeter. Actually I'm thinking of buying a 1 ton truck and delivering travel trailers from a yard to dealers around the country. It seems pretty good on the surface. Any thoughts?
If a man speaks in the forest and there is no woman to hear him, is he still wrong?
If a man speaks in the forest and there is no woman to hear him, is he still wrong?
Comments
Was laid off Jan. 8, 2010. Was rehired May 17, 2010.
Laid off again May 12, 2011. Can not find anything as of this posting. Been working for 32 years of my life and I feel like this is what I get for striving and struggling those 32 years. Trying to think of what kind of business to get into. Been thinking of getting my FFL but I can't afford to rent a commercial address for the 6 months it takes to get it. Plus there are now 7 Gun Shops within a 10 mile radius of my home and 5 of those within 5 miles.
Just curious, but are there NO JOBS at all where you live? I know there may be none in whatever your field is, but to be unemployed for a year and still a kid is hard to believe. Now if you were an old fart like myself I could understand a little better.
You also said that you started working last May, but no longer?
I am confused a little bit.
Just wondering.
Where are you at, and what type of work did you do for 32 years? I hope someone can give you a heads up with that information.
20 years plus in my own business now, and paying unemployment tax on myself still. Funny part is if I had to shut my business down, I can't collect unemployment.[xx(]
Add all of the failed business owners to your unemployment figures as well,......they don't show up.
BIL was out of work for two years. Was a top insurance adjuster, but couldn't find work. Tried truck driving, and now is doing very well with an oil & gas service company.
Part of the problem for us is age. When the job market is really competitive, I can't shake the feeling that grey hair is a handicap.
And the unemployment number thrown around by the gov't is just an indicator, not a true number. The true number is much higher. Can't imagine how things are in places like Detroit.
And fiery auto crashes
Some will die in hot pursuit
While sifting through my ashes
Some will fall in love with life
And drink it from a fountain
That is pouring like an avalanche
Coming down the mountain
that might sound strange, but apparently that's how it works when there are suddenly less jobs than employees. that's how the excess workers get flushed out of the job market. unfortunately nobody tells this to them, so they go on looking for the same kind of work they always had done, thinking they will get a job sooner or later. no, they are wasting their time. they never will.
simply not being aware of this must be causing even more unemployment, because of months or years wasted on fruitless job searching. people don't know their career is gone and they should have taken that lawn mowing job they turned down.
I think the best tactic is to take whatever you can, anything, then continue searching for something better while doing that. it won't help your resume but it will keep you from losing more money than you would being unemployed.
i get 1 job per 3-6 weeks (remodeling/tile)
thank god for my wife and her job, it carries us through.
buy and sell items from CL,make gas money and spending money for me.
and no unemployment checks here.that sucks,pay into it all my life and i can;t get a dime back[:(!]
I think the best tactic is to take whatever you can, anything, then continue searching for something better while doing that. it won't help your resume but it will keep you from losing more money than you would being unemployed.
Agree with this. I worked as a mechanical/manufacturing Engineer for about 19 years only to be downsized Feb. 2009. I was only unemployed for 6 months then started working as a Correctional Officer for the state in Aug. 2009. I feel pretty blessed to only be unemployed that long - especially considering the severance package and unemployment income. Also, living in a rural area, any kind of good job is hard too find. We never got to hurting too bad. I am certainly 'underemployed' as I make somewhere between $8,000 to $15,000 less per year depending on how much overtime I work. Of course I'm still looking for a better job. And of course I'd like to get back into Engineering, but not only is it hard to find a job (Colleges are still cranking out tons of graduates every year who are worth quite a bit less than me, salary wise) I also have a hard time wanting to go back to a job with no job security, no pension, no overtime pay, all while giving them about as many hours per week as they want.
Zulu,
Just curious, but are there NO JOBS at all where you live? I know there may be none in whatever your field is, but to be unemployed for a year and still a kid is hard to believe. Now if you were an old fart like myself I could understand a little better.
You also said that you started working last May, but no longer?
I am confused a little bit.
Just wondering.
First off, I'm a full-time college student, and I'll be graduating in December. I tried working part-time (factory work) a year ago while going to school full time, and I failed 2 of my 4 classes that semester.
Secondly, there are places around here that are hiring, but it's either factory work (which didn't work out so well for me), or their help-wanted ads read, "Unemployed need not apply." I'm not schitting you at all on that. Most places around here do not want people who are unemployed at all.
The last job I had, I started in May 2010, and was let go in December of 2010. Sorry for the confusion on dates.
quote:Originally posted by garanch
Zulu,
Just curious, but are there NO JOBS at all where you live? I know there may be none in whatever your field is, but to be unemployed for a year and still a kid is hard to believe. Now if you were an old fart like myself I could understand a little better.
You also said that you started working last May, but no longer?
I am confused a little bit.
Just wondering.
First off, I'm a full-time college student, and I'll be graduating in December. I tried working part-time (factory work) a year ago while going to school full time, and I failed 2 of my 4 classes that semester.
Secondly, there are places around here that are hiring, but it's either factory work (which didn't work out so well for me), or their help-wanted ads read, "Unemployed need not apply." I'm not schitting you at all on that. Most places around here do not want people who are unemployed at all.The last job I had, I started in May 2010, and was let go in December of 2010. Sorry for the confusion on dates.
If this was not such a serious situation, that would be funny.
What the heck do they want?
What is your degree going to be in?
20 years plus in my own business now, and paying unemployment tax on myself still. Funny part is if I had to shut my business down, I can't collect unemployment.[xx(]
That is pathetic, now way around it I assume?
I hope I don't regret asking but what is their reasoning for that?
Last fall I went to truck driver school and got my CDL.
I started to work in January and now am putting $1K a week into the bank.
As I recall:
if a person has taken any educational classes in the last "X" amount of time, they are not counted as unemployed.
if a person worked even for a single day out of the last "X" period of time, they are not counted as unemployed.
if a person has been off work or unemployed past "X" amount to time, once again, they are not counted as unemployed ... even if actively searching for work.
I'm sure that many of you folks are much more up on the ins and outs of selectively counting and not counting folks that are not employed.
Out of every four or for certain five folks that I know, there are one or two that are unemployed ... whether officially counted or not!
I strongly suspect that the percentage of able bodied and willing workers ... the percentage without gainful employment is actually well beyond 25% and likely as high as 1/3 of the full-tiem work force.
I was set to be fully hired last month and then bang! The economy hit the third recession and hiring freze was placed on the three positions they had. The work is still there and I am getting 80 hours for the most part but here i sit.
quote:Originally posted by Zulu7
quote:Originally posted by garanch
Zulu,
Just curious, but are there NO JOBS at all where you live? I know there may be none in whatever your field is, but to be unemployed for a year and still a kid is hard to believe. Now if you were an old fart like myself I could understand a little better.
You also said that you started working last May, but no longer?
I am confused a little bit.
Just wondering.
First off, I'm a full-time college student, and I'll be graduating in December. I tried working part-time (factory work) a year ago while going to school full time, and I failed 2 of my 4 classes that semester.
Secondly, there are places around here that are hiring, but it's either factory work (which didn't work out so well for me), or their help-wanted ads read, "Unemployed need not apply." I'm not schitting you at all on that. Most places around here do not want people who are unemployed at all.The last job I had, I started in May 2010, and was let go in December of 2010. Sorry for the confusion on dates.
If this was not such a serious situation, that would be funny.
What the heck do they want?
What is your degree going to be in?
I'll have an Associate's Degree in Law Enforcement.
I've worked about 250 hrs of OT this year on top of my regular 40 hr week. I worked 8hrs OT last week and 8 hrs the week before. Two weeks before that I worked 20 hrs OT and 8 hrs DT. Looks like a normal 40 hr week this week but another 8 hrs OT next week.
We are pretty busy at work and looks like we well stay that way until after the 1st quarter next year based on orders that we have already received.
Paul
Okay enough of that rant.
Yes we have to look outside of our area of expertise. I have been looking for anything. Hate to say it not even McDonalds is hiring here. They accept applications but they are not hiring.
But I am still looking for anything. I am finding out though that very few are hiring and yes it is an employer choice now.
My unemployment runs out in November, but the Governor, just signed an executive order Saturday to extend benefits another 20 weeks.
I am glad the wife is still working. Yes we had some savings. The only ones not getting anything right now are the Credit Card Co., screw them. They get bailed out and still keep doing the same thing with the exorbitant interest rates. They are not willing to work with you.
Okay ranting again.
Enough for now.
The new owner has mismanaged the company to pieces. It's been a long sad demise of what was a truly good family business.
Things are so bad, we have employees who have worked together for 20 years at each others throats. noone gives a damn about anything and it's spiriling out of control. we have stuff going missiing almost daily and everyone is worried what everyone else is making rather than worring about their own *.
We have over $2M worth of work, if we don't run out of money before we can get them started. Who knows what's going to happen?
I have no idea how unemployment works, I have never been out of work long enough to apply. I hear some people say it pays $480 a week, others say it's $480 a month. Either way I would prefer to not find out.
I think I have done a good job keeping the household debt in check. but we are beginning to implement some shtf plans as I speak.
Looks like directv will bite the dust. Going to dump the phone company, and lower internet speeds to the minimum. might even go to library if I have to.
What sucks is I just got a new truck, so I suppose i will be parking that thing in capital ones parking lot and giving them the keys and sayin better luck next time. I have a 790-810 credit score currently. Figure I dump the truck on a vol repo and take the 100 point hit, then in dec turn around and pay off the wifes car from sav. it will be like $4000. But it should give me 50 points of my rating back which puts me around 725+ which is still well within be able to get a job.
Im fat, so prob drop the cokes and snack habit. Should have done this years ago. I have enough savings for us to live our normal life style for 24 months. Unemployment and her job would stretch that to 36 month maybe 42. I am positive I can find work in a matter of days, but if not, We will hammer on until I do.
i have it far better than most people, which i recognize and appreciate. i was fortunate to put 18 years into a family business because I know almost everyone in the industry and i feel that will give me an edge if and when I begin looking.
and I am not above selling things either, be it my guns, ammo, or if it comes to it the vette. Long as I take care of #1 that is all that matters and my #1 is my little girl, her needs and education. That's what is important to me.
of course id rather be able to give her the car, but it is what it is.
It is to bad so many are unemployed, and I am sure the government is making the numbers come out to their what they want them to be. Hope things turn around for those that want to work and they have a good paying job, real soon.
Another thing that really burns me is employers using our credit records for hiring. That is stupid, just because my credit record now sucks doesn't mean I am a crappy worker. My credit record sucks because being unemployed I can't make payments. They don't see that. They also think we will be criminals stealing from them to try and pay our bills. That is a bunch of BS!!!
I am ranting again.
quote:Originally posted by TheBrassMan
I am glad for you guys that still have work. I am in the Twilight Zone for age. Seems employers think that younger guys have it all. Yet they lack the knowledge and experience that us older workers have. It cost them more to train these younger kids to do the work instead of getting us with the experience to do it. We may not be as fast but we sure as heck will not make the mistakes that the young kids do.
Another thing that really burns me is employers using our credit records for hiring. That is stupid, just because my credit record now sucks doesn't mean I am a crappy worker. My credit record sucks because being unemployed I can't make payments. They don't see that. They also think we will be criminals stealing from them to try and pay our bills. That is a bunch of BS!!!
I am ranting again.
I have a couple irons in the fire right now. Both are pretty solid leads that would take us back home (Ohio). I fly out for one interview this Thursday and I'm waiting for news on the other any day now. I'm hoping to be offered both and be in a pickle over what one to choose. That would be a welcome problem to have!
Well best of luck to you my friend. It sure ain't easy out there! Stay positive![;)][^]
quote:Originally posted by TheBrassMan
I have to keep at it. An 8 year old and a 4 year old, I have to keep at it. Yeah I am 50[:p] Started late with the family. It just gets discouraging at times. Now I see why so many have fallen away. They just give up. So they are no longer on the unemployment rolls. It is disheartening to see it.
.By Zachary Roth | The Lookout - 2 hrs 46 mins ago.. .
Job fair attendees look over a recruiting table. AP Photo/Nick Ut
Advocates for the unemployed have cheered a push by the Obama administration to ban discrimination against the jobless. But business groups and their allies are calling the effort unnecessary and counterproductive.
The job creation bill that President Obama sent to Congress earlier this month includes a provision that would allow unsuccessful job applicants to sue if they think a company of 15 more employees denied them a job because they were unemployed.
The provision would ban employment ads that explicitly declare the unemployed ineligible, with phrases like "Jobless need not apply." As The Lookout has reported, such ads appear to have proliferated in recent years, prompting an inquiry by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Democratic lawmakers in both the House and the Senate have introduced similar measures. Obama said recently that discrimination against the unemployed makes "absolutely no sense," especially because many people find themselves out of work through no fault of their own.
Advocates for employers oppose the proposed ban. "We do not see a need for it," Michael Eastman of the Chamber of Commerce told the New York Times.
Lawrence Lorber, a labor law specialist who represents employers, told the paper the president's proposal "opens another avenue of employment litigation and nuisance lawsuits."
Louie Gohmert, a Republican representative from Texas, went further. He told the Times that the proposal would send the following message: "If you're unemployed and you go to apply for a job, and you're not hired for that job, see a lawyer. You may be able to file a claim because you got discriminated against because you were unemployed."
The current downturn is characterized by a relatively low rate of layoffs, but still high unemployment. Many of the jobless have been out of work for an extended period. Around 14 million Americans are officially unemployed, of whom more than 6 million are considered "long-term unemployed," because they've been out of work for six months or more. The average duration of joblessness is currently 40 weeks, the highest in more than 60 years.
There is evidence that when people are out of work for an extended period, their skills atrophy and it becomes increasingly difficult for them to find new work.
Earlier this year, New Jersey passed a bill banning ads that tell the jobless not to apply. But it did not go as far as Obama's proposal, because it didn't explicitly allow workers to sue if they thought they were denied a job because they were unemployed.
..
Never filed for the unemployment pay. Not sure if that was a good idea. Thinking it wasn't.
I am working, but not for pay, and with the family situation right now, I actually cannot go get a real job.
Sux.