Dec. 18, 2008... I lost my full-time job.
It's been two years since then.
During that time I've looked for work. Both full-time and part-time.
The full-time job interviews have been few and far between. Just one in 2009. Just one this year 2010.
The part-time jobs had been more frequent... Two part-time job interviews in 2009 and three in 2010.
Out of... lessee. At least one hundred applications sent in for work through... lessee... twelve different job agencies, four technical corporations, nine colleges and universities, tons of government offices, and seven different job fairs.
I did have part-time employment. One was for an inventory counter position that wasn't getting a lot of business during a recession. Even when I made myself more available for hours, they weren't calling me in for a lot of work. The other job was with the U.S. Census, counting houses and the people who weren't living in them anymore. That lasted a bit more than a month. Nothing since.
Not much out there for a librarian.
Not much out there for someone with computer training, computer troubleshooting, and computer repair skills.
The story is that there's currently five applicants per position in this high-unemployment era. Under normal circumstances it's supposed to be three per position. The truth? I'm hearing stories about 150 to 300 applicants per position. 'Cause it's not just the unemployed competing for work, it's also the employed people too, ones who are looking for better job security in an uncertain market.
But, say the naysayers, there are jobs to be had after all! True. But when you're one out of one-hundred, the odds are AGAINST you being even on a list of five to get through the door for interviews.
But, say the naysayers, you can ALWAYS find work at a retail or fast food business! Not really. I've put in for retail jobs and they never call me back. And the pay these jobs give out WILL NOT COVER MY MORTGAGE, MY HEALTH CARE NEEDS, or anything else a full-time job would. I *am* putting in for the part-time jobs anyway, just to have something, but still... No calls. Nothing.
But, say the naysayers, you're being too picky about what jobs to put in for! You're just being too lazy about your job hunting! Put in for every job and you're bound to get one! Like a librarian will have qualifications to work in sales? And like I mentioned earlier, I've put in for jobs where I'm qualified, and I even follow up on them to show my interest for them... and I still never hear a word back!
I'm at that point my depression is getting the better of me. Convinced that it's not the overwhelmed job market, that it's me. That for all my intellect, skills, work experience, all that... it's ME that people just don't want to hire.
I'm too young to retire, even if I could. I'm too poor to have any investments or capital to afford starting my own business.
And this is, for what I know, the last week I have any unemployment benefits at all. Even all the new benefits extensions that Obama just wrangled out of an obstructionist GOP isn't going to help me. It's going to help the millions after me who have yet to use up their 99 weeks of unemployment. All the ones I'm competing with for a handful of jobs.
Meanwhile, Congress is about to get taken over by a Republican Party whose idea of jobs creation is to cut social benefits, test the unemployed for drug abuse, and cut more corporate taxes that DON'T CREATE JOB GROWTH. The state of Florida is about to get taken over by a MEDICARE FRAUD openly pledging to slash jobs, with a GOP-held state legislature obsessed with cutting state-level taxes to zero while wasting millions on pork-barrel projects.
I am totally serious about running for office. Getting elected may be the only chance I have to ever seeing paid employment ever again. "Vote for Wartenberg. I Need The Work."
Happy New Year.
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