Sometimes life isn't easy and it certainly can be unfair. Anyone who is or has been unemployed long-term knows the frustrations involved with trying to find a job in this economy.
No matter what the media wants us to believe - the job market sucks!
The new reality is that finding a job today takes creativity, perseverance and sometimes just dumb luck.
read more about the struggles of the long-term unemployed here
Being long-term unemployed can make a person depressed. You want to work and are willing to do just about anything to bring a paycheck home. Once you get to a certain age, many find that you are being discriminated because of your age. Although rarely does a prospective employer come right out and say it, you can tell when your age is a factor.
With so many seeking work, employers look for the ideal candidate who will work cheap. Often this means they look towards a younger worker who doesn't need as much money as an older person who is supporting a family. What employers often fail to recognize is the fact that an older worker, because they need the paycheck, may be more reliable than a younger person who still enjoys going out on a Saturday night.
Many experts say that long-term unemployed workers need to be flexible and even consider working outside their comfort zone. Some seem to think that is the "magic" formula for finding work.
The odds really are against an older worker who is ready, willing and able to try something new. Even if you present yourself as someone who is able to try something new; often an employer isn't willing to give you the opportunity. If there is a younger person with the experience who will work for less money they will get the job.
Physical limitations of the older worker also come into play when looking to change careers. As a person who is in that age range, being able to do the kind of jobs that I did when I was younger is not a possibility for me now. Labor positions like waiting tables is hard physically when you have age-related or accident-related injuries that limit your physical capabilities.
Many people consider the idea of becoming self-employed. If you have been unemployed long-term, having the cash reserves to start up a new business may be impossible. It is a leap of faith to throw all you have into a business and hope that you will find success.
Work from home opportunities are hard to find. Yes, there are many that promise you will make a decent living but you need to investigate them fully. Customer service positions that you can do from home may seem like a good idea. Many require that you have a good computer, a land line, fax and be able to dedicate a specific block of time to work.
Personally I looked into many of these WAH jobs. I do not have a land line and the set-up process for my computer would require allowing this company access to my information. I was not willing to make my entire family vulnerable this way. Truth be told, I am hardly a computer geek. I don't fully understand the risks (if there are any) but honestly, I don't know if there is someone unscrupulous in this company who may get access to my personal information and "steal" from me. It isn't worth the $10 an hour.
An acquaintance who does do work for one of these companies (which was featured on Good Morning America) tells me he uses his cell phone instead of installing a land line. I am on a family plan and if I go over my allotted minutes, it will cost me money. Again another reason why this will not be feasible for me.
When long-term unemployed you can become so frustrated by the job search that you feel depressed. Giving up is not an option; you need a paycheck. You struggle to not appear desperate to a prospective employer but it is a balance to act confident when inside all you can think about is money.
This blog is about hope and when you are living with long-term unemployment, hope is something that is hard to hold onto. As a long-term unemployed worker whose benefits ran out 6 months ago, I lose hope from time to time. I deal with the frustration, anger, hopelessness and fear of not having a paycheck.
I call myself a "freelance web content writer" which I am; the problem is that my efforts don't earn me enough to make up for losing my paycheck I earned as a manager of an auto repair facility. I sell used and vintage items on ebay, etsy and artfire. I blog daily on a variety of subjects.
I write because I need to distract my mind from panic. I earn money from people reading my articles and blog posts. When someone clicks on an ad displayed on one of my many articles or blog posts that earns me money also (hint hint).
Mostly, I do my best not to give up hope. I visualize earning money and feeling a sense of security that I am lacking at the present moment. If you are also long-term unemployed or have been unemployed long-term, please leave me a comment and share how you overcame the obstacles that you faced. It will help many who are also in this position.
No matter what the media wants us to believe - the job market sucks!
The new reality is that finding a job today takes creativity, perseverance and sometimes just dumb luck.
read more about the struggles of the long-term unemployed here
Being long-term unemployed can make a person depressed. You want to work and are willing to do just about anything to bring a paycheck home. Once you get to a certain age, many find that you are being discriminated because of your age. Although rarely does a prospective employer come right out and say it, you can tell when your age is a factor.
With so many seeking work, employers look for the ideal candidate who will work cheap. Often this means they look towards a younger worker who doesn't need as much money as an older person who is supporting a family. What employers often fail to recognize is the fact that an older worker, because they need the paycheck, may be more reliable than a younger person who still enjoys going out on a Saturday night.
Many experts say that long-term unemployed workers need to be flexible and even consider working outside their comfort zone. Some seem to think that is the "magic" formula for finding work.
The odds really are against an older worker who is ready, willing and able to try something new. Even if you present yourself as someone who is able to try something new; often an employer isn't willing to give you the opportunity. If there is a younger person with the experience who will work for less money they will get the job.
Physical limitations of the older worker also come into play when looking to change careers. As a person who is in that age range, being able to do the kind of jobs that I did when I was younger is not a possibility for me now. Labor positions like waiting tables is hard physically when you have age-related or accident-related injuries that limit your physical capabilities.
Many people consider the idea of becoming self-employed. If you have been unemployed long-term, having the cash reserves to start up a new business may be impossible. It is a leap of faith to throw all you have into a business and hope that you will find success.
Work from home opportunities are hard to find. Yes, there are many that promise you will make a decent living but you need to investigate them fully. Customer service positions that you can do from home may seem like a good idea. Many require that you have a good computer, a land line, fax and be able to dedicate a specific block of time to work.
Personally I looked into many of these WAH jobs. I do not have a land line and the set-up process for my computer would require allowing this company access to my information. I was not willing to make my entire family vulnerable this way. Truth be told, I am hardly a computer geek. I don't fully understand the risks (if there are any) but honestly, I don't know if there is someone unscrupulous in this company who may get access to my personal information and "steal" from me. It isn't worth the $10 an hour.
An acquaintance who does do work for one of these companies (which was featured on Good Morning America) tells me he uses his cell phone instead of installing a land line. I am on a family plan and if I go over my allotted minutes, it will cost me money. Again another reason why this will not be feasible for me.
When long-term unemployed you can become so frustrated by the job search that you feel depressed. Giving up is not an option; you need a paycheck. You struggle to not appear desperate to a prospective employer but it is a balance to act confident when inside all you can think about is money.
This blog is about hope and when you are living with long-term unemployment, hope is something that is hard to hold onto. As a long-term unemployed worker whose benefits ran out 6 months ago, I lose hope from time to time. I deal with the frustration, anger, hopelessness and fear of not having a paycheck.
I call myself a "freelance web content writer" which I am; the problem is that my efforts don't earn me enough to make up for losing my paycheck I earned as a manager of an auto repair facility. I sell used and vintage items on ebay, etsy and artfire. I blog daily on a variety of subjects.
I write because I need to distract my mind from panic. I earn money from people reading my articles and blog posts. When someone clicks on an ad displayed on one of my many articles or blog posts that earns me money also (hint hint).
Mostly, I do my best not to give up hope. I visualize earning money and feeling a sense of security that I am lacking at the present moment. If you are also long-term unemployed or have been unemployed long-term, please leave me a comment and share how you overcame the obstacles that you faced. It will help many who are also in this position.
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