August 4th, 2011- Day 57 being unemployed....
I have decided to take to the blogs an important issue in our society today. I know that I am not alone in this one and I keep hearing the politicians saying it is an issue but nothing really seems to be changing. I believe that the first step to any change is acknowledging there is a problem...but an equally important step has to be UNDERSTANDING the problem. I cringed when I heard the politicians saying "the American people want" or any other claim that they are speaking for "the American people". Mostly I cringed because I don't think any of them have any idea what the American people are thinking or what WE all want. Okay, okay this is NOT going to be another political rant. I want this blog to have a distinct purpose, and that is to tell a story, my story, your story, and any one's story that is facing the agony of UNEMPLOYMENT in America. I have seen threads about this but the adventures I have encountered in the last 57 days and well before that have been entertaining to say the least.
It's hard to know where to start. In 2004, after four years of honorable service in the US Navy I decided to leave the military to pursue a higher education. I had this idea in my head that I could get out, go to school, and find a job to pay me at least 12 bucks an hour. This was my first experience being unemployed. There were jobs then and the economy was better, but being in an electrician in the Navy doesn't qualify you for anything in civilian world....so I worked as a waitress. When I started getting my bachelor's degree in 2005 I remember hearing rumblings about the job market being rough. I figured in four years when I was done with school things would be looking up and I would find a job. Five years, three majors, and a baby later I would be proved wrong yet again. Luckily for me the GI Bill was revamped to the Post 9/11 GI bill which qualified me for an additional year of benefits and the opportunity to get a master's degree. I had fallen into the social service field where a master's is necessary to make a livable wage. I love the work so I don't mind settling for a lower wage. I again thought that two years would make a difference in the economy and I would be qualified for more jobs ....wrong again....I actually think it's worse!
So here we are at today....I graduated in May 2011 with a master's degree in social work and a type-73 certification to qualify me for school social work. I actually started applying for jobs in January because my anxiety had me worried I may not find a job and needed a jump start. I had my first interview in April and I was excited because it was at a school district I really wanted to get into. The interview felt like a disaster. The team interviewing me had been interviewing all day and I had been on my feet for 7 hours talking to students in their district at a health fair. To be honest I thought they knew who they were hiring before I ever even walked in. I was discouraged but it was still early in the game and I was confident I would find something. I started applying to agencies as well knowing that I would finish my school internship June 9th. I was worried that even IF i found a job at a school in the fall I would still struggle to pay bills over the summer. I don't know when I actually became discouraged. I haven't given up applying but the constant calls from the creditors, and the doom of having utilities shut off has dampened my spirits a bit.
I have called at least two places that have told me they have so many applicants they are not sure what to do. One place had 60 applicants in two days. I went to an interview for that one and what I have found is that when you have 60 people dying for a job you can be pretty picky....especially when it is probable that a percentage of that 60 has more "experience" than a new graduate. I applied for a job at a construction company out of desperation and I was told they have "hundreds" of applicants.
I am learning that the expectation is that everyone who finishes college has family they can live with until they find a job. This is not true for everyone and should not be an expectation! I am beginning to hate when people ask why you haven't done something to make your situation easier. I always want to say "don't you think if I could have I would have". I think the worst part is I know there are others out there that have it FAR worse than me. I think about my mom raising my brother and I with no help on $7.50 an hour, and no college education or career to fall back on.
I recently went to the local veteran's office for assistance with unpaid bills. I was required to bring a folder stuffed with personal documents which was looked over with a fine tooth comb. In the end they said they can help with all but $100 of my rent for this month. They cannot pay the utilities or anything other than the determined amount. In return I must apply to five jobs per week (which I am doing anyways). I have to drive 30 minutes to bring them a document once a week and if I fail to do so I may lose the possibility of future assistance. When you think about prioritizing things can become overwhelming. I think okay I don't need the Internet...I can go to the library with my laptop and apply for jobs. Well try getting your rambunctious 4 year old to sit still in one spot while you apply for jobs. I also know that I somehow have to get my car bill paid...if I don't have a car how will i get to interviews and jobs...especially the ones an hour away. I thought about letting my phone go off but then quickly realized if I do that I will not have the ability to receive calls from the employers that I have left my resume with. Sometimes I wish I could express all of this in an interview.
The creditors are a whole different issue. They talk me in circles when I call by giving me different phone numbers and telling me things they can do to "work with me" but all i hear is my credit is being ruined. As each time I do not make a payment they slap me with a 25-40 dollar late fee and raise my interest rate. They don't seem to care that I am a recent graduate in a temporary situation. I think it should be criminal to ruin a recent grads credit. I mean why can they defer the payments until you become employed?
So I know this first entry is SUPER long but I wanted to catch things up to speed. I want to tell you all about my experience today and then leave it open for all of you to tell your stories....my plan is to get whatever stories end up on here to the politicians in the white house, because those of us willing to work should have the opportunity. I once had a professor that was able to collect social security for retirement and still work at the university....something seems not right about that.
Two days ago I found a job posted at the community mental health center. It's a bachelor level position but I figured that since the agencies seem to want higher qualified people that they can pay a lower wage I would be a shoe in. I called the HR person but their voicemail said they would be out of the office until Thursday. I figured okay...well I am guessing that means no interviews until then. Since my Internet was out due to delinquent payment I decided to drive over and hand deliver my resume. The HR person was called to meet me in the waiting room. She was NOT friendly and seemed aggravated that I bothered her. She said I should have emailed my resume because that is the "preferred method" and then said that the position has been filled because someone e-mailed their resume to her and she forwarded it to the hiring manager and they were "hired back". I am not sure she meant to say the "hired back". I then asked that she keep my resume on file for future positions and she again said that the preferred method is e-mail. I said okay I can go home and e-mail it to you. She didn't like that either because she looked at me funny and said "when there's an open position". I asked her to sign my job work search form for the VA and she said "but your not applying for anything because there aren't any open positions". I very kindly explained that I have to visit places and I visited because there IS an open position posted online. She reluctantly signed and said the position would be removed as soon as she was able to update the website. I said okay I will e-mail my resume and she said "when there is an open position"...I am thinking I will e-mail it as soon as I am done with this blog! I think the best part was the male patient waiting to be seen who was saying "I think you should hire her"...and said something about my body. Then when she was walking away he was yelling "you need to hire her. I like her demeanor...she is so cheerful...this is the kind of staff you need". I thanked him more than her because he was so much nicer. I mean really? She acts like she hates her job! I would love to take her job. I would have have at least apologized and said hey I'll keep your resume and next time you see a position your interested in e-mail me a reminder. and at the VERY LEAST I would have said good luck in your search. I must say I hate this electronic job application crap. I feel like my info goes into open space and they just delete most of them. Most of the time there is no response to applications and e-mails anyway. Since when did it become bad to go into a place to deliver a paper copy of a resume.
Okay my hands are tired and I am sure you are tired of reading if you are even still with me. I have many more stories but I will save them for another night. I can't wait for the night I can say I am unemployed, but I also cannot wait for the day that majority of the million unemployed people have been hired and are loving their jobs. Happy Hunting!
