The Ups and Downs of Unemployment

I haven't been in much of a mood to post anything here in the last couple of days. On the positive side, I attended a truly excellent session on resume writing at ProNet Charlotte the other day. But on the down side, financial issues have been putting me in a depressed mood.

That's always a problem with long term unemployment. Every positive, every cause for hope or optimism, seems to be canceled out by another problem or crisis. Every carefully prepared application and resume you send out seems to disappear without a trace. Every unemployment check is spent as soon as you get it. And every time you turn on the news there's more negative stories about the economy and the unemployment rate.

Depression among the long-term unemployed has to be a chronic and serious problem. And to make matters worse, it can be extremely difficult to get assistance with medical expenses. It was five months after I lost my job and insurance before I and my wife were able to get into a sliding scale program to help with doctor visits and medications. And my nineteen year old son, because he works part-time while he is going to college, is still ineligible to be covered by the sliding scale. This is an issue that I think needs to be addressed by our lawmakers, although I seriously doubt that will happen.

Although I sometimes get really sick of people telling me that I just need to keep a positive attitude and don't give up, that's really all that I can do.

ProNet Charlotte

I mentioned the other day that I was attending an orientation at ProNet Charlotte, a nonprofit service to assist displaced professionals in their search for employment. After attending the orientation session, I have to say that I am impressed with what they have to offer, and very hopeful that they will help me in my job search. Here is a video about this innovative service.

Job Search Assistance

I recently found out about a nonprofit group called ProNet Charlotte. Their purpose is to provide tools, resources, counseling and networking resources for out-of-work professionals seeking employment in the Charlotte area. I will be attending an orientation meeting this afternoon, and have also signed up for a resume coaching session next Tuesday. Reviewing the web site, it looks like this group has a wealth of resources, and I'm looking forward to getting started. I only wish that I had learned about them sooner!

Light at the End of the Tunnel?

After one year and twenty days of unemployment, and hundreds of job applications that disappear into what seems like a giant black hole, yesterday I got my first actual job interview scheduled. Whether or not I get this job, it is encouraging to at least be noticed by a potential employer, and to think that maybe in the long run persistence will pay off.

There is certainly reason enough out there for long-term unemployed Americans such as me not to be encouraged. The White House budget office is now projecting the unemployment rate to remain at or above 9 percent through the next year. Of course, the official unemployment rate is just the tip of the iceberg, as it does not account for an ever-increasing number of workers who become so discouraged that they simply stop looking for work and drop out of the labor force. Next week President Obama will introduce his program for jobs creation. He will have the opportunity to propose bold steps to relieve this crisis, to get Americans back to work, earning paychecks and stimulating the economy. Or he could go his usual route, play it safe and propose modest steps in hopes of reaching a compromise with the Republicans. I hope he will go with the first option, but I'm not holding my breath.