The official unemployment thread

Just a place to vent, network, ask questions, whatever...

I am not unemployed (thankfully ) but my DH has been for a year and a half. It has taken a huge toll on us, financially and emotionally.

I figured it may help to vent here...and if we make some connections in the meantime - great!

ETA: I changed the title of the thread since it is now our "official" thread

Message edited 4/2/2010 9:02:12 AM.

Re: Can we start an "official" unemployment thread?

Sounds good as my dh is out of a job again--

Re: Can we start an "official" unemployment thread?

Posted by hazeleyes33

Sounds good as my dh is out of a job again--

Re: Can we start an "official" unemployment thread?

Posted by CaseyGirl

Posted by hazeleyes33

Sounds good as my dh is out of a job again--

what happened??

Re: Can we start an "official" unemployment thread?

I would be in!

Re: Can we start an "official" unemployment thread?

good idea. i'm unemployed...it's depressing after a while. for the first six months i actually enjoyed it, but now it's been over a year and i'm going crazy. i only started looking in february, but ugg. what a pain! i could use a way to vent/ find support/ give support

Re: Can we start an "official" unemployment thread?

I'm sorry to hear about your DH's. I know the feeling. I had a high paying job that I voluntarily left for a part time job after having my second DC. I was laid off after 8 months. I"m a CPA and primarily do taxes, so right after tax season I got my first pink siip.

So this tax season I found another part time job, but I'm pretty sure I'll see another. It's so stressful!!! I NEED to work, but I can't find a job in my field that doesn't require me to a gazillion hours FT. I can't do that because my DH has no flexibility and I need to take care of the kids.

I'm not sure what to do when this next one comes in May

Re: Can we start an "official" unemployment thread?

Great idea! I've been unemployed since 11/08 when I was 8 months pregnant. While it was nice to be home before I gave birth and after, I really miss the daily adult interaction. I was blessed with a beautiful baby girl who I love more than life itself. When I was working, I never intended on being a SAHM. I'm grateful for this time being home with her. I got to see her accomplish her milestones and get to know her personality. I wouldn't trade this time with her for anything. I am so ready to get back into the workforce. I've been sending resumes out since last March. I've only had 1 real interview which was last week. I thought the interview went well, but I got an e-mail last week telling me even though they were impressed with my background, they couldn't offer me the position. I just completely broke down. What do I have to do to catch a freakin break

My personal savings are gone. My husband is a mail carrier and he's afraid of losing his job if the postal service cuts out Saturday delivery. He's carried on a lot of the financial burden around here. My unemployment goes to utilities and paying down my credit card debt which is a lot.

I just hate having this sick feeling in my stomach everyday of not having a job and when I'm going to get one.

Re: Can we start an "official" unemployment thread?

I am in. I have been unemployed since June of last year. I have been looking for another job regularly since then. I have had some phone interviews and in-person interviews but nothing yet. Sometimes at night when I am by myself I just think about everything that needs to be paid, brought, etc. and I cry. Some nights I cry myself to sleep because I really do not know how much longer we can live like this with only one income.

Re: Can we start an "official" unemployment thread?

I'm newly unemployed. I just finished grad school, and have no job lined up. I'm registered as a student until May, so I guess my gap in employment doesn't begin until then? It's sort of a gray area. I've applied to several jobs, and the applications all closed last week. So hopefully I will hear something soon!

DH has a job here in MD, but we are both looking for work in NY. He's had 3 interviews, but didn't get any of the jobs.

Re: Can we start an "official" unemployment thread?

this is a long article, and i'm only on page one myself, but so far I totally relate to what this woman is saying. having been unemployed for so long now i'm losing the sense of who i am. in some ways i did define myself by my work, found some confidence and pride in what i did, even if i wasn't super crazy about it. now i find myself questioning who i am and why i am "here". that's on a bad day. on a good day i continue my frustrating job search and worry about our financial situation. anyway, just wanted to share the article. maybe some of you will identify too.

Article

Re: Can we start an "official" unemployment thread?

I was laid off in 10/08 for one year. I took a job for a much lower salary just to get a paycheck. The job itself is really horrible. I am over qualified. I know many of us are taking jobs right now that we are over qualified for b/c of this economy. I really hate this job though. Been there 6 months and it's making so miserable that I have developed insomnia. I am giving my two week notice next week. My health and sanity is way to important to me..

Re: Can we start an "official" unemployment thread?

I am sorry to see so many people are hurting right now but I am glad we can all vent to each other.

I feel a lot of pressure because I am working FT and have the benefits etc. We have an 8 month old DS and so of course that adds a lot of extra expense (he's worth it though of course ) I don't know what to do for my DH anymore. He goes on so many interviews and a bunch of times has been a final candidate but never gets the offer. ONCE he did get an offer but they seriously lowballed him and he didn't want to take the job. I thought he should , at least for the time being but he did not want to. He has even had trouble sleeping lately and I can tell he's bored. He does stuff around the house but will leave stuff for me to do after work or on weekends which p*sses me off - trying to balance work, a baby and household stuff is taking a toll on me.

I really worry too, what will happen once UI runs out. We own our home and we really won't be able to pay the mortgage if that happens. So I am praying every DAY that something comes through soon

Re: The official unemployment thread

We are both employed right now (thankfully) but my DH was out of work for 7 months.

We were deciding whether to move to NYC and I accepted a job offer 2 weeks before the economy fell apart, committing us to the move. My DH left his job in July and it was much harder for him to find a new job than we expected - and because he left by choice we got 0 unemployment.

He started getting really discouraged and the job search was going nowhere the first few months, but he ended up starting a great new job in Feb. The funny thing is, in the past month he has been contacted by about 10 companies!!

From what we can see in his field, the job market is really improving so hopefully that will help you all as well. (My job is also hiring at the moment!)

Message edited 4/2/2010 7:49:22 PM.

Re: The official unemployment thread

Posted by CaseyGirl

I am sorry to see so many people are hurting right now but I am glad we can all vent to each other.

I feel a lot of pressure because I am working FT and have the benefits etc. We have an 8 month old DS and so of course that adds a lot of extra expense (he's worth it though of course ) I don't know what to do for my DH anymore. He goes on so many interviews and a bunch of times has been a final candidate but never gets the offer. ONCE he did get an offer but they seriously lowballed him and he didn't want to take the job. I thought he should , at least for the time being but he did not want to. He has even had trouble sleeping lately and I can tell he's bored. He does stuff around the house but will leave stuff for me to do after work or on weekends which p*sses me off - trying to balance work, a baby and household stuff is taking a toll on me.

I really worry too, what will happen once UI runs out. We own our home and we really won't be able to pay the mortgage if that happens. So I am praying every DAY that something comes through soon

Re: The official unemployment thread

Re: The official unemployment thread

Posted by karabara

Posted by ToriaRae

I was laid off in 10/08 for one year. I took a job for a much lower salary just to get a paycheck. The job itself is really horrible. I am over qualified. I know many of us are taking jobs right now that we are over qualified for b/c of this economy. I really hate this job though. Been there 6 months and it's making so miserable that I have developed insomnia. I am giving my two week notice next week. My health and sanity is way to important to me..

are you quitting w/o another job? i'm just curious. i've been considering applying for jobs that are lower level than where i currently am (well, you know what i mean).

i'm sorry about your situation and hope youfind something better

Re: The official unemployment thread

oh no, i wasn't implying that. i was just saying that i had considered taking a job in my field that's lower level that where i was before.

i hope you feel better having made the decision to leave

Re: The official unemployment thread

Posted by karabara

oh no, i wasn't implying that. i was just saying that i had considered taking a job in my field that's lower level that where i was before.

i hope you feel better having made the decision to leave

Re: The official unemployment thread

let us know how it goes. good luck!

Re: The official unemployment thread

Since December 2008, I've worked 11 weeks.

It's no longer fun. It's no longer easy to be asked ANY question about my job and/or career.

I put so many things on hold just to get my full rate, and am now kicking myself. On top of that, I feel like I am forgetting everything that I was taught and everything that I learned. I'm an electrician. I helped my cousin do work on a home because he really needed an extra hand. I couldn't remember some of the terminology. I was like 'you know, the thing, that goes in the thing, it's black and greasy, you know, the thing.'

To add salt to the wound, people are constantly talking about how good they have it in the same field. Just luck that they are there for some. Just pure luck.

Re: The official unemployment thread

can you spend a little time each day, even just 30 minutes, reviewing things you might need to know? or volunteer to do some work for a not for profit or family/friend just to keep your skills up?

being unemployed for so long really takes a toll. i feel for you

Re: The official unemployment thread

Does anyone else have a hard time socializing with friends and DH friends? I find I have nothing to say and feel self conscious about my unemployment. I'm not as perky and peppy as I was before and feel self conscious about that. then i also feel lonely during the day, but then still feel mildly blue when I'm with people, that I kind of avoid them a bit so I don't end up complaining to them when I really just wanted to have a fun time.

Re: The official unemployment thread

I feel like I stutter and stumble on words a lot. I was embaressed to hold a conversation with my new neighbor because of it. Totally unlike me too. I'm the outgoing one. I talk WAY too much to anyone and everyone.

As for reading up, there really isn't an initiative or drive to do it, so it doesn't get done. Reading a catalogue of tools and material isn't really fun anyway. Maybe to a guy?

Re: The official unemployment thread

I have been unemployed since August 2009. This is the second time that I was let go from a position in two years. The year before I was a victim of a mass layoff at a job I was at for 8.5 years. Then I got this job in August 08, and was let go 1 year lat5er.

It is rough being unemployed. I am going to school full time so that fills a lot of my day. I go to a SUNY school online and will be finishing with my BS degree in Business and Marketing this summer.

My wife and I are doing work to our house and living with her mother. We have been here since the end of october. That is another stressful situation, and added to that stress, Danielle is also pregnant. She is due in July. We are hoping to be back in our home by June the latest.

Everything all happened at once. We put in the plans for a permit, I lost my job, and then we found out we were having a baby...Which is amazing.

Danielle has really been good about me not having a job now. It has been very stressful, but we are dealing with it.
Scott