How long? (employment, applying, job interview, unemployed)

[DowntownJerseyCity]

What was the longest you've been unemployed? I just celebrated six months today and I am drained. It's to the point that I am starting to wonder if I will ever find work again. I see all the suits walking to and from the train and I get so discouraged. "I used to be one of you guys" I say to myself, then I go back to looking for jobs in jeans, a sweatshirt, and loafers. I just bought new eyeglasses to cheer myself up (pathetic, I know).

Ok, I'm done whining. I just needed to vent for a sec before I bought a pack of cigarettes and chain smoked the whole pack.

[GypsySoul22]

6 months for me, too. End of August was my last day, around Labor Day.

Every day has its highs and lows. I watch people where I live drive by and go to work while I walk my dog, drag my laundry around, and generally feel like I am sometimes never going to get anything, either.

I get told, "think out of the box" by employed people. "Try harder, back door your way in, whatever.." It's all pointless b.s. sometimes. Today I don't FEEL like be an optimist.

[Brooklyn_QueenBee]

To all those unemployed--please do not blame yourself or sulk. We are living in stressful times, many people are unemployed and will be unemployed for periods longer than they like. Keep applying, networking and tailoring your resume. The process will be difficult but things will change.

I don't have any gaps in employment that I could equate with your loss.

Good luck to all going through this recession!

[FarNorthDallas]

I was a SAHM for a couple of years and even though my unemployment was intentional I still stared at office buildings wishing to be in there with my little job earning my paycheck and getting benefits and having responsibilities and picking out my clothes and the smell of coffee in the break room....

[neekah18]

I was out of work from the end of Feb 2008 until the end of November 2008. It was tough. I was sinking into a deep depression because of all the resumes I would send out and still not receive a single call. I would go on interviews where I would get a ton of praise and then nothing. I'd apply for jobs that I knew I was qualified for and would sit and wait for the phone to ring. Nothing. I gained an unbelievable amount of weight and was just miserable. I empathize with you guys because I was in your shoes. Unemployment pays just enough to keep you broke, friends are telling you to take anything, oh how I don't want to relive that. The job pages are nonexistent nowadays. I opened up my sunday job section to see if I could spot something for my boyfriend and they had about 20 jobs within the entire 4 pages. Every morning when I don't want to drag my butt out of bed I think about how I felt when I didn't have a job and I say a little thank you prayer.

Oh I should also say before that I was unemployed from Jan 2007-Sept 2007. I had quit a full time perm job to do an unpaid internship in order to graduate college. I did temp jobs in between but they only lasted about 2 weeks a piece.
Good Luck everyone I know you will find something eventually.

[killer2021]

Never unemployed but I haven't been working long. I got my job at the peak of the economic boom

[danameless]

Early in 2008, I was unemployed for about 3 months - I was lucky that I was able to get into a company just before they announced a hiring freeze. Althought it was only for 3 months, it was pretty painful I have to admit. I felt like I was wasting everyday that went by and needed to do something with my days. I spent my days and nights just searching for jobs, submitting my resume, and talking to recruiters. I consider myself a little lucky cause I have colleagues who are still unemployed to this day.

It's tough to find a new job, and the economy is making things worse. But don't give up, I think the worse thing you can do is to feel like your never going to find something new. Keep checking the job sites, maybe put in a call to some former colleagues if you haven't done so already, network, etc. I'm positive it will be a matter of time before the opportunity comes along.

Good luck to everyone...

[torkkeli]

I've never had to endure a period of unemployed, partly due to sheer luck of having happened to stumble into the right place at the right time. However, having watched how some of the people i know have handled unemployment, I'd like to present a couple of observations.

Observation #1
Don't give up.
There can be no guarantee of the outcome, but persistence seldom goes totally unrewarded. It's easier said than done, but if you give in to hopelessness your chances of finding meaningful employment will diminish as you will not be able to fully apply yourself to the task at hand.
If your initial efforts do not succeed, think what you can improve, make necessary changes to your tactics, and keep trying.
I tend to have a rather cynical attitude towards idealism, but the spirit of entrepreneurship is something that I've learned to believe in.


Observation #2
Don't dwell in self-pity, and feelings of worthlessness.
It's natural, human, and even inevitable to feel down because of the situation - but don't get stuck in it. Accept the fact that unemployment occasionally happens even to some of the most hard-working and the most capable of us. We can't have total control over our environment, but we can control how we deal with it.
In the end, no-one owes you a job, you owe it to yourself to do your best at finding one.


And good luck to all who struggle with this issue.

[PurpleLove08]

Truly unemployed....not very long.
I got fired last Friday and had a job interview yesterday...and received the job. It isn't a dream job but I won't be choosy.

[JTGJR]

5 months after 28-years of continual employment. Chin up. This too will pass.