ajcjobs > BlogBreak > Archives > 2006 > October > 27 > Entry
Goodbye Unemployment…
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
According to Bloomberg, “The number of Americans filing first- time claims for unemployment benefits unexpectedly fell last week to the lowest level in almost three months, suggesting the labor market remains buoyant.”
Certainly a 4.5% unemployment rate that matches a 5-year low sounds like great news if you’re an employee. Saying goodbye to unemployment does make our country’s economic future seem brighter to gobs of discouraged, chronically unemployed job seekers.
While these statistics may have eliminated some of the pain for those left behind at the turn of the century that endured post-traumatic stress from no-warning downsizings and dot.bombed, disbanded companies, the story doesn’t end there. I recently read that there are 7 million underemployed people in our country.
So while you may have a job, the question is does the job match your capacity for performance and you desire to get ahead. Are you getting paid what your worth or are you an over-qualified executive reduced to working at Barnes & Noble?
Granted, some work is better than no work, but saying goodbye to unemployment and hello to underemployment is not going to make gliding into the ‘fourth quarter’ as graceful for some. Be careful when considering the stats proclaimed by an election-biased Administration about unemployment rates.
Typically the national statistics don’t reflect all those people who have run-out of unemployment benefits since they have been looking for a job for so long that they are no longer factored into the stats.
Statistics are great for politicians to shape the public perception, but if you are an underemployed Starbuck’s employee trying to fund your kids’ college education, reality is far more telling. So if you aren’t living up to your potential, analyze your approach to the job search process.
While you are roaming around the book store helping others, find a job search book for yourself and buy it with your employee discount. Help yourself get back to where you belong - in a job that stretches your skills and rewards you accordingly.
Comments
Commenting is now closed for this entry.
By TAKECIA COLLINS
October 27, 2006 10:38 AM | Link to this
HEY!!! MY NAME IS TAKECIA AND, I SOULY AGREE. WE AS PEOPLE SOMETIMES SETTLE FOR LESS WHEN DEEP DOWN WE CAN GIVE SO MUCH MORE. THE OLD SAYING IF YOU DON’T USE IT YOU WILL LOSE IT IS SO TRUE. I AM WORKING IN THE FINANCE BUSINESS BUT I SPENT YEARS GOING TO SCHOOL TO BE A MEDICAL SECRETARY. THE FINANCE BUSINESS IS OK BUT THIS IS NOT MY PASSION. I KNOW I CAN OFFER SO MUCH MORE IN THE FIELD I CRAVE TO EXCEL IN AND THATS THE MEDICAL FIELD. YOUR MESSAGE WAS A UPLIFTING MESSAGE. PEOPLE AIM TO BE THE BEST YOU WERE BORN TO BE DON’T SETTLE FOR LESS STRIVE TO BE THE BEST
THANKS,
By E
October 27, 2006 11:04 AM | Link to this
Nice thought, but much easier said than done. I had a job I enjoyed, but was extremely bored and knew I could do more. So, I started looking for something else - that was one year and ten months ago now. Since that time I went on to a new job. I ended up HATING it, and eventually lost it. I have now been unemployed for the last six months. I wish I never would have left my original job now. I would do anything to have a steady, full time job again. I have gone on tons of interviews, sent out thousands of resumes, gone to a career counselor, networked and cold called companies I want to work for. The job market sucks.
Now I working in retail just to make my living expenses. The worse part is that I can’t even get enough hours in retail to make my car payment, much less anything else.
Any other bright ideas??
By Deneen
October 27, 2006 3:21 PM | Link to this
That’s all good. But I have been unemployed for a year now. I moved here from New Jersey because I got tired of traveling around the world with my husband whose in the military. I got tired of settling for anything for the minute because we would be up and gone again. So, I decided to settle somewhere and I did it so I could get my career on the road, but it didn’t happen the way we planned it. I have an MBA…no specific concentration, just general and I can’t find a job anywhere. The military is not helping me either. People all around me are loosing their homes, and all of us are barely eating. So, tell me what should I do, continue to drag my kids around the world defining my housband career, what about me and my desires. Military don’t make alot so imagine what it is like in my house, one of us is lacking. This is madness. I wish I had job, not just any job…a job paying me what I am worth and what I desire. I am currently $97,000 in debt with student loans and no job to pay them back. imagine that! My husband fights for this country and can’t even get a job in the government. I have used every resource it is…I network all the time. I have even tried to open my business again, but of course it take capital…something I don’t have. All I see is…you need a hustle to live here, your hard work doesn’t pay off here, and the bad thing is I love the area, it is beautiful here, but job wise you will be homeless, foodless, and out of your mind.
By Can't find another job
October 30, 2006 1:34 PM | Link to this
TOTALLY agree. Finally, someone pointed out that you are no longer included in the stats is your unemployment runs out. I can’t seem to get a job a store, so I am highly skeptical of getting one that matches my previous ones, or capability. I really don’t think there are any here. I moved here with a job and great salary. After being laid off in June, I have found NOTHING! It’s time to pack up and move home as a grown man, which I never even had to do as a younger man. That sucks!
By kim
October 30, 2006 2:56 PM | Link to this
my unemployment ran out last week and although i’ve been unemployed since june 1st, i have been looking for a job since january of this year and have had no luck…i can probably fill a 4-inch binder with what i’ve sent out…i’m probably going to be dishing food and a friend’s restaurant to pay expenses and to get ready for the holidays…i feel my skills are worthless…
By joe
October 31, 2006 3:55 PM | Link to this
AFTER 5 YEARS WITH A BIG COMPANY THE BIG COMPANY DECIDED TO CLOSE DOWN OUR DIVISION AND KEEP WITH THERE CORE BUSINESS. SO I GET A SEVERENCE 8 WEEKS WITH VACATION AND JUMP AT ANOTHER JOB,AFTER FOUR MONTHS WITH NO NEW BUSINESS THEY LET ME GO, TALK ABOUT SOME BAD MANAGEMENT DECISIONS, THIS KNUCKLEHEAD IS MICROMANAGING WHEN HE SOULD BE OUT SELLING. WHAT A LIFE, WELL BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD. ATLEAST I HAVE MY HEALTH!