1.3 million Americans set to lose unemployment benefits Saturday

[Sarah Elle-Même 660]

I think jobs can be found doing something if you really want to.May not be in your field or high paying.

This is a complete crock. I have a masters degree [not even in the "liberal arts" - I chose a quantitative discipline] and I couldn't get a basic secretarial job that paid even minimum wage. Why? Because it is all about your connections, which for many people is out of their control. And nobody wants to hire someone who is unemployed.

[Karee 4,190]

I reiterate my suggestion.

You better hope it never happens to you. Then I guarantee that holier than thou attitude will change fast.

It has happened to me. I've been unemployed longer than a year before. I just didn't expect the govt. to support me for a year because of it. No holier than though attitude at all. I hope you're preparing better this time in case you may end up unemployed long term again. If you're not, don't go b!tching about how the govt. should be bailing you out for a year or more.

[DavenRoxy 1,073]

This is a complete crock. I have a masters degree [not even in the "liberal arts" - I chose a quantitative discipline] and I couldn't get a basic secretarial job that paid even minimum wage. Why? Because it is all about your connections, which for many people is out of their control. And nobody wants to hire someone who is unemployed.

Meaning no offense, but my wife got jobs at Wal-Mart and Sam's this year with zero references, no post-HS education, and no resume.

And I know for a fact that Home Depot and Lowe's is always hiring, Those who say they can't get A job are usually not willing to take A job. I mean, with a Master's, you shouldn't have to be working for minimum wage, right? But are you willing to?

I know it varies by location, but I have a hard time believing there are people who CAN'T get a job. There are a great amount who would rather draw the 99 weeks of bennies, I reckon (not including you, obviously you were trying, with 1000 resumes).

[Sarah Elle-Même 660]

Meaning no offense, but my wife got jobs at Wal-Mart and Sam's this year with zero references, no post-HS education, and no resume.

And I know for a fact that Home Depot and Lowe's is always hiring, Those who say they can't get A job are usually not willing to take A job. I mean, with a Master's, you shouldn't have to be working for minimum wage, right? But are you willing to?

I know it varies by location, but I have a hard time believing there are people who CAN'T get a job. There are a great amount who would rather draw the 99 weeks of bennies, I reckon (not including you, obviously you were trying, with 1000 resumes).

Actually I did start stooping down to retail. That also went nowhere. If you are overqualified many managers in the service sector are afraid of you. Afraid you could do their job better than them, or that you'd be able to advocate for yourself against low wage labor injustices.

The only reason I am employed today is because someone who came back into my life after many years of absence took pity on me. It was purely serendipitous. I was lucky. Many people aren't.

[Pooky 3,784]

The only reason I am employed today is because someone who came back into my life after many years of absence took pity on me. It was purely serendipitous. I was lucky. Many people aren't.

Being the non-USC, with a skill set heavily dependent upon up-to-date information, I was faced with an involuntary vacation when the construction industry tanked hard in 2009. With only a few years US-based experience, I was faced with a dilemma. If I took a position outside of my specialty, I was likely to lose currency and therefore risk never again getting a position in my field. I have. Colleagues of mine, who lost their jobs at the same time, still have not returned to the industry.

What saved me were two words on my résumé. Inside the industry in the USA, they mean one thing. To someone with an international background, they mean something completely different. They showed up in company recruiter's search criteria and landed me an interview, which, in turn, landed me a job. I had to relocate, but that was a price we, as a family, agreed was worth it to take this opportunity.

Had the opportunity not been out there, would I have looked for any job outside of construction? Absolutely. My motivation is to keep a roof over my family's head, food on the table and the family together. I can't do that sitting at home and I view daytime television as the best cure for illness known to man, it's that bad. I need to work. I was prepared to work at anything.

Would anyone outside of construction have taken a chance on me? I'm glad I never had to find out.

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

This is a complete crock. I have a masters degree [not even in the "liberal arts" - I chose a quantitative discipline] and I couldn't get a basic secretarial job that paid even minimum wage. Why? Because it is all about your connections, which for many people is out of their control. And nobody wants to hire someone who is unemployed.

I bet if you used words like serendipitous and quantitative discipline retail managers where scared of you.

[DavenRoxy 1,073]

Actually I did start stooping down to retail. That also went nowhere. If you are overqualified many managers in the service sector are afraid of you. Afraid you could do their job better than them, or that you'd be able to advocate for yourself against low wage labor injustices.

The only reason I am employed today is because someone who came back into my life after many years of absence took pity on me. It was purely serendipitous. I was lucky. Many people aren't.

Well, note to self... when I start applying, I won't list my education nor my experience. I'll just say I worked at Home Depot in Korea for 2 weeks, but the language barrier was a problem!

Good on you that you got hired. I know it's tough. But the good news is that unemployment benefits are being cut, and the jobless rate goes down automatically!

What saved me were two words on my résumé. Inside the industry in the USA, they mean one thing. To someone with an international background, they mean something completely different.

You gonna share those two words, or just keep us in suspense all darn night?

[GandD 5,966]

You gonna share those two words, or just keep us in suspense all darn night?

I was thinking the same

[Danno 1,228]

Can anyone name anything Obama has done lately to get the job market going?

It's like after year one, he has just been sitting back waiting for that "green economy" he promised us to catch fire.

Last time I looked, no one is buying solar panels or his Elect. cars..... err or not enough to amount to anything.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Danno, you need to take that question and ask it in most of the countries in Europe. The leaders there can't answer it either.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

The elimination of the benefits for these people will decrease workforce participation (that no one pays attention to) and decrease "unemployment rate" which everyone stares at because that us what they want you to stare at. Obama will claim victory while reigning over the lowest workforce particiaption rate since the Great Depression.

Simple math...

100 people in the workforce, 93 have jobs. Workforce participation? 100% Unemployment rate? 7%

Unemployment benefits run out for the 7 unemployed people and they are removed from the workforce.

93 people in thwe workforce, all have jobs. Workforce participation? 93% Unemployment rate? 0%

the SAME 7 people still have no jobs but the "President" is a hero because the unemployment rate went from 7% to 0%. Obama will probably claim not to know about this

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Gary this is standard practice in other countries too. It's not something Obama invented, much as you may want to believe that.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Actually I did start stooping down to retail. That also went nowhere. If you are overqualified many managers in the service sector are afraid of you. Afraid you could do their job better than them, or that you'd be able to advocate for yourself against low wage labor injustices.

The only reason I am employed today is because someone who came back into my life after many years of absence took pity on me. It was purely serendipitous. I was lucky. Many people aren't.

In my own experience, I worked in various places in the world and never had trouble locating a job. I never needed any "connections" in fact I was hired by perfect strangers for very responsible positions far out of their direct control. In Alla's case, she simply created her own business and has done well and is now getting education to combine her two skill sets, language and medicine, for what I think will be a very lucrative business.

I was willing to locate where needed...including other countries and various places in the USA and willing to do what was necessary.

As for being overqualified,,,yes, it is true, you are not desireable. You can surmise it is because they are afraid of you but I doubt it. They are more likely afraid they will train you and then you will leave for work in your field. Turnover costs money. As for being unemployed, true, it is not desireable. In difficult times good people keep their jobs and deadwood gets trimmed. I am sure you will object to being considered deadwood but that is what employers assume...like it or not.

I don't recommend seeking work outside your field...better to seek work IN your field but outside your area of lliving. If you find you MUST seek work ourside your field then what law requires you to list a master's degree in something else on that resume? Why would you? If you feel they are afraid of you, then stop scaring them! But, yeah, no one wants to hire someone to "advocate against low wage labor injustices"

If there are no jobs in your field where you live....then MOVE. If you have skills which can make other people money or can offer a service people are willing to pay for, they will hire you. The math s pretty simple. The A&E case is an example recently. Phil Robertson can get away with waht he did because he makes A&E money. I can skip ridiculous meetings without making an excuse...I just don't go...because I produce results

[lostinblue 1,989]

Check the listings in N Dakota ,,,, The oil boom has also caused an economic boom. Of course you will not have Florida weather.... But you will have a job. A friend just wrote me and said that several hundred land owners just cashed their royalty checks for over a million dollars apiece . just in his county. A sales man on commission does well in that area if you have what the local folks want. Until a few years ago 15 year old pick up trucks were the norm on the back roads. Now it is $60,000 dually every where you look. American capitalism working just fine.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Check the listings in N Dakota ,,,, The oil boom has also caused an economic boom. Of course you will not have Florida weather.... But you will have a job. A friend just wrote me and said that several hundred land owners just cashed their royalty checks for over a million dollars apiece . just in his county. A sales man on commission does well in that area if you have what the local folks want. Until a few years ago 15 year old pick up trucks were the norm on the back roads. Now it is $60,000 dually every where you look. American capitalism working just fine.

Exactly! There is always a boom somewhere...go to it!

Sometimes when the boom is in an otherwise obscure place, there is much less competition for the positions. I imagine plenty of people want to live in Florida. How many want to live in No. Dak?

After the Soviet Union there were tons of jobs in the new nations but few people wanted to go there. Why? North Dakota is offering a very unique situation of many jobs, high pay (due to not enough labor supply) and low cost housing and taxes. If I were unemployed I can assure you I would be checking it out!

The more flexible you are the better your chance of getting work.