SOOO ANGRY!! I DID VERYTHING RIGHT!!!

...so I was the over-achieving straight A student that went to school like Mommy and Daddy said so I would get the "good job". I never issed a day, worked extra hard, was never late, never had issues with discipline...

Back in the good old days that meant you kept your job until retirement and then ended up with a pension. Now we are victims of a capitalist society that spawns corporations that only care about their bottom line and will keep the ass kissers instead of the producers to protect it... or the CEO's million dollar bonus

Quite frankly, I'm pissed off. Had I known that I would get laid off 5 times in 9 years I would have never even gone to school. I would have fared better getting a BS bottom of the ladder job and working my way up (or sleeping my way up--several women in my past corporations did that).

I have actually contemplated just ending it all. The only thing that keeps me from doing it is the fact that my baby brother already did it in 2012. I don't want to put my parents through burying another child.

I know it could be worse. I don't have children or many of the other responsibilities that countless others on this board share, but I feel like it's me. I'm not a schmoozer. I go to work. I do my job. I go home. Why does that repeatedly equal a lay off? Now I'm not even really motivated to look anymore. Who wants to jump through countless hoops to beg for a job only to get turned down over and over again? It's depressing. My phone isn't ringing and I'm completely OVER playing the interview game.

Seriously, if I don't get something reasonable by the time my UE benefits run out, there may not be another alternative...

First, welcome to the forum!

Yeah, I think many of us are victoms of politics! The ass kissers and schmoozers, the ones willing to eat s**t, compromise their self-respect and march in lock-step with everyone else in the organization unfortunately are the ones still working. They're wishy-washy individuals and they're collectively producing second-rate companies in industries that America use to lead the world. So the next time you're on your cell phone, and the call just drops, or you get a bill with a $100K mistake, it may be one of those mediocre workers putting one of their changes into production, and looking for a promotion.

welcome to the forum

I totally understand.  At my last job there was a system that actually kept count of your production. (invoices processed, accuracy, time, etc)  I was the top producer in my office BUT I was also the oldest and female.  The 20-something who did so-so work and literally danced! in front of the boss in his office as she did his filing is still working there and I am not.  She was taken out to lunch and to happy hour and to sporting events on the weekends and I was not.  She was allowed to leave early and I was left in the office to lock up.  

None of it is fair.  I too believed what I learned in school.  I believed my instructors when they said that all the pettiness ends when you "Walk into the Working World".  And that you would be solely judged on your merits.  That is absolutely NOT true.  I feel totally duped.

My father worked for the same company for 40 odd years, retired with stock and a retirement plan. A Real pension, not a 401K that goes up and down and flaps in the wind.  

My mother worked at home in the attached beauty shop for 20 plus years.  I think she gossiped more than she did hair but that was her thing- she didn't have to work.  Imagine that for one second:  A two parent household with 4 kids and the wife not having to work.  That does not exist today.

I see many youngsters texting and other things at many employers, however I get the boot and those young texters are still working.....life sucks these days....good, solid employees are no longer valued

"""My mother worked at home in the attached beauty shop for 20 plus years. I think she gossiped more than she did hair but that was her thing- she didn't have to work. Imagine that for one second: A two parent household with 4 kids and the wife not having to work. That does not exist today."""

Reaganomics---trickle on economics that is

All I can say is, welcome, and I have experienced the exact same thing. My struggles are just the same as yours. It is not fair what the older generations have done to the younger. We have not even been given a chance.

And this comment has nothing to do with anyone here, but the older generation really sees younger workers as ungrateful and less hard-working, but young people are capable of producing so much in an efficient manner. If their skills and enthusiasm are put to use properly (not by sticking them in some low-paying, no benefits, boring job) you can create an amazing workforce, one that cares about its employees, not its shareholders or CEO's. A workforce that is innovative and resourceful, moreso than years past. There's laziness in every generation, but all I see these days is the hard working/smart young ones getting doors slammed in their faces, barely living at all and it needs to stop.

The only comfort I can give you right now is to not give up. After 5 years of living off of UI and foodstamps and sometimes nothing at all, I finally found a permanent position with great benefits. And I love it so far. The pay is not up to par with what I am worth, and I actually FEEL like I am worth that much now, but they have already told me their plans to expand my position and pay me my full salary, probably by next year, so I know things will get better. In some ways, I think this was all part of some larger plan to get me to a place where I really belong. There was just a lot of facets along the way that had to fall into place first.

The economy is an ever-changing animal and can't stay this way forever, I just really hope the turnaround is sooner and that we haven't screwed this generation over for the rest of their lives regarding benefits and retirement.

ZenZeta wrote:...

I know it could be worse.  I don't have children or many of the other responsibilities that countless others on this board share, but I feel like it's me.  I'm not a schmoozer.  I go to work.  I do my job.  I go home.  Why does that repeatedly equal a lay off?  Now I'm not even really motivated to look anymore.  Who wants to jump through countless hoops to beg for a job only to get turned down over and over again?  It's depressing.  My phone isn't ringing and I'm completely OVER playing the interview game.

Seriously, if I don't get something reasonable by the time my UE benefits run out, there may not be another alternative...

Now a year later, I hope that your situation has changed for the better.

Unemployment benefits should only be a supplement to your income. Try getting by on entry level positions until you get your big break. You may have to work at minimum wage "McJobs" before your raw talent is discovered and developed by a bright young supervisor, and then you can move on to a position that better suits you.

Another thing seems to be your outlook. "I go to work, I do my job. I go home." This would do well, coming from a person who does the bare minimum just to get by. You can be a lot better than that. Make yourself indispensable by accepting more responsibility. For example, if you're making French fries at a fast food joint, tell your supervisor that you also want to mop floors and take out the trash. If you are working construction, work harder and smarter than the other laborers. If you are working at a temp position in a factory, volunteer to work overtime, scrub toilets and sweep up the parking lot.

Always look for ways to make yourself stand out, in a positive way. Tell yourself, "Today is the first day of the rest of my life!!" Turn that frown upside down, and remember that every cloud has a silver lining. The future is yours.

While you're unemployed, do volunteer work in your community, like picking up litter and clearing storm drains. Do charity work, especially in soup kitchens and rescue missions where the unemployed really need help. Make yourself visible in these endeavors, so that prospective employers will see that you can take any job. Go door to door, and see if the residents have odd jobs that you can do. Walk dogs, wash cars, sweep driveways, mow lawns, clean gutters...go as far as your talents and abilities can take you. Cultivate and nurture all likely sources of income.

Use time to your advantage and go back to school. Apply for a Pell grant to help with tuition and materials. Pick an applied STEM field and do your best to get a degree.

On the financial front, look at all your assets. You may have to make some withdrawals from your 401K, IRA, and other investment accounts. Take out a mortgage on your home, invest the proceeds into a diversified investment vehicle. Make sure that your returns exceed your mortgage interest payments. For example, if your mortgage APR is 9%, make sure you getting %10 or more from your investments. The difference, or spread, is pure profit.
You could also invest in precious metals, like silver bullion. Buy it during the price dips and then sell it when the it is overbought in the market.
You could sell any extra vehicles you may have. Donate your old clothes to Goodwill and make sure you get a receipt that you can claim as a tax deduction.

Hang in there, I have more advice if you want it.

LOL Invest in precious metals? Really??? Who has money to invest when unemployed?? A lot of the volunteer ideas you spout also take money? Most who are long term unemployed are spending all their time trying to find a job and don't have gas money to run around volunteering. Jeez does not take a brain surgeon to realize you have no experience as an unemployed person. Try living in the real world, for a hot minute.

Lizalphonso, I live in the same world you do. All those things I said, they work for me, except I used GI Bill instead of a Pell Grant.
Well, I am unemployed, just not bitter and hopeless.
I do odd jobs, mow lawns, rake leaves, clean gutters, all that.
As for volunteer work taking money? Time yes, money, no. i volunteer at outreach activities for my church, and yes that includes helping the unemployed and homeless. You can do that on the weekends or evenings, when you're not at job interviews or the unemployment office. As for gas money, see if another volunteer can give you a ride, or combine the volunteer work with your other errands.

Silver is trading at $18/oz, and you should be able to buy one ounce bars at any coin shop. That's not a lot to start investing.

OK , taking out a mortgage is probably not feasible for everyone, and most mutual funds have a $1000 dollar initial investment. Then back to precious metals, where you can enter the market with a much smaller amount.

Liz, I am praying you will find happiness.

Superfly, I could probably agree if I had the first clue as to what you are saying. Liz thinks that be truly unemployed you have to be broke and miserable. You can be unemployed and have investments. A positive outlook would do her a world of good.