I haven't lost my skills despite reports the long-term unemployed are worthless now

What is it with this belief that the long term unemployed have lost their skills?? I can still read, write, and speak well. I haven't only kept the skills I had, but acquired more in the time unemployment has given me. Maybe what is really meant is we still think we should be treated like human beings, unlike present employees who are now retrained to work like robots and ask no questions. I think it's our skills they are afraid of more than anything. Skills like critical thinking-that's the LAST thing they really want. It's just a big scam to justify discrimination against the experienced and older workers. I still have every skill I ever had and then some. What do you think???

Did you ever forget to ride a bike or drive a car? NO! You might be a little rusty, but there is nothing better then experience. Better then education, because you have done it.

It truly is a scam and definitely age discrimination. What year did you graduate from college? This is the biggest scam and the practice should be stopped!

I would gladly give people black eyes if I knew I could get away with it. Remember it is always our fault and not the employer or interviewer.

I will go a step further and say that I probably have more skills than most people doing my kind of job.

I believe you. I wished I could be your bouncer!

hello wrote:I will go a step further and say that I probably have more skills than most people doing my kind of job.

Probably more than they'll EVER have. But the "people" who spread this garbage certainly haven't lost their skill of being liers! That's probably why they're still gainfully employed.

It is a left hand justification to get more work from existing employees and not go the expense of hiring others. But as their businesses start to bend under the strain of overworked employees, they will then tout hiring the experienced over 50 workers, who bring maturity, work ethic and years of experience to the table. Remember these words, everytime a state starts a works program for the 50-55 and older workers due to their lack of success, even in better job markets at obtaining full time, livable wages. Here is my rant, pass legislation making it illegal to discriminate against us. And to all employers out there, you may be getting by with cheaper labor forces, but each year, you lose more and more customers in store, supermarkets, big boxes, because you hire a much younger work force, poorly train them and they become frustrated and either quit or do a poor job and cost you customerrs. Either way, you turn a once trainable young person in to a "not my job" employee that the world doesn't need. Whose fault is that? You are willing to ignore the experienced, hire the inexperienced at very low wages and give them no development, limiting their potential. Is this what we have become. If you are good, thoughtful, loyal, think on your feet, outside the box and do your job with the experience your bring from years of working, NEED NOT APPLY! Get the legislation passed to create jobs (that won't add to the deficit, it's a bill), pass the legislation that really punishes those who discriminate against the unenployed and the older work force and sit down with the lobbyists from the insurance companies once and for all and let them know they need to get their costs under control, they work for the people who purchase their policies, not for their boards who contribute nothing and take the profits. You will see a change in hiring trends very quickly indeed. The fact that insurers will tell owners the best hires in terms of cost at single men under 30. They are cheaper to insure, don't tend to visit Dr.s often if at all and are far and away the cheapest rate. Now why an employer would hire based solely on that is beyond me, but I have seen it done, too often that I would like you to know and this was pre-2008. So imagine it now.

Oh and I forgot, I won't say I have lost my skills at all, but as one year turned to three, I have more doubts or I should say less confidence in the ability to use my skills and work ethic of 30+ years as a selling point. I can still do many jobs, but with the he types of companies and the workers they seem to think are acceptable, it would be hard to pick up and start hiring, coaching and training in this current market of acceptability. I hate shopping anywhere anymore due to the lack of knowledge and courtesy you receive in stores. I hate calling utilities or the bank for the same reason. No one can honestly answer a question, they don't speak properly and can't even correctly look at your accounts and give you proper information. That's what happens when you won't properly invest in you employees, their training and your business.