Under- and unemployed

I am definately under- though I'm looking at possable testing some solutions to the problem. One of which is doing a full time shift, on top of my current part time work, for the local wal-mart that advertised a position that might work for me.

The other possability is that I may be trying to see if I can freelance some of my creative projects to some form of print. I've got some ideas but at this point I don't know if anybody would take them on a regular basis and I don't know what kind of income to expect and how to live as a freelancer.

It's one thing to do these things as a hobbyist and another to have to make a job of it. I just have to try it I guess but that uncertainty is unnerving.

One thing that's difficult, when you've been unemployed for as long as I have, is trying to defeat the despair. I've applied for several hundred jobs over the past year, and none of them has resulted in even an interview. It's hard to get rid of the "what's the use?" feeling.

I also have nightmares, headaches, and insomnia because of the stress. It's like being shoved inexorably toward a cliff, watching it come closer, and not being able to do a damn thing about it. And every time I think, "well, the economy's got to turn around soon," something awful happens, like the Dow crash, or the failure of AIG and Lehmann Brothers. Everyone's scared and wary, and no one's thinking about expanding by hiring new people.

2005: In Back of the North Wind -- WINNER!
2006: Leopard's Paw -- WINNER!
2007: The Old Straight Track (finished) -- WINNER!
2008: The Other Side of the Wall -- WINNER!
2009: ???

Well.. I was part time at Home Depot, but I recently gave my two weeks notice. It was keeping me from getting a better job essentially. Plus I am a student and have too much to do in order to graduate.

So, essentially I am unemployed but not really. I judge for my college policy debate team, and help coach our rookie team. It's not often, but I go to tournaments where I get paid decently for those days.

November I have to do all my homework, take tests, defend my capstone (which is a nonfiction proposal) as well as two nanos and finding a job.

*sighs*

I've had people -- who don't know and don't care, basically -- tell me to get a couple full-time jobs at minimum wage. I don't think I could work 80 hours a week without collapsing, and that schedule would keep me from even looking for anything else. Besides, it would take more than two minimum wage jobs to keep me at my barely middle-class level. It's just not physically possible, but people just don't think.

2005: In Back of the North Wind -- WINNER!
2006: Leopard's Paw -- WINNER!
2007: The Old Straight Track (finished) -- WINNER!
2008: The Other Side of the Wall -- WINNER!
2009: ???

Gods yes. Technically I'm employed as a model but I need to sort out a passport before I can get any work and that's taking AGES.Stupid unemployment. Last nano I was working part time, but this year I gots nothing.

When she was good she was very very good - but when she was bad, she was fabulous.

Last year I got laid off from my job on November 1, which was a bummer, but I had money in the bank, unemployment benefits, good references, and a good resume. I figured it wouldn't take more than 2-3 months to get a job, so having November off was like having a vacation to do Nano.

Very different this year. I'm still unemployed. I behind on every single bill. The creditors call 20-30 times a day. (I finally unplugged the phone.) I have no job prospects, and I'm having to deal with insomnia, nightmares, headaches, and stomachaches because of the stress.

A week ago, I applied for 11 jobs. I was elated that I'd found that many, but I didn't get a single call back. I've applied for five so far this week. Again, no responses.

2005: In Back of the North Wind -- WINNER!
2006: Leopard's Paw -- WINNER!
2007: The Old Straight Track (finished) -- WINNER!
2008: The Other Side of the Wall -- WINNER!
2009: ???

Well, I am unemployed. Been without a job for almost a year now. Been out of school for over 2 years. It sucks.

I guess I'll be honest, I'm on SSI for bipolar and scoliosis. I am diagnosed bipolar but I only have mood swings when I'm ON certain meds so honestly I think I'm closer to being schizophrenic. Its not exactly fun being labeled as crazy by your friends and doctors(not mentioning the government)...but at least I get money each month to pay my bills and rent(and medical to get my precious meds). Otherwise I'd just be come looney homeless person.

Hoping to get things stabilized soon so I can get back to work and school. I miss it.

Add me to the underemployed group. I just got a job 4 weeks ago and I LOVE it, but I don't get very many hours and I'm constantly logging more time but don't get paid for anything extra that I do. It's worth it, though, but I wish I had more hours than I do. However, I'm trying to look on the bright side and see that, for the first time in my life, I can actually focus on my writing a bit (and not in the college course sense). I'm going back to school next semester for a post-degree certificate (teaching), so it'll be back to being super busy again, and I'm trying to enjoy this while it lasts.

My situation isn't really anything that can be enjoyed. At first it was nice to have the time off, but now I'm getting desperate and frantic. And I don't understand why I'm not getting any responses to my applications. I've applied for over 300 jobs this past year, and it's like shooting pennies down a dry well.

And I don't have a Plan B.

2005: In Back of the North Wind -- WINNER!
2006: Leopard's Paw -- WINNER!
2007: The Old Straight Track (finished) -- WINNER!
2008: The Other Side of the Wall -- WINNER!
2009: ???

I am so underemployed it's not even funny. I can barely afford to drive to my office from my home, so some nights I'll just park at the rest stop and crash there. Saves me some money. I can't afford to work where I do, but nobody in my area is hiring. I'm living paycheck to paycheck, and that's just not logical at all. =/

Oh, the insanity.

Count me unemployed, unless my Tuesday interview hires me on the spot. My last day here is Wednesday, with severance thru Mid November. I still have severance in bank from last year's layoff when Saks closed their corporate offices here and moved back to NYC. That, with unemployment, will carry me thru March. Cross your fingers for Tuesday.

Been doing some freelance writing and art. The highlight was essay on back page of Victoria magazine - made over a 1000 on that one.

Perle
Perle's Ink, freelance words & art
http://perlesink.blogspot.com
http://perles-poems.blogspot.com
http://perlesink.com

If you want to give me some pointers in getting freelance work, I'm all ears.

I keep applying for jobs, and NOBODY ever responds! Hello? Hello? This Internet thing works doesn't it? Is this thing on?

And I don't really have anything to sell, not that would get me any real money, anyway. No car, no jewelry, no expensive electronics to get rid of. I always lived frugally and saved my money for a rainy day. That lasted about 6.5 months, and it's still freakin' raining.

2005: In Back of the North Wind -- WINNER!
2006: Leopard's Paw -- WINNER!
2007: The Old Straight Track (finished) -- WINNER!
2008: The Other Side of the Wall -- WINNER!
2009: ???

Zookeeper, are you following up on your job applications? It's not a good idea to sit by your phone (or computer) and wait to hear from them. You want to call them to make sure they got your cover letter and resume, let them know you're still interested, and see where they are in the hiring process. It makes you appear interested. I know for a fact that that's why I got my current job (they were filling multiple positions, and the HR woman saw my name on a slip of paper because I had called and moved my resume to the top of the heap for consideration).

I'm underemployed, though I may get extra work through the covering system where I work. I don't think I can really consider two-and-a-bit days at week to be a full-time job. A fidelity clause means that I'm realistically looking at getting work from my current employer rather than getting additional revenue streams. Mind you, I am getting a fairly dramatic pay rise in a few months, so I can't really grumble...

Percussus resurgio

NaNoWriMo History: 2008 - Keldostri Acaleros (Won - 53129 words)

Just working part time here. I'm actually glad I'm only working a couple days a week with NaNo coming up ;) Better than being employed full-time, and better than being completely unemployed! Plus with NaNo keeping me glued to the keyboard I won't have the chance to spend any money! XD

------------------------------

2007: Sick Bacchus (won!)
2008: Nocturne (going... slowly)

Been unemployed about, oh, three weeks now. And even then, when I was working I was monumentally underemployed.

Right now, I'm just trying not to freak. The sweetpea is working, so we get to keep the house. But I'm just trying not to freak. SP says it's okay. But....

Okay.

2005 - "Modigal" --YA Fantasy -- Winner
2006 - "Welcome to Lamentation" -- Historical/Spirtual Fiction -- Winner
2007 - "A Saint Nobody's Heard Of." -- Contemporary/Literary Fiction -- Winner

Oh, and by the by, I need buddies.

I'm unemployed and kind of homeless - I'm lucky enough to have friends that rule though. And friends that have wifi :D On the bright side - lots of time to write, and I can just call myself a starving artist, heh.

We are not radiating happiness are we?

Okay. Economy sucks. But for the next twenty four hours at least, I am going to try to control what I can. And for that length of time, I'm okay. Freaked, but okay.

So, today, I'm going to, make three calls, NOT stare at my checkbook balance, and do at least two chapters worth of outlines.

I'm an outline girl. Anyone else? Or are there more fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants-ers out there?

And I need a buddy or two. And a hug.

I had a job interview Thursday. I was very optimistic and excited about it. I thought the interview went well. They seemed to like my writing samples. I'm obviously qualified for the job. They were going to make their decision Friday and either hire someone outright or call a couple candidates in for a second interview. As soon as I got home, I wrote a nice followup letter and got it to them by close of business Thursday.

It's Sunday. I never heard from them. And now I've gone from upbeat to monumentally depressed.

I want a job. I have to stay in my house. I don't want my life to fall to pieces. I keep thinking that it's gotta change, it's gotta get better, but then another bottom drops out.

:-(

2005: In Back of the North Wind -- WINNER!
2006: Leopard's Paw -- WINNER!
2007: The Old Straight Track (finished) -- WINNER!
2008: The Other Side of the Wall -- WINNER!
2009: ???

ZooKeeper

Anything I say will sound trite right now and not helpful. But hang on, baby. Hang on.

Mischiefsmom, your word count rocks!

I still don't have a job. :-( I had someone call me about a job a week ago. They were going to call back about a phone interview, but it never happened. Would have been a good job, too, but I guess that's water under the bridge now.

I'm still applying for jobs, in between wrimoing.

2005: In Back of the North Wind -- WINNER!
2006: Leopard's Paw -- WINNER!
2007: The Old Straight Track (finished) -- WINNER!
2008: The Other Side of the Wall -- WINNER!
2009: ???

I heard some good news. Congress has passed legislation extending the unemployment benefits another 7 weeks, 13 weeks for states with an unemployment rate over 6%. That will help me last through the first of the year.

2005: In Back of the North Wind -- WINNER!
2006: Leopard's Paw -- WINNER!
2007: The Old Straight Track (finished) -- WINNER!
2008: The Other Side of the Wall -- WINNER!
2009: ???

I was worried about you therre for a bit. But then if some one is pestering you saying, "I'm so worried" that doesn't really help with the calmness and serene feelings does it?

Glad you are making it.

Yes my words are many, because my ass got unemployed. What else am I going to do, besides chew my own arm off? Really?

And don't be fooled. All my words are absolute *&^%. Puke to the power of X.

Read my excerpt if youdon't believe me. I simply string scenes along until I need a plot, then I have someone ask someone else "hey, wanna make out?" And either there is a big slapping and rejection scene (good for a good 1000 words) or a big smoochfest, (good for oh, a zillion words at least) Then I string the characters along a little while longer, then hey, look, someone's asking the question again.

It is cold here. I feel discouraged, I think. Maybe tomorrow I will be a more encouraging soul. The boyscouts are scoutiing for food, we have nothing to give them, I will walk (no gas) down to the store with my piggy bank money (that I bought my NANO halo with, also) and get what I think would pass as a meal for four.

-mm

I'm in the "un" category of employment, but it's not cutting into my NaNo because my career woes blew up and caused me to stall my life a long, long while back. So while I have no work, I also am not looking for any anymore, because I don't know what to look for anyways.

I could write a book on my story, but here's a highly simplified version that omits all sorts of highly critical details:

Graduate from college, get job in Chicago through professor that adores me -> Go to work for 5 years for woman out of her house in virtual reality development; she's great, job's great, but I have to work 7 days a week year round and end up with exhaustion several times -> Great boss puts company up for acquisition, multimedia company buys us; Company moves us in to an existing company's space, who proceeds to give us nothing of substance to work on, yet still am required to work 7 days a week often; One year to the day, we're all laid off (they only wanted the boss, she made us part of the deal) -> Unemployed for a few months, find work for Atlanta firm from my Chicago apartment for $30 / hr. -> Work 7 days a week, sometimes around the clock trying to fix mess of massive project for Atlanta company; Company ends up owing me $7800 in salary and expenses at one point, I refuse further work until they pay -> Atlanta company never pays me, I file with Illinois Department of Labor to get money- they lose my 40 page paperwork, then deny me due to "not applying" early enough -> Have to move back into mom's basement in Michigan -> Find work for large company near Detroit; become best developer for them; still have to work 7 days a week -> one year later they merge two of our departments; new people use different development tool, refuse to use ours -> I get assigned to new project using their tool against my protests, but agree with help of their developers -> their developers don't help, I get blamed for project delays; I have all work stripped, have to wait 3 months then they lay me off.

So after my career stint, I lost my 20's to working 7 days a week, should have been debt free with $4-5k in the bank, but instead had my credit destroyed by not receiving the money owed to me. I was then stuck at home in my mom's basement without any work to do.

That last job ended at the end of November, 2001.

See, I have Generalized Anxiety Disorder. I have VERY specific job requirements- I cannot do manual labor, public/customer service, phone work, travel, etc. I need to sit at a computer, have some headphones on, and do my work. But I also can no longer work 7 days a week, and the career- not just those jobs- is by definition a 7 days a week job... the companies all underschedule the projects to get the bid.

5 years ago I applied for disability, but I was JUST declined three months ago due to contradictory reasons, as well as meaningless ones. (For instance, the judge ignored all testimony from the Nurse Practitioner who treats me through community health, but then complained I had not received any mental health treatment from community mental health (when I explained that you can not get in to them unless you are a threat to yourself or others.) He also said because I can sit at a computer or watch a TV show, I can work. Ignoring the fact that has nothing to do with finding a job where I can leave at any moment if I'm having a panic attack- if I'm serving fries behind a counter, is a McDonald's customer going to wait 20 minutes while I'm in the restroom calming down? No.

Now that I've been declined, I'm going to take a few classes to brush up my web skills -I *hate* web development- and try to work from home starting next year doing Flash and web stuff. Have no clue how I'll get clients, though, considering I can't travel around and talk to people on the phone forever.

Frankly, I have no idea how I'll ever make money again. I've sold most everything I own of value- that I will sell- and I'm living off of a small inheritance I just received, as well as my mom's social security income.

Sucks, but I have no solutions for it- and without nationalized health care in the US, there's no help for someone like me as the system exists. Thankfully Obama won, so we can work towards solving that!

I just am so mad I lost my 20's to working too much, and my 30's to not having work... I mean, I've missed out on having friends, dating, a family, my own place (consistently)... it's so depressing!

Anyone know a non-travel, non-phone, non-sales, non-deadline, non-seven-days-a-week, work-from-home, minimal client contact, sit-at-your-computer-creating-something job, let me know. =)

___________
"First Death" ~ 2008 Win

I want to say something here.

I don't have a halo. And apparently that defines me as a "slacker" because I'm so lazy and selfish I decided to give money to my mortgage company so I wouldn't become homeless instead of buying a halo. And I guess I'm a slacker because after over a year I still don't have a job.

I guess I'm a "slacker," too, because I decided to win Nano three years in a row (soon to be four) instead a looking for a job instead, even though for three of those years I was employed and didn't need a job.

I just exhausted myself on a word marathon, and now I feel so depressed, discouraged, and hurt that I don't feel like posting to Nano anymore.

I really am trying the bloody best that I can, dammit!

2005: In Back of the North Wind -- WINNER!
2006: Leopard's Paw -- WINNER!
2007: The Old Straight Track (finished) -- WINNER!
2008: The Other Side of the Wall -- WINNER!
2009: ???

Hey, hey, hey.

No one here is a slacker. Nobody here is in some contest.

These are tough times. Tough ones.

This is a source of joy. Take it. Cherish it.

Take joy in each other. This is one tiny little place where we can be supportive to each other. Let's use it for that.

Come on. We're doing the best we can.

Oh, count me in. I had a good job five years ago, after years of crummy jobs, but the company laid off waves of people once we had trained our overseas counterparts. Since then, my creative life has changed for the better, but the dollar amount in freelance income I have brought in has never come near what I used to get paid as a managerial employee.

I wish I had some great advice. I don't even find jobs I can apply to. I've tried in this market for years and years, and when the same companies keep advertising, it's usually because they have a nasty turnover rate, not because they're growing.

Supposedly, volunteer work can lead to paid work. I've yet to see that happen, but volunteer work is good for the soul. You don't feel so darned useless after you've helped somebody else.

I believe that the answer to the non-contact job is to write and sell novels for money. It can be done, although it's not easy. Thus working on a NaNo novel is not necessarily a flight from reality. It could be a flight to a new and better reality.