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Lost your job over the past year?

9:46 am July 14, 2009, by Henry Unger

Georgia’s unemployment rate comes out Thursday and it could rise to 10 percent. That’s not a pretty, round number. In fact, it’s quite distressing.

Have you lost your job during the past year? The AJC would like to hear your story.

What has life been like? Are you actively looking for work? Have you had to consider something completely different to make a living? Have you found a new job? If not, what are you doing to cope? And what do you think your prospects are for finding work?

You can share your experiences here. And you can also e-mail Sunday Business Editor Michael Gray at mggray@ajc.com.

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18 comments Add your comment

Larry Kilgore

July 14th, 2009
12:44 pm

I was laid off in February for the first time in my working life. I have just recently found full time employment. I have tried to make this experience a learning time and I was sucessful. What I learned is that God took care of our needs (not wants). He taught me self-discipline about how I managed our money. He taught me that all that I thought I WANTED was not necessary and finally He taught me to guard my job like it was the last one I would ever have, and that the grass is not always greeener on the other side of the fence. I would not wish this time on anyone, but if you try to the best of it, many lessons are learned and you will be better off than you were.

Gary

July 15th, 2009
8:15 am

I was laid off several years back during the tech sector bust. It took a while, but I developed 2 home based companies. Once back in corp america, I kept them alive but not “full time”. Best moves I’ve ever made. Now, years later I have 2 small companies that generate enough work to supplement my loss of primary income. The biggest concern is health insurance. In the past i spent over $25K before getting on a group plan. Small business needs relief. Especially as it relates to insurance, group health and government fees. More entreprenurs would appear if they have some semblance of health relief. Its the single most relevant rational as to why many don’t seek their own path as opposed to trying to re-enter a job lifestyle they hate… and simply has disappeared before them. Sometimes you have to make your own luck. The harder we work to capture business, the more we earn. The days of waking up and going to “work” from 9-5 are disappearing. Those of us who are displaced, need to look outside to find something they enjoy doing and DO IT. The sooner you get started, the sooner you will reap what you sow. Hang in there folks.

Michael Gray

July 15th, 2009
11:14 am

Larry and Gary: Thanks for your thoughtful comments. Larry: I’d like to speak with you for a possible article in the AJC. Can you e-mail me (mggray@ajc.com) to let me know if you’d be willing to do that? Thanks very much. Michael Gray / Sunday Business Editor

Kym

July 15th, 2009
11:27 am

I was fired in feb. no unemployment .. I started working from home it was a 38% pay cut .. but by the Grace of God we survived. I got up daily seeking assistance .. it was a humbling experience but it too taught me many valuable lesson’s how to get by with less.. be more responisble with what you have.. I’ve still not found permanent employment as I am currently working a temp assignment praying it will become permanent.. I am now without health insurance but my child is covered through Peachcare …(thats more important isn’t it) … God’s Mercy and Grace are simply amazing.

pj

July 15th, 2009
12:27 pm

Lost my job 15 months ago after 30 years of steady employment. Have had to go to the food bank twice, while in between UI payments and before qualifying for food stamps. Thankfully UI benefits have been extended twice, the second time being a GA emergency extension (stimulus package) related to the extra-high unemploment in this state. I have two degrees. Have applied for over a 1000 jobs, including JC Penney, WalMart, Kroger, Publix, Sears. Not desperate enought to apply at Golden Pantry or the Chicken Plant (yet.) UGA wants to pay 21,000 for full-time, Master’s degreed, experienced, professional positions. Fortunately I have some self-employment cleaning houses and doing pet-sitting. The American Work ethic is a myth.

WB

July 15th, 2009
1:40 pm

I lost my job with a large, well-known IT firm (known as a large, primary color) after 21 years of service. I found out in February that I had to train my replacements and then step off the projects I was on. After I trained my offshore replacements, I went to the “bench” for a month. I was required to find my own position with a customer. During March and April, no customers were coming to the company looking to contract. So, on April 27th, about 5000 of my closest friends and I lost our jobs – but the exact number isn’t published. Since then, I’ve looked at several job boards and such, but large companies are not hiring because of the business climate (the product my experience is with runs on the large machines that large enterprises use – and they aren’t hiring).

I’ve also been attending many of the several job support networking meetings that are held around Atlanta. These meetings are in churches, restaurants (Chick-Fil-A is VERY helpful) or other places. Many of these meetings offer resume review, interviewing tips and, sometimes job leads. Others offer accountability. I’ve been making professional contacts at these meetings and through Linked In. One thing I’ve noticed about these meetings is the high caliber of people that have been let go. Since I lost my job, I’ve had 7 interviews with 3 different companies, but they are very specific in what they are looking for and I didn’t get very far. Other companies had a position, then that position was withdrawn for budget reasons. I have to keep thinking that I just need one job (I’m not greedy) and that there is a job out there for me. My father was out of work for about 18 months back in the early 1980s and now I’m going through it. It took a toll on him and I’m striving to not let it take a hold on me. But the government took a large part of my severance, so I’m getting low on cash. I’ve got other monies in other places, but I’d rather not dip into that. I’ve met several people that have had to – and they’re quite concerned about their future.

What has life been like? I’m spending just as much time looking for a job as when I had one (and we were required to bill 48 hours a week. My wife is a full-time mommy, but we’ve considered developing a modest but fashionable clothing line. My wife and I enjoy cooking and since we’ve catered a few events, that may be a possibility. I’ve started a 8mm film (what was available in the 60’s) to DVD conversion and negative/slide to jpeg conversion business. I’m selling stuff on ebay/craigslist/garage sale. I’ve considered moving. Life is no longer normal – its a new normal – and I don’t much care for it. I know my God didn’t do this to me (John 10:10), but I also know he is my strength in this time – I’ve already won – but this between time can really get a person down – thoughts of “am I not really a contributor?” and the like. Getting a no is real tough, because you know there aren’t a lot of things out there available for you. But you keep going – what’s the alternative…?

Prospects? I’m in a field (Database Administrator) that is supposed to be growing through 2013 according to an article I saw online a few months ago – and I’m having trouble. I can’t imagine what others are going though – not even getting a nibble. I haven’t check outside of Atlanta – may need to.

I apologize for the ramblings…

Leigh Brown

July 15th, 2009
1:44 pm

I lost my job on May 1st and three days later my Husband also lost his job. Once I got past all of the bogus online postings and learned what websites to stay away from we have settled into a daily schedule. I have had ten interviews but no offers, my husband has had one interview but the company would only pay $10. an hour-for a highly successful, college educated person.

We swallowed every bit of pride we thought we had and applied for food stamps, unfortunately since both of us are collecting unemployment we DID NOT QUALIFY. We are into our third month now, still actively searching for work but needless to say getting very depressed and discouraged. We have learned how to cut back to the bare bones and so far have not hurt my credit. Our savings will run out October 1st, so that is our drop deadline.

Shevial

July 15th, 2009
6:28 pm

I have been out of work for a year now. I worked for a corporate law firm for 18 years. I’m on my second extension got four checks left, and then will have to apply for SEB benefits. I’m trying everyday to not get depressed, but some days are harder than others. While I am grateful for the unemployment assistance, so many people are becoming desperate as there assistance is coming to an end. The unemployment office is overwhelmed and unable to keep up with the demand of the citizens who apply for assistance. I know this because I have spoken to representative who have expressed this concern. My question is what is going to happen to the many georgians who exhaust all of the unemployment extensions that are available? Will there be a story on that? Because in essence unless a miracle happens they will be the face of the homeless. God bless everyone who is looking for work.

Gary Greene

July 15th, 2009
7:32 pm

Don’t Forget Our State History

The State Government had said we will maintain the historic sites.
I now realize they did not mean historic guided tours. I considered myself an educator. I found out now I was wrong. I am an ex-employee of the State of Georgia. I am not unlike a lot of others who lost jobs last month as cutbacks occurred statewide.It has been a month since I have lost my job.
My site has been cherished by many and will continue to be (for the three days a week that it is open), but guided tours for schools or anyone visiting the parks will no longer be available due to staff cutbacks. I can and have been offered positions that paid more money. This is not about the money, but I do have bills to pay, I am diabetic, morbidly obese, have blood pressure and heart problems. I could probably retire on disability. I had hoped to retire with the Department of Natural Resources.
My salary was a little bit less that $18,000 a year. But I give Georgia school children something that is so rare and valuable today. I give guided tours. I am a storyteller. I have been called” The Storyteller of New Echota. ”

I bring history to life at New Echota. Over 10 years ago, working as a supervisor in an industrial setting, my salary was much more than my current salary. I know about cutting back expenses. My belt has been adjusted many times.The eight years I have worked at the park have been some of the best years of my life.It has not been all glamor and glory. I swept floors, cleaned restrooms, painted buildings, and cooked on an open hearth.

I have given tours in the rain and frigid cold temperatures. But I told my stories. Children will remember me and my stories long after I am gone.

A family visited me last year at the park. The mother walked up to me and smiled and said “Mr Greene, you are the reason we are visiting your site.” She proceeded to tell me how seven years ago her then 7-year-old daughter came to New Echota and I was her tour guide. She had never forgotten me or my historical stories. I am sure I will never know all the lives that I have touched thanks to the state of Georgia and the DNR.

But my voice, my lessons, and my stories will cease to be told at New Echota. Just like The Great Cherokee People, I too will be removed by the State of Georgia. I refuse to leave in a Trail of Tears. Many teachers have taken my tours. I have given tours to Cherokee Children. One Cherokee mother told me that I was telling her children stories that she herself did not hear until she was in college. She thanked me for that.

I have spoken with people from all over the world. One Sunday afternoon, I even gave a tour to Vince Dooley. If I had the resources and my bills could be paid, I would volunteer my services to New Echota, the Vann House and Etowah Indian Mounds.

Oh, Georgia, I lament what has been done to you that golf courses,,new fishing docks and so many other things are funded at the expense of the education of our children.

Georgia parents, please, please don’t forget to tell your children that the Cherokees never lived in teepees and that nobody’s great great grandmother was ever a Cherokee “princess.” Because now I will not be there to tell them for you. I will no longer have the chance to tell them so many important things about the Cherokee. I am only one man. I am not selfishly thinking I am the only one that has lost his or her job.I stand alone but represent all those who are now losing their voices as Georgia state historical site tour guides. I am seeking a decent job that suits my talents.

Liz

July 15th, 2009
10:00 pm

I was laid-off last Sept, and have fortunately been receiving UI benefits. The double-edged sword in GA is that you lose your UI benefits if you legally file to start your own company, whether or not the company is making any money. I asked the GA Dept of Labor about this because they actually teach a class to UI claimants on starting your own business. In that class, they DO NOT disclose that you forfeit your UI benefits if you start your own business. I only found out by going to them to ask if you were supposed to deduct earnings from your own new company from your UI benefits, similar to how you report and they deduct earnings from part-time jobs.

So, while GA’s unemployment rate continues to rise and government continues to offer stimulus packages, I think the real question should be where the govt is focusing their stimulus dollars. How better to reenergize and grow an economy than to have a surge in new businesses that (hopefully) tap into existing consumers needs and supply desired products or resources.

I have not found F/T employment yet, but I did recently find an absolutely AMAZING job network. It starts with Roswell United Methodist Church’s Job Networking Group (www.RUMCjobnetworking.com or RUMCjobnet@yahoogroups.com). Most of RUMC’s events are free and non-denominational, but their Yahoo group also links members with several other free job search and networking groups at other churches and synagogues in the greater Atlanta/Marietta/Alpharetta/East Cobb area. Once you are a member, you receive 30+ emails daily of actual job opportunities, often with the direct contact to the hiring manager and compensation figures.

Cindy

July 15th, 2009
10:39 pm

Being unemployed and receiving Unemployment Benefits, many people think most people enjoy being out of work….. maybe the first week or so was a break, but so many of us are looking for work and not even getting an interview. I am not even sure how long we can continue receiving the checks. Does anyone know what the latest extention is, number of weeks allowed?

Shevial

July 15th, 2009
11:55 pm

Hi Cindy: The regular unemployment is up to 26 weeks, after that the first UI extension which is Tier 1 is up to 20 weeks, after that extension the 2nd extension which is Tier 2 is up to 13 weeks. Then the last extension is called SEB benefits which is up to 20 weeks, during high unemployment. You have to apply for SEB benefits online on the Georgia Department of Labor website. It can take up to 28 days to see if you qualify. I hope this information helps. God Bless you and good luck with your job search, in fact I wish all of you who have issued a comment good luck.

Cindy

July 16th, 2009
8:41 am

Hi Shevial, thanks for the info….GDOL could not explain it as well!

Dianne

July 16th, 2009
9:18 am

I was let go from my position earlier this year, after nearly 27 years with the same company. I was released about 10 minutes after arriving to work that day, with no prior warning. The “elimination of my position” (not the work involved in that position) was effective IMMEDIATELY. I was then escorted to my office to pack my belongings and then escorted out the door. I was given a very small severance package and have been receiving UI since that ran out. About 20 people were released by my employer that day and over the next couple of weeks. The job market is brutal…I have joined networking groups, attended workshops, contacted everyone I know – past and present – and have applied for well over 100 different positions through online career search sites, such as Monster or CareerBuilder. However, the only responses from those sources have been in the form of “rejection” notices when I wasn’t even afforded the opportunity to interview (even when my resume could have been their job description word-for-word). My best resources have turned out to be “networking, networking, networking.” I have not obtained full-time employment yet, but do have 2 offers on the table as a result of introductions made on my behalf by former colleagues. I will most likely take 1 or both of these offers (since it will take both to meet my former income level – this is another problem with the current job/economic situation – much lower pay scales out there, and, if you don’t want the job at that rate, there are a couple of hundred others who are applying and will take the job for the lower pay). I have learned several lessons through all of this. 1) Trust God – He will take care of my needs (not wants). 2) Study and evaluate myself and create a personal marketing plan – it is important that I understand “what I want to be when I grow up” and to know what my “goals and values” are. When considering potential positions, ask myself “is this company/position in keeping with my “goals and values.” 3) Don’t search in a panic. Take time to eat right, exercise, and have “down time” to think, pray, digest everything that is going on and where I’m going. 4) Take advantage of the extra time with family/friends. 5) Participate in the world around me – networking groups, classes, Bible studies, volunteering, etc. – don’t just sit in my home and stare at the computer for hours on end. 6) Never stop networking and maintaining good relationships with contacts (even after you have a new position). In today’s world, there is no such thing as a “secure job for your entire career.” You never know when you will need to be searching again and it’s not good to only call on friends/colleagues when you “need something from them.” 7) Trust God – He is in control. Lean on Him. (Trusting God should be first, last, and foremost in all aspects of our lives.)

Shevial

July 16th, 2009
3:27 pm

Hi Diane: Very well said!!! Trust in God for everything. My prayer is that everyone who needs and wants a job be blessed with one. So many people think that the unemployed just wants a hand out. Until a person has been on the other side of unemployment one can not possible understand. I worked for 18 years, never in my wildest dreams could I have envision being out of work, and having to reinvent myself, but I know God knows best and He will supply my needs, I am trying everything I know to find a job, trying not to get depressed, and continuing to stay positive. As long as I am given the gift of being able to wake up each morning, then that’s enough to be grateful and know that I too have a purpose. Your comments are inspiring. Have a blessed day!

Cindy

July 16th, 2009
3:47 pm

I lost TWO jobs in TWO months working as a Randstad employee with American Honda Motor. After five years with American Honda, Randstad is now attempting to appeal my unemployment benefits so that I won’t have any income at all. I have very little money for food now, and have no idea what will happen to me if I lose my apartment too. To make matters worse, I worked full time and went to school full time and finally earned my college degree recently, but even that doesn’t seem to be enough to help right now. I’ve applied for every single job I could find in the past 8 weeks, and I’m praying something will come through. But now more than ever, it’s not what you know, but WHO you know, unfortunately. I can’t imagine that Randstad realizes just how much potential for damage their actions have had.

Monselle

July 16th, 2009
4:03 pm

I feel like I’ve been out of work forever. After a successful career in media sales, marketing and advertising, I decided to get into residential real estate shortly before the bubble burst. I went through training, passed the tests and sold one house. Seeing that the real estate industry was in dire straits, I then started looking for full-time employment. During this time, I did what everyone said to do, train for something else. I obtained my life, health and accident insurance licenses and passed my variable annuities exam. Again, I was in sales, in an industry that pays 100% commission with no benefits. Yes, there are a lot of sales jobs out there, but they don’t pay a salary. I found out it takes at least 18 months to get established in this business and, this is in a good economy. All of this has taken place over a 4 year period of time. I am unable to find temp work, contract work or a full time position.

Now, I am running out of all the money I have saved for my retirement. I’m getting ready to drop my health insurance, as it is very expensive and I can’t afford it. I am in fear of losing my home. I am not eligible for any unemployment or assistance. Emotionally, and financially, it has taken a toll on my otherwise happy self.

I am working on finding a job by going to networking meetings at various churches, (someone mentioned Roswell United Methodist), networking with everyone, going on line everyday (although this is the most frustrating and unfulling way to find a job). I follow up every lead. I am overqualified for some jobs and underqualified for others. I have had a few phone/face-to-face interviews, but no offers.

I have learned to give myself emotionally free moments where I just take pleasure in the simple things of life, like my vegetable garden, my pets, my sisters. I am single, and it is doubly hard. I get out as much as I can. My life now is not how I thought it would be. I have always been productive and positive about my future. Now, I don’t fee that way any more. I am a statistic and feel like my worth in the workplace is non-existent, even though I have been a contributing member for many years.

I do hope this economy turns around, but I know it will take time, and my time is running out. I can only hope that I will find employment soon, through my hard work and networking skills. There are so many people in this position right now and I have true empathy for each and everyone.

Tessa Horehled » Job-Hunt Challenges Felt First-Hand: After 37 Interviews I Gave Up (AJC)

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[...] page D6 (for those of you reading along at home). Earlier this week, I responded to a blog post on AJC’s The Biz Beat blog that encouraged Atlanta citizens who had lost their job in the [...]