I have talked with people I know from church. The net. On foot (you know, the old fashioned way!!)

nothing...zip....zilch...nadda....

responses I get are "not hiring", "you don't have a degree", "you are underqualified", and the one I really love is the one "there is a gap in work history" DUHHHHH!!! It's called "I'm looking and no one is hiring!!!!"

I went out on foot to some places like fast food restaurants or drug stores, they never give me applications...so i stopped doing that, and now i just look online. The place I go to is jobbank.gc.ca but its for jobs in canada, try looking for a site like that where ever you are on google. Good luck.

Online sites such as monster.com or Craigslist, or snagajob.com.

Hmm, I have a hard time with this topic, this is where alot of my challenges lie. I pay out liability insurance, a lot, which also suppose to have job findings for me. However, any employer that wants to post on it, must pay big bucks, so, truly its a vain idea for this agency to have, because no one posts. So, I remember day after day, logging in, not finding any job posting for my type of career. Then I go on Craigslist, and through out the year of unemployment, I find more opportunities, however, now I have to worry about my safety, is the job legit? I go to career builders, all that did was try to put me on jobs I don't do or was looking for. I go to the unemployment area in the city, all they want to you to do, is not do what one loves with a passion. However, making money? shouldn't that be top priority, even if its minimum wage? This is what they say to me.

My reaction to this? Bitterness, anger, wanting to run which is my biggest weakness away from a seemingly impossible world.

Facing unemployment, not finding anything because its off season right now in my career? I loose the ability to drive....no car insurance which Florida makes law now....brings more trouble to people like me. Being forced into paying up or being without any abilities, or breaking the law because survival comes first. Which a number of people are doing now that I know and I don't blame them. But I sold my car, had to for bills that came up.

Where are the solutions? Don't know. everyone that knew me, left me, those who said I was great at what I do? Not here. I mean, who wants to be around someone that doesn't pull ones weight like the rest of the world? I have to remind myself....everyone is being forced to live in fear right now with the economy being unstable, that helps me keep my bitterness down.

My second solution is....I just STILL don't know....try to have faith that a door will open up, however, sometimes I know, faith isn't enough....one has to do for oneself and move the energies. So, trying to change my attitude about how I got myself in this situation, how I made this situation for myself, and now, how I'm going to fix this. Truly? With all my heart? I would like to offer my services on a donation to everyone, pay what one can. However, as I'm reminded by many....I would be walked on big time...and how would I still pay bills? anyways, I'm a giving person...that have to practice wisdom and be fair to my soul mate too.

unemployment....is embarrassing for me....because right now? I'm running away from trying to fix it. That's my awful truth....and I condemn myself for it every night, all day....with fear, tears, and unknowing answers.

Be nice? hard to do in this area...I just want to judge bitterly...sorry. Enough said.

I feel for everyone so VERY VERY deeply that is in this....Good luck to all....I love what I do as a career...and I want to keep doing it..though many is talking me out of doing my passion in life. But, if I have to be forced to make money to live in this world to pay bills and enjoy life, then I should be able to live it in the field I love with a passion.

I have to learn to overcome my emotions in this matter...just don't know if I can trust myself with this.

May want to check your area for job fairs, there is also the unemployment commissions office. They help locate, find and place you into a job. I also have started my own business making and selling different things. What is it that your good at? Crafts, scrapbooking, handmade cards, lawncare, babysitting, advertisment, ect. Figure that out and then use flyers and word of mouth advertizement. Also when you are able to turn in an application make sure you have a resume with it and if you print your resume on pastel colored paper it is going to stand out a lot more and it wont be too harsh, hope this helps :)

I'd personally advise avoiding snagajob.com. They have postings on their site that are way way out of date, and will ultimately do more to waste one's time than anything else. I have had several instances where I was calling back a company trying to make myself heard, and they blatantly told me without any prompting "that posting online is really old".

As for me...I usually go on foot. I'm also moving to Atlanta so I can be closer to a major city than this small city I live in.

I got told the same thing that the place(s) had already hired people the week before, and they didn't know the post was still up. >:( Someone told me "everyone has skills" when I asked what do you do when you are unskilled? I hate people like that whom have blinders on.

KIDSINTOWE03: I was told at an unemployment meeting that I got "lucky enough" to have to go to.... I'm in Iowa, and with WorkForce Development Center they do a lottery and if your name gets picked, you take an all day class to help yourself get a job... YAY
LOL - Anyway, what they said to "fill the gaps" so it looks like you're still trying.... is part-time volunteer work and such so you can still add things to your resume, if anything it's a "community involvement" section sometimes in the resume... :) Just a suggestion! :)


-- Each state usually has a website for their type of workforce development center office to find jobs....
Yahoo HotJobs and some of the other sites listed by others.... putting your resume out there on safe/reliable sites so people can see them... ESPECIALLY on your one in your state.... because people come look at those as companies when they put job ads on there.... and if you already have your resume on there... they will check you out.

SPIRITWALKER: I'm going on 8 months right now... and some years ago I was at 9 months... it happens... don't get angry - they're all just as mad about the economy as we are.
I don't think it's "off season".... it's the economy.
My dad (61 years old) just found a job after being unemployed for not quite a year and a half... I was more worried about HIM than myself.... but he finally found something (thank you God!)


The best thing you can do for yourself in your unemployment, everyone.... is keep your head up, be positive, remember you're NOT alone in this (cuz frankly.... you're not !!) it's nation-wide!!
Use looking for a job as your job, commit so much time each "work day" to searching, or sending out resumes, doing applications.... never have the same resume for each job you apply for... some information is more important than for another job.
Sell "yourself" like someone would a car in an ad...

Seriously, if you saw an ad that said red, ford, 2007, nice interior. new tires. and that's all you saw....

But you saw another ad that gave a very mental picture of a car in great detail.... exactly what the interior was like... exactly what the outside was like, all the options in the car, the tires, and just went on in detail about it... which one would they actually consider?? Even if the red car was better?? (Probably the one with more detail).

I really hated taking that class I had to take with our workforce development center... but the info I took away on resumes was helpful (cuz I thought I had an amazing resume.... but now it's "wow" LOL )

Good luck everyone in your endeavors.... message me if you have questions or anything :) Take care

Hello everyone,I finally got hold of the computer after my son was finished. I read all the replies. As I already knew some people do not even have jobs. I have one but I cannot support myself so myself and my two sons live together to try and have a decent home. All the suggestions and comments everyone is saying I have been through. I went to a restaurant today and they said they were out of applications. It seems like everyone is out of applications. The work force center told me they could not help me find a job because I am marketable since I have a bachelor of social work which does me no good since I am told I have no experience, but yet I am marketable. I look online and I go into places and fill out applications. Most places tell me they are not hiring. I live in a small town and some stores I go into on a regular basis, often I see new employees, but I am told they are not hiring. I do not know what is wrong with the world today, it seems like no one cares. I think that I care too much. I am a kind person and will try to help anyone if I can.I keep struggling on day after day hoping one day I will get a phone call about a job. I do not care if it is in social work or not. I only get 29 hrs. a week so we only have money for the house payment and utilites. I get through this by being thankful I have a roof over our heads and at least we can pay on our home. I know there is always someone worse off than me.

omg i've looked everywhere. i've been unemployed for 5 months now and my unemployment runs out mid-june. i'm officially freaking out.

i'm on about 7 or 8 job sites with my profile and resumes filled in and all. i get MAYBE 4 or 5 alerts via email a WEEK. and what i'm running into is i've already applied for that job, it's a scam, or i'm WAY underqualified. and unfortunately, if you've already applied on some of the sites, you're not allowed to do so again. i've applied for jobs making barely minimum wage and there's just too many people going for the same jobs. it's impossible.

i gave up on craigslist because in my 5 months i've had no fewer than 6 frauds come straight to me from the sent resumes. one of which almost had me. i've started doind online surveys, freelance writing, little websites you can design stuff for and make a commission off the product. the sites i'm on for that have been used by close friends which is the ONLY reason i trust it.

other than that, i have no idea what to do.

GNYLA: I have my DS comments go to my e-mail - my e-mail goes to my phone - I read your comment and I got on DS immediately!

Hun, don't freak out.... take a deep breath... most all states as far as I know have extensions for unemployment.... PLEASE check with your unemployment office and refile if you can... you'll be ok, it's not your fault you can't find a job - you're doing what you can!!

Take a deep breath though, it'll be ok !! .... contact me if ya need to talk. :)

All I can say is use any and every connection you have. LinkedIn is a good site to see if you have friends working at a company that may be hiring.

It also helps sooooo much for someone you know (who already works at the company to which you are applying) to put in a good word for you.

I found that looking for places that were hiring and jobs available just didn't work. There is too much competition. I look for companies that don't know they are hiring - companies I want to work for, and I get to know them through social networks - ning, linkedin. And then I ask them questions until I can see what they are really looking for - give them that and they eat out of your hand. It doesn't matter what your resume looks like consider yourself already hired.

I am professional in my country. My mother tongue is Spanish, am fluent in English. Have a degree in my country (Distinction), I was about to finish my second degree in Business IT from the UK. Got excellent references from my previous employer, but have been looking and no one is calling me for interview. Called to different companies asking about the job vacancies since sometimes they don't post them on the Internet, read the newspaper, learn about the company in order to write proper letters and adjust my CV. Haven't got any gap (Last 2 months only) still no one is calling me. I don't certainly know what I am doing wrong. The normal way people hire in here is if you are willing to open your legs with your employers which is something I am not planning on doing. It is getting hard!

I forgot to mention that there is not such a thing like getting benefits :(
No much money left, try not to worry too much but is not helping my depression! What a world we are living in!