Recession or Depression?

[Ldyluck88]

The economy sucks right now and I'm sure it has affected many on this site. I thought it would be interesting to share stories on how this recession/depression has affected your lives, whether it be positive or negative.

I have been unemployed for almost 2 yrs. Lost my home, my job and my self dignity all at one time! I was lucky to find a friend who allowed me to move in with her. My unemployment is running out now, and I'm struggling to find a job. The only avenue of looking for work now is via the internet. Employers will not accept applications face to face, which is absurb to me!! And, it seems to me that once you are over that "50" mark, they won't give you the time of day(they ask for the year you graduated high school). Believe it or not, I cannot even get a job at Walmart!! It's very frustrating to be able bodied, have years of experience, and the employers judge me via a piece of paper submitted on the internet!! Times have changed, I understand, but I am NOT a senior citizen yet, and I can wrap corners around alot of the younger generation. My good ethics and can do attitude does nothing for me now, as I'm at the mercy of the internet employers.

What's your story??

[Daywalker]

Originally Posted by Ldyluck88

The economy sucks right now and I'm sure it has affected many on this site. I thought it would be interesting to share stories on how this recession/depression has affected your lives, whether it be positive or negative.

I have been unemployed for almost 2 yrs. Lost my home, my job and my self dignity all at one time! I was lucky to find a friend who allowed me to move in with her. My unemployment is running out now, and I'm struggling to find a job. The only avenue of looking for work now is via the internet. Employers will not accept applications face to face, which is absurb to me!! And, it seems to me that once you are over that "50" mark, they won't give you the time of day(they ask for the year you graduated high school). Believe it or not, I cannot even get a job at Walmart!! It's very frustrating to be able bodied, have years of experience, and the employers judge me via a piece of paper submitted on the internet!! Times have changed, I understand, but I am NOT a senior citizen yet, and I can wrap corners around alot of the younger generation. My good ethics and can do attitude does nothing for me now, as I'm at the mercy of the internet employers.

What's your story??

I'll share a few details.


Mrs. Daywalker (aka Lady Flamezzz) is a Nurse...a multi-certified, multi State
licensed LPN-2 to be exact. Last year we relocated back to my home state of
California. Over the last year it has become painfully evident that my working
abilities that I have enjoyed all my life are now at a close, because my health
sucks ass and is not getting any better. So the Mrs. was left to Job Search solo
when we arrived. Fast forward past the bullshit of taking 4 months longer than
necessary to get her Ca State Nursing License, we been in a heap of trouble
for months, bordering on losing all we had left and making a tent house on the
street. Ok, so she gets online and applies to many places. She takes the test
for the State Prison System; every interview was followed up by a Freeze in
hiring. Same seems to have happened with most of the places, even Flu
Clinics that we sent hella paperwork to, that costs us money to have
Notarized, etc...all of the sudden no one can afford to hire the Staff they
advertised as needing. 6 months ago, we pounded the pavement, so to
speak...and drove to a few of the places that we saw online. I waited in
the car for hours while she went in, handed them her packet of goodies
n credentials...maybe filled out an Application or did some testing.


No response from them...until just recently.

One of the places we visited in person months ago...called!


For the last month she has been working her ass off to take a Full
Time position, and she just got notice the other day that she is gonna
get 3-12 hour shifts per week. This has saved our asses like you just
don't know. Yes, she is a woman of size and over age 50, and
yes...we know this has been a factor in the hiring process.


But she is also a woman of substance who has many many years of
experience to share and these folks called her, interviewed her for a
brand new ward they were opening...and she is now employed.


So online was not the only place to find jobs, turns out the old fashioned
in your face method worked for us in this case, in her field.
That's just pieces of our story over the last year.


In the darkest times, our Friends and Family have gotten us through and at
times it has brought me to tears knowing that so many cared and prayed
and gave us support when we most needed it.


And I wish everyone who is in the suck ass position we have been in the
same kind of support that we have been fortunate enough to receive.


We're still in many binds and it will take a couple months or more
to see through the dust, but we have something to hang onto
now and are grateful as hell for it.

[Ldyluck88]

Thanks so much for sharing Daywalker, it gives me hope and others too, I'm sure. I'm glad you all found a job through tenacity and hard work. This inspires me to do the same.

[Andrew, Jr.]

I most definitely would have to say this is a depression. Too few have decent jobs. Too many folks are working at jobs that they are over qualified for, or have 3 or 4 part time jobs to just keep surviving. Many have had no raises or bonuses for a year or longer.

The US is in trouble. I think as a country we need to stop out-sourcing jobs, and start creating jobs that pay decent wages/benefits once again.

[Rockinonahigh]

I am so glad somethig has worked out for u and Mrs.Daywalker,Good nurses are very hard to find,congrats to u both.

[Corkey]

My parents were of the Great Depression era. Now let me explain why I think we are in a recession and not a depression. Our banking system though bruised is still functioning, our supermarkets still have food on their shelves, and though there are millions without jobs, there are millions more who do. While some may be eating from soup kitchens, I dare say it isn't in droves like it was in the early part of the 20th century. This rescission reminds me of the 1970's when gas was rationed and layoffs due to government (Reagan) regulations, and union unrest. That recession I am a product of.
My folks ate more potatoes than meat, and they owned a farm, so no not a depression but a deep recession. Housing starts are up, but that could be due to the improved weather. Small businesses are improving, this from direct observance, and the stimulus is working, slowly but it's working. All of this wasn't true in the depression.
I hope you find work, keep plugging away, there are resources out there.
Good luck.

[Jess]

In our little corner of the world...

http://www.martinsvillebulletin.com/...e.cfm?ID=18322


and unemployment funds running out...

http://money.cnn.com/2010/04/08/news...less_benefits/

One of our two grocery stores closed down recently. Food Lion and a Lowe's Food's were the only competition for Wal-mart until FL closed in the past month. Like the good capitalist pig they are, Wal- mart immediately fired quite a few full time employees replacing them with part timers now displaced from FL. We do have one tiny little pvtly owned market that is of course understocked and over priced, but we buy our meats there as they are fresh cut and better than the other options.

The median income for a household in the county was $28,705, and the median income for a family was $36,232. Males had a median income of $25,391 versus $18,711 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,574. About 9.60% of families and 13.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.40% of those under age 18 and 18.00% of those age 65 or over.( This paragraph from census reportings)

So, around here.. whether it is a depression or recession, it's pretty damned depressing.