The Voice of the Unemployed
Share your outrage, frustration, concern below. Help the jobless – Sign our petition
New JOBS Now!
by Robin Ryan – career counselor & author of “Over 40 & You’re Hired!” and “60 Seconds & You’re Hired!”
I’ve been a job search expert helping people find new jobs for 20 years. This is hands-down the worst job market I’ve ever seen — 17 million people without a job!
Why is no one screaming about this? Where is the outrage? Americans are jobless! Millions! It’s heartbreaking and we must scream and be heard so Congress will take actions to create jobs— millions of jobs! Congress’s bailouts, and clunkers, and stimulus programs to date have failed to create the new jobs for the millions who are still unemployed.
After a whole year of this — I am shocked and dumbfounded by the fact that Congress, The White House, the national media and the public is still standing by idly as our unemployment rates keep climbing.
Truly – I am astounded by the silence from Congress and our media. I am appalled by the flat-out lie that our congress, White House and national media promote, when they even mention the word ‘recovery.’ Whom do they think they are kidding? How can we ignore the seventeen million Americans who are suffering the daily heartbreak that is unemployment?
This is an appeal – a call-to-arms – on behalf of seventeen million suffering Americans. Seventeen million powerless individuals with no rich, powerful lobbyists, no money for making campaign contributions to politicians…and no jobs or incomes. I call on the media: FOCUS on these “little people,” stand up and hold congress accountable. I call on our Senators and Congress: HELP the “little people.” DO SOMETHING THAT WORKS to create new jobs now!
I call on the American people: DEMAND action, from your local newspapers, television and radio stations, your congressmen and senators. Tell them we need NEW JOBS NOW!
Join in on my mission to make the Voices of the Unemployed be heard!
Robin Ryan is the bestselling author of “60 Seconds & You’re Hired!” and has appeared on “Oprah” and “Dr. Phil,” as well as thousands of radio & television stations across America’s heartland. www.robinryan.com
Right on ROBIN! You tell them
I agree completely! The stimulus plan was supposed to trigger the economy with more money into different industries and therefor more jobs. Where are they?
I am a sttudying paralegal and have been looking for work for 2 years and have not found work at all-I am in a stifling relationship for a ROOF since I am not with a full time job as of yet and intend to be and work at it each and every day. I have a part time job at Victorias Secret and that is neither here nor there and they are still hiring not giving any one enough hours to even make it to work. When you call Macy’s they simply say why even BOTHER there are 60 applicants and only 4 positions, when you try to do the computer to get the interview you are locked out. WHen you get a hit on careerbuilder it does not work as they may call but act so bothered when you follow up. I am drained and this relationship is killing me –TORTURING ME–I sleep on the couch for comfort as there is JUST NO COMMUNICATION or reaching my mate whom is all ABOUT CONTROL and ALCOHOL and wants to bring me down with him although I DID MANAGE TO STAY AFLOAT SOMEHOW. I am sick of this man and his sick BIPOLAR ways, one day this and another day that you never know whom you are coming home to –AND HE BLAMES ME! SO TIME TO GO!! BUT how without full time work?
I may go to vocational help tomorrow and I did apply for medicaid and food stamps and need to be approved. It will be scary being on my own again, but I have me a car and a PART TIME JOB and almost my degree–I am a strong person without addiction–I am so worried about what he can do to me as he is REAL REAL VICIOUS and hates woman–really hates them deep down! He like to buy to control and then abuse when you walk in the home-no peace or harmony–then he wants to know why I do not kiss him!!
I hope this economy improves for us all
Pat Manfrede
For now I need to find a place that is safe for me and one that I can afford
So many of us are not even in the radar any more.
We have needed decent jobs for a long time. Low pay no raise no getting ahead NO MORE
I have not had a decent job since 1981 all downhill, I gave up looking
Robin
Thank you for be a voice to so many that need one.You ar a blessing to so many!
Robin,
Thank you for all you do! I am very concerned for our 55+ citizens in the midst of this devestating employment market. I was sorry to hear Pat say, “I gave up looking.” This is the time for American’s to do what we do best…problem solve! Collectively we become a force which our political representatives must listen to or perhaps vote them out so they can experience unemployment for themselves!
Hi I too am feeling this and I am hurting–I amliving with an abusive alcholic for fear of going out there and trying to find work so I can put a roof over my head–I hate living here and he knows this-I am almost done with school and want to get out into the job market and ask and look each day. He does not worry since he gets an income and he thinks this gives him the right to abuse me–it does not -but I am caught bwtween a rock and a hard place.
My son is going to the marines and unemployed but he is OK now with his dad helping him out. I really do not know what recourse my boyfriend has as I have been living here for 3 years some mail comes here and some mail goes to an apartment I happen to have and now that lease is coming to an end and so I can find a nice new place -one which I can afford hopefully. I will look at roomates tomorrow and I do not know whether to tell this crazy person or now–he is just not stable and I was told to tell him when I actually DO LEAVE. I do not know whether he can kick me out or WHAT-from what I was told he can, although he said he would never ever do that. He really makes me SICK TO MY STOMACH-
I have never been treated so poorly. I did have to put him in jail once for abuse.
I love your articles and yes I feel more jobs should be created for us to live peacefully.
Pat Manfrede
Dear Robin,
I saw your ad for your new book. I may order it when I get my last paycheck on Dec. 15th.
I was laid off working for the County of Los Angeles Elections Dept This was a contract job
so I knew it was not going to last. I like millions of others are 50+ and still with kids in school
there are friends who are near retirement but everyone says the same thing,they cannot afford
to retire with bills and mortgages here in California it seems that almost every other person
is behind in there mortgages and theseare people who have been on there jobs for over 10
years. It is very hard to look for work as every job you click on in jobsites there are app 100
people looking at the same jobs. It is hard as everyone is looking for any job they can get.
it is also harder when you have a liitle grey in your hair and a person of color. Everone says you
have good skills but there is always something wrong like you need more computer skills and or
you are not bilingual I see this as just a excuse to not hire you. You make changes but I can ‘t change
myself into a 28yr old . They do not see the experience out weighs many of the new skills as they do
not take the time to listen and understand people. The rule is that THERE ARE NO RULES!!!!!!!
It seems that the only way to get a job know is you have to have a relative work for that company!
This unemployment thing is getting a lot of people down. reading these comments is painful. So I hope that we do get our legislators to put those stimulus dollars to work in the private sector so that we can get permanent jobs going. The entrepreneur is the person that creates new jobs, the business that has new markets that they can expand into… if they can get the capital. Thats where we need the stimulus dollars to be going. It sure seems like the only thing getting the stimulus right now is the government! what’s up with that? we dont need more government! The other thing that I think is that we need entrepreneurial ideas to flow to blog sites like this to give the unemployed ideas for doing things that can earn money while unemployed. I have a friend that currently sells products online. He was doing that as a hobby but it turned full time for him when he couldn’t find other work. He found a good niche. So lets not give up, lets definitely fight to get dollars where they will create jobs, to the businesses that can grow and hire!
Thank you Robin!
Kathe is on the right track too… we all just need to get really committed to and passionate about changing the dynamics in our government. The current unemployment situation is some of the fallout of a seriously damaged economy. And greed, was the force that destroyed that economy. While we cannot easily, directly affect those in the private sector (lenders, unqualified home-buyers, insurance companies, Wall Street, the automakers, etc.) who threw the rest of us under the bus, we can impact the thought process of those whom we elect. I believe Robin’s petition is a GREAT start. We can all start by getting as many signatures on it as possible. I am sending Robin’s link to everyone I know.
It’s time to become the employer again! The next step is to become committed to who remains employed in Washington and who the new recruits will be to replace them. If you truly are angry about the economy and its impact on your employment, then do some firing and show them what the word “re-organization” really means.
As an ex-republican I am saddened that it took me so long to realize that there are indeed two parties… the elected in Washington vs. the people they steal from every day… the rest of us. We cannot refer to the democrats as the “spend and tax” party and the republicans as the “friend of business” party. They are ALL in it for the same reasons, power and wealth. The same lack of virtue exists and grows on both sides of the aisle. And we are the ones who give them their power and their wealth. WE need to stop it.
There is no magic answer. All we can do is be a whole lot more passionate and careful about who we trust to put the needs of the electorate first in Washington. Forget the parties! The two party system (republican v. democrat) is a myth purpetuated by them to keep us from seeing them for what they are…amoral, greedy, lying, special interest driven thieves.
In most of these comments there is a important point being missed. While jobs have disappeared, those just entering the workforce can look forward to new opportunities being created that will pay a liveable wage in accordance with their needs. How about the 40-50+ year olds who have built a lifestyle based on a steadily increasing pay scale coupled with steadily increasing cost of living?
Sure, a new job in the computer software industriy may be created paying $50,000 but that job can’t possibly satisfy the 20 year veteran used to earning $100,000. Where does this older worker go? Too young to collect social security or raid his/her retirement funds (if there is anything there to raid) and yet locked into a home, growing family, increased expenses all demanding that past income level.
This message should be included on any petitions that get circulated in DC or anywhere else—decent jobs, for decent wages in sufficient numbers to satisfy the aging but yet productive US workforce.
Good point…I am 52 and trying to get a job that pays enough to live on, after staying home with children. I have a degree, and DID go back to school to upgrade general skills, but still can’t get anything that will pay much more than child care costs (one child has autism). Worse yet, most employers seem to assume that I want benefits so much, that I will be happy with barely more than minimum wage and no prospects . My long ago job experience is considered worthless. I have two children in college and a mortgage, but it seems the world thinks I should be in retirement mode. I questioned not taking C and Java for awhile, but I am seeing so many horror stories out there from people with both more experience and education than I have.
My husband has not been able to find a job for years now. He did not stop working voluntarily or for cause. He has a good 20 years of experience, an MBA and was a straight A student. No one wants him as a staff accountant or financial analyst.
I just saw an article published under DICE’s group area about how older interns make great service emloyees in McDonalds. I am horrified that they published that.
I think that when we call our congress, we need to tell them to stop importing foreign workers at the pace of 125,000 per month when there are so many citizens out of work.
I would gladly retrain in the IT industry, IF I thought I could get a job in it. There are so many people out there with more experience and education. I would gladly sign a petition to stop importing IT workers. There are many people out there who would take any course or training that would result in a good job (even at the same pay as the foreign workers). Why will they not at least try to retrain US citizens first? We are not as inferior in ability as our own US employers seem to think!
The IT industry has been especially aggressive in off-shoring work. The last company I worked for had a goal of off-shoring 80% of their workforce. Of the 170,000+ employees they have, 70% or more are off-shore. Of those who do work in the U.S., a large number of them are not U.S. citizens; they work on H1-B or Green Card visas. (The H1-B has a supposed limit of six years while the Green Card grants permanent alien residency.) I don’t know why these alien workers make up a large percentage of this company’s U.S. work force, but I’m sure it has something to do with pay. Even though the law says the company must pay the prevailing wage at the geographic location to these alien workers, I’m guessing that they stipulate the “prevailing wage” at the lowest level: 0-3 years experience. As U.S. citizens who work in the IT career field age, they become more expensive. Therefore they get terminated (laid off, Reduction In Force, whatever) and are replaced with these alien workers. So through off-shoring and alien resident workers, U.S. citizens are taking a beating.
If there are “no new jobs” and 17 million unemployed, why are we still importing “visiting workers” from India and China on the H1B program (and others) to take “American” jobs. If our universities and “trade schools” (and Employers) haven’t trained enough “high-tech” workers in recent years (and why NOT?) to fill those American jobs, why can’t the government, industry, academia, and retired (but still capable) Americans “team up” to quickly re-train the most qualified of our 17 million unemployed to at least COMPETE for those “H1B” jobs — not currently open to American competition — at the “visiting worker” wages that industry is willing to pay (almost any wage is better than unemployment)? I’m sure we could produce more qualified workers than the “wet behind the ears” foreign workers with “technical specialties” ROTE-LEARNED at the “university” level. Another plus is that the wages will “stay in the U.S.A.” and help revive our economy, rather than being sent back to India or China to support extended family there.
There is grsss-roots support being garnered on the “American Jobs for American Workers” discussion group on LinkedIn.com to form and fund a Political Action Committee (PAC — but “Legislative Influence Group” sounds so much less “political”) to “lobby” for American competition for those H1B jobs. Sign up there to show your support. No contribution required.
Ye Olde Goate
“Olde Goates don’t ‘fade away’, they just ‘butt out’.”
I would gladly retrain in this industry, if I thought I could get a job in it. There are so many people out there with more experience and education.
Thank you
I honestly have never blogged before but here goes.I am40 years old and yes this sucks.I need help to and fast.My life is going downhill because of this unemployment /depression era.I see that my whole neighborhood has changed for the worst and being an african american born and raised here I am starting to wonder if this thing in our neighborhood remain this way because the goverment wants it this way.I can’t see where they want it any different.They just talk .If there is anything I can do to help anyone of any color,race,creed,religion whatever to get employment I will.Robyn just let me know and I
m there.
I AGREE!!! with this great commentary on CNN.com, December 4, 2009, from Amy M. Wilkinson, a Senior Fellow at Harvard University Center for Business and Government and a public policy scholar at the Woodrow Wilson Center. She says about the importance of entrepreneurs to the recovery of the American economy. Everyone should pay attention. Her commentary, is below:
“Job creation? Look to entrepreneurs”
“Thursday (December 3, 2009), the White House convened CEOs from companies such as Boeing, AT&T, Comcast and Dow Corning, top leaders of the United Steelworkers, United Food and Commercial Workers, American Federation of Teachers unions, Ivy League academics and a few small-business representatives to brainstorm how the country might generate much-needed jobs.
A schmooze-fest is nice, but the hard work of putting America back to work will be done by entrepreneurs, not the leaders of the biggest companies in the nation and the heads of big unions.
The mom-and-pop shops, garage start-ups and small businesses across the country will put Americans back on the payroll. According to the Census Bureau, nearly all net job creation in the U.S. since 1980 has been generated by firms operating less than five years.
This means that our job generators are likely not on the White House guest list. They are home working long hours to meet payrolls on tight deadlines and scraping by with limited resources. While others can advocate for the merits of entrepreneurship, and will hopefully do so, our job creators are strangely left out.
Innovators from Oregon to Tennessee are the ones who will generate new jobs. Commerce Department data show that small companies represent 99.1 percent of all employer firms (a firm is an aggregation of all establishments owned by a parent company, even in multiple locations.). They pay nearly 45 percent of U.S. private payroll and have generated 60 to 80 percent of net new jobs annually over the past decade.
A few start-ups from the last century may be familiar: Disney, Burger King, Fed-Ex, CNN and Microsoft all started during a period of economic downturn. Today, each of these companies employs thousands of people in the U.S. and abroad.
Recent research shows that more than half of the 2009 Fortune 500 companies were launched during a recession or bear market. In 2002, when the tech bubble burst, I graduated from business school just a few miles from Google. The start-up was a mysterious algorithm-based business, little known and lesser understood. Today, Google employs 20,000 people worldwide.
So the question is how can we foster the next Google? Policy-makers can’t predict breakthrough technologies, but they can create an environment that will encourage innovation. How to start?
First, provide further access to capital. Last week, two Small Business Administration stimulus provisions that helped to get millions of dollars to small-business owners ran out of funding. The provisions, passed as part of the Recovery Act, raised the maximum guarantee on SBA loans to 90 percent and reduced or eliminated fees associated with the loans, making it more attractive for banks to lend during the downturn. Access to capital is the lifeblood of small businesses. We must renew these provisions and provide even greater access to credit. Helping fledgling companies grow fuels the economy from the bottom up.
Second, welcome immigrants who are job generators. We are a country of immigrants, and yet in recent years, we have made it incredibly difficult for immigrants to launch companies in the U.S. Why not create a new visa for entrepreneurs? Increasingly venture capitalists, angel investors and innovators are advocating a “start-up visa” offered to immigrant entrepreneurs who want to start a company in the United States. In 2008, nearly 40 percent of technology company founders were foreign-born; 52 percent of Silicon Valley company founders were foreign-born, including the founders of Google, Yahoo, eBay and Intel, to name a few. Why chase these innovators away when we need jobs and should be hanging an “innovators wanted” sign on our front door?
Third, match funds for early investors. Early investors need incentives to put money behind companies that will create U.S. jobs. We have channeled billions of dollars to preserve “too big to fail” institutions. Why not make federal matching dollars available to catalyze smart investment in next generation businesses? Investors could keep their normal returns and a share of returns on federal matching funds could go back to the government to further revitalize our weakened economy. Instead of preserving outdated jobs, we need to fuel the creation of future employment prospects. Early-stage investors with a track record of success can help make this happen.
Obama came into office on an entrepreneurial platform. His campaign catalyzed involvement at the grassroots level. Tapping into new technologies such as YouTube, Facebook and other social networks, our president benefited from entrepreneurial advances.
It is time to stop propping up outmoded and over leveraged institutions and start betting on the new men and women who offer hope for greater prosperity. Supporting entrepreneurs is change we can believe in.”
I would like to find other people in the Sacramento, Placer County area that still have a few dollars. I have previous experience as a business owner and would like to open a business again. I know the business and know it well. If I had someone with enough for payroll backing we could make our own living. When I did this before I turned to $50,000. into 5 million within two years. Unfortunately this was for another Corporation. I have done this twice. We need to stick together. I am wondering why a few people can’t get together and start our own businesses?
This is a celebrated article as they all are. I from been wondering nearly this an eye to some measure now. Its great to receive this info. You are reasonable and balanced.
I was truly touched reading all the heartfelt comments from others. Glad to know that I am not alone out there.
Here’s my story: I am 50 years old and do computer technical support at a global company. Out entire group – USA and the UK will be outsourced approximate time frame April 2010. I am a positive person, but I do not look like I am 20 years old. The jobs I am qualified for can be given to a MUCH younger worker at half my salary.
It is scary out there, but hang in there folks. Positive thoughts can lead to positive outcomes. I will do whatever work it takes to bring money home and will survive. I know you can too.