Frustrated job seekers deciding to call it quits

[Freeper]

The Northerner  (264 posts) Click to send private message to this author  Click to view this author's profile  Click to add this author to your buddy list  Click to add this author to your Ignore list      Sat Feb-06-10 03:12 PM
Original message
Frustrated job seekers deciding to call it quits
   
Source: Associated Press

Many jobless people have reached a conclusion that captures the depth of the unemployment crisis: Looking for a job is a waste of time.

The economy is growing. Yet it's creating few jobs. That's why in the past eight months, 1.8 million people without jobs left the labor market. Many had grown so frustrated by their failure to find a job that they threw up their hands and quit looking for one.

...

The nation's unemployment rate is 9.7 percent. But so many jobless people have quit looking that if they're combined with the number of part-time workers who'd prefer to work full time, the so-called "underemployment" rate is 16.5 percent.

Their outsize numbers show that even though the economy is growing, the job market is stagnant. Employers remain reluctant to hire.

The exodus did halt in January, when a net total of 111,000 people re-entered the job market. But 661,000 had left in December. And the overall trend since spring has been people leaving the work force.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100206/ap_on_bi_ge/us_work...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x7654555

This thread outta get interesting.
Obama said that unemployment going down was encouraging when right here this article states that it really didn't go down just the number of people counted went down.

RubyDuby in GA  Donating Member  (1000+ posts)  Journal  Click to send private message to this author  Click to view this author's profile  Click to add this author to your buddy list  Click to add this author to your Ignore list      Sat Feb-06-10 03:21 PM
Response to Original message
2. I know how they feel. I'd give anything to find a job - even a decent paying part time job.
   
And I've only been out of work since last July. I know people around my area that are going on 2 years of being unemployed now. There simply are no jobs at all around here.

If Bush was in office you would be wanting to hang him.

So far no one has said it was Bush's fault but it's coming.

[Carl]

I will accept that in this area I was ignorant until yesterday on how the unemployment figure was arrived at.
When one sees a report that says 20,000 jobs were lost but the unemployment rate went down it is an eye opener.

The unemployment rate IMO is meaningless now as it is derived from a household survey..a survey.
Very large (110,000) but still not beyond the possibility to be manipulated.
I always had assumed (erroneously) that there was a correlation between hard data...unemployment claims,payroll figures,withholding numbers,tax filings for self employed that it was fairly accurate.
I was wrong.

[Freeper]

I will accept that in this area I was ignorant until yesterday on how the unemployment figure was arrived at.
When one sees a report that says 20,000 jobs were lost but the unemployment rate went down it is an eye opener.

The unemployment rate IMO is meaningless now as it is derived from a household survey..a survey.
Very large (110,000) but still not beyond the possibility to be manipulated.
I always had assumed (erroneously) that there was a correlation between hard data...unemployment claims,payroll figures,withholding numbers,tax filings for self employed that it was fairly accurate.
I was wrong.

That accounting trick has been used for years even when unemployment was low. On a scale this large though they can't get away with it.

[ColonialMarine0431]

I should create a macro on my computer so I don't have to keep typing this out....

"How's that Hope & Change thing workin' out for ya' Obama voters?"

[I_B_Perky]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x7654555


If Bush was in office you would be wanting to hang him.

So far no one has said it was Bush's fault but it's coming.

I remember back during the Bush admin, unemployment around 5 percent, all the dummies complaining that they were out of work. One fool, mrh I think was his handle, kept saying he had been out of work for 5 years down in Texas somewhere. Supposed to be an electrical engineer.

I remember thinking if these idiots couldn't get a job then, how were they going to get a job when things turned bad? Then I remembered that they are dumpmonkies.

Funny how when things turn bad the dumpmonkies all get fired first. 

As for me, I never had a problem getting a job. I just tell the person I am willing to start at the minimum and work my way up. Then I work harder than everybody else and the raises take care of themselves.

[GOBUCKS]

Funny how when things turn bad the dumpmonkies all get fired first. 

DUmmies get fired often during boom years. That's why there was a big market at the DUmp for the Whizzinator.

[Randy]

Yep me too. Jobs are there you just have to be willing to work. It may not be the best job but you can eat and have a roof.

Since the end of Sept 08 my wife has had 5 jobs. None the best, but good enough for us to get a house. Shes gotten a new one starting the end of the month that pays well and is worth the wait shes endured for it to come along. She's giddy about it and I'm proud of her.

[kenth]

People don't really quit looking for work. They quit looking for work via the government; i.e. their state employment agency. That number loss and the people who have run out of unemployment causes the lowered numbers. The big 0 is still happily talking down the economy, turning it into the 0conomy.

[AllosaursRus]

I have heard today that the people who have lost their jobs ar the non-producers. Employers are upping the wage of producers, working them more hours, and getting rid of their dead weight. Makes sense to me, since wages and hours worked, have increased for those still working.

Tell me again DUmmies how unions are the answer!

[diesel driver]

Yep me too. Jobs are there you just have to be willing to work. It may not be the best job but you can eat and have a roof.

Since the end of Sept 08 my wife has had 5 jobs. None the best, but good enough for us to get a house. Shes gotten a new one starting the end of the month that pays well and is worth the wait shes endured for it to come along. She's giddy about it and I'm proud of her.

I hope your wife's job doesn't turn out like my ex's last one....

She got this great job after being off for about 2 months back in 2001.  She started in February, loved the job, loved the pay, for the first time in the 20 years we had been married, she loved going to work....

Later, I found out a "business trip" she took in August was to shack up with a co-worker for the weekend in a hotel....

[The Village Idiot]

Later, I found out a "business trip" she took in August was to shack up with a co-worker for the weekend in a hotel....

Thats where the "ex" came from I bet.

[whiffleball]

I have heard today that the people who have lost their jobs ar the non-producers. Employers are upping the wage of producers, working them more hours, and getting rid of their dead weight. Makes sense to me, since wages and hours worked, have increased for those still working.

About time AFAIC!  The employer I know the best is the fed and they had (I assume they still do) the deadest of dead weight ever.  In my days removing about 1/3 of the fed workforce wouldn't have disrupted service since the other 2/3 did all the work anyway.

[Randy]

I have heard today that the people who have lost their jobs ar the non-producers. Employers are upping the wage of producers, working them more hours, and getting rid of their dead weight. Makes sense to me, since wages and hours worked, have increased for those still working.

Tell me again DUmmies how unions are the answer!

That happened to my brother. His work in the auto parts supplier industry was beginning to slow with the dim takeover. The company did 2 Friday massacres 6 weeks apart and got rid of all the deadwood. Then when it all crashed down after Bo took over they worked 20 hour or less weeks and the company matched the hours to keep the producers around for 6 months. A few more months of more or less normal work but now that there's been a demand they've cranked up to 10 hour days, 7 days a week since Thanksgiving. People are starting to wear down and drop so plans are in the works for working 5 12's. He's hating the lack of life but loving the paychecks.

[Randy]

About time AFAIC!  The employer I know the best is the fed and they had (I assume they still do) the deadest of dead weight ever.  In my days removing about 1/3 of the fed workforce wouldn't have disrupted service since the other 2/3 did all the work anyway.

They did it the other way, 2/3 went bye bye and 1/3 stayed. They were a 3 shift a day facility. Now it's just one long shift and what was maintenance worked while the operators waited is now done during the after shift times. It seems to be working, everybody's making money again.

[Randy]

I hope your wife's job doesn't turn out like my ex's last one....

She got this great job after being off for about 2 months back in 2001.  She started in February, loved the job, loved the pay, for the first time in the 20 years we had been married, she loved going to work....

Later, I found out a "business trip" she took in August was to shack up with a co-worker for the weekend in a hotel....

LOL nope. The new job is within literal sight of the old job. She'll go to work the same way, just making a left instead of a right coming off the interstate. No travel, no hotels and even though there's a Holiday Inn Express at that exit, no shacking up.

[AllosaursRus]

I hope your wife's job doesn't turn out like my ex's last one....

She got this great job after being off for about 2 months back in 2001.  She started in February, loved the job, loved the pay, for the first time in the 20 years we had been married, she loved going to work....

Later, I found out a "business trip" she took in August was to shack up with a co-worker for the weekend in a hotel....

Oh shit! Bummer drag! Sometimes success goes to their heads. Sorry Bubba!