Darn that's a great GIF of the cat!

Don't get me started!

US human resources is a tyranny run by lawyers. I got fired from a college tenure-track teaching position purely because of a student hallway whisper campaign complaining about my methods. I have no idea how students can evaluate a teacher and have that count on your performance review. But that's the way it works! Student evaluations count for double over your peer reviews!

I've been unemployed for 6 years. Teaching positions in my field (art) have been 3 per year since 2005 (in the college professional journal employment pages, now all online only).

I don't have the skills for present day jobs. My years of experience, my lateral skills, all count for nothing; they are a liability. Age is a liability. Losing that job at 54 devastated me and devastated my reputation. A hole that big in a resume is the kiss of death. I did nothing wrong. I simply had a clique of "unsatisfied customers." (Students are clients, doncha no; the customer is always right) I filed grievance with the college HR; the HR manager was an attorney!. Not even an HR professional; an attorney.

I've filed hundreds of applications. Since the Great Crash, I've not had one call back. I have talked with three actual managers who found me and called; HR in each case rejected me, and I found out that you cannot reapply to these jobs. You can't fix it. You can't talk directly to the hiring manager or project lead. HR is a complete firewall. I am too overqualified, and too old; I found that out from networking contacts in the HR field. I am NOT suited to self-employment and not going there again; I've tried that, and went bankrupt the first time.

This is absolutely terrifying. I currently function on only social security SSDI, but it is soooo meager I am destitute. It's utterly humiliating. I went from a $55K/year job with terminal graduate degrees to zero income, and grinding poverty. This is so humiliating!