[RedCylon]

I've been unemployed since the summer of 2007. It wasn't a problem until the beginning of 2009, since I was in school. I've been seriously looking for a job for months now, and can't find anything.

I'm young, reasonably intelligent, physically healthy, and willing to work. Yet I can't find a job anywhere. In the past month alone I have applied at Macy's, JC Penney, Best Buy, Starbucks, Barnes and Noble,Office Depot, Office Max, several restaurants, Kmart, even Wal Mart as much as I hate it. All the type of jobs students would have while going to school.

I go on interviews. They say they will call within the week. They rarely do. I call them and they say the position has been fulfilled. At first I thought it was me. But I have interviewers telling me I was a "front runner" and that I had a "good chance" of getting the job.

I know the job market is competitive right now, but I'm starting to lose my patience. I apply for jobs and think to myself "Why am I bothering? A thousand people are applying for the same thing."

I'm still waiting on Best Buy and Barnes and Noble. Hopefully one of them comes through. I'm just running out of patience and places to apply.

My family has been having financial problems lately too (like so many others, unfortunately), and I'm the only one who doesn't work. I feel guilty that I spend the days looking for a job while they are actually out working 8 or 9 hours a day.

Anyway I just wanted to vent my frustrations.

[Perna]

Come mow my lawn! :-)

The retail business is hurting too; maybe look outside them? Do you have a vehicle? Have you thought about delivery (pizza or other), working as a go-for/driver for non-profits (like cancer centers who pick-up patients and take them to dr. appointments or assisted living centers; car dealerships have to get inspections and do fleet management and have a person who does nothing but take cars to the emission inspection station all day, that sort of thing).

Speaking of mowing your elderly neighbors' lawns ($10-20+ a pop, 10 clients, once every week or two; that's $100-$200 a week cash) you could maybe start or join a few businesses like that; pet sitting, grocery/errand shopping, car washing, tutoring kids over the summer or helping with their activities or a combination of 5-10 different things?

What do you like to do? What are you studying? Invent a program, identify non-retail businesses to target and offer yourself as an intern cheaper than "official" programs in the area and with a contract just between you and the business so maybe they pay for some of your schooling rather than money as you work for them.