Is there an attitude towards the unemployed, even in this climate? Cultural thing?

Thank you, that's very kind of you!!

I hate feeling like just a "number" and not an actual human being. It would be nice to be "acknowledged". I'm just burned out of the employment security commission telling me how to look for a job. Look, I'm 38, and I know how to act and what to say in an interview. I don't need a little instruction guide on how to act or dress during one. I'm old enough to know all about it. Just venting here.

Okay to vent...that's partly what this thread is for anyway! You're right...we are all people, not statistics. My pet peeve is that they say they added "50,000 jobs". WHAT #$%@*&! jobs? I mean, WHAT TYPE???? What industry? What part of the country for Pete's sake? It would be helpful if they elaborate. Are they part-time? Temporary? What the ****?

I agree....they keep telling you the same stuff over & over....like dress appropriately and use deodorant. Common sense here.....

You think it's common sense, but you wouldn't believe what comes into interviews.

Unbrushed hair, definitely no deoderant. Completely inappropriate dress. One of my friends had a candidate bring her Twin Sister and they both went into the interview together. SUits that are way too big for the men. a girl who said she was going to school to be a teacher, but my job interview was for a bank teller - she was wearing a head scarf but I could see her BELLY BUTTON because her shirt was too short.

Most people do not have common sense. If you walk around most job fairs...the people do not look like they are out to get their next job. There is a reason the unemployment rate is so high but there are still jobs available to people.

i don't mean to come across like a biatch, but you could take all the seminars in the world but NightOwl and Deborah, you are correct - there are so many unemployed, big nd small companies basically have their pick of people, so if you don't come in there and totally WOW people, they are going to say NEXT.

That's actually what troubles me the most though. We need jobs for people who are clueless, because there are LOTS of them, and if they can't support themselves, guess what happens? Nothing good.

Factory jobs used to keep these folks indoors. Now we are growing a generation of young men and women who understand every handheld electronic device before it gets to market but can't spell and can't get any kind of job. That's bad.

That said though, it isn't all that easy. I have two degrees, an insurance license, 15 years of fast paced CSR experience, 20 years of office & retail, and it took me two years to find a job after losing my bank job in 2008. The job I found is minimum wage, very part-time. I spent two hours filling out their online apps, took a barrage of tests, went to three interviews, and trained for 20 hours before they put me on a cash register. I had to compete for this job, hard. Most weeks I clear about $70.

So, you know, it really IS bad out there.

Here's a pet peeve of mine though:

At 58 I constantly hear two things that are completely opposite each other. One is that I'll probably never work again and I shouldn't expect employers to take me seriously because of my age. The other is that I'll have to work into my 80s because of state of the U.S. economy.

I wish people would just be quiet if they can't say something positive on this. It gets old, all the free advice.

I agree with you jadedmoonbeam about what people would come to a job interview dressed as they don't care. The thing is, in my financial situation, I don't have money to even go out a buy an outfit for an interview, I have to make due what's in my closet now. I think I dress appropriate for an interview. I'll wear a pair of dressy black pants, a nice top, and dressy black shoes. If people don't have enough common sense when it comes to that, then that's their problem. It just seems like kindergarten sometimes. For example, don't wear huge earrings, don't wear alot of perfume. It's just degrading to me when someone says this to me.

It depends on what you're interviewing for - some places do want to see a suit or just a jacket....but usually nice black pants, a nice top and good shoes should be fine.

Don't feel degraded about the no big earrings, no perfume comments - they are literally saying it to EVERYBODY. I have friends who wear too much perfume - some people don't know....

My friend has been in Human Resources for 10 years and went on an interview in a suit - the guy who interviewed her told her - 'if you come back you should wear a button down shirt, not a regular top". Even people who are at the high end get told things....it's not personal.

i know it's hard when you've been out of work and you feel like everyone is just pushing you down. Nobody is trying to hurt you - most of the time they really do want to help you get the job. The agencies that are sending you on interviews - they get paid if you get the job so it's in their best interest to help you.

Are people saying that to you? Like employers?

I may get backlash for saying this, but I agree with you that looking presentable should be enough. But now I'm reading that wearing something "outdated" can hurt you, no matter how qualified you might otherwise be. So now they expect people to go out and spend money on the latest fashions?

What gets me is that I've seen people who aren't dressed "appropriately" for an interview getting hired anyway. I really don't think there's a real science to it, but an subjective process.

I too have heard about this in the media of course. And those economic "experts"...

Well,pgrundy, many people are saying it because many people are feeling it or experiencing it. My father (70) is still working to provide for himself and my mother. His retirement packages gave him squat after all the years of paying extra into it and the RRSPs and all the other attempts...what he gets back for the money he invested is not enough to cover their necessities.

There is something called ageism going around which stereotypes employees according to age. Many companies prefer somebody younger for two reasons...they have fewer years of influence from former employers, and they are more likely (so it is thought) to take on a job for less pay. This is affecting many people, like myself at 46, who are still trying to get a career or are making a change in careers due to a turndown or lay-offs.

So, I am sorry if you feel annoyed by these statements, pgrundy, but people are saying it for a reason....I have a degree in social sciences and we have studied these topics in society.They are happening.
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I've been working with a career coach who is helping me with job hunt strategies and self promotional pieces. He flat out told me to get a makeover. He was worried, I'd get weeded out during the interview for looking frumpy, and he said I look 10 years older than I am. So I had a session with an image consultant. She gave me a lot of great tips.

Now I just have to get the blasted interview.

splitimage

I haven't had full employment in quite awhile although I've been applying for jobs everywhere. Employers shun anyone who's been unemployed for more than 6 months. They figure you're either lazy or on drugs. The irony is that many people with full-time jobs are lazy or on drugs.

This kind of annoyed me a bit. I went to a workshop on how to cope with job loss/stress. I read a section on physical appearance. I guess you know where I'm going with this. It says "if you are overweight,(of course they had to use that term) have unusual facial characteristics or have other physical features that make you "stand out" in a negative way, do your best to minimize them". A flattering suit or skillfully applied make-up can make a huge difference. Seek out the advice of an image consultant, oh please! Physical features, that make you stand out in a negative way. What the heck? In other words, if you're not perfect looking? Image consultant? No thanks, I'll do what I think is right when it comes to a job interview.

I respectfully disagree and think a session with an image consultant can be beneficial. After being flat out told I needed a makeover, I swallowed my pride and hired an image consultant. She really helped me. I'm overweight, and already had a pretty good sense of what to wear to look my best but she gave me some tips on styles and fabrics that I never would have thought of. We also spent a lot of time on colours, as it turned out I'd been wearing a lot of the colours that weren't best for my skin tone and hair. I could see real differences in how my face looked, just based on what colour was wrapped around my neck. But the biggest thing for me was makeup. I've never worn makeup, but she convinced me to try a little eye makeup and lipstick, and showed me how to apply it properly. I wear very little, but I'm getting huge compliments from everyone on how great I look, and that I look younger and more alive. So for me it was worth it - the job market is a war zone, and if wearing makeup helps me get a job, I'll wear makeup.

The other thing I'm finding is people definitely do prefer to hire people who are currently working. I've been unemployed now for over a year, except for a 2 month stint in a job that didn't work out, and so isn't on my resume. But this past summer, I got a part time job teaching at accounting in continuing ed at a university. As soon as I put that on my resume, I started getting more hits with my resume.

And if you have extended periods of unemployment on your resume, make sure you're prepared to explain them in a way that doesn't send off any red flags for employers.

splitimage

I understand what you're saying here, but it seems that all the focus is on our looks. I do put myself together pretty well I think for a job interview, I usually don't wear alot of makeup anyways, but I wear alittle bit more than I'm used to wearing when I'm going for a job interview. I like to look natural. As far as an image consultant, I can't afford one. What about the employers focusing on whether you're qualified or not for the position.

From what I'm seeing lately, it seems as if the temporary agencies are only interested in how many people they "register", and not assisting with helping them find work. I have counted to see how many I'm "registered" with, I came up with 20, I know that's insanely alot, and they all don't have anything they say. Something is just not right somewhere.

I think you're right, Deborah. I thought it was just me. I do think they try to get you to sign up to keep their "pool" at a certain number of people. And, with so MANY more temp agencies in existence than there used to be, AND with much less work available to "spread around", they aren't going to have anything. I remember the old days (70's!!) when they kept me SO BUSY. But there weren't as many agencies around then.

Like you don't have enough to worry about with trying to show them you can do the job. I agree; paying the rent is hard enough, right? Image consultant? Sounds like something for a model or actor/actress only. And this thing about physical appearance burns me up. I think it's cultural; how many times do we hear about anti-aging and weight loss techniques? I know other cultures are more accepting of aging (we all do it), and older people are more respected (like in Japan).

This is a youth-worshipping culture, and there's always talk of looking younger/thinner...for both men and women. Maybe they say it will make a "huge difference" because that's more money in the pocket of this consultants, right??? They convince you you "need" them. Of course, they can't guarantee you the job. No one can. And what's "unusual"? Depends on the who's looking at you. So subjective and biased. What one person finds appealing can be a "negative" thing to someone else.

And $%^*(@, geex.....s*** happens in life, and these employers who are made up of so-called "humans" like us who lack so much humanity. Yeah, I know they want you to be qualified & all, but they also expect you to have a perfect history & LOOK perfect?

And I agree, Deborah...if you're not comfortable with a certain make-up technique or style of clothing, it isn't you and it could come out (being uncomfortable) when you're trying to show they you're qualified.

I read about a poor woman who has to take the bus to interviews (or anywhere else). She can't afford a car. Of course, employers demand you have "reliable transportation". Translation= own a car. So, that eliminates people who rely on the bus, in theory. This woman's bus was late, making her late for the interview. She was in her "stylish" suit, hot & sweaty, as she to wait for the bus. Of course, in the employer's eyes, it is her fault she was late, and she should own a car. Without a job to pay for gas & maintenance? Yeah, she should. My heart goes out to her...

These HR people who tell you things like get a makeover or professional resume writer ought to be put out on the street with nothing except the clothes on their backs.......

THEN have some HR person or consultant tell THEM, "Get a makeover, hire someone to write your resume, get reliable transportation"