[Red in Blue PA]

I had 6 interviews this year, 3 being very close....but in the end, I still have no job. Very frustrating.

People who are not out in this job market searching for a job simply have no idea how bad it is right now. One simply needs to keep faith, stay active (both mentally and physically), find projects to remain productive (painting around house etc), and have confidence in themselves.

And to those here who claim I am living off govt teat, I reply that I am recouping some of the Soc Security I paid into which I will never receive.

[TomGuy]

People who are not out in this job market searching for a job simply have no idea how bad it is right now.

I can empathize. In the '93 recession, I lived in Dallas-Ft.Worth. After sending out over 400 resumes, I had a total of 10 job interviews. I was competing with others of similar qualifications, as that recession hit engineering/technical areas the hardest. Around 8,000 engineering/technical people were hitting the UE rolls weekly.

I was in Tulsa in the mid-80s recession. You couldn't buy a job at McDonalds. The official UE was at 8.5% and the unofficial UE was about 13.5%. Many fled to Houston. I worked about 4 total months out of nearly 3 years. I survived using personal saving, doing some part-time clerical type projects, and by substitute teaching -- which paid $25 per day, but was not constant. I was lucky to sub 3 days per week, as there were many others waiting by their phones to get the calls to sub.

[grania]

And to those here who claim I am living off govt teat

I don't think many people see it that way anymore. It's just all over, responsible people of all ages, all education levels, all economic groups, just can't find jobs.

Until the factories in crumbling cities start manufacturing things again, there's no real solution to the problem. It has to start with jobs, inner city manufacturing jobs, and build from the ground up. And I don't mean federally subsidized situations, which take as much out of the economy through taxation as they bring in....and then distribute it to the people not in the greatest need.

[algernonpj]

And to those here who claim I am living off govt teat, I reply that I am recouping some of the Soc Security I paid into which I will never receive.

I would put it in even stronger terms; you are recouping some of the money confiscated from you. Better you than an illegal, a 'guest worker', or a brand new legal immigrant.

[Paradox]

I had 6 interviews this year, 3 being very close.

I just got turned down, after my third interview with a company. Very disheartening, I was so sure I had it... in the meantime now, I am finding a little bit of part time work, making only a fraction of what I made before. The good news is, my living expenses are also far lower than they were before (no mortgage or rent, bought house from court house steps). My wife also manages to bring in some part time income. Another thing that has helped was that the IRS owed ME some money for the last 2 years of tax returns. I don't know how much longer we can last like this though.