Jobless Rate Worse Than the Headlines Say

azcentral.com ^ | 9-22-03 | Justin Bachman

[riri]

An analysis of the latest government monthly economic data suggests the unemployment situation is worse than the headlines portray.

August numbers from the Department of Labor found a 6.1 percent unemployment rate, or about 8.9 million people out of work. But in its analysis of other monthly data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc. reported the real unemployment rate was 9.1 percent.

[On the Road to Serfdom]

Running out of unemployment insurance does not take one off the "statistical radar." Your father in law is still counted as unemployed as long as he actively looks for work, ie. has not decided to retire.

[Crusher138]

Telemarketing is a better than no job.

Time for a word from management.

My company is hiring account executives. They will be expected to be working from 9:00am to 5:00pm, Monday through Friday. There time is pretty much their own. They are given existing customers to call, leads produced by business to business telemarketing, and they are expect to self-generate (i.e. cold call) for new business. They are given a cell phone, complete sample kit, use of a laptop, weeks of training, and all the corporate infrastructure they could want. They earn approximately 15% commission on average sales of between $600 and $700 each. Fair reps sell about $20K a month, good reps sell about $35K a month, we have several who sell in excess of $40K per month. They also get a $300 per week salary and $250 per month towards expenses. Yeah, we have reps making $80K+ per year. There is minimal paperwork and the product is fun and easy to sell.

We can't get any reasonably qualified applicants.

We are also looking for graphic artists, production support, and telemarketers. All of our positions pay in the top 20% of our industry.

Now I would not be surprised if some of the heavy duty moaning and groaning on this board would be due to to the abundance of IT people we have lurking here. The lack of high paying jobs in IT MIGHT have something to do with years of "get a high paying job in the computer field" commercials for IT schools that flooded the job market with former construction personel intent on becoming rich sitting on their butts. Maybe.

We are expanding into the Texas and New York markets. Not that I think any IT people would lower themselves to accept a job in sales. Just because that's how I got my foot in the door doesn't mean it will work for you.

P.S. The only thing more valuable to a company than a good sales rep is a good sales rep with computer skills.

[Crusher138]

There time = their time

Proof reading is our friend...

[Big Giant Head]

Also, the bureau found a surge in August, to 232,000, of people who are self-employed.

But, but, but, I just heard on NPR that over 7 million business were started since 2000!

Business run by husband/wife or less, no employees.

Where did these new businesses come from? OMG! something doesn't compute!

[Redwood71]

The answer to the raises in CEO pay could lie in contract commitments. When a CEO is given the commitment by contract for a percentage of raise, and this is called that, then the company is forced to pay. In this case the economy tanked starting in 1999 and going full circle to what it was going do, by 2000. If the company has a contractual commitment to raise the salary of the CEO yearly, then it must pay. I'm sure that even some of the prime stock holders were not covered due to the CEO requirements. It's dog eat dog, and the big dog wins. It isn't illegal, just business, and common.

[onemoreday]

....
....
Come now Scott........concepts such as "absolute morality"
......("I DON'T LIE").......are only for the foolish (the unemployed)......and these concepts are only used by the wise(the employed) to keep the unemployed "under control".

Since you are now in the "expendable category"....it is remarkable that you even hold to the idea that you are a "conservative", or that you would expect a "safe one" to do other than label you a "whiner"

There are only "winners" and "whiners".....

(until these "fellow conservatives" fall, also.)

WHO WILL BE THE LAST CONSERVATIVE STANDING?......seems to be the "name of the Game"......and it's the only Game in town

[A. Pole]

A big problem _I_ think that this country has besides unemployment is the underemployment problem. It seems to me that there are lots of people with college degrees (useful ones, not philosophy) or whatnot who are waiting tables when they should be on a computer or in a lab.

Free traders would answer that those guys are fully employed and that it is the law of comparative advantage at work - it is better if they are waiting tables.

[Scott from the Left Coast]

LOL...I think you may just be on to something here. It does seem that everyone is chock full of interesting advice.

It is interesting to see the other side of it, this being the only time in my life I have ever been here (and the only time I have ever been on the receiving side of public assistance, unemployment comp).

I mean, I don't mind chucking some long held standards, because some of them are for convenience as much as anything. But I really don't see how lying about myself is going to get me anywhere I want to be...given what we are talking about is a job paying far, far, less than I've ever made before and doing things I've never done before. How long am I going to be able to do that before I just chuck it? Hell, better to start eating the pension fund than compromising that much and heading down a dead-end road.

So...Har! I'll take the "whiner" label proudly (even though I don't remember exactly what it was I was supposed to be whining about). Better that than whore myself out so cheaply that whatever qualities I had that allowed me to succeed for so long fritter away into lost self-respect, remorse and second-guessing. Better a shooting star than a slowly dying ember.

[winker]

We bought a small pair of scissors today; the label was made in China and right below it said package Printed in U.S. Yeah! things are sure turned around even the most miniscule of items are now not manufactured by us any more. We probably even bought the ink somewhere else! This planned socialist disaster has got to be reversed or we won't even be able to afford to die because we won't own the dirt to be burried in!

[buwaya]

Lets get something clear - any job is a good job.

When I first came to this country, having left a well-paid executive position at home (with human secretary !) my first job was waiting tables and cleaning the bathrooms. There is something to learn doing anything, and boy, did I learn a lot. This was no dead end, better things came my way, but anything useful you can do isn't something you should despise. Whenever I was looking for work I made sure to be employed somehow, however menial it was - once in assembly, several times as a contract technician - twice it turned out to be a step to exactly what I was looking for. Not for nothing did my grandmother recommend I learn carpentry, to have something to fall back on, no matter how high you rise, you can still fall. I didn't take her advice, but it seems wiser and wiser as the years pass.

Second point - I am proud of never having taken unemployment payments. I would rather clean bathrooms first.

Third point - There is lying and there is marketing. Learn to sell yourself with a simple, humble style, and write the resume without appearing to boast. It is no lie to leave out details. Answer honestly when asked, but you are not honor bound to volunteer information. If you don't want to scare employers off by saying you were director of xxx, don't say it.

[JohnSmithee]

"It's time to start shopping by label and not by price."

Ironcially those of us on a budget due to job loss can no longer afford to shop by label.

[JohnSmithee]

"You know people, lying on your resume is just about the stupidest thing you can do. Because it is the easiest damn lie to discover. Everyone checks on the past employer."

ROFL.

You really have no idea how the world works. Go back and read what I stated about "burger flipping" jobs. YOU DON'T NEED A RESUME. If anything make up a fake employer and have them call a friend or relative. It happens *all* the time, especially when someone needs to switch fields or just starting out.

[A. Pole]

Second point - I am proud of never having taken unemployment payments. I would rather clean bathrooms first.

Maybe you should sign a waver that you do not want to participate in the unemployment insurance program. Why to pay for the benefit you do not need? When you get sick without having the health insurance, remember not to come to the emergency room - better die.

[A. Pole]

You know people, lying on your resume is just about the stupidest thing you can do. Because it is the easiest damn lie to discover. [...] Before An Interview, I'd have fired him!.

I am sure you would enjoy firing a person hiding a degree to get a food on the table. But you are mistaken, it is very easy to cheat on resume and even easier to get friends to verify that you worked for them as a cook.

[A. Pole]

No one ever achieves anything worth having by lying.

A nonsense. Everyone lied some time in his life and almost everyone achieved something through them. You must be from the different planet, sir, and your former wife must hate you.

[JohnSmithee]

"...given what we are talking about is a job paying far, far, less than I've ever made before and doing things I've never done before"

Good luck Scott. Since the bubble collapse I've been in the same situation, and I wish there were some simple answers out there.

[eleni121]

...most small businesses fail...retraining for what? Excuses excuses...you sound like some of my students who didn't finish their projects because of this and that.

Even in the most depressed economy in the nation (western NY) I know people working two and three jobs, buying homes, and going to school at the same time.

And then there those who do nothing but complain and complain.

[m18436572]

bump!

[Scott from the Left Coast]

Beyond the ridiculous advice you provide, when frankly I'M NOT ASKING FOR IT -- I've been married to the same woman for 23 years, having never been divorced. I suspect that's because we don't lie to each other.

Live your life by whatever lights you care to...and leave me to live mine without your unwanted advice.

[Scott from the Left Coast]

Thank you much. It is tough, but I am not beat by a long shot. I have prepared myself well for this event. I own my home and both cars outright and have absolutely no debts of any kind (and no kids to worry about). I can hold out for an extremely long time, particularly with some very large pension funds I can dip into. But I hate going backwards, so I am not going to "sell out" for good long time (frankly, my wife would be so disappointed in me that it'd be really tough to do that). She's in it for the haul, so I will be.