This is the Thread Where Unemployed / Soon-To-Be Unemployed Folks Express Emotion

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Ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssigh.

― David R. (popshots75`), Monday, 4 November 2002 18:50 (twenty-two years ago)

Can you count as unemployed when you're a musician who's not actually doing anything right now?

Cause in that case, booooorrrrrrrrrrrrred!!!

― kate, Monday, 4 November 2002 18:56 (twenty-two years ago)

Shouldn't you be on a signing tour of Virgin Megastores and doing appearing on morning TV shows Kate?

(Have you thought about hijacking Bargain Hunt Live?)

― Graham (graham), Monday, 4 November 2002 19:04 (twenty-two years ago)

I wish... last week I was doing phoner after phoner with regional radio, and next week we go out on a mini-tour, but this week I am Bored. As. Fuck.

― kate, Monday, 4 November 2002 19:09 (twenty-two years ago)

I'd be very surprised / disappointed / relieved if Kate & I are the only ones that are qualified to post on this thread.

― David R. (popshots75`), Monday, 4 November 2002 20:06 (twenty-two years ago)

Do I count if my employer doesn't have any work for me right now?

― j.lu (j.lu), Monday, 4 November 2002 20:10 (twenty-two years ago)

But of course! We are Equal Opportunity Unemployers here. Emote away!

― David R. (popshots75`), Monday, 4 November 2002 20:32 (twenty-two years ago)

im unemployed. but i work hard, just dont get paid unless you count the 'state' giving me a pittance to scrape a below-subsistance-level-life from. :-(
this is the first time i have been unemployed for more than a few months. it sucks.
you want emote? IT FUCKING SUCKS THAT I NOW HAVE THE STIGMA OF SOLO MUM DOING NOTHING BUT CREAMING OFF THE COUNTRY AND PEOPLE ASSUME I DID IT ON PURPOSE!!
ok, i feel better now.

― donna (donna), Monday, 4 November 2002 20:55 (twenty-two years ago)

i have no more emotions.

― jess (dubplatestyle), Monday, 4 November 2002 22:09 (twenty-two years ago)

i finally am got a job and i start on wednesday. about fucking time. so until then i say: being unemployed is crap!

― amy (amy), Monday, 4 November 2002 23:56 (twenty-two years ago)

after wednesday, i shall say: having a job is crap!

― amy (amy), Monday, 4 November 2002 23:56 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm unemployed. It's all right. But I am considering doing a job a couple of times a week (though I don't need the money), just to, you know, get myself out there a couple of times a week doing things I don't especially want to do. I'm bored to death only doing things I wanna do.

― Eyeball Kicks (Eyeball Kicks), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 00:41 (twenty-two years ago)

Kate, do you never have a day job?

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 00:43 (twenty-two years ago)

my unemployment benefit just got cut off because the govt dept got an email saying I had left for work in japan. ???!!! (it wasn't me)

― spectra, Tuesday, 5 November 2002 01:35 (twenty-two years ago)

Since April 2001, I've worked maybe ... just about a month's worth of anything that could be considered "dayjob" ... and almost none of it consecutive enough to be considered actually a dayjob.

However, this is going to change, or I'm going to have to become a lot more dilligent about contract work, as my new landlord... he's not just a big sugarpussy under all those dreads!

My ex boyfriend kept trying to convince me to go on benefits, but I just won't do it. Benefits are for the working classes! Fuck that!

― kate, Tuesday, 5 November 2002 10:25 (twenty-two years ago)

this is how nazi germany started.

― Godwin Slaw, Tuesday, 5 November 2002 10:30 (twenty-two years ago)

It's actually a very American attitude that someone not experiencing real poverty or hardship be opposed to accepting the charity of others, including government benefits, when others need the money more. And should someone with those beliefs find themselves out of work, they find the first job they can tolerate and continue paying bills themselves - it's harder to find work the longer you've done none than if you keep in the swim.

It also suggests a certain urge within Kate to do something productive with her time so go, Kate, go!

― suzy (suzy), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 11:21 (twenty-two years ago)

It's also this weird sense of pride. That if I go on benefits, then I really am just giving up and becoming a "sad, carping, never-gonna-make-it indie rocker" or whatever. As long as I continue to struggle, especially financially, I can convince myself that I really am a starving artist suffering with a conscious goal and dream and ideal and driving force in mind. To go on benefits would be tantamout to admitting that I give up.

― kate, Tuesday, 5 November 2002 11:27 (twenty-two years ago)

Benefits are for the working classes! Fuck that!

just stay poor then and don't whinge about it.

I only have two weeks of unemployment left, I'll kind of miss sitting at home playing playstation all day.

― chris (chris), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 11:30 (twenty-two years ago)

Well well I've just been threatened (very nicely) of course if I don't shut up expressing my guttedness at how I've been treated! So lessons learnt: do not trust people and talk to them in confidence, as they will tell your boss!

#2 - HOW THE FUCK LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR YR FACE TO STOP LOOKING BLOTCHY after admittedly you've been weeping for half an hour...

Soon to be unemployed - blimey it's TEMPTING. How much DOES one get on jobseekers these days? I am jobseeking but working and QUITE FRANKLY it seems like a chiz.

― Sarah (starry), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 11:34 (twenty-two years ago)

Benefits MAKE YOU POORER because you are not allowed to pick up freelancing work, and if you do get an extra income, you are penalised for it. Don't get me started on the unfairness/stupidity of the benefits system, my landlady works at the Jobcentre, and I have to hear about it all the bleeding time.

Yet another reason not to go on benefits - even though I probably WOULD qualify, my crazy cat lady ratpacking hoarder landlady from hell works at the local Jobcentre, so there is no way in HELL I would ever want to have my personal finances or lack thereof subjected to her mad gaze. I would rather live on 2-4-1 baked beans for months at a time.

― kate, Tuesday, 5 November 2002 11:36 (twenty-two years ago)

I've been better off on benefits as it's meant that my insurance kicked in and payed more than the minimum payment on my credit cards, also they are paying my rent.

― chris (chris), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 11:38 (twenty-two years ago)

Is it an American thing not to want to sign on? I was jobless between December 2001 and April 2002 and didn't sign on because I got a pretty big redundancy cheque and I'd have felt guilty taking my benefit entitlement when I didn't really need it. And doing rubbish temping jobs is, well, rubbish, but it sure looks better on the CV than a sentence explaining that you sat on your arse for a year after getting the chop from your last employer, doesn't it?

But anyone who hasn't got a job or is about to lose theirs gets massive sympathy from me.

― Madchen (Madchen), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 11:40 (twenty-two years ago)

I would feel bad going on benefits if I didn't really need them / hadn't tried to get a job. There were about two months following graduation before my job started that I could probably have claimed income support, but it just seemed cheeky. Maybe I'm American at heart. What's this about Nazi Germany?

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 11:40 (twenty-two years ago)

see the Shangri-Las thread

― H (Heruy), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 11:44 (twenty-two years ago)

it's diese ding

― mark s (mark s), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 11:45 (twenty-two years ago)

It's the "sitting on your arse" assumption that really winds me up. Yes, I do have a massive fuckoff gap in my resume. But I would like to point out that during this "hole" I've recorded one album, written the songs for two more complete albums, toured the UK twice and written two novels. Hardly idle.

Yes, I've spent a lot of time mucking about on IL*, but no bloody moreso than lots of people here who are supposedly gainfully employed.

Sorry, this probably more unemployed emotion than anyone wanted on this thread. But I'm aware of the ticking time, and the fact that the longer I spend "unemployed" the more unemployable I become.

Christ, I'm in a bad mood today. It can't just be those bad reviews, can it?

― kate, Tuesday, 5 November 2002 11:45 (twenty-two years ago)

What I meant was that a lot of potential employers would look at the 'unemployed for a year' sentence and assume you'd been sitting on your arse. Especially now that so many companies want you to fill in their standard application form for equal opps reasons rather than let you send in a CV that you've jiggled about to show your glowing good bits at the top of the first page and your bits you'd rather hide at the bottom of the last page (which, I think, is how I managed to swing my new job).

― Madchen (Madchen), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 11:49 (twenty-two years ago)

I should add that my perspective comes from a year of jobhunting without an interview and often without even a rejection letter.

And also that you can put all the stuff that you've done in the meantime in your sentence and it'll look pretty impressive, but I (and most people, I guess) don't write novels or albums.

― Madchen (Madchen), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 11:52 (twenty-two years ago)

you're never unemployed for a year though, you've been "travelling" it's a piece of piss to blag that one in an interview. I didn't have to at the one I just got but I did at the one before.

― chris (chris), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 11:54 (twenty-two years ago)

according to legend — actually the guy who ran his first rkd label, who counts as a legend to me — when howard dev*to went for the interview which got him his present job, they said, "so er what's this like 16-yr gap in yr CV?" and he said "that wz when i wz unsuccessfully being a popstar"

― mark s (mark s), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 11:57 (twenty-two years ago)

ALways sign on as they pay your National Insurance contributions for you which may (ha) make a difference when claiming pension etc etc. And why are you paying the tax in the first place if you don't think you are entitled to the benefit? The State make it very difficult for you to be claiming it if you don't really need it - they do not want people necessarily dipping into their small savings, and means test anything else.

Bottom line: if you are unemployed and have debts (be they student loan, credit card or to a mate) claim it.

― Pete (Pete), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 11:58 (twenty-two years ago)

Eyeball Kicks = Hugh Grant

I've been happily unemployed. England must be a hard place to get a job. There's lots of jobs here. I've only been unemployed by choice. I start my new job in 8 and a half hours though, which will be scary because I haven't worked for ages.

Last time I wanted a job it took me six weeks to find a clerical job that was from 8 - 5 on Wed, Thurs and Fri. All the part-time clerical jobs wanted people who could work extra days when someone else was off sick or who would work everyday from 8-1 or 1-6. The part-time market is so geared to women with kids at school that it sucks for everyone else. Grrr.

― toraneko (toraneko), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 12:26 (twenty-two years ago)

Most people in Britain are unemployed because there are certain jobs they don't want to do. WHich is fair but does not equate to there not being any jobs.

― Pete (Pete), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 12:38 (twenty-two years ago)

Don't people put on their CVs what they did when they were technically unemployed? I know I often mention that I spent two months setting up my webzine and getting my own writing publishable and published. Why give people the chance to assume you've been idle, even if your occupations don't look immediately relevant to the job you're going for? It's better than letting them think you wantched Trisha for a year.

― Archel (Archel), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 14:11 (twenty-two years ago)

Depends if you're trying to get a job on Trisha.

― Pete (Pete), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 14:15 (twenty-two years ago)

Would it even help then?

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 14:19 (twenty-two years ago)

I put that I was moving to Glasgow (and planning the move) and continuing my jobsearch, but I always feel that looks a bit thin.

― Madchen (Madchen), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 14:33 (twenty-two years ago)

I have felt that too sometimes. So I have removed all my unpaid creative/geek activities from the actual 'employment' section of my CV now. But I TOTALLY have transferable skills, yo.

― Archel (Archel), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 14:51 (twenty-two years ago)

"Yes well actually this isn't really a real interview, it's more like a screening."
(not seeing) "I see."
"We have a potential client who, should we land the contract, will have several vacancies that need filling."
"What type of client?"
(smiling) "Oh I can't say at this point. However it IS corporate, and it ah..." *gazes blankly at resume* "appears you're familiar with that type of environment. So that's good!"
(pause) "So if you feel I'm a good fit, what are our next steps?"
"Well first of all we have to get the client haha, and if you're suitable you can come in for some tests!"

i passed the not-strangling-you-for-wasting-my-time test, but barely

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 15:15 (twenty-two years ago)

Tracer's story reminds me why I'm glad I work for the government.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 16:02 (twenty-two years ago)

Grrrr...the worst thing about not having a work assignment right now is that I have fewer topics to distract me from my less-pleasant thoughts.

― j.lu (j.lu), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 16:20 (twenty-two years ago)

i was on unemployment for a few months earlier this year -- the job situation in philadelphia was atrocious, and i was sending out lots of resumes into the answerless ether. i did do some freelance writing during this time, $30 for a preview here and there, and it helped me out for things like groceries -- i think pennsylvania's more progressive on this than other states, though, because depending on how much you get in your benefits check, you can earn up to a certain amount per week (with me it was $100 or so, which i rarely earned more than) before the unemployment board penalizes you.

― maura (maura), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 16:28 (twenty-two years ago)

i still have no emotions.

(the real trick is to see if i can for 12 MONTHS, that's ONE YEAR folks, without any income. now at 9.)

― jess (dubplatestyle), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 18:36 (twenty-two years ago)

Amateur! I have just hit NINETEEN MONTHS!!! Wooo!

(OK, I've had sporadic income at points during, but nineteen months without employment or even steady freelancing is a LONG TIME.)

― kate, Tuesday, 5 November 2002 18:40 (twenty-two years ago)

bah j00 p30p|3 are such pussies, I clocked up 32 months before I escaped, ha

― DG (D_To_The_G), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 18:44 (twenty-two years ago)

DG has a JOBBBBBBBBBB?

― Graham (graham), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 18:49 (twenty-two years ago)

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO even betterr

― DG (D_To_The_G), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 18:51 (twenty-two years ago)

You've enrolled in the Space Program?
You're the Queen?
You're a popstar?
What???

Ah, you're pimping man-ho, aren't you?

― Graham (graham), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 18:54 (twenty-two years ago)

I R thinking DG is a student ... 1 year Access Course for uni?

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 18:55 (twenty-two years ago)

Martian is correct and I am now a Student asshole, hurrah

― DG (D_To_The_G), Tuesday, 5 November 2002 18:55 (twenty-two years ago)

Eyeball Kicks = Hugh Grant

Ha! I'm almost tempted to make plenty of references to Hugh Grant's world now, to try to build up a serious rumour.

But when I said I don't need the money, I didn't mean I couldn't do with it. I just meant I'm pretty good at surviving on the little that trickles my way.

I clocked up 32 months

I've not had a job since December 1995, which means I've been essentially unemployed for 83 months. Beat that!

― Eyeball Kicks (Eyeball Kicks), Wednesday, 6 November 2002 03:05 (twenty-two years ago)

Okay. I have one assignment for tomorrow morning, and another for next week. If nothing else, I won't be spending that time sitting around the house, waiting for the phone to ring, and brooding on my finances or my personal life.

― j.lu (j.lu), Wednesday, 6 November 2002 04:22 (twenty-two years ago)

seven months pass...

My first unemployment check showed up today.

― hstencil, Wednesday, 18 June 2003 20:27 (twenty-two years ago)

Will work for money.
|
|
\ /

― Ed (dali), Wednesday, 18 June 2003 20:30 (twenty-two years ago)

will work for dignity

― jess (dubplatestyle), Wednesday, 18 June 2003 20:32 (twenty-two years ago)

Have my dignity, will work for gigs and other music excesses

― Nichole Graham (Nichole Graham), Wednesday, 18 June 2003 20:52 (twenty-two years ago)

Will work it for money.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 18 June 2003 21:05 (twenty-two years ago)

Aaaaagh!

― oops (Oops), Thursday, 19 June 2003 19:15 (twenty-two years ago)

Is it worth it?

― Jody Beth Rosen (Jody Beth Rosen), Thursday, 19 June 2003 19:17 (twenty-two years ago)

Will work it for money.

Just be sure it lights up, and can please.

Last I saw, M. Perry, you were still one of the working classes;>

― Nichole Graham (Nichole Graham), Thursday, 19 June 2003 19:23 (twenty-two years ago)

that aint workin, thats the way you do it, you play the guitar on the mtv

― stevem (blueski), Thursday, 19 June 2003 19:36 (twenty-two years ago)

workin like a dwag for the boss man (woah-oh!), workin for the company (woah-yeah!)

― stevem (blueski), Thursday, 19 June 2003 19:36 (twenty-two years ago)

You know Gil in the Simpsons?

― Mark C (Mark C), Thursday, 19 June 2003 22:29 (twenty-two years ago)

My feelings about my impending unemployment run in the direction of general relief.

― nabisco (nabisco), Thursday, 19 June 2003 22:35 (twenty-two years ago)

I go out eeeeeeeevery night & sleep all day
Since you took my job aw-ay

― Ess Kay (esskay), Friday, 20 June 2003 05:09 (twenty-two years ago)

five years pass...

seriously...fuck this

need a job.

― Local Garda, Tuesday, 11 November 2008 13:08 (sixteen years ago)

finished work 3 weeks ago, i really should be looking harder for a job, but it's easy to do nothing while you are still getting paid.

― not_goodwin, Tuesday, 11 November 2008 13:17 (sixteen years ago)

two months pass...

Technically I'm not unemployed but I'm starting to feel that way. I work for myself as a freelance Dutch-English translator. I usually have work every day. So far this year, I've only had about 2 hours worth of work. Oy!

― Maria :D, Thursday, 15 January 2009 13:29 (sixteen years ago)

To tip the balance towards the positive I went to a function last night which helped give me some confidence about getting a job again, met a lot of people who said to send my CV and stuff. (and had free booze)

― Local Garda, Thursday, 15 January 2009 13:34 (sixteen years ago)

Want to stay positive but am feeling extremely powerless and under-qualified... It's a great time to finish a degree but that shit costs money... Ohh the angst...

― winston, Monday, 19 January 2009 03:44 (sixteen years ago)

waiting for the ax to fall. kind of wish they'd just go ahead and lay me off already so i can move on/start planning my life without wondering if i'll be there in two months or not.

― tehresa, Monday, 19 January 2009 03:50 (sixteen years ago)

HOW CAN I GET LAID OFF IF MY BOSS NEVER SHOWS UP TO THE OFFICE?! god just do it already!

― tehresa, Friday, 23 January 2009 17:00 (sixteen years ago)

Hey Ronan, what kind of an event was it? I've been attracted to a freebie drinks with fellow contractors next week but that kind of thing is generally diametrically opposed to my idea of a good time.

― ledge, Friday, 23 January 2009 17:03 (sixteen years ago)

i'm thinking seriously of leaving my job here in cold and dreary toronto to go teach english in strange hot places. seems like as good a way as any to ride out the next couple of years, esp since any chance of moving on within the firm from the hateful and loltransitional position i'm in now has vanished for the forseeable future.

― the bull of the seven combats (rent), Friday, 23 January 2009 17:18 (sixteen years ago)

nine years pass...

-nobody wants to hire someone with a BS in physics
-"entry level jobs" require 3+ years of experience
-at this point i feel like i'd be lucky to get another retail job making $10/hr
-i have way too much debt to live on $10/hr

― crüt, Monday, 3 September 2018 18:42 (seven years ago)

maybe i should join the military

― crüt, Monday, 3 September 2018 18:44 (seven years ago)

Once they've roughed you up and made sure you will follow orders and respect the chain of command, the peacetime military will just try to slot you into whatever opening they think you'll fit into. If you don't fit, they'll just hammer on you some more until you do. Another problem with that plan would be if a war starts, you become expendable in a new and intriguing way.

― A is for (Aimless), Monday, 3 September 2018 18:59 (seven years ago)

i am sure crut would make an excellent coast guard officer

― Paleo Weltschmerz (El Tomboto), Monday, 3 September 2018 19:04 (seven years ago)

i just moved to nashville so i look forward to my exploits on the cumberland river

― crüt, Monday, 3 September 2018 22:50 (seven years ago)

i'm so fucking depressed

― crüt, Saturday, 8 September 2018 16:47 (seven years ago)

why did i get a fucking college degree

― crüt, Saturday, 8 September 2018 16:47 (seven years ago)

-at this point i feel like i'd be lucky to get another retail job making ~~$10/hr~~ $7.25/hr

― crüt, Saturday, 8 September 2018 16:48 (seven years ago)

i had a tough time finding a job after i finished at cal (BS in chemistry)

― the late great, Saturday, 8 September 2018 17:29 (seven years ago)

-nobody wants to hire someone with a BS in physics

I'm really sorry. also this is incredibly depressing given the push in general toward STEM courses

― aloha darkness my old friend (katherine), Saturday, 8 September 2018 17:56 (seven years ago)

If it makes you feel any better, I have a friend with a bachelor's in electrical engineering who works for an A/V company

― sarahell, Saturday, 8 September 2018 18:35 (seven years ago)

I think he makes $15/hr? but this is the SF Bay Area, so that's kinda like $7.25/hr where you are

― sarahell, Saturday, 8 September 2018 18:36 (seven years ago)

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