Mark Garrett
Hometown: Urbana, Ill.
I was laid off from a mid-sized bank in 2009, as our company struggled to survive through the recession. I've been in the industry for 28 years, and was overqualified for most of the jobs out there -- but I kept applying for everything anyway.
Here I am, in the golden years of my career and suddenly looking for a job in a market that doesn't need me.I eventually found an executive job at a small bank. It's a nice organization with great people, but the pay is 30% less than I was making in 2009.
My wife and I are juggling our finances to rein in expenses, but our 401(k) has been severely damaged. We cut back on normal spending, we don't eat out much, and we don't go to movies like we did before.
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Last updated February 18 2011: 8:13 AM ET
