Trying to get off unemployment
Hometown: Temperance, Mich.
Former job: Web writer and social media expert
Out of work for: 1 year, 4 months
I've been unemployed since Aug. 20, 2008 (around 1:30 p.m.) not that it sticks in my mind or anything! My background is in journalism and public relations so I've been doing a job search and also doing some freelance work. I was very fortunate to get off of unemployment from late January 2009 until late July 2009. During that time, I had a reliable client that allowed me to focus on being self employed rather than hunting for a job. However, that client cut back on work, and while I have picked up other clients here and there, I have restarted my unemployment claim.
I've applied for media sales positions, and even jobs at the local grocery store and Costco. I even was offered a job at the grocery store -- but at minimum wage and 20-25 hours a week, it only equaled what I was earning in unemployment so I turned it down because I can make more effective use of my time in seeking freelance or other job opportunities. In the past couple of weeks I've had a couple of job interviews that I'm optimistic about. I'm always optimistic but you can't live on optimism.
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