People out of jobs for a longer haul
Millions who lost jobs this year are still unemployed, according to the National Employment Law Project.
As of September, a record 5.4 million Americans reported being jobless for six months or more — the most since 1948. David Moe is one of them.
Until December 2008, the Montclair, N.J., resident was a human resources manager at a chemical manufacturer where he made $130,000 a year. When his job was cut the firm offered him a lower-level position. He wanted to try his luck on the job market.
“I didn’t anticipate being unemployed for this long,” said Moe, 46.
Unemployment, some investment savings and stocks have kept him afloat.
“I’m between a rock and a hard place,” he said. “In some situations, I’m too senior for jobs.”
Some hiring managers advised that he “dumb down” his résumé.
Older men are more likely to be unemployed long-term, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
Tips to stay sane
Laurie Gerber, a life coach with the Handel Group, coaches hundreds of people who can’t find work. Here are the first things she tells her clients:
1 Exercise and eat right. “It makes you look and feel better and it boosts your self-confidence,” said Gerber.
2 Set a schedule and stick to it. People need routine. You need to get up, take a shower, put on makeup and get out of the house.
3 Call anyone who can help you. “If in a month or two you’re not through everybody you know, you’re slacking. You’re enjoying your time off too much,” said Gerber.
4 Get a buddy, a mentor or a coach. Gerber advises against your friends — “they can be too nice.” Instead, find someone else who is unemployed or a retired executive who will hold you accountable to your job search.
5 Declare an end to whining/blaming/worrying. “At the end of the day we’re exhausted, but it actually was a bunch of hours spent complaining,” said Gerber.
6 Take advantage of the time. Do the thing you’ve been avoiding for months: Declutter your attic. Catch up on your doctor’s appointments. Volunteer.