After Being Unemployed For Almost 4 Years, I Finally Got A Job This Week

[stopbush]

While I can pat myself on the back for never giving up hope, the fact is that 3 years and 11 months without any work has really hurt our family, mainly in the fact that we had to dig deep into our savings to make ends meet, going through roughly 80% of our retirement funds (not to mention that we couldn't add anything to said funds over the past 4 years, which was part of the plan, after all).

My new job is full time, and while it pays slightly better than did the job I lost 4 years ago, it pays only about 54% of what I was making 6 years ago.

Still, when compared to the alternative - no work - it's a real blessing.

At my age, I'm happy to be able to find anything!

To others still looking for work, don't give up. I don't believe in miracles, but I do believe that you've got to be in it to win it.

[yeoman6987]

1. So extremely happy for you

Congratulations!!!!!!

[Cha]

2. How the heck did you live 4 years without a job, stopbush?! Glad that's over now and

you're getting back on track with a JOB!

[stopbush]

39. Well, my wife works part-time, so she brought in some income.

But we basically had to go through our savings and retirement funds, which weren't huge but weren't insubstantial, either.

I just this month got rid of my 2000 VW Beetle, which finally died on us after 15 years and 135,000 miles. We own our "good" car as well, so we didn't have car payments for the four years, though repairs on the VW were getting more frequent and expensive, and came at the most-inopportune times. We stopped eating out almost entirely. We stopped socializing to a great extent. It's amazing how much $ you can save when you hunker down into a bunker mentality and try to ride out bad financial times.

At age 60, there is no way that I can replace the retirement funds we've gone through. I fully expect to never retire, and to work pretty much up until the day I die. Of course, at this point, that sorta precludes us relocating to a cheaper area of the country because the job is here where I live.

Taking one day at a time, but breathing a whole lot easier than I was a week ago.

[riversedge]

51. Congrats to you and your family.

[Cha]

61. I'm so happy for you, stopbush.. sorry it took so long to get back to you but my

computer had a virus and I've been dealing with that today.

Your hunkering down sounds like I live on SS.. with help from HUD. I don't drive anymore(such a savings).. but, I can eat healthily, and have a beautiful place to do my running. And, there's WIFI!

Mahalo for that~ So you got to stay Healthy!

[stopbush]

62. I tried to find work in Hawai'i. Did a lot of phone interviews.

Mostly Honolulu-based jobs. In the past, we've vacationed on O'ahu and Maui, and the family had made the decision that we would relo if I was offered a job on the islands. But nothing came through.

Oh well. Living in SoCal ain't so bad.

[Cha]

63. I love and miss San Diego and California! :)

[Sanity Claws]

3. I am so happy for you.

I was in a similar situation and got hired two years ago.
This office recently hired someone who was underemployed for a couple of years and he is working out beautifully.

It truly is a shame that so many talented people are un- and underemployed.

[oldandhappy]

4. Yippee!!!!!

Congratulations. I am happy for you.

[CurtEastPoint]

5. Congrats! It took me from 2009 to 2011 to find one, at age 60+

[ProSense]

6. Congratulations. n/t

[corkhead]

7. off topic, but it looks like your moniker is going to be relevant once again.

[dixiegrrrrl]

8. What a relief!

I know how happy you must be, and bet that you will sleep better now.

[midnight]

9. Very good news… Every little improvement is great...

[ChisolmTrailDem]

10. Congratulations! I'm very happy for you and your family!

[bigwillq]

11. Congrats!

[sinkingfeeling]

12. Congratulations!

[deutsey]

13. Congratulations

[Iwillnevergiveup]

14. What wonderful news, stopbush

This is the untold story - so many, many people are still unemployed LONG TERM! Every dollar coming in is one not going out, and yes, that is a blessing. That may mean working longer, but our 70's may be the new 50's. My dad worked until he was 80, and at 93 is still going strong.

Anyway...CONGRATULATIONS! A huge accomplishment!

[SmittynMo]

15. Congrats

I have a few questions.

I too and in the same boat. I am currently dipping into the savings account to survive. It's coming up on 2 years for me. 60 and unemployed = bad combination. My last interview, a few months ago, one person actually asked me what year I graduated from high school? WOW!!! After I wsa turned down for the job, I notified HR of what happened. They were shocked. So age discrimination is out there. This type of questioning has been presented to me on several interviews. One actually ended the interview after the first question. He saw how old I was and ended it. I was shocked in awe, trying to figure out what I had done wrong.

These questions are for anyone out there in the 55-65 age group that has found a full time job after being layed off for a long period.

What tool did you use to find said job? Indeed? A friend? Networking?

Was your new job in the same field your career was?

Does the new job offer you insurance, being full time?

If so, were you on the ACA?

[stopbush]

38. In my case, things aligned correctly.

First off, the people I interviewed with for the job are my age or older. That certainly helped immensely - no ageism! I have also been the victim of overt and covert ageism in the past 4 years.

Second, the job is in my field, which is nice. My previous job was in a related field, but not my actual field. Hopefully, this will be better = long term.

Third, yes, they will pay for my health insurance, and I will be able to add my family if I want. We are currently on the ACA Medicaid expansion here in CA. It has been excellent for us. I spoke with the Medi-cal people who informed me that I can stay on Medical until my household has earned $32,000, at which point we will need to pay for insurance. That means that I will be able to stay on Medi-cal through December, at which time their income-earned clock resets to $0, and we can stay on Medical until we've earned $32,000 sometime in 2015.

The tool I used to find the job? Believe it or not, Craigslist...which also happens to be where I found my last job as well.

BTW - 4 years of fruitless interviews etc, yet the time elapsed between when I sent my resume and the day I was hired for this job was 12 days. Twelve days!

[PoliticAverse]

16. Best wishes to you! n/t

[kelliekat44]

17. Congratulations!!!!! Perhaps the economy is really improving...two new jobs in my family also.

But will the media let the public know??? Or will they encourage them to keep on feeling gloomy?

[stopbush]

56. If the media heard my story, they would trumpet it as an effect of the Rs wining the Senate.

Or maybe you think it's just a coincidence that I got a job the same week the Rs took over Congress?

[cally]

18. congrats

!!

[mnhtnbb]

19. Congratulations!

Whew, what a relief it must be. Still...four years without a job and
having to dig in to the retirement savings stinks. At least the
bleeding has stopped.

[etherealtruth]

20. Wonderful

[rurallib]

21. so glad to hear this. onward and upward!

[big_dog]

22. well done!

k&r

[hedgehog]

23. Congratlations on never giving up.

[raccoon]

24. that's great that you didn't give up over such a long time. Congrats. nt

[WillowTree]

25. I couldn't be happier for you!

Been where you were and getting back to work feels SO good!!

[truebrit71]

26. Congratulations.

Must be a great relief...

[lebkuchen]

27. I am so happy for you.

[Dont call me Shirley]

28. WooHoo!

[mountain grammy]

29. congratulations and best of luck

This has happened to several friends lately.

[subterranean]

30. Congratulations, and thanks for sharing your good news.

[lunasun]

31. Congrats to you. Keep on Trucking

[Moondog]

32. Congrats.

[Brigid]

33. All I can say is . . .

Go you!

[Shoonra]

34. Blessings on you and good luck

Under Reagan I suffered prolonged unemployment for nearly 8 years. I had some small time, non-career, temp jobs but I knew that my professional talents were getting stale to the point of being nearly useless. My parents came through for me, but it must have broken them financially. I often contemplated suicide. Then Reagan left office and suddenly I got a job, and that led to my new career - not as remunerative as the one I missed but probably more enjoyable.

That's just to tell you that I know a bit of how you felt and are feeling.

Be strong, and may God bless you in all your endeavors.

[badtoworse]

35. Congratulations and best wishes!

[El Shaman]

36. Congrats!!

I retired 9 years ago. I had a service connected disability , but still could work. I got teacher retirement and SS (grandfathered) and, yeah, am retired!!! Sad to say , but I'm working more now then I did 9 years ago. Earn and spend wisely my friend. I feel for this new generation- they won't make it on just SS payments.

[niyad]

37. thank you for sharing your good news--we need all we can get!

[Scarsdale]

40. Congratulations.

I understand what you went through. Terrible to try, try and try again and accomplish nothing. Glad that you now have a chance to replenish coffers, get back to normal. Good luck to you and the family.

[DrewFlorida]

41. Congratulations, I'm happy for you!

It has to have been very discouraging to be out of work that long, I'm glad to hear of your new employment!

[joanbarnes]

42. Best wishes to you stopbush, we are not giving up over here!

[HomerRamone]

43. As someone in a similar boat to your old one, congratulations, BUT...

But please, everyone stop calling finding a job after years a "blessing" and saying "don't give up". This is a CURSE and nothing will change until people DO "give up" on going it alone being the way things have to be. We need a new, stronger Occupy or a lot of us long-term unemployed seniors will not survive Republican rule, LITERALLY (and yes I mean that in the correct sense)...

[stopbush]

59. Really? So those who are truly suffering need to suffer even more and just give up?

I'm sorry, but the long-term unemployed are not in the position to also take on the onus of trying to change the system while they're at it. That should fall on people who are already gainfully employed, and who aren't spending their time worrying about whether they might be homeless in a few weeks or months.

The long-term unemployed have no choice but to live with the "curse," to play the game as is and to try their best to find work, even if doing so means playing by a set of unwritten rules that is onerous. Yes, we're "going it alone," and that's enough for us to deal with at this time. Let others who are in the position to make sacrifices take on the present system.

[reACTIONary]

44. +1000 !!!! (nt)

[antigop]

45. Congrats! So happy for you. nt

[UglyGreed]

46. Good to see

you hanging in there and finally reaching your goal. Never give up, never give in!!!!

[magical thyme]

47. congratulations!

Been there; doing that.

[MannyGoldstein]

48. Glad to hear that you were able to claw past biparisan austerity.

Let's make this better!

[Gloria]

49. You beat the odds!

Very glad you did get something better than being a Walmart greeter...
While not what you had, you do have dignity now and some financial stability.

SAVE SAVE SAVE as much as you can!

[Liberal_in_LA]

50. congrats

[Old Nick]

52. Good!

[bobGandolf]

53. Yeah for you! n/t

[Johnny Noshoes]

54. Congrats!!!!

... you made it.

[IronLionZion]

55. Congrats!

[treestar]

57. I'm glad for you

Wish it hadn't happened that way, but still, things being what they are, good on you!

[stopbush]

58. Thanks to all for the positive thoughts.

[Odin2005]

60. YAY!!!