Living through this nightmare and the impact it has had on my life in just a short time has made me realize how different this recession is from the others I have endured. The old saying "Misery loves company" just doesn't apply here, there is no comfort in the thought that millions of us are all in the same boat and the unknown of whether that boat will hold us or sink.
Over the last 28 years our government has succeeded in destroying our manufacturing and export base that has eroded our job base, passed legislation that gave enormous power to Credit Card company's, Wall Street, changed our bankruptcy laws in favor of creditors and mortgage lenders and have literally choked off any avenue of survival in an economic disaster (through no fault of the American people) that would have helped many of us to ride this out.
Because of the self serving "everything to help the rich get richer" thinking of our government especially over the last 8 years, middle class people who had a good job, paid their bills and saved a little are out of work, can't find another job, can't pay the bills, can't sell their homes and are losing homes and to foreclosure.
Which brings me to the very topic of this blog... Advice from news outlets - like how to find a job? really? I have been watching some of this advice on CNN and MSNBC over the last few months and I have to tell you, it is soooooooooooo far off the mark that it borders on amateurism. Think about this - $200,000, $300,000 a year reporters telling us what we need to do to find a job in this recession such as:
1) Tweaking your resume so it stands out above the rest
Take it from one who has been there and has done it, you can tweak and tweak all you want, it doesn't work when millions of people are vying for every job available.
2) Writing a cover letter that has an impact
Yes, a cover letter is important, probably more important than the resume, but even those are just being scanned and not read in their entirety because of the onslaught of applicants.
3) Going back to school to learn another trade/career
Going back to school is a great idea, if you can afford it, but many of us can't, any money we do have needs to go to essentials.
4) Volunteer to get your foot in the door to a new career
Again, if you can financially do it most can't.
5) Job Fairs
Be prepared to stand in long lines for hours not to mention that most of the company's are now looking for young cheap labor - the chances of getting a job there if your between 30 and 60 are slight. Worth trying - maybe.
6) If you can't find full time work try for 2 part time jobs
I don't think any responsible out of work person needed to be told that! Those are even hard to find because we have thought of that.
7) Be willing to take lower pay to get your foot in the door - Again, most are willing to do that also and have tried and are still trying.
All of the above options that these news outlets offer are inane and actually an insult to us, the viewing audience - it's as if we the middle class are somehow so stupid that unless someone tells us what to do that we wouldn't know how to help ourselves and I for one take a huge issue with that type of so called help.
These News shows gather their advice from so called experts (who have a job I might add) and none of them can ever give real solid advice to ANYONE unless they have experienced this disaster themselves. Until you actually live this nightmare you can't possibly know what your talking about and to give useless advice to people who are living it is mean - SO PLEASE...SHUT UP!
I'm wondering who else feels the same way about our news media. Talk to you all later Thanks for reading!
