Frustrated Unemployed Woman: 'Interviews Are Like Seeking Unicorns'

When Laurie-Ellen Shumaker, 59, was laid off from her job as a lawyer for a shopping center in January of 2009, she assumed she would be hired again in no time. In addition to her impressive resume, which includes a degree from a top-tier law school and 23 years of legal experience, she has always been actively recruited for positions.

But in the past year-and-a-half, Shumaker says she has applied to over a thousand jobs -- everything from secretary to file clerk to daycare worker -- and she has yet to be called for an interview.

"It's frightening," she told HuffPost. "Interviews are like seeking unicorns. I've even gotten a status update on two different jobs saying I'm the best qualified, but then I never hear anything after that. It's hard not to rake through one's brain trying to figure out why. Is it my age or my gender holding me back?"

Shumaker is not alone in her frustration. According to data released Tuesday morning by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were nearly 5 unemployed workers in America for every open position in May. While the ratio has significantly dropped over the course of the past year, competition in the job market is still extremely high, especially for the long-term unemployed.

Shumaker, who was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 1997, says she has drained her savings and 401K to pay for her medical bills as well as her daughter's, who recently had to undergo a serious surgery that the insurance company refused to cover. The federal subsidy for her COBRA payments ran out last month, her COBRA coverage will run out next month, and she is expecting her unemployment benefits to run out any minute now.

"You never think that this situation is gonna keep going on and on and on," she said. "You think that you're gonna get a job. When the unemployment check first started coming in, I kinda laughed at it cause it was so low--it's like chump change. But now it's the difference between having to live in a shelter or not. It's humiliating."

Shumaker, who is currently living with her daughter and grandson in a friend's house in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, says she is desperate for work and will do just about any kind of job that is legal to keep from having to move her family to a shelter.

"I still have so much to contribute," she said. "I want to work. I love to work, solve problems, close deals, mentor people, and come home at the end of the day tired from a job well done. Please let me come help. I know there's something I can do that would do that would help."

As part of our Bearing Witness project, HuffPost is rounding up stories of former middle class who are struggling to stay afloat in the recession. Do you have a story to tell? E-mail [e-mail].

Comments

[formerprosecutor]

04:51 PM on 07/21/2010

I am experiencing the exact same situation except i do not have minor children to care for.
as expected , my ssdi was denied, even with 'bad health" an attorney can still practice; as we have blind attorneys, physically disabled attorneys, etc; if they can wheel us in the courtroom or office we can work; as long as our mind is clear.
i have applied for child care positions and depurty state director positions. nobody wants a lawyer to do anything but be a lawyer. people have a hattred of lawyers or they think we are up to something. or they take their revenge out for that nasty divorce lawyer. plus evertone thinks all lawyers are "rich'. The average lawyer makes less than 80k a year and pays 25% in taxes.
the handful of millionaire lawyers are not withion the scope of this problem
what i want to know is where the fraternity of attorneys that are supposed to help one another?

[fortressfountain]

10:22 AM on 07/18/2010

A lot of people need the unemployment until their ssi or ss. kicks in. This is not their fault it is the governments and the corporations for kissing up to foreign interests and allowing wealth to disintegrate in the usa.
I think the rich who support congress with their agendas should pay their salaries.

[fortressfountain]

01:47 PM on 07/17/2010

If she is a lawyer she should understand she can apply for ssi? Humm, is this story for real?
Wait a minute I thought all working people were lazy and just wanted the unemployment?

[formerprosecutor]

04:52 PM on 07/21/2010

You do realize that one has to have practically nothing, zero, in assets to qualify for ssi. and the 300-700 a month would buy groceries but would never pay rent anywhere safe. she wants to work, or did you miss that part?

[rosalba326]

06:13 PM on 07/16/2010

I mean this with the greatest sincerity and sympathy... If Ms. Shumaker is limited physically or mentally by her M.S. (as her medical expenses referenced suggests), then she should consider applying for Social Security Disability. This could provide her both Medicare and a monthly benefit. If approved, she could also continue to earn up to $1000/mo gross (2010 maximum), or perhaps send out good karma by volunteering to handle disability claims for others with M.S. on a part-time basis.

[formerprosecutor]

04:43 PM on 07/21/2010

you are incorrect on your amount stated of "1000.00" in additional earnings. when awarded ssdi , a recipient can earn up to the amount of their ssdi payment a month; and can go over the awarded amount 6 times in 60 months before a reduction in benefits. i do not know where you came up with your figures, can you cite your sorce/

[clarkesq]

11:25 AM on 07/16/2010

Not only is the story depressing, so are the comments.

[formerprosecutor]

04:54 PM on 07/21/2010

Yes, people hate all attorneys. They were divorced once or some coolection bottom feeder ruined their life, so they love it when people with a law degree are down and out. They treat all lawyers the same. No other profession is so hated, by actions of a handful in that profession. A doctro does evil, people still like their doctor. a teacher molests a child, yet they still raise funds for classrooms. Go figure

[WSAY]

09:48 PM on 07/15/2010

The issue here is health insurance. She has MS.

[mrm3]

05:43 PM on 07/15/2010

Has anyone actually gotten a career job off of Monster.com or CareerBuilder.com? I'm looking now and it's either National Guard or lawncare chemical sales, pages upon pages of it.

[trikkegirl]

08:48 PM on 07/15/2010

Guess you have no technical skills. As I thought. Must be marketing..."Consultant" says SO many things.

[mrm3]

10:39 AM on 07/19/2010

You can go around trolling my posts but the fact of the matter is:

I'm employed fulltime, with benefits.
I volunteer and make money consulting in the evenings and on the weekends.
I don't troll around HuffPo crying 'age discrimination.'

And on that note, 2 other jobs that were supposedly "entry level" that I applied for were filled by an MBA and a PhD in Molecular Biology (the position was totally unrelated). I was told because of this applicant pool I wasn't qualified. And LO AND BEHOLD, both positions are now once again open because those older workers took the first chance they could get at a different job. Doesn't bode well for any of your arguments does it?

[dominay]

10:40 AM on 07/16/2010

If you have computer skills, monster.com, careerbuilder.com and dice.com will be helpful. Otherwise, you may be hardpressed.

[mrm3]

05:48 PM on 07/18/2010

Yea agreed. It's all like military and manual labor positions too

[ladybirdjohnson]

01:24 AM on 07/15/2010

Does your daughter have a job? Is she actively seeking employment? Your story does not add up and is full of self pity and drama. Most of the time when people have trouble they only need to look at themselves to blame. Maybe you should be asking what role you played in this mess you find yourself? Actually, your story sounds as make believe as your unicorn.

[andiannj]

02:27 AM on 07/15/2010

God forbid you or yours would ever suffer hardship and if you do just remember that somehow it's your fault.

[spottery2k]

09:42 AM on 07/15/2010

Obviously, you live a sheltered existence, as evident from your self-righteous tone. If you've been following most of the responses on here you'll find lots of people in her predicament, including myself. The fact remains that the vast reserves of wealth are tied by the hands of a very few in this country. You've obviously selectively forgotten that in 2008 a $700 billion bailout was made to support a losing system. Those at the top should now be at the bottom, and the carcasses of their failed businesses should be divided among those with more promising potential, but since they had all the political leverage in the first place they're going to insure that doesn't happen with the support of ignorant people like yourself.

[edb1776]

12:21 AM on 07/15/2010

We are in the beginning of a great depression due to the massive and unsustainable amount of debt we have taken on individually and as a nation. Therefore, this woman definitely deserves sympathy.

With that being said, she also must be asked why over 23 years she did not save any freaking money. This goes to everyone: YOU HAVE GOT TO SAVE MONEY WHILE YOU CAN GET IT. This country is fiscally retarded.

[Karin]

08:47 AM on 07/15/2010

The article said she drained her savings paying for medical expenses for herself and her daughter.
Reading comprehension much?

[Tiggerchick]

07:04 PM on 07/14/2010

Thank you, mods!

[springrain11]

06:41 PM on 07/14/2010

P.S. THERE ARE MANY MANY MANY RETIRED ATTORNEYS WORKING AS CONTRACT ATTORNEYS-AGE IS ABSOLUTELY NO FACTOR IN THE CONTRACT ATTORNEY/DOCUMENT REVIEW WORLD-WHERE IS YOUR HEAD? SERIOUSLY, LADY! I CAN'T BE THE FIRST PERSON TO POINT YOU TOWARD THE DOCUMENT REVIEW WORLD, CAN I?

[oMeoMi]

09:39 PM on 07/14/2010

Is your cap key stuck in anenus mode?

[WSAY]

09:41 PM on 07/15/2010

:-)

[formerprosecutor]

05:06 PM on 07/21/2010

I have applied for 3 of thos ethrough ads on our state bar website, the company has NEVER returned my emails, phone calls, or reacted to my resume or letters. and how would you know?? you are not an attorney, so how do you know what "many many retired attorneys" are doing?

[jojobinx]

06:01 PM on 07/14/2010

Highest rated in my District
Perfect attendance
Promoted 7 times
Ran a call center for largest telecom
Received 9 awards for various project
Worked full time while studying for MBA, 3.5 average.
Worked 60 to 70 hour week when needed.

Downsized 1/09
986 resumes, one response.
Reason- 54 years old, unemployed to long and told by SS I was considered UNTRAINABLE.

Any ideas besides joining a convent?

[mmonarch]

06:33 PM on 07/14/2010

start your own business. perfect economy to do so. got any seed money or people that are willing to invest in you?

[jojobinx]

04:50 PM on 07/15/2010

I did. I started a jewelry business however it seems people want cheap, cheap prices but what I make is higgh quality. I have not given up yet since I spent a fortune on the materials. To through another roadblock in I just had a very complex back operation which takes 6 months to heal and I can't drive for 2-3 months. My UI runs out in Dec so I am screwed. Thanks for the response.

[trikkegirl]

06:36 PM on 07/14/2010

Not to pry, but what facts did SS base your "untrainability on?

[jojobinx]

04:41 PM on 07/15/2010

My age 55

[formerprosecutor]

05:10 PM on 07/21/2010

"untrainable" is a legal term of art used by social security adminstration to indicate a person that is of such and age, that the length of training, the expense of treaining, would not be feasable to make appreciable cash income benefits from the training befor ethey reach retirment age.

[Earl Dixon]

02:35 PM on 07/14/2010

"According to data released Tuesday morning by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were nearly 5 unemployed workers in America for every open position in May" Now that is scary

[msbadger]

03:06 PM on 07/14/2010

Thanks- and I'd be surprised if it isn't much worse than that in many areas. Mine, for instance....

[andiannj]

02:35 AM on 07/15/2010

It's actually more. I found out from another poster here that they only count those receiving UI benefits vs available jobs. They don't count the unemployed NOT receiving benefits. Here in AZ, there was around 100 people that applied for just one opening at Wal-Mart.

[wutzurbeef]

12:31 PM on 07/14/2010

Em, just some suggestions, don't list your age on your resume and don't list any physical disability. At least that might get you into a job interview situation. Then if you get interviewed, make sure you use the hot BUZZ words that the employer likes to hear, and why you would be an asset to their organization. Minimize talking about anything that would be a liability to the company, ie your family, your children, etc etc. What they don't know can't hurt you. (wink (^.-).
And posting lots of resumes online helps ALLOT. That is how I finally got my job. Good luck all.

[trikkegirl]

06:37 PM on 07/14/2010

What hot BUZZ words would you suggest?

[WSAY]

09:44 PM on 07/15/2010

"Long hours", "Low Pay", "Beat Me", etc.

[wkillpatri]

12:14 PM on 07/14/2010

Newsflash!!!! Ms. Shumaker has Multiple Sclerosis (MS). She doesn't state whether she has a mild relapsing-remitting form or a more aggressive primary or secondary progressive form. Regardless, MS is an unrelenting auto-immune attack on the central nervous system. Results can be mild or catastrophic but no one can predict the outcome accurately. You could ask my Mom, but she's already passed from it. Or, you could as me or my sister.

Bottom line, few employers will hire someone with MS unless trying to fill a quota. Given the vagaries of the disease, employers are most likely to hire someone with a chronic, unpredictable disease for low-level jobs with few physical demands like greeter or hostess. Ms Shumaker's profession demands rapid, accurate cognitive processing skills, likely her physical presense at critical meetings, and significant mental stamina under pressure. Someone with MS is indeed capable of these things, however, unrelenting fatigue, brain fog, sudden transient blindness, mobility issues, etc., can arise without warning. Given the (grossly underestimated) 5 applicants for every opening, what employer is going to gamble in the high-stakes legal arena that its attorney is going to be having a "good" day?

Sorry. Age? Gender? Experience? None matters in THIS case. The discussion here really belongs under national healthcare. Shumaker needs a good disability attorney and with luck, was smart enough to buy private long-term disability income insurance with after-tax dollars when she could.

[SallieParker]

07:41 PM on 07/14/2010

Right. That's all it is. Not her age, not her overqualifications. Would you want to hire someone with MS? The article doesn't seem to get it. There's plenty of work for her, but steady health insurance is not part of the package.

[wkillpatri]

10:24 AM on 07/15/2010

SallieParker....No health coverage would be a piece of cake were an employer allowed to deny that (if they offer it). Sadly, MS brings up a host of other issues under FMLA (Family and Medical Leave Act), short-term disability which most employers have that kicks in to cover salary after only a three-day absence! ... American's with Disabilities Act (ADA), etc., etc. MS is a complicated, frustrating disease for the patient and everyone around him or her, including family, friends, employers, etc. For most folks with MS, the onset is gradual and very unpredictable, making life and the ability to work even more unpredictable. At a certain point, in the progressive forms, you cross a threshold where you're disabled by anyone's definition and then are actually better able to predict what your daily life will be like. Sorry to use HuffPo as a forum to educate about HR and MS but this economy makes strange bedfellows. Your comments are most appreciated!!

[WSAY]

09:45 PM on 07/15/2010

And how do these potential employers know she has MS?

[wkillpatri]

12:21 PM on 07/18/2010

Wsay....There are multiple means (medical databases, info available thru insurers, etc.) of finding out what prescriptions an individual takes. In addition, it's a snap to search social networks, e.g., FB. Bottom line is NOTHING is truly private these days and a prospective employer has access to frightening amounts of info before you even sign an application giving them permission to do an in-depth search of your background. Simply by determining if the applicant is taking a certain drug, say Copaxon, you'd be able to determine that applicant has MS. There are a dozen meds out there approved for use only in MS. Same with many other conditions you wouldn't want to broadcast, e.g., cancer, lupus, etc., etc., etc. Stuff like this can show up on credit reports, too -- even by accident. An unpaid doctor's bill or test not properly submitted to insurance that doesn't get fully paid ... and many docs/tests essentially broadcast what condition you have. Believe me, I've been there on both sides of the fence as an HR pro now in early stages of MS -- which my mother and sister also have. Whoopee!! Not flaming you at all. Merely saying that what employers can find out about you without your knowledge is really very frightening.

[formerprosecutor]

05:21 PM on 07/21/2010

Employers are allowed to ask if the applicant has a disability and/or will need accomodations.
If she is not hired however, the legal burden of proof is upon her to prove that was the sole reason they did not hire her.