The results of a United Technologies/National Journal Congressional Connection poll were just released and they are surprising to read. Americans appear to have mixed thoughts about helping their fellow Americans. For a country that prides itself on its generosity, this survey may indicate how secretly selfish we may be. If a discussion is to continue about the future of a social safety net, there must also be a discussion about what to do with those utilizing that safety net. It's time to talk about hiring the unemployed.
Let's face it: hiring any new employee is always risky. A candidate can tell you anything she wants as to why she is leaving her current organization (no room for growth, seeking more challenging work, etc.) in an effort to shed the best light on herself. That's obvious. Yet, for all you know, her boss was on the verge of firing her for a consistent lack of productivity. Although your organization tries to establish a process to mitigate hiring risks, it's never a perfect formula and your process may likely never uncover that she was a poor performer, but you'll hire her anyway because of her eager attitude and impressive titles.
If the circular file is not an official part of the selection process for unemployed resumes, being unemployed surely holds a negative bias in our collective brains. It is often equated to being lazy, lacking drive or having a preference to 'mooch' off the system. These are just a few characterizations and judging by the reaction of the audience at Republican debates in response to jabs by the candidates at the unemployed, many Americans agree with them.
It's time to throw out the stereotypes!
Today's "unemployed generation" is NOT lazy. It's frustrating to hear those who talk about a friend of a friend who once "loved being unemployed for 8 months." I don't love it and reading stories like these leads me to believe there are millions of others who don't either. I, like the millions of others, have gone from a credit score in the 800s to complete ruin through bankruptcy and foreclosure. We have applied to the online ads, attended the networking events, used social media and crafted multiple iterations of our resume based on each new blogger's opinion. There are even those of us attempting to gain additional skills. We're eager and ready to get back to work.
I can attest first-hand to the determination of the unemployed as a participant in the Chicago Career Tech program -- a retraining program that includes both classroom training and hands-on learning experience, initiated by former Mayor Richard M. Daley and supported by the business and non-profit communities of Chicago. My colleagues in this program are just like me and we all hang our hopes to this program to give us the valuable skills needed to meet the demand of today's workforce.
At first we were encouraged by the words of Shelley Stern, Citizenship Director for the Microsoft Corporation and Chair of the CCT Board of Directors, who recounted how CCT was born out of a realization by the business community that many jobs, including at Microsoft, were going unfilled over the past few years, despite high unemployment. This was not due to a lack of labor, clearly, but rather a lack of necessary skills on the part of that unemployed labor. This program seeks to supplement the already valuable skills possessed by the unemployed for high-demand industries.
Despite the efforts of CCT and our new skills obtained, we continue to find it difficult to land a position. The rejection continues for a lot of previous participants and despair is setting in. We ARE trying and we ARE being interviewed, but we continue to be told that we do not have enough or the "right" experience.
Instead of a discussion about removing or reducing the social safety net, thereby creating a deeper problem, let's talk about how we all can help Americans get back to work.
Here are my challenges: First, I challenge the president and Congress to re-enact the tax cuts to businesses for hiring the unemployed. Although we are no longer in an official recession, there are millions of Americans who have been unemployed longer than 8 months. That's an awfully long time to go without work when there are bills to pay and mouths to feed. This may help alleviate long-term joblessness. If it doesn't, businesses can no longer complain that they pay too much in taxes, if they pay them at all.
Next, I challenge the Republican nominees to do more than talk. They are out there each day shaking hands with the unemployed. Has one of them offered to put them in contact with their influential friends who are likely to be hiring managers with open positions? If they want us to vote for them and believe they are the one to get the country back to work, start showing us you have experience doing it.
Third, I challenge business owners, HR managers, hiring managers and decision-makers to re-think the old notion that someone who has been unemployed is lazy or unproductive. Take the risk; you may be pleasantly surprised with the results!
Finally, I challenge all Americans to help their fellow unemployed American. Patriotism isn't just putting up a flag on holidays and singing the National Anthem at sporting events. Patriotism is also supporting your fellow citizen. FDR wrote: "In our personal ambitions we are individualists. But in our seeking for economic and political progress as a nation, we all go up or else all go down as one people. "
President George W. Bush was criticized for not asking Americans to participate in the "war effort." So here's how you can participate in the "unemployment effort": Check your company's website to find out what positions are available. Post them to Facebook or Twitter (use #jobs, for example). Forward replies to your HR department. This is just one of many examples easily implemented and that helps move us all forward together.
Help a person, help a family, help the country, gamble on the unemployed!
Cross-posted from Reframe Shame.
These are the things that go on in corporate America. And we are the unfotunate victims. It has nothing to do with ' productivity" or " lack of skills" ( think TV based thinking like the " weakest Link" and " Survivor" ) and we , the unemployed are getting tired of the excuses. I think in most cases, we are simply 1. more experienced than they and 2. lack the 'robot' mentality that they are used to managing, ie: we actually participate & contribute to our jobs, which leads back to point 1. I have been told I was over qualified more than once and obvioulsy more qualified than the interviewer
If we are to get America up & running again, we need to dump these adolescent idealogies,biases and excuses and get moving.
http://recruitermikec.blogspot.com/2012/01/dont-commit-career-suicide-learn-job.html
With that said, if the person has been unemployed for more than a year it will raise serious quetions about the candidates profile (ie accomplishments, experience, etc.) but there are ways to position the job search to minimize these types of concerns as well resources to tackle those questions directly. If interested in learning more about job search best practices please checkout http://recruitermikec.blogspot.com.
One final note, althoug unfortunate, I think this type of discrimination is disproportionately targeting older workers.
May all who are looking, find what they need
http://www.forbes.com/sites/sallypipes/2011/09/19/the-best-jobs-program-full-repeal-of-obamacare/
Here's the money quote: "..Since the law’s enactment, job growth has fallen to rates one-tenth of what it was beforehand. From January 2009, the lowest point of the recession, through April 2010, employment numbers were improving by an average of 67,600 new jobs per month.
After April 2010 — mere weeks after President Obama signed his reform measure into law — job creation came to a screeching halt, tumbling to a rate of just 6,500 new jobs per month.
That’s no coincidence. The law deters hiring by raising the costs of employment and by fomenting uncertainty for American businesses..."
and this:
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2011/11/georgia-businessman-refuses-to-hire-until-obama-is-fired/
Looman, whose company operates cranes at construction sites, said he has had to lay off three of his nine employees because of the bad economy. He said overregulation and the cost of complying with federal mandates has caused many of his customers to shut their doors..."
Finally, I received a call from a company and have been working since October. It was one of the first applications I had completed in 2009. I am thankful that they did not consider me unemployable or lazy. I am neither.
It is time for companies to WAKE UP! The people that have been unemployed for long periods of time are probably like me, older workers lacking some of the skills needed in today's market. However, we are the workers that are loyal, show up everyday on time, ready to work.
The fact that companies are allowed to look at the credit ratings of people that have been unemployed is ridiculous and should be illegal. Of course my credit rating is horrible, I was suddenly terminated without warning or provocation. I, like all the other people in my former company were let go because we made the most money.
If American companies have the ability to put people back to work the first candidates they should consider are the long term unemployed, they need the jobs the most.
- Work temp jobs whenever possible (btw, 25% of temp jobs go permanent)
- Take continuing education/certification/designation courses and exams within your field
- Take general education (or in areas of personal interest) courses at local colleges or online.
- Volunteer your time to organizations and charities whose mission you support.
- Work on improvement projects around your home
- Teach yourself new skills or hobbies from information available online
- Other productive endeavors that you can engage in
The key is to keep yourself busy during your downtime - It improves your employment chances significantly and increases your level of confidence and self-worth. Most employers are reasonable and understand the difficulty in finding a job in this market. The above suggestions (or other ideas you come up with to manage your unemployed time productively) are responded to very positively by employers. It shows that you are motivated, interested in personal growth, and enjoy challenging yourself... and employers respond to that.
Right now people are lving in cars, tents & on the streets. Really. I know a few personally and am headed there myself. I have NEVER been without a job in my life, most of the time working 2 jobs. I was with my last company for 13 yrs, so obviously I was not a bad employee.I simply do not deserved this.
Remember everyone is just one paycheck away from facing the same plight & unfortunately that may be what it takes to wake this country up. This is a very serious situation for this nation. Although, I appreciate the contribution of your ( and your peers) viewpoints, I am no longer humored by them. I think i can speak for everyone on this point. At this point in time we need to stop with the 'games & excuses' , which is what they are, and get America back to work..
My wife was laid off two years ago, after the company she had worked at for 15 years was bought out by a bigger company and the decentralized office operations were consolidated at the new company's headquarters. No offer to move, they had all the people they needed, just laid off.
Being middle aged, even with good computer, office, and customer relations skills, she was on unemployment until the end of January. New Mexico then cut her off of benefits.
She has been diligently looking for work every week, going on interviews, taking tests, and filling out mind numbing online applications. Yet while our state is 3% less than the national rate, there are no jobs for her.
You try replacing the three thousand dollar a month hole her being laid off put in our budget, or the two thousand dollar a month hole being cut off of unemployment left us with, then explain what happened to all of our savings. Then tell her she is "lazy" and not looking for work.
Be sure to do it to her face so you can end up on the ground seeing stars.
Supporting the Republican't idea that people are out of work in a ruined economy (that they ruined) because they WANT TO BE is just a stupid thing to do.
Step up, if you believe what you say is true.
Build a memorial to "The Runaways" if all you want to do is make jobs.
Better yet, fix our roads, bridges, and schools. Oh, wait. Obama support that, so you can't do what is right for the country, you have to do what is right for your party.