« New Online Tool for... | Main | AnnualCreditReport.c... »
 

Entry bubble Help for the Unemployed

By: Joanne | March 10, 2009 | Category: Money

man searching help wanted adds in the newspaperLast week brought us yet more depressing economic news – the unemployment rate jumped to 8.1%. With so many Americans facing layoffs and job loss, I want you know that there’s help available. Government assistance programs are no replacement for a regular paycheck (believe me, I know) but assistance programs can help until you find a new job.

Unemployment compensation (also known as, unemployment insurance) may be available to help you get by while you’re looking for work. Apply for unemployment compensation by contacting the Labor Department in your state. If you need more than just unemployment, look into more benefits, like food stamps, or student financial aid to help you get back on your feet again.

Once you’ve got your support in place, it’s time to look for a new job. You might be thinking that it’s time to change careers to get into a field where there’s a high demand for workers. There are thousands of One-Stop Career Centers around the country that can help job seekers with training referrals, career counseling, job listings, and more. If you like to do your job hunt online, you can also find many job and education resources both in the federal government and the private sector at USA.gov.

| View Comments [2] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: economy   job   layoff   unemployment  

Comments (2):

blue comment bubble Posted by Alexa on March 11, 2009 at 04:45 PM EDT

We can all agree that times now are rougher than they ever have been. The people closest to us are getting laid off jobs that they felt the most secure in within their position, and it is getting harder and harder to find a job even with a promising degree. However, we can't just sit around watching the DOW, waiting for it to get better. By the above ways mentioned, there are many ways one can try to get a job. So while there are many assistance programs for those who are unemployed, this is only to get them started. I feel like trying to work in government is one of the best places to be right now.. so everyone should keep their eye open on places like the Senate bulletin and the websites mentioned above. It is really nice that these governmental programs like Food Stamps are available, but one cannot live on that if they have other options they can pursue with their skills. I appreciate this blog and hopefully others that are in this position are able to see this--and that their is help, but while there is help, get yourself employed!

Comment Permalink

blue comment bubble Posted by Joanne on March 11, 2009 at 04:52 PM EDT

You're right Alexa. The government is a great place to work even though we don't get giant bonuses every year or generous expense accounts. I also think that now is a great time to go back to school and learn how to do something new if the industry you're currently in is faltering. The economy goes up and down in cycles - obviously we're on the down side now, but things will turn up again. Work on picking up new skills while jobs are scarce and when the economy is humming again, you'll be all set to step into a new career.

Comment Permalink