Justification

I don't know why, but lately I've felt it necessary to justify why hubby is still unemployed. Honestly, I don't think we need to justify ourselves to anyone, but during a conversation about the situation, someone will eventually ask questions like...

"Has he applied at ________?"
"Is he qualified to do anything besides computer work?"
"Would he consider temporary work?"

...and so on. None of these questions are asked in a snotty way or are derogatory in nature; however, there is a filter in my brain that translates all of those questions into, "Why the hell doesn't he get off his duff and get a job?"

I don't fault anybody for asking those questions, so if you're one of those people who have, please don't worry. I'm not mad at your anything. Your questions are meant as encouragement and support; I understand that. But because we both are asking ourselves why he doesn't have a job yet, your question hits a sore spot. It's kind of like having a sunburn on your back, and someone slaps you on the back. An already sore spot is made to feel even more painful.

True, some people take advantage of unemployment benefits and do nothing but catch up on their soap operas. Let me assure you. My hubby is not doing that. He spends the majority of his time looking for a new job, but another large chunk of time is spent studying for a professional certification exam. He's also worked on several computers for various people to bring in a little extra cash. When he's not doing that, he volunteers his time to help family, friends and at church. He also helps me out a little more than he was able to before either with the kids or around the house. So he definitely has stayed busy.

Does he always stay motivated and moving? Nope. The holidays were particularly difficult because there were no new job postings to follow up on, and our schedule was pretty hectic. Does he spend every waking minute the way I think he should. Absolutely not. But that's the beauty of he & I...we're two distinct individuals. Maybe he doesn't spend his time or conduct his job search in the exact same way that I would, but he doesn't waste much time. That's the important characteristic.

Neither one of us wants this period of unemployment to linger. We're definitely ready for this to end. I think some judge us for staying on unemployment for so long. And to that I say, he & I have both been working and paying taxes since we were 13 years old. In 25 years, this is the first time we've had to rely on public assistance of any kind. I think those stats are pretty darn good! Nevertheless, we are ready for this to be over.

If you've ever lost a job, you know that taking "just anything" is not a good idea. If you take any full-time job, it severely limits your ability to land a decent job that restores you back to normal. For hubby, that would be true plus it would be nearly impossible for him to study for his certification exam, which would benefit our family in the long run. That's why he hasn't taken just anything up to this point.

However, we have reached the threshold where he does have to consider and apply for jobs outside his field. That translates into wages that are much, much less than what he made before. And the other bad news? A lot of those employers won't even consider him for that low-paying job because he's overqualified. He's also not qualified for some of the jobs available right now, so he's stuck in a bad position. Likewise, I've started looking for additional work, and I'm hitting the same walls. I'm not qualified to do the kind of work I did before quitting my full-time job, but I'm considered overqualified for a low-paying job. N-I-C-E!

So to answer the question of "why is he still unemployed", here is the short answer. The job market seriously sucks!!!!! If you know of someone who is unemployed, you may want to ask questions in an attempt to be encouraging and supportive. Be aware, though, that the unemployed person is probably hurting and worried and scared...and is probably asking themselves the same questions.