Reply #89: Unemployed since 2/16/09

[njlib]

Got fired for attending nursing school in the evenings. Finished school in January with a 3.86 GPA, passed my licensing exam on the first try and got my LPN license a couple of weeks ago. I can't even tell you how many resumes I've sent, applications I've filled out, how many different job sites my resume is on....it's depressing as hell! I knew going into it that I'd most likely end up working in a nursing home setting or home care, and that's fine with me. The problem is everyone wants experience, at least a year. So, how does a new grad get experience when nobody's willing to hire you? I live in northwest NJ and have even been looking in Pennsylvania & New York, with no luck.

I'm 43 years old, so this is my "second career". I had hoped that my age might work in my favor because I'm more mature and responsible than some of the dopey kids I had in class AND I had perfect attendance for the 18 months I was in school. I spend my days online, looking for facilities in north Jersey, mapping my route, then driving from place to place filling out applications and leaving resumes. I even drove 2 hours to North Brunswick yesterday to fill out an application with a home care agency that's willing to take new grads. I got lost in North Brunswick, called them to say I was in town, but needed directions. The receptionist said "We're trying to get out of here at 3 today and the application process takes a long time. Come back Monday or Tuesday of next week"!! I told her I drove two hours to get there and WAS IN THE TOWN. She said again to come back next week because they wanted to close early! So, I ended up driving two hours back home, wasting the entire day!

To make matters worse, my second tier extension runs out this week. From what I understand, Congress needs to do something as soon as they get back from vacation in order for me to keep collecting. My son is a full-time student and has been working at the same part-time job for over two years. They're in the process now of cutting everyone's hours and if they've given him 30 hours in the past 3 weeks, that's a lot.

I'm really at the end of my rope and empathize with everyone else who's in the same boat. As hard as it is to do, we have to hang in there until things get better. If anyone's interested, check out the Union of the Unemployed, or Ucubed. Their goal is to organize all of us to try to put pressure on the politicians as a group. I'm a member of my county's "cube and they desperately need more publicity and members.

Best of luck to everyone out there.