February Jobs Report: 8.1 Percent Unemployment

Canton, Michigan -- Data released Friday shows the US economic crisis continues and unemployment is now at 1983 levels. 651,000 jobs were lost in February, according to the AP. The latest figures show that we're not headed out of this recession yet.

Since the recession was made official in December 2007, we've lost over 4.4 million jobs. The Labor Department also revised its estimates for job losses in the 2 prior months. Old estimates showed job losses in January at 598,000 but new estimates put job loss at 655,000.

According to the AP, economists say the job market may not recover in the US until 2013.

This affects us all. I've been looking for work since January, but I've received very few calls. Meanwhile, friends of mine, some who have worked for more than a decade, are getting laid off from multiple industries. I know these people will be competing with me in the market, making it even harder for me to find work because they have more experience.

I've considered going to college for more training, but I really need work now. College would be secondary, as it's supposed to be. Unfortunately, in this market, getting my main priority accomplished is near-impossible.

I've been fiddling with something called a functional resume. This is supposed to help highlight my skills even though they aren't specifically business-related. This is supposed to help me because I'm entering the work force with almost no experience. I'm pretty much stuck looking for clerical work at this point since most businesses now offer little training, and my lack of qualifications with so many people to choose from make it difficult to even get a second glance.

I've learned how to build a resume, the importance of a cover letter, and how to find potential employers, but not in my field. My experience lies in the fiber and textile fields, which aren't really hiring in this market either. I have little choice but to keep trying, just like everyone around me, but the unemployment rate continues to rise, flooding the market with more people fighting for what few jobs we have left thanks to the recession.

It's all heartbreaking, and I can't even begin to fathom what all this unemployment is doing to the mental health of our population atop the more obvious difficulties we're all facing. We all just hope that things start turning around soon.

References:

US Department of Labor: http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.htm
AP: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090306/ap_on_bi_go_ec_fi/economy