career-limiting moves

[NbyNW]

It seems to me, that several of my recent posts are being misinterpreted(?).

I was quoting from a news article that someone else wrote...which was cautionary. Of course, the journalist wrote in an eye-catching way to grab the reader.

What did I do wrong now?

I know from having met you that you are person with good intentions, but merely quoting an article and then listing a few of your own experiences in this case falls short of providing the context which indicates why you are starting a discussion on this topic. Usually I've seen you end your introductory posts with some kind of personal observation or a question for the forum, but not this time. So it leaves one to wonder.

I've been there, NBYNW...unemployed for 18 months.
Yes, employers get curious if one is merely unemployed at mid-life.

I can see this logic in "normal" times, but it makes no sense to hold it over now. This is the worst economy in decades. IMO employers are really limiting their options by automatically not considering the long-term unemployed when they are looking to fill a role. Sure there may be some oddballs out there, but I think it's cruel to laugh at them so why even bring it up. At the same time, there are a lot of good people who have been out of work for a very long time, and it's a stupid reason not to give someone a second look.

[shootingstar]

Sorry NBYNW, it feels as if I'm a target of misplaced anger /frustration...when I've been there in your shoes, not just once...but 3 times in life.

I'm not the right person to be angry at. Really I'm not.

After all, I had to find work after university, then again after moving to Vancouver from Toronto.

I've tried to give some tips in this thread..passed to me from experts.

Hope you find something soon/or maybe you have already.

[NbyNW]

Shootingstar, I'm not angry at you but will admit to feeling a bit punchy about the situation in general.

I think the tips you shared from your career counselor were great. The ones from the Globe and Mail seemed to be more for shock value, and not so helpful.

What I really want to know is how to overcome this bias against the long-term unemployed. I know there are people who are in far more dire straits than I am, and it's heartbreaking to think of its long-term effects on society in general.

Zoom-zoom, thanks for sharing your story. I've started to think about how to widen my net and you offer a lot of good food for thought. I've always worried even in good times how difficult it is to return to work after taking time off for children, and I can only imagine how things are compounded in this environment.

[goldfinch]

We have a society that tends to blame individuals for things that are systematic problems. It wears on me. I know several people in their 50s who were laid off more than two years ago and have not found work. I don't know how they ever will get back in the work force. Age discrimination based on erroneous beliefs about older workers. The continuing recession. Problems with loss of skills when you are out of work for too long. Not good times for far too many. And now it is hard to get job development programs going because our government is obsessed with deficits rather than obsessed with lack of jobs. My sister and her ex ended up moving back in together just because her ex could not find work.