Introducing The Recessionista

By Robyn Simpson
[Personal Finances]
Unemployed and nothing to do?  Robyn Simpson feels your pain.
Ah, the recession.  We blame it for all of our woes, don’t we?  It’s an over-used excuse, but at the moment, the recession and by extension money (specifically our lack of it) is the root of all evil.

All Degreed Up And Nowhere To Work

I happen to be one of those unfortunate souls in their 20s who has just graduated and couldn’t find a job if her life depended on it.  This has in turn forced me to move back in with my parents, where the living expenses are cheap and the rent is free.  I can’t argue with that, now can I?

It’s a common dilemma facing people my age at the moment.  Due to hiring freezes, we either can’t find a job or are settling for jobs we are over-qualified for, all for the thrill of our name on the paycheque.

Another issue facing my generation is that of experience.  Most companies want to hire those who have previously worked in the field.  It’s a cruel catch-22, where in order to get a job, one must have experience and in order to get experience, one must get a job.

When Hiring Freezes Over

Unemployment just so happens to be an equal opportunity offender.  Take the auto industry for example.  Those who were laid off were not all young.  There are some truly sad cases out there in which someone with a family to support gets laid off.  They are also left out in the cold by companies who are not hiring, but they have the extra burden of having mouths to feed at home.
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