I got laid off the week after Thanksgiving, but that is a normal thing for me, I have worked for an asphalt paving company for the last 15 years doing QA work and we cant pave in the snow and cold. I usually go back around second week in March and work on the new designs. So, I am off about 3-4 months every year. I used to look forward to it and still do but I get really bored. Unemployment comes in handy. I went back to college and received by BA in Management so I could leave this job or move up but times are tough. They run all those commercials on TV about colleges. A degree really isn't helping much these days. I wasted alot of money but I am not dead yet and it may prove beneficial at some point. Good luck to all those out of work.

 

Getting a degree is never a waste of time. No one can ever take knowledge away.

But you are right, advertising is pushing "Education", but the problem is, finding jobs to go with it. In my field of work, the idea of "Global Economy" is way over used. Our best product to export seems to be jobs, and it needs to stop.

I got lucky, just around Thanksgiving my work made an announcement to outsource my entire department (we have people in my department accross country at our major locations). The plus side is our jobs are being outsourced to a US based company who has hired most of us back. So in a matter of a few days the name on my paycheck changes, but everything else stays status quo. I'm happy in the short term, but in the long term, I don't like this approach to my career.

 

I've been laid off since Aug of 09. Not easy when you have a family. Even worse when your in a State that has the highest unemployment rate in the nation.

 

I still believe that Education/knowledge is a super investment.
I would not have the job I do `if I did not have my degree.

I've been lucky & have always been able to find work, but it was difficult to get a job with benefits.

The Beach Bum's & I had food & shelter, but `if we wanted anything else, we had to work for it since we could walk & talk : )

We found jobs washing cars, boats, driveways... Work on the fishing boats, Doing yard work, cleaning garages/homes, repairing docks, cleaning pools, moving furniture, helping the wrecker driver clean up accident scene's, cleaning windows, helping roofer's, and being a go'fer (go 4 this & that: ) Work the orange field picking oranges & grapefruit etc. We always were lucky to find work.

It may not be what we liked 2 `do, but it was $ to survive & not burden the seniors that raised us....

My grandfather always told me that I was going to have to give up to get, and he was right 4-Sure....No free lunch

That's all that fall'in outa my tired mind....Good Luck to all that are laid `off & looking 4 work....., but don't give `up and keep think'in of a way to make $'s legally : )

Start a garden Maybe LOL ~>That would be Smok'in

 

Don't get me wrong, I don't mean education is a waste of money. It is self gratification if nothing else. I am jsut disappointed things are like they are. Spend mega money to get actually my second degree and still where I was 4 years ago. I have an associates in CIS and built that into a BA. I am always preaching to my 11 year old about the value of one. He just inherited 70K and it has been invested for him. One catch is he must get a 4 year college degree to get it or it revolves back to my wife and her brother.

 

My degrees are a totally useless for me. I am in such a specialized field and jobs are far and few between. I'm really not qualified to do anything else. I was laid of back in July 08 and didn't find a permanent full time job until Sept of 09 and it totally sucked. I just accepted another position closer to my house but I will probably be making a little less money but it's worth it cause this new company treats it's employees so much better. My happiness = priceless.

 

I was laid off in June of 2010 from my teaching Job. I am trying to finish up my masters degree with 2 other specialty endorsements, that will make me more marketable. I have 104k in student loans, but it was a good investment in my future I hope. Our county has been between 18-22% unemployment for 3 years now, so it has been rough. I hope that all of us job seekers will find better luck in 2011.

 

Been laid off since Dec 08, 2010.
Doing landscape, lawn care. Need to find another field.

 

I wish they had laid me off. I was reassigned to working all weekends, all the time. Now I'm afraid my hand injury will slow me down enough to not meet production standards causing my termination not long after I do go back to work.