Asia-Pacific
Unemployed in US struggling in sluggish job market
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-12-15 11:19
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CHICAGO: Despite the Obama administration's exorbitant efforts to create more jobs through its stimulus package, to those struggling, out-of-work Americans, the benefits are not felt soon in today's gloomy job market.
Steven Nylon, 50, a former General Motors engineer in Michigan is one of them. After working 16 years as a senior manufacturing engineer at GM, he woke up to find himself laid off one morning in March and has been job-hunting since then.
"The whole summer very few companies were hiring. Tens of thousands of people were in the job market in Michigan which makes it extremely hard to compete for the very limited job opportunities. I spent over 10 hours every day looking for opportunities online, talking with headhunters, and networking with as many people as possible to establish contacts. But even after nine months, I found nothing," a weary, worn Nylon told Xinhua.
Nylon is among the tens of thousands of displaced auto workers and industry professionals who are trying to adjust both their life expectations and lifestyle during the current economic downturn, which hit hard the American auto industry.
As a seasoned auto professional who is not only experienced at advanced technology but also possesses strong management skills, Nylon used to be a valued decision-maker and problem-solver for many important projects at GM. Now, with the job gone, so is the sense of achievement it used to provide.
"Right now I spend more time looking for a job than I used to spend working every day. This kind of day, without any achievement, is unbearable. I guess that is probably one of the reasons that some unemployed people become depressed," Nylon said with an uneasy smile.
His face only brightened when asked about his family. "My wife Stephanie has always stayed home with our two children. My daughter Anna is 14 years old and loves skating and piano. My 11-year-old son Harry has been playing hockey since he was six and is now playing at the tournament level. We are so proud of him."
However, nine months of unemployment has certainly affected Nylon's family finance, creating an ever-increasing stress as time goes by without any potential opportunities appearing on the horizon, and lifestyle adjustment becomes inevitable.
"After I lost my job I started realizing how expensive the children's activities are, with each costing thousands of dollars every year. My daughter is mature and considerate enough to give up figure skating. However, it is difficult to explain the strain of the hockey expense to my son who says, 'It is only 200 dollars! What is the big deal?'"
Stephanie recently began looking for a job, and the Nylons are considering downsizing to a smaller home to reduce their mortgage, real estate tax and maintenance expenses.
"I am not sure if I am ready to sell the beautiful house we have been living in for over a decade. However, I have huge respect for my wife Stephanie who has the courage to look for a job, in spite of being out of the job market for 14 years," Nylon added.
Many families in Michigan, home to the headquarters of all three of the Big Three automakers, General Motors (GM), Ford and Dailer Chrysler, have already lost their homes during the financial crisis after the family bread earners lost their jobs and could not afford mortgages anymore, and Nylon is not optimistic about the economic outlook at the end of the year.
"I didn't expect things to get so much worse. I could never have imagined that I would have been out of work for so long, with my capability and experience. But the truth is, many professionals have been job hunting for one or two years. I guess I have to expand my job search to other industries, even though I had my most exciting years here in autos," Nylon said.
Many believe that in the current job market, being "senior" is an obstacle to landing a job. However, Nylon hopes that more companies realize that seasoned professionals are exceptionally experienced and therefore more valuable.
As part of his second economic stimulus package, President Barack Obama unveiled a job creation plan on Tuesday, following February's 787 billion US dollar stimulus bill from which the economy has only shown signs of slow recovery, as unemployment still hovers around a record 10 percent.
Commenting on the Obama administration's job creation efforts and unemployment benefits, Nylon said, "Although I am a benefactor of his plan, I actually disagree with his policies. All of the economic recovery is somewhat related to the government bailouts. The government has become a currency printing machine that owns banks and auto companies and now it plans to pay for the health care bills. I think all of these policies will lead to a huge crisis in the future."
Nylon believes that it is necessary for government to take actions to stimulate economic recovery but that the government should not take control of everything.
Now, after nine months of hard self-evaluation and adjustment, Nylon has learned to have a much better attitude toward the unexpected changes in life. No longer angry or depressed, he is taking every opportunity to enjoy life and prepare for future.
"This week I just downloaded a 3-D model software to upgrade my knowledge base. I also cooked dinner for my wife and kids today and did a large basket of laundry. I realize that I am making good progress at becoming a better house husband. I am also volunteering at schools and churches. Though of course my goal is still to return to my professional field next year," he said.
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development forecasts that unemployment in the US will peak in the first quarter of 2010, but is not going to fall below 9 percent until the fourth quarter of 2011.
Also viewed as encouraging is the news that the pace of job losses has slowed. Actual job growth is evident in both the health care sector and temporary-help services.
Especially during the busy holiday season, many unemployed professionals are working at temporary jobs in stores and other seasonal businesses. Although limited in scope, these positive developments are the best news in the US labor market since the spring of 2007.
For Nylon, and the 10 million other unemployed Americans, any good news is welcome when they are navigating their way through the rough waters of economic downturn.
