Discrimination against the unemployed: There oughta be a law

Back in April, I wrote here about a worrisome development on the employment front: employers refusing to consider unemployed candidates for job openings.

Back then, the subject was largely confined to the realm of rumor and hearsay, though even then, some examples of the practice had been reported in the press.

The issue has exploded since then. Now, ads with phrases like 'Qualified candidates must be currently employed' are not hard to find at all. In fact, I just lifted that phrase verbatim from a job opening from a popular online classified ad site. (Like last time, I could not find any such listings in a quick search of PhillyJobs.com, but this time, I suspect it may be because I did not search hard enough or in the right manner.)

Right now, job seekers who have been out of work for a while - and with the average length of unemployment now at nine months, there are a lot of them - have little recourse if they should find themselves shut out of job opportunities for this reason, for employment status is not a protected category under current discrimination law.

With the issue now capturing the attention of politicians and major media - The New York Times reported on the practice July 25 - that may change. Already, New Jersey has passed a law barring employers from running help-wanted ads that require candidates to be employed, and two other states are contemplating similar laws. A bill that would outlaw discrimination in hiring based on employment status has also been introduced in Congress and is currently in committee.

Unfortunately, the rise of this practice is a sign of the times: in the boom times of the 1990s, by contrast, even convicted felons could find jobs easily. Now, however, it's a buyer's market when it comes to employment, and with so many sellers offering their labor for sale, the buyers are doing whatever they can to keep the flow of resumes into their inboxes to a manageable level. This strategy, however, shuts out millions of job candidates who have valuable skills to offer and are eager to offer them.

What have you found as you peruse offerings on PhillyJobs and other career communities? What is your opinion of this practice? Do you agree or disagree that there oughta be a law? Share your thoughts in the comments.

By Sandy Smith

Sandy Smith is a veteran freelance writer, editor and public relations professional who lives in Philadelphia. Besides blogging for PhillyJobs.com, he has written for numerous publications and websites, would be happy to do your resume, and is himself actively seeking career opportunities on Beyond.com. Check out his LinkedIn profile and read his other posts on PhillyJobsBlog.com.

An old wound opens in our newest privileged class

By the time you read this, I may be the new face of an issue many are still embarrassed to discuss: unemployment among college-educated African-American men.

The reporter from Fox29 who asked to interview me for the report told me that several of the men she had called declined to speak, even if their faces would be hidden and their voices blurred.

I agreed to talk with her.

Why were so many others reluctant? I can think of several reasons. For starters, college graduates aren't supposed to be unemployed for long periods of time. The fact that so many, black, white, and otherwise, are and have been makes this economic crisis different from any since the Great Depression, when far fewer Americans held college degrees. I suspect many of these men see their state as a mark of personal failure and may be reluctant to expose their wounds in such a public way. I decided to talk to show that the failure isn't personal. We are not alone, and the reasons why there are so many of us this time have less to do with ourselves than we fear.

Another reason is that many middle class African-Americans have a cultural disinclination to do anything in public that might embarrass the race.

Even in the Age of Obama, race continues to matter in ways we like to think we've gotten past but haven't. That there are many African-American college graduates for the reporter to contact is every bit as much a sign of the progress we and the country have made on race as Obama's election as President, but many of us still have this nagging feeling deep down inside that these gains are precarious. The bigots, we fear, are just waiting for an excuse to revert to form, and this current state of affairs may provide the excuse they are waiting for.

One story the reporter told me during our interview brings this fear to the forefront. One of the other subjects she spoke with is a corporate headhunter who specializes in what is known in the HR business as "diversity hires" – that is, people other than white males. Companies turn to this recruiter when they are looking to fill positions with qualified African-Americans. The trouble is that for the past several months, he hasn't heard from any companies.

I tend to be an optimist on racial matters. There is no denying that progress has been made and things are better. Yet when I hear something like this, I understand why that nagging fear persists. Something is wrong with that picture, and from here it looks like that something has to do with race.

An unusually high number of college graduates are already unemployed or underemployed. What I do not yet know is whether the percentages of African-American college graduates in that state is higher still. If it is, then those men who wished not to talk have good reason not to. I hope that my talking will wake others up to the matter, just as the reporter hopes that pursuing the story in the first place will.

PhillyJobs.com welcomes all job seekers, no matter what race, creed, color, gender, sexual orientation or level of education.

By Sandy Smith

Sandy Smith is a veteran freelance writer, editor and public relations professional who lives in Philadelphia. Besides blogging for PhillyJobs.com, he has written for numerous publications and websites, would be happy to do your resume, and is himself actively seeking career opportunities on Beyond.com. Check out his LinkedIn profile and read his other posts on PhillyJobsBlog.com.

The Best 8 Tips For Getting a Job When You Have Been Unemployed for a Long Time. Part 2

Getting back on the job market after having been unemployed for a long time can be tough. Here are some tips to help.

When you have been unemployed for a long period of time, trying to find a new job can feel a lot like clawing your way out of a hole. The longer you are out of work, the bigger the hole seems. Climbing out takes strength, determination, a whole lot of help from friends and some hard work. Here are some things that can help you get a leg up on the climb. Last time we covered tips 1-4, and here are tips 5-8:

• Find a your passion, start a project – Even if you haven't had luck finding a full time job, think about what your passions are, and get involved volunteering. There are many places that could really use help, and volunteering is a great way to give back to the community, get back into the swing of working and will give you an amazing opportunity to meet new people and build your network. Also, when you interview for the job you really want, it is better to have something to point to when you are talking about what you did while you were unemployed. Employers want to see that you are still working, even if it isn't paid work.
  
  
• Hone your interview skills – Now that the job market is starting to look up, it is even more important to practice for your interview. When you have been out of work for a long time and are feeling discouraged, it is hard to show up to an interview and “wow” them. Sharpen your skills and practice your interview skills.
  
  
• Sell yourself and your skills – When you get a chance to interview with a potential employer, use your unemployment period to your advantage and sell yourself as someone who will work hard to prove themselves. Use your desire to never be unemployed again to fuel your determination and enthusiasm.
  
  
• Work hard on acting positive – Even if it is hard, get rid of any bitterness. Trust me, I know how hard it is when you have bills piling up and kids to feed. The desperation of not knowing what is going to go wrong next can be hard to set aside. But the truth is, the bitterness and stress will make you less attractive to a new employer. Even if you have to act hopeful and happy, when you aren't feeling it, it will start to become second nature. Having a positive attitude is one of the things that makes you successful in all parts of life, even finding a job.

Getting back into the work force after a long being unemployed is a challenge, but not impossible. As the job market continues to improve, it is essential that you work on being ready for the next big opportunity to knock on your door.

What do you think is important when you are trying to get back into the work force? Let me know in the comments.

If you are looking for a job in the Philadelphia area, visit PhillyJobs for the best Philadelphia area job listings.

By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer for PhillyJobsBlog, along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.

The Best 8 Tips For Getting a Job When You Have Been Unemployed for a Long Time. Part 1

Getting back on the job market after having been unemployed for a long time can be tough. Here are some tips to help.

When you have been unemployed for a long period of time, trying to find a new job can feel a lot like clawing your way out of a hole. The longer you are out of work, the bigger the hole seems. Climbing out takes strength, determination, a whole lot of help from friends and some hard work. Here are some things that can help you get a leg up on the climb:

• Stop blaming yourself – The past few years have been tough for everyone, and especially those of us who are out of work. Not being able to find a job doesn't mean that you are broken and not worth hiring. The more you beat yourself up, the harder it can be to muster up the enthusiasm necessary to impress an interviewer.
  
• Stop wasting time – When you have been job searching for an extended period, it's only natural to stop giving it your best and just start applying for every job opening you see that is even close to being within commuting distance. Don't let the desperation win. The best way to find a new job is to target openings that are a match for your skills and experience. Then, customize your resume and cover letter to target that particular job. You know this, but when you are feeling beat down and think that it is a waste of time, it is hard to remember.

• Get out and make friends – When you are feeling desperate and start thinking that you need to “beat the streets” until you find something, stop and start looking for networking opportunities. The best use of your time is to make new friends, connect with other professionals and build your network. Getting out and talking to others in your industry will help you get re-energized and can lead to recommendations and insider news about new openings.
  
  
• Talk to your previous employer – The job market is starting to make a rebound, but many companies are hesitant to take on new employees, opting for freelance and temp workers. If you were downsized or laid off at your previous job, it may be a good idea to get in touch with your previous boss or co-workers. If you are willing to take on freelance work, they may be interested in having someone who is already familiar with the company.

Getting back into the work force after a long time of being unemployed is hard, but not impossible. Stay tuned for the next installment, and find out tips 5-8.

What do you think is important when you are trying to get back into the work force? Let me know in the comments.

By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer for PhillyJobsBlog, along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.

Down and Out in Holland

If you haven't yet, you probably will hear about Gregg Rosen. He has become the most visible spokesperson for the "99ers" - the people who still have yet to find suitable work after running through not only all of their state's unemployment benefits but all four tiers of Federal emergency unemployment compensation. (For those of you who don't know this term - and I'd be surprised that you don't if you're a job-seeker - the designation comes from the maximum number of weeks of unemployment compensation available under both the Federal and state UC programs in most states; in some states with less generous state programs, this number is lower).

Their ranks are larger and more diverse than one might expect, and Rosen himself illustrates the point, for on the face of it, he doesn't look like he is doing all that badly. He still lives in a spacious, well-appointed home in the Bucks County community of Holland. From the reports I've seen about him so far, the biggest adjustment he has had to make is in foregoing medicines he needs to treat a chronic condition. He certainly wasn't living on the edge of disaster after losing his job as a six-figure-a-year marketing executive three years ago -- or at least wasn't until he found out that Bernie Madoff had blown his nest egg along with those of thousands of other well-off clients in a giant Ponzi scheme. But even now, almost two years after Madoff's scheme collapsed, he does not appear to be breaking a sweat over things like making the mortgage payment or where his next meal will come from. Yet to hear him tell it, he faces plenty of challenges trying to survive after the end of unemployment benefits.

Some commenters on the PBS NewsHour website complained in response to a recent interview with Rosen that he is not a terribly sympathetic figure because he still lives in comfortable surroundings. Actually, Rosen is all the more useful as a symbol of long-term unemployment because he is not visibly destitute. He reminds us that this time around, persistent unemployment is not the exclusive province of the unskilled, the talentless, or the downtrodden. Among the 5 percent of all college graduates who are unemployed are people like Rosen who, despite having knowledge, skills and experience galore, find themselves still jobless after all these years.

By Sandy Smith

Sandy Smith has been blogging for PhillyJobs.com since 2010. In addition to launching award-winning newspapers and newsletters at the University of Pennsylvania and Widener University, Sandy is a veteran writer whose articles and essays have appeared in several local and regional media outlets, including The Philadelphia Inquirer, the Philadelphia CityPaper, and PGN, and on several Web sites. He is also an active participant on several discussion boards, including PhiladelphiaSpeaks.com, where he posts as “MarketStEl.” He has been supporting himself through a combination of freelance and part-time work and unemployment compensation since early 2009 and is himself an active job-seeker. Read more of his posts on PhillyJobsBlog.com and follow him to Beyond.com for more job opportunities.