What follows is an edited version of a comment which was recently posted on the website of a national newspaper. The author is Chris from Hertfordshire. The comment is followed by my own response.
I'm 58,
and have been unemployed since October 2009 after 35 years employment. My
savings have run out and I can't afford any sort of a social life. I don't even
bother to go for a wander around town - what's the point? I can't even afford
to buy a cup of coffee ... I have lost any sense of myself or life having any
meaning. I used to be a Project Manager and I managed multi million pound
projects. My family doesn't understand why no one will offer me a job - neither
do I, but I don't even get an interview when I apply.
Chris,
what has happened to you could just as easily happen to almost anyone. Very few people can realistically claim to be
immune from the danger of long term unemployment.
The
reason why no one will give you an interview is that unemployment is very high,
and almost any job advertisement can expect to receive dozens – if not hundreds
– of applications. At least some of those
applications will be from people currently in work or only recently out of
work. Those people will almost always be
favoured above the long term out of work – sad but true.
Chris,
when you worked as a project manager, did you ever recruit? If so, did you always treat long term
unemployed applicants no less favourably than anyone else?
Another
thing Chris – have you ever been a member of a political party which has
realistic policies for achieving full employment? If the answer is yes, then you are in a tiny
minority. If the answer is no, then are
you not in part at least the architect of your own downfall?
No comments:
Post a Comment