I had a job. The company didn’t realize that they actually had to sell product to stay in business. Almost all of the workforce was let go or furloughed. I’ve been unemployed for over a month now.
I’ve filled out dozens upon dozens of job apps, starting even before I lost my job. I have my resume public on job listings sites for employers and hiring agencies to find, and I’ve sent my resume to employers and hiring agencies directly. I look through the listings on job boards for each day, mostly limiting my search to a wage that would allow me to make ends meet at home. I’ve solicited and implemented advice from resume design experts. I’ve had one in-person interview, a few preliminary phone interviews, and a couple of message conversations between recruiters and myself. The one in-person interview I had would not have paid enough for my monthly expenses and I was overqualified for the position; they decided against hiring me. I had another interview scheduled and confirmed via a hiring agency’s AI text bot and a human agent’s text; I drove to the scheduled interview place and time and they had no idea that I was supposed to be interviewed. All other communication has either been flat-out rejection or just left me hanging.
I have a Bachelor’s of Science degree from a top 25 ranked university in the US. I have no criminal record. I do have multiple disabilities but they are generally mitigable enough to not affect my work. I have references of my (now) former boss and a (now) former coworker who both praise my impact and aptitude in the factory and office workplace. I’m evidently overqualified for positions that don’t require higher experiences and I’m underqualified for nearly everything else; I can’t get experience in most niche or broad fields because nearly every position requires these experiences to have already been met. I try to follow all the invisible rules of applying and social etiquette. I am too physically ugly to sell my body. It feels like there’s always been a magical aura about me that makes people dislike me no matter how much I try to do the ethically or socially right thing. How am I supposed to get an income to survive?
What state do you live in? I used to take unemployment claims and there was no requirement to file the initial claim by a specific date (though I’m sure there would eventually be a cutoff). The hard deadlines were once the claim was filled because claimants have to go in weekly and certify that they’re still unemployed and actively looking for work. It’s possible you can still apply, and layoffs tend to be processed faster. I’d strongly recommend trying. The worst they can say is no.
Also, I realize your situation really sucks, and I don’t want to downplay that at all, but I wouldn’t be surprised if at least some of your expectation that you’ll be rejected is coming through in interviews. Interviews are at least part about how good your acting skills are, which is ass, but also reality. I have often crippling depression and anxiety, but I’m great at faking positive and confident, and I’ve been offered most of the jobs I’ve interviewed for in my life. Not because I’m always the most educated or experienced candidate, but because I seem like I’ll be tolerable to work with.
Oh and lie if you’re overqualified - say you’re looking to take a step back because you want to go back to school or something. Stupid but people respond better to that than the idea that we want to pay our bills and a job is a job.
You guys say you hate corporate culture yet have no problem faking positive and confident to get a job. Curious! I am very intelligent.
Rules vary from state to state. I just double checked my state’s .gov site and it verified what I had said before. I can try to see if they’ll accept it late but the fine text doesn’t look like they would.
I wouldn’t be surprised if at least some of your expectation that you’ll be rejected is coming through in interviews.
The thing is that I have to get to the interview stage first; for 99% of this process, it’s just been typed words with no direct interaction with a human person. For the one in-person I’ve had, I probably did show some discomfort because I was caught by surprise having to wear earplugs for a facility tour and they’d be required for the job but I have a medical condition that makes earplugs difficult and painful for one ear. I don’t believe a lack of confidence was conveyed in the phone interviews (apart from one really weird and unexpected AI voice interview), and I believe I came across confident for the one video call interview which was for a job I had only heard of a half hour prior.
(In the US) No, you are either misuderstanding unemployment or you read wrong information. There is no such elgiblity requirement in any state.
File for unemployment. You have nothing to lose by trying. Get an official decline, and even then, dispute it.
I went through it a few months ago and for California, at least, the only restrictions were a 2-year limit to be on it, you have to check in weekly to attest to regularly searching/applying, and that you were ‘let go’ through no fault of your own. (i.e. quit or fired)
To add, they will generally set up an eligibility interview over the phone with a social worker before any decisions are made.
I would also suggest to apply for health insurance through the ACA’s website as it takes a bit of time and you don’t want to be stuck without and get injured or with a penalty. (if mandated by your state) It’s generally at no cost if you don’t have an income and can be canceled when you do.
