From Resume to New Job?

In an ideal situation submitting your resume should result in a new job.  However, these days are not always ideal for many people. I have recently met some wonderful people desparately looking for work.  One person, in particular, was facing the end of her public assistance benefits.  She had taken a volunteer position with the hopes of being offered a permanent postion.  It was such a heartbreaking story knowing that this very capable person had to pack up her things and go home.  She left with the hope of finding a position before her financial situation spun out of control.  In my mind,  I have often thought of what actually happens to those who do not find work before they become homeless, or worse.   Now that I have a face to put with those thoughts,  I am outraged at what can happen to any one of us.  If you do not have contacts that can hook you up with a job, too bad.  Companies are coming up with all kinds of reasons for not hiring a particular applicant.  Whether you have been off too long, have bad credit, cannot supply references, lack skills or are over 45, a company can reject you even if you can do the job.  While you are only a resume on someone’s desk, it is your life on that desk.  However, a company is not considering all that a rejected resume represents.   They are merely looking at their own bottom line.

Just what is the answer to such a dire situation?  What about the many, many people that are in the exact same position of the person that I met?  Did you notice that we do not hear much from the people so affected?  I think it is because they are too busy trying to survive by whatever means that they can.  If you have never been in a situation where your day to day existence is in question, you have no idea of how hard it can be.   I think eventually we may have some sort of federal job program due to the large numbers of unemployed workers.  When large corporations begin to see a drop in their profits, the government will react.  After all, if people do not have money, how can they buy the goods and services that keep our economy going?   Also, I think that there are many people who will never again be employed.   Due to their lack of appeal to employers, they will not be considered by some companies.  Some of these people could be helped to start a small business to help them survive.  Sadly, I have not heard of any talk of such a plan because helping people on the bottom in such a way is not that popular.    If a resume does not result in a new job for many, we need a better way to get people back on their feet.

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