The unemployed, the underemployed, and me!

Last night I went to a party with some friends and colleagues from my old work. I had been sort of nervous to go. I have kept in touch with most people from my work and seen them individually but going to a group thing really made me feel like it was a “work thing” and having now work, I felt a bit weird about going. Of course it turned out to be fun and fine. My friend is leaving our old department and is literally moving up in the world to the one department at my old company that has the best floor, the best views and furniture in the company Go Kate.

Being unemployed among workers, even my friends made me think. Currently, the Unemployment Rate in Washington is 5.5% (Bureau of Labor Statistics). That means almost 6 people out of every 100 are not working. What unemployment rates fail to calculate and people aren’t seeing is that that number only counts the actual people who are not doing any work, claiming unemployment and searching for work. The actual number of people affected by unemployment is much higher. Underemployment is rampant. Roughly defined, being underemployed means working in a field that does not utilize your advanced skills and knowledge, and/or being partially employed where you are working less hours than you would like. The unemployment rate also doesn’t include the folks for whom unemployment benefits have run out so they are no longer claiming, and/or the folks who have just given up.

I think things are starting to get better. I know I will get a job and also likely may be “underemployed” at some point in the process. However, I do have faith in the process and I know that I will only get what I go out and make happen. I’m proud of the small things I’m doing to make money and really it’s been great experience and as someone told me the other day, I’m now Web 2.0 experienced. So stick it to the person that didn’t think I was savvy enough to work in their marketing department! (I won’t tell you who).

I’m talking about all of this because I have at times flirted with being defensive at the fact that I have no job. I have felt my explanations and work search statistics at the ready just in case someone says something. The reality I am seeing is that the working world has many moving parts and for a while, I’ll be a member of this group. There are apparently hundreds of thousands of us. Most of us are at home because we have no money but sometimes if it’s sunny, you can look out of your office window and see us waving to you. We’re taking walks in the sunshine and maybe treating ourselves to an ice cream at 2 o’clock on a Friday :)

Have a great weekend. I start my temp job on Monday.