I'm currently hiring, and was surprised at the number of applicants for an underpaid, overworked junior position. Fifty-five resumes if you only count the ones that were to some degree qualified (and many more that are only applying to meet their 3 per week for unemployment). The pool includes two from established attorneys, and ten from Ivy League undergrad plus grad school (I've got a Yale/Yale applicant whose "Awards and Honors" section of her resume is two-pages long - and she's only 26!). There are some very overqualified older candidates in the pool that it just wouldn't be fair to pay what I can offer - and for that I feel horrible.
Almost one-third of the total (of more than one-hundred, which includes many people who had no business applying) listed US Census as their last employer. Glad they were able to take home a paycheck, even if it was temporary. Makes me think we need a modern version of the WPA to put money in their pockets, and back in the local economy when they spend their pay.
My wife and I are blessed that she, after being out of work for 18 mos, landed a great job and that my employment is secure (knock on wood). Though she's been back at work since January, we're still not caught up on debt that accrued during her hiatus. It'll be November before we're back where we were two years ago, but - again - I'm grateful we're as fortunate as we are. My best wishes go out to everyone less well-off.
