Lori, 41, machinist

Where do you live? Scotia, N.Y.

What was your job title? Machinist.

In what industry? Manufacturing industrial compressors.

How old are/were most of your co-workers? There was an age range. Mid-twenties to late 50s or early 60s.

How did you find out you were losing your job? I went into work for the start of my shift and was called into a conference room by my supervisor and his superiors.

Did you have to leave immediately or did they give you a few weeks to get used to the idea? I was escorted from the building.

Tell us a little about what you did: I did the final flow cuts on impellers. I also built and balanced rotor assemblies for compressor cores.

What was your favorite part of the job? I enjoyed the people that I worked with.

What was the worst part? The hours! It was a weekend shift, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 5 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Did you like going to work? Most of the time.

Did you feel like you were making a difference? Yes. I worked hard and always completed the tasks set out for me.

What have you done since you’ve been laid off? I look for work. I try to network with as many people as I can. I am considering going back to school.

How do you spend your days? I have been catching up on some work around the house. I have been studying to take the GMAT’s, in hope to go to graduate school. I look for jobs on the internet.

Have your spending habits changed since you’ve been laid off? (Have you cut back on anything? Given up coffee?) Yes, my spending habits have changed. We no longer go out to eat. We have put off some larger purchases that we had been planning on making.

Do you have any big financial worries? (Kids in college, etc.) Thankfully, no.

Do you have a spouse who works? Yes.

How many jobs have you applied for since you’ve been laid off? Dozens.

Are they in the same part of the country or a different part? Same part.

What kind of job are you looking for next? Will it be in the same field or a different one? Why? I have been looking for scientific related jobs. I have a BS in Biology and have been looking to re-enter that field. Ideally I will go back to school and get an MBA in Healthcare.

Jane, 60, assistant professor

Where do you live? Blacksburg, Va.

What was your last job title? Clinical assistant professor.

In what industry? Higher Education.

How old are/were most of your coworkers? A few older than me but mostly younger.

How did you find out you were losing your job? The Director of Education brought me to her office and told me there would be no funding for my position.

Did you have to leave immediately, or did they give you a few weeks to get used to the idea? They gave me some time to get used to the idea.

What did you do next? First, I worked as an adjunct. Then I found temporary work in another department. Then I worked for even less money as an adjunct. Then for the first time in 18 years I did not have a parking pass for campus. Because I did temporary work I didn’t look so hard for work. Then I figured our finances for the year and saw how much in the red we were. So I have been applying for whatever I can now.

What was your favorite part of the job? Interacting with students. Doing the actual teaching. Coming up with creative ways to reach students and motivate them.

What was the worst part? My position was non-tenure track so I couldn’t get involved on committees and advising students.

Did you like going to work? Yes. It was my dream job that I had always wanted. It had great flexibility so I could work out at the gym or go to yoga and still get all my work done. I was not tied to an 8-5 position.

Did you feel like you were making a difference? Yes. I thought my students were learning a lot of practical skills that would help them when they would teach, and I was facilitating self-reflection.

What have you done since you’ve been laid off? Taught as adjunct twice, coordinated faculty programs, learned to water color and draw portraits, read more, cleaned parts of the house, joined a book club, wrote in a journal.

How do you spend your days? At my computer a lot sometimes doing nothing but playing mahjong. Looking for positions to apply for. Sometimes working in the house. Running errands. Meeting friends or my daughter (who is now in college).

Have your spending habits changed since you’ve been laid off? (Have you cut back on anything? Given up coffee?) Yes, especially since my enlightenment of how much we overspent last year. I don’t go to a trainer any more. I only have one massage a month. My yoga instructor is letting me barter rather than pay for lessons. We don’t eat out as much. I don’t buy clothes. My husband and I have set an allowance of how much we can spend per month.

Do you have big financial worries — kids in college, etc.? Kid in college who has two horses she does not want to give up. We have cut out their supplements since they are healthy and board them in a more inepensive place. She is living off campus and we are paying for her household.

Do you have a spouse who works? No.

How many jobs have you applied for since you’ve been laid off? About 50.

What kind of job are you looking for next? Will it be in the same field or a different one? Why? I am still looking into something I can do program planning or teaching. Since I have a Ph.D. I am looking for professional jobs since when I applied for jobs waitressing or working in a store they wouldn’t consider me.

The Job

If you’ve ever driven by a Home Depot in the morning — or even afternoon — this short film will make perfect sense to you. The Job is everything a film short should be. There’s the short part, of course. But it’s also funny, provocative, ironic, disturbing, and, at the heart of it, true. Jonathan Browing, the writer/director, says this one’s made the festival circuit and been shown at 140 festivals so far, and we’re honored to be able to link to it here. For more about Screaming Frog Productions, visit the web site.

Updates

Sorry we’ve been quiet of late — we’ve been changing to an easier (and cheaper) blog host. Now we’re once again open to surveys and stories from the unemployed masses! We’d also love to see some photos, so if you have a photo that you think sums up your not working experience, please e-mail us at notworkingnation (at) gmail (dot) come. We also have a Facebook page, so if you’d like to follow us there, visit facebook.com and search for “Not Working Nation.”

Jonathan, 24, biomedical engineer

Where do you live? Sunnyvale, California.

When did you graduate or move? May 2009

What was your field of study? Biomedical engineering.

How long have you been actively job hunting? Since graduating in May.

What sort of job are you looking for? Research technician/assistant, Lab technician, Preventative maintenance technician, systems engineer, quality engineer, manufacturing engineer, administrative assistant, pharmaceutical sales, management trainee, cell phone sales, bartender.

Any interviews? 2

Are they in the same part of the country or a different part? Different part.

What are your biggest obstacles? (Do you have to move back in with your parents? Do you have a mortgage to worry about?) Lack of experience and post graduate education. Student loans.

What are your biggest frustrations? Depending on relatives for everything. Being ignored by friends who look down on me.

What are your biggest fears? Becoming homeless when my family can’t take are of me.

What do you do all day? Job hunt (online and outside), read books and blogs, long walks, daily chores.

Do you have big financial worries — family obligations? Loans you’re supposed to pay back? A growing credit card bill? Above average student loan balance to pay. No credit card debt or family obligations.

Do you have a spouse or partner who works? No.

Any final thoughts? Help?

Pat, 26, school counselor

Where do you live? California

What’s your field? School counseling.

How long have you been actively job hunting? Two years.

What sorts of job are you looking for? At first only school counseling positions, then anything in the social service field, and now customer service/sales. I have even considered law enforcement despite me being petit and soft spoken.

Any interviews? I have not had one interview since I graduated. I have in interview tomorrow for a banking position.

Are the jobs you’re seeking in the same part of the country or a different part? Same part.

What are your biggest obstacles? Paying back my student loans! I have to begin repaying them in April. I applied for unemployment in September so I my payments were deferred until April. I have to use my credit cards just to buy basic necessities and am now in credit debt. I am currently a sub so I don’t work over the summer which is going to make it even harder to pay my bills on NO income!

What are your biggest frustrations? I invested 3 years of my life and borrowed 40k to complete a graduate program at a private school and it didn’t work for shit! I am only putting my B.A to work by being a substitute teacher but am sitting on my fancy Masters degree! What a waste! How am I supposed to pay my bills over the summer? I’ve tried to apply for temp agencies for office work but they say I have no experience, What do they mean I have no experience??!!! I have a Masters Degree, I worked my way through college! And I’ve been working since I was 16! They say my experience is non transferable for clerical jobs and I am over qualified. Or I don’t get hired for entry level positions because I have a Masters they think I am going to quit for a higher paying job.

What are your biggest fears? Losing my car, not ever seeing an end to living below to poverty line, dying of illness since I don’t have medical insurance and can’t get regular check ups, not being able to pay off my student loans, never seeing an end to credit card debt, not ever being able to become a parent (simply cant afford it), and never being able to buy a home.

What do you do all day? On the days that I am fortunate to work as a Sub. On days that I don’t work I look better career opportunities, watch TV, surf the net, worry about my financial situation, and sometimes cry.

Do you have big financial worries — family obligations? Loans you’re supposed to pay back? A growing credit card bill? I definitely have financial worries. I have to pay back loans, credit card bills, regular bills, my car, and rent. What I make as a sub isn’t enough to cover my expenses. At the end of the month I am left with nothing. Any other necessities that come up have to be payed with my credit card. So my credit card balance just keeps on growing and growing.

Do you have a spouse or partner who works? No

Any final thoughts? Sometimes I feel like I shouldn’t have gone to grad school. It has taken me no where but to the unemployment office.

Marques, sports reporter

Where do you live? Northern Virginia

What was your job title? Reporter.

In what industry? Newspapers.

How old were your coworkers? 30s, 40s, 50s.

How did you find out you were losing your job? Phone call upstairs, told in person.

Did you have to leave immediately, or did they give you a few weeks to get used to the idea? I had until the end of the week.

Tell us a little about what you did: I covered professional sports

What was your favorite part of the job? Talking with successful people, experiencing different cities.

What was the worst part? The mood in the office.

Did you like going to work? When on the road, yes. Going to the office, no.

Did you feel like you were making a difference? We all want to believe that.

What have you done since you’ve been laid off? Spent time with my family, applied for work.

Have your spending habits changed since you’ve been laid off? (Have you cut back on anything? Given up coffee?) I was already pretty thrifty.

Do you have big financial worries — kids in college, etc.? When the transition pay runs out, I’ll let you know.

Do you have a spouse who works? Yes.

How many jobs have you applied for since you’ve been laid off? At least 8.

Are they in the same part of the country or someplace else? Same part.

What kind of job are you looking for next? Will it be in the same field or a different one? Why? I’m open to anything.

Lauren, 43, marketing consultant and fundraiser

Where do you live? New Jersey.

What was your job title? Marketing Consultant & Fundraiser

In what industry? Medical Office & a Non-Profit Political Org.

How old were your coworkers? I was 42, co-workers were around the same age, some a little older.

How did you find out you were losing your job? One office closed down, the other lost funding & we were told 1 week before our jobs ended.

Did you have to leave immediately, or did they give you a few weeks to get used to the idea? I had 2-3 weeks from one job and 1 week from the other.

Tell us a little about what you did: For the medical office I did marketing, phone work, filing, data entry, etc. I did fundraising for the non-profit org.

What was your favorite part of the job? The marketing skills I learned have been very beneficial to my art career & I enjoyed talking to like-minded people when fundraising.

What was the worst part? Took time away from my artwork. Not a lot of room for advancement.

Did you like going to work? Sometimes…but I ALWAYS did!

Did you feel like you were making a  difference? Especially for the non-profit group, YES!

What have you done since you’ve been laid off? I’ve been focusing on and building my art career…what I’ve always wanted to do!

How do you spend your days? Promoting my art, creating art, preparing & searching for exhibits, applying for freelance jobs, networking, working on my photography…

Have your spending habits changed since you’ve been laid off? (Have you cut back on anything? Given up coffee?) I shop in dollar stores a lot more. Don’t go out with friends during the week anymore.

Do you have big financial worries — kids in college, etc.? Luckily, no.

Do you have a spouse who works? Yes.

How many jobs have you applied for since you’ve been laid off? Many freelance positions and a few marketing jobs.

What kind of job are you looking for next? Will it be in the same field or a different one? Why? I’m focusing on my art career and obtaining jobs, clients and exhibits in this field. I feel it’s what I’m meant to do & it’s now or never!

Carrie, 37, program director

Where do you live? Long Beach, Wash.

What was your job title? Program director

In what industry? Non-profit artist and writers residency

How old are/were most of your coworkers? When I first started working with the organization I had three co-workers, 20, 39, 55 and 80. At the end my sole coworker was 81.

How did you find out you were losing your job? Board members.

Did you have to leave immediately, or did they give you a few weeks to get used to the idea? I knew it was probably going to happen for about a month, but the Founder and Board President didn’t want to give up on the possibility that she would find someway to keep me on.

Tell us a little about what you did: It was a very small non-profit–so everything from answering phones and driving residents to the grocery store to program administration, organizing fundraisers, writing/designing newsletters, etc.

What was your favorite part of the job? Meeting the writers and artists, seeing/reading their work, conversations about life.

What was the worst part? Isolation, too much time at the computer.

Did you like going to work? No.

Did you feel like you were making a difference? Occasionally.

What have you done since you’ve been laid off? Taught Yoga, applied to film school, visited my grandfather for a week.

How do you spend your days? It has varied. Sometimes I am very aimless and overwhelmed by the lack of imposed structure. Lately I get up early, find a place to work (usually a coffee shop), look for jobs online, look at grad schools, run and do yoga, talk to friends on the phone, feel discouraged about my lack of direction. Mostly I feel like I’m doing a lot of searching online.

Have your spending habits changed since you’ve been laid off? (Have you cut back on anything? Given up coffee?) I’m living with a friend to reduce rent, driving less.

Do you have big financial worries — kids in college, etc.? No, still have some student loans to pay off, but nothing huge.

How many jobs have you applied for since you’ve been laid off? 65

Are they in the same part of the country or a different part? Same part.

What kind of job are you looking for next? Will it be in the same field or a different one? Why? I’ve been looking a social work jobs, but most of my experience in the field is from about 7 years ago, so that’s made it hard. I’d like to do something with more direct contact with people, and something that requires a lot of creativity and innovative problem solving.

Kevin, 39, investment manager

Where do you live? Plattsburgh, N.Y., recently moved to Bozeman, MT.

What was your last job title? AVP, Director of Managed Accounts

In what industry? Investment Management

How old were your coworkers? Similar in age to me — 36 to 45.

How did you find out you were losing your job? The consultant I brought in to help went to my boss and told him he could do my job for half my salary. The consultant firm was angry so they called me to tell me, before my boss did.

Did you have to leave immediately, or did they give you a few weeks to get used to the idea? 5 weeks notice, and I had to help my replacement get “up to speed” or they wouldn’t pay my crappy severance. (After 15 years)

Tell us a little about what you did: I managed the firm’s entire “separately managed accounts” program. I started with 30 accounts in 2001, and figured out how to run 4500+ accounts without hiring the correct amount of staff (i.e. I worked 12+ hours per day)

What was your favorite part of the job? Challenging, unpredictable work flow, always changing.

What was the worst part? Same.

Did you like going to work? Yes.

Did you feel like you were making a difference? Yes.

What have you done since you’ve been laid off? Collected unemployment, while sending out over a hundred resumes while hearing almost NOTHING back.

How do you spend your days? Searching for jobs, taking care of the kids, making dinner, and cleaning the house.

Have your spending habits changed since you’ve been laid off? (Have you cut back on anything? Given up coffee?) We’ve cut back on EVERYTHING. We only buy what’s on sale now, we save NOTHING for retirement, we drive old cars, and we don’t even dream about vacations.

Do you have big financial worries — kids in college, etc.? I am about to lose my home, Citimortgage doesn’t help, even though they pretend to.

Do you have a spouse who works? Yes

How many jobs have you applied for since you’ve been laid off? 55

Are they in the same part of the country or a different part? Different part.

What kind of job are you looking for next? Will it be in the same field or a different one? Why? Currently, I am looking for ANY job. Don’t care what it is. I will take almost anything.