Standing in the unemployment line

[Courtney]

This is a place to talk about jobs. Or lack thereof.

[Courtney]

So, I have 6.5 months of state unemployment benefits coming my way. How unethical would it be to nix the job hunt for a couple weeks and take the money and go on a fabulous vacation?

[CalmerThanYou]

Well, you wouldnt be the first...

and, are you really looking for moral guidance on this board?

[Courtney]

Mostly I'm looking for people to support my immoral decisions so I feel less bad?

[TeamCoachellaHellYeah]

Court, did you get laid off? What were you doing before? And exactly how much unemployment a week are we talking here?

[wmgaretjax]

A couple weeks is no big deal I think....

I'm currently unemployed, but hopefully getting closer to finding a job. I'm not taking unemployment though, I have some cash saved up and it should last me a little while.

[Courtney]

Yeah, 52% of my company got laid off this week due to some serious budget cuts. I think unemployment insurance is going to be something like $1500 per month for me, which (pathetically) is not really at that much less than what I was getting paid after taxes, health insurance, etc anyway because I was working for a small nonprofit arts organization.

[Jon Blazed]

My job just laid off 5 people and blamed it on the economy.

[Jon Blazed]

That reminds me I need to get the fuck off the internetzzzzz

[TommyboyUNM]

The best month of my life was when I was unemployed in December last year, but I think I would've gone crazy if it had been longer. I sit in front of a computer all day with my current job, clearly, but I make decent enough money to pay for concert trips. So that's really what matters.

And, Courtney, I say just fuckin do it! Though Marco is probably asking the right questions.

[Courtney]

A couple weeks is no big deal I think....

I'm currently unemployed, but hopefully getting closer to finding a job. I'm not taking unemployment though, I have some cash saved up and it should last me a little while.

Wooo being unemployed.

How are you going about your job search? Do you find that networking is the best, or looking through job listings, or some other method? Are you limiting yourself to your immediate geographic region?

And wait, what happened to grad school?

[TeamCoachellaHellYeah]

Well 1500 a month is pretty decent...you COULD use it to try and move outside of Hawaii...if your feeling bored....also, given your experience with a non prof..you could pick up another job easily I think...

[marooko]

Luckily, I'm still employed.

[TeamCoachellaHellYeah]

as am I...for now anyways...luckily the Colorado Economy is doing a little better then the rest of the country....

[Courtney]

Well 1500 a month is pretty decent...you COULD use it to try and move outside of Hawaii...if your feeling bored....also, given your experience with a non prof..you could pick up another job easily I think...

Thanks. I'm considering moving, actually. Mostly because the Hawaii economy is really really bad right now between tourism and fuel costs (no one is visiting, and companies can't afford to ship things here). I'm not sure if I can continue to collect benefits if I'm out-of-state, but I could probably get around that as long as I maintain an in-state official address.

New York would be the obvious choice because of the quantity of arts jobs, but it's such an expensive place to live.

I have no idea what I'm doing, really.

[locachica73]

I have been at my current job for 9+ years and almost wish they would lay me off for a bit. I need a break but would prefer to get paid while on my break. As much as I slack you would think they would have fired me by now but they are none the wiser, and being here as long as I have I refuse to quit because they won't pay me any severence. So I will continue being a slacker until they figure it out.

[Courtney]

Loca, I thought you could only get unemployment if you get fired through no fault of your own?

[CalmerThanYou]

I have been at my current job for 9+ years and almost wish they would lay me off for a bit.

I'd bite your tongue young lady and be VERY happy you are employed. The plane has crashed into the mountain. We are going to see things get horrendous in the upcoming year or two, you should be counting your blessings...

[TeamCoachellaHellYeah]

Thanks. I'm considering moving, actually. Mostly because the Hawaii economy is really really bad right now between tourism and fuel costs (no one is visiting, and companies can't afford to ship things here). I'm not sure if I can continue to collect benefits if I'm out-of-state, but I could probably get around that as long as I maintain an in-state official address.

New York would be the obvious choice because of the quantity of arts jobs, but it's such an expensive place to live.

I have no idea what I'm doing, really.

My boss moved out from Maui in May because the economy was going sideways...worst on the other islands from what I understand...even though he only got a $1000 salary increase to move to Denver...he said it felt like doubling his salary due to the cost of living being much less then Hawaii...he was a Director at a hotel down there...if you like want art jobs you could check out Santa Fe, NM...unemployment there is lower the CO...and Sante Fe has the 3rd largest art market after NY and LA.

[TommyboyUNM]

My boss moved out from Maui in May because the economy was going sideways...worst on the other islands from what I understand...even though he only got a $1000 salary increase to move to Denver...he said it felt like doubling his salary due to the cost of living being much less then Hawaii...he was a Director at a hotel down there...if you like want art jobs you could check out Santa Fe, NM...unemployment there is lower the CO...and Sante Fe has the 3rd largest art market after NY and LA.

Indeed. Santa Fe is really good for art jobs. And New Mexico is a great place to live. Albuquerque is growing pretty rapidly and the green chilie will have you hooked.

[Courtney]

Hmmm. I've never been to New Mexico. Also, just for fun, I looked up:

20 U.S Cities With the Lowest Unemployment Rates
Average: 2.9

1. Fargo, N.D.: 2.1

2. Casper, Wyo.: 2.4

3. Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, La..: 2.5

3. Lafayette, La..: 2.5

3. Sioux Falls, S.D.: 2.5

6. Ames, Iowa: 2.6

6. Bismarck, N.D. 2.6

8. Fort Walton Beach-Crestview-Destin, Fla.: 2.7

8. Idaho Falls, Idaho: 2.7

8. Iowa City, Iowa: 2.7

11. Cape Coral-Fort Myers, Fla.: 2.8

11. Charlottesville, Va.: 2.8

11. Harrisonburg, Va.: 2.8

11. Rapid City, SD: 2.8

11. Sarasota-Bradenton-Venice, Fla.: 2.8

11. St. George, Utah: 2.8

11. Winchester, Va.: 2.8

18. Billings, Mont. 2.9

18. Boise City-Nampa, Idaho: 2.9

20. Des Moines-West Des Moines, Iowa: 3

20. Lake Charles, La.: 3

20. Logan, Utah: 3

20. Missoula, Mont.: 3

Not a whole lot of terribly appeal prospects there. Although I could move next door to Yablo if I moved to Missoula...

[TeamCoachellaHellYeah]

I wouldn't call those "cities"

[Courtney]

Hahaa. Charlottesville might not be too bad. Isn't it a college town? College towns generally at least have good ethnic eateries and bookstores.

[allyjoy]

just stay away from these cities

20 U.S. Cities With the Highest Unemployment Rates
Average: 9.7

20. McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, Texas: 7.8

20. Muskegon-Norton Shores, Mich.: 7.8

16. Battle Creek, Mich.: 7.9

16. Hanford-Corcoran, Calif.: 7.9

16. Modesto, Calif.: 7.9

16. Niles-Benton Harbor, Mich.: 7.9

14. Jackson, Mich.: 8

14. Sumter, S.C.: 8

13. Detroit-Warren-Livonia, Mich.: 8.1

12. Yuba City, Calif.: 8.2

11. Visalia-Porterville, Calif.: 8.4

10. Monroe, Mich.: 8.5

9. Pine Bluff, Ark.: 8.6

8. Saginaw-Saginaw Township North, Mich.: 8.7

7. Kokomo, Ind.: 8.9

6. Merced, Calif.: 9.2

5. Pascagoula, Miss.: 9.4

4. Flint, Mich.: 10

3. Gulfport-Biloxi, Miss.: 11.6

2. El Centro, Calif.: 17.3

1. Yuma, Ariz.:21.4

[ivankay]

Although I could move next door to Yablo if I moved to Missoula...

People would pay to do that.

[marooko]

wHAT AGE RANGE ARE YOU IN? oops. sorry. didnt mean to yell at ya.

16. Modesto, Calif.: 7.9

HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHHAAHAHAHAHA. I will consider myslef lucky.

[TeamCoachellaHellYeah]

State unemployment, June 2008
Rank State Rate
1 SOUTH DAKOTA 2.8
2 NORTH DAKOTA 3.2
2 UTAH 3.2
2 WYOMING 3.2
5 NEBRASKA 3.3
6 HAWAII 3.8
6 IDAHO 3.8
6 LOUISIANA 3.8
9 NEW MEXICO 3.9
9 OKLAHOMA 3.9
11 IOWA 4.0
11 MARYLAND 4.0
11 NEW HAMPSHIRE 4.0
11 VIRGINIA 4.0
15 MONTANA 4.1
16 DELAWARE 4.2
17 KANSAS 4.3
18 TEXAS 4.4
19 WISCONSIN 4.6
20 ALABAMA 4.7
20 VERMONT 4.7
22 ARIZONA 4.8
23 ARKANSAS 5.0
24 COLORADO 5.1
25 MASSACHUSETTS 5.2
25 PENNSYLVANIA 5.2
27 MAINE 5.3
27 MINNESOTA 5.3
27 NEW JERSEY 5.3
27 NEW YORK 5.3
27 WEST VIRGINIA 5.3
32 CONNECTICUT 5.4
33 FLORIDA 5.5
33 OREGON 5.5
33 WASHINGTON 5.5
36 GEORGIA 5.7
36 MISSOURI 5.7
38 INDIANA 5.8
39 NORTH CAROLINA 6.0
40 SOUTH CAROLINA 6.2
41 KENTUCKY 6.3
42 DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 6.4
42 NEVADA 6.4
44 TENNESSEE 6.5
45 OHIO 6.6
46 ALASKA 6.8
46 ILLINOIS 6.8
48 CALIFORNIA 6.9
48 MISSISSIPPI 6.9
50 RHODE ISLAND 7.5
51 MICHIGAN 8.5
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
NOTE: Rates shown are a percentage of the labor force. Data refer to place of residence. Estimates for the current year are subject to revision early in the following calendar year.

[TeamCoachellaHellYeah]

just stay away from these cities

Funny enough...I have a aunt who lives in McAllen and is actually doing great there....I would never live there though...

[marooko]

also, looks like you wanna stay away from Michigan and California. hahaha.

[TeamCoachellaHellYeah]

those numbers are from June...Michigan is at 9% and California is above 7% now...