Unemployed: Hard Times: Lost in Long Island and what we can learn

Unemployed, watch and learn from this

Unemployed

I just watched the HBO documentary Hard Times Lost on Long Island. This was a 1-hour documentary profiling a few unemployed individuals living on Long Island. I highly recommend everyone watch it. It should be required to watch for anyone working in HR.  I watch movies to escape, and I prefer them because they allow me to avoid thinking about the real world. I felt this topic was too close to home to skip, and I am glad I watched it. It was well done, and yes, it was a tear-jerker.

I saw it happen to those who thought that it wouldn’t happen to them

Too many people take unemployment for granted. “It won’t happen to me” or “Not in my neighborhood” are common misconceptions.  This documentary will put a perspective on the topic of unemployment. More importantly, this should prompt employees to think about managing their careers. Hopefully, it will reinforce the importance of investing in our careers. We should not count on a person, manager, education, or company for their long-term financial well-being.

I saw it firsthand

I started this blog after learning that a few friends had lost their jobs and homes. As someone working in HR, I felt I could have done something about it. They didn’t lose their homes through any fault of their own. When I examine their situation, I believe they lost their homes for several reasons. 

1. The economy
2. A system that doesn’t prepare candidates or employees for the reality of working in a professional environment.
3. Most people don’t know what they don’t know when it comes to winning the game of Corporate America. 

I didn’t want a loss to happen to friends

• Schools do not teach the skill of interviewing for a job. (I only consider a 2-hour session on “how to interview” dangerous and providing false confidence.)
• The perpetuated myth that companies will take care of their employees.
• Most companies lack the resources for manager training, resulting in a workforce that is uninformed about individual career management.

I have worked in HR for years. Admittedly, I have not seen everything behind the curtain of unemployment. I have seen my share of the unemployed and its emotional consequences. Per the movie, I will not say, “I know how it feels to be unemployed long-term.”

Scared straight

No one can truly understand what it’s like to become unemployed unless they have experienced it themselves. I don’t want to imagine long-term unemployment and then losing your home, in addition to struggling to provide for your family’s basic needs. This HBO documentary gets us as close as we can be to the safety of our own jobs. It should be called Scared Straight in Corporate America.

I watched this documentary through a different lens than most. I hope this film will be a wake-up call for two groups.

1. Employees who believe they are invincible.
2. Those who believe their company will take care of them. 

Neither is the case

The program profiles several unemployed people

1. A professional “yuppie” couple
2. A 65-year-old mortgage broker who has to return to work
3. A finance professional who was making $100K a year

In every case, all these unemployed workers had once lived their dream. They also interviewed young people who had recently graduated from college and had lost faith in education.  Everyone featured “looked” like they would have no problem finding a job. They looked like they “should be employed.”  Yes, they looked like you and me.

Messages I think everyone should hear from this documentary:

• Don’t think about being employed with any company for 20 years; think about being employed for 2-4 years.
• One person stated, “When I am employed again, I will thank God every day for that job and appreciate it.”
• There are plenty of unemployed people who genuinely do want to work

Recommendations in any economy

• Take control of your career. Do what it takes to build your resume. Don’t wait for your manager to tell you what to do or give you the opportunity.
• Embrace social media. It is not just for when you want to look for a job in the future; it will also help further your career with your current employer. Get out there and pound some flesh.
• Expand your skill set. Learn new skills at work via classes or books. To avoid a narrow skill set, always be learning new skills. A narrow, focused skill set becomes non-transferable to other departments or companies.
• It was once standard advice to save two months’ salary in case of an emergency. Figure out how long it would take to find a new job in your particular discipline and industry, and start preparing. Depending on industry and tenure, 6-12 months is not uncommon. 
• Start getting healthy. Start eating right and exercising. Fit people tend to feel better about themselves, and it shows in their work and during interviews. You don’t have to be a muscle-bound Mr. America, but looking and feeling healthy goes a long way and helps provide that certain je ne sais quoi.
• Acquire a “networking/interview” outfit. Ensure you have a current wardrobe that allows you to put your best foot forward throughout the interview process. If you are unemployed and unable to afford a few outfits, you will be interviewing with an image you are not proud of. It will show. You don’t have to spend $1,000s or even $100s.  Ensure your look is current, your suit still fits perfectly, and your shoes are polished.

Everyone can help

If you are an HR professional, an experienced individual in your industry, and have a strong network, you can help. You don’t have to help everyone, but helping one person at a time will go a long way. Offering your network, advice, and support goes a long way. There is no greater reward than an unemployed candidate who says they landed a job and you were part of the process.

Watch this documentary, learn, and lend a hand.

HRNasty

nasty: an unreal maneuver of incredible technique, something that is ridiculously good, tricky, and manipulative but with a result that can’t help but be admired, a phrase used to describe someone who is good at something. “He has a nasty forkball”.

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