Living the economic downslide

Rhonda Nelson has been watching closely to see evidence that the economy is actually picking up, as some financial analysts are suggesting. She was also watching closely when President Barack Obama gave his State of the Union address last week, promising to continue to try to help the economy rebound.

Nelson, 52, of Greenbelt, said she never would have thought that she would be among those who needs Obama's help the most. She had always thought she was doing everything right. She graduated from college--the University of Maryland College Park--with two degrees, then went back for a double masters. She spent more than 20 years working for non-profits--Covenant House, United Planning Organization, D.C. Children's Trust Fund for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect. She volunteered in the community. She was active in a very large church.

When the economy started to slump, she was worried, but not frantic. She had been on her job at the Marshall Heights Community People Development project for only a year after she was lured from another post with a promotion, but she thought she'd be okay. The community she had spent her career serving--the poor, undereducated and disenfranchised--would always need help. Even after she was laid off in a restructuring in April 2008, she did not despair.

"I knew I had excellent skills and experience," she said. "I thought I would be able to get another job."

Twenty-one months later, she is no longer confident of her chances of escaping the ranks of the unemployed anytime soon. Despite spending some time every day looking for a position or reaching out to an agency or company, she has managed to snag only three interviews in her field. Of those, only one seems hopeful and the vibe she got from the interviewer wasn't that positive.

"The woman said to me, 'You have great management instincts. I can tell are a lifelong learner. You've got multiple degrees and many years of experience in public and not-for-profit agencies,'" Nelson said, rolling her eyes. "Then she said, 'But you have no federal government experience. Why have you never applied?'"

Nelson said she resisted the urge to scream and pull out her hair and, hoping that her face did not reveal the anger she was feeling, explained to the interviewer that she had been committed to her field. She had never worked for the federal government, but she had plenty of experience in D.C. government, also a huge bureaucracy.

"Then she tells me that she fears that I would get frustrated because things move so slowly in the federal government and I'm probably used to things moving faster," Nelson said, shaking her head. "I just wanted to tell her, 'That's okay! I'll deal with it! I have to pay my bills!'"

Nelson said her efforts to find a job in lower-paying entry level or retail jobs have also not been successful. "I didn't really want to work at a store, but I want to work so I applied," she said. "They tell you that you are overqualified and won't hire you, either."

Nelson said she is more fortunate that some. Though her income has been cut significantly, she has been able to stay in her home. She made $85,000 in her last job. Now she receives  $359 per week--about $18,600 per year--in unemployment benefits, less than one-quarter of what she earned. Much of that is used to pay the mortgage on her 20-year-old condo, which costs $1,100 per month. To make ends meet, she has cut down on food costs--"I was eating peanut butter three times a day for while, until people started bringing me food!"--and other expenses.

She can meet her basic needs, but healthcare is a problem. She has managed to stay healthy enough not to need emergency or other medical treatment, but she has skipped her colonoscopy, mammogram and eye exam because she can't afford the expense. "You just pray that you continue to feel good," she said. A deep gash in her hand over the holidays frightened her. "It was bleeding everywhere. I ran around here wrapping it and hoping that it would be okay. I was so afraid because it felt funny, like it was dead. But it healed."

She said the job searching experience has also been a lesson for her. She said she has sent out dozens of resumes, but it can take four or five months to hear back. Most of the jobs are on-line and many of the locations want a fee to allow to see the offerings. "You send a resume and you know others are sending resumes, but the same johs stay posted."

She has written the White House urging Obama to provide some incentives for employers to hire older workers and to keep workers on instead of laying them off. And while she continues to look for a job, she tries to stay positive, even as the second anniversary of her lay off draws near.

"I know what I have to offer and what I have done for agencies before," she said. "I always left them better than they were when I came. I can do everything from startup to management. I am experienced, but I am still young enough that an employer can train me to do new things. I have always enjoyed helping people and working. Those are my two favorite things. I'm still helping people, even without a job.l I just want to get back to work."

By

Avis Thomas-Lester

 |  February 4, 2010; 1:39 PM ET Save & Share:                 
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