NYS Department of Labor says low unemployment is good - but I still can't find work?
I keep hearing on the news that unemployment rates are really low right now and that's supposed to be good for the economy, but I've been looking for work for 8 weeks and can barely get any interviews. Filed my claim with NYS Department of Labor in December and I'm doing all the job search requirements but nothing is working. If unemployment is so low why is it still so hard to find a decent job? Am I missing something here? My weekly claims keep getting approved but I feel like I'm stuck in this cycle.
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Mae Bennett
Low unemployment rates are generally good for the economy overall, but they don't guarantee individual job seekers will have an easy time. The statistics include part-time and temporary work, so while fewer people are claiming unemployment benefits, the quality of available jobs varies significantly. For your NYS Department of Labor job search requirements, focus on applying to positions that match your skill level rather than just meeting the minimum application numbers.
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Pedro Sawyer
•That makes sense about the part-time jobs being counted. I've been applying to everything just to meet the 3 job contacts per week requirement but maybe I should be more selective.
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Beatrice Marshall
same boat here!! been on unemployment since november and the job market feels terrible despite what they say on tv. most of the jobs i find pay way less than what i was making before
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Melina Haruko
•The disconnect between unemployment statistics and actual job hunting experience is real. Low unemployment often means employers can be pickier about candidates and wages might not keep up with cost of living increases. Keep documenting your job search activities for NYS Department of Labor - consistency in your weekly claims is important even when the market feels tough.
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Dallas Villalobos
I had this same frustration last year! What really helped me was using a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) to actually get through to a NYS Department of Labor representative. They helped me understand that my job search strategy needed adjustment - turns out I wasn't targeting the right types of positions for my background. There's a helpful video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Sometimes talking to an actual person at NYS Department of Labor can give you insights the website can't.
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Pedro Sawyer
•Interesting, I never thought about calling NYS Department of Labor for job search advice. I just assumed they only handled claim issues.
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Reina Salazar
•Wait, you can actually get through to someone at NYS Department of Labor? I've tried calling like 20 times and either get busy signals or disconnected.
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Saanvi Krishnaswami
THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS RIGGED! They say unemployment is low but these companies are posting fake job listings and ghost candidates after interviews. I've been unemployed for 6 months and NYS Department of Labor just keeps telling me to keep looking. Meanwhile my benefits are running out soon.
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Demi Lagos
•I feel your frustration but try to stay focused on what you can control. Document everything for your job search log and consider expanding your search radius or looking at adjacent industries.
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