STILLWATER, Okla. – You have been laid off. The balance in your savings account continues to dwindle. Your unemployment benefits have expired and jobs in your field continue to be scarce. However, the mortgage and the bills must be paid. You still need to put food on the table. What is a person to do?
Many people across the country are finding themselves applying for jobs they never thought they would do. These are “survival jobs,” said Eileen St. Pierre, Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension personal finance specialist.
“In this economic downturn, a growing number of unemployed workers are taking hourly work or part-time jobs in an effort to pay their bills,” St. Pierre said. “Many of these workers are now dealing with a paycheck that is, at best, 50 percent of their former income. But most of these people say it is better to be underemployed than unemployed.”
Some of the individuals who have lost their jobs are taking not one, but multiple part-time jobs in an effort to earn a livable wage for themselves and their families. Unfortunately, this means less time for family and looking for a permanent position in the person’s field.
Other out-of-work individuals are finding that despite the low pay, there can be stiff competition for jobs. Recently a junior high school in Ohio received nearly 700 applications for one janitorial position.
“One of the positive aspects of working a survival job is that you may learn new skills that can be applied later down the road,” St. Pierre said. “Although it can take some getting used to, a new line of work can end up being beneficial. You may not realize it now, but there may be a silver lining to all of this.”
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Contact:
Trisha Gedon, (405) 744-3625, trisha.gedon@okstate.edu
