It's an employers market out there right now. They have millions of people to choose from to fill their employment needs. So what does that mean for the prospective employee? Lower wages as their are others who will do the required work for a lower wage.

During times when jobs are plentiful, it is the most educated, trained and experienced workers who get the jobs. Today that may not be the case. As the job market has taken such a terrible hit due to the economy, people are finding it getting harder and harder to make the wages they were accustomed to.

Most of the employment opportunties are in the service fields. These jobs include sales clerks, line cooks at fast food establishments and general employment servicing the public. Many of the higher paying jobs have disappeared so there are more people taking these lower paying jobs to get by. They are working part time for minimum wage, something more than likely these same people swore they would never do.

Many of these same people feel they were above the average person willing to work for a minimum wage. Some could not see themselves standing behind a counter and waiting on others. Often times making their thoughts be known to those same people waiting on them that they just couldn't see how anyone could stand such a menial job. Today, these are they same people working behind the same counter that just last year they visited as customers.

 As of July 1, 2009, Illinois raised it's minimum wage to $8 per hour, up from $7.75 per hour. The minimum wage is scheduled to raise again next July 1st. While this is good for the workers who were making the standard minimum wage before the raise, there is a loophole for those who were making more than the minimum at the time of the raise. Those already making $8 an hour lost their earned wage increase that happened before the state raise. To sum it up, these people will never make over minimum wage for the next couple of years no matter how hard they work.

Those coming in off the street to work will be making as much as those employees who have been there longer and will actually be making more for a while than the person who has already gotten the automatic raise due to being employed for 90 days.  It will be a vicious circle for awhile until the minimum wage hits its growth potential. But will the workers stay long enough to garner the raises due to them for excelling at their jobs.

 Countless times we hear people tell us, "You can't live on minimum wage." This statement for the most part is true. If a person lives on such a low wage there are many things they have to do without. Cable television (even though the anolog stations may not be available to all), computers and many times health insurance. Most premiums are equaled to a half month's income before taxes. There is no help for those with these wages since the guidelines for help would put the person as making to much to recieve assistance with their medical needs.

So what is the average person doing to make ends meet? Searching the Internet for employment and work at home opportunities. Writing articles on line for websites and publications. Blogging, taking surveys and taking advantage of click for pay sites. The pay may not be huge but every little but helps when it comes time to buy groceries or put gas in the tank. Many women are selling beauty products and candles or other home goods to make money during this trying time.

We do what we have to in order to survive. Bartering and resale shops, garage sales and flea markets are full of people trying to make a dime from the stuff they have laying around. The auction sites are doing a brisk business also.

 Employers have the advantage that they can reduce their payroll expenses during this time since they have let so many people go. With so many people looking for employment, if the first candidate won't negociate the pay they demand, then the next fellow might just to be able to feed their family.

More people will see themselves working for lower wages and possibly have to find second job plus odd jobs to do on the side. But those who can get past the feeling they are lowering themselves may just survive if they look it working for a couple of minimum wage jobs. It will not be the most lucrative time in their lives but it is doable. All the while the can prepare themselves to start over in the workforce when the economy picks up.