Being unemployed really sucks!!!!!

In my earlier years, I would sometimes joke about being unemployed for a little while just so that I could stay at home with my children. It shocked me when it actually happened in 2001 during my first marriage. I found myself being laid off by a major bank in Chicago. I cannot describe the feelings that I had at that time; being scared, anger and depression. Actually, it took me a couple of days to finally come to terms that I was unemployed. I had been used to working; I had been working in the banking industry for over 15 years. I had to come home and tell my family that I no longer had a job to help support our family. My husband at that time was bedridden with rheumatoid arthritis and various other illnesses.

I was able to get severance pay for the time I was at the bank. Also, I was able to get unemployment benefits that lasted for about 11 months. I could not understand how can a person work at a company for so long only to be paid half of what they earned in terms of their unemployment benefits. It doesn't seem fair. But we somehow managed to support ourselves with this reduced income. I cannot express the frustration I felt as the bills begin to pile up. It seemed as if those months of being without work just dragged on forever. I had applied for so many jobs at different banking institutions; I also forwarded my resume via e-mail to these companies. The response rate was so slow during that time. But I kept going out to different places looking for work. I tell you, it was hard and exhausting to say the least. During this time, I had also applied for food stamps and medical assistance to help to hold us over until I was able to find work. I felt somewhat ashamed because I had been used to helping my husband to support our family.

While waiting for possible interviews, I took classes at a major insurance company to be a sales agent. It went well and I learned so much in regards to the different types of insurance. I even went out into the field with another insurance agent to enroll a new client. It was interesting to go through the sales presentation and finally getting that client to sign up for our products. I went to the insurance board to take the test, and I passed. But for some reason, I found myself not sticking with the insurance, so I let it go. I guess I was so used to working in a banking environment.and I was not good at making any type of sales presentations.

Finally, I got a call from a bank located in the suburbs of Chicago. I went through the interviewing process and everything went well. I was also called for a second interview, and I thought maybe I might be on to something. A few days later, I got the call saying that I had been hired, I jumped up and down with joy and happiness!!!!!! Some days later, I had to go to the corporate office to take care of some initial paperwork. I also had to go through the drug screening process which was not a problem for me. I was calling my mom and sisters to let them know the good news, they were so happy for me that I had finally found another job.

I started my job on June 9, 2003 and I have not looked back since. It will be 9 years this coming June of being with the same employer and I am forever grateful. To be without work for an extended period of time was the hardest thing I ever had to go through. But I was determined not to give up in my search for a job. During that time, it was important for me to stay strong and focused not only for myself, but for my family as well. I felt like I was willing to take any job to help to take care of my family's needs, but I had to be careful as to which jobs I could take so that I could be there to help take care of my ailing husband. But I'm just so glad that everything worked out in my favor!!!!!