FALL is Here and so is the Unemployment Line!

I had the pleasure of visiting my unemployment office today. This has to be one of the most humbling experiences of my life.   In Indiana you have to file online for your claim before you can move to the next step.  I had originally filed September 9,  a couple weeks after my severance pay ran out.  While I am a pretty bright person, navigating through the system is very confusing to say the least.  I wonder how folks who do not have internet and  computers at home get through this process. 

First things first - THE PROCESS

I went on Google and found the website and read all the instructions on how to apply.  The first thing they tell you is that by Indiana law you don't get paid for your first week of unemployment and then it is a 3 week period before you get your first check.  Oh, and by the way, you won't be getting a check you will get a debit card, that if you don't follow all the instructions just right your money will be eaten up by fees.  Apparently this is such a problem that they have a class on how to manage your debit card to avoid the fees.  Seriously?  Just give me a check.  The card is supposed to save the state money - me I think it is to collect fees off of the poor folks who have no job.  Did I also mention that they ask if you want to have the taxes withheld or pay them later?  Taxes on unemployment? At this point why bother?  By the time I actually get any money there won't be any left after taxes (more unemployment tax on my unemployment check, isn't that an oxymoron?) and fees.  

After you file your initial claim you are told that you have to register on Indiana Career Connect site and do job searches weekly.  I went to the site, registered and started the process of uploading my resume etc.  At one point you are asked to go through a skills assessment to rate your skills in varying different categories.  The one that I thought was the most interesting was when they asked me what my knife skills were, did I know how to use a knife? Well, I had to ponder that one for a moment; if they were referring to cutting vegetables then yes!!  Eureka, I have knife skills; but are they referring to skinning a deer with a knife, if so then I hate to admit but I don't have those knife skills.  Daringly,  I checked yes, I have knife skills in case that one my job offers would require me to have knife skills.  

NO I DON'T HAVE THIS SKILL

YES I HAVE THIS SKILL

At this point I have checked off all of my skills and I am ready to run my first job search on the site; which is required even though I have 25 job searches on other sites, and I am working with several recruiters,  but whatever.  I have put in all my criteria, my experience level,education,  location (anywhere basically), and I hit "RUN".  

I wait, wait, wait for it, and nothing.  Not one job fits my criteria.  Not one. So I went back in and took out some of my requirements (like education), and still nothing. They actually don't even have supply chain as a  job category I discovered.  Very helpful.  

I gave up and went through all the assessments and waited to hear from WorkForce Development, that is the fancy name for the unemployment office.  I got a card in the mail that said welcome to the system.  Every Sunday I have to go into the system and file my weekly claim along with documenting my job search.  When you go to the site to file your claim you also get messages on things you need to do. 

Yesterday my message was to go to the local office.   They didn't say to do anything at the office, just go.  So off I went this morning to the local office, which is 20 miles away mind you.  At the office was a very nice man named Randy.  He walked me through the process of what I had to do today;  I had to sign in and he will note in the system that I signed in.  He then proceeded to tell me that I had to take a 3 hour class tomorrow on how to navigate the system.  Hmmm, wouldn't you think this class might have been more appropriate before I started all this stuff? But, heck, who am I to tell anyone how to do something more efficiently?  I only have 20 years experience of doing just that!  But, I didn't say anything, I just smiled and said what time?  So tomorrow morning from 9-12 I will be taking a class on how to navigate the unemployment process.  

So you may ask, why am I going through this painful process?  You might say, "it is your right, you paid into the system long enough".  Well I think I might actually learn something  along the way, and maybe, just maybe I can help someone navigate this system that really needs the money to survive and provide for their family a lot more than I do.