The Unemployed: John Armstrong

Posted at 1:01 PM on August 10, 2009 by Bob Collins (7 Comments)
Filed under: Economy, The Unemployed series

14.5 million people in America are officially unemployed. Thousands -- perhaps millions -- more have given up and are not counted. They're not numbers; they're individuals with a story to tell.

John Armstrong, 39, of St. Paul knew there was "an air of streamlining" in the company for whom he managed a restaurant for eight years. But when he was let go in February, it still came as a shock. It was a lower-end restaurant and he thought he could survive the economic downturn that's claimed the more upscale eateries.

He describes himself as "sickeningly optimistic," but even the most optimistic job-seekers in America can occasionally suffer the debilitating reality that the first question we're asked when we meet people is "what do you do?"

Armstrong looks for work. "I identify myself by the job I want," he told me over coffee this morning. "There's still a little bit of shame over being unemployed, but lots of people have been through it." At times over the last five months, he acknowledged, he's felt that maybe he hasn't been able to get a job because "I'm not good enough to be employed."

That's when he looks at the numbers again. Everyone knows someone who's unemployed. They're losing their jobs and it's not their fault.

Armstrong made about $44,000 a year -- about $850 a week -- at the restaurant in Woodbury. On unemployment, he gets about $470. In one interview, he said he indicated a desire for a salary of at least $35,000, but the manager told him others were willing to do the same job for $30,000. His benefits were due to run out next week, but the stimulus package extended them at least into next year.

John's wife knows what he's going through. She has been laid off twice, but now has a job with the state that allows their health care coverage to continue. His son, 17, had just been accepted to Hamline University when dad lost his job. "We all as a family decided we'll make it work, that this is the right place to make it work." Scholarships and loans have helped.

Armstrong estimates he's had over a dozen interviews without success so far. Sometimes he's called back for a second interview. He says he tries not to get "too up" over a prospective job. It's not easy. "I sat down with a woman and interviewed with her for two-and-a-half hours. I realized I'd love to work for her. I've wanted to work for her company. She even sent me out the door with food."

The next day she called to say her boss had hired someone else without telling her.

At least she called, he said. More often, people don't call to say he didn't get the job, and he doesn't call them anymore to find out why not. "They're pretty paranoid about what they say," he said, a nod to the litigious society, perhaps.

The Internet makes unemployment easy, he notes. "I can sit at my desk and search for jobs." Craigslist has been the most productive, he said. Once a week he also goes online and tells the state he didn't work last week, and he did look for work. The dehumanization of the unemployment line is a thing of the past, at least in Minnesota.

He keeps in touch with another manager who lost his job at the same restaurant recently, passing along jobs that might not be a good fit for himself. "Isn't he a competitor for the jobs you want?" I asked. Armstrong says if his colleague gets a job, it might open the door for him to get one, too.

There are bright spots to unemployment. "We're managing to have a lot more fun. When I was working as a restaurant manager, I had to work weekends and holidays. Now we're finding more things to do to have fun that don't cost much," he said.

You'll note in the picture above, Armstrong has a shirt and tie. "I hope you didn't dress up for me?" I said.

He didn't. He has a job interview this afternoon.

(Unemployed? Let me tell your story. Contact me.)

Check out the map below to read what people in MPR's Public Insight Network are telling us about the job climate around them.

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Comments (7)

Nice job, Bob. Score another for the "pesky media!"

Posted by Bob Moffitt | August 10, 2009 1:51 PM

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//Armstrong looks for work. "I identify myself by the job I want," he told me over coffee this morning. "There's still a little bit of shame over being unemployed, but lots of people have been through it." At times over the last five months, he acknowledged, he's felt that maybe he hasn't been able to get a job because "I'm not good enough to be employed."

what a sad society that we live in when we feel ashamed or less adequate or broken because we do not have a "job" or that we have been laid off or fired.

what an even more sad society that we live in when we identify our self worth with our means of paying our bills.

do you have friends becasue of what you have what you do or do you have friends becasue of who you really are? your trueself?

i know this is deep stuff for the 'cut

Posted by penny | August 10, 2009 4:36 PM

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Penny,

I agree it is sad identifying our self worth by how we pay our bills. Fortunately, it is not my constant state--it is just a feeling that crops up once in a while and that feeling comes less and less frequently. I actually did a blog post on the subject early in my unemployment as a kind of therapy. But rejection can still be hard.

To answer your question about friends, it would be both. I had some friends/co-workers that I really don't see much anymore. The thing we had most in common was the workplace. There are a few I still keep in touch with. I also have other friends from outside of work and in my new free time I've managed to make several new ones.

As I said to my aunt earlier this afternoon, "Keeping my head up and my thoughts hopeful."

Posted by John | August 10, 2009 5:39 PM

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Reading this and the next post it suddenly occurred to me that we do hiring all wrong. Instead of talking to Armstrong's boss, prospective employers should ask for the names of three of his subordinates they could contact.

I think this would give employers a much better idea of the value of a prospective supervisor/manager, especially regarding customer service.

Posted by Mark Gisleson | August 10, 2009 8:59 PM

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John,
Best of luck in your job search. I will also keep my eyes open for you! The recession will end and jobs will develop. You have a great attitude!

Posted by Lily | August 10, 2009 9:37 PM

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//what a sad society that we live in when we feel ashamed or less adequate or broken because we do not have a "job" or that we have been laid off or fired.

I have watched several friends go through this and even though I tell them that this has nothing to do with who they are, they still seem to struggle with it.

I don't think that this is implying anything specifically about 'John' but more over how society has brainwashed people into believing they are only worth the amount they bring home and the golden trophies that they own. Thats a kool aide that I refuse to drink.

Totally a Jones' society.

Posted by Jim Jones | August 11, 2009 11:18 AM

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John,

I have been out of work for 6 months (used to be a Corporate Recruiter). They planned my layoff while I was on my honeymoon burning all my vacation time - nice!

Your observation about the current salary ranges available is consistent with my own experience. Who are these people taking positions for "peanuts" (far below last year's market averages)?? Make them stop!

I also sympathize with your frustration with social introductions. I get an ill feeling in the pit of my stomach whenever asked what I do or where I work. I know my response will be followed by a sad look, then, "Awwww. Well, did you try x company?" (Trust me, I've looked).

I certainly have my share of bad days. But, as my girlfriends (also unemployed) say, We are not alone. We were not termed for our performance. We cannot take this personally. Keep plugging away.

Good Luck!!

Posted by Jenny | August 13, 2009 3:25 PM

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