You didn't think anyone would think "I am without a job" meant "I have no job?"

Interesting.

Forest for the trees, dude. Forest for the trees.

Then again, I forgot who I was talking to, especially in light of your post essentially serving as the point of contention for this entire debate. So yeah, I guess you would find it interesting. Touche.

In other words, you are unemployed.

Consulting, lots of projects, etc. usually are code words for "I-ain't-got-no-job."

When you gain an informed understanding of the topic at hand and start to make sense, then I will stop picking on you. :D

why not?

I'm sure it drives you nuts that someone who received a BA from a lower ranked school could find more success in life than a graduate of a top tier university, but it happens all the time. How's that humanities degree working out for ya? Not fair, right?

Make fun or try to discredit me and the university I went to all you want, but it's not going to change the ultimate fact that I am in my 20's already making DAMN GOOD money and STILL EMPLOYED!!!!!!!

From a W-2 employee standpoint, you are right; I am self-employed. And for the record, I voluntarily quit a W-2 job back in 2008 because I decided that I can do much better working on my own without having to endure silly office politics, or hot-air windbag bosses. Actually, it was the market who wanted MY services, and not necessarily the services of the firm I was with (and btw, my non-compete agreement has long since expired should you decide to take it there). Had it not been for them, I probably would still be at that firm today, employed but miserable.

For the record, I do have an informed understanding of the topic, I simply do not ACCEPT it as a valid excuse or explanation, nor will I cowtow to the likes of you in the process.

ETA: If you have to "pick on me" simply because you disagree with me or what I believe in, what does that say about you or your ability to effectively debate an issue? Essentially what you just said is that you're going to continue to insult me and make pointless jabs at me because I don't agree with you. Why should your side of the issue mean anything or hold any weight if that's the case?

LatinaAlumna, I think you're seriously tipping your hand here....

I don't need to apply. During my rotations, my income comes through my vending machines, plus during the summer, I work at the regular vet clinic, where I've always worked.

I just think people are making up so many excuses as of "why I can't" instead of doing whatever it takes to make something happen. When my dad passed away in 2006, he and my mom had been putting money aside for me to go to vet school, so when I graduate I wouldn't have any loans to pay back. I also knew that once I started my rotations, I wasn't going to be able to work part time, so during the summer months I started saving for a vending machine, and the money I made from that one, I bought another one, and so on. I have 5 of them now. They pay all of my bills and add more income to what I already have during the summer months. I just think there's always a way to make things happen.

Been watching the thread for awhile now. The bolded text is where I'm at. I understand the excuses I'm hearing, but I don't consider them valid. When libra (for example) said she's only had two interviews in the course of three months, yet doesn't feel she's responsible at all for her financial situation, I understood that she felt as if she had no responsibility for her situation, but I disagreed.

I can see that this is a very personal and emotionally charged topic. And it's not that I don't understand that these folks are experiencing real emotional pain -- I get that. But at some point, we all have to take responsibility for our actions and inactions.

What's funny is that they actually think what you or I do is even relevant to the conversation. Here we are trying to make the very valid point that if one is out of work for more than a year, (or a lengthy period of time along those lines) that they might bear some responsibility for that -- not an earth shattering proposition.

-- and if you're really smart, be like PIKA and live in a place where the jobs are, like Texas, Oklahoma, D.C., the Dakotas, etc.

ummm...no. The jobs aren't here either, so you can cut that shit off right now.

Don't you love how PikA and Kapital feel the need to post their resumes on a message board? They must feel VERY pressed to prove their worth. I can just imagine how insecure they are in real life!

THIS

Texas' rate is much less than Michigan's and the rest of the U.S. (8.2%) Sure, Oklahoma, the Dakotas, Wyoming, etc. have lower rates, but not by a lot until you start to get into the top 3.

Also, I'm guessing, but I would think in urban Texas, the rate would be a lot better since a great deal of Texas consists of podunk small towns with minimal employment opportunity. Same with OKC, Kansas, Nebraska and Iowa.

How many pages of this thread have been dedicated to interrogating me as to my qualifications, whether I'm hiring anyone, etc.?

Perhaps they felt a preemptive strike was merited?

People asked you for your qualifications. No one cared to ask those two. They just put their info out there because they are trying desperately to prove that they are "successful."