Bob, Connie, Rosie, Pro-Matchers and Fellow Post Pro-Matchers,

This is written by a "Most Diverse Project Coordinator, with experience supporting research at Sun Labs and Stanford, also looking for work in events."

This is also written by someone who, apart from a short, crummy temp job, has been unemployed for 37 months.

For the first time in my life (I'm 51) I was experiencing unemployment. My confidence was shattered and I really didn't know what to do next.

I was out of work for 8 years by choice to raise my family. Even though I was not a salaried employee, I was a part of a family business my husband and I built for 8 years and that gave me experience I could not get anywhere else.

I was out of work for 14 months. It was much longer than I ever imagined I would be out of work, but during that time, I met lots of wonderful, talented people as I attended a number of job search groups and free seminars.

Bob, Connie, Rosie, Pro-Matchers and Fellow Post Pro-Matchers,

This is written by a "Most Diverse Project Coordinator, with experience supporting research at Sun Labs and Stanford, also looking for work in events."

This is also written by someone who, apart from a short, crummy temp job, has been unemployed for 37 months.

For the first time in my life (I'm 51) I was experiencing unemployment. My confidence was shattered and I really didn't know what to do next.

I was out of work for 8 years by choice to raise my family. Even though I was not a salaried employee, I was a part of a family business my husband and I built for 8 years and that gave me experience I could not get anywhere else.

I was out of work for 14 months. It was much longer than I ever imagined I would be out of work, but during that time, I met lots of wonderful, talented people as I attended a number of job search groups and free seminars.