President Barack Obama and the Unemployed: Long Lines for Job Fair Reflects Prolonged Economic Spiral

President Barack Obama is in Washington applying various economic tools to try to jump-start the American marketplace …

Meanwhile,
thousands of job seekers wrapped around the gargantuan Turner Field in
Atlanta. Many waited as long at two hours under the oppressive and
unforgiving summer sun — the temperatures were in the mid-‘90s with no
clouds — in order to climb to the top of the cavernous stadium and into
the 755 Club at Turner Field in order to meet prospective employers.
Many had anxious expressions pasted on their faces — no doubt the
result of weeks and months of looking for steady employment as well as
trying to shield themselves from the tortuous heat.

Most offering
jobs and careers inside Turner Field were government employers,
including the U.S. Department of Justice (Federal Bureau of Prisons),
the U.S. Department of the Treasury (the Secret Service), the U.S.
Department of Labor and the Georgia Department of Labor. Also present
were branches of the U.S. Department of Defense: The Navy and the
Marine Corp. Also seeking workers were Dominos Pizza, Heineken, Aflac
and Liberty National. –terry shropshire

How long have you been unemployed?
I’ve been unemployed for a month and a half now.

What type of experience do you have?
I have experience in towing, driving, sales. I have experience [in
doing] upholstery, moving furniture, redecorating.

How do you go about looking for a job?
You know what? If it wasn’t for the job fair, I would be catching the
bus, looking everywhere right now. Thank God for the job fair. It
really saved me a lot of time looking for a job and being in the hot
sun.

How do you keep yourself groomed and prepared for a job interview?
You do what you have to do to keep your appearance up. You might have
certain people who might help you, look out for you or whatever.

What
do you think about first lady Michelle Obama? Do you think she has any
responsibility to black women as it relates to healthcare and
unemployment?
I really don’t know … Michelle Obama … I just say she’s the woman behind the man.

How do you define success?
I define success by getting up every morning and doing whatever you
have to do to be successful at the end of the day, whether you didn’t
find a job or whether you did find a job … at least you’re getting out
and doing something with your life, that’s success to me to.

Do you Twitter?
No.

Are you on Facebook?

No. I’m on the Internet.

Did you attend college?
I’ve actually attended three universities. I’m … in the process of
obtaining my bachelor’s in computer science/IT. I go to Kennesaw State
University.

Did you think you would have a hard time finding a job?
In the sense of IT-wise, I wouldn’t say that I didn’t think I would
have a job, but I know that with a degree in IT and certifications, I
will secure a lot of opportunities in my future.

Why do you think you haven’t found a job yet?
Actually, I quit my job because of an incident because of a male manager there. I volunteered to quit that job.

Do you think President Obama is doing enough for the unemployed and with creating jobs?
He has a good idea of what he’s doing. He [has] the right idea about creating jobs. So I commend him.

Do you Twitter?
I don’t twitter.

Are you on Facebook?

I don’t [do] Facebook.

President Barack Obama is in Washington applying various economic tools to try to jump start the American marketplace …

Meanwhile,
thousands of job seekers formed a long river of anxious unemployed
workers which wrapped all around the gargantuan Turner Field in
Atlanta. Many waited as long at two hours under the oppressive and
unforgiving summer sun – the temperatures were in the mid-90s with no
clouds – in order to climb to the top of the cavernous stadium and into
755 Club at Turner Field in order to see prospective employers. Many
had anxious expressions pasted on their faces – no doubt the result of
weeks and months of looking for steady employment as well as trying to
shield themselves from the tortuous heat.

Most offering
jobs and careers inside Turner Field were government employers,
including the U.S. Department of Justice [Federal Bureau of Prisons],
the U.S. Department of the Treasury [the Secret Service], the U.S.
Department of Labor, and the Georgia Department of Labor. Also present
were branches inside the U.S. Department of Defense: The Navy and the
Marine Corp. Also seeking workers were Dominos Pizza, Heineken, Aflac,
and Liberty National. – terry shropshire

How long have you been unemployed?
I’ve been unemployed for a month and a half now.

What type of experience do you have?
I have experience in towing, driving, sales. I have experience [in
doing] upholstery, moving furniture, redecorating.

How do you go about looking for a job?
You know what? If it wasn’t for the job fair, I would be catching the
bus, looking everywhere right now. Thank God for the job fair. It
really saved me a lot of time looking for a job and being in the hot
sun.

How do you keep yourself groomed and prepared for a job interview?
You do what you have to do to keep your appearance up. You might have
certain people who might help you, look out for you or whatever.

What
do you think about first lady Michelle Obama? Do you think she has any
responsibility to black women as it relates to healthcare and
unemployment?
I really don’t know … Michelle Obama … I just say she’s the woman behind the man.

How do you define success?
I define success by getting up every morning and doing whatever you
have to do to be successful at the end of the day, whether you didn’t
find a job or whether you did find a job … at least you’re getting out
and doing something with your life, that’s success to me to.

Do you Twitter?
No.

Are you on Facebook?

No. I’m on the Internet.

Did you attend college?
No.

Do you think that formal education would help you now?
Yes.

What type of experience do you have?
Sales, security, homebuilding, maintenance.

How do you go about looking for a job?
I go online and go to job sites. I go to different jobs.

Are you a member of any social networking site? 
No.

What is the worst scenario that you have faced since you’ve been unemployed?
Trying to pay the bills, most of them, and having trouble trying to support my daughter, Aliyah, 6.

Have you lost anything?
Lost my car. It got [repossessed].

How has this affected your relationships with family and friends?
Friends kind of distance themselves a little bit. It stings a little. Hasn’t affected my relationship with my family.

How do you entertain yourself differently now?

I rap also. I do performances to get money to pay my bills. [My rap
name is] KP Madhouse. I’ve been rapping since I was 12. I go to
different states and stuff to do performances.

How long have you been unemployed?
Two months.

What type of experience do you have?
Worked for an insurance company. Customer service, marketing, sales.

How do you go about looking for a job?
Online and walking into businesses.

What is your highest level of education?
I graduated from high school.

Do you Twitter/Tweet?
No.

Are you on Facebook?
No.

Has this affected your relationships with family and friends?

No. I moved here from Detroit two months ago. I’m living with a friend.