Jobs Clinic Sees Long-Term Unemployed Growing 'Desperate'
SAN PEDRO (CBS) — Searching for a job that matches your skill set. Crafting the perfect cover letter. Sending out your resume. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.
KNX 1070's Jon Baird reports a flat jobs market and the seemingly endless cycle of applying for open positions is leaving millions of unemployed workers feeling frustrated, helpless and sometimes even defeated.
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At The Harbor Workforce Center in San Pedro, unemployment navigator Irene Perez is all too acquainted with the pain of clients who are running out of options.
"We are seeing the people come in very desperate," said Perez.
In Los Angeles County — which has a labor force of about 4.85 million — the number of unemployed people jumped to 599,000 people in July.
Site manager Linda Phu agrees the center is seeing a lot more people who have been unemployed at least one year or more — some of whom held those jobs for a long time and are unprepared to deal with the interview process.
"If you're out working for more than 20 years and had not went to an interview, it's kind of tough," said Phu.
Perez recalls one couple who had to walk away from their home after losing both of their jobs.
"They literally sat here and cried to me," she said.
