Suckered By Statistics: Why Unemployment Numbers Don’t Add Up

Well, the latest national unemployment numbers are at 10.2%. That’s pretty bad.  According to economists we could see this number approach 11% sometime in 2010.  That’s worse.  Worse yet, in individual states the rates are higher. And these numbers don’t even include all the people who have given up looking.  This week I also heard that one of the biggest employers in the Twin Cities was receiving over 700 resumes per day for open positions.  With so many people out of work and so much competition for existing jobs, what’s the point of even trying?

Don’t get Suckered by Statistics.  If you take these numbers at face value, your prospects look bleak.  But they don’t tell the whole story. Here’s a few things to chew on.

• Not everyone is your competition. Sure, 1 out 10 are out of work, but not everyone does what you do or has your expertise.  If you are in accounting, you are not competing with someone in sales.

• Not every industry is affected the same. You may be in an industry that is less affected,  so you will have less competition.

• Not everyone who applies is qualified. It’s so easy to apply online for jobs. I could apply for a job as a nuclear physicist, but I’m not qualified. Don’t get freaked out by the number of applicants. If you are qualified for the job, you are a better candidate.

• Not everyone is proactive. Not everyone is conducting an effective job search.  Many are just surfing the web for work.  But the people that are networking, researching companies, and not giving up are finding jobs in this economy.

• Not everyone is being creative. Many people believe their skills are limited to where they have been.  Other people are doing some self-assessment and self-reflection and applying their skills to new roles and industries.  That’s what we mean by “transferable skills”.

Don’t misunderstand. I know this is a tough economy.  But I find that focusing on these kinds of numbers only discourage and promote despair.  Forget the statistics. Instead focus your time and attention on those things that will help you get a job.  Your job search may take longer than you want, but keep working hard. You’ll get there.

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