Seeking an Edge, Job Seekers Try Plastic Surgery

Recession has been especially hard on traditionally male jobs

(NEWSER) - Male unemployment has hit an all-time high, with a whopping 1 of every 5 working-age American men jobless, according to the latest government figures. The economic downturn has been especially brutal on traditionally male-dominated fields like construction and manufacturing, the Huffington Post explains, leading some to label it a “mancession.” The figure includes many people standard unemployment figures don’t track, including those who’ve chosen not to look and those who have given up on job hunting. More»

Two thirds of Americans who have lost jobs experience depression

(AP) - The recession has left many jobless workers struggling to cope with the psychological stress, a new study finds. Researchers at Rutgers University said the financial strain that comes with being out of work, combined with the daunting task of seeking new employment in a difficult job market, has left many Americans "traumatized." "Psychologically, it's a world of hurt out there for the jobless," the lead researcher told the AP. More»

(NEWSER) - For many unemployed Americans, a new trend is keeping the prospect of a new job out of reach: detailed credit checks of prospective employees. Once used mostly for government positions, cheap credit checks are now routine at private employers seeking to cull huge applicant pools. Businesses say they're just being responsible, but job counselors are nervous that the unemployed are being caught in a Catch-22. More»

(NEWSER) - As many as 1.5 million Americans will lose unemployment benefits by the end of the year, reports the New York Times. Some 9 million Americans currently receive an average of $300 a week in unemployment, and many in the current recession have failed to find work for a year or more. Several groups are calling on Congress to extend benefits again this fall. More»

Economy shedding jobs at fastest rate in 50 years

(NEWSER) - The February job numbers released today bring the country close to the employment nadir it reached in 1982, David Leonhardt writes for the New York Times. The 651,000 lost jobs, along with 161,000 added in revisions to previous months, still bring a depressing milestone: Since the start of 2008, the US has shed jobs at a faster rate than at any other time in the past 50 years. More»