A Sign Of The Times For Job Hunters

CBS Evening News: Unemployed Marketing Professional Sells Himself On The Streets Of San Francisco

(CBS)  The nation's unemployment rate for March comes out this week and as CBS News correspondent John Blackstone reports, most economists expect it to keep rising.

The rate in California is already at 10.5 percent, the highest in 26 years. And in that abysmal job market, Blackstone found one job-hunter whose medium is his message.

Along a busy street in Southern California Mat Richter is holding a sign of the times. With sharply rising unemployment he's taking job hunting to the extreme.

"I'm not desperate, I'm determined," Richter says. "I've got a lot to offer and I'm looking for the right job."

Some of the points on his resume: a former marine, a Sunday school teacher, a father of seven.

His expertise is marketing and advertising.

"If it's been printed, I've designed it and produced it," Richter says.

What he's marketing now is himself.

Economists say the challenge for people like Richter is that even if the economy improves, jobs could still be hard to find. That's because job recovery tends to lag behind the overall economic recovery, Blackstone reports.

"With respect to unemployment, that typically continues to grow after the downturn for a while until firms feel confident about hiring employees," says UCLA Anderson School of Management professor Jerry Nicklesburg.

Richter figures at least he's got an edge.

"The poor people who stand there at a job fair are looking at hundreds of people a day," he says. "Now I've got hundreds of people a day looking at me, complete reversal."

And a few do respond.

"If you want to put an application, send me an email once you've done that and we'll be in touch," said Assad Choudry, who stopped to talk with Richter.

Others note Richter's number and give him a call of encouragement.

"Wish you the best of luck," said one caller.

"That is awesome, you're an ad guy and you made the ultimate marketing scheme for yourself," said another.

"I thought I'd let you know that you and your family are in my prayers," another caller said. "God bless you."

"Some days it's hard to get up and go out there," Richter said. "But when you get that kind of feedback for your efforts it makes you want to go out and do it."

He's certain an opportunity is just around the corner, Blackstone reports, and is driving his way.

[bumpedoff1]

4 million jobs for 800 billion what happened

[mnguyen4]

The economic situation in California is just horrible, and it has been this way since the dot.com bust of 2001. There were no secure jobs anywhere in California. Most Californians had jobs which lasted from a few weeks to no more than 2 years at most. In other words, people told me that you should be looking for work as soon as you obtain a job. Keeping track of the unemployment rate is going to be a challenge for the people of BLS.

Yesterday, a former teacher (now unemployed) told me he lost his 2 jobs in less than 6 months; he is now approaching retirement age with no savings. This is a typical situation facing most Californians. Going back to the article, that guy Mat is not looking for a job since there is none; however, he sends a distress call to Washington about the Depression which has taken hold of the 8th largest economy in the World for nearly a decade.

[mjvwsr]

at least this guys making an effort

[whitemale08]

Whatever happened to 'monster.com' or the other online job seeking services.

Oops!

I guess that 'information age' of internet technologies touted by the Wall Street/City of London was a farce.

We've been so duped by Wall Street...it's really a shame.

[perk235]

Hyptnotized_Liberals: Here is the data of states that have high unemployment and they are both red and blue.

Michigan 12%
South Carolina 11%
Oregon 10.8%
North Carolin 10.7%
California 10.5%
Rhode Island 10.5%
Georgia 9.3%
Alaska 9.5%

[Hyptnotized_Liberals]

Unemployed Marketing Professional Sells Himself On The Streets Of San Francisco

-Why imagine that, on the streets of San Francisco, one of the most liberal cities in America. Coincidence? Nope!