Were you unemployed or underemployed during the 2008 financial crisis?

Question

If yes, what's something you learned from that experience that you think people struggling with joblessness or job insecurity during this pandemic should know? What helped you pull through?

KATRINE CHOW · Answer

I was in NYC in 2008 and worked in IT. Pay was really low but I learned a lot in a startup environment. I eventually moved back home to California in 2010 and couldn't find work there. Was feeling pretty depressed for awhile but I took any odd jobs I could find (freelance writing etc) while studying for IT certifications. Picked up a not-so-great call center job and worked swing shift (5pm to 2am).

I met my husband there. Glad that I said yes to jobs I'm overqualified for. We moved out to the SF Bay Area a few years later. I was hired because of my IT and call center background. Currently working for a company that is paying for me to get my second bachelor's degree in Computer Science so I can transition into engineering. I am very thankful at how things turned out and would love to cheer for anyone who is currently impacted by the pandemic.

This is temporary and will end.

Meagan Mosher · Answer

I was employed and unemployed both.  I worked for a bunch of temp agencies at the time and it worked quite well for me.  I ended up getting a permanent job from my temporary endeavors. :)

Shelby C · Answer

I was unemployed, but I discovered it was a great time to volunteer in order to try new things and gain experience. It was the perfect opportunity to reinvent myself.

My husband was underemployed as well; however, he took his experience into another part of the industry that was thriving and got a new position there.

Maggie B · Answer

I graduated from college in May of 2007 so an emphatic YES.  My first job out of college was working tech support for a pyramid scheme because that's all I could find.  Building my career on the shaky foundation that was the Great Recession was TOUGH, but I did it, and I'm thriving now.

Anne Barnwell · Answer

I lost my job in March of 2009 and worked temporary jobs until a year later. I accepted a job at a nonprofit which paid much lower than I thought I could really live on, but loved the work and grew my skills significantly. And ultimately, I figured out how to make the lower salary work too. (It's amazing how little you spend when you're working so many hours!)

gcbond007 · Answer

My husband lost his work in 2008 and I had not been working due to the illness of our child for many years.  We lost our home, our savings, and livelihood.  We had to beg his parents to take in our family of 4.  It seemed like hell had befallen us.  And since we were self-employed, we had no unemployment benefits and what Bush handed out as money to a lot of unemployed, we were excluded from that group since we were self-employed.  For the first time in our lives, we had to swallow our pride and take in food stamps and whatever gov't help we could get.  What we learned?  First reach out to anyone who is willing to help.  Don't wait till you are at the end of your rope.  Get help ASAP.   We didn't wait to move into my husband's parents' home till the end.  We had little ones so we didn't want to chance it.  Look for work anywhere ASAP too.  And one last thing, when u have extra $$, start saving.  These past 20 years, I have watched family and friends travel and spend, spend, spend.  I was jealous I admit.  Instead, I made our family save, save, save and buy essentials with a .5-1 year stock.  Before this pandemic, I had already 1 year's supply of essentials, except for food.  We were more prepared for this pandemic now due to our experience 20 years ago.

Lane Morris Buckman · Answer

I was laid off from position of leadership and importance, and took the only job I could find as a bank teller, along with doing side gigs.  My pay dropped by 75%. What I learned was that I was humble and hard-working, and by staying in the game even at a reduced level, I was able to promote fairly quickly and recover my earnings over the course of the next few years.

Anne Barnwell · Answer

That was a really difficult time for me. I was a stay home mom for 12+ years and then went through a divorce in 2008. My first job back in the workforce started in October 2008 and I was laid off in March 2009.

I took a position at a nonprofit that paid a lot less money but that helped me build skills and experience. I also worked part-time at other small jobs to bring in more money.

A few lessons--pride in delivering great work is good; pride that stops you from taking a job because it earns less isn't good.

Don't hesitate to tell people that certain expenses are no longer in your budget. Say it in a way that shows you're controlling your finances, not the other way around.

If you need to take a job that is below your experience, try to find a gig assignment or volunteer work that is within your experience.

Robin A. Starkenburg · Answer

Yes, I was part of mass layoff in January 2009 and it was August 2010 before I was back to work full time.  Three months prior to this my husband had just gone out on his own, starting a remodeling business.  He was profitable in 1 year instead of the 3 we had planned on.  We used some of our 401K and utilized public health care as I was pregnant with our third child.  It was challenging and honestly we were just starting to feel like we had recovered.  But we know we can make it through.  So it made us resiliant.

Jody Riley · Answer

I was laid off back in 2009 it took me until the end of 2010 then temps until 2016. In 2016 after losing my house almost my savings and everything that in my 401k I moved to North Carolina for a better market than were I was. I work for two years then got laid off  found something within 2 months and then after almost 3 yrs I got fired in January before this mess and now my unemployment was denied when everything hit. I don't know what I am going do I am down to my last 100 dollars and can't get help. I am tired of fighting for everything and not getting the assistance that I because I am a single, educated woman without children.

Were you unemployed or underemployed during the 2008 financial crisis?

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