The length of time the average unemployed person goes without a job hits a new record high.

[Karmadillo]

http://blogs.reuters.com/felix-salmon/2009/10/22/unemployment-datapoint-of-the-day-4/

Posted by: Felix Salmon

The length of time the average unemployed person has been without a job has been hitting new record highs for a while; it’s now managed to pass the 6-month mark. That’s much higher than any previous peak in this data series. And I fear that the only way it’s likely to come down any time soon is as these people become so demoralized that they take themselves out of the labor force altogether.

The overwhelming majority of the working population will never be able to prepare themselves for a period of unemployment lasting more than six months. As financial-market types worry about possible inflation in a few years’ time, tens of millions of Americans are finding themselves in a very real personal financial crisis to which there is no visible solution. Given the Fed’s dual mandate, it makes sense to keep interest rates low for the foreseeable future. Inflation is possible; unemployment is catastrophically real.

[Kolesar]

1. Should have been in Ohio in 1982

Youngstown had 50% unemployment. Teenagers couldn't find work because the entry level jobs were taken by 30 and 40-something-aged family breadwinners.

The difference now is that California, the east coast, and the south have collapsed.

[FirstLight]

2. lost p/t job in January

did some schooling, but even that won't make the ads for employment start to pick up.

I have noticed the trending for the past few months while job searching, but it isn't as if there are suddenly a ton of ads in the classifieds since the 'recovery' on wall street & all....

[izquierdista]

3. Coming up on 6 years

At this rate, I should try to coast for another 12 until I can start collecting Social Security.