For Shirley, looking for work has become a job of its own.
The South Florida woman, who declined to give her last name as she continues the job hunt, has been looking for employment since losing her government position three years ago. Shirley estimates she has applied for “at least 1,000” positions since then, describing the search itself as “a full-time job.”
Shirley spent more than seven years working with children and families, including juveniles and children in distress, and about 15 years overall in the public sector. Since losing her job, she has relied on savings, investments and her 401(k) while searching for the stability, benefits and retirement security she once found in government work…