About Unemployment : An Interview with Bizymoms Top Blogger 2010 Recipients Norm Elrod

1. What type of information about employment do you provide in your blog?

Jobless and Less is about my personal experiences with unemployment.

2. How hard does life get when you are unemployed, aside from the financial shortcomings?

Unemployment has had a profound effect on me. I've never been bored and I always have something to do. But sometimes I wonder if any of it matters. It affects my confidence in my own abilities. It affects my moods from day to day or even hour to hour. I often notice this in the morning. Sometimes it's really hard to get out of bed and face another day of the same thing.

3. What advice can you give our readers on successfully filing for unemployment benefits?

The best advice I can give is to stay on top of it. If you have a question, call the unemployment office right away. If you receive something from them in the mail, respond to it immediately. They're there to help you, but you have to ask.

4. Which sources would you recommend to get information about unemployment benefits?

Call your state's unemployment office. They're the experts. But pick an off-time - first thing in the morning for example - or you might be on hold for a long time.

5. What tips can you give our readers on claiming unemployment benefits quickly?

Get the process started right away. Fill out the forms right away. Be proactive.

6. What advice can you give on facing interviews? What should an unemployed person do differently?

Depending on how long you've been unemployed, you may have to frame your experiences differently. Show how you've been using your "free time" to make yourself a better job candidate and a better person. Don't give the impression that you've only been looking for work. They'll question your value as an employee, simply because no one else has hired you.

7. What do you think of personal branding? Have you done it to get a job?

Personal branding is very important. But it needs to be confined to a limited audience. You don't need to be the next Oprah. You just need to be known for a certain skill among a certain subset of people. Figure out what the skill is and who those people are, and then set about establishing yourself.

8. What do you think about the government’s efforts to solve the unemployment issue?

I think the government has done a reasonably good job. They can't just flick a switch and make unemployment go away. It's a systemic issue that takes time to work itself out. By extending unemployment benefits, it gave people time to wait it out. I only wish they had done more in the way of government works programs. This would have been a great opportunity to improve the nation's infrastructure - roads, schools, etc. - like during the Great Depression. But I feel like there hasn't been much of that.