Unemployment Now a State of the Art System

It has been more than twenty years ago since I was out of work and had to apply for my unemployment benefits. I remember getting up early and arriving at the unemployment office early in the morning, just to take my place in a long line of other unemployed workers trying to apply for benefits also. Once you obtained the application you had to fill it out then get back in another long line. The next person checked your application over then you moved over to a third line. If you were lucky. You processed your application and left several hours later, empty handed. Then spent the better part of the next week waiting to see if your application had been denied or approved.

Today's world of unemployment is so much different. You apply on line for your benefits. You complete a resume' and you forward it to perspective employers on line. You then go to your local Work Center. In Michigan they call the program "Michigan Works." Where you look for employment listings and attend class 2 days per week. Then the other 24 hours you spend filling out applications on line or going for interviews. Other work related projects can also qualify to cover your 40 hours each week for seeing employment.

All the above things must be done or you will not receive your employment benefits. I was amazed to find out that most companies seek on line applications.
The normal time you spend driving around and picking up applications and then returning them to the perspective employer is almost a waste of gas and time.
When you are called in for an interview other paper work is given for you to fill out if the employer is interested in doing a complete interview with you. Most companies require two or three interviews now before they will hire a new employee.

I have found the new system much more convenient than the stress of long lines of yesterday. Unemployment is a state of the art system. It is also a lot less degrading to sit in your own home and fill out the paper work and resume' , than to stand in the lines and leave several hours later empty handed wondering when you will be approved.