Yeah, I hear you. I've been looking for almost 2 years and going through the same thing you are. I'm 28 and worked retail for a 7 years, so don't feel too bad (though I hope you find something soon, good luck. I know how depressing and upsetting it feels).

The most annoying thing is once I ask when I can expect to hear back from them, they almost always say "Oh we're doing 30 interviews" or something (it's like great, what are my odds of getting it now, lol). Getting a job now is like winning the lotto! ;)

The economy is obviously the main reason, and I think that collectively makes the whole process harder because not that many places are hiring at all (lots of places tell me that), and when you find one that is, even landing an interview is hard enough...much less getting it! Like someone else said, it's the people with families struggling just to make ends meet that get priority. The economy being bad also means more places are going out of business or at least don't have the money to hire anyone else. Especially old school stuff that was big in the 80s and 90s, like video stores or stuff at the mall.

Basically shortage of money AND jobs imo! I really hope things turn around soon. Maybe by 2013 or so.

Well Im only in highschool and trying to find a Job but the honest truth is this... the economy SUCKS and people dont really want to hire new people if they dont have to and if they do like you said only part and with pay that sucks as well. So Like you said I would look at a job your interested in or a place where someone would be unlikley to even send a job application at. best of luck =)

All of the older adults are scrambling for lower paying positions just survive and put food on the table for their kids. The economy stinks. Let's face it - massive bailouts don't solve the problem. They only make the entire market more unstable as we have seen today and yesterday in the stock market. We are headed the way of Greece. We are not far behind them in our national debt level. We are in reality poorer than Haiti - we just don't live that way right now - but things ARE winding down. Listen, I'm looking for work too and I have 4 young kids to support. Do I want welfare? NO NO and NO. Every job that you apply for has got about 300 applicants. Employers can have their pick of everybody from a high school student to Mr. Joe Schmoo CEO millionaire who is also out of work. Employers view certain people as being more stable and reliable and so they are expecting unbelievable qualifications and then paying out minimum wage for the work. Yes - it's true - it is an employers job market 100% right now. They are not hiring and when they do - they have their pick. In a good economy they suggest getting out 10 resumes a day - but in this economy you'd have to put out 30 a day to get the same results - but there are simply not enough jobs out there to even apply for! I found a pooper scooper position near where I live and I kid you not - there were hundreds of applicants applying for this job to scoop dog poop and the advertisement had about a gazillion qualifications for having availability at exact times of the day with no guaranteed hours and a list a mile long of the kind of person they want and their qualifications. All for a job that pays minimum wage! So, join the club. Nobody feels sorry for you - or me either for that matter! I used to be a banquet server and employers are getting so cut throat that they charge a gratuity for the server - but keep it for the company - so they can pay the server - you guessed it - minimum wage. Only a few years ago a banquet server could expect about $15/hr because of the gratuity split - not now! You're going to be lucky if you get a balloon twister job at an ice cream restaurant - for you guessed it - minimum wage.

Simply put OBAMA....no serious what it is, the companies literally have 500-1,000 applications they must sift through and there are ALOT of people looking out there. I am trying to get back into the airline industry with 2 years prior experience and 10 years customer service experience and have been on 5 interviews all ending with out an offer. The last one was offered but frozen because of the United/Continental merger.

Just keep trying something will come up