# People are unemployed because they want to be, 'sez Tom Delay **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 8, 2010, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-are-unemployed-because-they-want-to-be-sez-tom-delay/531730 "2010-03-08T15:46:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2010, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-are-unemployed-because-they-want-to-be-sez-tom-delay/531730/101 "2010-03-10T01:45:48Z")
> [@Translucent\_Daydream](#): > > Right, and a lot of people are only hiring at more entry level positions, so if I was a laid off project manager or some other fake thing like that, it would be harder for me to “just go get a job” and “get off of unemployment” when nobody is hiring at my level. And taking that entry level position when you have an established career at a much higher level can totally molest your resume as well. Although, due to the economic situation, I would think that employers would be more understanding as well. Just everyone is being cautious I think, from employers to employees. Everyone feels that they only have one shot at getting things right. I suspect that it won’t count against them. When I started to work, getting laid off had a kind of a stigma. Not any more. As you get hiring managers who have gone through a situation, they become more understanding. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2010, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-are-unemployed-because-they-want-to-be-sez-tom-delay/531730/102 "2010-03-10T01:45:51Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > But even here someone who has a resume showing he jumps jobs every six months is going to find himself unwanted. Every couple of years, no problem. But that doesn’t apply in the case we’re talking about since you can’t get unemployment benefits “every six months”. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2010, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-are-unemployed-because-they-want-to-be-sez-tom-delay/531730/103 "2010-03-10T01:49:50Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > _sigh_ Not only does \*\* Translucent Daydream\*\*'s department have to pay full wages for someone who is on the learning curve during the entire term of employment, and thus not efficient, the efficiency of others suffers also since they need to train this person and no doubt correct errors. He gave an excellent example of the inefficiency I mentioned before. It makes a lot more sense for the former employer and the government to pay, and not screw an uninvolved company. It’s an honest statement. he can’t afford to hire someone who will be gone when something better comes along. I cn understand that. But I can also understand the flip side. I’m an engineer. If I got laid off, I’d still have to pay the bills. I’d still have to eat. If I had to take a job that fills those needs, I’d take it even if it’s a low paying ead end job - but as soon as a better paying job in my field opened up, I’d be gone. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2010, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-are-unemployed-because-they-want-to-be-sez-tom-delay/531730/104 "2010-03-10T04:12:23Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > I am deeply suspicious of bow-tied persons, I think it reflects a desire to be seen as individualistic without being seen as weird, as mild an eccentricity as the dull are willing to risk. _Feh!_ Don’t be quite so suspicious of people in bow ties, unless you see them, on occasion, in _other_ kinds of ties. A man who wears a bow tie _all_ the time can at least be predicted; a man who wears one only _some_ of the time is probably a sociopath. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2010, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-are-unemployed-because-they-want-to-be-sez-tom-delay/531730/105 "2010-03-10T04:17:12Z")
Or a serial wedding guest. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2010, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-are-unemployed-because-they-want-to-be-sez-tom-delay/531730/106 "2010-03-10T14:10:04Z")
Aparently if you’re unemployed you just can’t win. If you take the unemployment benefits, you’re a blight on society; if you take a job, your a blight to **Translucent Daydream**. What’s a deadbeat to do? ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2010, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-are-unemployed-because-they-want-to-be-sez-tom-delay/531730/107 "2010-03-10T15:05:29Z")
> [@Beware\_of\_Doug](#): > > Don’t be quite so suspicious of people in bow ties, unless you see them, on occasion, in _other_ kinds of ties. A man who wears a bow tie _all_ the time can at least be predicted; a man who wears one only _some_ of the time is probably a sociopath. Like [Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens](http://images.google.com/images?client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&hl=en&source=hp&q=john+paul+stevens&gbv=2&aq=f&aqi=g-m1&aql=&oq=)? ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2010, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-are-unemployed-because-they-want-to-be-sez-tom-delay/531730/108 "2010-03-10T15:40:15Z")
> [@Beware\_of\_Doug](#): > > Don’t be quite so suspicious of people in bow ties, unless you see them, on occasion, in _other_ kinds of ties. A man who wears a bow tie _all_ the time can at least be predicted; a man who wears one only _some_ of the time is probably a sociopath. Which is why most tuxedo rentals are transacted through bulletproof glass. ---
**Author:** ![Translucent\_Daydream](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/translucent_daydream/32/16170_2.png) [@Translucent\_Daydream](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Translucent_Daydream)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2010, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-are-unemployed-because-they-want-to-be-sez-tom-delay/531730/109 "2010-03-10T17:47:38Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > Aparently if you’re unemployed you just can’t win. If you take the unemployment benefits, you’re a blight on society; if you take a job, your a blight to **Translucent Daydream**. > > What’s a deadbeat to do? And you, sir, get a :dubious: 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Translucent\_Daydream](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/translucent_daydream/32/16170_2.png) [@Translucent\_Daydream](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Translucent_Daydream)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2010, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-are-unemployed-because-they-want-to-be-sez-tom-delay/531730/110 "2010-03-10T17:52:32Z")
> [@SteveG1](#): > > It’s an honest statement. > > he can’t afford to hire someone who will be gone when something better comes along. I cn understand that. But I can also understand the flip side. I’m an engineer. If I got laid off, I’d still have to pay the bills. I’d still have to eat. If I had to take a job that fills those needs, I’d take it even if it’s a low paying ead end job - but as soon as a better paying job in my field opened up, I’d be gone. Its just tough all the way around for both sides. Most people I talk to that are going through this really feel like the only have one shot, or one move, and they have to get it right. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-are-unemployed-because-they-want-to-be-sez-tom-delay/531730.md?page=5)