Listen to the interview by clicking the arrow on the audio player below.

Much has been written about the “long-term unemployed”—job seekers who have been out of work for at least 27 weeks. In this interview, I talk to Chris—a Seattle area resident with a B.A., a decade of work experience, and a graduate degree—who has been job hunting since June 2011.

Since he’s still interviewing for new roles as they crop up, and since despair doesn’t sell well, Chris asked that I use only his first name.  

About Chris: According to his blog, Chris has “a Master’s degree in the social sciences from a large, prestigious state college” and a Bachelor’s degree “in a different social science from a small and not-so-prestigious state college.” He also explains: “In between the two degrees, I worked mostly in public education, most of it in typical inner-city schools, often with severely abused and disturbed youth.” In addition to his job experience in schools, he has also volunteered as a community organizer and campaign staffer.