8 ms·

Honest question: Have we, as a society, looked into possibly supplying people with short-term loans, with a guaranteed open position for someone at a place in m

Honest question: Have we, as a society, looked into possibly supplying people with short-term loans, with a guaranteed open position for someone at a place in more rural parts of America? Originally, I was born in Fresno, CA. We didn't have the most healthy job rate when times were good, let alone once the recession hit. I spent five years looking for a job- and didn't find one until I got the help of a friend online in Claremore, Oklahoma, who let me move in. In a month I was working at an auto parts store, even though I knew jack shit about cars. I was making enough that I could've survived with that job. I'd be poor, I couldn't go to college, but I could survive. I was lucky enough that I had a nice computer I'd gotten from when there was a windfall in the family, and I'd taught myself to program enough Python and Django to get a webdev job remotely. But even if I hadn't, I could've survived on this. Getting me out there cost a grand total of perhaps ~$1500, at most, and that'd get me my first month's rent. Tack on another $1000 and I'd have 3 months rent total and enough leftover to get a cheap bed. Is this economically feasible? Would it even provide good economic value? People are needed in these rural areas, but I just don't know if it'd provide enough economic reward to actually be worth it to the country.

rorrr2 13y ago
You had a computer, and it took you five years to find A job? I find that hard to believe.
- sjtgraham 13y ago
  Shit Hacker News says
  - deadairspace 13y ago
    Sadly they stopped tweeting in April. https://twitter.com/shit_hn_says https://twitter.com/shit_hn_says
    - jmillikin 13y ago
      https://plus.google.com/117962930156930191118/posts https://plus.google.com/117962930156930191118/posts
- quaunaut 13y ago
  Not all of us are born knowing people who can get us jobs. Fresno had one of the densest populations of poverty in America, and as someone with no college, finding minimum-wage work was near impossible- 4,000 people show up for jobs at grocery stores. And no, that isn't an exaggeration. Combine that with not knowing where to look or who to ask when it comes to getting remote programming work, you don't really have a lot in the way of recourse.
  - rorrr2 13y ago
    I knew none of my employers. Try Craigslist, Monster, Dice, LinkedIn.
- fretless 13y ago
  If you spent a few days in (central California belt of) Stockton, Modesto or Fresno looking for a job, you might learn some empathy
jlgreco 13y ago
Sounds almost like a modern homesteading act. Interesting idea.
- hkmurakami 13y ago
  I wonder what fraction of the (let's call it) hopelessly unemployed would take up such an option if it's offered to everyone who wants it. As a whole our society has become much more entitled than back in those days, and the way in which we've been brought up, I wonder if some would see it as patronizing and reject the offer, even if it really would have meant a better future for them. Then again I have been incredible throughout my life, winning the birth lottery pretty big and probably can't hope to truly understand the psychology and desires of much of my own very diverse country. Maybe I am wrong. Hopefully I am wrong. After all I can only really see this world through my own biased bullshit perspective.
  - jlgreco 13y ago
    I suspect it would not do much to help the people who are homeless because they are struggling with mental illness or addiction (which I understand account for the majority of homeless people). Those are problems that need a more targeted program.
  - quaunaut 13y ago
    I don't see it getting used by a majority- but 10, 20% maybe? Sure. There's a lot of shame that comes with being jobless, and as much as you think we're more entitled as a culture, people who go years without work, while living in poverty or just above it, don't feel entitled for much. However, many of them are incredibly close to their family or friends- after all, what's the point of life if you don't have anything you love in yours? I was a bit fortunate that my family had effectively written me off as a failure, which left me little guilt to feel when I left. Then, my entire life turned around. In the span of 14 months, I go from unemployed, to auto parts delivery, to paid-for-shit web developer, to absolutely amazing webdev/product development job. All without college, and thusly, with no debt. I got stupendously lucky, once the bad luck ran out. But I don't imagine as many had the pure hopelessness that I had before, where you have no moral support from friends/family, and no hope for work, which gives you no reason to not leave.
columbo 13y ago
Well kind-of but not exactly... there is job corps: http://www.jobcorps.gov/home.aspx http://www.jobcorps.gov/home.aspx Basic trade skills, pays you for earning a GED, most of the centres are rual so it's hard to fall into 'temptation'. Overall a great program.
- waps 13y ago
  There is the military ?
sliverstorm 13y ago
It could certainly be tried on the private scale. Perhaps you help them locate a position in addition to bankrolling the move. I don't think there are many loan products currently that could fill that kind of need, so it could be an open opportunity.
- quaunaut 13y ago
  Certainly could. But God, talk about risky investment. I don't see how you'd reliably make your money back. Not to mention, what business is going to say, "Yeah I want the dregs of somewhere really far away." without extra monetary incentive?
rmc 13y ago
Interesting idea. But what do you do if the person without a job is gay, lesbian, trans, etc, and the job is in the bible belt.
specialist 13y ago
Have we, as a society, looked into possibly supplying people with short-term loans... "The reason poor people remain poor is because they don't have access to capital." Sorry, I couldn't quickly rediscover the author / researcher who made this statement. Everything costs more when you're poor and it's harder to get ahead when you're underwater. Having been "poor" (medical debt), I heartedly concur. I learn all sorts of new things listening to Mind Over Matters on keep.org every weekend. http://kexp.org/programs/MindOverMatters http://kexp.org/programs/MindOverMatters

rorrr2 13y ago

You had a computer, and it took you five years to find A job? I find that hard to believe.

sjtgraham 13y ago
Shit Hacker News says
- deadairspace 13y ago
  Sadly they stopped tweeting in April. https://twitter.com/shit_hn_says https://twitter.com/shit_hn_says
  - jmillikin 13y ago
    https://plus.google.com/117962930156930191118/posts https://plus.google.com/117962930156930191118/posts
quaunaut 13y ago
Not all of us are born knowing people who can get us jobs. Fresno had one of the densest populations of poverty in America, and as someone with no college, finding minimum-wage work was near impossible- 4,000 people show up for jobs at grocery stores. And no, that isn't an exaggeration. Combine that with not knowing where to look or who to ask when it comes to getting remote programming work, you don't really have a lot in the way of recourse.
- rorrr2 13y ago
  I knew none of my employers. Try Craigslist, Monster, Dice, LinkedIn.
fretless 13y ago
If you spent a few days in (central California belt of) Stockton, Modesto or Fresno looking for a job, you might learn some empathy

jlgreco 13y ago

Sounds almost like a modern homesteading act. Interesting idea.

hkmurakami 13y ago
I wonder what fraction of the (let's call it) hopelessly unemployed would take up such an option if it's offered to everyone who wants it. As a whole our society has become much more entitled than back in those days, and the way in which we've been brought up, I wonder if some would see it as patronizing and reject the offer, even if it really would have meant a better future for them. Then again I have been incredible throughout my life, winning the birth lottery pretty big and probably can't hope to truly understand the psychology and desires of much of my own very diverse country. Maybe I am wrong. Hopefully I am wrong. After all I can only really see this world through my own biased bullshit perspective.
- jlgreco 13y ago
  I suspect it would not do much to help the people who are homeless because they are struggling with mental illness or addiction (which I understand account for the majority of homeless people). Those are problems that need a more targeted program.
- quaunaut 13y ago
  I don't see it getting used by a majority- but 10, 20% maybe? Sure. There's a lot of shame that comes with being jobless, and as much as you think we're more entitled as a culture, people who go years without work, while living in poverty or just above it, don't feel entitled for much. However, many of them are incredibly close to their family or friends- after all, what's the point of life if you don't have anything you love in yours? I was a bit fortunate that my family had effectively written me off as a failure, which left me little guilt to feel when I left. Then, my entire life turned around. In the span of 14 months, I go from unemployed, to auto parts delivery, to paid-for-shit web developer, to absolutely amazing webdev/product development job. All without college, and thusly, with no debt. I got stupendously lucky, once the bad luck ran out. But I don't imagine as many had the pure hopelessness that I had before, where you have no moral support from friends/family, and no hope for work, which gives you no reason to not leave.

columbo 13y ago

Well kind-of but not exactly... there is job corps: http://www.jobcorps.gov/home.aspx http://www.jobcorps.gov/home.aspx Basic trade skills, pays you for earning a GED, most of the centres are rual so it's hard to fall into 'temptation'. Overall a great program.

waps 13y ago
There is the military ?

sliverstorm 13y ago

It could certainly be tried on the private scale. Perhaps you help them locate a position in addition to bankrolling the move. I don't think there are many loan products currently that could fill that kind of need, so it could be an open opportunity.

quaunaut 13y ago
Certainly could. But God, talk about risky investment. I don't see how you'd reliably make your money back. Not to mention, what business is going to say, "Yeah I want the dregs of somewhere really far away." without extra monetary incentive?

rmc 13y ago

Interesting idea. But what do you do if the person without a job is gay, lesbian, trans, etc, and the job is in the bible belt.

specialist 13y ago

Have we, as a society, looked into possibly supplying people with short-term loans... "The reason poor people remain poor is because they don't have access to capital." Sorry, I couldn't quickly rediscover the author / researcher who made this statement. Everything costs more when you're poor and it's harder to get ahead when you're underwater. Having been "poor" (medical debt), I heartedly concur. I learn all sorts of new things listening to Mind Over Matters on keep.org every weekend. http://kexp.org/programs/MindOverMatters http://kexp.org/programs/MindOverMatters