P.D., Crest Hill, Illinois

I've been unemployed for 21 months.  Previously, I had had a job all of my adult life.  Now I face the prospect of losing everything in 2 months when my unemployment insurance will be exhausted.

I worked for 18 years in manufacturing and 6 years in distribution & warehousing.  I'm 45 years old, married with 2 children 9 & 1 years of age.  I was told over the phone by a staffing agency that employers are skipping over people who have been out of work more than 6 months.  Now that makes me think that companies are skipping over me as well.  Several jobs for which I've submitted my resume get reposted over and over again.  Some will email me saying the position has been filled -- and then the next week the job will posted again.