Underemployment: Fading Trend or Sustaining Sector?

Article By: Zach Lungo

Rich Grogan of Murrells Inlet in South Carolina is becoming part of a trend nationwide who are underemplolyed. Grogan works as a sales associate at Sears for about 22-24 hours a week on 100% commission to provide for his wife and 2-year-old son. He holds an MBA and an undergraduate degree in finance and has worked for years in management. Now, Grogan is making about one-third of the income he brought in before, but is happy tot have a job. Nationwide, about 6% of the working population is underemployed which is defined as an employee who is either working part time when he or she previously worked full-time, or those who are working full-time but are using fewer or none of the skills one previously used in another career. In Horry County, where Grogan lives, at a 10.9% unemployment rate, anywhere between 1 in 6 to 1 in 4 people could either be underemployeed or unemployed.

With full-time jobs not available, alot of overqualified pople are taking up whatever they can find, part time, any hours available, and temporary. Crystal Johnson of Conway South Carolina has found similair hardship. She was a booking and payroll specialist in Washington, D.C, moved to Myrtle Beach last year and stuggled to find new employment. She went from making $21 dollars an hour to making $7.50 an hour.

Overall, some workers who are experiencing this trend in employment have said underemployment has helped them realize that building on skills that are not only fufilling financially, must also have a sense of satisfaction and desirablility.

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