Inefficient system frustrates job-seekers

I'm overwhelmingly grateful for the unemployment insurance system, which has sustained me and paid my mortgage through nine months of unemployment (following three months of idleness covered by severance pay). I really am. But I'm finding the unemployment system increasingly frustrating and inefficient.

The N.C. Employment Security Commission provides a useful and helpful Web site that allows clients to register for unemployment, file weekly certifications, search for jobs and check on the status of their claims. I use it just about every day. I especially use the Job Bank listing of available jobs, and that's where the frustrations and inefficiencies crop up.

The Job Bank listings include a job description, but it has a limited number of words or characters, so the job descriptions are often incomplete, making it difficult to know whether the job is a good fit. Clients can select the jobs they're interested in and receive a message that they will be contacted with job application information. (In nearly all cases, the name of the company or agency doing the hiring is not included on the Web site, so you have to go through the process to make an application.) A few hours after selecting the jobs, the client will receive an automated phone call from the state saying that "someone at this address" has requested job information from the ESC. The recording then tells the listener to call the local ESC office.

Twice in the past week I've followed up with a call to the ESC office and ended up in someone's voice mail. I left my name and number and requested a return call so that I could apply for the jobs I was interested in. I got no response from either message I left. I even sent an e-mail to the state ESC suggesting that it would work better if ESC would just send me an e-mail with the job information I needed. I received an e-mail reply saying that wasn't possible. Not knowing who the employer is, I can't apply for those jobs. Meanwhile, all ESC clients are required to apply for at least two jobs each week, so I've had to hunt for jobs in other listings, jobs that might not be as suitable or attractive as those in the ESC listing.

But I'm grateful for unemployment insurance. Without it, I would have depleted most of my savings by now. I just wish the job listing service could be more efficient.