Why Can’t Homeless People Get Jobs?

"Why can't people who are homeless get jobs?" "Why can't people who are homeless get jobs?" | In this video, Union Rescue mission points out that many homeless people do have jobs. For the ones that don't, however, the video provides some insight. Load video

"Homeless people are often inconsiderate and lazy humans and I don’t want to help them." - a quote from NoJimJustNo on Reddit.

One of the greatest misconceptions that people hold towards the homeless is that homeless people are lazy, and don't want to work. But that's usually not the case. It's getting a job that's the issue for most of them.

Homeless people can't get jobs for many reasons.

First, many are unable to work. They have disabilities or substance abuse issues that prevent them from attaining and/or retaining employment.

Next, many have no way to apply. They lack a device to fill out applications on, a way to charge devices or a way to connect to the internet.

Many have problems getting an interview as well. They have poor employment history or a criminal record that prevents the employer from desiring to interview them.

Plus, they have no phone number for the employer to reach them. Many have no phone or phone service for the employer to keep in touch with.

Here are the 11 most significant reasons why homeless people can't get a job:

11) THEY HAVE A DISABILITY

The first reason why homeless people can't get a job is that they have a disability. Some have a mental disability like schizophrenia. Others have a physical disability like a bad back. The reason why a disability is a barrier to employment is that with a disability working can be difficult or impossible.

work is difficult

There are two ways in which a disability can make attaining and maintaining a job difficult.

First, it can be difficult to get hired with one.

If a person writes on an employment application under the section disabilities, "a bad back," employers may worry that their restriction of physical mobility may conflict with company goals. Even if the job that the person is applying for requires no heavy lifting, an employer may worry that not being able to lift heavy boxes will be a conflict of company interest one day.

for example...

If a homeless person with a bad back applies for a position as a cash register clerk at a movie theater, even though the job does not require heavy lifting, one day, the employer might speculate, the company may need the employee to fulfill another position. This may happen when an employee calls in sick or the company is short-staffed.

If ever the case, the employer will regret hiring the disabled person. They will wish they hired someone with no physical disabilities. Thus, the employer may reason that hiring someone with a disability, even though the job that they are applying for does not require heavy lifting, is a mistake because one day they may need to move the employee to another position.

Second, it can be difficult to work with one.

If a person has schizophrenia, for example, they may experience voices that tell them that their manager is trying to kill them, or feel too depressed to get out of bed to go to work one morning. Working with a mental disability like schizophrenia can be difficult.

In some cases, a disability also makes work impossible.

work is impossible

The second way a disability is a barrier to employment is some disabilities make working impossible. People with disabilities of this nature are usually issued disability checks by the government. This income is usually too small to pay for rent, however. So many of them sleep on the streets. Severe physical disabilities make it impossible to work.

Thus, the first reason why many homeless people can't get a job is that they have a disability.

10) THEY HAVE A DRUG PROBLEM

Another reason why homeless people can't get jobs is they have a drug problem. About a third of all homeless people have heroin, meth, or other substance abuse addictions (✓2). Like, physical and mental disabilities, substance abuse issues also make it difficult to work. When a person often lives in a state of inebriation, attaining and maintaining employment can be difficult.

So another reason why homeless people can't work is many of them have substance abuse issues.

9) THEY HAVE NO PHONE OR COMPUTER TO APPLY

In addition to disabilities and drug problems, many of the homeless also can't work because they can't apply for jobs. They have no phone, computer, or other electronic devices to fill out applications.

Gone are the days of paper employment applications.

That was a costly method. A person looking for a job would need to go into the business and ask for a job application printout. Those applications costed money. The employer was paying for the paper, printer, and ink.

Now are the days of electronic employment applications.

These cost less money to provide and offer the employer more convenient ways of screening potential new hires. Because of their benefits of cost and convenience, most employers have switched entirely to electronic applications.

This presents a challenge to the homeless...

Many homeless people simply do not have an electronic device to fill out applications on. While some employers do offer a free way to fill out job applications on a computer that is located on a job site, most employers do not.

Further, many of the homeless lack friends and family.

That's why they sleep outside instead of on someone's couch in the first place. Not having any family or friends, the homeless also can't use someone else's phone or computer to fill out applications online.

If lucky, a homeless person may be able to go to a local library and use a free computer there. But not every library in every city offers computers for the homeless to use.

Therefore, another reason why the homeless can't get jobs is they lack a phone or computer to fill out applications.

8) THEY HAVE NO ELECTRICITY TO CHARGE ELECTRONICS

Another way in which the homeless do not have the means to fill out applications, and thus can't get jobs is they have no way to power electronics.

A smartphone's battery only lasts approximately ten minutes and thirty-seven seconds...

(if you use it as much as I do.) And without an electrical outlet to charge phones, when their phones go dead, the homeless have no way to fill out applications.

Thus, another reason why the homeless can't get jobs is they have no electricity to charge electronics.

Then, of course, there's the internet issue.

7) THE HOMELESS HAVE NO INTERNET

Another reason why the homeless can't get jobs is they have no internet. Being that most job applications are offered exclusively online these days, the homeless having no internet means that they have no way to apply for jobs.

At least two places exist where the homeless can use WiFi free of charge, but only one way is legal, and both ways present challenges.

WiFi from businesses

First, homeless people can use WiFi that is provided by coffee shops and restaurants. Businesses like Starbucks and McDonald's exist on almost every block in major cities, but only a handful of them exists in small towns.

The only downside...

Using a WiFi connection that is provided by a business is illegal. It is illegal to use WiFi without purchasing something from the business that provides it. Most homeless people, of course, don't have any money. So they can either break the law, or they can try a second option.

Library WiFi

Most libraries these days also provide WiFi. A homeless person needs only to go into one and connect to it. Usually, they don't even need a library card. But not every homeless person knows about this resource or can get to a library near them.

Thus, another reason why the homeless can't get a job is that they have no internet connection to fill out online applications.

6) THEY HAVE POOR EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

But let's suppose that a homeless person had a computer or phone, was able to charge it and connect to WiFi, and even submitted an array of job applications to various companies. Even then the homeless sometimes can't get a job. The reason is many of them don't have good resumes. Many have a poor employment history. This is true for two reasons.

difficulties maintaining employment

Oftentimes, the reason why people are homeless is they are unable to hold down a job. Homeless people are sometimes people who lack good work ethics or have issues with attendance. These problems reveal themselves on a job application. They present themselves to employers on an application by way of bad job history.

When an employment applicant tells a story of a person who changes jobs often...

the hiring manager is likely on guard. People who change jobs often are likely to leave the job they are applying for more soon than later. This is undesirable to employers because attaining and training employees is costly. Therefore, employers don't want to hire homeless people who have short work histories. They are looking to hire candidates that stay at jobs for long periods.

large gaps in employment history

Another reason why homeless people have difficulties attaining employment is they look undesirable to employers. Many have large gaps in employment history.

Large gaps in employment history look suspicious.

It suggests that the person may have worked somewhere else that they do not want the employer to know about. Applicants often leave off a job that they were fired from, or that they made enemies at. So employers are often reluctant to invest time in pursuing a new candidate that has large gaps in employment history.

So another reason why homeless people can't get jobs is many have a bad employment history.

5) THEY HAVE A CRIMINAL RECORD

Another reason why many of the homeless can't get a job is they have a criminal record. Like poor employment history, even if the homeless can fill out job applications, they may not be desired by employers.

Employers often screen out criminal records.

They often screen out candidates that have felonies on record. Misdemeanors are not always a reason for employers to decline interviews, but misdemeanors are almost always considered in the hiring process.

Many of the homeless have many misdemeanors.

They usually have misdemeanors on their record that is related to being homeless. They get ticketed for petty crimes like illegal camping and loitering. Having no way to pay for their tickets, their crimes are often upgraded to misdemeanors.

Among candidates with a clean record, homeless people with a criminal record are at a disadvantage in getting hired.

Therefore, another reason why the homeless can't get a job is that they have a criminal record.

4) THEY ARE REJECTED FOR HIRE BECAUSE THEY ARE HOMELESS

But even if they do get an interview, the homeless are often also rejected for hire because they are homeless. Employers worry that a homeless person will have difficulties maintaining proper hygiene, and with no reason to pay rent, they'll up and quit at a moment's notice.

The homeless also sometimes can't get a job because employers are reluctant to hire a homeless person.

3) THEY HAVE BAD SOCIAL SKILLS

Then of course there are the interview skills that are required to get hired by an employer. Homeless people are often antisocial. That's one of the common traits that homeless people have. Because the homeless rarely socialize, they often lack social skills. This presents two difficulties.

employers are looking for people with good social skills

First, employers are often looking for employees who can socialize well. Even if their job doesn't require dealing with the public, social skills are important for dealing with coworkers. A homeless person with bad social skills is unlikely to be desired by employers.

the homeless have difficulties impressing employers

The second way in which bad social skills present a barrier to employment lies in the interview itself. A person with bad social skills has difficulties convincing employers that they are right for the job.

Thus, another reason why homeless people can't get jobs is many of them have bad social skills.

2) THEY HAVE NO WAY TO LOOK PRESENTABLE FOR AN INTERVIEW

Another reason why the homeless can't get jobs is they often look like a homeless person. Their skin is often caked with dirt and grime, and they are stained with food and mud. The reason is homeless people don't have a place to shower. They don't have money to wash their clothes and so their body and skin look and smell terrible.

Employers are looking for something else.

They are looking for someone who is dressed to impress and that smells and looks nice when on the job. Going to an interview unshowered and unclean is not exactly the secret key to winning over an employer.

So, homeless people also can't get jobs because they have no way to look presentable.

1) THEY HAVE NO PHONE NUMBER WHERE THE EMPLOYER CAN REACH THEM

Finally, even if a homeless person can win over a hiring manager, he or she still sometimes can't get a job because of no phone number to be reached at.

Many homeless people simply don't own a cell phone or can't afford to pay for phone service. This presents difficulties in attaining and maintaining employment because how is an employer going to reach them to schedule an interview or let them know that they are hired?

Therefore, the final reason why homeless people can't get a job is that they have no phone number to be contacted at.

FINAL THOUGHTS

It might be said that homeless people can get jobs. No matter what the barriers are, if the person is truly motivated, he or she can find a way.

Claiming that you don't have a way to fill out applications or look presentable is no excuse. If one only single-mindedly puts their mind to get a job and nothing else, then that person will eventually be able to get employment somewhere. Many employers are hurting for workers right now and they'll pretty much hire anyone.

And to that, I'd say is correct. With enough determination, a person can get a job no matter what the barriers are before them.

But not every single homeless person can work. Many homeless people, as a reminder, have disabilities or live too far away from facilities that offer free computer time or wifi use.

Thus, it is not correct to assume that every homeless person can get a job if they were truly motivated enough. Some homeless people just simply cannot.

summary

Homeless people can't get a job for many reasons:

First, many have physical and mental disabilities. A disability makes it difficult to attain and retain employment.

Next, many have substance abuse issues. These issues make it hard to hold down a job.

Homeless people also lack a device to fill out applications on. Many of them just simply don't have a phone or computer to fill out applications on.

Next, many also lack a way to charge devices to fill out applications. With no electrical outlets to charge electronics, the homeless have difficulties filling out online applications.

Plus, many lack a way to connect to the internet. That also presents a barrier to attaining employment.

Many have poor employment histories as well. Employers are reluctant to hire people with bad resumes.

In addition to poor employment histories, the homeless also have bad resumes due to criminal records.

Not only that but homeless people can't get jobs because making a good impression is difficult because many look homeless. Employers are reluctant to hire homeless people because they worry that they will have difficulties maintaining proper hygiene or keeping their uniforms clean.

The homeless also often have poor social skills. Most homeless people are antisocial and so out of practice.

In addition, many lack a way to look presentable for an interview. With no place to shower or wash clothes, homeless people look undesirable to employers.

Finally, many have no phone number to be contacted on. When an employer needs to call to schedule an interview or notify the candidate about their decision to hire, how in the world can they do so?

In short, homeless people can't get a job for various reasons related to being homeless.

conclusion

So the next time you see a homeless person think of "health, or other problems related to being homeless" as reasons why they can't work.