Everyone, it seems, knows someone who has lost a job.

Melissa DeLaney left her job as a spokeswoman for the U.S. Department of Transportation last fall so her husband could take a job in marketing for the Arizona Cardinals in Tempe. She's applied for a dozen positions -- some of which would pay her half of what she was making in Washington -- but she's only had a few interviews. "Everybody I know knows somebody who's unemployed," she said. "It is really touching home."

Staff writers Thomas Heath and Hamil R. Harris contributed to this report.

washington post saturday nov. 7th. 2009