Tagged: NPR Series: The Road Back To Work

Part of an ongoing series

Annica Trotter's job search has been filled with stressful moments.

In February, Trotter, 25, had been out of work for more than three months when she missed a phone call from a potential employer — an HR person at a security company.

Part of an ongoing series

Earlier this month, in the dead of winter, Randy Howland finally got a job offer.

It's similar to a call-center position, except the St. Louis resident would take customer service calls from home. It's not perfect: The pay is low and with taxes taken out, it would be less than he was getting on unemployment.

Part of an ongoing series

At a time when most people think about turning in for the night, Annica Trotter sits down at her computer to apply for jobs.

But it's almost impossible to apply for anything these days without going online, and that's where Trotter hits a snag. The 25-year-old is only able to apply for jobs when her boyfriend, Greg Perine, and his cell phone are home.