Publication date: September 2015

At Mango, I wrote and illustrated 99 Signs You Are Unemployed, the second book in the 99 Signs series. The chapter set-up parodied the “5 Stages of Grief” with a bonus 6th chapter to end on a positive note (i.e. finally getting a job) so that readers could follow the journey that is unemployment in modern-day society. I tried to comment on the subject from several perspectives to engage the reader, from remarking on post-grad anxieties to entering the job field again after being out of it for 20+ years.

Nearly 80% of the book is digitally illustrated. Aside from a few excerpts, each “sign” was paired with an illustration, which exhibited further jokes on unemployment.

Below is a brief blurb about 99 Signs You Are Unemployed and some samples of illustrations within the book.

99 Signs You Are Unemployed is also available for purchase on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Target.

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If you’ve ever been unemployed or are currently unemployed, then you know the magical soul-searching journey that is looking for a job. From sending hundreds of emails into the black void that is the internet job market to contemplating whether you should pick up a life of crime to pay the bills, unemployment brings out the darkest attributes in a person. It starts off as a time for freedom and bucket-list vacations, but it slowly downward spirals into a battle against job market trolls and unemployment dragons―but maybe that’s just a sign that you might need to leave the house, buddy. Presenting the sequel to 99 Signs You Are Not in the 1%, S.m. Torres gives you 99 Signs You Are Unemployed, a book that covers each stage of unemployment, from denial to madness to recovery. It’s a difficult journey to embark upon, but there’s no room for giving up. It may get rough. It may get weird. But in the end, someone’s got to hire you eventually, right?

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