Have you ever seen these jobless folks standing along the road holding the sign saying "Will Work For Food?" This practice is becoming much more common lately because of the massive unemployment here in America.

What was once reserved for the homeless, it is now used by regular working class people to find enough money just to be able to feed their family. No matter what type of job you have, from a wall street stock trader to a factory worker, you are not immune to the possibility of finding yourself out of work.

So what is the biggest cause for all this joblessness?

The biggest reason is the fact that the industrial revolution is coming to an end. Major companies who once employed masses of people are now either closing their doors or downsizing their operation.

Factories are turning to modern methods of producing products. Automation with the use of a machine or robot can perform the work of several people and for a much lower cost to the company.

Also, many companies are outsourcing their operations to factories in other countries due to much lower labor costs. Instead of paying a union worker in the United States twenty dollars per hour they find workers in third world countries who will do the same work for two or three dollars per hour.

Another cause for this increase in unemployment is the arrival of the information age. Email has caused a reduction in the postal service employees and couriers who once delivered documents. Telecommuting has allowed for smaller offices which lowers the demand for construction workers.

The result of having less jobs that are available, while at the same time more workers searching, creates the high unemployment numbers. In fact, when a job does become available, many times there are hundreds or even thousands of applicants.

This scenario isn't good if you are one of those who are looking for employment. The competition in the job market is fierce.

So, what does one do when the search for a job becomes futile?

One solution is working from home either in a freelance or subcontractor role. Another possibility would be starting your own home businesses. Both of these options have their risks, as well as their rewards.

The risk is, by going out on your own, you always have the possibility of failure. As a freelance worker or subcontractor you may have trouble finding clients or customers. In the case of starting a home business, it could take a long period of time before you realize a profit which creates the risk of losing your investment.

On the positive side, there are many people who are turning to these options and finding success. For the freelance workers there are now websites where businesses can list the projects and jobs they need someone to perform. On some of the sites there are thousands of them listed. For those who wish to take their skills to the market, that is encouraging news.

If starting a home business is more attractive to someone, there are countless numbers of sites that offer education and training on that subject. The key is to find something you are comfortable with, then find a mentor who will take you under their wing and guide you to success.

One word of caution though, when searching for a work from home career, be sure to investigate an opportunity before you make any snap decisions. There are some scams on the Internet to watch out for.

So, you now have a choice. Make up a sign and stand along the highway, or join the many others who are jobless and venture into the work from home phenomenon.