The unemployment rate, as high as it is, does not tell the whole story.

There are some looking for work who don't show up on the government head count.

The Labor Department does keep numbers that would include forgotten job seekers. It's called "U-6" in their tables. The numbers are a lot worse that what we're used to hearing.

"The 'real unemployment' figure which is closer to 15 percent," said Gladys Stone, an executive recruiter and coach at Whelan Stone in San Francisco. She knows plenty of people who have just given up and are hoping to ride out the recession somehow until they can get another job.