No matter how optimistic the government is about the economic recovery of the country, for an estimated 16 million Americans in the U.S., the only positive economic indicator they want to hear is “You're hired.” With the highest unemployment rate in more than a quarter of a century, people are desperate.

The White House jobs summit is good news for many, but most remain skeptical about the outcome. It seems the White House has run out of ideas on how to create jobs, so they expect to pick the brains of some business leaders and entrepreneurs. But finding a job these days is complicated, for some more than others.

My friend's situation, for instance, is one for the books. I'll call him Peter for the sake of not revealing his identity. Peter is a professional who has worked for several companies in his field, an accomplished executive with extensive experience in international relations.

A few years ago, Peter decided to make a change in his life and career. He sold most of his belongings and moved abroad to enjoy a more leisurely lifestyle and explore new professional experiences, always thinking that if it didn't work out, he could return and pick up where he left off. When he began to run out of money, and work in his newly adopted country became scarce, he realized it was time to come home.

With his experience and the business contacts he had made throughout his professional life, he thought it would be just a matter of months before he would jump-start his career again. But things didn't exactly turn out the way he had expected.

For months he knocked on every door, followed every lead and exhausted all connections, but nothing. No position was available for a man who had helped so many get ahead. How ungrateful, he thought. He turned to a headhunter, but no luck there either.

Peter had never pictured himself standing in an unemployment line, but it looked like that's the way he'd have to go. To his surprise, he was rejected. After having been in the work force for more than 22 years, contributing tens of thousands of dollars to the unemployment fund, he did not qualify for unemployment benefits because he had not worked in the United States for the past two years.

He had no choice left but to intensify his job search. One noticeable difference in the employment process from before is the end of person-to-person contact. The only way to apply for a job these days is through the Internet. Find job postings online, send your resume and applications via the Internet, and wait for a response along with thousands of other unemployed workers, many of whom are applying for the same job.

Two years and 300 applications later, still no job. Three responses via e-mail, two phone calls, two interviews, but no job. He even was rejected by the Peace Corps. He was overqualified for most positions. It probably didn't help that he's over 40.

Peter is fortunate to have the support of friends and family who help provide room and board, but the seriousness of his situation became evident to him when he fell ill and had to receive an emergency operation. He was hospitalized for more than a week. With no health insurance because he has no job, this highly educated professional man had to be declared indigent in order to set up a payment plan to cover the exorbitant cost of his medical treatment.

I am sure there are similar and even more tragic stories out there of unemployed Americans. The question is, What stimulus plan, what job summit, what expert advice can help people like Peter come out of the desperate situation they are in? No matter how hard our government works to get the country out of the economic rut it's in, it will not work unless people find a job -- at this point, any job.

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(Maria Elena Salinas is the author of “I AM MY FATHER'S DAUGHTER: LIVING A LIFE WITHOUT SECRETS.” Reach her at www .mariaesalinas.com)

© 2009 by Maria Elena Salinas

Distributed by King Features Syndicate