Finding a new job is difficult enough. Having to support yourself while looking for work makes being unemployed all the harder. That’s why the work done by Claims Takers for Unemployment Benefits is so important. They help people get access to funds made available through state unemployment insurance. Working in state unemployment offices, claims takers usually spend their days in phone banks, fielding calls from applicants. They assist applicants in filling out forms and organizing the data that will determine eligibility for benefits. Claims takers then review the information, ensuring that the forms are completely and accurately filled-in. They're expected to detect fraud by people trying to get benefits they're not entitled to. These workers must be thorough, precise and not easily flustered. They often deal with people who are overwhelmed by governmental bureaucracy and worn down by a prolonged job search, so the interviews can be stressful. A friendly, but professional disposition, as well as the ability to communicate and problem solve, are helpful characteristics for this position. A high school diploma or its equivalent is needed to start as a claims taker, and fluency in another language, especially Spanish, is an asset. Ironically, the prospects for this career are brightest when the labor market for most other workers is tight. Helping the unemployed replace part of their lost wages, even temporarily, is a service to the public and a boost to the economy.