Such is the conundrum faced by many eager job seekers today, as everyone shakes off the holidays and gets focused on work.

FORBES: How to Start Your Job Search in 2011

Mr. Issa lives with distant, better-off relatives, does occasional electronics-repair work and gets a little money from an older brother, who after a 12-year job hunt, finally found work as an electrical engineer earlier this year.

WSJ: Arab World Built Colleges, but Not Jobs

See, ours is a fight for that basic bargain that built the largest middle class and the strongest economy the world has ever known -- the promise that hard work will pay off, that responsibilities will be rewarded, that everyone gets a fair shot, everybody is doing their fair share, everybody is playing by the same rules -- (applause) -- from Wall Street to Main Street to Washington, D.

WHITEHOUSE: The White House