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Buddy? Can you spare a job? - 11/16/2008 7:59:57 AM

MzMia

Posts: 5333
Joined: 7/30/2004
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Well, well, well.
Our global economic system appears like it will get worse
before it gets better.
In the USA, the unemployment rate is rising with no end in sight.
I often wonder where all the thousands that are being laid off are going to work?

Sounds like we will have to extend and then extend some more "unemployment benefits".
It appears that many Americans understand that we are certainly sliding into a Depression.
Poll: Almost 6 of 10 Americans see depression as likely - Oct. 6, 2008

My theory has always been that the government won't come out and "say it", because they
don't want to start a panic.
When I turn on the news I usually hear stories like this: More businesses are closing, more businesses
are struggling to stay open, thousands and thousands are losing their jobs daily, the housing market
continues to crumble, many homeowners are upside down on their mortgages, we are currently waiting
to hear if we will bail out the auto industry, we have already given 700 billion to the banks and they are
still slow to loan money, Wall Street continues the roller coaster ride, I heard this morning it probably won't go
below 7000, I am thinking maybe 6000 if we are lucky, school systems are cutting programs, states are cutting programs, and on and on and on. { Feel free to ad anything I forgot to mention}

On the UP side I bought gas for $1.99 a gallon yesterday, but I wonder how much that well help people those have no job, no car and no home these days?

Is there any end in sight?
Many state that we have not even hit rock bottom yet.
I am thinking it is going to take at least 2-3 years before we notice a significant improvement.
If we are not heading for a Depression, I don't know what to call it.

Anyway, buddy can anyone here spare a few jobs?
Is today's economic crisis another Great Depression? - USATODAY.com

< Message edited by MzMia -- 11/16/2008 8:01:22 AM >

_____________________________

Namaste'
To Each His/Her Own
"DENIAL ain't just a river in Egypt." Mark Twain

What's your favorite fetish?
"My partner's whisper"--bloomswell

Post #: 1

RE: Buddy? Can you spare a job? - 11/16/2008 8:02:13 AM

KatyLied

Posts: 13029
Joined: 2/24/2005
From: Pennsylvania
Status: offline

quote:

I often wonder where all the thousands that are being laid off are going to work?

Simply, they should look at the top 10-20 jobs projecting growth over the next 10 years and find something in those fields or something closely-related. There are occupations that will always be required and those will also need people working in support of them.

People need to be proactive in this and not sit around worrying and hoping that the government will take care of everything.

_____________________________

“If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or things.”
- Albert Einstein

(in reply to MzMia)

Post #: 2

RE: Buddy? Can you spare a job? - 11/16/2008 8:04:33 AM

MzMia

Posts: 5333
Joined: 7/30/2004
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: KatyLied

quote:

I often wonder where all the thousands that are being laid off are going to work?

Simply, they should look at the top 10-20 jobs projecting growth over the next 10 years and find something in those fields or something closely-related. There are occupations that will always be required and those will also need people working in support of them.

People need to be proactive in this and not sit around worrying and hoping that the government will take care of everything.

Katy, in theory I agree with you.
So, the government should support them and their families
while they go to school for 1-5 years?
That is, IF they can get the money for school.
More government federal student aid, perhaps?

< Message edited by MzMia -- 11/16/2008 8:07:11 AM >

_____________________________

Namaste'
To Each His/Her Own
"DENIAL ain't just a river in Egypt." Mark Twain

What's your favorite fetish?
"My partner's whisper"--bloomswell

(in reply to KatyLied)

Post #: 3

RE: Buddy? Can you spare a job? - 11/16/2008 8:14:27 AM

meatcleaver

Posts: 9030
Joined: 3/13/2006
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quote:

ORIGINAL: KatyLied

People need to be proactive in this and not sit around worrying and hoping that the government will take care of everything.

While a dog eat dog attitude might get some people into work, if there are 100 people looking for 10 jobs, no matter how proactive you are, short of killing 90 people, 90 people will remain out of work unless the government does something.

_____________________________

There are fascists who consider themselves humanitarians, like cannibals on a health kick, eating only vegetarians.

(in reply to KatyLied)

Post #: 4

RE: Buddy? Can you spare a job? - 11/16/2008 8:15:52 AM

MzMia

Posts: 5333
Joined: 7/30/2004
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: meatcleaver

quote:

ORIGINAL: KatyLied

People need to be proactive in this and not sit around worrying and hoping that the government will take care of everything.

While a dog eat dog attitude might get some people into work, if there are 100 people looking for 10 jobs, no matter how proactive you are, short of killing 90 people, 90 people will remain out of work unless the government does something.

I am STILL not understanding, why some people don't realize how
bad shit is these days?

_____________________________

Namaste'
To Each His/Her Own
"DENIAL ain't just a river in Egypt." Mark Twain

What's your favorite fetish?
"My partner's whisper"--bloomswell

(in reply to meatcleaver)

Post #: 5

RE: Buddy? Can you spare a job? - 11/16/2008 8:54:23 AM

celticlord2112

Posts: 5732
Status: offline

quote:

I am STILL not understanding, why some people don't realize how
bad shit is these days?

Because it isn't that bad.

_____________________________

(in reply to MzMia)

Post #: 6

RE: Buddy? Can you spare a job? - 11/16/2008 8:56:08 AM

DomKen

Posts: 19457
Joined: 7/4/2004
From: Chicago, IL
Status: offline

For the last couple of weeks my company has been trying to hire a new project manager, one of our existing managers has decided to stay at home with a new baby, and as one of the project managers I've been doing the interviewing. We placed a small ad in the Chicago Tribune and posted on Monster. We got just over 400 resumes emailed in. After weeding out the unqualified we still had better than 200. So we cut again to only the very most qualified which left me with 32 candidates, all better qualified than I was when I took the job myself. We set appointments with 29 of those, all of whom seem to un or underemployeed. So of those 29 all highly qualified applicants only 1 will be hired. Those are long odds for a job seeker.

(in reply to MzMia)

Post #: 7

RE: Buddy? Can you spare a job? - 11/16/2008 9:00:05 AM

LaTigresse

Posts: 26123
Joined: 1/15/2006
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: MzMia

quote:

ORIGINAL: meatcleaver

quote:

ORIGINAL: KatyLied

People need to be proactive in this and not sit around worrying and hoping that the government will take care of everything.

While a dog eat dog attitude might get some people into work, if there are 100 people looking for 10 jobs, no matter how proactive you are, short of killing 90 people, 90 people will remain out of work unless the government does something.

I am STILL not understanding, why some people don't realize how
bad shit is these days?

Because historically, it's been much worse. Not all that long ago either. The late 70's weren't exactly life on the gravy train. We survived. It's all cyclic, checks and balances.

_____________________________

My twisted, self deprecating, sense of humour, finds alot to laugh about, in your lack of one!

Just because you are well educated, articulate, and can use big, fancy words, properly........does not mean you are right!

(in reply to MzMia)

Post #: 8

RE: Buddy? Can you spare a job? - 11/16/2008 9:07:32 AM

MzMia

Posts: 5333
Joined: 7/30/2004
Status: offline

Well LaT, I guess that is a matter of opinion.
I have never seen it this bad, in MY lifetime and I am
in my 40's.
I have never seen just about everything in our country collapsing at the
same time.

Again, I guess we all "see" things differently.

_____________________________

Namaste'
To Each His/Her Own
"DENIAL ain't just a river in Egypt." Mark Twain

What's your favorite fetish?
"My partner's whisper"--bloomswell

(in reply to LaTigresse)

Post #: 9

RE: Buddy? Can you spare a job? - 11/16/2008 9:11:36 AM

TheHeretic

Posts: 19100
Joined: 3/25/2007
From: California, USA
Status: offline

       You don't get a job by begging for it, Mia, or by by waiting for a damn gov't handout. You take one, or you make one. If the industry and opportunity is gone where you live, then you take a leap of faith, pack up, and move to where they are. Even if the market is still tight where you land, the fact that you travelled x hundred or thousand miles because you want to work, is going to play well in the interviews you get.

      Too much safety net is a bad thing. It destroys individual initiative, both for those who wait for it all to be handed over as an entitlement, and for those who find themselves worse off for having a job. I'm pretty sure I will wind up strongly disagreeing with the new President on this one.



_____________________________

If you lose one sense, your other senses are enhanced.
That's why people with no sense of humor have such an inflated sense of self-importance.

(in reply to MzMia)

Post #: 10

RE: Buddy? Can you spare a job? - 11/16/2008 9:12:52 AM

amaidiamond

Posts: 1793
Joined: 2/6/2006
From: Watford / London
Status: offline

It is bad here too - found out that my house value has dropped from almost 170k GBP to about 150k - The real alarming thing is the 170k was quoted this summer....

I'm rather lucky in that i'm in one of those industrys where people are needed and i'm good at what I do - i feel so much for those that are not so lucky, my best friend is out of work in the states at the moment and it's so harsh - though on the upside the unemployment over there is a whole lot better than it is here from what i know. Hardly a consolation though

(in reply to MzMia)

Post #: 11

RE: Buddy? Can you spare a job? - 11/16/2008 9:21:45 AM

MzMia

Posts: 5333
Joined: 7/30/2004
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: DomKen

For the last couple of weeks my company has been trying to hire a new project manager, one of our existing managers has decided to stay at home with a new baby, and as one of the project managers I've been doing the interviewing. We placed a small ad in the Chicago Tribune and posted on Monster. We got just over 400 resumes emailed in. After weeding out the unqualified we still had better than 200. So we cut again to only the very most qualified which left me with 32 candidates, all better qualified than I was when I took the job myself. We set appointments with 29 of those, all of whom seem to un or underemployeed. So of those 29 all highly qualified applicants only 1 will be hired. Those are long odds for a job seeker.

Thanks for the update, DomKen.
I think many are "clueless" as to the job market realities, nationally,
UNLESS they or someone they know is out looking.

_____________________________

Namaste'
To Each His/Her Own
"DENIAL ain't just a river in Egypt." Mark Twain

What's your favorite fetish?
"My partner's whisper"--bloomswell

(in reply to DomKen)

Post #: 12

RE: Buddy? Can you spare a job? - 11/16/2008 9:32:54 AM

LaTigresse

Posts: 26123
Joined: 1/15/2006
Status: offline

I think alot of the cluelessness are people that have become spoiled by the booming economy we've had the last few decades.

I've got two family members that were out of work in the last months. One due to the slow down in the building industry. He took another job utilizing another skill, for less pay and no benefits. He also did odd jobs, even some work for the mortage holder on his house, so he could get by. He finally found another job in his primary trade. The second is still unemployed. His wife stepped up her hours and he is caring for the baby. He is getting ready to go to school for a new career on an accelerated programme offered by the local community college.

It's all in how you look at it. If you run around screaming "the sky is falling, the sky is falling!!!!!" waving your arms wildly about, freaking out.........then yes, it's going to be alot more difficult. However, if you go into damage control mode and start thinking outside the box, doing what you need to do to survive......you will.

I remember shoveling snow when I was 7 months pregnant to have grocery and rent money. I survived it just fine.

_____________________________

My twisted, self deprecating, sense of humour, finds alot to laugh about, in your lack of one!

Just because you are well educated, articulate, and can use big, fancy words, properly........does not mean you are right!

(in reply to MzMia)

Post #: 13

RE: Buddy? Can you spare a job? - 11/16/2008 9:35:44 AM

MzMia

Posts: 5333
Joined: 7/30/2004
Status: offline

Well, I personally have never said "The sky is falling".
I am saying we are in a Depression.
People made it THEN, people will make it NOW.

That does not MEAN that we are not in a Depression, though.

_____________________________

Namaste'
To Each His/Her Own
"DENIAL ain't just a river in Egypt." Mark Twain

What's your favorite fetish?
"My partner's whisper"--bloomswell

(in reply to LaTigresse)

Post #: 14

RE: Buddy? Can you spare a job? - 11/16/2008 9:36:46 AM

KatyLied

Posts: 13029
Joined: 2/24/2005
From: Pennsylvania
Status: offline

quote:

Again, I guess we all "see" things differently.

I guess so. I have two jobs. I easily obtained both of them. I'm able to obtain credit and I still have equity in my home. Things could be better, but at this point I am not suffering. I'm not wealthy, but I don't require wealth in order to be happy. I was proactive in obtaining a second job where I had no experience and had to sell myself in order to get hired. I now have a skill that I did not have 2 years ago.

_____________________________

“If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or things.”
- Albert Einstein

(in reply to MzMia)

Post #: 15

RE: Buddy? Can you spare a job? - 11/16/2008 9:50:38 AM

Termyn8or

Posts: 18681
Joined: 11/12/2005
Status: offline

Katy, HAHA I just put that song on because I don't want it going through my head all day.

On the topic though, as someone with serious problems with a job I really like and am really good at, I don't really know what to say. It's times like these that tests the mettle of Men. I am not losing mine, issuing ultimata and such. The company will fail without me, that is for sure and I am about to, for the first time, use that power to get what I want.

Normal jobs are a different story. It is rough out there. I know working people who make half of what they used to make just a few years ago. I know people who always used to work but can't find a job now and are on the brink of homelessness. We are talking able bodied people willing to work.

Somehow, I get the idea I should be thinking differently about this. They speak of outsourcing jobs overseas, how can they do that ? Because people will work cheaper there. There are more people than there are jobs there. Guess what, it is now the same here. Somehow one should be able to exploit that, and even jobs that underpay are appreciated by those who have no alternatives.

So maybe I should start a business of some sort, and make friends with the employees. Start it right off "I know I pay shit wages, but I also don't expect you to bust ass, just please get the job done. When times get better you will be the first to know, and if you treat me right you will hear about it in your paycheck". And they would. Unlike many, I would be fair. You stick with me throught the thin times, when things get thick you will get a piece of the pie. All I would have to do is figure out what people need and can afford.

The problem with that theory is that the economy has indeed trickled down. I mean there are gutter cleanings and roof repairs going undone, which is not good. I currently work on TVs (I think) and literally half of them are abandoned because the people do not have the money to pay the repair bill, and our rates are very reasonable. And they pile up, causing us problems.

I see more and more temporay tags on cars, my theory ? They can't afford to have them fixed so they meet emissions standards. I know it, because a buddy of mine went through it. They bandied the car back and forth between his name and his GF's but after fourteen moinths of this they refused to even give him a temp tag. I tried to help the guy out, and he is actually my mechanic, though I do most of the troubleshooting. He took care of me well so I actually bought him a new catalytic convertor, but that still didn't do it. The car exhaust smells fine, it is just high in NO2. So he walks. Thank you fucking government.

People do not have a clue as to how bad it really is, and how bad it is going to get. Sorry to see it happen, but I didn't do it. I didn't cause it and I have been going into preservation mode. My job is actually in question now, though it is my choice, if the company doesn't make a choice I will be looking. That is unheard of, usually if I miss a day they hound me.

It is not looking good. Forget the settop DTV convertor, buy bread and meat. Buy tools and useful things. Things are going to get worse. Even if Obama is the best thing to ever happen to this country, he is not Jesus the Christ. Times will get worse before they get better, if they do in fact ever get better. They are doing nothing to fix the root causes of the problem so I have my doubts.

We might all have to get used to a totally different standard of living, and sitting there all gleeful with your cushy job doesn't work either, because it is coming to you.

We, (not speaking of present company here) those who have been poor and at least know how to manage it will come out ahead in the end. We know how to find a way. The affluent are going to have a big problem when they only have a million dollars in the bank, to take it out finding it is worth about one third of what it was when they put it in.

One's personal spending level grows to meet their income, happens every time. My boss has a forty foot sailboat and it costs him about $5K a year just to house and store the thing. Know how many times he took it out in the last year ? NONE. Not once. What he doesn't realize, or maybe he does, is that you just can't sell something like that these days. You can't even scrap it for decent money.

So the one nice thing about times like this is that those who are higher up have further to fall. We are looking at a few years of economic hell here, of that there is no doubt, but the end result might be quite interesting as the rich are forced to see where the true wealth comes from.

Like they used to say - every dark cloud has a silver lining. Oh shit, that said the ambitious might look into cloud mining. Stop them, they have been able to afford to be foolish for too long and have become ignorant.

T

(in reply to MzMia)

Post #: 16

RE: Buddy? Can you spare a job? - 11/16/2008 9:59:51 AM

MzMia

Posts: 5333
Joined: 7/30/2004
Status: offline

Thank you Term, for a wonderful and thoughtful post.
I am on my way out, but I will re-read your post and comment
much further,later.

You hit the nail on the head, the storm is still coming.
Great post.

_____________________________

Namaste'
To Each His/Her Own
"DENIAL ain't just a river in Egypt." Mark Twain

What's your favorite fetish?
"My partner's whisper"--bloomswell

(in reply to Termyn8or)

Post #: 17

RE: Buddy? Can you spare a job? - 11/16/2008 10:04:39 AM

TNstepsout

Posts: 1558
Joined: 8/3/2005
Status: offline

I've known a lot of people who have lost jobs or been laid off recently. It really is that bad. One friend, and his wife, both worked for the same company. They were laid off (they worked for a title company) about 6 months ago and when I last spoke to him both are still looking for work. She took a contract job for about 3 months, but it has ended. Another friend was just laid off about 3 weeks ago (telecommunications). I talk to people almost every day that have been laid off and are asking for extensions or payment plans for their bills. One woman lost her job at MCI when they filed bankruptcy and has not gotten a job since. Even my daughters company, a retail store, has cut staff so much that many nights they have only two employees in the whole store, and it's a BIG store.

I have been on the committee to plan our company's holiday party and we were discussing our plans with a local hotel. We told them our budget was very small this year. They said they understood, at least we still get a party. Many company's are canceling them altogether. They have a contract with UPS to house all of their trainees while they go through 6 weeks of training. A few weeks before we met with them, UPS had called and canceled their entire 2009 schedule! This was back in August too before the bottom really fell out. The DJ we hired (at a big discount) said his company which is much larger than ours, has cancelled their holiday party completely. With all the "extras" being canceled by businesses and individuals, how long will it be before there are more layoffs?

Three builders we work with have filed for Bankruptcy, two of them were pretty small, but one was a fairly large builder in the area. We have also lost a couple of Title companies. One of them had all of their records and checks seized by the state. I'm seeing more personal bankruptcies than every before. I'm adding about one new one a week, when I used to have maybe a half dozen on the books altogether.

Yes, it is that bad. Especially when you consider that we are in the early stages. Mia is right, this is, and probably will be, the worst economic times that any of us will face in our lifetimes (hopefully) because it is so widespread over so many industries, and because those industries have such a huge impact on the economy and because it has now spread to the global market. There is just no place to turn for good news right now as every market is effected.

Running around panicking or being depressed will not help, but neither will ignoring the reality. It's bad and it's going to get worse and those who prepare will survive it best. That's all.

(in reply to KatyLied)

Post #: 18

RE: Buddy? Can you spare a job? - 11/16/2008 10:05:00 AM

TheHeretic

Posts: 19100
Joined: 3/25/2007
From: California, USA
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: MzMia

Well, I personally have never said "The sky is falling".
I am saying we are in a Depression.

_____________________________

If you lose one sense, your other senses are enhanced.
That's why people with no sense of humor have such an inflated sense of self-importance.

(in reply to MzMia)

Post #: 19

RE: Buddy? Can you spare a job? - 11/16/2008 10:25:41 AM

meatcleaver

Posts: 9030
Joined: 3/13/2006
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: LaTigresse

quote:

ORIGINAL: MzMia

quote:

ORIGINAL: meatcleaver

quote:

ORIGINAL: KatyLied

People need to be proactive in this and not sit around worrying and hoping that the government will take care of everything.

While a dog eat dog attitude might get some people into work, if there are 100 people looking for 10 jobs, no matter how proactive you are, short of killing 90 people, 90 people will remain out of work unless the government does something.

I am STILL not understanding, why some people don't realize how
bad shit is these days?

Because historically, it's been much worse. Not all that long ago either. The late 70's weren't exactly life on the gravy train. We survived. It's all cyclic, checks and balances.

One of the reasons I don't give a shit about governments or states and why I'm not in anyway patriotic or hold allegiance to any of ém because when it comes to the crunch, you're on your own and governments will alway look after the rich and powerful and stomp on the poor and weak.

< Message edited by meatcleaver -- 11/16/2008 10:28:31 AM >

_____________________________

There are fascists who consider themselves humanitarians, like cannibals on a health kick, eating only vegetarians.

(in reply to LaTigresse)

Post #: 20

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