Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Mike Shanahan Joins the Ranks of the Unemployed

I am going to go off my normal script today and welcome someone to our ranks of the unemployed; Mike Shanahan, former Coach of the Denver Broncos. Welcome, Welcome, Welcome. It is sad to see you here, but you deserve it immensely.

For the record, I am a diehard Broncos fan. I have been there through the 3 Super Bowl losses in the 80’s, the 2 Super Bowl Wins in the 90’s and the last three years of 8-8 ball. I have suffered with the taunts from the Raiders fans during our bad years, and I have reveled over the slow, humiliation of Raiders’ owner Al Davis over the past 8 years of bad football.

Well, we too have been playing bad football. I am sad at that fact, but it has been no fun the last three years to watch Broncos Football when we can’t win the big game. We now have a quarterback that is one of the best. We have one of the best receivers in the game, in fact, we have one of the best passing attacks in football. Yet, we still managed to lose three of the last four games.

All we had to do was win 2 games out of the last 4 and we would have won the division and gone to the playoffs. I was not expecting much in the playoffs, but at least we would show that we are turning this boat around. Instead, we let the Chargers catch us and humiliate us in the last game of the 2008 season. Which means that for the past three seasons we have gone 24-24. That is horrible for a team that expects to win.

And so, here we are. Mike has been fired. He was a very great coach at one time. But, if you or I had done an 8-8 (let’s call that average) job in our own career for 3 years, we would be gone too. There is no room for average in football or in most business. Any business that wants to win requires it employees to be better than average. Well, Mike was average and he has joined us in the ranks of the unemployed.

I liked Mike, but it was his time. When I separate my fan-ness of Mike and the Broncos and put on my Director of Operations hat, it is clear it was time to go. Owner Pat Bowlen had very little choice and he made the hard call. Good bye Mike. Thanks for the 2 rings and the great years.
Maybe, just maybe we can convince Bill Cowher to come out of retirement and join the team.

Let’s make it a winning team again.

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Your Family is now Unemployed Too

Be good and understanding of your family. If you are married and/or have kids, they are going through this with you. You are not alone, and you must keep in mind the effects your unemployment is having on your family. This is a rough time for all of you, and you need to be empathetic to the feelings of those you love.

During my period of unemployment, I have had a couple blow-outs, a few yelling fights with my wife; I have snapped at my children more times than I would like; and I am sure I have been a prick to my friends. The reality is that at times, I have not been a wonderful person to be around. The stress has gotten to me, and I have broken down.

Do not be ashamed. Breaking down is normal, and you and your family may all have times when they break down. The longer you have been out of work, the harder it will become, and the more likely you will have a period of breakdown. The day after my grandfather died, my wife called me and told me that the Denver Broncos game did not record on my DVR. I was pissed off and just literally broke down for a fifteen-minute crying jag over the fact that I just wanted to go home and watch football. When I look back on it, I think it was crazy. But the reality of the situation was that the combination of being out of work, tight on money, not getting my football game, and the death of my grandfather just built up, and I cracked.

Well, the reality of your family is they are suffering a little too. I am sure if there are money issues, then that is a significant strain on your family. If your wife or husband has had to go back to work like mine, that is an additional stress. Your kids are not getting all of the things or doing the same things that they did when you had a job. There is serious stress on all of you.

Make a significant effort to tell your family that you love them. Try to do the little things that will make them happier. Do the laundry or finish your around the house to-do list. Spend more time playing games or sports with your kids. Make time for your family and let them tell you how they are feeling during this period. They may need to talk, just as I advised you to talk to family and friends. Listen, don’t solve…just listen.

Monday, December 29, 2008

Coping with Unemployment

Two ideas for helping people cope with the loss of their job:

First, find other people in your same situation with whom you can brainstorm and bounce ideas off of. Find people in a similar situation and talk to them. Use them as a resource on which you can build your job search and your mental toughness.

This does not have to be in person, mind you. If you are already using or are interested in using social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook, then use those as a tool. I am on them myself, so please look me up and jump into my friend network. You can also start your own blog or Twitter account to just let your friends know what you are doing.

The key is that more minds and different points of view can many times be of benefit. I have done it in my job search, and I have done it while writing this book. There needs to be more than just your own viewpoint, or you can easily become complacent and accepting to your current methods. Find people in the same boat and provide them with the same feedback that you are hoping to find yourself.

Second, do not become discouraged. For me, there was a period when I was not getting calls back on resumes, and I had sort of accepted that I was out of work. We were not struggling too much on money, and it was easy for me to be complacent and accepting.

No one wants to get rejection after rejection, and it can sometimes seem that way when you are in an interview drought. You cannot, however, just give in to the situation. Many of you will say to yourself that it won’t happen to you, but it does. I experienced a period where I just was not applying for positions that I did not fit perfectly. It was almost a depression of some kind where I had accepted the status quo, even though I was not happy about it.

When you do find yourself in this position, use the people you found in my the previous recommendation. In addition, talk to your family and friends, tell them what you are experiencing and see if they can help alleviate some of the concern and complacency. It is much easier to accept your complacency when you are all alone and keeping to yourself.

Friday, December 26, 2008

One of the Biggest Mistakes Most Job Seekers Make

Question: Do you want to know why most job seekers fail to connect to the job of their dreams?

Hint: It’s not because no one wants to hire them or a lack of job openings.

In the 13 years I’ve been a career counselor and advising people in their careers, I’ve found that the jobseekers who connect with their job target in the least amount of time begin with a good foundation. They’ve defined in as much detail as possible their “ideal” job. They know, specifically, what they are looking for in their next job. They know how they want to use their skills, the kind of people they want to work with, their preferred industry, and the desirable companies where their job can be found.

From that foundation, all of their efforts lead them in the right direction from crafting their resume, to their 30-second elevator speech, to the networking events they attend, to the relationships they build and on.

The bottom line is- they are FOCUSED!

The biggest mistake I see most job seekers make is not knowing what they want. Often, when I ask a job seeker what they’re looking for, I get an answer like this, “Oh, I’ve done a lot of things. I can do something in high tech, telecom, marketing, human resources, pretty much anything.”

Whenever I hear a response like that, I want to scream “STOP RIGHT THERE!”

This is especially true of people who have been off the job market for more awhile. By the time they get to me for career advice, they are nearly in a state of panic or desperation and are willing to take almost anything that comes their way. They want to “keep their options open.”

In their view they’ve tried everything. Unfortunately, no matter how much effort they expend, which frankly usually isn’t that much, they will not have success. If they do happen to find a decent job, it’s totally by accident.

The best way to launch a successful job search is to start with a good foundation. Take the time to define your job target, select the best tactics, and craft a solid action plan. With that foundation, you will have more confidence about your options and will shorten the time it takes to connect with the job of your dreams.

Markell R. Steele, M.Ed., NCC, Career Counselor is the owner of Futures in Motion, Inc. and author of Fast Track Your Career: Three Steps for Finding Work You Love. For the past 13 years, she has helped frustrated job seekers connect with their dream jobs in less time with less stress by sharing her secrets for career happiness and success. Her company provides career assessments and career transition assistance. More articles can be found here- http://futures-in-motion.com/article_archive.php. She can be reached at Markell@futures-in-motion.com.

Thursday, December 25, 2008

Christmas

Hello Everyone. I have to apologize for not writing yesterday or today. The Christmas season seems to come with a hectic schedule and that schedule ran me over the last two days. I will be back tomorrow with a special posting from a friend of mine; Markell R. Steele who is a Career Counselor.

I Hope Everyone has a Very Merry Christmas. Stay safe and enjoy the holiday.

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Using Web 2.0 in Your Job Search Strategy

Social Media, such as Facebook, and Professional Media, such as LinkedIn, can be of immense use during your unemployment. Both of these and the many other media forms can really help to put your presence and your name out there on the web. Many people think only of using the career websites like Monster.com and HotJobs.com to get their name and resume out there. While those do work for some people, you should also be considering how to use the other media services as well.

We have seen the recent news report or photograph of the guy in New York City with a sandwich board that contains his resume. He is advertising to everyone that he is out of work and that he needs a job. Well, the same can be accomplished to a more focused group of people via the Web 2.0 media sites.

Set yourself up with an account on sites like Facebook, twitter, LinkedIn, or one of the many other sites. I personally do not advocate for MySpace because they are a little too hands-off with the problems on the site and it is more intended for use by teens then it is by adults. Facebook started more as a college site, but has rapidly progressed to be used by millions of adults to stay in contact with one another. LinkedIn has always been a networking site for professionals and they continue to add more services that link many different aspects of your online job together. Twitter is a site that allows a person to note in 140 words or less what they are doing right now and right now could include looking for a job or commenting on a recent job loss, like many on the site currently are doing.

Once you have accounts on these sites, you can make your presence known. Connect up with current friends, old friends, people from high school or college and begin to talk to them. Let people on these sites know that you are out of work and are looking. They may not be interested or able to help, but as you continue to connect up with people, the likelihood that you will find someone who might be able to help will increase.

I have almost 120 connections on Facebook, I have 12 people following me on twitter and I have almost 100 professional connections on LinkedIn. These numbers are not dramatic by any means, but I have within my networks here a list of people who are HR Managers, HR reps. , a career coach, a branding professional and many others. They may not be able to get me my dream job, but it does not hurt to use what I have and that includes all of these connections.

If you are reading or following my blog here, you are relatively web savvy. Now you just need to take it to the next step. I will admit that I was a little late to the social media craze, but the value of it in a business sense is amazing. As such, it can be an amazing tool to help you reconnect and to find a job in this difficult economy.

Monday, December 22, 2008

Losing more than just your job with a lay-off.

Most of the effects of being out of work are expected. You know that you are not going to be able to do most of the things you did before. That means less dinners out, less spending on luxury goods and recreational goods. You probably won’t be able to take a vacation of any kind since you are out of work. There are a number of things that you know are going to change about your life when you experience a lay-off.

The one aspect of you new life that you probably would not have predicted is the fact that you might lose some of your friends. The old saying that you know who your friends are when you experience a tragedy is true in this case too. A short period of being out of work, probably will not affect your friendships too much, but a long period will change the landscape of your friendships.

Some of your friends and family will come together and help you out. They will understand that you cannot participate in some of the things you did prior to your job loss. They will be there for birthdays and parties that you host or attend. During a time like we are in now, Christmas, they will know that you cannot afford to give them presents, even when you have done so for years and years.

Some of your friends however will fall off the face of the earth. They won’t know how to act around you, they won’t know what to talk to you about and they won’t want to be placed into an awkward position. There is a serious level of discomfort for people who are working to be hanging out with people who are not working.

It seems illogical that losing your job might result in your losing some friends. But it is the truth. It has happened to me during my period of layoff and I have spoken to many people who say the same thing. There is an unspoken tension in the room and no one wants to discuss it. It places an invisible wall between you.

People who have never experienced a period of being out of work for any length of time will argue in their heads that this wouldn’t happen to them. I never thought it would happen to me, but it did. There is definitely a real psychological effect that happens between friends, when one is laid off. Some go more towards you and a closer relationship, others go the opposite direction.

My advice for everyone on this situation is to just deal with it as it happens. One way that might stave off this type of situation by talking about being out of work. If you are unwilling to talk about it, then obviously there is something that you are holding back. If you are speaking about it, which is part of a good job search strategy anyway, then the air is cleared a little more. Meaning you might be able to limit the damage to your friendships that was done during your lay-off.

Friends are meant to be forever, so try not to let any go by the wayside, no matter the reason.

Friday, December 19, 2008

Hiring During the Christmas Season

As Christmas and New Years arrive, the common myth that companies don’t hire during this time still circulates. It is so untrue that companies don’t hire right now. We are in a down economy and it is Christmas time and companies are still hiring for thousands of positions every day.

Don’t let the season get you down. There may be more companies that choose to limit or hold off on hiring during this period, than any other period of the year, but there are still jobs out there. Just look at places like LinkedIn and the career websites and you will see that there are still many, many jobs out there.

Don’t let your own biases and beliefs of how much hiring is happening during this time of year effect your ability to get a job. You may be convinced that you can’t get a job during this time. That mental attitude is going to hurt you in your job search. This is not the time to give up just because the holidays are here. Instead, use this time, when other people may be thinking like you do, to get out there and beat the competition. Use this misperception about the holidays in your favor and start getting your resume out there to the companies that are hiring right now.

Even if you cannot get your dream replacement job, there may still be some seasonal work available for the next couple of weeks. Many retail establishments hire extra personnel to work during the Christmas season on into the beginning of January to help with the many Christmas returns. This may not be your dream job, but it will help to keep your mind off of the real job search and it will help pay the bills.

I know that we sometimes don’t want to stoop to a low level job when we are used to a much higher paying one that is accompanied by some prestige. It can be a blow to your ego. But, you need to let your ego go for a time and do what is necessary. And it may be necessary for you to just work through the holidays. It will help your wallet and your psychological need to work.

I hold a bachelors degree with a double major and I hold two masters degrees including an MBA and during my period of unemployment I have had to work on a limited basis as the most highly educated data entry person on the planet. Just entering data into a computer system, so other people could do real work with it. Humiliating? Not at all. It helped me to remember that I can be valuable and it felt good to work again, even if it was just doing data entry.

You too may need to approach this season in this same manner. Get working, just to fulfill your need to work.

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Losing your job is not the end.

When life deals you a blow, you need to be able to fight back. Well, that is what everyone who has lost their job during this down turn in the economy is facing right now. You cannot wither and die from being punched in the gut. Instead, you need to dig down inside that gut and find the energy and passion to embark on a new career with a new company.

You are so stunned, at first, when you find out that you are being laid-off. The whole world spins out of control. But, as the minutes, hours and days pass you realize that you are still you. You still have a good head on your shoulders and with the experience you have during the first part of your career, you can go out there and get a new job.

The career world today is not like it was when my dad and grandpa were working. Back then, you would find a job that you liked and you would spend the rest of your career doing that job, most likely at the same company. People did not move around. They found a company and hopefully were there for life.

Well not today. Today people change jobs too often. There are some people out there that seem to change jobs like it was underwear. But, that is beside the point. The real point is that losing your job is not the end of you or your career. You can go on to another job at another company and be very successful. In fact you can go on to a whole new job type and a new industry if you so choose.

The plain and simple truth is that this layoff is not terminal. It may be just the push you needed in your career. That goes for anyone from 18 years of age to 80 years of age. If you want to work and if you are committed to doing the very best, then there is a job for you out there.
Keep your chin held high and keep interviewing.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Christmas Time and Unemployment

Its Christmas time and you may be out of work. If this is a recent happening, then you might be full of optimism about getting a new job. If you have been out of work for any length of time, then you may be resigned to the fact that you can’t find a job in this bad economy.

Well the fact of the matter from my point of view is that you need Christmas or Hanukkah and do your best to enjoy the season. Even when you are out of work, you need to find the simple pleasures in life and this is one of the best times to just sit back and enjoy. It is also one of the best times to find something to do that costs virtually no money, Christmas light tours.

You are thinking, I am out of work, how can I just sit back and enjoy it. I am not telling you to give up the job search or anything. I am also not telling you that magically the bill collectors will stop calling. What I am telling you is that during all of this, you need to have a glimmer of hope and happiness or you will never make it through this period of unemployment. And the longer your unemployment goes, the more you need to find times and days like the holidays to find some basic pleasures.

It is hard to be positive when the negatives keep coming. But it is up to you to find these little pleasures to help you keep your sanity. Keep looking for a job, but also take some time for yourself. Even if that time for yourself is just sitting back with a cup of coffee or hot chocolate. You need to find a small bit of pampering, even if the one doing the pampering is yourself.

I also recommend for the long term unemployed, this may be a great time to sit down and examine your job search strategy. What has worked for you so far and what has not? What methods of search have yielded some interviews or at least interest? Keep those methods and find others that can compliment them in your strategy. Which methods have provided no results? Should they be kept or should these methods be abandoned for other possibly more productive methods?

Lastly, I know everyone wants to spend money on those they care about during this period. Especially if you have kids, this is a hard time to not spend money. I know I have struggled with the amount of money we have spent on our kids this year. You have to remind yourself that they will understand and that they will not be traumatized by not getting the hottest toy this year.

Find what little part of your budget that you can spend that won’t put your other obligations at risk and spend some of it. Get something for the kids and your spouse if you can afford. Or, if you are like my wife and I; don’t give presents to each other this year. We have decided Christmas 2008 is about the kids only.
You may need to make some sacrifices, but you can reward yourself after you get a new job. Make it a plan that one month after you get your new job you will spend X amount on yourself or your spouse to make up for not having the best Christmas in 2008. You can do it and enjoy the season.

Enjoy life and enjoy the holidays.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Unemployed: What do you tell the kids

You are now unemployed. For those of us with a spouse and kids, the question is whether to tell the kids or not. My answer is that you have to tell them something. They will notice if you do not get up and go to work in the morning. You can probably fool them for a week or two, but they will catch on really quickly.

It is not a question of do you tell them, it is how much you tell them. All of your kids need to be told, unless they are of an age where they wouldn’t understand at all. My 3 ½ year old and my 6 year old both know that I am not working and that I am looking for a job. In fact, my son has offered to not take an allowance ($2.00 per week for vacuuming the whole house) until I get a job. He says he understands we are tight on money. Smart kid, but it is a sad thing to have to listen to your 6 year old tell you he understands.

The reality is that they do understand. My 3 ½ year old understands that we can’t do some of the things we would normally do because I am not working. She has accepted that there are certain things we can’t afford to buy, right now, but might be able to get in the future. She has a limited understanding of what it means to be unemployed, but she does understand.

As your kids get older, you need to get more detailed with them on the situation. A nine year old has the capacity to understand that everyone needs to pitch in to save money and that daddy or mommy is working hard on trying to get a job. They will also be able to comprehend that daddy or mommy is stressed out more and may not be as fun or frivolous.

Then as you get children into the double digits and into their teens they know exactly what is going on. The older teens may even need to know that you have been out of work for some time and you are struggling to pay the mortgage every month. The demands on a teen in our society bring out the monetary needs daily. The more clued in they are into your situation, the more likely they will be able to curb their needs for non-essential things.

Plus, keeping the older kids in the loop also prepares them for the really big issues such as if you are getting evicted because of your lack of mortgage or rent payments. They will be in a better position to understand why the bill collectors keep calling and you are not answering the phone. There are so many ways that the older kids can be of assistance in this time. Tell them what is going on.

The key is not to unduly burden your kids. The younger ones need to be protected from the actual money issues most of the time. The older kids need to be protected from the marital fighting whenever possible. They also may need to be sheltered from your emotional breakdowns as they occur. They need to know you are mom or dad and you will get this done in the end. It may take time, but you will get a job again.

Monday, December 15, 2008

Changing Careers While Unemployed

One of the subjects that people who have been in a career for any length of time fear to discuss is whether they should change jobs. It is easy for someone right out of college to decide what they want to do and tackle it. It is still relatively easy for someone who has been in the workforce for less than five years to do the same. But, for a professional who has been in a career for more than five years and especially one who has been in a career for more than ten years, the question of changing careers, jobs or industries is a much more serious consideration.

This mantra of the career world has one limitation, you are now unemployed. When a person finds themselves out of work, they need to consider everything that is on the table. If they have wanted to, but been afraid to change jobs or careers, this may be the time. When you are making a specific income in your job because of your experience it is hard to consider taking a pay reduction and to start a new career or job title.

The one time that this can happen with less pain however is when you are unemployed. When you first find yourself out of work you need to sit down and evaluate your life and decide on a job search strategy. When you do so, you need to seriously answer the question of: “Do I want to continue doing what I do or would I rather be doing something else?” If the answer is continuing to do what you have been doing, then you are done and you only need to work on a job strategy that focuses on that job.

On the other hand, if you considered answering, “do something else”, then you need to see where your interests lie. Once you have decided what else is appealing to you, then you can take a legitimate look at that industry, that job title, and the companies that hire these positions and decide if there is a reasonable chance you could get a job doing just what you want to be doing.

Be realistic though. If you are a computer programmer and have been so for 15 years, you are most likely not going to get a marketing job unless you have connections and someone is willing to take a chance on you. If however you want to use this time of unemployment to start at the beginning again or to take a class or two that might make it easier to transition, then do it.

You only have a chance like this once. We are in a down market and economy right now, so this may be your one chance to change careers if that is what you are considering.

Friday, December 12, 2008

Unemployment Stress Relief

Yesterday, I addressed the stress rollercoaster that we are all on during our period of unemployment. Today, I feel it is necessary to address the ways that we can all alleviate some of the stress that accumulates during a long lay-off. Now, mind you that I am not a psychologist or psychiatrist, but these are common every day recommendations that are bound to help and not hurt.

First, you need to find a hobby. A hobby will help you relax and not think about the fact that you are unemployed or think about your job search. Find something that does not cost money, since you most likely short on funds, and preferably something that you can identify as yours. Whether that is writing short stories, bird watching, bird house building, working out, whatever, it just needs to be something that you can put your energies into and forget everything else for a time.

Second, talk to family and friends. You cannot keep the stress, worries and concerns locked up inside of you. Holding onto these issues will tear you up inside and make it even more likely that you will break some day. You need to have a couple people in your life, whether it is your spouse, best friend, mom and dad, or whoever, to speak with and tell them about your problems.
People really do understand. Just talking to other people takes some of the burden off of your shoulders. It just helps to lighten the load. If you did go to a psychologist they would make you talk about your problems. If you were to read a bunch of psychology books, they too would tell you the same thing. You need to have someone to whom you can unburden yourself and just talk to about the stress in your life.

Lastly, you need to have a balanced and well thought out job search strategy. You cannot have just one avenue for your getting a job. No matter how effective you think the career websites are or how extensive your network is, you need to balance out all of the different avenues for finding a job. Use as many of the available means to getting a job as possible.

You might ask how this is alleviating my stress. Well, no one avenue works for everyone, every time. As such, you will mentally know that you are trying everything to get a job if you are balancing out your search. The people who do not balance out their search and just rely on let’s say recruiters, when they don’t get a job in their hoped for time frame they begin to question and wonder if they were right and why they aren’t getting a job. These questions may still come in time, but if you spread out your offense as they call it in football, you have a better chance of getting an open job. This in turn means less stress in your life.

Keep your head held high, your confidence up and go get ‘em!

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Unemployment Stress

I was doing my usual twitter updating when I ran across someone’s twitter that asked how people handle the emotional side of being laid-off or out of work in general. I thought that was a good place to start my blog today. Because the reality of being out of work is that there is an emotional rollercoaster just waiting to be ridden.

The unknown quantity of this rollercoaster is how big it is and how long does it last. If you are out of work for a month, then the rollercoaster is short and easy with no real twists, turns or loops. A period of unemployment of 6 months and you are riding the big boys in the rollercoaster world. And longer than 6 months it gets extreme to the point of being an astronaut and strapping yourself onto a 100 ton rocket that is going to blast you into space.

It is easy for many people to forget about this emotional side. Your friends and family will not really understand what you are experiencing. Your spouse will not totally understand even though they are going through it with you. Most likely, in fact, you will not understand what is going on inside your own head. You just know that you are liable to blow up at any moment, break down and cry the next and the rollercoaster keeps on going.

The signs of an emotional impact on your life are always there, but you need to recognize them. If you are fighting with your spouse about the stupid little things in life, then this is most likely a sign of some unemployment stress. Many times these things that you are fighting about are things you would have never fought about in the past. It is the little things that just make you blow your top.

The other side of the spectrum can also rear its ugly head. The weekend that my grandfather died was a hard one for me. It happened on a Saturday and it hit me hard at first. I, however, am not a person who dwells on bad news and it takes a lot to get me down. So, I was relatively over the loss of my grandfather by that afternoon, or so I thought. The next day, I was out and my wife called me to tell me that the Bronco’s football game did not record on my DVR. I was pissed off and I went through a 15 minute period of yelling and crying stating over and over; “All I want is to watch football on Sunday’s. That is all I ask.”

It was my own fault because I was the one who programmed the DVR, but that did not matter. I was almost hysterical because my football game did not tape. Later, I realized that all of my anger and my frustration was coming through. It was the combination of losing my grandfather, not being able to get a job and being tight on money. While most people in the same unemployed position as me will not add the trauma of losing a loved one on top of their other problems, they are still having the stress of not being employed, money is usually an issue, they have kids or a dog to care for, and they have other obligations and concerns.

No matter the number of stressors in your life, you can break down. It is normal and it should be expected. Tomorrow I will address my suggestions to alleviate some of these stressors.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Auto Bail Out and Unemployment

A quick thought on the auto company bail-out. While it does not directly relate to unemployment, the result of the bail-out will affect the number of people applying for unemployment. The companies that do not get a bail-out may be forced to lay-off hundreds, if not thousands of workers. This will in turn hurt many people in those geographical areas affected by even more lay-offs.

The fact is however that these three companies are in seriously different situations and should not be treated as equal. Ford is clearly in the most stable position of the three. They are looking for a back-up loan in case the economy gets worse. They are confident that they can survive without government money as long as the economy does not keep its downward spiral going. Plus, if you look at the ratings for cars in magazines such as Consumer Reports, you will see that Ford’s vehicle ratings are way up from years ago. You will not find any new vehicles, other than the Ranger which is a long time hold-over from years past, rated as bad. In fact there are many vehicles that are recommended buys by Consumer Reports. This makes Ford the company that should get the loan guarantees a certainty.

GM on the other hand has too many brands that are just failing. They need to get rid of the dead weight. I do realize the fact that the federal and state governments have seriously hampered the ability of a car manufacturer to just eliminate a brand. It takes years at a significant cost due to dealer buy-backs and payments that must be made. Still, they need to get rid of the crap and they can survive. They are also the largest of the three and employ the most people and that should be considered in an economy that is in need of jobs right now. But, many of their cars are still being rated as unreliable or just plain bad. They need to clean house now and get straight.

Chrysler is the exact opposite of the other two. It has the least number of employees and unfortunately for them should be allowed to fail. The truth of the matter is that Chrysler was purchased by a Hedge Fund. The sole purpose of a hedge fund is to invest in unregulated, highly speculative markets, companies and industries with the potential of huge returns. The hedge fund people don’t want to play by the government rules and should be allowed to do so, but they also need to accept the fact that when they fail, they fail. Huge losses are always the downside of seeking huge returns. They did not invest to make an American company great again. They invested to build it up and sell it off and make a huge profit, which I am not against. But, they invested in a risky venture and should be told no for a bail-out.

Sorry to all of the potentially new unemployed out there, but we cannot just hand out money to every company. Let Chrysler fail. Make GM contract with a bail-out. Give Ford the loan guarantees with strings attached.

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Tuesday’s Entry

Day 2 of my unemployment blog is here. I have noticed that the one thing that we have going for us is the price of gas. If we were out of work a year ago, this would have been much more painful. Hopefully everyone out there is getting a slight break from their gas costs.
Two months before I was laid-off, I bought a new Ford Focus for the gas savings. I was traveling about 80 miles a day to and from work and I was driving a Ford Mustang Cobra that got somewhere in the neighborhood of 17 miles to the gallon on the freeway and 13 miles to the gallon on side streets. So, I figured it was time to get rid of the gas guzzler (which was paid-off) and get myself a more fuel efficient car (which included a car payment) only to get laid-off two and a half months later.

Well its better for the planet in the end. I still have to pump money into our other car, which is a gas guzzling Ford Expedition. For that reason alone I am happy with the lower gas prices. I can now afford to fill up my Expedition and not have it cost me $100.00. Before the prices had come down so much, we would only drive the Expedition locally such as the store or to pick up my son from school. Without a job, you just cannot afford to drop $100.00 into the gas tank every week.
Instead, my wife and I would switch off cars when we had to go somewhere of any distance. My wife would take it to work on the days that she works since her work is almost 30 miles from home and when I was doing some contract work that I had, I would take it on the days I went in for that work.

For the most part it worked out well for us. I encourage everyone to try and save money by doing something like this if you can work it into your driving schedule. It will put more wear and tear on the one vehicle, but it will be worth it in the long run.

The First Laid-Off: The Blog

Welcome to the very first Laid-Off: The Blog post. I was laid-off from my position as the Director of Operations for a small software company back in April and have been looking for work ever since. I understand the trials and tribulations of those of us who are out of work and are seeking a new job. As such, I decided that I should start a blog for those like us.

Unfortunately, the labor report for November came out last Friday and it was not good news. More than 530,000 people joined us in the ranks of the unemployed. They are just starting their job search odyssey and the current state of the economy worldwide does not bode well for the majority of them. The job search world is a serious pain in the ass and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.

My intent with this blog is to give everyone a voice and to open up the discussion on your job search strategy, your thoughts and feeling about being unemployed as well as anything and everything that is related to being out of work and searching for a job. Each day I will be posting a new blog entry and I hope that all of you will add to the discussion. Let us, as a group, help each other in our search.