angela_the golo editor: blog 
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are you worried about losing your job?
Published Nov 21, 2008Views: 2132
Hello GOLO:
I am becoming increasingly disheartened by the sheer number of people losing their jobs. Every blog I see about it posted here breaks my heart and the news continues. I just learned of more massive layoffs at my old employer, and given that I'm from Detroit, I know many many people who have been affected by the auto industry woes.
So what practical advice can we offer people who are finding themselves back in the job market? If you're in that position, what steps are you taking to find employment?
What if you haven't been in the job market for 20 years? Then what?
Are you worried about losing your job?
Let's use this space to talk about everything from starting your own business to networking to the importance of saving for a rainy day.
We're bound to offer up something helpful to others.
Filed under: News & Issues
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It used to be that most of the resumes i did were for people looking to change jobs. Now, its people looking for ANY job. I had one client with an MBA and over 15 years of high level management expereince applying for secretarial positions! That is disturbing.
Last year at this time, business all but stopped for me. People were busy getting ready for the holidays, shopping for gifts, traveling- whatever. They were not thinking about their job, or finding a job, or what their resume looked like. This year is a whole different story!
my thoughts and prayers go out to all of you looking for work or facing layoffs, or just stressed about possible layoffs!
GOLO member since September 7, 2007
November 21, 2008 9:42 p.m.
GOLO member since July 8, 2008
November 21, 2008 10:10 p.m.
GOLO member since November 13, 2007
November 21, 2008 11:10 p.m.
GOLO member since September 1, 2007
November 21, 2008 11:20 p.m.
GOLO member since September 1, 2007
November 21, 2008 11:39 p.m.
Am I worried about my job...It crosses my mind because I see it all around me. I've been told that I am not allowed to quit, and cannot be fired, so I feel secure that I am needed, and wanted in the services I provide. If I did lose my job(s), I think I am well rounded enough that I could fall into something, even if it is not my "norm".
My prayers are with those searching. My advise to them would be broaden your horizons. Don't corner yourself in the market. Don't limit yourself to things you *know* you can do. You may surprise yourself.
GOLO member since July 16, 2008
November 22, 2008 12:45 p.m.
GOLO member since November 7, 2007
November 22, 2008 5:45 p.m.
GOLO member since August 2, 2007
November 22, 2008 11:10 p.m.
November 23, 2008 12:58 a.m.
GOLO member since August 20, 2007
November 24, 2008 12:20 p.m.
GOLO member since December 12, 2007
November 24, 2008 12:30 p.m.
Here in the Triangle which if I am not mistaken the highest per capita PhD population you are competing with MBAs and PhDs for jobs which are at a fraction of the salaries many are use to. While its great to be in a high tech growth area, right now its one of the worst places to be if you are unemployed.
Someone else already mentioned it in an earlier post. If you think we(NC) is not that bad on unemployment wait until the payments stop and it will be around 15-20% easily.
GOLO member since July 11, 2007
November 24, 2008 2:07 p.m.
GOLO member since July 12, 2007
November 24, 2008 7:25 p.m.
GOLO member since October 18, 2007
November 25, 2008 3:30 p.m.
It's not hard to compete with an MBA.
Not worried. There's always something. The difficulty would be lifestyle changes.
GOLO member since September 19, 2008
November 25, 2008 4:20 p.m.
I am not worried but I have had open positions and unless you are hiring you would not believe the competition. If you are not worried I am truly happy for you but you would not believe the resume list and qualifications.
GOLO member since July 11, 2007
November 25, 2008 7:25 p.m.
Well, I wish you good luck. Job hunting is not a fun thing, especially when you have a lot of people with your skills also in the market.
There was an article on CNN that mentioned areas that had jobs available. Mostly places in Montana and Utah.
GOLO member since September 19, 2008
November 25, 2008 7:52 p.m.
GOLO member since September 22, 2008
November 25, 2008 10:07 p.m.
Nope--I didn't have one (been at home with the kids) and my husband already lost his. No worry there...
The REAL worry is finding a new job...
My husband's unemployment will run out in March. I'm thankful for unemployment but at the same time, $419 a week doesn't pay the bills and our credit cards are about maxed out. I've been applying for jobs since my son started Kindergarten in September. I've not even had an interview. Or phone call. I just got done checking the ESC and there's not much out there. At all. We are selling whatever we can on eBay to pay for some Christmas presents for the kids. My mom sent me a check via Priority Mail today in the hopes that it gets here by Black Friday and the sales. She wants to make sure the kids have presents from Santa.
My mom said today she is flying in 12-11, I'm not sure if my dad is coming or not, but I REALLLLY look forward to seeing my mom. I need my mom right now.
GOLO member since August 3, 2007
November 26, 2008 2:44 a.m.
GOLO member since October 18, 2007
November 26, 2008 7:22 a.m.
GOLO member since April 9, 2008
November 26, 2008 7:56 a.m.
November 26, 2008 8:58 a.m.
Yea I'm worried.
GOLO member since February 22, 2008
November 26, 2008 3:38 p.m.
I'm sorry to break the news to you, but a U of P degree isn't gonna get you very far, and it's not because it's an out-of-state school; it's because U of P has a VERY poor reputation and is basically considered a diploma mill with subpar teaching standards and less class hours than more highly regarded schools. You would have been better off by attending an AACSB accredited school like Elon, NC State or ECU, all of them having reasonably priced programs.
GOLO member since October 12, 2007
November 27, 2008 6:37 a.m.
GOLO member since October 18, 2007
November 27, 2008 3:06 p.m.
GOLO member since October 19, 2007
November 28, 2008 8:17 a.m.
GOLO member since May 11, 2008
November 28, 2008 10:33 a.m.
Maybe you are right about an MBA, but not so right about a Ph.D. Usually people that say things like that don't have advanced degrees.
GOLO member since September 19, 2008
November 28, 2008 11:28 a.m.
There's a big difference between an MBA degree from an AACSB accredited school and an MBA from diploma mills like UofP and CTU. MBA degrees from second-tier (not AACSB accredited) schools like Campbell or Meredith may be helpful in getting a job locally, but outside of this area, it's not worth that much. An MBA from an AACSB accredited school like Duke, UNC, ECU, NC State or Elon is recognized world-wide. I wonder why people in NC spend money on UofP or CTU when you can get a high-class online MBA degree for less at ECU.
Good hiring managers know the difference between MBA programs and someone once told me that putting an UofP MBA degree on your resume was not recommended since paying for a degree from there showed that you didn't bother to do proper research before enrolling, and an employer doesn't want to hire that kind of person.
GOLO member since October 12, 2007
November 28, 2008 12:31 p.m.
GOLO member since October 18, 2007
November 28, 2008 5:35 p.m.
GOLO member since October 18, 2007
November 28, 2008 5:41 p.m.
GOLO member since November 28, 2008
November 29, 2008 3:52 p.m.
Workers are now expendable. If they don't like their job, they can quit and the job will go overseas, where is will be done shoddily for a good price.
We can blame Bill Gates for this mess. He set the standard for lining his pockets while hiring temporaries to do the heavy lifting. Donations to worthy third world causes are not enough to buy back his soul. Most CEOs now want the same deal - they get all the money.
Henry Ford had his faults, but he paid a fair enough wage so that workers could buy the very product that they sold.
GOLO member since March 25, 2008
December 1, 2008 1:12 p.m.
If you want a secure job - you have to work for yourself - learn to market to masses, and you have to treat people right.
I won't buy another IBM or HP system because their machines were pooh. But here is the thing. If their support people in other countries weren't clueless and had marketing backgrounds, they probably could have saved them the money.
But that is beside the fact. If you want a job that is safe, then you should invest in jobs that you change every 5 years. If you are an incompetent dolt, then you deserve the welfare line.
I on the other hand, have a license to peddle others goods when I am asked to do so. So I can beg a corporation to hire me or I can go my own way.
I have a UoP degree, and I can tell you that it was a kick in the pants compared to the class at NCSU.
GOLO member since December 12, 2007
December 3, 2008 10:28 p.m.
Because when you step out of the area, an ECU degree is worth as much as a University of Texas at Abeline degree has.
The fact of the matter is that a UNC-W degree means nothing past I-95.
A community college degree is your starter toilet paper.
GOLO member since December 12, 2007
December 3, 2008 10:30 p.m.
i do resent this remark. i happen to train people at the community college level who are laid off or just first time students, and they go into the workplace making almost 2 to 3 times as much in a different field where just a high school diploma would be enough... all because they have a community college education, whether it be just a certificate or diploma. I think it has more to do with what field you are going into, as to how much your degree is worth. I do think some people waste too much money on higher education, when they could go to a community college for what they end up doing.
GOLO member since August 1, 2007
December 3, 2008 11:52 p.m.
December 5, 2008 7:20 a.m.
December 5, 2008 7:22 a.m.
December 19, 2008 8:16 p.m.
GOLO member since December 15, 2008
December 21, 2008 3:12 p.m.
Oh yeah, btw, I new things were bad a while back when a mental retarded guy got a high school diploma(in the 80's), who couldnt read or write. Made my diploma mean so much, uhhhh!
December 29, 2008 9:05 a.m.
Good - then you understand that most of your employers are looking for a masters degree to fulfill menial jobs, and that those who have Associates Degrees are your Wal-Mart Super Center Employees.
I have two Associates in Engineering and know better than your resentment.
GOLO member since December 12, 2007
December 30, 2008 10:26 a.m.
December 31, 2008 1:34 a.m.
GOLO member since July 31, 2007
January 7, 2009 8:09 p.m.
Uh, yes they are. You may not have personally been affected or even known someone affected but that doesn't make it any less of a fact. Stay in your bubble, it's too scary out here for you.
GOLO member since September 17, 2007
January 8, 2009 11:19 a.m.
Those who shun technology won't stand a chance over the next decade regardless of their ambitions in medicine, accounting, marketing - name it. Soon being computer illiterate will be like not being able to read. You'd be surprised how many MBA's I've met who can't find a file on a network. Hell some can't even log in to the network.
GOLO member since September 17, 2007
January 8, 2009 11:36 a.m.
I lost my job 3 weeks ago, my dad lost his job this week, my girlfriend has been unemployed since november. my parents are selling the house in order to survive and eating small meals, I'm stocked up on oodles of noodles and now late on all my bills. This is a serious depression that is continually trickeling down and getting people who thought they would never be affected.
Thank you George Bush and all your "smart" supporters!
January 13, 2009 9:18 a.m.
February 9, 2009 4:00 p.m.
He was the problem to this economy.
February 11, 2009 11:24 a.m.
February 14, 2009 4:58 p.m.
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