Surviving the bad economy...

[michaelsuave]

Just wanted to start a thread seeing how everybody here on the forum is doing in light of our tough economic times. Is everybody surviving? Keeping a job? how about a house? Fel, how are you doing? Spec, keeping above water? If nothing else, feel free to vent people.

~Michael

[J-Man5]

Well... I was out of work for almost 4 months. Was dipping into savings each month by 1000.00 and that was cutting the food budget to 100.00 per month total for 2 people. That was while I was working throwing papers each night/morning. Wife is/was working part time due to health. Had lots of interest in resume but nothing concrete. Too much experience/over qualified etc. etc. Job finally came through last week from an interview back in January. I have signed all the paperwork and will start April 6th. Finished last day of paper route last night. I could have kept it up if it was a driving route and not an apartment route. I ran 3/4 miles each night delivering papers and running up and down stairs. I was too tired to handle a full time position. But with the new job I won't need too. In case anyone knows or wants to research it, I will be working for an international firm that is the sponsor for Tiger Woods. I'm overqualified for this job too but I dumbed down my resume some. Keep your chin up if you are struggling. Remember pride is only in your head and bread on the table is more important than pride and that anything per hour is more than zero per hour. These were the lessons I learned. Also you never know your real strength until it is tested and put under trial. I kept telling myself as I was crying from pain running the paper route that I was getting paid to exercise. This too shall pass! I'm planning to make sure I am debt free by the end of 2010 this includes house, car and credit cards. Viva large fat bank account with no debt.

J-Man5

[Spec8472]

For the moment I'm in a reasonably secure position - both financially and employment wise.
We're still really busy at work.

I still can't believe anyone would reject an applicant from a role on the basis that they're over qualified.
It seems really irresponsible on the part of the employer.

Skill Set A costs $x in the market
Skill Set A+B costs $x + y in the market

If someone comes in with Skill Set A+B, and only asking $x, then you'd have to be stupid to reject them because they have more experience/skills than required.

[michaelsuave]

And yet it happens a lot. Often employers are worried that by the time they train you or you get settled in, you will move on to something bigger and better for which you are really qualified for. I'm more worried about just keeping my job. The industry is flooded with people with my experiance level and education/background, the economy is bad, and I work billable hours, yet at the moment I sit at my desk without work. I keep questioning, am I not getting work because it isn't there with the economy, are they not giving me work because they are going to fire me?... Usually I'm really busy, these slow times are scary...

[Spec8472]

And yet it happens a lot. Often employers are worried that by the time they train you or you get settled in, you will move on to something bigger and better for which you are really qualified for.

Right, but this is why you ask for employment history. If someone's got a lot of odd short term stints without reasonable explanation (eg doing short contracts), then you'd surely question whether they are likely to stick around.

*shrug* I'm more than happy to put someone over qualified in a more junior role if they're willing to accept the pay. Gives us an opportunity to have first shot at moving them to a more senior position later on. Getting good people is (still) not easy.

I'm hoping that at least the GFC will be useful for weeding out the folks who are simply in IT for the money, rather than because they're interested in the stuff.

[andy_t_roo]

Well, i'm in the last 6 months of my PhD, and as a computer scientist (specialising in biomedical imaging), i can't imagine that this will make it any easyer to get funding, or find a position at a research institute. I would guess that new research positions would disappear quite quickly when funding dries up.

So life for me could be quite interesting when i finish here ...

[Sancria]

I am at the other end of the skills/labor workforce. I am currently in business for myself, and I own a restaurant. A sushi bar in fact.

I live in a part of the country that sees its shares of ups and downs, and I learned a long time ago to balance it out. I too am dipping into my savings, but I actually budgeted it out; I hate being right all the time sometimes

There is light at the end of the tunnel though, and it's not a train. Starting to see business slowly pick up, but have also seen the direct competitors wither on the vine, and I'm looking forward to picking up their slack.

One of the truisms I've heard lately: Every garden thrives when the farmer waters the dirt, but during a drought, only the strongest survive. This is true for the economy now too. If you are hanging in there, then you are stronger then the idiots who are asking for bailouts and smarter too.

Another truism: One man's disaster is another man's opportunity. The best businessmen actually expand during economic downturns because everything becomes cheaper as people are more desperate to keep working.

I just remembered the Vulpans really got their fortune started during the depression. Now how's that for a good example that we can all follow

[dellstart]

I am at the other end of the skills/labor workforce. I am currently in business for myself, and I own a restaurant. A sushi bar in fact.

I live in a part of the country that sees its shares of ups and downs, and I learned a long time ago to balance it out. I too am dipping into my savings, but I actually budgeted it out; I hate being right all the time sometimes

There is light at the end of the tunnel though, and it's not a train. Starting to see business slowly pick up, but have also seen the direct competitors wither on the vine, and I'm looking forward to picking up their slack.

One of the truisms I've heard lately: Every garden thrives when the farmer waters the dirt, but during a drought, only the strongest survive. This is true for the economy now too. If you are hanging in there, then you are stronger then the idiots who are asking for bailouts and smarter too.

Another truism: One man's disaster is another man's opportunity. The best businessmen actually expand during economic downturns because everything becomes cheaper as people are more desperate to keep working.

I just remembered the Vulpans really got their fortune started during the depression. Now how's that for a good example that we can all follow

true true!!

[schunn99]

The bad economy hopefully will be getting better. I am a BFA photography major and I have about a year to go, I just hope the US economy is in a better shape than now. Luckily I have a job working in a meat counter in a grocery store. But when I am done at school, I hope to move onto a job within the photography field.

[schunn99]

I think it is going to be a scary to be transitioning from college to first post college job in about a year, with the state of the us economy in such flux.

[Mizriath]

I am a worker, earning a salary from the boss owner who has now been facing margin and debt calls from the banks.... The banks does not want to lend money for him to continue to do business even though it is a viable business in the first place. He has mortgage everything he have to build the business. It has grown but in a way it is due to relationship with the banks who is willing to lend him money to build the business.

I just have to wait and see how the whole thing panned out... and whether there is a job waiting at the end of the line for me.

I am not going to hold on to any pride because the children are not going to understand why there are no food on the table. Well hopefully the clouds clears up soon.

[DrGonzo]

In the past, I also have been told that I didnt get the job because I was over-qualified. I dont get it anymore though (perhaps I am not as qualified any longer). I sometimes wonder, they say that it is difficult in my field too (freelance SAS programming), but I keep getting offers. Last year, they said that this year would be difficult, and this year, they say that next year will be difficult. I have work to the end of this year, and after that, I dont know, but I think I will get something, as others have said, I may have to accept a bit less pay but I can accept that.
Magnus

[kal]

heh. i just missed out on the lay-offs my company just did and i am really glad of it. i feel bad for the people that we let go but know that i don't have to worry about it it makes me feel A LOT better that i don't have to worry about it anymore. its also really nice knowing my company doesn't feel the economic crunch AS MUCH as some company's. i work as a electronic test technician testing spectrograph machines, and our products will always be needed.

[Mark_Reed]

I have been unable to find work for 6 months. I apply for everything and anything that crosses my path. I barely ever even get a callback.

I don't know if the economy is getting better. I only know that I've been homeless for a month, and the program that has been hosting me shut down today. As of tonight, I am on the streets.

[kal]

I have been unable to find work for 6 months. I apply for everything and anything that crosses my path. I barely ever even get a callback.

I don't know if the economy is getting better. I only know that I've been homeless for a month, and the program that has been hosting me shut down today. As of tonight, I am on the streets.

ouch man! all i can say is good luck and i hope its not too cold where you live. i was talking to one of the big wigs at work about the economy and he was saying there are good signs that the economy is going to turn around soon (he might be being optimistic but it is his job to watch that), for all of our sakes that it is true.