Unemployed Freepers?

self | April 14, 2002 | self

[SpyderTim]

Lucent to Cut 5,000 More Jobs - Source Reuters | April 11, 2002 | Ben Klayman

Posted on 4/12/02 11:59 PM Pacific by SpyderTim

Lucent to Cut 5,000 More Jobs - Source Thu Apr 11, 4:28 PM ET By Ben Klayman CHICAGO (Reuters) - Telecommunications equipment maker Lucent Technologies Inc. plans to cut about 5,000 more jobs than previously expected by the end of June because of the slowdown in the telecom sector, a source close to the company said on Thursday.

See the link for the rest of the article.

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Just got to thinking, with the economy supposedly recovering, and layoffs continuing all around us, how many Freepers are currently out of work? How are they finding the job market?

1 posted on 4/12/02 11:59 PM Pacific by SpyderTim [ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies | Report Abuse ]

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To: SpyderTim

Luckily the coapany I worked for Did Good and accelerated my options when I was voluntarily laid off. Job market is pretty bad out there in high tech (programming). At one time or another 10 friends of mine were laid off this past year.

2 posted on 4/13/02 8:31 AM Pacific by lelio [ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies | Report Abuse ]

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To: SpyderTim

Just got to thinking, with the economy supposedly recovering, and layoffs continuing all around us, how many Freepers are currently out of work? How are they finding the job market?

Agreed. I know more people in the last year that have gotten laid off, and have remained laid off, than I do those who had no work and found it. This "recovery" is pure fabrication and spin pushed by the WH. The facts are that over half the new jobs created are being done by the government! GDP has increased primarily because of government spending!

Smoke and mirrors.

3 posted on 4/13/02 8:35 AM Pacific by Kobyashi1942 [ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies | Report Abuse ]

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To: Kobyashi1942

My company announced its office relocation way back in April of 2001. My last day was November 30. I've been networking and interviewing since then but haven't found quite what I'm looking for yet. It's not a bad job market if you know what you are doing, but it isn't as good as when I first graduate from college in 2000 either.

4 posted on 4/14/02 1:53 PM Pacific by SpyderTim [ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies | Report Abuse ]

[My Favorite Headache]

You are right. This thread is possibly one if not the most important going on tonight. Nothing like having a degree in communications/broadcasting only to bartend. Hell you make more money...but still are in the face of the hell known as F&B.

[Justa]

We're in the mood but most of us have gotten beyond your reasoning. We're not living in a manufacturing economy anymore just like we weren't living in an agricultural economy anymore by the 1920's. The information economy is experiencing it's first contraction after a 30 year run. The manufacturing-led economy went thru much more frequent and severe contractions than what we're experiencing.

We're in between growth cycles. The initial expansion has blown itself out and is contracting. Imo information economy growth in the future will come from stimuli such as switching to Open Source; better integration of computers and robotics and the continued deployment of the techniques, benefits and opportunities derived from IT.

I believe the greatest impediment to economic growth at the moment is heavy government regulation and corporate monopolies. Many Americans have come up with ingenious methods for solving some of the nation's problems but more often then not their efforts are held back by government regulation and corporate lobbying. I can think of the roads and highway system as one example. There are a whole bunch of new materials, products and designs that could give us great roads and bridges which could last for hundreds of years with little or no maintenance but they're not getting the attention they deserve. The private space launch industry is another example of government and corporate smothering of potential competition.

Heavy-handed government oversight and corporate oligarchies are the chief culprits in this regard, after the banks of course. Imo banks don't like economic innovation as it threatens the viability of their existing loan repayment schedules.

[UnBlinkingEye]

What a depressing thought. An engineering degree, 15 years experience in high tech telecommunications field to end up selling hamburgers at Burger King. Sad day in America when a highly skilled work force is being replaced by foreigners.

Amen.

I went back to school at age thirty got a BSCS and went to work at Microsoft in 1987. Started there at $23,000 in PSS (product support) and moved on to development with another company at the majestic wage of $34,000.

My next move put me at $45,000, led two major projects for the company and left after no significant increase in compensation.

Next move put my base pay at $85,000 before incentives, when I moved on they owed me arround $25,000 over my standard pay and had failed to meet payroll for six weeks.

Then I started a software consulting company, where we were all essentially billable engineers. Our clients included Microsoft, Wall Data, Legent, Jetstream, etc. 1993-1997

Now my income grew to about $135,000.

The company split due to better opportunities for my partners and internal feuding.

The downside begins.

I started a one man op to do contract programming with a vertical market company. Their market is high end recording and we developed an award winning product to do digital recording. The product is released, wins the aforementioned awards and we do the next version greatly enhancing the prior product. The primary focus of the business is another piece of technology and they shut down our development.

In search of stability I became a 'regular' employee of a company in the 'dot.com/bomb' industry only to see them blow through $45,000,000 in six months. They went bankrupt, now I face the same fate. A four year degree in Computer Science, fifteen years experience and no interest in my skills.

God Bless America.

[Lael]

better integration of computers and robotics and the continued deployment of the techniques, benefits and opportunities derived from IT.

Unfortunately, the Second Dip has begun.

IBM can't succeed selling components to other manufacturers...we're in for another 18 months.

[Mr_Magoo]

You can add me to the list too.

Currently trying to figure a way to get the White House to pay me to FReep. :-)

[al-andalus]

'True, most would agree with what you said, that inflation changed even though it didn't, but there is something that has changed between 1950 and today. What is it?'

This might not be the answer you want to hear, but in 1950 the majority of women were still at home. They weren't on career tracks. In other words, basically half the population wasn't in the competitive job market. Fast forward to 2002, when an American male not only has to compete against women but non-citizens as well. Very un-P.C., but true. The competition out there is lots tougher.

[gcruse]

Best of luck. Do let us know.

[Aarchaeus]

"I've lost count of how many resumes I've sent out."

I strongly recommend for any job hunter the book "What Color Is Your Parachute - 2000" by Richard Nelson Bolles. It is an update done in year 2000 of a book which originally came out about 20 years ago. My wife bought a copy for me when I was unemployed and it was of great value to me. One thing I remember from it is about finding leads. You didn't say how you have been getting your leads, and you might already know this, but I would never have thought of it: Searching through Yellow Pages for companies that would hire for your kind of work is at least as effective (I think more so, but I am not sure I remember that correctly) as looking through newspaper help wanted ads. There are a lot of tips about the entire process of job hunting. You might find it at a library, but if you have to buy, I believe it could be money well spent.

[Justa]

Yes, I agree. 18 months sounds about right. I know many networks are at a standstill in their deployment and capabilities thanks in most part to the long arms of MS. DARPA is sponsoring the development of ReiserFS v. 4 which has many secure aspects to it in addition to increased performance vs. current file systems.

The Fed. does not accept NT5 as a domain controller in many networks (mine included) so hopefully they will switch to an Open Source OS in the future. That would certainly reopen IT's development and deployment. Contrary to what some willie-nillies say if open source software becomes dominant there will be plenty of ways to make money with it. More so because the prospects for specialization are so greater than what MS's products offer.

The DARPA FS is due out in September. Lets hope they have an Open Source OS to throw onto it at that time as well! If so, the Good Times will return and IT will make another run. As it is today you can't get far before running into a MS checkpoint.

[Aarchaeus]

"I do wish you luck. If you are over 40, you will need it. If you are over 50, welcome to Bleak Horizons."

But don't think it is hopeless. I was 54 when I lost my job of 18 years' dureaion, and I have found another one. It is just a matter of finding the right place at the right time. Bleak? Sure feels that way. But don't give up.

[blueriver]

This is really not the case for the engineering field. I know for a fact that women make up a very small percent of engineers in America. This profession is very male dominated. So the problem is not your fellow America women. The problem is that there are too many Indian & Chinese engineers that have been allowed into this country on H-1B visas.

[fellowpatriot]

The difference is that we have become a more socialistic society than we were then. The government has more employees than the manufacturing sector. More and more people in this country rely on the government dole. It really disgusts me!

[Justa]

You said no one was "in the mood" to discuss the transfer of America's manufacturing base overseas.

Continued development in computers, robotics and nanotechnology will bring the return of America's preemminence in manufacturing. All the slave labor in the world can't compete with automated nano manufacturing. It could take 20 yr.s or more though to mature it. Computers were around for decades before they became integrated into everyday life. In the meantime a switch to Open Source computing could keep the IT economy healthy.

[Oberon]

Yep, I'm one.

I'm a contract tech writer by trade, living in Rocky Mount NC and (previously) working in Raleigh/Durham/RTP. My last contract ended on October 26th of 2001, and I've been scratching by on multiple part-time jobs ever since. It wouldn't be quite so bad if I wasn't sole breadwinner for a family of five.

[Yup!!]

What do you mean who can't find a job? There are loads of jobs out there. McDonald's is hiring, Burger King is hiring, the grocery stores are hiring. I see all kinds of signs saying "Now Hiring." Of course, can an American feed and support a family that way???

My husband has been out of work since October. He is a programmer. Today my daughter (she is 8) and I were at Walmart and she noticed the help wanted sign. It was too funny, she said Daddy can get a job here and we can see him when we shop. Actually, if something doesn't break for him soon, he will have to get a few of those Wal Mart jobs. I am actually considering getting rid of the cable internet!

[Mannaggia l'America]

Right now, I am contemplating whether I should go and sign up for unemployment. I have never been on unemployment for one day in my life, and don't like the entire concept. However, friends are telling me that I should do it because I pay into the system.

I agree with your friends. It is unemployment insurance, not welfare.

As a conservative, one's philosophy might be against a government-run insurance program such as this - that's one side of the coin.

But to pay into that insurance program, and then refuse to collect on it when eligible is another in my opinion. If I am forced to pay into it, then I feel that it is my right to collect on that insurance when my situation meets the mandated eligibilty requirements (although I never have collected unemployment either).

Many conservatives are philosophically against a government-run retirement program (Social Security), but since you cannot opt out of it, I would bet that more than 99% of those philosophically against it will cash their SS checks when they retire.