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 ]

[Lazamataz]

From my experience, most people in their 50s are more skilled, dedicated, dependable and stable than most in their 20s, 30s and even 40s. Why is it that an employer whould shy away from someone in their 50s??

Several reasons:

1) Employers stuck in the 1960's mindset: "Well, he will only have 10 to 15 years to be with the company!" -- reality, most workers only stay 2 to 6 years.

2) Older workers mostly demanding larger salaries.

3) Older workers less likely to want to spend 10-14 hour days at office.

[Dave S]

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.

Why not sign up. You paid for it. Part of your compensation package was the taxes your employer paid for unemployment compensation. It's not welfare. It's ususally not much, but it will help and will allow you to hold unto some of your own resources should unemployment last longer than you expect.

Remember, its getting to be more and more unususal for a person not to be in your position at least once during their career. Keep positive, keep active and network like crazy. Good luck.

[Dave S]

From my experience, most people in their 50s are more skilled, dedicated, dependable and stable than most in their 20s, 30s and even 40s. Why is it that an employer whould shy away from someone in their 50s?? Is it that they demand more pay? More benefits? What's the deal here? It just doesn't seem to make much sense.

Those in there 50's have more experience and are earning more. Employers dont want to pay the higher salary for a position that does not require that much experience. Many also question the person who is willing to accept less income than their experience should demand. Is there something wrong with them? Are they really as good as they say? Is this just going to be a filler job for them and they will leave shortly after the employer has invested in training them.

Also, those in their 40's and 50's have kids and grandkids that soak up some of their time. Many are not as single minded in their pursuit of career as when they were 22. And lastly, health problems become more of a factor when you approach 50. Companies, especially small firms, are very concerned about health insurance costs. Add a few older employees to your health insurance policy, especially if they have any chronic problems, and it may make the price of insurance so high that the firm is no longer able to offer it to their employees.

Sorry, but those are the facts of life that those over 50 face. So be aware of your skills and not just your technical skills. You may need to go into a new field. Teachers are in dire need. Charitable organizations may need help. Or you may just need to get a couple of Wal-Mart jobs. Or you could do what I did more than ten years ago and go into business for yourself.

[Mr. Jeeves]

I highly recommend the book "Ask the Headhunter" by Nick Corcodilos. He gives advice that most people don't want to hear, but those who take it will navigate past the Byzantine maze of corporate HR departments and get to where they need to be.

The big problem is that America has a crying need for highly skilled specialists and almost no need at all for average generalist-type employees. And we have an oversupply of very average people looking for jobs.

[SpyderTim]

Now that we’re all sharing our horror stories, here is mine. I’m not in telecom, but my job was very much a creation of the “new economy”. My degree is in journalism, with an emphasis in political science, and I worked for West Group as a legal editor. I wrote about labor and employment law issues for some of West’s human resources publications. They relocated our offices, effectively laying off 200 people. I’m planning on getting my master’s in political science and then my law degree, and am beginning an internship as a legislative analyst in the fall, so it has been difficult finding a job to work till then.

The most likely way any of us is going to find our next job is through networking. That's one reason I started this thread. Figured it couldn't hurt and maybe at least one person might help another find the right contact. So if anyone knows a company in need of someone with terrific research skills and outstanding writing ability in the Chicago area, send them my way! Thanks.

[Mr_Magoo]

I spent 13 years in the printing industry, worked my way up from the very bottom to lead pressman. Then they closed the plant. During that time I saw new tech. make a lot of jobs obsolete. Even the type of jobs I used to print is falling off. I printed checks for businesses. Between small business closings, direct deposit, EFT transfers, and Debit Cards, our work fell off by over 60%.

I recently worked for another shop for a few months as low man on a Harris Web press. It took over 9 months to find that job. I walked off the job after 4 months due to poor safety practices. My health and wellbeing is more important than a paycheck.

Now I am back to looking.

[Wonder Warthog]

"So why is it that an engineer can't live on $10,000 today but yet could in say 1950?"

THAT one is easy---because back in 1950, a dollar was worth a dollar. Today it is only worth a dime--SOOOOOO--that $10K salary in 1950 equates to a $100K salary today.

[Jaidyn]

I am 54 and miss less work than my young counterparts. My work performance is better, too, along with quality. I am faster and have a better attitude than the young kids who think they are too good to put in eight hours work for eight hours pay. My kids are grown so I don't have to stay home with kids who have measles or fart sideways. I am available for off-hours that no body wants to work. Yet, it is me who will be overlooked because of my age. What you stated is mostly wrong. Aches and arthritis don't keep us from working, we are accustomed to a modicum of discomfort. Let some young girl have her monthly and she is off for a week or moaning and groaning like death warmed over! Everything that is a part of me works as good now as it always did; it just looks a tad different.

[bandlength]

thanks for sharing your story. i have a friend who used to work for "lawyer's co-op" and now works security for westgroup publishing in downtown rochester ny. (that was one of the jobs that turned me down due to bad ref from previous employer). also a coincidence, xerox was operating out of an old lawyer's co-op building in webster ny. that's the job i got laid off from. (bldg not that old; very nice) i also worked as a temp for lawyer's co-op back in the early eighties!

[bandlength]

when i get my next job, guess what i'll be saving up for?

that's right. cosmetic rearrangement (LOL)

[Dave S]

I am 54 and miss less work than my young counterparts. My work performance is better, too, along with quality. I am faster and have a better attitude than the young kids who think they are too good to put in eight hours work for eight hours pay. My kids are grown so I don't have to stay home with kids who have measles or fart sideways. I am available for off-hours that no body wants to work. Yet, it is me who will be overlooked because of my age. What you stated is mostly wrong. Aches and arthritis don't keep us from working, we are accustomed to a modicum of discomfort. Let some young girl have her monthly and she is off for a week or moaning and groaning like death warmed over! Everything that is a part of me works as good now as it always did; it just looks a tad different

I congrat you on your attitude. That is exactly the type of attitude you are going to need to convey to employment managers, that a willingness to be flexible on pay. Perhaps one way you might leverage that attitude is to go into business for yourself and offer what ever service you were providing to companies from offsite. Only hitch is benefits but that is one of the big reasons they are less likely to hire you.

Regardless of attitude, what I stated in my earlier post is exactly what employers think (and for most older employees, they are atleast somewhat true). As far as health, we are not talking about arthritis and other aches and pains. We are talking about heart disease, cancer, and other biggies whose odds increase substantially with age. Someone with one of those maladies can cost the insurance company over $100,000 a year if they are lucky.

[SpyderTim]

Interestingly enough, West Group integrated our Chicago-area offices into the existing ones in Rochester. No way was I going to move to dreadful, liberal, boring Rochester. So I stuck with fun, exciting, liberal Chicago.

[Jaidyn]

Thanks for your input. This thread is just what I needed, older people telling it like it is without debating NAFTA, GATT or any of the other issues that concerns me. Just knowing I'm in contact with others who have a similar situation. I'm not into AARP or the programs that turn us into lobbyists; I just want a job, period! Bush doesn't need to get himself involved but I would like to see the thirty and forty something managers look at us as individuals rather than a group of senile folks. Like I said earlier, I'm exactly the way I was thirty years ago on the inside. To hell with my crows' feet.

[snopercod]

Thanks for the advice.

I do have some HVAC experience (nuclear power), and I applied to a local contractor. He wanted someone who had installed commercial ductwork, and I had only commissioned an entire nuclear plant. I was underqualifed...

[RIGHT IN SEATTLE]

I wish I could vote for my pay raise,

but I'm not in Congress!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!