The NEW job market: "switched careers, significantly reduced living standards"

[Amerigo Vespucci]

Sue Bires, 60, was laid off from a job managing homeowners’ associations in Orlando, Fla. She eventually filed for bankruptcy and took a job at a call center.

A new study of American workers displaced by the recession sheds light on the sacrifices a large number have made to find work. Many, it turns out, had to switch careers and significantly reduce their living standards.

“In many cases, these people are not very happy,” said Cliff Zukin, professor of public policy and political science at Rutgers University and one of the authors of the study. “They’re the winners who got new jobs, but they’re not really what they want, and not where they want to be.”

“Look, I am really happy to have a job — that’s the main thing,” said Sue Bires, 60, who was laid off from a job managing homeowners’ associations in Orlando, Fla., in September 2008. She initially had another job lined up with a different realty association in Orlando, but when that fell through, she moved to Austin, Tex., to stay with a friend. She filed for bankruptcy and took a job at a call center.

But she now earns $30,000, far below the $45,000 she was paid when she was managing properties.

“It’s competitive out there, even for the lower paying jobs, especially when you’re 60 looking for a job in a young town,” Ms. Bires said. “So I’m grateful to have a job where the people are nice and I have a little bit of flexibility in my hours. That’s especially important now, since retirement is looking like a long way off.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/01/business/economy/01hires.html

[MrModerate]

1. Even those not laid off suffer from this situation . . .

If I lost my job there's no way in hell I could make half what I make now with a new employer (if I could find a job) -- and my employer knows it. Which leads my employer to trim here, to hold back there, and generally leverarge the situation in the US job market to trim back its costs. So far it's been irksome to me rather than infuriating and hasn't seriously damaged my relationship with my employer (it's a big company so doesn't really affect day-to-day relationships with supervisors and direct reports).

But if this goes on . . .

[Faygo Kid]

2. It's hopeless out there for older workers. Sorry, but that's the truth.

Just moved in with my girlfriend; we'll both be 60 in 2011, and she's been out of work for the past year through no fault of her own and after a lifetime of hard work and achievement. It's pretty obvious: There's no job for her. I do have a good job, and if I'm lucky enough to keep it for another few years, I can now help her keep her house and maybe even retire. Maybe.

The reality is that the nation is falling apart, and the haves grow ever stronger versus the have nots. Happy new year.

[sarcasmo]

16. If you live in a decent size town day shift taxi driver might be an option for her, self employed.

Taxi companies usually only want a clean licensed driver they don't care about age.

[intheflow]

3. This is the real reason why all the "job claims down" celebratory posts

annoy me. Even if you get a job in this economy, it's apt to be a demotion of some kind, a loss of standard of living. This is especially true for older workers. So we're supposed to celebrate a low wage job recovery, grateful for any paycheck no matter how meager.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

5. I do not personally know anyone who has not "downgraded"

Everyone I know...everyone...has either taken a hit in terms of career, finances, living arrangements, or all of the above.

I visited a client today...a store owned by a couple in their 60s...and the wife told me "we're feeling it too."

I don't want to stand in the way of anyone celebrating...if 2010 was a good year for them, great...but for me, it wasn't, and it wasn't for anyone I know personally or professionally either.

[Juche]

15. Yeah, it is very disingenious

Reagan's budget director was talking about that recently, how most of the jobs created were contract/temp jobs that were part time and paid 20k a year.

So the jobs being created have no security, no benefits and pay less. It is bothersome when people act like that is a sign of recovery.

[intheflow]

17. I worked as a temp all through the Reagan and Clinton years.

I couldn't find a job with benefits, and often worked multiple jobs in addition to my 40 hour temp job just to make ends meet as a single parent. Thank God for extended family or my child would have had no supervision whatsoever, I was too busy working to make sure he had clothes, food and a roof.

[Quantess]

4. She's in the same boat as me

and most of the other people at my new job. We are former professionals, now making a really crappy wage. It's the best job we could find, for the moment...

[Name removed]

6. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Quantess]

9. "pity parade"?

Congratulations for your good job, but there was no need for you to insult anyone, as you just did.

I made objective, matter-of-fact statements about my background, my co-workers backgrounds, and that we currently work for a very low wage because we haven't found anything else.

[Name removed]

10. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Digit]

7. I finally found a job after almost two years

but it is a contract position...no benefits, no security, and I am about to turn 60.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

8. Lots of us are prematurely retired.

I haven't worked since a nine day temp job in 2001
With a Juris Doctor and a BA in biology I wonder why in the hell I worked and went to night school for five years to earn that doctorate.
I'm glad I have the knowledge, but never got a job with a BA or a JD.

I was able to say fuck the job market - I always felt powerless and unable to use my considerable education of 320 hours of college and grad school - 3 degrees, to get a job. Felt that I was never respected for waht I could do because I am short and female. And now old.

[KG]

11. i'm now making half what i did 2 years ago. my line of work may never recover.

i know i'm screwed.

[PassingFair]

12. I made about 10% less this year than last year.

I am in sales, and I am routinely eating
shit sandwiches sent from management.

Everyone, and I mean EVERY ONE of us in
sales is unhappy. To the point where you
almost HOPE they will fire you, just to
get the clueless wielders of cognitive dissonance
out of our lives.

I hope the economy turns around soon.

:crazy:

[Amerigo Vespucci]

13. I am a sole proprietor, so I am my "sales department," and as such, "in sales."

My actual line of work is strategic marketing, with an emphasis on Web design, digital photography, and desktop publishing.

But if I don't go out and get clients, there are no clients. So I am "in sales," and in the last two years I have spent more time "in sales" than producing work for clients (my company celebrates its 10 year anniversary in June 2011).

My personal feeling is that the heat you are getting from management is directly due to the fact that they have not had to prospect, present and close in order to make a living in this economy.

And they all have an "answer" for low quotas that revolves around making more cold calls, following up on current customers to upsell, etc.

Here's a little story you can share with your boss. I'll bet you've been in similar situations:

I have a potential client who approached me one year ago. I provided a proposal at that time. Two months went by and I heard nothing. I followed up. I was told that they were going to review the proposal at their board meeting in April. At that meeting, they decided they weren't going to review it until October. In October, they decided to form a stand-along committee for the Web redesign project rather than have it go through the quarterly board meeting. I was approached again. This time they showed up with an R.F.P. they did not have in January and asked me if it would cost the same as my original quote. I told them no, since they added several brand-new, programming-heavy requirements that weren't part of the original request. I also told them proposals are generally valid for 30 to 90 days, not 10 months, and I needed to write a new one anyway and have my programmers provide a new price.

I started the proposal and had questions they needed to answer. They delayed, didn't return phone calls, and basically punted until after Thanksgiving.

I called one week after Thanksgiving and was told "Oh, yeah, I just moved my office and haven't done anything with it. Give me a few more days."

It's now January 1st. My gut told me that after punting past Thanksgiving, they were going to do the same thing with Christmas, and they did.

That's what 2009 has been...people interested, with at least half of them approaching me, rather than me cold calling them or getting a referral, and they just walk away and stop returning calls.

It's not because I scared them away with a high price or made a bad impression. I think they simply get cold feet about spending anything and just walk away.

[PassingFair]

14. You're obviously not a "closer".

:sarcasm:

I work for a sales based industry, I am
responsible for all the art, design, etc,
but I don't actually DO it.

I am supposed to handle customer complaints
and prepare for accounts after 5:00...it's
all about the sales.

Churn, churn, churn.

I wouldn't be down 10%, except they changed
the "bonus" structure to reward cheaters.

If I have to start cheating, I'd just as soon
they fire me.