Is the recession making you depressed? Cranky?

[oncegreek]

Many of the moms at my sons school stay at home, and a few are bit vocal about it. They are able to volunteer in the classrooms, etcetera. Which is fine. As a working mom, I can't do that, and instead donate supplies to my sons class. Recently, a stay at mom of one of my sons friends asked me if I was still working. I replied, "of course," and thought gee, what planet is she living on? Some one else asked me that a few days later, and I began to realize that, with so many imminent layoffs in education, the questions about whether or not I am working have to do with the lousy economy, not the work vs. stay home issue.

[PM_Mama00]

Originally Posted by AGDee

One of my sisters said "Yeah, and we're the ones who did the right thing, got an education, stayed in our careers, but an education is no guarantee anymore".

Dee I'm so sick of people with no college education getting jobs over those with degrees. I busted my butt to get through and here I am, 4 months jobless with hundreds of resumes out there, and I've gotten ONE interview. At a hair salon. I've got the experience they want, I'm available 24/7, I put my salary requirement at $8 (min wage is $7.40)... tell me why I have a feeling that someone less educated got the job? To top it off, I went to a few Greek events in the last few weeks and apparently I'm the ONLY alumni (tiny Greek system) who is jobless. It's so embarrassing. My mom keeps telling me that there are thousands of others out there just like me but when I went to the unemployment office, it looked like a bunch of lazy trash. I was so glad that I didn't dress up and just threw on jeans and a hoodie and I was STILL dressed nicer than the people in there.

Must be nice to be those union autoworkers now getting hefty packages. THOSE are the people who are going to find jobs when they leave. We won't.

[KSUViolet06]

I suppose I'm blessed. None of my family members have been laid off. I have a few friends who have lost their jobs, but they always seem to find something after maybe a month of looking.

I am a grad student right now, so the recession has not affected me (I don't work while in school). I try not to get caught up in the "OMG recession" hype that is all over the news. I hate it and all it does is make people WORRY.

My best advice is to just live.

[epchick]

Originally Posted by PM_Mama00

Dee I'm so sick of people with no college education getting jobs over those with degrees. I busted my butt to get through and here I am, 4 months jobless with hundreds of resumes out there, and I've gotten ONE interview.

It's been almost a year since I graduated from college (will be a year May 10th) and have yet to find a job. It sucks! I've also only had one interview---for a job that ended up being part time, and they claimed i was the frontrunner yet i didn't get the job

[PM_Mama00]

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06

I suppose I'm blessed. None of my family members have been laid off. I have a few friends who have lost their jobs, but they always seem to find something after maybe a month of looking.

I am a grad student right now, so the recession has not affected me (I don't work while in school). I try not to get caught up in the "OMG recession" hype that is all over the news. I hate it and all it does is make people WORRY.

My best advice is to just live.

Hmm. Good for you.

I hope that you never have to experience it, because you'll be eating your words. People have REASON to worry right now. Unemployment and backup money only lasts for so long especially when you have a family to support. It's kind of hard to "just live" if you have nothing and fear that you will be homeless in a few months.

[KSUViolet06]

Originally Posted by PM_Mama00

Hmm. Good for you.

I hope that you never have to experience it, because you'll be eating your words. People have REASON to worry right now. Unemployment and backup money only lasts for so long especially when you have a family to support. It's kind of hard to "just live" if you have nothing and fear that you will be homeless in a few months.

I actually wasn't responding to you in particular. Sorry if you feel like I was mocking you or something. I really wasn't. Just adding my perspective to the thread. I honestly do feel badly for every person I know who has lost his/her job and pray that they can find something soon.

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by PM_Mama00

My mom keeps telling me that there are thousands of others out there just like me but when I went to the unemployment office, it looked like a bunch of lazy trash. I was so glad that I didn't dress up and just threw on jeans and a hoodie and I was STILL dressed nicer than the people in there.

Wow.

Also, a lot of the young professionals may not have filed for unemployment because they have savings or a healthy severance package. So, they're still out there, just not at the unemployment office. Of my friends who aren't working, I don't think any of them have taken unemployment yet.

[KSigkid]

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06

I actually wasn't responding to you in particular. Sorry if you feel like I was mocking you or something. I really wasn't. Just adding my perspective to the thread. I honestly do feel badly for every person I know who has lost his/her job and pray that they can find something soon.

It didn't seem like you were mocking anyone or responding to any one specific post in the thread. This is a big issue and each person has their own perspectives; no one is "right" or "wrong."

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

Wow.

Also, a lot of the young professionals may not have filed for unemployment because they have savings or a healthy severance package. So, they're still out there, just not at the unemployment office. Of my friends who aren't working, I don't think any of them have taken unemployment yet.

That's been my experience as well. I know a bunch of people (both attorneys and staff) at law firms who took pretty solid severance packages, or spent their last month mostly job hunting (because they weren't having clients' matters taken away from them). For some sectors, I think it's going to take longer for people to hit the unemployment line, if they do at all.

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by KSigkid

That's been my experience as well. I know a bunch of people (both attorneys and staff) at law firms who took pretty solid severance packages, or spent their last month mostly job hunting (because they weren't having clients' matters taken away from them). For some sectors, I think it's going to take longer for people to hit the unemployment line, if they do at all.

Is it a pretty standard thing with law firms to let someone know when their official last day is, even if it's a month or so in advance? One of my friends was laid off in February, but his last day in his office was last Tuesday. He was able to use his office and slowly move everything out.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/05/ny...ducated&st=cse

This article mentions that the rate of job loss for this recession is much higher among those who hold college degrees.

[sigmadiva]

Originally Posted by PM_Mama00

Dee I'm so sick of people with no college education getting jobs over those with degrees. I busted my butt to get through and here I am, 4 months jobless with hundreds of resumes out there, and I've gotten ONE interview.

You actually have more skills than you realize. Use what you learned in college to your advantage.

I know of someone who is in a similar situation as yours. To help herself get over the hump, she has started tutoring at her church for a small fee. You could do that.

Also, if you got good at filling out college applications and financial aid forms you can offer those services to help first time parents / students going through that process.

And, if all else fails, you could market yourself as a sorority recruitment consultant. You know, you could offer tips on how to dress, fill out the application, perfect conversation topics, or, hey! Write a book! At least it will come from an actual sorority member!

[UGAalum94]

There were some recent layoff as the advertising company my husband works for. (Fortunately/selfishly for us, he wasn't one of them.) The people laid off were called to meetings, and then they were sent home after handing in their security cards. (They scheduled times to come back later and pick up their personal stuff.) My husband noted how weird the little details were, like one guy's coffee was still sitting on his desk where he put it before he went to his meeting.

In teaching, you'd know for months if you didn't get a contract for next year, and you'd still be expected to carry on teaching. Since most people want to get the best possible recommendation out of the job and many if not most are simply pretty professional, this works out okay, but sometimes I can see how one might fantasize about the completely unfiltered parent conference.

[PeppyGPhiB]

Originally Posted by UGAalum94

There were some recent layoff as the advertising company my husband works for. (Fortunately/selfishly for us, he wasn't one of them.) The people laid off were called to meetings, and then they were sent home after handing in their security cards. (They scheduled times to come back later and pick up their personal stuff.) My husband noted how weird the little details were, like one guy's coffee was still sitting on his desk where he put it before he went to his meeting

I've worked in several PR and ad agencies (work in one right now, actually), and this has been my experience. Usually it is sudden, sometimes they lay off people that are very busy with work, and coworkers take it very hard since we work together in teams. It is especially hard for those of us in account management, because when other account managers leave, we have to take over their accounts/clients. And as someone who was on the receiving end of one of those "hard conversations" just one year out of college, I can say that it's very hard to leave your coworkers/friends and leaves you feeling pretty stunned - like you've been hit by a truck. The good thing is that you get to leave right away and don't have to "transition" people into your work, which really sucks. The nonprofit I worked for several years ago let me go when they had to slash budgets (thanks to redistributed giving post-9/11), and they did it in the form of two weeks notice and no severance. It sucked royally - because I had to go to work instead of look for a job - and I ended up quitting after a week of it because I was tired of being treated like dirt. These days, I've come realize that layoffs are a part of the marketing/advertising/PR business, and that sooner or later I'll probably do a stint with every agency in town.