I went through several jobless months last year after bailing on the failing newspaper industry, and the toughest part by far was thinking about what it meant to the kids. They didn’t really care that I didn’t have to go to work; they actually seem to be among the tiny minority who like having me around. But it was on me to keep saying “no’’ to the steady demands for sweets and trips and trinkets without letting them feel like we were in a tough spot, and to do it with good humor.
Posts tagged layoffs
Children of the Jobless
Tuesday, April 7th, 2009Not Nearly Over Yet
Wednesday, April 1st, 2009If the recent market rallies or the recent push to sell the Obama administration’s stimulus plans have you thinking that this thing is almost over, it’s probably worth bearing in mind that some of the biggest brand names in the nation are still shedding workers: GM, IBM, the New York Times, Google…. Evern when the overall picture starts to brighten, the employment numbers are likely to lag for months.
The Concerned Job Provider
Thursday, March 19th, 2009Everyone is cutting, and it is hard to make an argument that most firms don’t need to look at compensation costs as they reset their bottom lines. But when it comes to layoffs, there’s union contracts, and then there’s the job provider’s piece of the social compact. What do you owe a worker before you show her the door? Compassion, at a minimum, according to this piece in the Washington Post. A little extra cash and some retraining if you really want to step up to the moment.
Sign of the Times
Monday, February 9th, 2009You all saw the number: Nearly 600,000 people put out of work in just one month. Writers are starting to grapple with what this financial free for all means to individuals. And along those lines, although this isn’t a real estate site, here is a take on one of the moves the feds are putting on the bankers that could be helpful for anyone who finds themselves between gigs.
Layoffs: The Tough Turn Pro
Tuesday, February 3rd, 2009OK, so you’re out on the street after five years at the mortgage company. Big deal. You never liked that cubicle. You always wanted to do something else – open your own spa, start your own tech support service. Call the shots and make your own hours. There are plenty of stories out there about how people have coped with layoffs. But our favorites continue to be the ones about entrepreneurial souls who took their severance pay and struck out on their own. And we hope that if you do the same, you’ll remember that TruCorps is the source for the talent you need when you start to grow.
Bonus: Here’s a little memoir from a manager who had to layoff employees that might be helpful for keeping things in perspective, whether you’re doing the laying off or boxing up your desk supplies.