Mar

31

Don’t get reorganized out of your job!

Posted by Dan

March 31, 2009 | Leave a Comment

You may think you’re safe at your job. You’ve survived the layoffs, so far. You’re still getting a lot of work. You’re earning praise from your bosses.
But then you hear the news: Your department is going through a reorganization.
Oh, *&$#!
According to this story by the Wall Street Journal, reorganizations are extremely common during recessions. And [...]

Mar

30

Worried about your job? At least Pres. Obama won’t be firing you, right?

Posted by Dan

March 30, 2009 | Leave a Comment

Think Rick Wagoner is happy that Barack Obama won the presidential election last year?
If you haven’t heard, Wagoner, the former chief executive offier of struggling automaker GM, announced his resignation early this morning. He said this move came at the request of the Obama administration. Yes, the president, essentially, fired the man.
You can read the [...]

Mar

16

Even if you’re out of work, it’s OK to have a good time

Posted by Dan

March 16, 2009 | Leave a Comment

This weekend boasted wonderful weather in the Chicago area. That’s a nice bonus, considering that snow and ice storms aren’t that unusual for March here.
Everyone was out. Riding their bikes. Walking their babies. Playing catch. Barbecuing. It was a nice weekend.
I have a friend, though, who’s out of work. He’s been looking, and looking hard, [...]

Mar

12

Economic woes causing us to lose our minds

Posted by Dan

March 12, 2009 | Leave a Comment

There are certain studies that seem really unnecessary. A recent Gallup-Healthways poll showing that U.S. residents have become more stressed as the economy worsens fits into this category.
I mean, of course we’re more stressed now. Of course our mental health is on the fritz. We’re all worried about losing our stupid jobs!
The USA Today, the [...]

Mar

11

Working more, making less

Posted by Dan

March 11, 2009 | Leave a Comment

Now that the nation’s unemployment rate has soared to more than 8 percent, who’s doing the work of all those people who’ve been fired or laid off?
If you still have a job, the unfortunate answer is “you.”
Those people lucky enough to still have their jobs are now working harder than ever, picking up the slack [...]

Mar

10

Misery loves company: Laid-off workers take to blogging

Posted by Dan

March 10, 2009 | Leave a Comment

When something terrible happens to us, it’s human nature to seek out others who’ve experienced the same woes.
No one wants to feel alone, after all.
This holds true with getting laid-off, too. Fortunately — or, rather, unfortunately — it’s not hard to find someone else who’s been fired after you’ve lost your job.
Just search the Internet. [...]

Mar

9

By Monday morning, we’re ready for the workweek to be over

Posted by Dan

March 9, 2009 | Leave a Comment

This weekend, my wife and I convinced my parents to come to our house and watch our two sons for the weekend. This allowed us to take a weekend getaway with some friends.
It was a nice, and much needed, break from the sometimes maddening duties of raising kids and making a living.
During our dinner on [...]

Mar

5

How to keep your job: Don’t be a jerk

Posted by Dan

March 5, 2009 | Leave a Comment

No one’s job is safe today. We all know this. But there is one thing that every employee can do to hang onto his or her job for as long as possible: Try not to be a jerk.
This sounds silly, I know. But at the publishing company where I work, my division recently suffered nine [...]

Mar

4

Going from big company to small fries isn’t as easy as you’d think

Posted by Dan

March 4, 2009 | Leave a Comment

You’d think that if you spent most of your career working for one of the biggest, most powerful and best known companies in your field that the smaller competitors in the same industry would welcome you with open arms if you came to them seeking work.
Well, in today’s topsy turvey economy, it doesn’t always work [...]

Mar

3

When you know your job is slipping away …

Posted by Dan

March 3, 2009 | Leave a Comment

I have a bad feeling about the publishing company where I work on a full-time/part-time basis. I and a few other writers have survived this company’s first round of layoffs, and management has said that the cost savings from those firings should keep our division profitable. But … I just can’t help but shake the [...]

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