The "musical chairs" of the job market

Gosh, I haven't blogged here in a while.

Was busy suffering through the worst break-up and experience of my life (not even exaggerating, sadly) but anyhow, I have lots on my mind.

Namely, the economy and jobs.

I'm not sure why I'm so focused on people who don't have jobs.

Maybe it's because I worked for two companies in the 1990s, both Internet companies, that were bought and merged and in one way or another, ended in me losing my job. So, I have a special soft spot for anyone who gets laid off or is in the market for a job.

However, we're living in unusual times.

I was recently talking to a friend. He mentioned that his girlfriend would have no problem taking a retail job if she got laid off from her job (thankfully she's gainfully employed as a guidance counselor). My friend said he wouldn't do that. Well, not that he wouldn't do that but that he would be concerned about what people thought if he did that and that he wouldn't be so eager to go work at Ross. She commented that it might be fun and she might learn something.

"How refreshing," I thought to myself.

Because we live in that economy right now.

You're either a "have" or a "have not."

And we live in what I like to call the "music chairs" of the job market -- meaning, say there are 100 chairs representing 100 jobs in your company. Well, once the chair gets pulled out (i.e. you lose your job), that chair is gone. You can run around trying to get another chair but chances are, once you're out of a job, you're out of a job...and that job isn't coming back.

It's a great analogy the more I think about it because as companies grow their revenue, they are managing to do so with less people.

A friend of mine works at one of the biggest universities in California and said they have double the student body now compared to when he was in school (15+ years ago), yet they get by with LESS staff.

I'd say that's true of most companies today: their revenue is probably more, maybe double what it was before (maybe 5-10 times more, who knows) yet they have managed to drop all the "dead weight" i.e. fire or lay off any employees that aren't ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL to their bottom line. So, give a few great workers a 5-10% raise, have them do the work of 2-4 people and voila, more corporate profits.

If you're one of those "lucky" a.k.a. "overworked" few, you may be doing well financially, but likely putting in insane hours and working from home and working weekends even for just a bit more pay.

But, what if you're one of the "not so lucky" ones?

Well, you're out of luck.

If your job is gone, through a layoff or being fired or your own voluntary decision to quit, it's likely not coming back anytime soon - if ever.

I wish I had a solution except to say, maybe you're gonna have to learn to love working retail.

What do you think?

People need to calm the #$@# down!

Ok, I understand that the economy is in the tank. How do I know things are getting worse and not better? Because Angelinos rarely, if ever, talk about being poor, broke or really anything negative. And lately, I've met new people who, right off the bat, will tell me how they don't have any money.

Yeah no shit.

I mean, we had the perfect storm of problems brewing for years.

As a rule, Americans like to overspend. Credit cards gave us almost unlimited access to nicer-than-we-could-afford vacations, dinners out, clothes, etc. And now all that overspending is catching up with us in a big way.

The real estate bubble, while it certainly has burst (is bursting), created unaffordable housing and rents, especially in 'hot' areas like Southern California. And yet wages for many have remained the same, increased *slightly* or even decreased (thank you recession).....So you do the math - unaffordable housing and flat, stagnant or decreasing wages. Plus increasing prices for everything from food to health care to gas and how is anyone supposed to have any money right now?

Yes, the LA Times reported yesterday that this is the worst recession we've seen in 60 years. 60 years people! To many of us, it feels like a depression.

And despite talk of things getting better, they are in fact, still getting worse. Maybe not as bad as before...but this is the time for the entrepreneur - to be creative in ways to make money in non-traditional ways.

Friends of mine are selling clothing in the Avon/Mary Kay/tupperware fashion. Or doing web design or Internet SEO. Or house sitting, dog walking, selling things on ebay, doing matchmaking, you name it, to survive these days. Good for them! We need more creative businesses right now that meet people's needs - not more corporate jobs.

But my real point to this blog entry is not to complain. Because there is only so much we can do right now.

What we do not need is people freaking the #$@* out.

You sure do see someone's true colors when things get bad.

I've had more people snap at me lately than ever before -- even online on services like facebook. Facebook, yes, the place I go for fun. Maybe I post too much, I don't know, if you don't want to read my facebook updates or for me to comment on your status updates, then you probably should de-friend me right now. I mean, what's the point of a status update if people can't comment on it? Now I try not to comment on people's updates often if I don't know them that well....but oftentimes I feel like saying something, especially if a post was clever, interesting or what not.

Snappy, snappy, snappy.

I guess I shouldn't take it personally.

I've had work contacts basically tell me to "f off" on facebook recently, for no apparent reason. I mean, Jesus, don't lash out at someone, online, in a public forum, without at least giving someone a head's up that you've been pissing them off.

Oh well.

I know everyone's drama has way more to do with their own @#&% than anything I've said or done to them.

But still.

If things are going that badly for you in your personal life, maybe you shouldn't be on a public site like facebook.

Take a deep breath, go for a run, have a beer, sit and watch some TV, hit the beach, read a book, take a yoga class but DO NOT freak the #@^%$ out, especially on me.

I like to consider myself tapped into the news and what's going on online but I also certainly can't be expected to know everything either. People talk about online charities and web sites and technology like it's the alphabet. Hello people. I may spend an hour at night on facebook but that doesn't mean I know that some charity got started for someone's sick child. I'm not God. I'm just a person, trying to survive in a crazy economy in this music business.

'nuff said.

Hope you are well!

The economy

It seems that everywhere you turn these days, it's all bad news about the economy. Every company is having massive layoffs and many companies here in LA aren't hiring at all.

Everyone says it's going to get worse before it gets better.

Yikes.

And as things get worse, people cut back on everything from netflix to cell phones to eating out. And the cycle gets worse as those cutbacks cause more businesses to slow down, and more layoffs ensue.

It is a scary time for many indeed.

However, I hope you all have your health and appreciate that at least we live in a country where we have enough food to eat. Many people do not. (Of course, many in the US do not - but we are not in that situation, right?)

I still cannot believe we got to this point.

Obama is not a magician. No matter what, the economy is @#$#'d and likely will be for some time. At least through 2009 and into 2010.

Some have said it might be 3-4 years before the economy stabilizes and recovers.

All I know is frickin' Bush. How anyone voted for that idiot is beyond me.

If you voted for you him you're to blame for the situation we're in.

I hope things get better.

Because right now, I am ok.

But many of my friends are not.

And it's hard to see your friend struggling and worrying about their rent and bills.

Again, though, we all have our health and enough food to eat.

Stay positive.

Things will get better.

It's a great time to be an entrepreneur.

And to learn to love ramen!!!