Given the economy, do you "feel" like you might loose your Job??

[Wickd89]

Not that I am at risk, but boy does it feel like it.
I know I am just being paranoid, but it seems like my company is laying off (for what ever reason), 2-3 managers every week around the country.

Terrible to be middle/upper-middle management!

Do not expect to sell the Pcar, but it would be really sad if I did.

Do you feel the anxiety of this downturn??

Bill Gates lost $120B these last two years (and Buffet nearly $50B this year).
It must fustrate them as well.....

[slodave]

Nope. It's good to be self employed right now, especially in IT. Things are getting better for me these days.

[Schrup]

I work for a public utility & have 10 years of seniority. My wife works for a hospital & has 25 years of seniority. I think we're pretty insulated, but I do worry about relatives & friends.

[Rick V]

I worked for an independent shop on Euro stuff, and was payed a regular salary, after 5 years I got the boot, the work was just not coming in and I was getting payed high dollar for working on domestic.
My wife who has had the same job for 20 years, got the Axe. She had a management position with an upper end linen company. I could "feel" both of us getting the axe. Sucks.

[Chocaholic]

Like Luis, I'm an upper/middle management employee of a large company. Minimal layoffs so far, but concerned about changes coming with the new fiscal year in April. Lots of people have the same concern. Interesting times.

It's for this reason that I'm pushing my kids to become "professionals" ie., doctor, lawyer, engineer, plumber, accountant, etc., ....or successfully self employed. Being a sales shlep is not a professional career in my opinion. You live at the whim of nameless, faceless leadership across the pond somewhere.

[azasadny]

I'm getting a 10-15% pay cut for sure and I will very likely lose my job in the next month or 2.

[equality72521]

I think 10% chance.

[drew1]

Got it Wed before Thanksgiving

[on2wheels52]

PO said it was a recession-proof business (pawn shop). I'm a lot happier when everyone is working, there's never a shortage of people who spend more than they make. The number of buyers is limited.
Jim

[turbo6bar]

My boss says I'm not going anywhere. I'm self-employed.

I am feeling anxious, though. However, now is the time to grow and expand. That's why you fill the coffers when times are good.

[DavidB911]

If I loose my job, you guys might be out of a job too. Everyone will have to go out and hunt/steal for their food if I loose this job.

[lendaddy]

I don't feel, I know.

[DavidB911]

Originally Posted by Chocaholic

It's for this reason that I'm pushing my kids to become "professionals" ie., doctor, lawyer, engineer, plumber, accountant, etc., ....or successfully self employed. Being a sales shlep is not a professional career in my opinion. You live at the whim of nameless, faceless leadership across the pond somewhere.

I have personally saw how these industries are too affected by the economic crunch. I know of a guy that was an engineer with a local company for 15 yrs and got the boot. Its just tougher for these industries to loose business from a bad economy, unless you make bad decisions for a number of years.

[sammyg2]

We've laid off about 100 people at this refinery so far this year but my job should not be at risk. Just the opposite, they're giving me more responsiblities to make up for those let go.

My wife's company has already have one round of lay-offs and will probably have another after the holidays, that has me worried a little.

[Rick Lee]

Originally Posted by Chocaholic

Being a sales shlep is not a professional career in my opinion. You live at the whim of nameless, faceless leadership across the pond somewhere.

Anyone who's not self-employed or a gov't. employee works at someone else's whim. Your only job security is your ability to find your next job.

My company had an executive bloodbath a few weeks ago. Our CFO and Sr. VP for sales got the boot and they were doing a good job too. In my experience, those making the most money are the first to get canned when belt-tightening becomes necessary. I swear, "the graveyards are full of indespensible men" is one of the ost apt quotes I've ever heard. I've seen people let go whom I didn't think the company could live without and then wondered why in the world I still had my job.

[Dottore]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

I swear, "the graveyards are full of indespensible men" is one of the ost apt quotes I've ever heard.

Yes, and the corollary to that is, "if you're useless, make yourself indispensable".

[Rick Lee]

Originally Posted by sammyg2

Just the opposite, they're giving me more responsiblities to make up for those let go.

We just had a girl give her notice. She's tripling her base salary alone, going to work for a magazine. AFAIK, we're still hiring to fill her job. Sometimes there appears to be no rhyme or reason for some people getting let go. But I'd find it hard to believe that the company wants to deal with training someone new for that job and all that entails and then axe another sales person who has experience and is all up to speed.

[Z-man]

Until I see a pink slip on my desk, I'm not going to worry.

For years, the company that my company merged with was a threat - we had a small datacetner that could be easily swallowed up in their world-wide datacenter. For 8 years we fought them off - and were able to stay afloat. Why? We were able to prove our existence by showing that we can run our datacenter more cost effectively than they could!

Now, the parent company outside the country is looking closely at us. Rumors are flying about getting outsourced. However, we are also in the process of expanding our infrastructure - and you don't spend millions on a datacenter that they are looking to close... (This expansion is driven by the parent company, incidentally.)

I think if less people worried about what the media is saying about the financial situation out there today, there would be less paranoia, and folks can get back to business. Yeah, the times are tough, especially for folks who have been layed off, and for businesses that are going under. But things will get better, and if companies just hold on and tighten their belts a little I think most places can weather the storm...

Just my $0.42,
-Z-man.

[Zef]

No

[SlowToady]

It's a possibility, but I doubt it. Job A is always going to need someone to run the network and computer systems, and Job B, well, that one I might loose. Though, I think for that to happen, we'd have to loose quite a few horses.

Whatever, I'm not worried. I can hunt, fish, hammer, and ride. Got a little green thumb too.