EDITORIAL JULY 6, 2005

The Real World Of Employment...Circa 2005

The critical mood swing of American business is now baked into the economy. (That is...it appears to be permanent). We can now blame it on the Boomers. They are now America's CEOs.

Gone (forever) is Paternalism and Taking Care of the Workers.
In its place, we have sumptuous salaries, perks and Golden Parachutes...
for the Upper Sliver of Top Management.

Click to enlarge

For those below that Platinum Ceiling...it is strictly the Survival of the Fittest.

In the Tiers below Upper Management, (Management/White Collar/Blue Collar) there is such thing as guaranteed tenure.

You get hired for less than you are worth...they work you very hard...then you can plan on finding yourself Dropped Out...for a multitude of reasons.

We now know that the very WORST of the CEOs maneuver their companies for sale and then pocket a huge reward. (The big M&A firms, of course, laugh all the way to the bank; at your expense. These are the guys that buy the manses in the Hamptons and the Picassos and Warhols that Sotheby's offers.

You, as "an employee," are simply expendable.
Those M&A meatgrinders result in "thousands" of people getting laid off.

While all this is true, and somewhat fascinating (as watching a Cobra swallow a mouse can be fascinating...and revolting!), the only concern we have at FortyPlusNY is "How do I survive getting Dropped Out...and then fight my way back onto a payroll?"

Rule 1: It is HIGHLY UN-likely you will ever again work in a highly paid job in a Fortune 500 Company. Once you lose your place in line, you're out for good.

Rule 2: There are new jobs being created by smaller companies or entrepreneurs. MANY OF THEM NEED OUR SKILLS.

Rule 3: The best thing we can do is stick with the FortyPlus System.
It gives us support, it teaches us the Job Search skills, and we are surrounded by willing coworkers who share our frustrations. Then, one day, Bingo!
We are back at work. Wiser and more alert than ever before.

And much better prepared if it should happen again.

Richard Calderhead    FortyPlusNy/July 7, 2005