Statistics are one thing, but... (Pasadena, Azusa: sales, real estate, insurance)

[katenik]

do you know any of the 10.1% in CA who are unemployed?

I just watched a news story about the economy that featured a job fair in NYC today where the line of people looking for work stretched through five floors of the building where it was held. It scared the **** out of me, but I also found it startling because of the large number of white-collar professionals there. Although I know that many people in the financial sector lost their jobs in the last six months and those in real estate and auto sales aren't faring too well, either, I guess I was still guilty of thinking that the bulk of the unemployed are the unskilled and those whose skills have become obsolete. It was a bit of a wake-up call for me.

I have a friend who lost her job at a non-profit organization this year, and another who is a university instructor who lost her full-time position last summer, but is still employed. Otherwise, everyone I know remains employed, and a couple have even received raises/promotions in the last year. Overall, my friends are doing okay--engaging in a little belt-tightening, perhaps, but none are on the verge of losing all they own, or anything like that. I feel really fortunate to say that, as bad as things are, I don't personally know anyone who is really catching economic hell right now. Is my experience unique?

[blondandfun]

I hate to read about elderly people losing their homes but the vast majority of Americans, 95% of them, pay their bills on time.

Most people who work for corporations who lose their jobs, I have NO sympathy for them, my experience is corporate america has been just a bunch of backstabbers just trying to hold onto their jobs. After having a handful of jobs in large companies now I will NEVER work for a company with more than 15 people.

The problem with America is there are so many rotten employers out there who are stupid and with leaders who didn't work their way up from the ground.

The reason Japan has all the best corporations in the world is because their leaders worked their way up from the bottom.

Some people deserve to burn burn burn.

Some don't, yeah, some ARE being screwed, but this isn't a recession in my opinion, it's a CORRECTION

[uptown_urbanist]

Originally Posted by katenik

do you know any of the 10.1% in CA who are unemployed?

I feel really fortunate to say that, as bad as things are, I don't personally know anyone who is really catching economic hell right now. Is my experience unique?

I have one friend in this state who been laid off, my husband's hours have been reduced, and practically every person I know in my field has seen positions at their work eliminated and all new hiring frozen. These are all mid-level professional positions requiring extensive education and years of experience. You are very lucky - and so are your friends!

[katenik]

Originally Posted by blondandfun

I hate to read about elderly people losing their homes but the vast majority of Americans, 95% of them, pay their bills on time.

Most people who work for corporations who lose their jobs, I have NO sympathy for them, my experience is corporate america has been just a bunch of backstabbers just trying to hold onto their jobs. After having a handful of jobs in large companies now I will NEVER work for a company with more than 15 people.

The problem with America is there are so many rotten employers out there who are stupid and with leaders who didn't work their way up from the ground.

The reason Japan has all the best corporations in the world is because their leaders worked their way up from the bottom.

Some people deserve to burn burn burn.

Some don't, yeah, some ARE being screwed, but this isn't a recession in my opinion, it's a CORRECTION

I hope you feel better now that you've vented about how corporations that employ people are so terrible for employing terrible people, but that wasn't the subject of my inquiry.

[SandyCo]

A friend of mine got laid off from Travelers Insurance a few months ago, so yes, I do know someone who is unemployed. My other friends are all fine, but they're facing shorter work weeks or two-week long furloughs. My brother's company is making everyone take one day off per week.

I didn't get a raise this year, but at least I'm still employed and so are my kids. I can't ask for much more than that.

Katenik, you also have to figure that even if the unemployment rate is over 10%, that means the employment rate is 90%. That's not good for the unfortunate 10% who are unemployed, but it's certainly not a disaster of biblical proportions.

I remember back in 1993, both of my roommates and I were all unemployed at the same time. And if I recall correctly, real estate wasn't doing so well back then either.

[Charles]

I know one friend of mine, an engineer living in Pasadena, who was layed off from Northrop Grumman in Azusa. Though he is my friend, I'd be lying if I wrote he was a very capable, high performing engineer (he'd probably agree).
Another friend, works for Kavlico out in Moorpark. The news is really grim over there. He's been there for about 30 years as some sort of test manager, and he doesn't think he'll make it through this year.

Yes, statistics are one thing. What are the statistics saying? If normal (or not-unhealthy) unemployment is around 5% and today's unemployment is around 10% then doesn't that mean there are only (and I hate writing "only") five more out of 100 unemployed? During the Great Depression the numbers were like 25% unemployment.

I don't sense (yet) a big hammering in aerospace industry (a huge component of Southern California employment) and I don't read too much about the entertainment industry laying people off big time. In fact, I occasionally look at the Lockheed, Raytheon, Northrop Grumman and Boeing job boards and I see quite a few jobs in California. I'd bet unemployment for engineers isn't that bad in Southern California. (In Huntsville, unemployment for engineers with degrees is 0.2%, that's 2/1000.)

[ferretkona]

I am one of the ten percent. I have many friends in the trade who are off as well.
Construction is at a standstill right now.
I was a foreman of a large company and we lost 13 jobs to the recession. They will occur in a year or two, but we are off.

[blondandfun]

^---
your in construction of RESIDENTIAL i'm guessing. Well guess, what, there has been way too much residential construction going on the past 5 years than needs to be. I know what developers and owners of construction firms make they make a KILLING.

It's time to work on construction projects which are GOOD for America as a whole.

[DezertGirl]

I know several people who are unemployed at this time:
Construction worker/framer, male
Construction worker/framer, female
Print shop manager, female
Waitress, female
Print/Ship shop owner, female

Businesses I know that have closed:
Shipping/Print Shop
Restaurant
Nail salon
Real Estate Company (2)

And it's getting worse in California.

[Charles]

Read the first post of this thread. It is amazing and you got to think a lot of employees have been affected:

Out of Business From Recession in OC