Jobs and Politics

A friend of mine posted an article on Facebook that explained how the Eastman Kodak Company has asked a bankruptcy court judge to allow it to end retiree medical benefits at the end of the year as part of its plan to restructure. I agreed with her that it is appalling that a company can do such a thing to the loyal staff.  I also mentioned that a public company can eliminate positions “at will" and that the number of people over the age of 50 whose positions are cut is enormous!  It’s especially nasty when the cut comes at a time when people are beginning to think about retirement.  It is very difficult for someone who is that age to find a comparable position with a comparable salary. She then asked my opinion about the Presidential race and how as a business executive, the "challenger" eliminated or outsourced positions and didn't really give a hoot about the repercussions.

This is my response:

 I am not a big political debater but here goes. As a job search instructor and resume writer I am constantly in the trenches with the unemployed and the underemployed and what I have seen these past 4 year is heartbreaking. I have seen people looking to take in boarders just to keep their homes, people dumbing down their resumes just to get an entry level job, people taking crappy jobs that pay minimum wage just to eat. I have seen and heard a killer story with every resume that I have written. I have a very hard time charging people to write their resumes because I know that they can’t afford it. I can’t tell you how many times I have given away my services for free.

I have also seen a ton of people who would rather live off unemployment than take a job making way less than what they were used to making. I don’t blame them - years ago that would bother me but now it doesn’t. It kills me to see the vacant buildings and closed up shops up and down the roads I travel. So, in answer to your question, it is absolutely awful now (and I coming from the private sector where nothing was ever guaranteed and a company can replace anyone without blinking an eye). As a small business owner, I would rather see a successful business person step in just this once. I am not a political animal but I am living it every day and when our current President makes speeches about accepting a mediocre existence, I have to disagree with him. 

What’s your take on the state of the economy and the employment situation?