Blogs and articles like this one (be sure to read the comments as well as the blog itself) TERRIFY me even more than I already am scared of this recession. I was laid off January 2nd and my husband is a contractor/realtor so our shit hit the fan a while ago.
Amazingly - we are making it. Also amazing, we are not killing each other or the children despite the fact that two workaholics have never had so much time at home on their hands. As scared as I am, we do our level best to enjoy this weird downtime.
I AM that girl who is UNABASHEDLY stalking recruiters and hiring managers who give me their business card at the close of the interview that I just dumbed myself down for. AARGH! At least that article let's me know they understand.
I am in this horrible kind of donut hole and as evidenced by the recent growth in the size of my ass, I'm apparently trying to eat a tunnel through the donut that is trapping me. There are no jobs in my field or at my level in my area. I am far too qualified for the few openings that are out there. Oh, I get interviews and I nail them, but it feels sorta crappy to under-sell myself, to scratch and claw for a job I can't afford to take. Employers in my area are laying off en masse and the few available jobs will be absorbed soon.
With acquisition and new hire training costs per employee starting around $25,000, I don't entirely blame these employers who have statistical data compelling them to doubt my commitment.
So, I'm panicked alot lately and I calm myself by saying "It's only money - I can live in a soup can and eat cardboard as long as I have my family and my health." I firmly believe this. It's not some mantra that I aspire to. It's at the core of me. I KNOW THIS IS TRUE but...
The problem with this sentiment is that I cannot surrender today and just go back to zero. If we could sell our house or car and not be upside down - we'd do it tomorrow, no TODAY! If we could press a button and be in a shitty but affordable rental with everything in our lives scaled down to what is appropriate for our "present budget", I'd be grateful, relieved, and happy to be there. I would not feel one bit resentful. No part of me is afraid of rebuilding, of working hard to get back up there. But it doesn't work like that does it? What I do fear is working so hard and losing it all despite that. So sure, it's only money but how do I give it back? I can't, so I strive to make every day work fighting the one idea that will save me... It's only money...
So, in an effort to spread positivity rather than just war stories, what are you doing in this economy to keep things positive?
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Hey Jes, That's a really good post. I think many people are feeling the same right now. My problem is that my husband owns the business and I work there as well. We still have jobs but we are clawing and fighting EVERY SINGLE step of the way!! We don't know from one day to the next where we are going to be. Even if we have a huge job, we don't know for sure that a contractor is going to be able to pay us at the end of the day. I'm just glad our cars are paid for and that we live in a modest house in a nice neighborhood. Problem is we are in the middle of remodeling the house, so now we live in an unfinished house. It could be a LOT worse...
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