Times are bad (worst) and if you look at the employment sections of newspapers there are hardly any jobs and the ones available are either highly technical where employers are having a hard time filling them up or are thousands of applicants for the remaining handful. I remember in the years past the employment section was a large supplement, almost a book!
And then you hear about the hundreds of thousands of people losing their jobs every month, filing for unemployment benefits and entering the legions of unemployed across the country. On the other hand imagine the atmosphere at work where people are in fear of losing their jobs and the bullshit they deal with on a daily basis. I remember watching a news report (CBS News I think) couple years ago where the reporter went to talk to a career advisor on how to keep his job. One of the advices he received was to ‘walk faster’ in hallways and always carry some ‘extra paper’ with you! Like you’re on a mission! He said walking faster can give the impression to your boss or coworkers that you’re always busy doing something and therefore needed!
This article, , is a good read to think and ponder. “So here’s the paradox: Americans are working 10 percent fewer total hours than they did before the recession, due to layoffs and shortened workdays, but we’re producing nearly as many goods and services as we did back in the full employment days of 2007.
Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke called these gains in productivity “extraordinary” and unforeseen at a recent Senate hearing.
There’s a simple, visceral reason for the gains, Mr. Chairman, and it’s called fear. If colleagues around us are being laid off and cut back, we can’t help worrying that our jobs may be next. Our survival instincts kick in, and we push ourselves harder, so we’re not the next one to go. We get more done, which sounds like good news and certainly explains higher productivity.”
Even if you never had any fear of losing your job or were confident that with your skills, education and experience you will always find a job, the fear is now installed in you! One look at the openings (very few), the applicants (unlimited) and witnessing what your unemployed friends and family are going through will instill fear in anyone.
Recently Matt Damon, whose mother is a teacher and was with him at the time, , and rightfully so, on a cameraman when he suggested to Matt Damon that ‘10% of any profession are bad and should look for other profession or employment elsewhere.’ Matt Damon’s response? “Maybe you’re a shitty cameraman.”!
One of the worst things you can have in these times – the reason I decided to write this blog – is having a shitty boss or shitty co-workers who in order to save their own ass will not hesitate to throw you under the bus or stab you behind your back. Also, for us Iranians another reason for these lunatics can be that while there are so many “Americans” out of job why not give this job to an “American”?
I have a shitty boss and some shittier coworkers at times. I think while in better times we can take on shitty bosses and coworkers, in these times we should try to live with them. It’s just not worth the risk. I remember few years back when people were hopping from one job to another; employers would consider giving them raises just to keep them from going to competition or for fear of not being to find a suitable replacement. Like a seller or buyers market in real estate. Now-a-days if you decide to blackmail or otherwise play coy with your employer the only response you’ll get is; don’t let the door hit you in the back on your way out!
At times I feel like 10 people are not only doing their own jobs but are venturing into what others do and telling them that they’re doing it wrong! It’s not even their job or their call and it’s becoming more and more annoying. Everybody is in fear and hanging on no matter what you do or the position you have.
Incivility a growing problem at work Psychologists says. Sometimes we may be doing it ourselves without even knowing it. Like the earlier advice to “walk faster and carry some extra paper with you” in order to exude the appearance of being busy, we can be uncivil to our coworkers in our emails and communications to show we know what we’re talking about. In response to an uncivil coworker what do you do though? I say from time to time let them have it and let the chips fall where they may! Screw the generic advice of the old days like “the only thing we have to fear is fear itself” or “be patient” and so on and so forth! No not really, just kidding always be careful!
I wonder how Iranians are doing these days in these tough economic times. I know we’re good at competing with our friends, family and siblings into buying bigger and more expensive homes and stuff. During the easy credit and mortgage loan applications I have no doubt many bought homes they couldn’t afford and are now feeling the pinch.
Sometimes I wish I could have a simple job and not using my brain or skills at all. Perhaps a job that my only concern would be how much leaves I can blow away with my leaf blower or a punch in punch out job. Although the neighbor’s grass is always greener!
Please read the links I provided in this blog, they are not long articles but points in identifying the times and trends we live in.
Photo caption: in Baharestan square. The old profession of filling applications for various Government red tape functions is still ongoing.
