THIS IS NOT A POLITICAL DISCUSSION




I'm posting this here in GD, because I don't want to get into policy discussions or weed through pedantic outbursts from either rightnutters or left wing sissypots about what policies are good for this nation.


What I want is to hear from you folks out there and what you PERSONALLY have seen or are witnessing right now.

I'm particularly interested in what is going on in the USA but Europeans are free to jump in too obviously (I can't stop anyone ).



1. Did the recession affect your job? how so?

2. Does it look like things are shaping up now or a least stabilizing? What are you seeing? What are you feeling?

3. What changes have you made in your life if any?

4. What are your friends saying?


THIS IS NOT A POLITICAL DISCUSSION
I want PERSONAL ACCOUNTS.



Thanks.

I'll just be right here.



waiting on your replies.





right here.

i lost my job in Feb, just now starting hear back from compainies, but than again i had my resume rewritten last week so maybe that is helping more than the market stabalizing.

Teaching gig ain't workin' for ya? Wherezat book??

I just saw a poll, an overwhelming 52% of respondents believe things will get better somewhat. (as opposed to a) get worse b) get a lot worse c) get a lot better d) stay the same etc )
kinda optimistic!

ZombieKitten said:

The job opportunities are definitely improving. Most people are feeling more positive and relaxed about the future short to medium term

Here is my personal account. The recession couldn't have come at a better time for me. Back in 2006, I went back to college after a long absence. I am heading into my last semester right now. The fact that the job market will take some time to truly recover has led me to get a masters degree once I finish.

Below is a completely non-partisan account of the current economic situation concerning jobs.

I have somewhat of an academic background in economics, so hopefully I can explain this accurately and so it makes sense.

The rate of layoffs is slowing down at a faster than expected rate. That is great for those who currently have jobs. Furthermore, the recession is expected to end soon, if it has not already ended (it takes a couple of months to know when a recession starts and ends). However, it will take some time for NEW jobs to start popping up. Many companies start recovering their losses in the early stages of a recovery before hiring new people. If the recession ends today, it could be a year or more before the job market really picks up.

TheBahtMaster said:

What country are you in?

its stabilizing because everyone has restructured.

it wasn't a recession or depression. Its a restructuring of everything from the bottom up world wide for business to run efficiently in a global sense.

it had to happen.

things will be more 'socialized', which isn't a bad thing at all in my opinion.

but people will piss and moan and say things haven't returned to normal. but that soon will die off with that generation. and very soon. that's why this has all happened, the people who are resistant to the idea of socialization for the betterment of the whole are dieing. the people who have brought the idea of its benefits are coming into power. the people born in the 1950's raised in the 60's and after are coming into power and voices are being heard and ideas are coming to fruition.

it didn't affect my job but the company is using at as an opportunity to weed out all the unwanted personnel.

there's a lot of restructuring going on but it's not stabilizing at all.

the only changes I've made is I'm spending less but other than that not much.

the friends are saying it's not over yet and if you have a job be thankful and do everything you can to stay employeed.

Imago said:

Australia mate

Cuddles said:

This is one of the most insightful comments I've heard on this situation. I agree to a large extent with most of what you said.

1. Did the recession affect your job? how so?
I work in human services at a nonprofit, so it hasn't affected my job as directly as people in corporate jobs. But it definitely has impacted donations, which in turn impacts raises. As in, there will be none.

2. Does it look like things are shaping up now or a least stabilizing? What are you seeing? What are you feeling?
I think things may be stabilizing. The county I now live in is very economically depressed, so I don't see any upswing - but the plummet seems to have slowed dramatically. I am feeling horny.

3. What changes have you made in your life if any?
Chris has been laid off for quite a while now, and I quit a corporate job for the above mentioned nonprofit job. So we've had to make lots of changes. Frivolous spending like taking all six of us out to dinner, ordering Chinese, or going out on a Saturday night, has ended. The kids have learned not to ask for things unless they need them. We don't buy all the foods we love; we buy as much food as we can for our dime so that everyone stays fed. I make most things from scratch - breads, pizza dough, sauces, marinades, salad dressing, pancakes, muffins, desserts, pretty much everything. We cut HBO and Showtime, stopped our lawn service, canceled our bottled water and stopped going to my beloved salon.

All in all, the changes we've had to make don't really affect our quality of life that much. We spoil ourselves less, but maybe we're living the way we should be anyhow. Live Simply So That Others May Simply Live and all that. But it would be nice to be able to go out for ice cream anytime I want.

4. What are your friends saying?
"Erin, I know I've asked a dozen times before, but please have sex with me. Please?"

PunkMistress said:

Cuddles said:

Very insightful.