My friend who has a wife and 2 kids was laid off last year from Frigidaire Co who are going to manufacture their air conditioners in China. With little education beyond high school he is having a hard time finding a decent paying job(he was making $17/hr plus benifits). He is going for training while collecting unemployment but it is mainly learning Word and Excel basics which most pick up when they start their first job. He is 43.

Yep. I've been out of a job for a few months but received an offer last week and am currently negotiatng. Hmmm, that explains why I have some free time to be here. Flatso, Guy321, and you other post whores, what jobs do you have that allow you to spend so much time here???

I think I post a little, DEFINITELY not as much as others... but I'm a Hooker. I have free time when I want it. It's just hard to keep my laptop balanced on this cardboard box.

That is SO SAD to hear about your friend flatso. It is hard to comprehend because the job market is usually steady and you can always find a job here. Maybe not what you want for a career... but you won't starve!

Originally posted by PaulieWalnuts
Yep. I've been out of a job for a few months but received an offer last week and am currently negotiatng. Hmmm, that explains why I have some free time to be here. Flatso, Guy321, and you other post whores, what jobs do you have that allow you to spend so much time here???

actually your right I do spend too much time here when I am at work...maybe I will be the next one to get the axe:( if my company ever looks at the internet records.

actually your right I do spend too much time here when I am at work...maybe I will be the next one to get the axe

I didn't say you spend too much time here.

Sorry to hear about your friend. Hunting for a new job in your 40's after bring at one place for a long time has got to be rough.

sorry too hear about your friends ,but if i get laid off the then my company is down the tubes.

I was out of work for approx 13 months before I was able to get a new job.

It didn't help that I lost my job just one month before 9/11, and the tech industry was in a downward spiral.

Job situation (for me at least) is a lot brighter, I'm not having any problems now getting work.

I count myself as one of the fortunate who has a good job, likes what hes doing, and has a great job environment. Plus I get most school holidays! :D The fact that I could afford to buy an 8 is another blessing.

Sometimes like Meowloud said, its the location you're in, But atleast the economy is almost stabilised.

I was laid off by a company that closed due to the worst management possible. I ended up better off. I have a good job, just so happen to be vacationing today. I get the internet records so, not a problem, I also enjoy what I do, like the people I work with, and get many perk's. I'm a bit more than just IT though, but that's beside the point. I also get all my vacation time, and we close for two weeks at Christmas until after the new year. Been there 3 years now.

Originally posted by SiMplyBluE
I count myself as one of the fortunate who has a good job, likes what hes doing, and has a great job environment. Plus I get most school holidays! :D The fact that I could afford to buy an 8 is another blessing.

Sometimes like Meowloud said, its the location you're in, But atleast the economy is almost stabilised.


I don't think the economy is stabilized in the manufacturing area.I think we have and are going to have many manufacturing jobs going overseas(we can't all be white collar workers). We all want to go to Walmart and buy the color 32 inch TV for $149 but in order for companies to make a profit selling to Walmart at that cost they need to get cheap labor which usually means overseas. NJ has lost about 40% of manufacturing jobs in the last 30 years. There are many reasons companies are laying off including unions who got great pay increases for the workers at the expense of jobs in the long run I feel. We can't just point the finger at Bush.

Originally posted by flatso
There are many reasons companies are laying off including unions who got great pay increases for the workers at the expense of jobs in the long run I feel. We can't just point the finger at Bush.
That is EXACTLY why the entire office had no bonuses, no party, no raise, and we even got a pay-cut in Feb. The 'Union' (BLEH!) here botched a job of ductwork, etc. and _they_ had to work overtime and their scheduled raises (~$2/hr-year) for something that was their fault. Who are the losers there?!

Enron. I was one of those guys........

i might be soon so anyone got any opening for a unix/nt tech?

i am young and new to the job market but flatso does ur friend have experiece in AC repair. could he look at companies which services these products?

Yeah I don't have to worry about getting laid off but I am 100% commission so if I don't close any loans I don't get a pay check. I do pretty well though. No complaints here at all. Now if we can just keep the economy strong so people are continuing to buy homes...

And sorry to hear about your friends job I think that looking at becoming a service tech is a good alternative.

We also need to look at keeping American jobs in America.

Ther tuck my jeb!

yah that has got to suck i hope when im done my law degree there will be a need for us!

cant work at london drugs the rest of my life... or can i?