Employment : Which are you? (San Diego: contractor, salary, cost)

[TypoGlyco]

You might know the name Robert Reich.

He was Secretary of Labor under Bill Clinton. Times were different then. Booming economy, healthy employment rates etc. This is the 1990s : pre-9/11, no wars, the Internet in its infancy.

Anywho,

I think amongst all the blathering pundits out there, he is the least likely to blather and deals more in level-headed, dispassionate reason. He's a regular/ syndicated contributor to many websites and I just got to reading his latest post:

Why There's No Outcry | Robert Reich

Which got me thinking, regarding our employment situations:

You are either:

• Unemployed
• Underemployed
• Employed (but scared of losing your job)

- to the Employed amongst us- how are you feeling right now? Are you in fact, anxiety ridden at the prospect of losing your job?

Just curious.

[rgb123]

I am actually. I think reading the employment boards here adds to any anxiety I had before. A colleague of mine was recently let go as well, and I was the person closest to him (we worked side by side on a contract). It was a huge shock that nobody saw coming.

I've been reassured and have good reviews but it does not stop my anxiety. I think I have trust issues with my employer, and have a higher salary than most so feel I might be looked at first. What bothers me too is the person who was let go was well liked and everyone thought he was so "likable" ... I was never as well liked personally by management as he was.

Add to that I also feel underemployed and feel I have to really stand out to make sure I retain my salary year after year. My biggest fear is that I'll just be labeled difficult or hard to work with over some small comment or disagreement about the direction of a project and get more and more sidelined.

I like my job and have a good salary, and I work from home. I wish I felt happier and less scared, I'm not sure what it will take for me to fully relax.

I think if/when the economy improves things will feel a great bit better. We have started hiring more people but that scares me too, I think I won't feel better until I'm promoted (I applied recently and almost got it). I want to be certain they are willing to invest in me and not just hiring people they think are better (and cheaper)

[TypoGlyco]

Thanks for sharing that.

Are you "feeling underemployed" because you still work on contract only?

If you are, I would agree with that- watching other bona fide employees go through the motions of the traditional employer/ employee relation- being part of the culture, being a vested asset/ resource etc.

Also, if you are distrusting of this employer- yep, I'd feel the same way (having done long-term contract work before)- because they may see your status as a cost efficiency benefit. The only way to know would be for you to press the issue of permanent employment.

I did that with the employer that I was contracting for. I eventually got what I wanted- but was gone after a year. Not fired, but ignored with a decrease in responsibility, poor review etc. Also, I am actually one of those, activist, opinionated type of workers that you mentioned. So, that may have had something to do with it. Likable amongst my workmates- but irritating to upper management.

I don't mean to add any more anxiety to what you are already feeling. Each of our situations are different and you might be more completely skilled, educated and experienced in your line of work than I am in mine. So- different circumstances.

[divagotstyle07]

yep-- underemployed, and even scared of losing that job as well!

I work in contract telecom engineering, and to be honest...i'm entirely overqualified for it. Scouring the web daily for new opportunities, but I just moved here, and most people need to know someone to get their foot in the door...

[oddstray]

Employed (by a government contractor). Not underemployed (except that they don't keep me as busy as I'd prefer). Liked by my colleagues. Liked by my managers.

Only reason I'm not anxious over being laid-off is that I'm close enough to retirement that I can afford to be de-facto retired. Lately I'm hearing about all these new "jobs" as an excuse to claim that we're economically recovering. I call BS. I want to how know many of these new "jobs" will support a family of four by one worker working 40 hours per week.

[rgb123]

Originally Posted by TypoGlyco

Thanks for sharing that.

Are you "feeling underemployed" because you still work on contract only?

If you are, I would agree with that- watching other bona fide employees go through the motions of the traditional employer/ employee relation- being part of the culture, being a vested asset/ resource etc.

Also, if you are distrusting of this employer- yep, I'd feel the same way (having done long-term contract work before)- because they may see your status as a cost efficiency benefit. The only way to know would be for you to press the issue of permanent employment.

I did that with the employer that I was contracting for. I eventually got what I wanted- but was gone after a year. Not fired, but ignored with a decrease in responsibility, poor review etc. Also, I am actually one of those, activist, opinionated type of workers that you mentioned. So, that may have had something to do with it. Likable amongst my workmates- but irritating to upper management.

I don't mean to add any more anxiety to what you are already feeling. Each of our situations are different and you might be more completely skilled, educated and experienced in your line of work than I am in mine. So- different circumstances.

I'm not contract only anymore and I have enough skills to move around pretty fluidly onto different contracts as needed. What troubles me is I am at the higher end of the payscale, so while I can do most of the jobs, its hard to justify my pay if I'm filling an analyst role. So far I've been able to fill higher roles on contracts but I don't think I'd feel really safe until I'm part of the management/leadership team. What does make me feel better is I was almost hired for a higher position but they went with an external candidate (who really is a lot more senior) this seems to have brought me some recognition within the whole company and I think my department got the memo that they have to start mentoring me to go into leadership on our side....which of course irritates me as if I need coaching by someone I consider my peer (many of the leadership are my age and younger) but that's the game I have to play!

[shmoov_groovzsd]

TypoGlyco, interesting question. Not sure how its San Diego relevant (perhaps employment forums?)

But to entertain the question, it would appear those 3 categories are accurate.

Yes Robert Reich was there during the boom years. My father who is near 70 (and others in the baby boomer generation) greatly benefited from that era. Productivity was soaring, 401ks were becoming an incredibly popular investment intrument among large firms, tech was really hitting its false stride via web companies etc. It was the post 80s upswing helped by a new an exciting frontier in the technology sector.

Naturally as that generation of workers is phasing out or have already, we are experiencing a lull, at least compared to those most productive years. I do think we will hit a stride again, but clearly in a different way.

I work in tech and helped start a company, sold it and now consult for them. I have had to hire, fire and everything in between. But I do work in a results driven industry for the most part. Cost cutting from the top down is always a major concern from our clients and the utmost levels of efficiency.
But this is the pace of the industry, not an established industry that has very repetitive cycles.

With that being said, I am always fearful of not necessarily my unemployment with the company I work with, but getting to do what I do best. I am thankful that I am afforded the level of freedom that I have but never naive enough to think, even if I perform and bring in huge profit margins and client satisfaction, I am not expendable if there is a change in the company, industry or freezing of any decisions based on global financial fear.

We are in a new era of self employment in my opinion. Just being status quo, filling in a cube farm and thinking you have job security because the qualifications fit is probably as good as a decade. I have seen engineers in my field in cellular get complacent, because the company allows it. The ones that do move up, 'get it' and see beyond the role they are given. But that is more company culture than anything else.

But I dont think being fearful of losing a job as necessarily a negative. Obviously the net result to that individual is from a 'paying the bills' standpoint, but from a positive outlook, can be a motivator for learning how to set yourself from the pack and be an industry pace setter.

I can tell you that the most successful people dont even thnk about their jobs necessarily, they think about getting things done. They are usually either picked up by competitors or go on their own. I cant speak for other industries, just cellular.

[Matt518]

What about the self-employed? Not unemployed and not always under-employed, and not usually scared of losing their job.

[Think4Yourself]

I feel fine. Thanks for asking.

[ShelbyGirl1]

Retired