Re: The softening marketplace
How are you experiencing the softening of the marketplace in your region? I
am hearing reports that we won't see a rebound until 4th quarter. How has
this affected your ability to find work as a consultant?
Suzanne
Reporting from Cleveland, OH, or as they call it, the North Coast,
where I've been living the past 13 years. I've been intimately
introduced to the soft marketplace: I was laid off (first time in my
life without a job since I was 16) and most people I talk to tell me
about the people at their companies that have been laid off.
The company I was with laid off 17 people from their Cleveland
location and the balance of the total of 30 from their Mississippi
manufacturing plant. They gave us an across-the-board severance of
two weeks (I was there for 11 years--yeah, way too long since I knew
the company has been declining steadily for the last two) and one
third of our vacation. I'm hearing from my former cohorts of the cuts
they are making at the business (no more receptionist, no more
matching on the 401K ?). They have about 80 people left in Cleveland
and roughly the same in MS, down from over 300 people about five
years ago.
As I write this, one of my job search engines just dropped in my
mailbox the latest jobs for writing, editing, communications, ? in
every category: a part-time admin clerk and a graphic artist for a
catalog (sounds like a contract job). This has been the typical
result of searches on the major engines (any suggestions on using
search engines for freelance work are also welcome).
The unemployment rate here, last I looked, was around 7.3% compared
to the national around 4.2%. Jobs for writing or editing here under
most circumstances are rare and seem mostly directed toward entry
level if they do pop up. I've been off since 4/12, so daily I'm
searching nearly 24/7. This is all new to me (I'm scared to death)
and have been wondering whether this is my cue to relocate to a
market more suitable for a writing career. I have a friend in LA who
keeps saying I should move out there. Though I'm certainly not going
to run out the door--though I might--I'm considering every
possibility (single with no children or family here so no real reason
not to relocate except the loathing of moving again).
--
Donna M. Horowitz
Hectic but free
no other way to be
life is joyous when
you pursue
what you love.
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References:
The softening marketplace: From: Suzanne Pyle
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