Posts Tagged ‘Layoffs’

Companies Announce Layoffs on Blogs

November 13th, 2008 by Susan P. Joyce

How times have changed!  In a recent NY Times blog post, Claire Cain Miller reported that companies are trying to get ahead of misleading information (a.k.a. gossip) by annoucing the layoffs in the employer’s blog.  The examples were in Silicon Valley where technology addiction is particularly high, but the tactics will no doubt spread to less techie regions.

So, if your employer has a blog, check on it occasionally to see what is posted.  If the company is large enough to have an independent blog covering it, check that too – looking for the layoff info.

This is being viewed as a more “personal” way to make the announcements and, obviously, an attempt to try to control the message spin.  Other interpretations will happen, none-the-less, but at least employers are trying to be more communicative.

Overall, I think this is a good thing.  We’ll see how it develops.

Job Search Strategies for Long-Term Unemployment

October 5th, 2008 by Susan P. Joyce

The official August to September U.S. Unemployment Rate stayed steady at 6.1%. Not bad news (although we hope for better, of course).

On the other hand, the “long term” number has climbed to over 20% of those currently counted as unemployed. The “seasonally adjusted” rate for September is 21.1%, a 1.5% increase over August’s seasonally adjusted rate of 19.5%. (more…)

Layoff Self-Defense

September 16th, 2008 by Susan P. Joyce

Many people are losing their jobs right now, through mass layoffs, corporate restructuring, and other events outside of their control.  If possible, finding the new job before the old one evaporates is the best strategy.

4 Layoff Facts:

1. Layoffs should NOT be taken personally, except by the CEO. For everyone else, a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time – not bad performance!

2. A job seeker is more interesting to another employer when still employed (a.k.a. “passive” job seeker). Unemployed (a.k.a. “active” ) job seekers are less desirable.

(more…)