What Job Security?
As
our economy becomes more and more global, the employment
outlook grows more unstable for US workers. Is there
anything you can do about it?
Let's
face it, most of us need the assurance of a steady
paycheck to sleep at night. Being able to rely on
present and future income means not only that the
bills are going to be paid, but that you can make
major purchases, like houses and cars, without worrying
that you'll lose them along with your job.
Unfortunately,
job security, once taken for granted by most working
Americans, is quickly being relegated to the memory
boxes of an older generation, along with 40-year
anniversary gold watches and other appreciation
gifts for longevity.
It
used to be that once you attained a fair amount
of seniority, you could rest assured that if the
company cut jobs, yours wouldn't be one of them.
Now long-term workers get nervous when there are
rumblings of downsizing and outsourcing. They are
generally paid more than younger workers, and instead
of valuing them for their experience, companies
crunch the numbers and figure out how much they
can save in salary, health insurance costs, and
pension funding if they follow a "first in,
first out" policy.
The
most fortunate workers are lured into early retirement
programs; the least fortunate are simply given their
notice. While official unemployment figures don't
reflect it, countless people have been forced out
of decent-paying jobs into low-paying ones. Sure,
the government counts them as "employed."
But most view their jobs as stop-gap measures, a
way to barely get by while they remain hopeful that
one day they'll find another job as good as the
one they left.
Instead,
the chances are they'll move from one low-pay job
to another. The manufacturing jobs that formed the
basis of the Fabulous 50s economy have moved elsewhere.
Former areas of thriving steel plants and automobile
factories are now referred to as "the rust
belt." The auto industry alone announced over
90,000 job cuts in 2006. Most of these were "good
union jobs" with enviable pay and benefits.
But union jobs have been steadily declining. In
1945, nearly a third of Americans held union jobs.
Today only 12% of workers belong to unions. As their
numbers have shrunk, so has unions' ability to negotiate
favorable contracts for their members.
White
collar workers are hardly immune. In 2006, Ford
announced it was offering "voluntary buyouts"
to 10,000 salaried workers, including high-level
executives. Those who took the buyouts explained
they thought it was better than being laid off,
which they assumed would happen next. Workers were
offered the services of "outplacement agencies"-employment
agencies that try to find new jobs for displaced
workers. But in towns that depend heavily on one
industry that is downsizing, it's more likely that
laid-off employees will have to sell their houses
(in a real estate market that has also taken a price
downturn) and move to some other part of the country.
In
2002, the technology sector dumped 150,000 software
jobs. In 2006, computer chip maker Intel announced
job cuts of over 10,000. Students were told that
their best bet for the future was information technology.
They worked hard for technology degrees, earned
millions for their employers, and then found themselves
with nowhere to go-because their jobs were moving
to India, China and Russia.
Another
relatively new obstacle to job security is the practice
of "offshore outsourcing." We all know
how it works: Someone in India or Mexico does your
job for 15% of what you were paid. More and more,
outsourcing is affecting any job classification
that does not depend strictly on a US or Canadian
location. For example, if you're a waitress, grocery
clerk, or store manager, you can't very well be
outsourced. US factory workers were the first to
be hit hard by the "giant sucking sound"
of their jobs moving to other countries, but now
software developers, engineers, journalists, and
other professionals are facing the same fate.
Of
course, the reason is the bottom line. Companies
are in business to make a profit. Creating secure
jobs for their employees is not their concern. Scaling
back on labor costs is the number one way to increase
profit margins, whether through outsourcing, not
replacing employees who quit or are fired, paying
workers less, or using non-union, lower paid, or
part time workers here. The country's major employers
are huge multi-national companies. Playing musical
chairs with jobs among different countries is as
simple for them as the children's game.
It
isn't pleasant to think about. It's certainly easier
to just assume that your job and your paycheck will
always be there for you. But denial of a problem
will not make it go away or solve it, and some day
you may wish you had thought to create a backup
plan for maintaining your income without relying
on your current job.
At
this point, you are probably asking yourself, "What
can I do to be financially secure?"
As
grim as the employment picture looks, there is still
a way to provide an income for yourself that you
control. Being your own boss means no one can lay
you off or cut your hours and benefits. It's up
to you to take control of your future income and
your future security.
Fortunately,
there is an exciting home business opportunity that
offers you a way to create a safety net of security
and financial success that no one can pull out from
under you.
It
may be tempting to believe that your good job will
last, or to believe that even though you're not
happy with your current job, there's a good one
waiting down the road. Just remember that while
the unemployment figures look good, the jobs America
is losing are being replaced by a whole new category
known as "service industry" jobs. These
are low-paying jobs in retail or customer service.
Hourly workers are almost never allowed to work
overtime, while those on salaries fill in the gaps
without any overtime pay. The unfortunate truth
is that you have to look out for number one because
you cannot rely on any company to put you or any
other employee first.
Your
first step toward security should be to obtain information
about starting your own home based business.
The
beauty of a home-based business is that you need
only Internet access and a telephone to build a
thriving business. Our team of skilled professionals
will train you and show you the secrets of their
success. Incredibly, the capacity to change your
uncertain future lies in your own hands.
Instead of worrying
about how you'll pay the bills if you get the surprise
pink slip, take the first step today towards protecting
your financial future. If you are ready to find
out how you can begin to create a considerable income
right away -an income that will continue to provide
for you and your family--then you have arrived at
the right place.
Simply fill out the form below for additional
information, and begin looking forward to the security
and success you deserve.
Sincerely,