Never mind the stock market, never mind the oil prices and never mind whether the government buying mortgages is a bailout for Wall Street or a rescue of Main Street. At the end of the day, the most important contributing factor to our individual ability to live comfortably is having our job.
Today, I want to ask you: “Are you worried about your job?”
I’m not saying that the oil prices or the passing of the bailout bill isn’t important, but there is no question that our job is more critical to us than either of those. These days, I see so many people focused on how the DOW is doing or trying to find the newest update on the rescue bill instead of concentrating on their jobs, but their attention is clearly in the wrong place.
No matter how bad the stock market is doing or how weak the economy is, you will do fine if you have the same job as long as you didn’t over leverage yourself.
There is a huge opportunity for you to shine because you can really stand out as someone who is optimistic and energetic while everyone is worried and stressed out. Start showing everyone why you deserve to move up in your company and get a raise.
At the very least, promise me that you won’t worry too much and end up getting fired for lack of performance okay?
{ read the comments below or add one }
Four years later, this still holds true.
I wonder how people feel now?
Until they find a replacement for truck drivers, my job is safe
It’s absolutely horrifying seeing all these economic problems just stir up in such little time. All of us should just make a fortune from the Internet 🙂
-Mike
With all the talk of doom and gloom I was surprised to find that 2/3’s of us are feeling fine about the job. I had thought I was one of the few who was NOT feeling the effects of whatever is going on, and wondered if I was just in a sheltered la-la land here in rural Oregon. Glad to see there are others feeling ok about things.
I work for one of the larger private companies in our county, in recycling and garbage, mine job is specifically in buying junk cars and scrap metal. Things tend to pick up for us with the economy gets bad, and people always have garbage and recyling.
And if I lose my job? I’m fine,except I’ll need to pick up the health insurance and whatever that cost is. No debt, basic monthly living expenses (utilities,gas & car ins,food,meds) are $376/month, and if I deduct the property taxes from that, they are $330/month. My dividends bring in more than that.
I sleep easy, too, about me personally. At the moment my 3 kids and their families are also ok with jobs, etc. I pray that continues.
I feel my job is safe, but the poll reveals that about 33% don’t or already lost their job. That is a huge #.
The fact is if you are not on your own, things are out of your hands. Reserves must be put in place in case you do lose your job. I promise to not do something silly though to end up there.
I never worry about my job. Never have. I have put myself in that position. I have enough savings to be out of work for years. Combination of high salary, low expenses, and aggressive if not obsessive savings.
I also take the attitude that it is easy for good talented workers to find a job. I have never not been able to find a job when I want one. I generally believe that if you are in the top-tier of workers, you bring more to your company than your company brings to you.
I also work for a large company so I have no idea if my job is safe, I’m not a senior executive so I don’t have any real leverage. If you’re an employee and not an executive, the fact of the matter is the fate of your job security is not in your hands. You can be a great worker, but at the end of the day you’re expendable.
I have about 4 months of reserves should I lose my job. Your poll is a good one. It will be intersted to see what others have to say. Thanks for the post.
I asked a similar question a couple of weeks ago. If you lost your job, would you be okay?
You poll is interesting since I (as an employee of the company) really have no idea if my job is safe or not. In fact, it’s completely out of my hands. For that reason, I tend not to worry about whether my job is safe or not but instead do something about it if I were to lose my job.
As I mention on my post, Income Protection is the right course of action for me, so no matter what the circumstances, no matter what turns up, I’ll be fine either way.
I sleep easy at night 🙂