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.