On Friday, June 26, 2009, "What's your plan B?" in this period of high unemployment is Kerri Miller's topic in the 10 o'clock hour of Midmorning, and it's also "Today's Question" on mprnewsq.org. So, check out the Midmorning page now, and listen in and respond to "Today's Question" tomorrow. Starting now, add your comments here.
Without any further ado, what is your plan B? What are you going to do if you lose your job? Or what are you doing if you're already in that boat?
This is an open discussion, so you're welcome to link to your related Gather articles or other online resources. Your comments & articles may be quoted on http://minnesota.publicradio.org/your_voice/ or on mpr.org.
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Comments: 10
Apply for hundreds of jobs, and never get an interview.
It's working great.
(sigh)
Retire. (I'm 67.) Then look for work, what else.
This is a personal answer: We've made a very distinct and deliberate effort to have enough in savings to buy us some time. Time to make the best possible economic, lifestyle, and family decisions. We also discuss back-up plans on a fairly regular basis, because it makes us feel more secure, not less.
Hey Tim, Larry, and Julia. Thanks for joining the conversation!
How disconcerting to apply for so many jobs to so little avail, Tim. If you get a chance, you should definitely listen in--they may have some useful tips! So definitely listen in.
Larry--I think my dad's plan B is similar to yours. Thanks to me and college, he's still working, but I think he'd like to retire, and if he lost his job, it might actually be a welcome change. But I'm sure that couldn't last long, and he'd be looking for work.
Sounds smart, Julia. Good to keep an ongoing dialogue. My family constantly tries to instill in me the importance of saving, and obviously it's very important, especially in this kind of economy.
Everyone, right now on MPR, Kerri's doing a program on difficulties for recent college grads in the job market. It's a double header show, finding jobs in this tough job market, so listen to whatever you can!
Check out Today's Question on mprnewsq.org--it's also about your plan B. Here are a couple of responses:
My Plan B is to put 100% of my effort into my side business, Renavance LLC which licenses product ideas to other companies. It's difficult to leave the security of a job but not having an income would make the development of my business worth the time spent. -Atul Patel, Eden Prairie, MN
Plan B? Oh, seriously now! You must be joking! We passed plan B a long time ago! I lost not just one but TWO jobs last year and I'm only slightly employed with an online writing position that brings in a few pennies a day while my hubby is putting off retirement for what -- two, three, five, twenty years -- maybe till he drops dead of exhaustion or I do, whichever comes first. But he can't stop working because then we'd have no health insurance and we & the grown kids & for awhile the much overgrown parents of hubby depended on his earnings &/or insurance for our insurance or moolah. Who bothers with plans anymore? That's all gone by the wayside. It's more by "skin of the teeth" now. -Diana Gaine, Greenville, TX
There's been little change in my life so far. I'm doing what I've been doing for years. As a freelance writer, I'm always looking for work, hearing rejection weekly, and seeking for more opportunities. It's truly not different for me. I can understand how it's a huge and unsettling switch for those of you who work (or used to) for an employer.
Kristin Tillotson wrote a great piece about out-of-work poets/artists in the Star Tribune earlier this week. Yeah, I could relate. :-) Being in a state of Looking-for-Work is my normal state.
Welcome to the conversation, Susan. Interesting what you say about constantly being in a state of "Looking-for-Work"--prepares you for the current economic climate. Is it harder, though, to have your work accepted by potential publishers? Are you hearing more rejection now than you were in a better economy?
Kerri's talking plan B right now. One of her guests is a newspaper journalist/critic turned cook. Check out the Midmorning program page at mprnewsq.org.
Actually, I'm moving away from journalist-ing and toward teaching. I have been happier with that because there's less pitching and billing various clients. otoh, I love to write so I miss it if I'm not writing enough.
I will say that one of my newspapers might be tanking. There's been changes in the editorship.....
Teaching? That sounds like fun. Where will you be teaching? Will you be teaching regular English, creative writing...?
Ah, yes, newspapers have had it rough for a while now--sometimes it's hard to see them struggle so much! Good, then, that you've begun to move to a teaching plan B!
The show might be over, but the difficulties facing all of us in this economy aren't. Let's keep discussing!
I've been teaching poetry class/workshops for a while--about two years, but with more vim and vigor lately. I teach through community ed., but plan to pitch a class to a literature center by Wednesday (their deadline!). I'd better get on the stick!