Damn economy!

Zero Signal · Sep 29, 2008

Who else here has jobs that are hurting? I work for a private agency that does plan review for building permits. We haven't had a new project come in in two weeks. Our old definition of "slow" business was a 5 business day backlog. Good business was keeping a two week back-log. We had a project revision come in today that I got out the same day (lucky them). Typically we charge triple the normal fee to do that but it was the only thing we've had in house for a few days so I ran it the second it came in the door. Six months ago, we had 50+ projects in for review. Today the list is zero, zip, nada. The city and county are starting to layoff again and the county is desperately trying to hold on to about 35 inspectors, admin and plan review staff but it looks like they're going to be out of jobs here soon.

It seems it's all coming down to this credit crunch and no builders can get loans. The only ones who DO get loans are the ones who don't need them in the first place. That leaves our company with nothing but the really big construction projects to float on (like review fees of $100,000+, i.e. Vegas hotels, huge warehouses, hospitals, hotels etc)

I feel like it's only a matter of time before I may be out of a job with a mortgage to pay since I'm so connected with he building industry. This crap is stressing me the hell out.

95BlueStallion · Sep 29, 2008

My job is mostly effected by fuel prices. I work in transportation, and was stressed the **** out in July... It has just recently gone back to "normal," although I still struggle since many carriers went out of business over the summer. I feel your pain, but to a much smaller degree.

97speedster · Sep 29, 2008

Lost my job last Monday and this is the first time in 20 years that I am skeptical about finding something else. I also work in the housing industry as a Superintendent and it might mean I have to shed a few extra pounds and go back into the Army to support my family and I have been out for 13 years!

Pokageek · Sep 29, 2008

We only have ONE option my friend. Insulate yourself. Do what I did and go BACK to school or training to get into a better career/profession that pays more money OR in your case one that has better stability. Sit down at your puter, do some research, ask friends or older family. Healthcare, government, power (electricity) , computers, the space program, etc...all more secure.

Zero Signal · Sep 29, 2008

Yeah I'm running with a BS in Civil Engineering. I know some professors pay you to help them in their research while obtaining a master's at the same time, but a master's in this field isn't as profitable as experience.

I've considered going into a medical related (probably pharmacy) field or possibly engineering law, but I just couldn't afford the schooling again. I also considered flight school to potentially get into commercial flying, but again, school = $$$.

juiced_94gt · Sep 30, 2008

Im a union ironworker and we seem to be doing pretty good...even though the economy is taking a hit it seems that we as tax payers have plenty of tax dollars to spend on buildings for cops and firefighters!!! we just built a 5 story firehouse in downtown L.A. and im working on a new 10 story police station with 2 mil just in custom glass just because they can!!

Husky44 · Sep 30, 2008

Have you considered relocating?

Not sure how you are about cold, but we can't find enough engineers up here! A BS in civil will get you working, and the pay's pretty darn good. You can only drive your stang from April 1 to OCT 31 (but, no IM!!!), unless you are nuts and want to drive it in the snow.

If you're not into the winter gig, I imagine the gulf coast is a similar market right now for engineers (but I hear it rains a lot there...).

Just some suggestions. I work for the oil industry, and we can't do all the work we need to right now, primarily due to lack of manpower, although materials is becoming a close second. Understand though, that oil is definitely a cyclical industry. But right now is boom time.

fasterthanthem · Sep 30, 2008

My job really isn't hurting at all. I work 15 days a month, 12 hour shifts.

OH YEAH.. that's right.. I work for the government.. :-( BOO ME.

Black95GTS · Sep 30, 2008

We are dying for experienced engineers in MA. My company is straight out for work through 2010, no BS. We primarily do power infrastructure, but also bridges, tunnels, etc.

Adam

blksn955.o · Sep 30, 2008

Tell me about it I work for Citi...in the Citimortgage div. I am in a really small group that is fairly safe. I have been wanting to advance again but am afraid of the cuts coming. More or less I am taking security for now over more pay.

The building I work at has 3800 people or so...it had 5000 a year and a half ago. The rumor is 1500 are getting cut TODAY from the building.

I am wanting to start my Masters program in the next 6-9mo so I hope I can hang in there since they pay 80% of that.

GermanyBert · Sep 30, 2008

Why is this in Tech Talk??

Zero Signal · Sep 30, 2008

This talk forum was created for the 94-95 crowd becuase we didn't want to mingle with the fox guys for OT threads and the OT threads were flooding the tech section. So, it's not "tech talk", just "talk"

Anyway, relocating won't be for me, as my house is worth less than I bought it for (by 10% or so)and I'm not willing to take that loss. I have some landscaping projects underway that should help witht he value but that only goes so far. I'm hoping Jim Cramer is right on his countdown to the bottom of the housing market being 3rd quarter of 2009.

I have some possibilities lined up at the moment, but I don't want to entertain job offers unless I know our office is doomed becuase I really like my cushy job.

BlownFiveLiter · Sep 30, 2008

GermanyBert said:
Why is this in Tech Talk??

This section is for talk not tech, hence the "talk" designation.

Zero Signal said:
This talk forum was created for the 94-95 crowd becuase we didn't want to mingle with the fox guys for OT threads and the OT threads were flooding the tech section. So, it's not "tech talk", just "talk"

Correct. Since we got our own tech section, we also got a talk subforum, outside of 5.0 Talk.

GermanyBert · Sep 30, 2008

Ok....thanks. Sorry for bothering y'all!

fastgtfairlane · Sep 30, 2008

i work for toyota selling cars and it is terrible at the moment. i havent been in the car selling business for very long and many of the sales people are telling me its the slowest they have ever seen it. banks are getting harder and harder to buy cars for financing. and it seems the media is really scaring people to not wanna buy a car right now. not to mention it is really hard to even find gas in mecklenburg county in charlotte nc.

Zero Signal · Sep 30, 2008

There are so many factors causing our issues right now, I don't know where to begin. You have the media causing panic, the government being in-decisive, wall street is chaotic with investors scrambling to make a profit anyway they can and nobody can get loans for just about anything. The only people who can get loans are those who don't need them.

94-302-vert · Sep 30, 2008

My company is heavily tied to automotive. In July we did a voluntary retirement and reduction in force of ~10%, we are being forced to take 18 days vacation this year to save costs (15 days are shutdowns) and there are rumors of another retiurement/reduction.

Things are not good... Even Foxwoods is going to let 700 more people go...

Mustang5L5 · Sep 30, 2008

We are slow but still trucking along. I actually interviewed a Mech ENgineer last week for a postion we have in my company.

We support the semi-conductor industry and most of our customers are overseas....so unless we proceed back to the dark ages, there will be a need to make microchips still.

We are still worried though. I kinda want to keep the open position open a little longer as a buffer against potential lay-offs.

On a plus side...our business was starting to pick up

I REALLY feel bad for people in industries considered luxuries.

Zero Signal · Oct 8, 2008

People like to talk about the greed and irresponsibility of the executives who are causing all of these problems . . . Here is a bit of proof backing up those sentiments. washingtonpost.com

For those of you who don't feel like reading it, here are the cliff notes:

The $85 billion you and I are paying for to rescue AIG is going toward supporting the executives' mega rich lifestyles and they aren't even trying to hide it. 70 of their top execs took a small piece of their bailout bonuses and funded a nice $440,000 week spa trip. They're even paying their used-to-be CEO $1 million per month just in case they need to ask him for advise.

blksn955.o · Oct 8, 2008

blksn955.o said:
Tell me about it I work for Citi...in the Citimortgage div. I am in a really small group that is fairly safe. I have been wanting to advance again but am afraid of the cuts coming. More or less I am taking security for now over more pay.

The building I work at has 3800 people or so...it had 5000 a year and a half ago. The rumor is 1500 are getting cut TODAY from the building.

I am wanting to start my Masters program in the next 6-9mo so I hope I can hang in there since they pay 80% of that.

...well my group got hit HARD...I was laid off yesterday . I am supposed to finish up the week and will get a good enough package that should hold me over until I find something, it should be good until about mid/end Feb pay wise. FWIW- my group managed a piece of the business that was sold to Tata today and oversaw the tables that held the system information for the whole US.

Some good news may come of this...I have been looking for a job within the company and my boss (also let go but not until the end of the month) along with the guy that will replace my director (also let go). All Have offered to try their best to get me on at one of the groups that are on a major "hire spree" to keep me with the company. The reason I think it may be more than smiles and hand shakes is they have talked to me in private...several of the managers I deal with are calling around expressing desire with others to keep me with the company...

I have been looking a little outside the company anyway and man...there really is not a whole lot out there. Thank god I did not make a "whole" lot...its a lot easier to find a job to replace a majority of what I made rather than $60k-75+ people are loosing.

Damn economy!

Zero Signal

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95BlueStallion

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97speedster

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Pokageek

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Zero Signal

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That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

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