By Kevin M
Recently on OutOfYourRut I’ve been writing a series of posts centered on employment alternatives–self-employment, side businesses and soft employment (part-time, temporary or contract work). The purpose in discussing these alternatives is based on my belief that the weak employment environment we now find ourselves in may not be temporary, and longterm changes need to be implemented in order for us to survive in a job market that may look very different from what we’ve know for most of our lives.
( Photo by Phil Campbell )
Though connecting employment weakness to the recent recession is the standard line, doing so fails to give proper recognition to longer term trends which have had an even greater effect on the job market than we assume. Globalization, advances in technology and rising healthcare costs have marginalized much of the labor force in countries such as the United States. While technology has been eliminating jobs at home, wage arbitrage has been taking place globally, in a competition that high wage/high benefit labor bases, such as that of the U.S., are at a competative disadvantage versus low cost/unbenefited work forces in third world countries. We can protest that it’s unfair competition all we want, but it’s also the reality of our time.
Though the evidence is all around us, I stumbled upon a recent article that addresses the longer term job outlook more directly.
Continue reading Jobs and Careers That Aren’t Coming Back →
STRATEGY #10 TO SURVIVE A DOWN ECONOMY
By Kevin M
When careers and money become questionable foundations in our lives, what’s left? It’s often only in bad economies that we even entertain the question.
In 10 Ways To Survive a Down Economy (published on Christianpf.com June 1) we listed ten strategies to help us deal with the bad economy. Our topic for today, the final strategy, Strategy #10:
Seek fulfillment beyond your work. In a world where careers are no longer either peaceful or progressive, self actualizing through your work may not be the path it’s been in the past. Fortunately, there are plenty of opportunities to find fulfillment outside of work. Take more active roles in regard to your health, family, faith and community.
Continue reading Seek Fulfillment Beyond Your Work →
Employers are on tight budgets right now and we need to work outside the box just to get noticed. Think of it as though you’re starting a new business and you’re working to build a customer base by giving out free samples.
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STRATEGY #9 TO SURVIVE A DOWN ECONOMY
By Kevin M
In the best of times, borrowing seems to be a sensible way to get the things we want but can’t afford to purchase in full right now, but we’re sure we can tackle later with a predictably increasing income stream.
But when economic fortunes shift into low gear—as they are now—the same debt accumulated during better times can become a heavier burden, even one which is impossible to bear. Other than paying debt down and eventually off completely, there isn’t much we can do about the debt already accumulated. But the Great Recession should be a wake up call to all who might have come to view debt as a traveling companion in life.
In 10 Ways To Survive a Down Economy (published on Christianpf.com June 1) we listed ten strategies to help you deal with the bad economy. Our topic for today, Strategy #9:
”Envision a future without debt, and then pursue it.” Gradually pay down—then pay off—your debt. This includes your mortgage. It should go without saying that lowering your cost of living will be a crucial element in this effort as well. (Are you noticing a pattern?)”
Is that even possible any more?
Continue reading Envision a Future Without Debt →
Radical Self Reliance in the New Economy
By Kevin M
What if the economy isn’t turning the corner? What if the “Great Recession” isn’t a recession at all, but the early stage of a longer term economic devolution?
I consider this as more than a reasonable possibility. As much as we might cling to the notion of “business as usual”, the history books tell us that long term cycles are periodically broken by the onset of a new eras. The fall of the Roman Empire was one such turn; the onset of the Industrial Revolution was another. Closer to our own time and place were the Civil War and the Great Depression. All of these events changed not only the rules of the game, but also the way the majority of people lived. And they were hardly isolated incidents.
I’m reading Survival+, Structuring Prosperity for Yourself and the Nation, where author and website host Charles Hugh Smith spells out the “Great Transformation” that we may well have entered already. The evidence to support his claim isn’t hard to find.
Continue reading Radical Self Reliance in the New Economy →