Politicians Don't Understand; We are in a Recession!

Sometimes I think I am not paying enough attention to the media or I am not listening to enough talk radio since I don't hear a lot of talk about the recession in which I think we are mired. Since I am in the career development profession, I am meeting a lot of people who have lost their jobs or are afraid of losing their jobs. The 6.1% unemployment rate announced last week by the Department of Labor, confirms that people have a lot to worry about.

I actually didn't need to hear the numbers to know that many people are having a really hard time making ends meet and are experiencing difficult times.

Here are some of the barometers that I see just in my everyday routines:

1. The length of time it takes for me to get on to the freeway via the on ramp. I was thinking traffic was light because it was a slow summer. However, the kids are back to school and the traffic from nearby new housing developments has lessened significantly.

2. The unbelievable costs of everyday food items. My jaw totally dropped on a recent trip to the supermarket to find that a bottle of domestic Canola Oil cost almost the same as a bottle of imported Olive Oil.

3. The number of conference participants willing to share a room with a colleague at a recent career conference.

What are your everyday barometers?

As folks become more concerned about job security and career stability I thought some readers might want to revisit a few of our posts about surviving a layoff or recession proofing a career.

- What's Your Career Half Life?
- The Ailing, Failing US Economy hits City and State Employees
- Top 25 Careers to Pursue in a Recession
- 3 Surefire Ways to Recession Proof Your Job or Career – Part 1
- 3 Surefire Ways to Recession Proof Your Job or Career - Part 2
- Life After Layoff