Job security

[boosami]

US defense contractor. As long as we have a need to defend our country, I have a job.

[Goldy1]

I read legal jobs are going to lawyers in India b/c they get paid like a fourth of an AMerican lawyer or less(maybe the money there is worth less, not sure). They are used for things such as going over contracts. US firms are employing overseas lawyers. lol kind of odd.


I just kind of thank heavens I am in my 30's and not 21 again b/c we were able to work in our 20's and pay down the mortgage and job security wasn't as much an issue as it is now so I feel I have a head start on taking care of myself in the future with a place to live and some retirement saved.

[disneysteve]

Originally Posted by Goldy1

I read legal jobs are going to lawyers in India b/c they get paid like a fourth of an AMerican lawyer or less(maybe the money there is worth less, not sure). They are used for things such as going over contracts. US firms are employing overseas lawyers. lol kind of odd.

Even some medical jobs are getting outsourced. Radiologists are being used in India. Since most facilities now take x-rays digitally instead of on film, the images can be sent anywhere to be interpreted. Our local hospital uses Indian radiologists after hours rather than keeping a radiologist on-site to read x-rays and CT scans done through the ER.

Medical billing is another job that can easily be outsourced.

[boosami]

Originally Posted by disneysteve

Even some medical jobs are getting outsourced. Radiologists are being used in India.

I used to work in the healthcare field, like Steve. Even years ago, I was beginning to see full outsourcing of procedures, called "medical tourism." For example, someone may need an expensive procedure that would cost as much as $200k in the US. Getting the procedure done in India from a fully-qualified hospital the total bill including the airfare would be less than $10k! I thought it was interesting, and I wonder if it has picked up any more in recent times. I'm interested to hear your thoughts, Steve, from the perspective of a physician.

[disneysteve]

boosami, medical tourism has gained in popularity in recent years. We talked about it in another thread recently. There is even domestic medical tourism where people go to parts of the US where medical costs are a lot lower.

What do I think? I think if you do your homework, it isn't such a bad idea. A great many foreign doctors are US-trained, so their education and skills are comparable to US docs. As long as the facilities are well-equipped, why not save tens of thousands of dollars, especially if you are paying for it yourself. The US is not the only country in the world with good quality medical care.

Fortunately, being a family practice doc, my job really can't be outsourced since I mostly treat acute non-surgical illness and chronic conditions like blood pressure and diabetes that require ongoing visits.

[cobbsterpcv]

I'm a teacher for the Department of Defense Dependents Schools on a military base overseas. Federally employed in a profession where there is high demand anyway generally means secure.

[mommyof4]

Originally Posted by cobbsterpcv

I'm a teacher for the Department of Defense Dependents Schools on a military base overseas. Federally employed in a profession where there is high demand anyway generally means secure.

My mother did that years ago. I'm now working with another lady who used to be a principal at one of the schools in Germany.

[Ronin]

I'm in Law Enforcement, which you would assume is a secure job in all times, but recently with city budgets stretched thin they are talking about laying off police. This makes absolutely no sense, because that just puts citizens (tax-payers) in more danger. Unsafe city = a city tax-payers don't want to live in = less money for the city....

I spent 10 yrs in the USAF prior to joining the police, I could always go back if need be, but I'd rather not be in the military right now.

[Seeker]

Originally Posted by Ronin

I'm in Law Enforcement, which you would assume is a secure job in all times, but recently with city budgets stretched thin they are talking about laying off police. This makes absolutely no sense, because that just puts citizens (tax-payers) in more danger. Unsafe city = a city tax-payers don't want to live in = less money for the city....

I spent 10 yrs in the USAF prior to joining the police, I could always go back if need be, but I'd rather not be in the military right now.

City budgets are going to be stretched thinner as most of their revenue comes from us taxpayers, whom in turn are paying less taxes because property values are declining, and while citizens may not want to live in cities that are unsafe, they will also not be able to live in the city (ie keep their mortgage and pay their taxes) if they cannot keep working in the area anyway.

No job is secure and chaos reigns when people are unemployed. It's all just one large circle.

[GREENBACK]

The problem with gov't is they put bandaids on problems that really need a cure. They do short term fixes that look good on paper but create other problems down the road. Maybe it's job security for them

[sweeps]

Originally Posted by Ronin

I'm in Law Enforcement, which you would assume is a secure job in all times, but recently with city budgets stretched thin they are talking about laying off police. This makes absolutely no sense, because that just puts citizens (tax-payers) in more danger. Unsafe city = a city tax-payers don't want to live in = less money for the city....

I hear what you're saying but the taxpayers have a limit. We could go over the same exercise with a lot of things:
-- "clean water"
-- "pothole-free streets"
-- "good public education for our kids"
-- "beautiful parks"
-- "a responsive, well-trained fire department"
Sounds great. But at some point, the taxpayers get stretched so thin, they snap -- despite the implied threat that these things will go away if they don't keep sending more money.

[PrincessPerky]

Back to job security My husband is the fellow who does all the work and is paid the least..that is sort of job security (not being a union the fellow there for 20 years who does no work is not guaranteed t to stay on longer)

Actually being a blue company, those with blue blood do stay longer, but the middle folk (paid more than husband but not Blue blooded) are let go before my husband, though in all honesty they are hiring. so yeah, I am not to worried.

Not that I am spending every cent willy nilly in the assumption that he will be forever employed. Just that I see no immediate need to go about day to day thinking "the sky is falling.". (and I do know folk in jobs who prolly aught to be thinking the sky is falling)

[Cylenchar]

Originally Posted by MonkeyMama

Prepare for the worst; Hope for the best. That's my motto.

As an experienced CPA I am in a field where 75% of CPAs are retiring in 10 years and I have never worked a job where we could find ONE CPA with mid-range experience. Not one. I was offered a bonus of 50% of my salary if I could recruit someone who would stick around one year, with any experience really (at my last job). Would be nice if it wasn't an impossible feat. (I work for a CPA firm; not where the money is in accounting, which is the problem).
.

MonkeyMama, in my area, I have notice that accountants are in HIGH demand, haven't looked at salaries, but as an accountant you would not have any problems right now finding work.

[Scanner]

My field is well. . .uh. . .for lack of a better word - weird.

It's no wonder I am a contrarian in investing because my field tends to move in contrary to economic growth. I am a chiropractor and I am up about 25% since the crisis, maybe even 35-40%. Most people say stress. . .yeah. . .that may be some of it. . .I really haven't figured it out.

I think a lot of people put off taking care of health conditions until they get time on their hands and then maybe they're using the benefits "on the way out?" I don't know.

I also started doing some internal procedures to crack down on collections and scheduling so I am probably partially reaping that.

When everyone was doing great. . .I had construction people in my practice pulling in 100K/year and I wasn't making nearly that, I'll admit I was jealous (at times. . .I try not to let envy consume me). I am trying not to be petty but I'll admit I am feeling a little "smugness" the last 6 months. The thing is, I can't get too smug, as I if everyone starts to do bad, then as a small business owner, I will inevitably suffer.

I guess it's that study they did on envy - they asked people if you would rather make 200K/year and your neighbors make 300K/year or would you rather make 100k/year and your neighbors make 50? People more often chose making more. . .indicating that envy is some kind of base emotion we all deal with.

There are some things that I can do also from a business persepctive to react to the crisis. People will naturally put off their maintenance care. . .so I have to charge them more the front end when something happens. The best analogy is an auto mechanic. . .if people put off the $30 oil changes, then it's going to cost more for an engine overhaul to keep the shop open. It's kind of been that way with me.

Doing more "back overhauls" lately vs. "oil changes."

Keep up with your maintenance people.