Discussion Board : The WaterCooler?

Nowadays, most of us know that employers will casually expect one person to fulfil the criteria and workload previously met by three crewmembers.

Not great, but it’s pretty much take it or lump it.

Nowadays, due to “budgetary constraints”, most of us will submit to exceedingly long hours, and a pay cut in the bargain.

Not great, but it’s pretty much do or die.

Nowadays… a new trend is emerging, and this time, it’s a no-win situation (for us anyway).

What am I talking about?
The fact that for the second time in as many months, I'm invited to interview for AP jobs, only to find out, that they respectively went to a P/D and a producer, both prepared to “step down a rung”.

As far as I know, these weren’t advertised positions.
The Indies called me.
Therefore, the Indies selected and shortlisted the candidates, with full knowledge of the CVs’ standards.

I was told I had one chance in eight to get this latest job… But did I?
To me, it feels more like zero chance in eight, because from the start, I’m competing on a very uneven keel.

So yes, times are hard, life isn’t fair, but this takes the biscuit.

I don’t quite see what the unions could do to help the situation.
It’s a 100% employers’ market.
They’ve got us by the short & curlies, and they know it.

There’s a huge pool of talented, skilled and knowledgeable professionals out there who are struggling to make ends meet, and although I’m pretty sure having to downgrade is dictated by desperation, ultimately it keeps on feeding the greedy beast.

It’s up to us to put our foot firmly down. Career progression is the name of the game, not career regression.