by Lynn Effinger
Despite significant efforts by the Obama Administration and the mainstream media to try to convince the American people that our nation’s economy is in recovery, you would be hard pressed to find anyone who actually believes that bull. That is because there are no real signs that can be pointed to that support the President’s claims. All you have to do is go to the gas station or the supermarket to see how quickly prices are rising. And the only reason that the unemployment numbers “appear” to be improving is that fewer Americans are now counted as employable or so many people have taken part-time jobs or accepted positions far below their experience and salary levels of the past that it skews the numbers.
All that said, it is important, especially for those of us who are over the age of 50 that we do not give up trying to find employment, if we find ourselves out of work. Not everyone has been as diligent as others in preparing for retirement; or was necessarily able to do so, depending on circumstances. Relying on unemployment benefits or even social security payments is a dangerous. Eventually, congress will not be able to extend unemployment benefits, and with the overwhelming national debt continuing to rise at break-neck speed, entitlements are also in jeopardy. At some point, unless we have a President and members of the house and senate who have the courage to act in the best interests of the American people instead of themselves, we will suffer the same fate as Greece and other European countries. You don’t want to be holding out for assistance from our government if that happens, so you must continue to work as long as you are able.
And if you think there are no opportunities out there today for you to earn your own income, think again. There are non-profit organizations that need help. There are growing opportunities to work from home over the internet. Consultants of many stripes are becoming more prevalent as many companies cannot afford to hire an extra full-time employee, but can afford to hire a part-time staff member on a consulting basis. Seasoned workers tend to be more reliable, experienced, honest, and trustworthy than many of their younger counterparts. Employers know this and value them because of it. In addition, regardless of the tough economic conditions, there are other opportunities for you to start your own business… but you must pursue them, they won’t fall into your lap by themselves… and they certainly won’t come from the government.
Lynn Effinger is a consultant associated with Transaction Dynamics, LLC. He is also an accomplished motivational speaker, life coach, trainer, marketing expert, and the author of his newly released memoir, “Believe to Achieve – The Power of Perseverance,” available as a paperback and Kindle-book on Amazon.com. You can learn more by visiting www.effingercomunications.com.