Posts Tagged Links

The sting of layoffs can be sharper for men, according to this Yahoo Finance article from the New York Times.  If it sounds like the Times article is a little sexist, you’re probably right:

While gender roles are malleable, and many people are adjusting the boundaries, the roles that have been templates for many generations still linger, particularly when it comes to employment. Certainly, a financial provider for a family is going to see a job loss through a much different lens than a single person with no dependents, and more men are primary breadwinners.

You’d think that with a handle like Corporate Barbarian, I’d be some knuckle-dragging Luddite.  But I’ve worked with women throughout my career, and had several female bosses that were excellent managers.  A woman who’s advanced to a management position in the defense industry has paid her dues.  She’s had to endure a lot of crap to get where she is.  Women in high-ranking positions are in a small minority.  Many are the primary breadwinner in their households.  What about the wives of the newly laid off men?  They’ll have to pick up the slack for their families.  Tell THEM that men have it harder.

A therapist interviewed for the article observes:

“Everyone who has written about male psychology has acknowledged that men base their sense of self on the maxim that ‘I have worth because of what I do,’ ” Mr. Real said. The feeling is that “you are only as good as your last game or your last job,” he said.

Well, I hate to break the news to you buddy, but everybody has to stay on top of their games, especially during these tough economic times.  It’s called survival of the fittest, and it’s not limited to men only.  The article goes on to state:

In a 2002 study, two sociology professors at Wichita State University, Charles S. Koeber and David W. Wright, found that women who were laid off and went on to look for another job were re-employed less often than men in the same position. This was especially the case if the women were married, had previously held a part-time job or had worked in something other than a highly skilled, white-collar job.

The implication, Professor Koeber says, is that women have more of a burden than men to show their commitment to a job after a layoff.

“It looks like employers systematically apply some criteria to women that they don’t to men who are looking for jobs after being laid off,” Professor Koeber said.

I’ve seen the other criteria applied to women.  I thought, naively, when I came out of college, that the workplace would be an extension of my forward-thinking classroom experience.  It wasn’t.  A coworker of mine was passed over for a promotion because “She just got married.  She’ll get pregnant and leave in a year.  Then we’ll just have to train someone else for her job all over again.”  This wasn’t in 1954 either, but 1984.  I was floored.  Weren’t there laws preventing this?  Would they like their daughters to be treated like this?  Then you have this response:

“Gender has shaped the responsibilities my wife and I share,” said Mr. Anderson, 37. “I’d imagine, like a lot of men, I’m struggling with the shame aspect and the feeling that I have to go out and get another job immediately.”

Wah-wah-wah.  Man up, you guys! Layoffs suck, period.  I don’t want to diminish the anguish caused by layoffs with my smart-assed attitude, but to say that they’re harder for one group over another is just rationalizing.

Am I being too harsh?  Fire away in the comments.

Follow me on Twitter: CorpBarbarian

• To Freelance, or Not to Freelance? CNNMoney had an article on the growth of freelance hiring.  Freelance professionals now make up 26% of the workforce, up from 19% in 2006. "As the economy contracts, there are not only more people looking for new ways of earning money, there are also more companies looking to make their......
• 8 Things that Will Get You Fired Photo by clementine gallot A recent Yahoo! Shine article discussed the 4 lies that can cost you your job.  I'm sure that we've all experienced some of these first-hand.  You can read the original article by clicking the following link: 4 Lies that Can Cost You Your Job The......
• What Would Keep You from Leaving the House? There are many reasons for playing hooky from work. Super Bowl Monday. Your birthday. The first 80 degree day of the Spring. Also, a legitimate illness. But what if you didn't want to go into work strictly because of your appearance? What would keep you from showing your mug in......

• Cologne for Men – What Women Like on Men There are many different types of cologne for men. Men's cologne usually consists of woodsy, outdoorsy or manly scents. While men may choose their own cologne sometimes they often let the woman in their life pick it out for them. This may work well because a recent study found that......
• Relationship Advice - The Lies Men Tell Women in Relationships Recently on my weekly Relationship Radio Show on in Atlanta, I had the privilege of interviewing relationship coach Bj Moorer. Bj has a bit of a different view of the relationship world. Bj's interesting take on relationships is best summed up by the title of her brand new ebook "Love,......
• 10 Marvelously Fun Posts on Relationships: Open Marriages, Jerks, Tall Women, Attraction and More. I wrote many posts on relationships both here and on another website so it was time I published a fun list. What do these links have? Well most title explain themselves but I will write a short info and see if I can tempt you into reading them. 1) So......