Economy blues....

[Downtown]

I'm just curious as to how many of our consulting brethren and sisters are starting to get nervous about the economic downturn. My best friend just got laid off from her advertising job in NYC (not located in WTC, but many clients were) yesterday along with 33% of the rest of her company's workforce and she mentioned how lucky I was to be in my safe and solid local gov't job. Which she's right, but I would imagine the private sector planners may not be breathing so easy and I was just wondering what you guys thought about this.

 

[Brent]

Good question.

I'm employed in the public sector right now...I was just offered a good position with a private firm, but turned it down last week due to concerns about the economy. I think you've raised some pretty significant concerns.

I work for a resort town that relies heavily on international tourism. Sales tax is the town's major revenue source. I anticipate significant budget cuts next week so I am not sure I am much better off than many private sector folks. Although I am not really worried about losing my job (more concerned about wage/hiring freezes), I'm pursuing some other public sector opportunities right now.

 

[Downtown]

I think the worst thing about my friend being fired is that not only does she not have a job now, but she was only given one week severance, any vacation time she had left over and they were gracious enough to provide insurance through the end of September, which is oh, only 4 more days! And consulting isn't especially known for being overly kind to their employees, at least not in the northeast. I don't know... I just think we're in for some rough times ahead.

 

[planasaurus]

I left my government job a few months ago to return to school, now I am worried that it was a mistake. Does anybody know how a sinking economy effects assistantships at universities? My research assistantship up for renewal every year, and I am a little worried that it will not be renewed next year because of the economy (I can't go to school without the tuition waiver).

 

[Downtown]

I think it depends upon how the program is run. At Clemson, the assistantships were with local planning agencies, and the money for their assistantship positions came out of their yearly budgets. However, it is documented that during economic downturns, applications to graduate schools increase, so maybe you should look at your move as beating the crowd!

 

[metroplanner]

I am a consultant in MI, and we were already suffering a little from the downturn. We rely heavily on Municipal clients, very little private work, and we have a huge overhead. We are currently undet contract to 167 communities in Southeast Michigan with about 40 planners to handle all the work. However, my desk has been a little cleaner lately, so who knows. I think a lot of developers are getting a little weary, and if none of our clients have any plans coming in, we won't have any $$$ coming in, so who knows. We are pretty established, though, and are actually taking up the reins by trying co find some clients in Cleveland and Cinnci area, where a few of the other bigger midwest firms have pulled out recently. Pretty tumultuous times, I would say. At least there is always Blockbuster Video or Burger King or something if I find myself on the street! You are right about the private firms being pretty unreasonable with severence and what not, they compensate you well along the way, but when you turn on them, or they jusy can't use you any more- sheesh.

 

[HilaryP]

I also work for a consulting firm in the midwest and we're pretty busy these days - with new work still coming in. Most of our work revolves around transportation planning, and while there's rumors that money will dry up, it hasn't happened yet.

So it doesn't appear to be all that bad (yet?) - I got headhunted the other day, but they wanted me to move to the southeast. So I told them I wasn't interested.

 

[Tranplanner]

I think a lot of people in the private sector around here are starting to get a little nervous, seeing as we didn't get the 2008 Olympics...

Still seem to be a lot of municipal jobs out there - the public sector is always behind the curve!

 

[planasaurus]

I was very dissappointed that Toronto did not win the Olympic bid. They deserved it. I even went to Windsor and bought a Toronto 2008 sweatshirt.

Seems to me that there are more municipal jobs in the U.S. than in Canada.

 

[metroplanner]

Yeah, it would have been so hip to have the Olympics in Toronto-