Profession reboot

Barrel Roll 135 · 07-20-2008, 12:16 AM

Can anyone think of a profession that you can be making a six figure salary only to be out on the street the next day and hoping you can get a $25,000 to start over with? I'm sure there are cases of this, but at this large of a pay cut???

ppilot · 07-20-2008, 05:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barrel Roll 135

Can anyone think of a profession that you can be making a six figure salary only to be out on the street the next day and hoping you can get a $25,000 to start over with? I'm sure there are cases of this, but at this large of a pay cut???

You describe the very reason I decided NOT to be an airline pilot. Why is it this way? And to answer your question, no, I can't?

ZapBrannigan · 07-20-2008, 05:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ppilot

You describe the very reason I decided NOT to be an airline pilot. Why is it this way?

Uh unions?

SomedayRJ · 07-20-2008, 08:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZapBrannigan

Uh unions?

Unions and management are probably half-and-half responsible. It'd be nice to see them working together rather than fighting each other.

SeatMeat · 07-23-2008, 09:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barrel Roll 135

Can anyone think of a profession that you can be making a six figure salary only to be out on the street the next day and hoping you can get a $25,000 to start over with? I'm sure there are cases of this, but at this large of a pay cut???

Sure- Ask anyone in the financial sector, mortgage/real estate industry, senior people in the auto making biz, RV salesmen, home builers and developers, and, of course, anyone involved in aviation.

The higher the pay, the fewer jobs that are available, and most larger companies will promote from within rather than look to the street to fill a position (just like an airline!)

rickair7777 · 07-23-2008, 10:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SeatMeat

Sure- Ask anyone in the financial sector, mortgage/real estate industry, senior people in the auto making biz, RV salesmen, home builers and developers, and, of course, anyone involved in aviation.

The higher the pay, the fewer jobs that are available, and most larger companies will promote from within rather than look to the street to fill a position (just like an airline!)

Actually, no.

I have extensive private-sector experience. In most professions, your experience is portable (being a union auto-worker is not a profession, BTW). In fact, contrary to what you said, many (if not most) companies actually PREFER to promote from the outside. There are various reasons for this, but not all of them are good...

- An outsider brings a different perspective, and potentially improved techniques from other companies.

- If hiring a manager, an outsider is not restricted by pre-existing relationships with former peers who are now his subordinates.

- If a shake-up is involved, you DEFINATELY want an oustider who can wield an axe without remorse.

- You can damage a competitor in some cases simply by hiring away his key employee. You can also gain the competitor's proprietary knowledge this way.

- Managers may subconsiously view a current worker-bee employee in his current role, and may not be able to visualize him at the next level.

- A manager may not promote an employee who is the only one who knows how to do his job...too hard to replace him.

This all assume that your skill is in demand...if your industry shrinks, you might have to switch careers, likely taking a pay cut.

But pilots are unique in that you take a huge paycut when switching jobs even if you stay in your career. Also it is always easier to get a job if you already have a job...but pilots are loathe to give up seniority without very good reason, so they often wait until they are furloughed before starting a job search....if you quite BEFORE you get furloughed, you have no recall rights.

SeatMeat · 07-24-2008, 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rickair7777

Actually, no.

I have extensive private-sector experience. In most professions, your experience is portable (being a union auto-worker is not a profession, BTW). In fact, contrary to what you said, many (if not most) companies actually PREFER to promote from the outside. There are various reasons for this, but not all of them are good...

- An outsider brings a different perspective, and potentially improved techniques from other companies.

- If hiring a manager, an outsider is not restricted by pre-existing relationships with former peers who are now his subordinates.

- If a shake-up is involved, you DEFINATELY want an oustider who can wield an axe without remorse.

- You can damage a competitor in some cases simply by hiring away his key employee. You can also gain the competitor's proprietary knowledge this way.

- Managers may subconsiously view a current worker-bee employee in his current role, and may not be able to visualize him at the next level.

- A manager may not promote an employee who is the only one who knows how to do his job...too hard to replace him.

This all assume that your skill is in demand...if your industry shrinks, you might have to switch careers, likely taking a pay cut.

But pilots are unique in that you take a huge paycut when switching jobs even if you stay in your career. Also it is always easier to get a job if you already have a job...but pilots are loathe to give up seniority without very good reason, so they often wait until they are furloughed before starting a job search....if you quite BEFORE you get furloughed, you have no recall rights.

Really? That hasn't been my experience and I have worked for several larger companies. They have all had a "promote from within when possible" philosophy (not sure if you can promote from the outside, BTW). I mean, would you really want to work for a company that doesn't promote from within? "I've adapted to your silly company culture, learned all of your policies, proven to you that I am fully capable and dependable, and your not even going to entertain the idea of hiring me because I'm internal?" What a morale-killer that would be. Talk about going unnoticed. It's also less expensive to hire from within. You don't have to pay for training, relocation and recruiter fees.

I do agree with you that an external only search would be the best solution if things needed to be shaken up at the company or for the other reasons you have mentioned. I also agree that other skill sets are more portable than those a pilot has- can't disagree with that for a second.

The point of my original post was that many people in other fields of work (okay- not all are "professions") are also vulnerable to career setbacks and finding a six-figure job to replace a six-figure job isn't a gimmie. Many people outside of aviation are feeling this economy as well. Trust me on that one. That's why I have time to type all of this on APC at 9:38 in the morning on a Thursday.

blastoff · 09-02-2008, 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZapBrannigan

Uh unions?

Actually if the job became like other Unionized professions, you would be pay-protected at your "Skill Level" when you moved on to your next job. The system we have today is counter-intuitive to most Unionized professions.

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