Uggh...expect to soon be unemployed!

[rebel100]

Well, maybe, maybe not...but the job is definitely changing.

I was told Friday that IF my job survives the takeover it will be drastically changed. Last year my employer was purchased by a larger healthcare system. The work I do in Emergency Management will likely soon be taken over by a corporate division and the employees that report to me will be moving as well. My supervisor is trying to re-write my job and keep me on, but I'm less than excited about the new role.

I'm having a hard time even getting responses on applications and sent out resume's (I've been watching this come for a while now and tried to act proactively...but no luck yet). Even with years of experience and the MBA (pursuing) on the resume seems to matter very little. I'm not depressed...yet...but this is starting to feel like a tight spot.

How goes the job hunt for you guys? Anybody need an Emergency Manager or Paramedic?

[merolpn]

rebel, check the safety departments at utility companies. Many of them also have an emergency preparedness department. This is especially true up here in New England. It seems we get hit with storm after storm every year.

[rebel100]

rebel, check the safety departments at utility companies. Many of them also have an emergency preparedness department. This is especially true up here in New England. It seems we get hit with storm after storm every year.

Good idea. I am willing to relocate for the right job. I spend a lot of time on the EM specific job sites and such. I'm starting to think again about doing my own thing or trying to use the new MBA to transition to something else...but I really don't know what it would be.

When I was working the really sick patients I loved Paramedicine...LOVED IT! But, in truth, I didn't see too many people that really needed my expertise...we always joked that most people really needed a cab ride at best. EM has proven to be a bit unsatisfying as well, always prepping for an event we all hope and pray never happens. The staff, especially nursing, is apathetic to the training at best, and the regulatory requirements are onerous (heck, my job only exists to help ensure compliance...perhaps I've become apathetic too).

[merolpn]

Well if you want to do your own thing, I would steer clear of New England. Texas is probably the best bet. With my skill set and education, a utility company was always my best option. Depending on where you live you can check out AEP, Florida Power and light, Dominion, Duke energy, Progress, TVA, Southern Companies (Alabama Power), ect.....ect. A quick way to find companies (on the electric side) would be google something like "North Carolina power outages," look at the names and go to their websites. Nobody where I work found their job on Monster or a site like that. Go direct to company websites.

[rebel100]

LOL....my favorite EM Job Board just went members only and I can't get in....today is not my day!

[sanantone]

I'm sorry to hear that. Trying to find a job in emergency management sucks. I think I've only seen 4 emergency management openings in my area in the past year and I live in a big city in Texas. I applied to two of them: one with the city and one with a hospital. I didn't get an interview for either one. The other two were with the county: one required firefighter certification and the other required firefighter and peace officer certification. There are plenty of safety jobs out there, but almost all of them require a degree in occupational safety, science, or engineering. You might be able to argue your case if you have a good amount of science credits. I've been able to get interviews for jobs that require a criminal justice degree just by listing on my cover letter that I have a lot of CJ credits.

BCFS is some kind of non-profit organization that occasionally has openings related to emergency management. They're all around the country. You should check them out. I was going to apply to an incident response job with them, but they required a FEMA course that isn't offered online as a prerequisite.

BCFS Career Site

[cookderosa]

Well, maybe, maybe not...but the job is definitely changing.

I was told Friday that IF my job survives the takeover it will be drastically changed. Last year my employer was purchased by a larger healthcare system. The work I do in Emergency Management will likely soon be taken over by a corporate division and the employees that report to me will be moving as well. My supervisor is trying to re-write my job and keep me on, but I'm less than excited about the new role.

I'm having a hard time even getting responses on applications and sent out resume's (I've been watching this come for a while now and tried to act proactively...but no luck yet). Even with years of experience and the MBA (pursuing) on the resume seems to matter very little. I'm not depressed...yet...but this is starting to feel like a tight spot.

How goes the job hunt for you guys? Anybody need an Emergency Manager or Paramedic?

Sorry to read this post from you today!! DH lost his job in Oct 2011 and worked 3 jobs (40 hrs first shift, 24 hrs second shift, teaching 1/week at the CC) 6 days a week for a year. The combined checks BARELY totaled what he had in the prior job. That whole time he had resumes and applications out, and it was almost a full year to the day when he found a full time job capable of supporting the family. He has a really good resume, and applied for jobs he was qualified for- but so are the ten gazillion other people. I don't think it's easy to get a job these days, I think it's hyper-competitive, and I just read something on the aol news today about the 50-somethings being the most unemployable! OUCH! They advised people to cut 10 years off their resumes.
My husband lost his job one other time in our marriage when the company he worked for went belly up. That time, he held out for the "right job" but it took him 6 months. (he worried taking a lower job would look bad on his resume) It took us 3 years to recover financially. This time, despite him working so many hours in jobs he was really over-qualified for, it was easier on everyone. Having a paycheck means you keep the lights on and food on the table- and you can still look. Funny thing- while he was working, he had a lot more bites, and even at his interviews he worried about spinning the situation, but it never came up. No one even asked about it. I believe it's because the times are so different, that people are not in these cushy-25 year jobs any more and it's almost the norm to see people changing jobs (and careers) many times in their lives.
I think I read a long time ago that the average worker had 5 jobs in their life- those days are gone. My teen is on his 3rd job! You'll survive, I know you will. It will be hard, but try not to take it personally - put on a thick skin and keep on keepin on. Also, don't hesitate to ask for help- and if I can help I will.

[Ace_King]

Keep your head up brother, you got my prayers for you to find a good job soon. I am basically in the same boat.

[LaterBloomer]

I'll keep you and your job situation in my thoughts and prayers. As to "prepping for an event that never happens," that brings back a 9/11 story. Something like one of the security people for a big financial company just knew that after the garage bomb in the World Trade building, there would be another attack some day. (By the way, yesterday was the anniversary of the first World Trade attack.) He would have emergency evacuation testing, and REALLY piss off all the high-earners on the 'phones by making them hang up and leave. Guess what? On 9/11, he got all of his folks out. The sad thing is, he went back to save others, and didn't survive that day.

Silver-lining time. It sounds like this event is making you re-think your career. It's great that you're assessing the situation so that you find a career more in line with your aspirations. Isn't it neat that you know better than most people how to get the education to achieve your career aspirations? You know you have a support network here. Let us know what's happening.

[rebel100]

I'll keep you and your job situation in my thoughts and prayers. As to "prepping for an event that never happens," that brings back a 9/11 story. Something like one of the security people for a big financial company just knew that after the garage bomb in the World Trade building, there would be another attack some day. (By the way, yesterday was the anniversary of the first World Trade attack.) He would have emergency evacuation testing, and REALLY piss off all the high-earners on the 'phones by making them hang up and leave. Guess what? On 9/11, he got all of his folks out. The sad thing is, he went back to save others, and didn't survive that day.

I believe your thinking of Rick Rescolra...quite a guy! Survived the battle of the Ia Drang Valley (of Mel Gibson's movie "We Were Soldiers Once" fame), Came to the states earned a Bachelors, a Masters, and then a JD. Taught college and even wrote a textbook or two. He was reportedly known to sometimes calm his troops in battle by singing to them...reportedly did the same thing to the victims he shepherded out of the South Tower on 9/11. James Stewart wrote his biography "Heart of a Soldier"...should be required reading in some quarters. If my life as an EM was half as interesting I would fight to stay!