Sad sign of our times....

Parent Cafe
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<p>"NEW YORK (CNN) – Paul Nawrocki says he’s beyond the point where he cares about humiliation.</p>

<p>That’s why he weekly takes a 90-minute train ride to New York, where he walks the streets wearing a sandwich board that advertises his plight: The former toy-industry executive needs a job.</p>

<p>“Almost homeless,” reads the sign. "Looking for employment. Very experienced operations and administration manager."Wearing a suit and tie under the sign, Nawrocki – who was in the toy industry 36 years before being laid off in February – stands on Manhattan corners for hours, hoping to pass resumes to interested passers-by…</p>

<p>His wife is partially disabled and on 15 medications, his daughter has student loans, and he’s running out of money, he says."
[Wearing</a> ‘almost homeless’ sign, ex-executive seeks work - CNN.com](<a href=“http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/12/05/unemployed.sign/index.html]Wearing”>Wearing 'almost homeless' sign, ex-executive seeks work - CNN.com)</p>

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<p>Being a toy executive in operations is a problem. So much of that work has gone overseas. I feel for him. But he does have a lot of pluck.</p>

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<p>I saw that this am and wondered if anyone would link to it.</p>

<p>I hope he can find something with this publicity, i wonder how mobile his family is?</p>

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<p>Relocating could be a problem when you’ve got a wife who takes 15 meds and probably has doctor relationships that you wouldn’t want to disrupt.</p>

5

<p>Is this the same fellow that was in the news this summer? I think it is. It is so unfortunate that someone with a lot of experience can’t find a job. I wonder if he would be willing to take “any” job or if he’s looking for an upper management position only.</p>

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<p>A lot of time, a person who is overqualified won’t get the nod for a job.</p>

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<p>That is a sad story. I remember in the early 80’s I saw a fairly well dressed guy on the street in mid town (NYC) just asking passersby for any work at all. I was going on interviews myself at that time, and it really struck me. He did not look like the usual street type person.</p>

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<p>Yeah, Ellemenope, that’s what I was thinking - he is willing to take anything, but moving would be tough - it may be time to move.
I’ve known a few of those “overqualified” situations, it is very tough.</p>

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<p>I remember seriously (at least I think I was serious) thinking about playing guitar in the subways of New York wearing a sign that read, “unemployed bond trader” but I moved to North Carolina instead. Now if I tried that act I would likely get spat upon. Also I only know about 4 chords and can’t sing.</p>

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<p>I remember my mother talking about the Depression, when “grown men would try to sell apples on the street for a nickel.” I sure hope we don’t get to that.</p>

<p>But as another sign of the times, I called our garbage service yesterday to cancel (we don’t have town garbage pickup; it’s private). We were paying ~$50 a month. I canceled the service with the nice lady who answered the phone, planning to take the garbage to the dump ourselves. The owner called me back two minutes after I canceled and reduced the price to $25 a month. He said everyone’s canceling and he doesn’t want to lose the business.</p>

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<p>If you cancel newspaper and cable service claiming job loss situation, you also get half-off.</p>

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<p>Definitely time to move then! He’s been out there for a while…</p>

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<p>Very Happy, I heard those same stories. Both my parents grew up then. My own father left high school to take a job to help his family. All my grandparents were employed one way or another, so my parents, however poor, were never in dire straits. However, they each lived with a set of their grandparents AND other relatives. In my Dad’s case, in a very small apartment.</p>