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CNN Live Today

Interview with John Challenger

Aired September 02, 2002 - 10:17   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: On the subject of employment, here's a scary employment statistic this Labor Day, between now and New Year's, the odds of losing your job increase by as much as 38 percent. But there are steps you can take to keep your position out of the budget cutter's crosshairs.
Labor expert John Challenger joins us from Chicago this morning with some tips on keeping your job -- good morning.

JOHN CHALLENGER, LABOR EXPERT: Good morning -- Carol.

COSTELLO: So why is this the time many employers ax their workers?

CHALLENGER: Well you have year-end budgets, the stock market and those -- meeting the numbers that companies have to do often cause them to cut costs at this time of year and that often translates into layoffs.

COSTELLO: So is it really true most employers wait until Friday to tell a worker that they don't have a job anymore?

CHALLENGER: Well many do, at least that gives the person the time over the weekend to come to terms with it. But more and more you're seeing it's spread out during the week when the need comes.

COSTELLO: And a lot of people actually lose their jobs before Christmas, too, which is really cold.

CHALLENGER: There are a lot of companies who always used to wait until after the Christmas. But then they had the concern that the person went out and bought all their Christmas presents and spent their money and then lost their job, plus you have this whole thing with, again, you've got to cut your cost before the year ends. So there's -- you know layoffs occur now almost at any time of the year, any time of the week. It's a part of what going through a career's about today, everybody's going to face at one time or another.

COSTELLO: OK, now that we've got people really nervous, we want you to give us some job saving tips. The No. 1 you say, express a willingness to travel or relocate.

CHALLENGER: Well just 12 percent of people moved in the last quarter, and that was the lowest we'd seen in over a decade. People still after 9/11 are reluctant to leave their personal and professional safety nets; but if you can offer that to your employer, that's going to make you more hirable or more promotable. COSTELLO: Got you. This next one surprises me, do not hide, because I always thought you wanted to stay under the radar screen when layoffs were coming.

CHALLENGER: Not a good idea. You're -- you know you have to have many people within the organization who stick up for you and say we can't let him or her go, we know what they've done in the past. So often with new people coming into companies that a lot of people who just don't know what happened five years ago, if you've been there that long.

COSTELLO: Oh that's true. This next one just makes me laugh, make sure you are well liked.

CHALLENGER: Yes, so important and so many people forget that. They think that all is they have to do is sit down, do their job, you know come in at nine and leave at five and not create any relationships. But bosses are human. If they have the unfortunate decision that they've got to cut 5 or 10 percent of their department, they tend to go to the people that they're fighting with most, not necessarily the worst performers.

COSTELLO: So be a brown noser and be proud.

CHALLENGER: Well not a brown noser. It's got to be real, but at least you know you've got to make sure that relationship is in reasonable repair.

COSTELLO: OK. Give up telecommuting. I thought this was the new thing?

CHALLENGER: Well you know it's -- it is true more and more people are doing it, and yet it leaves you kind of out of sight and out of mind, perhaps. If you're not at the office as much, you're not there when critical things are happening. You might be caught because of that.

COSTELLO: Got you. Bring the wardrobe up a notch. What do you mean by that?

CHALLENGER: Well if you're out there looking for a job, we've come out of this period now in the late 90's where casual dress really in some ways at many companies got out of hand. So bringing your wardrobe a notch -- up a notch is going to help you. It's going to make you look more sharp.

COSTELLO: Should you look at your boss and see how your boss is dressing and kind of mimic him or her?

CHALLENGER: Not a bad idea as long as it's not too close. You know that happens often unconsciously. You see whole companies, whole cultures of people who kind of come in dressed similar, certainly certain -- same kind of level of dress, that's a good idea.

COSTELLO: OK, the last one, do not criticizes the company or anyone in it. We've decided at CNN that we all would be fired. CHALLENGER: It's not a good idea. You know you could get into this, you know especially when you have new people coming in, old guard kind of new guard mentality and everything is wrong. Nobody wants to hear that after awhile, so you do have to kind of -- at some point you have to keep all the criticism to yourself. Their -- the complainers are often the people that bosses are quick to let go.

COSTELLO: OK, we're running out of time here so these are tips if you do get laid off, and we're going to whip right through these. Get a fast start. Don't delay and wait on severance, go right to it. Give it 10 days to 2 weeks to get prepared. What do you mean by that?

CHALLENGER: Well take some time after you've been given the news to cool down, to kind of get your head on straight, to get ready. That means put your resume together, your cover letters, but then really get out there and start going. It's so easy if you've got some severance or you've got this summer and now we're into the fall but still to take it easy in a search and that's not a good idea. You're more hirable at the beginning than you are later when employers say I might be getting someone someone else hasn't found yet.

COSTELLO: Got you. Start to see people in person you say instead of calling on the phone. Be open to relocation once again. Get engaged in all kinds of organizations. What kinds of organizations are you talking about?

CHALLENGER: Well, yes, it's so easy to sit at home on your computer e-mailing out letters and kind of hiding. You -- most people out of pride don't really want to tell the world that they're out of work, and yet you need to tell everybody. So the more organizations you get involved with, charity, civic, professional, the more people you're going to meet and that's how you find jobs.

COSTELLO: All right, John Challenger, thank you very much. And I hope you keep your job, and I hope to keep mine, too.

CHALLENGER: I hope so, too. Thanks -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Thank you.

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