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CNN Live Saturday

Interview With John Challenger

Aired June 14, 2003 - 18:40   ET

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

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


ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN ANCHOR: On this Father's day weekend, new government data shows that man with children are more likely to keep their job than most other workers. Outplacement consulting John Challenger has been analyzing the figures and he joins us from Chicago. So why is that, Mr. Challenger?
JOHN CHALLENGER, CHALLENGER GRAY & CHRISTMAS: Well, men have real motivation, fathers with children under 18 see unemployment about 4.5 percent in the last month. That's compared with 6.1 percent nationally. They just can't afford to be out of work for too long.

KOPPEL: And when you say 4.5 percent, how many people are we talking about?

CHALLENGER: Well, that's probably unemployment is about nine million people right now. Oh, maybe three million men, that's a guess.

KOPPEL: You didn't mention the fact that employers, and I don't know, if this is a factor, but employers if they believe that the father is the sole breadwinner, that they would be more sympathetic and want to try to keep that person on the job.

CHALLENGER: Certainly, there is some of that. When a company has to do a layoff, they go to the people often as it gets to close decisions, and the people you know just are not doing a good job, you can get those off, but when it gets close, then you begin to look at that person's life situation. And if you know, a parent has a family, children to take care off, that might be the deciding factor for a good company, for a good boss to say, I'm going to keep that person safe.

KOPPEL: So what about those fathers who fall into that 4.5 percent, those fathers with dependent children who did not keep their job, what can you tell us about them?

CHALLENGER: It's very tough out there right now. As we all know, for every sector. One of the particular problems for men is that two of the hardest hit sectors in this economy have been manufacturing and the tech sector, those are two areas that are dominated by men and they have a harder time then because the sectors are doing so poorly, getting back into those areas.

KOPPEL: Obviously, we are doing this segment because we are on the eve of Father's Day. For kids, and spouses, significant others out there, who want to do something special for the dad in the family, who may be unemployed, what kind of ideas do you have for them?

CHALLENGER: There is lots of things you can do for your dad. For example, if you can go on the Web, get on to the computer, look to the job banks, and e-mail them the best jobs you find. Perhaps, it's taking that resume, once he said, here are the ads I want, and e-mail them out; maybe researching companies.

KOPPEL: That's a good idea. And what kind of in terms of emotional support, in terms of the right way to handle -- obviously, men and women deal with various problems in their lives quite differently. How can family members help to support their unemployed dad?

CHALLENGER: Well, it's a generalization, but sometimes you have men who hold those emotions in, they don't want to get their family anymore upset. And in fact, a job loss does effect not only the spouse and the children as well, as the person is out of work. But if you can be upbeat, if the home can be a place where you can put aside all that rejection you are getting every day, if there is a good interview, you have a dad comes home, and there's sign up there saying "congratulation, you did a great job," that's going to help. If you're a young child, give your dad lots of hugs.

KOPPEL: Hey, I'm an old child, and I give my dad lots of hugs. John Challenger, thank you so much for joining us, and happy Father's Day to you.

CHALLENGER: Thank you. I have five of them.

KOPPEL: Good for you. Boy, that keeps you busy.

CHALLENGER: That is.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired June 14, 2003 - 18:40   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN ANCHOR: On this Father's day weekend, new government data shows that man with children are more likely to keep their job than most other workers. Outplacement consulting John Challenger has been analyzing the figures and he joins us from Chicago. So why is that, Mr. Challenger?
JOHN CHALLENGER, CHALLENGER GRAY & CHRISTMAS: Well, men have real motivation, fathers with children under 18 see unemployment about 4.5 percent in the last month. That's compared with 6.1 percent nationally. They just can't afford to be out of work for too long.

KOPPEL: And when you say 4.5 percent, how many people are we talking about?

CHALLENGER: Well, that's probably unemployment is about nine million people right now. Oh, maybe three million men, that's a guess.

KOPPEL: You didn't mention the fact that employers, and I don't know, if this is a factor, but employers if they believe that the father is the sole breadwinner, that they would be more sympathetic and want to try to keep that person on the job.

CHALLENGER: Certainly, there is some of that. When a company has to do a layoff, they go to the people often as it gets to close decisions, and the people you know just are not doing a good job, you can get those off, but when it gets close, then you begin to look at that person's life situation. And if you know, a parent has a family, children to take care off, that might be the deciding factor for a good company, for a good boss to say, I'm going to keep that person safe.

KOPPEL: So what about those fathers who fall into that 4.5 percent, those fathers with dependent children who did not keep their job, what can you tell us about them?

CHALLENGER: It's very tough out there right now. As we all know, for every sector. One of the particular problems for men is that two of the hardest hit sectors in this economy have been manufacturing and the tech sector, those are two areas that are dominated by men and they have a harder time then because the sectors are doing so poorly, getting back into those areas.

KOPPEL: Obviously, we are doing this segment because we are on the eve of Father's Day. For kids, and spouses, significant others out there, who want to do something special for the dad in the family, who may be unemployed, what kind of ideas do you have for them?

CHALLENGER: There is lots of things you can do for your dad. For example, if you can go on the Web, get on to the computer, look to the job banks, and e-mail them the best jobs you find. Perhaps, it's taking that resume, once he said, here are the ads I want, and e-mail them out; maybe researching companies.

KOPPEL: That's a good idea. And what kind of in terms of emotional support, in terms of the right way to handle -- obviously, men and women deal with various problems in their lives quite differently. How can family members help to support their unemployed dad?

CHALLENGER: Well, it's a generalization, but sometimes you have men who hold those emotions in, they don't want to get their family anymore upset. And in fact, a job loss does effect not only the spouse and the children as well, as the person is out of work. But if you can be upbeat, if the home can be a place where you can put aside all that rejection you are getting every day, if there is a good interview, you have a dad comes home, and there's sign up there saying "congratulation, you did a great job," that's going to help. If you're a young child, give your dad lots of hugs.

KOPPEL: Hey, I'm an old child, and I give my dad lots of hugs. John Challenger, thank you so much for joining us, and happy Father's Day to you.

CHALLENGER: Thank you. I have five of them.

KOPPEL: Good for you. Boy, that keeps you busy.

CHALLENGER: That is.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com