Dispatches: Struggling Executives in the Recession

Did anyone tune into Channel 4 on Monday evening and watch the ‘not particularly enlightening’ dispatches program? It did predominantly focus on a select number of medium-high earners (60-90k bracket), along with a few Graduates (Adam and Thomas!) and how people are struggling to secure a job in this tough economic climate.

I didn’t particularly learn anything from the program, it just made me shout at the telly and now I want to vent a few of my frustrations in this blog.

One of the job seekers they followed was Matt Webb, ex Marketing Director* of Hamleys, made redundant some months ago. He did seem particularly down-trodden but was still managing to spend 5-6 hours per day searching for a new job, mainly online. He said that he’d applied for c30 jobs over the last few weeks with not one response ? I do have a degree of sympathy from him. However – it is no surprise that he was struggling to maintain his 1k monthly mortgage, 12k per annum private school fees for 7 year old Darcy and all his other bills. I do believe he used the words “to take Darcy out of her school, it would be a nightmare.” I could get shot down in flames for saying this but pleeeaaasssseee give me strength!! You may have been earning shed loads of money but now you don’t, the lifestyle you have/had cannot be maintained – ‘a nightmare’ would be having no roof over your head, no food to eat and having to walk 50 miles in bare feet to get fresh water – OK, a bit extreme, but downsize, get your children to a state school, go & work stacking shelves at night in Asda, get your wife to work for Avon or offer an Ironing service in the local area – do whatever it takes to keep some income rolling. Oh … and give up the fags!!!

With just under 2.5 million people currently unemployed and seeking work, finding a job will be the hardest job you’ve ever had to do!! Keeping an income in whichever way you can and being ahead of the game when applying for jobs – it’s 24/7 with no rest until you’ve secured a new job. It’s a whole new blog post to cover top tips for job-seekers but the number one tip would be to make your CV the best document your possess! For any help regarding this do visit our sister site, http://www.e-cv-buddy.co.uk/

* From our research Matt was officially ‘Head of Marketing’ @ Hamleys, but only appointed in that position following the departure of its marketing director Stella Hartley in August 2008. The press release said “Webb is very new to the company and it is too early to comment on the role. We will announce our marketing roadmap for 2009 and our advertising strategies in the coming months." It was also reported in March 2009 by MarketingWeek that Hamleys had parted company with Matt Webb after just 5months. Odd – as I got the impression he had been there for 12 years?

P.S; If anyone wishes to discuss opportunities with Matt Webb, his LinkedIn profile can be found here; http://www.linkedin.com/in/mattwebb1