Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Article Review: Real Life: Managing Uncertainty

Since the recession, big banks had to merge; countless American’s have lost their job and the unemployment rate is at its highest rate since The Great Depression. Many people around the United States are currently unemployed and looking for work. The constant uncertainty of “what will happen tomorrow” continues to baffle many families in this unstable economy. When I read “Real Life: Managing Uncertainty” by: Paul Keegan, I was completely overwhelmed as his article expressed how a family had to make a transition from a lifestyle of not worrying about bills, to wondering how their next mortgage was going to be paid. Carl found himself clueless as to how he was going to further help his family after he received an unbearable phone call from his firm, saying he was being laid off. However 2 months later, Carl was offered a 10 month contracted job by Astra-Zeneca (a giant pharmaceutical firm). According to The Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Since last year, the number of unemployed people who have accepted short-term assignments were up 73%”. This just goes to show how the economy has have been taking an immense toll on Americans. People often wonder when their ideal lifestyle may return to normal, or will they have to look for another job in the months ahead.

This article can be found in the issue Money 100 (May 2009)

By: Paul Keegan
Reviewed By: Michael Adebiyi