Thanks !

Today is Thanksgiving, a holiday I really enjoy because it is centered around two of my favorite things: food and my family. It is traditional to "Give Thanks" on this day and though it may seem a bit hokey, what the heck, why not? So I give thanks for the following things--

• I am healthy and happy
• I am engaged in work I really enjoy
• My kids are not in jail, but are actually gainfully employed, healthy and appear to be happy
• Contrary to popular mythology, the empty nest is a good thing, really, trust me on this one
  
• I have many wonderful friends and family I can count on
• I just had another birthday which means though I am getting older (dread!) it beats the alternative!

 So what are you thankful for?

Stop discriminating against victims of downsizing!

The Boston Globe had an article today which got me fired up, "Amid high unemployment, some positions still hard to fill"

http://xrl.us/bgduqc 

Now, I don't deny that there are highly technical positions which require very specific areas of expertise that are hard to fill with good candidates.  But what irked me about this article was the presumption that laid off employees are Damaged Goods. Not said explicitly, but certainly implied in many of the quotes including:

"...Of course, plenty of high-quality workers have lost their jobs, but recruiters say still being employed suggests stability - and ability"  according to Katie Johnston Chase, author of the article. 

and

'"There is a stigma with people who have been laid off, with good reason or not' Hux said. " (That is, Ben Hux, Director of Legal Recruiting at Boston Group).