Wichita, KS -- Without warning, senior financial analyst Marla Baskin found herself unemployed last Thursday after Morgan Leaf made the decision to lay off 10% of its staff. The termination came as a complete shock to Marla, who after 35 years of faithful employment loved her job.
"I gave my all," Marla explained while flipping through a photo album of old pay stubs in her one bedroom home. "A working relationship is all I know."
"I gave my all," Marla explained while flipping through a photo album of old pay stubs in her one bedroom home. "A working relationship is all I know."
The former SFA is now on her own, with no job to chip-in on home and car payments. However, the issue of money is far from her mind. "It's hard to erase the memories," she explained, touring us along a line of framed photos on her mantle. The images feature her desk and close ups of several office supplies. "I wish I was in more of these photos."
Still heartbroken, Marla recently made the bold step of updating her employment status on the social networking site LinkedIn. Based on her resume and performance records, she's quite attractive-- in a fiscal kind of way. Highly skilled and experienced, the former SFA is also well connected. "Friends keep trying to set me up on lunch interviews. But it's too soon. You never think your career will role over in the middle of the night and tell you it no longer loves you," Baskin explained. "But that's what happened."
When asked why she still held onto the mementos, Marla sighed. "Even the little gifts are constant reminders. I'd throw them away, but then I'd have to go out and buy my own pens and paper. That's just sad."
The pain of getting laid off has left her docile and depressed. Her heart aches, but nothing can mend a broken heart. Especially one without health insurance. "I don't want to admit it's over. But I have to. Otherwise I won't receive unemployment checks."
It's rare in this current economy for a worker to retain a position of employment for longer than 5 years, let alone 35 like Marla. Even working at the same company for a prolonged period is uncommon. Job security is a thing of the past-- nothing more than a romantic notion of loyalty and trust. Recent polls indicate that more than 90% of jobs end with resignation or termination. Really, what hope is there?
Less than 4% of people die while still employed, and most of those deaths happen to firefighters or late night 7-Eleven cashiers. They're the lucky ones, for these statistics make it difficult to sustain any form of office romance. "I remember how my mother worked herself to the grave," Marla confessed. "That's how I always imagined I'd go."
Though it all began over three decades prior, Marla remembers fondly the events leading up to her employment. "I started out as an intern. It was the period of free love. Girls would go from job to job, even working two jobs at once." Marla soon assumed a part time position at Morgan Leaf while earning her degree at UPenn's Wharton School of business. "I hadn't even had my first Summer job back then, but Morgan still chose me out of all the other girls. Many of them much prettier and more experienced in stock projections."
Coworkers took slight notice of Marla due to her willingness to stay late on Fridays and come in on weekends. But things rapidly became more serious after graduation. "Everyone reaches that point where they either get married or breakup. I decided to sign a non-compete form."
"I wasn't married to my work. But things were definitely getting serious." Jobless, she now looks back over her resume trying to figure out what went wrong. "I do my best to focus on the good times. Like casual Fridays and Christmas parties."
Several voice-mails were left on Marla's office phone before it it was reprogrammed for her replacement. Though no longer relevant, Marla's secretary recorded several brief entries into the corporate message book. The first three were incoherent sobs, followed by a prepared budget request, and then more sobbing-- "I can still make you happy" murmured softly in the background.
"Normally when something bad happens, I run to the office for support. When my Mother passed away, I threw myself into work. Securing the Jefferson account with an annual finance rate of 4.17% was the only thing that got me through."
Still heartbroken, Marla recently made the bold step of updating her employment status on the social networking site LinkedIn. Based on her resume and performance records, she's quite attractive-- in a fiscal kind of way. Highly skilled and experienced, the former SFA is also well connected. "Friends keep trying to set me up on lunch interviews. But it's too soon. You never think your career will role over in the middle of the night and tell you it no longer loves you," Baskin explained. "But that's what happened."
The best thing would be for Marla to put herself back on the market, but there's no guarantee that any interview will lead to something fulfilling. With the unemployment rate skyrocketing, Marla will most likely have no choice but to forge on alone. "I'll be okay. I'm not just going to wander into some bar, get drunk, and pick up a hobby or anything."
Additional obstacles pertain to increased expectations. Employers are looking for younger and younger applicants, often half the age of more qualified candidates. Unless a new job presents itself, Marla's financial obligations may force her to refocus her life goals. "I may have to find something temporary, like a husband, to pay the bills for now."
Still, for Marla, it's about finding the right job. "Even though I'm older than I used to be, I still dream of a full benefits package."
There's no denying that Marla and Morgan Leaf made a good pair. Business was pleasure, she insists, "There were no changes in the bedroom. I always took work home with me and sometimes stayed up all night doing it in my bed. Although doing it in the office was always more exciting."
Additional obstacles pertain to increased expectations. Employers are looking for younger and younger applicants, often half the age of more qualified candidates. Unless a new job presents itself, Marla's financial obligations may force her to refocus her life goals. "I may have to find something temporary, like a husband, to pay the bills for now."
Still, for Marla, it's about finding the right job. "Even though I'm older than I used to be, I still dream of a full benefits package."
There's no denying that Marla and Morgan Leaf made a good pair. Business was pleasure, she insists, "There were no changes in the bedroom. I always took work home with me and sometimes stayed up all night doing it in my bed. Although doing it in the office was always more exciting."
"Morgan Leaf even knew my favorite position-- Senior financial analyst." Still, the harsh truth remains that the marriage is over. As a mother of two small online businesses, Martha hopes to make things work--even if she no longer can.
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