European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 25, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Moving Down the career la Derby Martha Groves los Angeles times when the downturn in office leasing forced Grubb amp Ellis to pare its staff in 1990, Jim Breen was making Quot somewhat under Quot six figures doing Public relations for a commercial real estate firm in Orange county Calif. After More than six jobless months Breen last july took the Only position he could find As news editor of the tiny san Clemente Sun Post newspaper in Southern California where he often works 12-hour Days starting As Early As 4 . A for 40 percent of his former salary nevertheless with All the grim economic news about layoffs and corporate downsizing Breen 52, considers himself Lucky. Quot it s the old Story Quot he said Quot half a loaf is better than nothing Quot on top of the millions of unemployed who Are seeking jobs and the hundreds of thousands who have Given up looking there is a sizable number of people whom the recession has shoved Down a few rungs on the career ladder. For Many the recession has meant bruised egos along with drastically reduced financial Means. In extreme cases there Are one time Bankers pumping Gas. Real estate development executives waiting tables and engineers applying for babysitting jobs. Among Laid off executives looking for work in the san Francisco Bay area through office specialists a company that provides temporary office help Are an investment banker a senior human resources executive and a television producer. Economists and workplace consultants note that the situation is expected to Worsen As giant companies such As ism and general motors follow through on planned staff cuts particularly in Middle management. This is getting scary what i m seeing out there now Quot said Dick Kaumeyer executive vice president of Fuchs. Cuthrell amp Coa los Angeles concern that assists out of work professionals looking for jobs the downward mobility is symptomatic of fundamental shifts that Are Likely to have widespread repercussions even after a recovery begins economists say Quot White Collar workers Are facing the kinds of wage reductions that Blue Collar and non College educated workers experienced in the 1980s,&Quot said Lawrence Mishel research director at the economic policy Institute in Washington. Quot this will have a profound effect on consumer Confidence and. On voting  Rudy Schubert of Palo Alto. Cali can attest to the psychological trauma involved with losing a Job and having to accept a lower paying one especially As he was looking toward retirement at 56, Schubert is now a sales manager Lor on Izig inca Small Santa Clara manufacturer of microwave components Lor the military previously he was one of four regional marketing managers Lor a much larger company in the same Field 1 he new of pays .30 percent less and Schubert acknowledges that the decrease was Tough to take despite the fact that his two daughters Are readers action Lin government will pay rental agent fees of is the Mil Kiry paint the tonsil agent Lee Tor military people when they go to a rental agent to get an apartment or house9 is this program Germany wide does it include department of defense civilians and single Ollices and enlisted9 i was told that the military was paying the fee of two months rent to the realtor but Thal this program has been permanently discontinued . Handley Furth Germany a master sgt. R. W. Johns staff finance no office of the Deputy chief of staff resource management Usa eur replies payment of rental agent fees Are reimbursable for members of the military and Dod civilians however there Are different procedures and grown and that his car and House Are paid off. Schubert is making far less than his predecessor who was Laid off because of slow business with the military electronics Industry tailing off and with the recession making this an employers Market Schubert Felt he had Little room for negotiating a better Deal a especially after four solid months of looking without another offer Quot the company president told me he had plenty of other applicants Quot Schubert said. Quot it was a psychological thing it was hurtful to think that what had been Worth More than $60,000, this company did no to think was Worth $45,000.&Quot Many defense companies Are not Quot going to last Quot if the Industry is hit much harder he said adding that the whole experience has left him feeling that the country is heading into a depression. Quot the future does t seem As Rosy Asil used  Phil Hayes a single 30-year-old lawyer who was let go a year ago by a prestigious los Angeles firm recently passed the foreign service lest and Hopes to work for the top of the millions of unemployed who Are seeking jobs and the hundreds of thousands who have Given up looking is a sizable number of people whom the recession has shoved Down a few rungs on the career ladder. For Many the recession has meant bruised egos along with drastically reduced financial Means. State department someday. In the meantime he gets by on the profit irom the Sale of his Southern California condominium and a number of Odd jobs a bar tending delivering a humor Magazine playing in a Rock band and free Lancing for a company that makes educational videos for lawyers. Such Patchwork employment profiles Are becoming common according to William k. Ellermeyer Irvine Calif based senior vice president with Lee Hecht Harrison incan outplacement company that counsels. Laid of executives looking for jobs in a typical scenario he said a former Bank executive will get a Job teaching at a University work at a Small company two Days a week consult on the Side and serve on the Board of a non profit foundation. A terrific resume can sometimes work against a Job seeker employment experts say. Employers will often balk at hiring an overqualified candidate but in this Market Many have found it Tough to resist the Chance to hire Blue Chip employees at bargain rates computation for reimbursement. For military members rental agent s fees May be reimbursed in full As a part of the payment of move in housing allowance Miha. Reasonable rent related expenses which Are fixed one time non refundable charges that must be paid before or upon occupying a residence Are reimbursable examples Are real estate agent s fees redecoration fees and one time lease taxes however any expenditure considered unreasonable by the approving official normally the housing officer May be disallowed in part or total rental agent fees should be allowed in the member has no other recourse but to rent a unit with such charges these agent fees do not Epply it you Are purchasing a a a Home military members will submit do form 2556 with receipts to housing Ollices for reimbursement of rental agent fees Dod civilians Are paid miscellaneous expense allowance incident to relocation of household the minimum reimbursement to an employee without dependents Lor miscellaneous expenses not supported by receipts is $350 or one week s Basic compensation which even is less Foi an employee with dependents the Quot the cold reality is that the Market s atrocious for Job seekers Quot said Jim Wiggett senior vice president of human resources at Charles Schwab corp Quot we get 2,000 unsolicited resumes a month double the historical  being Laid off need not be All bad some people have found. Many times being away from a stressful High powered Job makes them realize How much they disliked it. And getting into a new Field can energize burned out folks or help them learn new skills in 1990, Thomas Verna lost his Job As advertising director at Chaparral communications a consumer electronics manufacturing company in san Jose he is now an account executive at a Santa Clara advertising Agency working strictly on commission and earning Aboul 20 percent less he puts in Shorter hours and that Quot has been Good for my family  Verna said noting for example that he has More time to play basketball with his son Jonathan. I be had More time to enjoy my kids. I realize that s probably much More important than working 12 to 14 hours a Day Quot the experience has also Given him an idea for a Book about a child s perspective on a parents career transition. Sean keepers 27, who was Laid off from his $80,000-a-year associate s position at the big Manhattan Law firm of Proskauer Rose Goetz amp Mendelsohn is now happily earning less than $30,000 doing marketing for the Brooklyn Academy of music pursuing work at a nonprofit organization was an idea suggested by Celia Paul a new York outplacement executive hired by keepers Law firm in Between he also thought about apprenticing himself to a woodworker and look an illustration course Long before he was dismissed. Keepers realized that he was not enjoying his Legal work and that he Felt uncomfortable with expensive suits and other trappings of  frankly he said Quot the Day i got Laid off was one of the happiest Days of my  As for the future Quot i Don t see this As the end Stop. At the same time i Don t place a whole lot of importance on Money Quot and then there Are those Laid off employees who not Only end up happier but also manage to improve their lots in life heading into financial crisis last March the los Angeles based owner of the Broadway Carter Hawley Hale stores fired a number of employees including Karen Stout manager of human resources planning. She now makes substantially More in salary and Bonus at Nestle u s a As a manager of College relations and recruitment. Although the Job responsibilities Are narrower the company is far larger and the office atmosphere is More pleasant she said even Breen the news editor in san Clemente can find a Silver lining or two on a Small paper you do a lot of different things Quot he said. Quot i feel really useful. Rate is $700 or the equivalent of two weeks Basic compensation whichever is less if expenses such As rental agent foes Are supported by receipts the maximum payable is one week Basic salary for an employee without dependents or two weeks Basic salary for an employee with dependents Dod civilians will submit a travel voucher do form 1351-2 Tor reimburse men of miscellaneous expenses to write us readers action Leo is the readers court of last resort striving to answer some of the questions about life overseas in a military environment or questions about policies and guidelines when other avenues Tor answers Are not readily available. If you have a question and Don t know where to turn Tor the answer write to readers action line co the stars and stripes unit 29-180. Apo a 09211 All letters must be signed and preference Wilt be Given to those seeking information of general interest to our readers Page 16 a the stars and stripes saturday january 25, 1992