2011-09-30 13:39:24
By Tom Geoghegan BBC News, Washington
Greetings cards expressing sympathy to people who have been made redundant are
being sold in the US, where 14 million people are out of work. But what's the
best thing to say? And can a card help?
Hearing that a friend has lost their job is an increasingly familiar scenario,
in the US, the UK and elsewhere.
Bank of America recently confirmed plans to cut 30,000 posts, while the news
that BAE Systems is losing 3,000 jobs in the UK has been met with shock at
plants and factories across the country.
The news comes as nearly one in 10 Americans is officially out of work and 2.5
million Britons are also jobless.
Every redundancy sends a shockwave through a family or circle of friends. And
with this in mind, Hallmark has introduced a number of cards in the US that try
to console the newly unemployed.
As the company's creative director Derek McCracken explained this week in an
interview with NPR, some adopt a sensitive approach, while others try to be
humorous. One of the cards says:
"Don't think of it as losing your job. Think of it as a time out between stupid
bosses."
The idea came from customers who were looking for these kinds of cards, he
said, denying the move exploited the grim economic circumstances.
The six cards were first introduced in 2009 and will be freshened up with new
designs next year as sales remain high, a spokeswoman added.
Hallmark is not the first or only card retailer to tap into this. Greeting Card
Universe has no fewer than 17 job loss cards. One depicts a white flower on a
black background and says:
"Out of the darkness, something beautiful can appear. I was so sorry to hear
about your job. You are very talented and I know something beautiful will come
your way soon. Hang on in there!"
But does a card really help?
Start Quote
Friends need to acknowledge it with a card, but beyond that they need to ask
'What can I do?'
Nicole Williams LinkedIn
It's an interesting concept, says Rick Cassar, 59, from Portland, Oregon, whose
real estate business went to the wall two years ago, due to the credit squeeze,
and who remains out of work.
"I guess they recognise a huge market that exists and will continue to grow,"
he says. "I imagine most people would appreciate receiving a card from a friend
acknowledging their plight."
They're a good idea because they help to chip away at the stigma of redundancy,
says Nicole Williams, connections director at LinkedIn.
"Being laid off can be very demoralising and people feel a lot of shame. These
cards open up the conversation and allow us to talk about being laid off."
Losing a job is not something people like to talk about, she says, but telling
people about it has a practical benefit because it increases your chance of
getting employed again. Friends can recommend people they know on social
network sites or by word of mouth.
"Friends need to acknowledge it with a card, but beyond that they need to ask
'What can I do?'
"People tend to underestimate their network. A neighbour might work in the same
industry. The quicker you can get these people connected, the better."
You ≠ Job
Hallmark card
Cover: Losing your job does not define you. What you do about it does.
Inside: As you face what lies ahead, your strength will come from the
determined and passionate person you are... the person I already know you to be
Job loss cards seem to be harder to find in the UK, and Hallmark says it has no
plans to launch any there in the near future.
But Judi James, a career expert based in London, says they would go down well
there.
"I would have said it was better suited to the British psyche than the
Americans, because anything that's upsetting or tragic we do tend to struggle
to get the words right.
"British people are very good at putting down in a card what they won't say
face to face."
People feel embarrassed and awkward when this kind of thing happens, and
sometimes say nothing.
"Sometimes the best that people come out with is a string of cliches, like 'I'm
sure you'll get another job', but you might not, it's a recession."
A message that reminds the person that they are not identified by their job is
a good one, she says.
"One of the biggest problems with redundancy, apart from the financial and
logistical problems, is that the job so much defines who you are, in modern
society. It's the first question people ask you.
"People are devastated because they feel they've lost their entire personality
when they lose their job. So while this kind of message sounds cheesy it does
remind them that you're friends with them, not their job."
But ultimately, it's important that the person feels supported, says Ms James,
and they will be impressed that in the age of email, someone has bought a card,
written a message and put a stamp on it.