Etiquette in a bad job market
Social Qs, a column in the Sunday New York Times by Philip Galanes,takes questions from readers. Here is one: "I know a fair number of people who work for the firms that are imploding on Wall Street. When I see them, should I ignore the issue or say something like: 'I'm sorry things are so bad at your company. It must be stressful for you'?" That's a good question, especially now that layoffs are hitting firms and hitting them hard. Galanes' advice is to look at the conversation contextually: Is the person a friend or a frenemie? If the laid-off worker is a friend, raise the issue yourself, but don't bring it up in front of a spouse or children. Trust me, that works. My old law firm did a Titanic in 2001. Those were tough times. But I never have forgotten my friends who raised the issue with me when it would have been difficult for me to broach the subject with them. People going through tough work matters feel exposed and vulnerable. When others acknowledged the issue, I thought of it as a welcome relief, not as an impolite intrusion.



