Jobs in the '90s

Unlike previous recessions, in which blue-collar workers bore the brunt of unemployment, the current downturn has left white-collar workers out in the cold as well. Large corporations, once the guarantors of job security, are eliminating jobs at all levels in an effort to raise productivity. While corporate restructuring may enable U.S. firms to better compete in the global marketplace, it also foreshadows a fundamental change in employer-employee relations: Growing numbers of Americans will be forced into part-time work with low pay, no job security and few benefits. The keys to success in this less predictable workplace will be education, training and a willingness to alter career goals. Above all, experts caution, employees should not expect lifelong employment with a single company.