Logo

Someone's always watching

Published: Apr 21, 2009

At least for today, throw off any feelings of self-worthlessness that popped up because you were laid off. Why? Just look to a writer at Arizona's East Valley Tribune newspaper, whose collaboration on a series of articles on the fight against illegal immigration earned a Pulitzer Prize. Sorry, make that former scribe: The publication dumped one of the piece's co-writers (Paul Giblin) late last year as part of a major restructuring. The East Valley Tribune ended up slashing 40% of its staff, and is now down to publishing just three days a week.

Giblin and several other former employees at the paper started their own newspaper-like website (the Arizona Guardian) that focuses on the state's political and governmental scenes. He was down and out, but is now online and in headlines. In the best of all possible worlds -- which this isn't, given the financial and organizational shambles that is news publishing -- the award would lead to some interesting job offers. It still could, but any potential deals would certainly arrive on a more relaxed timetable that usual.

So for anyone out there, continue to do your best work, even if you know your corporate ship may be sinking. Even if you get laid off, your contributions to the company will live on -- and you never know who's watching. Contrary to the printed warning on a stock prospectus, for your next potential employer, your past performance often serves as a guarantee of future results.

--Posted by Todd Obolsky, Vault News & Commentary

***