Was chatting to a chap the other day who has 5 established clothes shops and he says it's the worst couple of months he has ever had (been trading since the late 80's). Another fella who sells clobber from his home or out of the motor says it's the worst he's known it, I also sell via the internet and pubs etc and it has been crap since christmas, so I've gone back to site work the last 4 weeks and since i've started been offered 2 other jobs and got a couple to price (all in the building game)....just glad to be getting some money in at last. So was wondering what business your in and has it picked up or got worse?

Also in the building game, just a case of hanging in there, as it has been for the last couple of years, I'm lucky as my mrs has a good job so we'll not starve....but till the building game (housing) picks up not will change....and till banks start lending the building game won't pick up

Also in the building game, just a case of hanging in there, as it has been for the last couple of years, I'm lucky as my mrs has a good job so we'll not starve....but till the building game (housing) picks up nowt will change....and till banks start lending the building game won't pick up

They had someone from industry on BBC today after the budget was announced and he was going mad talking about how this tory government have a phobia of building council housing....Just imagine the ammount of money that could be saved in the long run if the government paid for houses to be built and then didnt have to put money in the hands of landlords....not to mention the ammount of construction work that could be needed.....But as he said, this government WILL NOT build social housing.

Obviously its not as easy as that but its a long term fix strategy that makes sense.

In the Oil & Gas industry , have known 3 bad troughs in my time , where everyone is clambering for limited jobs , I'm grateful working trip to trip , spend weeks away from home at a time , and it can be very hard on my family life .. but drawing a paycheck is the bottom line for me , so rough with the smooth ..

Self employed plasterer and business is good, but i dont take it for granted and sit on most of what i earn because it could just stop any minute, and theres very little help for self employed when theres no work, Bills and kids to keep. Most of my luxuarys are paid for by things on the side. (stop short at renting my arse out so dont bother pm'ing)

Work in building and its been hard so much so 2 of the lads I work with have both been made redundant after 20 years,it's not just getting work it's getting paid when the job is finished as everyone seems to be in the same position,they can't pay until someone pays them and so on

In the building too and its fucking hard going.
Seriously considering something else but its all i know,fed up of not knowing where the next job is coming from?

Management of change meeting next week at our service, big council and funding cuts in social care, Wonder whats going to happen, hoping they offer redundancies, Know every clothes shop more or less is struggling in City Centre, I quite fancy just going all in with a few ideas of my own if get next month out the way and get out of my trade but its a risk.

Have my own thermal insulation company ,working in the food ,drink refrigeration industry,as said by Previous feast or famine,had a tough year ,being undercut on projects by companies with foreign labour now being the norm,already made redundancies in the last 6 months ,with more to likely if this year does not improve,want to get out if honest ,health and safety practitioner the likely destination

I deal with writing cover on companies, can safely say be a while that certain trade sectors will be getting a cash boost.

I work as an Engineering sales manager for a German manufacturer who makes transmission/conveyor/automotive chains. Things are tough out there for us too. Just about managing to keep to budgeted growth across all my territories. Every big order and project is a battle. Luckily our parent company are a very large concern in Germany (sell to BMW, Merc, Audi etc) and very stable.

i have to say that the resion is allways is allways a good time for us,punters seem to chase more when money is tight. and the roulette machines are a licence to print money ,so many eastern europeans play them and they all seem to have loads of cash....so at the moment life is good (as long as nobody wins)

Contract IT consultant, been working at BMW for the last 10 years, 10 minuts from my house, flexible hours and looks like continuing for the foreseeable future. Lucked in big time when i got the contract. BMW sold more cars than ever the last 2 years!!

I also sell a few clothes onthe side. Now that is hard. I'm lucky i have 3 or 4 people who buy over half my stock every season. I should really be making 30% on my investment every season. Truth is i make probably 20% if that.

Work in building trade myself ( painter ) getting work were i am is really tough, remember the mid 80s when it was bad, but this is taking the piss.
My sis could get me a job in her place making blinds- 7 til 4 - mon to fri - £192 wage, thats taking the piss to.

I work for an importer, who at the moment brings in confectionary.

We seem to be doing pretty good at the moment, plenty of big orders. This will be my 4th year with him and the business has grown dramatically, we recently moved to our 3rd new warehouse.

Like others have said, when you get a job complete the biggest problem is getting the fuckers to pay up.

Worked in engineering and IT and redundancy never seemed far away so moved into teaching just for a bit of stabbility. It's been 8 years now and it is the longest I have had any job. Think i am gonna sit tight and just build up my pension. Money's not great but not terrible either and I actually enjoy what I do so I think that is me for the foreseeable future. Thought about moving back into industry as a trainer but can't give up the security.

Can't see it getting any better

Work in finance for a big meat processor, supermarkets making life hard for everyone at the moment they aren't growing and horsegate hasn't helped but everyone's got to eat so we keep ticking along.

Just finished working in the pub game. Been a barman on and off for six years and I don't think I've experienced a quieter chirstmas/new years than 2012/13. The past three months were awful for footfall too. In part this was because of the (badly run) pub I worked in, but it seems to be cutting right across the board. More closures are definitely in the post. Doesn't help that there's an abundance of surplus labour which are driving the pitiful wages down further.

Now working in politics, albeit on a temporary basis. Recession proof. Hopefully it'll become something permanent soon.

I Work For A Local Fencing Company But Don't Do Much Fitting As I Work In The Sales / Yard..
& We're Busy All Year Round..
& The £££'s In The Bank Every Week..

Work for Land Rover knocking up the Range Rover, Disco and Brand new Sport. Good things looking ahead and the line i'm on there's tonnes of overtime because it's a pretty important area. Wage is fantastic for my age and job. Selling thousands, there's a waiting list for most models and there's other models in the pipeline.

Hoping to get an engineering apprenticeship with them and have my final assessment & interview for it 2 weeks, tomorrow. Nervous but terribly excited as this is the step-up i was looking for. If it doesn't work out, i'll just get my head down and work my way up the ladder to a generously paid managerial role.

Used to work in the building industry as a pipe fitter but got made redundant half way through my apprenticeship and it was always the same, all the lads gossiping about no jobs coming in and ex-(cunt)employees taking the firm to court etc. Glad i'm out as i'm doing much easier work, less graft and on double the money a week. Brand new car picked up 10 days ago, so can't really complain at the moment.