Collateral Damage

The meltdown struck at almost every sector, across income strata, crossing geographical boundaries. No one was immune: drop-outs, grads from the top business and tech schools, CEOs, migrant labourers all lost jobs or faced pay cuts.

For this photo-essay, we chatted with our subjects over several months. Their reactions were varied — and human. Through them, we learn about ourselves, about shattered dreams, forced lifestyle adjustments, clawing one’s way back up.

Yes, up. Things are getting better. Some of the panicked reactions to the meltdown were as over-the-top as the worst excesses of the boom. A few companies have begun hiring — most have at least stopped jettisoning people at a frenetic pace. Over the last five months, four of our interviewees have landed new jobs.