Dear Rachel,
Our office recently restructured and many people's positions have been eliminated. New positions have been created but it seems the company has gone out of its way to tell us there's no guarantee we will be considered for these new positions. There also seems to be no hurry to fill them. Some internal candidates who have applied have not even been reached out to for interviews while the company has gone ahead and begun the interview process with external candidates. It is a very tense work environment and while one tries to maintain their professionalism, it sure seems like the company isn't reciprocating. Even getting answers to questions about separation packages is like pulling teeth. What's your advice about how we can find out where we stand?--Living in Suspense

Dear Living,
That's a doozy of a challenge you have on you hands but I have to tell you such situations are not all that uncommon with so much restructuring going on.

First off, I must say I have to believe a big part of the problem is that your immediate bosses don't know what's going on themselves, and that too is not uncommon. You're dealing with people way up high on the agency food chain who are trying to juggle eight balls at once. The result is that decisions don't get made, leading to confusion, anger and distrust among those below. You and you co-workers are not the only ones in the dark.

I make note if this because it's important in talking to your supervisors to realize that they too are in the dark and probably just as frustrated.

"What you are living through is a classic corporate reassessment of how they do business," says Kurt O'Hare of O'Hare and Associates, a New York recruiting firm. "It happens periodically and more frequently when business is down and everyone is trying to create a new 'business model' for the company. Unfortunately the second casualty of this--the people who were downsized were the first casualty--is internal communication, since management may not be sure they know where it's all going to end up."

I can offer several pieces of advice.

First, I would make a point of talking with your immediate supervisors. It's key to puzzle out as best you can what they know and what they don't know.

Within that framework, you want to be asking them for whatever timeline or guidance they can offer, advises Pat Sklar, of Sklar and Associates, a Chicago recruiting firm. "If the employee doesn’t get a response then he/she should also contact HR," she advises.

But keep in mind that HR may not know all that much either, and further they can be rather expert at evading questions they know management is not prepared to answer.

Both Sklar and O'Hare say to make a point of maintaining a cool, professional demeanor through it all. You may be absolutely furious over what you consider shabby treatment, but losing your cool will accomplish nothing, and there's the risk of alienating people who you may need as allies when decisions are being made about who stays and who goes.

Advises Sklar: "Always maintain a professional attitude. Do great work and don’t spend time gossiping or speculating, as it creates an unhealthy work environment for everyone involved."

In talking with supervisors, O'Hare advises against language that could be construed as confrontational "It would be a mistake to tell your department head that they are screwing up, have killed morale, nobody wants to be here and we're all insulted that we're not being considered for these new jobs. That's the conversation that they expect and may be one reason they will avoid scheduling a time to talk."

He suggests taking the opposite approach. "Try doing the unexpected. Tell them that you really want to be on board with the new direction the company is taking but it's hard to get excited when they aren't clear as to what the new organization will look like." Then see what information they might divulge.

But I would also be out testing the job market. Things could work out where you are, you could end up keeping your job, or getting an even better one. But it could go the other way, and you want to be prepared. You want to have a good sense of what jobs are out there in case you are cut, and you also want to check into unemployment benefits.

Whatever you do, keep your cool as best you can. The biggest issue with all these nasty situations is the emotional toll it takes on people. Do not get sucked into depression and despair.