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10.1 Months is the Average Time for Executive to Find New Position

Execunet's Executive Job Market Intelligence 2009 has some good information for executives whether or not they are looking for new positions. Many of their findings are an affirmation of what most job-savvy executives already know.

What's the best way to find a career option? Networking is still at the top with 73% of those surveyed ranking it number one. Responding to job postings gathered 14% of the votes, posting resumes to databases/maintaining online profiles 9%, researching target companies/cold calling 3%, and broadcast resume campaigns only 1%. Rather than spending hours online searching ads and sending off resumes that just add to the tremendous volume of unsolicited resumes recruiters and companies receive, experts advise that a better use of time is to work on getting referrals to recruiters or key people at companies being targeted.

What's the current time frame for finding a new position? Total time expected for executives to land a position in high technology is 9.4 months, healthcare 10.3 months, consumer products 10.1 months, life sciences 10.2 months, financial services 10.3 months, manufacturing 10.4 months, and business services 10.9 months. This means executives can expect to spend an average of 10.1 months looking for their next position.

To read the entire report, go to http://www.execunet.com/e_trends_survey.cfm

Watch Out for Employment Scams!

According to a recent article in Resume Writers Digest, unscrupulous people are preying on Americans looking for jobs during this difficult economy. Shameful but true! Here are a few of the most prevalent scams you should be aware of:

Work-at-home: If you see an offer to send off and pay for a special kit that tells you how to make money or pay for supplies for a product you will assemble at home and sell back to the company if it meets specifications or pay a fee to access a website posting work-at-home jobs, be very careful. Many of these are not legitimate offers.

Mystery Shopping: An investigative news program recently spotlighted online job postings for mystery shoppers that require job seekers to deposit a check from the company that will cover their expenses and then wire a portion of the amount back to the company. Guess what happens! The mystery shoppers are informed by their banks a few days later that the checks they deposited bounced meaning they have to cover the full amount they wired as well as any related bank fees.

Job Agents:Although there are legitimate career services professionals out there, there are also some you should avoid. What are the signs you should look for? If you are required to pay thousands of dollars for help accessing the "hidden job market" or provide detailed financial information and invite your spouse to be part of the process, watch out!  

Is Your Elevator Speech Ready?

Whether it's called an elevator speech or a 30-second commercial, you should have one ready for those times someone says "Tell me about yourself." This is obviously true for job seekers but also a great idea for professionals not currently in the job search.

What is an elevator speech? It's a brief, targeted, statement about your unique value. I advise clients to spend some time crafting such a statement and to practice it so that it becomes easy and natural to say.

Ask yourself what you do well and enjoy doing, what unique value to you bring to a company or organization, and what makes you differ your competition. Write it all down and keep working on it until you have a concise statement that sums you up. Part of that message can be a branding statement. A materials manager may start with "I consistently achieve or exceed goals safely, on time, and in compliance with contractual terms." A consultant might include "I am passionate about supporting clients' success by creatively addressing their business growth and performance needs." A senior-level executive may say "I boost revenue and shareholder value by creating and implementing innovative growth strategies, delivering improved customer value propositions, and developing highly engaged teams that deliver exceptional results."

What will you say about yourself?

Inspirational Book for Staying Positive in Today's Economy

I recently read The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch, a former computer science professor at the University of Virginia and Carnegie Mellon. Randy was asked to give this lecture at Carnegie Mellon after being diagnosed with terminal cancer. The book is really about how to live, how to overcome obstacles, and how to enable your dreams and the dreams of others.

 

I think a lot of what Randy talks about is relevant to people looking for a job or trying to survive in the current economy. Below are a few quotes that I particularly like; in his book, Pausch relates memorable stories relevant to each quote that illustrate the wisdom he has acquired during his life.

 

“Complaining does not work as a strategy. We all have finite time and energy. Any time we spend whining is unlikely to help us achieve our goals. And it won’t make us happier.”

 

“Brick walls are there to stop the people who don’t want it badly enough. They’re there to stop the other people. Brick walls are there for a reason. They give us a chance to show how badly we want something.”

 

“No matter how bad things are, you can always make things worse. At the same time, it is often within your power to make them better.”

“If you wait long enough, people will surprise and impress you.”

 

"Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted."

  

“Whether you think you can or can’t, you’re right.”

 

“Showing gratitude is one of the simplest yet most powerful things humans can do for each other. And despite my love of efficiency, I think that thank-you notes are best done the old-fashioned way, with pen and paper.” He once gave a job to someone who wrote a thank-you note to a non-faculty support staffer who had helped her when she came for an interview. That one act made him take a chance on hiring someone who otherwise had been on her way to the “no” pile.

 

If you are interested in reading the book, it's co-authored by Jeffrey Zaslow and is published by Hyperion. It's also available on Hyperion AudioBooks; the recording would be great to listen to while in the car.

Details Count in Tight Job Market

Slapping together a resume and posting it online does not do the trick in today's job market. Paying attention to details is more important than it has ever been. I review articles about the job market every day and have been collecting tips for my clients and others who are searching for a position or preparing for the day they find themselves without a job like 700 lawyers found out on "Black Thursday." Here are a few tips:

#1: Be clear about your job target. I refuse to write a resume unless a client has a clear job target. Employers are not interested in what they can do for you, they want to know what value you bring to the table. So if you are not clear about your job target, seek career counseling. Yes, it would be great if an employer could look at your history and tell you exactly where you will fit in the company, but that's a totally unrealistic hope! And in this economy, a resume with no focus will quickly land in the trash. 

#2: Keep your resume up to date. This is something you should be doing regardless of the job market. I advise my clients to update once or twice a year. Remember that a "career obituary" is not an effective marketing tool; the resume has to be targeted and achievement-oriented. I'll write another message soon about some resume dos and don'ts. 

#3: Be realistic about your qualifications and the job market. With so much competition out there, be sure your qualifications match most of the job requirements. Employers are not impressed with candidates who are clearly not qualified for the position. Yes, it is true that the job ads describe the ideal candidate, but if you don't come close to matching at least the majority of the qualifications, it is a waste of your time and the employer's to apply. If it's a position you aspire to, do something about improving the skills you lack, whether it's taking some classes or accepting a lower position that will give you the training you need for later.

#4: Be professional in all of your communications. Email is a great form of communication and it's fine to use abbreviations and symbols when you are talking with friends, but if you are writing a message for a potential employer, spell out all words and check and double check your spelling and grammar. Respond promptly to all communication you receive, whatever the medium.

#5: Continue to nurture your relationships and build new ones. Networking continues to be the most effective way to find a job. Approaching employers directly and posting resumes online are other tools in the job search, but most jobs are still found through personal and professional relationships. Talk to people who know more about the job market than you do. Make contact with people in the industry or career area that interests you. Talk with and share information with other people in the job search. You will gain access to unadvertised opportunities. Read trade publications, newspapers, and online articles about the job market and your chosen field. Research specific companies that interest you and see if you can make contact with the manager of the department that is a good fit for you. Try to identify current issues and trends, seek out fellow college alumni, and consider hiring a career coach to help you set goals and stay on track.

#6: Never give up: You are going to have times when you feel discouraged, so expect them. It's part of the search. Set goals for every day and ask someone to hold you accountable. Have something to look forward to each day, whether it's taking a long walk, talking with a friend, or going to a movie. Don't expect miracles but do work on having a positive, realistic outlook and eventually you will find the best match for you.

Views on the Job Search in 2009

This is the toughest job search market I have seen in my over 25 years in the career industry. Every day I get a list of Internet articles related to the job search. Here are some of the themes I'm seeing.

New College Graduates: Recent grads are being told it will take three to four months to find a job. Unemployment among college graduates is still lower than among those without degrees.

Ex-Convicts: Ex-convicts are worried that if they lose their jobs, they will be in violation of their parole agreements.

Volunteer Organizations: Organizations such as Teach for America and the Peace Corps may benefit from the tight job market.

IT Professionals: A CEO paints a grim picture of the job market for IT professionals, saying it's one of the worst he has seen since the late 1970s. He goes on to say that the dot-com bubble was a cakewalk compared to this job market. Another says managers of Internet systems have better prospects at medium-sized companies than large enterprises. The reason? While larger companies are in a maintenance mode, smaller ones are trying to gain additional sales by turning to the Internet.

Job Vacancies: The U.S. Labor Department's Bureau of Labor Statistics recently announced that there are now 3.8 job seekers in the U.S. for every job vacancy, double the 1.8 job seekers per vacancy recorded in November 2007. 

Military Service: As the economy tanks, all active services  met 100 percent of their recruiting goals during the first two months of the new fiscal year. The reserve components are also reporting increased recruiting success. 

Older Workers:  According to a Herman Trend Alert, employers are now employing more seasoned and previously retired workers for those hard-to-fill positions. Benefits are usually not an issue and the on-boarding and off-boarding costs are minimal. Seniors who want to supplement their shrinking retirement funds are out there looking along with the recent college grads.

 

What Are Your New Year's Resolutions?

Your New Year's resolutions for 2009 may be similar to ones you have had in previous years: lose those extra five pounds, spend more time with your family, clean out the attic, etc. With the economy in such a tailspin, you might want to consider adding some resolutions that will help your career. Here are a few worth considering:

Professional Development: Resolve to learn something new. Take a class, read books and publications relevant to your industry, earn a certification, or improve your technology skills. 

Professional Associations: If you are not active in associations, now may be the time to join. No job is secure in this economy and having a network of contacts is very important in a job search. If you are already in an industry group, consider joining a group such as Kiwanis or Rotary.

Online Networking: Take advantage of online networking tools such as LinkedIn. Online networking is becoming more and more important. If you use social online networks such as Facebook remember not to include anything you would not want your boss to see! Recruiters and employers often research candidates online.

Resume: Keep your resume updated. If you are downsized or receive a call from a recruiter with a great opportunity, it will be so much easier for you if your resume is current.

Job Search Help for Military Vets

Over the years I have worked with a number of military clients transitioning to the civilian sector. Recent clients have been people who have held senior management roles in areas varying from logistics to information assurance. These clients have many skills that will be of value to potential employers. They have had to produce results in challenging environments and frequently with minimal resources. Many have managed teams of both military and civilian employees from diverse cultures and backgrounds. Some employers are particularly interested in candidates with active secret security clearances; this tells them that a candidate can be trusted with confidential information and has been thoroughly vetted by the military.

Part of my process with clients leaving the military is to be sure that their skills and accomplishments are presented in a way that is clearly understood by non-military readers. I am interested in the same information I want from other clients: what have been the challenges of each position, what actions have they taken, and what are the results? If those results can be quantified, that is important to do.

I recently read that the U.S. has over 23 million veterans who have served active duty. One of the job search engines that has special help for vets is Simply Hired. It has a new filter that helps vets search for federal contractors and companies who have a commitment to hiring veterans and helping them advance their careers. I tried using it and found it easy to use. Just type in key words for the company or type of position that interests you and a preferred location, and the results quickly appear. So if you are a vet or know one who is in the job search, check out  www.simplyhired.com/veteran and see if it is helpful. I hope it will be!

Using Craigslist to Find a Job

Susan Joyce, editor and publisher of Job-Hunt.org has written a free e-book, Using Craigslist to Find a Job, which includes some great points that may be helpful to you during your job search. The e-book walks you through the process, from important cautions to take to protect your privacy to finding the best list for your purposes, to taking advantage of networking opportunities. You'll find the e-book at  http://www.job-hunt.org/guides/using-craigslist-to-find-a-job.pdf 

Jury Still Out on Video Resumes

There's lots of talk out there about video resumes and their effectiveness. A recent survey by Robert Half International indicated that only 24 percent of executives said that their companies accept video resumes. Why? Video resumes reveal a candidate's race, age, gender, and physical appearance. Employers want to avoid any discriminatory practices, so at this point it seems video resumes are not fully accepted. Of course, this could change in the future. If you think a video resume would help you, you might first want to contact the companies that interest you and ask them if they accept video resumes. If you decide to submit one, be sure you use a reputable source that will produce a professional video.