JOB MARKET VIBE...

Well...while most people were nursing a hangover, The Talent Magnet was hard at work recruiting!

Candidates always ask me "What does the market look like?" I wish I could predict the future...I do have "mad skills" but not even I can do that. Honestly, the market began to pop June and July, died in August and September, and rallied back in October only to slumber into the New Year!

By the end of the month, we should have a better idea of where we stand. New budgets will be in! Employees that waited to get their bonuses or take vacation will move on to new organizations. Firms that put spots "on hold" will begin again to interview. This is all positive stuff!

The most visible change with regard to recruitment is a company's willingness to pay a recruitment fee for Entry Level and Administrative Support professionals. Traditionally, these groups were "easy" to reach directly. It seems that employers are coughing up the cash to be introduced to "unique" candidates. They are asking me to find candidates that have NOT been actively posting their resume on HotJobs, Careerbuilder, Monster, etc.

You are saying..."wait a minute, I thought these sites provided me with a powerful search tool that will result in securing interviews, if not a job!" In an ideal world, that might be the situation. Reality is...my clients look at these sites regularly. If they do not pick your resume of the hundreds they view daily/weekly...it does not mean they will not recognize your name or resume when presented. This means that HR professionals do not want to pay a fee to recruiters for someone they have seen posting for weeks. There is a feeling that you may be GENERIC! That's right, the longer you post your resume and the more job boards you use could actually hurt your search. Most of the "best" jobs in NYC are posted by professional recruitment firms. Some employers view your posting of the resume as a form of "fishing" as opposed to submitting your resume for a specific opportunity.

The market is ripe for skilled Executive Assistants with at least 2 years of experience supporting a senior executive. Salaries for EAs range from the mid 30s to 70K! There has been a move back to valuing longevity, loyalty and growth! As a result, those candidates that have spent 3+ years with their current or most recent employer are in demand!

Sales professionals are always being sought regardless of the economy. However, many organizations that scaled down their team to skeletal proportions are building back up. There is a greater need for "Relationship Management" professionals. These people maintain, retain and upsell valuable existing clients with little or no responsibility for "new business development". The profile for these candidates are... degreed with 3-5 years of current outside sales experience. Don't get me wrong, HUNTERS, COLD CALLERS & CLOSERS never go out of style, especially in Ad Sales in a growing/recovering economy! Companies have beefed up their advertising budgets...therefore Publishing, TV, Radio, Online and Direct Marketing firms need to attract saavy Account Executives, Account Managers, Teritory Representatives and the like to get their share of the Ad dollars being spent. In other words, they have a vendetta to get the cheddar!

My parting thoughts are: 1) Be mindful of the method you choose to find your next job 2) Even the best Salespeople need someone to sell them to a Hiring Manager 3) If you are a skilled Executive Assistant with a stable work history and a degree looking for 35-45K, send me your resume, I don't believe you exist! 4) Don't eat yellow snow 5) Research....do your homework abouth a job, a company, an industry...knowledge is power!

"Dont call it a comeback....I been here for years!" LL Cool J

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