As most indicators point to economic recovery for 2010, the question that keeps getting asked by job seekers is, "When exactly will the job market improve?" Well in case you haven't noticed, it already has improved. Unemployment is holding steady (and declining) in most places, and one of the leading indicators that things are looking better on the job market front is that there has been a rash of Recruiter hiring in the past 4 months. Companies need to hire recruiters before they can hire regular employees, and that's a good sign for job seekers.
Q1 is notoriously a great month for hiring, as companies have fresh HR and Recruiting budgets, as well as new head count that they can add. While hiring in Q1 of 2009 was rather bleak, expect Q1 of 2010 to be quite strong for those that are still looking for new jobs (or looking to change jobs).
So what should be the focus of job seekers as they head into a brighter job market in 2010? Here are 3 key areas of focus that can help you gain steam in your search and ultimately land your ideal job:
1. Be flexible about what kind of jobs you're open to.
This doesn't mean that you should consider flipping burgers at Wendy's, but it does mean that you should be flexible in what industry you work in, the size of the company, as well as the level and salary of the position. During the boom from 2005-2008, most job seekers would only consider opportunities in their industry of choice or in a new position that gave them a hefty pay increase from their prior job. Today's job market requires job seekers to maybe consider that Controller position in a manufacturing company that they were normally opposed to. Job Seekers should also be willing to take up to a 10% pay cut over their prior job, assuming the opportunity has room for growth within the next 6-18 months.
2. Don't sound desperate or feel that the interview process is the right time to air your dirty laundry.
This is a big one. The past 18 months have been very difficult for many job seekers, and the temptation (whether on purpose or not) is to feel that the interview is the opportunity to give a tell-all book of everything that has happened to you. This couldn't be the furthest thing from the truth. Interviews are not supposed to be auto-biographies of every event that you have gone through, rather they should be a synopsys of your skills that make you a right fit for a particular position. So many times I come across job seekers that I'm interviewing that tell me that they won't be able to make their mortgage payment if they don't get this particular job. While of course recruiters and hiring managers understand that you have financial obligations (otherwise you wouldn't need to work now, would you?), coming across as desperate will make you appear as a needy employee that could be high maintenance to manage once you have the job. Instead, focus only on the skills that you bring to the table for a particular position. This doesn't mean you can't emphasize how excited you are about the position and company -- but putting it in the context that you won't be able to put food on the table if you don't get the job won't help your case.
3. Network Network Network
During periods of economic boom, job seekers could post their resumes to Monster, wait for 20 recruiter calls to come in, and have their pick of 5 jobs that they wanted. Over the past 18 months of The Great Recession, the need for job seekers to network has become more important than ever. Even as the job market improves in 2010, the best jobs to be had will still be through who you know, not what you know. That means meeting as many new people as possible, and connecting (or re-connecting) with people who can help land your next job is more important than ever. The key to doing this is going beyond the traditional online methods of networking (i.e. LinkedIn), and utilizing some non-traditional methods such as going to Happy Hours, Mixers, and other Networking events. Meetup.com (www.meetup.com) is a great source for finding local events and other professional organizations in your area.
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