The reality of today’s job market

Okay, I will tell you what most people won’t: the job market is bad, and the types of jobs/salaries/benefits you are used to won’t be coming back for a long time. Yes, some companies are hiring, but they are scaling back what they are paying for those jobs, cutting matches on 401k plans, reducing year end bonuses and increasing the responsibility for those positions. If you are in sales, you are fortunate in a sense that many companies are still looking to add to staff, but the days of company cars 50-60k base salaries for front line sales jobs are gone for the forseeable future. What we have instead are low bases or draw versus commission with higher upside. Companies are willing to “pay for performance” but they are not going to take a risk on base salaries when they don’t have to in this economy. For the sales person, at least there is work. The number of client services, marketing, IT, human resources and other positions we have seen are down dramatically from 2008 and we do not see any “green shoots” for the second half of the year.
If you are waiting for relocation packages, sign on bonuses, and base salaries from 2008, you may need to keep waiting.
My advice to you is to grab on to something that pays your bills, keeps your skills fresh, and to continue to keep your eyes open.
Very few employers will look down there noses two years from now if you took a step back in your career to put food on the table for your family. The economy is THAT bad, and those that deal with small, medium and large businesses across the country know that.

Opportunity For Moonlighting or Full Time Sales Position

We have a national contract with one of the fastest growing merchant services companies in America. They are highly profitable, offer their customers, mostly small and medium sized businesses better pricing on credit cards, gift card and loyalty marketing programs. We are looking for sales professionals OR individuals who on a part time basis can have a 5 minute conversation with a small business owner about my client, “warming” them up to a call from my client’s sales team, and put the contact information in a portal. In exchange for this, my client will pay $250.00 plus 5% of ongoing profits on the account when they close it, typically 1-2 weeks. I personally have referred several of my clients, and they have switched over to my merchant services clients’ service.
This could easily be another couple of grand a month for part time effort

The Goodness of The American Business Person

If you listen to the nightly news you would be convinced based on the actions of a few unscrupulous CEOs that the entire American business community was the problem and not the solution.

As someone who has worked with executives in small, medium and Fortune 1000 companies for nearly fifteen years I can attest that these hard working American business leaders are the light at the end of the  tunnel!  I have seen first hand business owners with new technologies scrap together angel investors and risk their individual savings in order to get their companies going.

Did you know that in the early 1970s, the last time we had an economy this dire, companies such as Federal Express, Southwest Airlines and Microsoft were born?  I know that there are dozens of other success stories just waiting to happen.  Business leaders are waiting for the storm clouds to pass, but they will eventually start up the next wave of American business success stories.

And with these businesses, new jobs, new “dot com/e-commerce” millionaires will rise, and the American dream will be realized for a new wave of people.

Don’t let anyone tell you that American businesses are the problem, they represent our best hope for a new wave of prosperity!!!

Executive Coaching Now Available

For the first time we will offer professional coaching services are now available at Hawthorne Executive Search.   I personally will be working with professionals in sales, marketing, client services, technology and human resources.

For well over a decade I have successfully helped professionals ranging from middle managers to executives intelligently navigate the job waters.

I will offer the following services at a price you don’t need to be an executive to afford:

Resume write/re-write, we will go over 10 common resume mistakes and eliminate them!

Finding Job Leads!  We will use our tools, which are different from those that you likely have access to, to produce a list of executives, including phone numbers and email addresses

Call on your behalf:  We will call designated companies that you are interested in directly on your behalf, so your resume doesn’t wind up on a dreaded “Slush pile”

Interview Prep/de-briefing: Here is where most of the deadly mistakes are made.  Our coaching can help you successfully complete each and every step of the interview process

Utilizing Social Networks:  Let us help you build your online profile!

Please call me, Robert Hawthorne, at (910) 798-1800 for more details!

Why the 2009 Employment Landscape Might Surprise You

Let’s be honest, if you are in real estate, construction, manufacturing, financial services or a related industry, this will not be the best professional year of your life more than likely.  If you have a solid job, keep it, if your boss drives you crazy, put up with it and smile, if you are looking for a job, it will not be easy.

On the other hand, if you are in healthcare, mobile marketing, interactive advertising, many parts of the pharma/biotech industry, things are probably better than the mainstream media would lead you to believe.

Over the past several months we have aggressively pursued new clients in these industries, and the overall tone and tenor for 2009 is a resounding “it might be okay”  Not exactly the halcyon days, but not the gloom and despair many would have you believe envelops us from all sides.

There is nothing that a business owner, CEO, VP of Sales, etc hates more than standing still.  People who run and lead businesses want to win, and yes, they keep an eye on cost containment, and within that controlling headcount, but to walk into 2009 and hope to tread water is not in the DNA of most business leaders.

Consequently, if you are a difference maker, someone who has a track record in product development, or who has a rolodex full of contacts, or who can take SEO/SEM to a new level,  there are many companies out there who would be interested in speaking with you.

They all might not have an active opening, but if you utilize tools like Linked In, Execunet and others, my bet is you will have the opportunity to formally or informally interview with quite a few companies this year.

It might not be smooth sailing in the job market this year, but for many, there are more opportunities to make this a good year than they might have realized.!!

The new new employment reality for 2009

Survive and move on!  If I had to sum it all up in one big sweeping generalization, that would be it.  I have a high level VP of Sales candidate who is in an offline/online hybrid business who feels he isn’t maximizing his potential since he isn’t working for a 100% digital company.  Even though his company has had layoffs, he is secure, his income including bonuses has almost remained whole compared to 2007, and he is using us to quietly explore other options.

To him I say “bravo.”  You are in the best possible position as we head into the new year.  I have been in this business for nearly thirteen years and by far, this is the most brutal employment market I have ever seen.  Good people with strong track records are scrambling to find a job, any job in their given field.  Companies that are doing well are holding on to their chips, and far too many are letting good people go.

If you can ride this wave out, remain whole for the next year or so, then you are in great shape.  How many of us would take a break even on our 401ks/investments etc in 2008 right now?  Breaking even is the new win for 2008/2009.

If you have a job, do your best to maintain your worth, take on extra projects, take less vacation, volunteer to help with things that aren’t necessarily part of your job responsibilities.  If and when your company does a reduction in force, these things will be remembered.

If a recruiter has a position with a company that had a strong 2008, and they are offering a lateral compensation package, don’t turn it down!  If you can move to a more stable environment, and remain whole, consider it a win!

2009 should be a better year than 2008 but the clouds have not parted yet, so do your best to position yourself within your current company, or on the job market, but be realistic, as things have dramatically changed over the past year.

What Kind of Job Market Is It?

The Sky is Falling-Chicken Little

There are problems out there. Inflation, gas prices, housing depreciation, etc.  Any rational human being can see this, but behind the headlines there is still some very good news, particularly on the job front heading into the second half of 2008.

The unemployment rate is still at a very manageable number, and has held relatively steady even amid the recent economic downturn. Yes, there are sectors that have been ravaged, such as real estate, banking, some parts of financial services.  Overall, however, there are still some areas that are healthy, if not robust, such as healthcare, biotech(not big pharma however), e-commerce, interactive media, some parts of CPG.

Baby boomers are still retiring and there aren’t enough Gen x ers to replace them in middle/senior management ranks. 

Our biggest challenge right now is finding candidates who can relocate. With the housing market where it is, candidates are having a tough time selling their houses to move for a job.  Coupling with that the fear of being “last in/first out”, I would say it is an almost 50/50 balance between a “candidate driven market” and a “client driven market.”

The biggest thing holding hiring back right now is fear on both sides.  Clients fear making any hire right now due to budgetary restraints, even if they a) have the budget and b) need to fill the position.  Candidates fear the things mentioned above, so while there are countless companies/candidates looking to hire/change jobs, there is something out there holding both sides back.

What is my take? If you are a client looking to hire, you might get a terrific candidate right now.  If you are a candidate, particularly one who can relocate, and you have the right background, you might be able to find your dream job.

In short, there are areas that have taken a huge hit, but the overall job market is in much better shape than the media would have you believe.

Using Social Networking in your job search

Having recruited in the local search/social networking space for years, I have been able to learn a tremendous amount about the tools that are currently available.  Social networking has become a hot way to boost your job search in recent years, and there are varying opinions about how successful they really are.

We have found that two really stick out in our day to day operations: Linked In and Execunet.  Both offer the ability to post a resume, and connect with professionals from companies across the globe. We have found that the quality of individuals who are “on” either of these two sites is tremendous.

As a job searcher, it is now considered appropriate to reach out and send an “inmail” to someone at your target company.  The days of replying to want ads in the paper and hoping for a call back seem pre-historic.  Why wait to see if HR calls you in for an interview when you can just email your perspective boss and “link in” with her?

What you must realize though, is that the rules are not clearly defined, and while some hiring managers will appreciate your spunk, others will see you potentially as needy.  There is no exact data available on how company executives view those who try to jump to the front of the line and go around company application procedures.

From my point of view, if someone has a good story to tell, and is sincerely interested in working for a company, I would take the risk of contacting the hiring manager directly and trying to set up a meeting.

As for other popular sites like Facebook and Myspace, we have not found as much business related activity as we have on other sites. However, as today’s recent college graduates hit the market, we realize that they are more likely to be on Facebook than on Linked In, so we are using these sites as well.

In short, we have noticed that many of our best candidates are coming from social networking sites, and not from standard job boards.  The axiom that your best candidates aren’t sitting on Monster holds true still, but many of them are out there on social networking sites!

Looking for a Business Development Job Making Six Figures? Think about Recruiting

I didn’t go to college with the thought that I would become a recruiter.  Like many in our industry, I stumbled upon the profession.  Almost immediately, I fell in love with the fact that no day was the same, I got to pick and choose the companies I wanted to work with, and the fact that I was able to make a positive impact on the clients I worked with, and the candidates I helped to place.  Looking back fifteen years, I was very fortunate that I responded to the advertisement for a research assistant for a recruiting firm.

At Hawthorne Executive Search we have a team of fifteen recruiters focused in on different industry specialties.  Our staff resides in four states, and ten cities, and we have built a reputation as a well networked, high integrity firm that does the right thing for our clients and candidates.

Who would make a successful recruiter?  The ideal candidate would have sales experience on a national scale, selling into a specific industry or market segment.  The person who knows the “ball bearing industry” on a national level might be successful because she knows all the players in that market, and would bring instant credibility.

The person who has sold to mom and pop businesses in one specific metro area could still be successful obviously, but that would not be the ideal profile.

If you are well networked in your industry/marketplace, want a job where there are no daily meetings, you have significant autonomy, yet still have amazing tools and people to help you reach your goals, and would like the ability to work anywhere geographically, and yet not have to start over if you decide to move, then recruiting at HES might be an option worth exploring.

 Please feel free to call me at our main office, (910) 798-1800 x101

Robert

What the Mainstream Media Is NOT Telling You About the Job Market

Jump in, the water is fine!  Yes, there are several key sectors that are having a very hard time, and there are layoffs and hiring freezes, but, if you are not in real estate, construction, financial services or related industries, the chances are companies are dying for middle and senior level professionals in your area.

At HES, there are several key areas that are particulary robust, including:

Interactive Advertising

Online Media/Publishing

Healthcare/Hospitals

Most segments of biotech

Non-profits/Associations

E-commerce

Travel/travel technology

Our search volume for 2008 is even higher than 2007, which was a company record.  Candidates are under the mistaken impression that there aren’t very many companies hiring, and that now is the time to sit tight.  Quite the contrary, unemployment overall remains at a healthy number, and if you are in most sectors, you probably will have no problem getting an interview/job offer if you have industry experience.

At HES we offer meaningful referral bonuses, so if you aren’t looking, please feel free to reach out if you know of someone who has been sitting on the sideline and who would benefit from hearing from us.

According to the most recent industry surveys, recruiter confidence is at approximately a 7 on a 1-10 scale.  I would say that all things considered that number is on the mark, and that overall things are relatively healthy in the broader job market.