There is no one more aware of the economic challenges than your recruiter, except perhaps Obama. But we run a very close second. Here’s some of the information we have at our fingertips:
1. A running list of layoffs in the New England marketplace – both who has already laid off, and an additional list of who we’ve “heard” will be laying off.
2. An up-to-date understanding of who in our network is hiring and what roles are closest to profitability for them and will therefore move quickly.
3. A spreadsheet depicting what companies are hiring when – for instance: Client A is not currently hiring but has XYZ roles they will open in (insert month).
Because we’ve opted to build relationships with our clients, we have the trends in front of us – we know when the bottom came (last week) and we know how long your search will take and what you need to do to keep putting yourself in front of the right people.
So, call your favorite recruiter and make sure I (shameless grin) know what you’re up to and what help you might need. Connections and networks are the key to remaining grounded. Make sure they’re working for you.
Things to remember:
1. We’re trending at the 3-4 month mark for finding a new job. The higher on the food chain, the longer the time period.
2. Companies ARE still hiring, its selective but not dead.
3. Taking a pay cut is fine, chopping your salary down by more than 5% is not necessary and transparent to the hiring company…they know, when the market improves, you’re gone…so don’t try to convince otherwise unless you’ve got circumstances that are believable. (At a start up who over paid, you knew it and now they’re losing funding)
4. Networking remains THE best way to find the information you’re looking for. Whether hiring trends, lay off rumors, who’s great, or not, to work for – get out from behind your desk and start talking.
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