When do you expect the job market to pick up?
The job market has been a roller coaster this year as companies continue to change their approach to the slow economy. Summer is traditionally a quiet time for a lot of reasons and this year has been no exception. The good news is that most of our clients and companies we call on feel that their businesses have seen the bottom and many of them, say they are beginning to see a slight pickup in their business.
Much of this good news has to do with the “right-sizing” and down-sizing that has been going on for the past 12-18 months, but if the economy continues to give signs of renewal and consumers begin to spend, we expect to see a nice uptick in professional hires in 4th quarter, moving into a faster pace the first quarter of 2010.
If you are actively looking for a job, this may not seem fast, but we are already half way through August and October is just weeks away. The advice we give you for the remainder of summer is this:
- Make sure your resume really reflects your accomplishments in a concise and succinct format. Quantify your results and highlight where you have made the biggest impact vs. outlining your official job description.
- Network effectively with a handful of recruiters and utilize the network of personal and professional contacts you have developed over the years.
- Check your social media profile so it reflects you appropriately as well. Is your LinkedIn profile up to date? Do you have testimonials highlighting your skills? If you have a Facebook, MySpace or other social site, make sure that the
content is appropriate for a potential employer to see—They are checking these sites more and more. - Review your job search to date. Have you been selective in targeting the best employers for your skills or have you been burning bridges by throwing your resume around to anyone with a job opening? Take some time and hone in on where
your time and efforts are best spent. - Read great books, take a class, give time to charity and use these last few weeks of summer to recharge your batteries and give back to your community. Besides making you feel productive, you will be able to give a great answer on your next interview on how you have been spending your downtime.