State of the Economy

The economy is a dichotomy that as soon as you think you have it figured out, the projections you felt were safe get thrown upside down.  I've been in the staffing industry for 14 years and recently decided to add up how many of those years have been recessionary and I came up with nine to ten.  The trends seem to indicate that the economy is improving at a tangible pace.  For instance, Dice just released a statistic last week of which metropolitan area is releasing the most new jobs based on population and Raleigh ranked as the number one market in the country.  Another statistic which seems to bolster this reality is the stock market is reaching numbers that are similar to the Dow's high of 14,000 before the recession.  

Where Are the Jobs?

Another question that has been asked is which work sector is going to make the biggest resurrection.  That vertical would appear to be Information Technology.  Staffing Industry Analyst, one of the foremost staffing periodicals, projects that companies that are IT centric regarding staffing expect revenues to rise by 12% from 2011 to 2012.  With IT being at the forefront of the comeback, the skills that seem to be leading the charge include development and Quality Assurance.  The reason for this is that companies have been putting new development on the back burner and now feel comfortable enough to take the plunge to invest in moving forward as opposed to using patch and glue to hold existing systems in place.  

Tips for Job Seekers

Now that the economy is seeming more attractive, what can make candidates stand out or be viewed as more appealing?  

Tip #1 - Do Your Homework

Candidates have to treat pursuing a job as a job in and of itself.  Prospective employees need to research companies, be more proactive in their approach, write thank you notes and actually show interest in a position instead of taking a poker player's approach and being hard to read. 

Tip #2 - Get Social Offline

In terms of how to more effectively get your name out there, candidates should joining networking groups and not be above looking to past acquaintances or friends in order to connect with managers or companies that they've been vying to connect with. 

Tip #3 - Get Social Online

Potential candidates should also use the power of LinkedIn, Twitter and other forms of social media.  Social media is on the rise as a source for recruiters and hiring managers alike to find top talent.  If you are not using these online channels as a candidate you are missing valuable opportunities that are in some cases becoming exclusively promoted on these networks.