This is probably the worst recession I have seen since my graduation from college in 1977. The recession in the early 80’s may have been as bad but I did not feel it. I was gainfully employed, building my career, and the optimism of the Regan Revolution tempered the pain. It was a different world indeed. The baby-boomers were hitting the market in full force creating their own demand for goods and services; while many industries were benefiting from deregulation. The work force was a lot smaller then too.
Fast forward 33 years to today. I have enjoyed a successful career as a Corporate gypsy with several Fortune 500 brands. I continually advanced to become a Sr. VP and Division General Manager for a major fast food restaurant chain. In the industry we used the term Quick Service Restaurant chain, or QSR. Twelve years ago, I struck out on my own, starting an Executive Search company which I called New Century Dynamics Executive Search. It was a new century, after all, and I was feeling very dynamic. For more background about my company, please refer to my website: www.newcenturydynamics.com
Life is better now. I don’t have to move to advance my career, or travel unless I choose to. Roots are a good thing too, and the Atlanta area is a great place to build a business. I enjoy helping my clients find great talent to further their businesses and potential candidates (job seekers) to reconnect with great employers. Sometimes, like now, there is a real imbalance of job seekers (candidates) and available jobs. I cannot place every candidate, but I can provide encouragement, networking support and advice.
A key strategy that I have employed more recently to market my business is writing articles on employment matters. I began by contributing to the Alumni Voice, the quarterly publication of the University of South Florida Alumni Association. That column, called “Employ-A-Bull” has struck a cord with younger alumni at the front end of their careers. I also post those articles on my website for broader distribution. This humble little column is leading to new opportunities to speak to larger groups and hopefully soon, to other media outlets. Building my business while helping my clients and candidates, whether I make a placement or not, is a win-win proposition.
Now, I am at the very beginning of writing a new article on “Innovative Job Search and/or alternative employment strategies for a difficult economy.” I chose this topic as it is very relevant to our current economic situation. With so many people on the market, standing out from the crowd is a big challenge. Additionally, the people that seem to be most effected are younger folks at the beginning of their careers, and the more mature among us, especially the most highly compensated professionals. The employment forecast is pretty grim too. It may be five years or more before the market is able to reabsorb these folks. This demands a new way of looking at employment. Traditional job search methods must be reconsidered, including options for self-employment and starting a business. Needless to say, this should be a topic that will get some attention.
While interviewing a colleague for this article I was advised that I should include some type space on the value of social media, including blogging as an important tool for finding a new job. My friend also advised me that I should consider blogging as a part of my marketing mix. He even suggested that I go to Google to begin blogging. I will admit that I have had thoughts about starting a blog but could never justify the time when I was preoccupied with other matters. Pondering the scope of this article was the justification I needed. This is the beginning. We shall see where it leads.
Toward this end, I am interested in talking with people who have been successful in their job search efforts in the past two years. I am also interested in talking with people who have chosen to start their own business to include self-employment. The goal is to identify innovative methods which have led to success. This work will be useful information which I can share with my clients and candidates. I am looking forward to hearing about your experiences and/or thoughts in this matter.
This blog will be a useful place to recap discussions and organize my thoughts as I work through this process. I hope you will join me.
Jim Weber, President
New Century Dynamics Executive Search
www.newcenturydynamics.com