The Job Market: September, 2009
The recession is over in the US for white collar workers. Jobs are coming back slowly but we’ve moved off the bottoms. Blue collar and no collar workers are still suffering losses but the (generally) higher wage jobs are starting to return and that will lead to the others (that is what I have observed through multiple recoveries over my almost 40 years in recruiting).
The numbers coming from the government are ridiculous and yet improving over what they previously were. This month’s job cuts were about 240,000 down from more than 550,000 . . . but the government also said that 130,000 new businesses were created (but can’t prove were created). So instead of 370,000 job losses, we have 240,000.
Bull! What small businesses have opened anywhere in the country?
No matter, I believe we’re in for slow growth for some time just because the number of people who will need to be re-absorbed by the economy is incredibly large.
After all, many firms are finishing their budget process now. How many do you think feel confident enough now to hire large numbers of people? If anything,, for public and private firms alike, consultant and temporary staff utilization will increase in an effort to insure that they are not caught with excessive headcount should sales continue to remain mediocre.
Jobs are opening in a host of sectors and all types but, generally, wages are being kept down and job hunters are being two choices– Leave it. Take it.–when offers are being extended. After all firms continue to have good choices available to them when offers are being extended and see little reason to negotiate.
© 2009, Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter all rights reserved
Published with permission