Almost Halftime!

Well, 2009 has almost made it to halftime (if you are a football fan) or the All-Star Break (for all you baseball enthusiasts) or Intermission (for the opera buffs)! My quick assessment of the past 6 months is best said in Yiddish, oy vey. Patience, digging deep, hanging tough, conservation, self restraint, wishful thinking, resourcefulness, creativity, optimism, skepticism, fear, concern, positive thinking are all emotions or thoughts most of us have experienced at one time or another this year.

My conservative prediction is that it can not get much tougher out there but that we need to stay the course into the fall months before much of a turnaround will be evident. Please read back over my entries to get a flavor of what I am talking about and feel free to share your thoughts with me. Though I do not really want to sound like our recent Past-President, we need to support one another every day to keep things moving in a positive direction.

Severance and Outplacement

As the recession trudges very slowly along, many of my discussions have been with people who have been downsized yet are surviving and searching in a rather calm manner. These individuals received rather generous severance packages, but more importantly, outplacement assistance. A recently downsized VP of an investment bank was assigned a desk, phone, computer, etc. in a specially designated outplacement center to report to daily for about 2 months which is permitting her to conduct her own search while still collecting her paycheck. She will officially be off the books and living on her package in late July. Until then, she is being paid to job hunt. please be proactive and check out what will be available to you should you at some point be downsized. It does help to have a strong understanding at what lies ahead before it takes place. If want some ideas of questions to ask, please contact me.

A Handful of Observations

This is one of those weeks with lots of thoughts crossing my already cloudy mind!

• If the stimulus plan really is functioning, why do I see clients going months between large orders and highways quieter than ever during the rush hour?
• GM announced today that its new plant will be built in Michigan. hopefully, the hiring managers will give a good look to the hordes of unemployed autoworkers in the Detroit region rather than importing from other areas.
• One business being impacted by the economy is daycare and early childhood education. There are more stay-at-home parents leading to layoffs in the centers.
• Michael Jackson died today. he was 50 years old which means he was just a bit younger than me when my generation played his records (not discs or mp3's) round the clock.
• Farah Fawcett also passed away today. She was by far the favorite among my college buddies at that time.

Picture This!

With apologies to Estelle Getty, picture this-metro NY region- June 2009-store fronts empty-restaurants offering food at half price-stimulus is a commonly used term-banks are dying-malls are reducing hours of operation................................... and here you are-gainfully employed, earning the same $ as last year-receiving health benefits-putting food on your table-paying your monthly rent or mortgage check-contemplating taking a short vacation..................and now you start contacting recruiters-telling everyone you are bored with your job-not earning enough money-lacking the recognition you feel you deserve-ready to redirect your career.......................STOP!!!!

Today alone, three people called me dissatisfied with their present employers. I urged all of them to calm down and stay put and I urge the rest of you to do the same. Even though your present employer may be perfect, it is a better risk than making a move right now.

Customer Service Award

As a former retail manager from the days before email, texting, IM, etc., there is one thing that has never changed - the customer is always right no matter what. Today, I saw that rule broken and want to give a shout out to the Shop Rite Supermarket in Hillsborough, NJ for losing a customer who shopped there since they opened roughly 30 years ago.

The cashier rang up 4 cartons of soda instead of 5 which was noticed when I got my receipt and looked to see why my bill was about $10 more than expected. The sale price only kicked in if you spent at least $25 (which I more than tripled) plus 5 cartons of soda. I was told to go to the courtesy booth where they would issue a refund. Reluctantly, I got in line behind 3 others who weren't receiving pleasant service. After about 5 minutes of fidgeting with an adding machine, the CSR told me it was my fault for trying to pay for only 4 boxes and all she could do was refund and take them back unless I wanted to buy $25 worth of additional items! The manager explained that the computer couldn't correct this (as the CSR slammed the cartons onto the floor behind me!) so I took the refund. The local Pathmark cheerfully took my money instead!

This all might seem trivial but the CSR and/or the manager might come knocking on my door for a job at some point. Guess what? I would never help them find a job and will definitely remember their inability to provide excellent customer service.

Happy Father's Day!!

I wish each and every father and grandfather a great day doing whatever you (just spent several hours in my muddy vegetable gardens)!

Data Analyst Job in Bergen County NJ!!!!

One of my clients is offering a long term temp opportunity which requires 2-3 years experience of CAPA data analysis in an ISO 9001 regulated environment. Must be proficient in data analysis, trending and system configuration using MS Word, Excel, Visio, and MS Project. Prior experience in all phases of the CAPA Process is essential. If you fit this or know someone who does, please send resumes to harold@smartstaff.jobs now as I hope to fill this quickly!!!

ETC.

• The Asbury Park Press reported today that May filings for unemployment in NJ were only 1/3 of the number filed in April. Could this be a sign the recession is starting clot over and healing is on the way?


• Inflation for last month almost turned into deflation which might lead to empty warehouses which means more production of new products and more jobs (I hope).


• I am curious to hear from readers outside the Northeast about the job markets in the local markets.

Very Strange Occurrence

This has nothing to do with careers but was one of the weirdest occurrences I have ever noted in June in NJ. While I was driving in North Jersey tonight, the all news radio stations was frantically reporting the closure of roads and rail lines in Bergen County due to several inches of ice!!! Snow plows were deployed as the rush hour worsened. The 10:00 newscasts on TV featured reporters broadcasting live in winter attire. Perhaps, this will signal the end of our slump as the world (or at least a tiny slice of it) almost froze over today!!!!

Summer Break?

When it comes to the job market, all rules as we have known them before are certainly changed. Exactly when we will return to business as usual is one of the big mysteries at present. One thing I know for sure is that, when hiring begins to take place, companies will be even more particular than in the past. Gaps in resumes may not have the impact they once did but I am fairly positive that if you put two resumes on a hiring manager's desk, they will select the candidate who weathered the storm by taking a job, any job, during this awful slump over the candidate who simply took the summer off while waiting for better jobs to develop. Some people will justify the break with thoughts such as it is cheaper to not take a low paying job than pay for childcare or that taking a lower level job will hurt future searches, etc. These are valid points but I stand by my opinion that you need to be on the playing field to move up when things begin to recover.

Keep it Simple

A few recent observations by colleagues in the placement industry brought to mind one of the oldest rules of interviewing that I have not discussed in a long time. Never give out information that has not been asked for during the interview process. Most everyone has outside interests beyond their primary job. For some it is an avid hobby like playing golf, deep sea fishing, showing classic cars, etc. Others have a small second career or private business they pursue in their spare time. Many others (like myself) do volunteer work as a way to enrich their lives. All of these are wonderful ways to broaden yourself but an employer may perceive them as distractions from the workplace. Unless a direct question is asked of you, there is absolutely no need to offer up details!

New Poll

I recently viewed a film that was talking about education. One fact it gave was that most of the year's high school seniors will have 14 different jobs by age 35! Doing some quick calculations, I was on my seventh job at age 35. Please take my poll and let me know your job history!

ETC.

• A candidate who recently was laid off from a full time position asked me for his value as a consultant. In normal times, I would have suggested taking your average weekly salary divided by 40 hours and then add about 15-20% to get your consulting rate. Sadly, that might not be current market value. With the present state of the business world, getting the equivalent of your most recent salary as an hourly rate would make you quite fortunate. Remember, consulting jobs do not have to be forever and you will be able to shop around when we return to our regularly scheduled economy!!
• Reminder to hiring managers, never ask questions during an interview about religious beliefs, political affiliations, marital status or whether or not the individual has children. The legal fees and negative impact on your career are not worth it.
• Somewhat unrelated to the job market, I have seen several ads for the new Nissan Cube? Has anyone viewed this vehicle up close yet? The price is incredible and will hopefully put commissions into sales reps pockets soon!