Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Choose Your Next Employer Carefully, Patty DeDominic

As Job Markets go, we are heading into a long dark winter.

I am not talking about just a few months now, I am talking about a major shift in the economic fundamentals and assumptions most of us grew up with. Unless you are just graduating college, you are in for a real unsettling reconciliation of the career assumptions we were given.

New College grads have the advantage of all the tools of science and technology like social networks, Monster, Craigs List, Facebook and Linked In (shall I list a dozen more?). You grew up with Google and learned how to utilize the resources that this generous and visionary company makes available by fostering sharing. GPS technology is now available, like portable radios the prices went from thousands of dollars when I got my first one as an acessory to my car to today's "free" as part of some cell phones.

New grads are generally more hungry for experiences which will build their resume and career foundation. The more mature career navigator may feel as if it's time to exchange the prestige of a particular employer for more personal satisfaction, more money or even start their own business. This is where the challenge comes in because of the expectations for added income: 2009 will bring a DROP in real wages for most workers, all but the most highly skilled and those in the health care professions.

I will begin writing more on the Great Jobs Crash of 2009 and make suggestions on how to minimize any negative impact to those who are ready and able to move swiftly through the choppy waters of the next few years of economic reconciliation. It's not all bad news..... particularly for those of you who have been yearning for more meaningful work.

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