Talent selection in a good market!

Companies are taking advantage of a market that allows them to locate high potential professionals and talent as they bounce back into a growth mode. I get asked by my customers, “how good are the people available out there?”  My answer is simple. Amazing. In past recessions often the people that got laid off were lower performers who had some sort of scar that created doubt.

Not this time around.

This recession pummeled all industries, all fields, all ages and salary levels. The layoffs and closures in 2008 were so rapid and severe that companies often used the “last in, first out” method of selecting who stayed and went. The result? Thousands of incredibly capable people are out there…doing something else to make a living but in the meantime they are learning what many did not know or realize before. A GREAT JOB IS VALUABLE. And companies can be picky and wait for those individuals who will appreciate an opportunity.

So I tell my clients, “hire now”. That diamond in the rough is sitting out there in the street waiting to be found. If your looking for a job, make yourself into one of those diamonds. Be appreciative of the opportunity. Don’t be pushy on money. Talk about your versatility. Or your teamwork strengths. Let that employer know that you recognize how valuable a great job is and you are going to give 110%. The days of getting three offers are far behind us.

This is the new market we have. A buyer’s market. And smart companies will buy while the diamonds are sitting in the street.

Herb Dew