Yes, Virginia, There Are Jobs Out There
The question is “Are people willing to take them?”
I’m sure we all saw last week’s news reports that our nation’s unemployment rate jumped to a 14-year high of 6.5%. For most of us, the statistic alone represents the largest number of unemployed people we’ve ever seen in our careers.
And I’m by no means doubting the significance of that number. Look at the recent news about Citibank having a RIF of over 50,000 employees. I mean when Zappo’s has a layoff…come on, that’s pretty significant. At one point, I thought I was personally keeping Zappo’s in business. But I digress.
I’m here to tell you that jobs are out there. Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve seen some pretty nice looking human resources job postings on LinkedIn HR. Positions like VP HR for PayPal and VP HR for DFW Airport.
Granted not everyone is VP material or wants a VP job. But, it made me realize that jobs exist for the right people, with the right skills, who are willing to take them. So if you’re out there right now complaining there are no jobs…consider a couple of things:
Relocation – is it possible that, to get the job you want, you might have to move? I know, I know…you say you can’t afford to move. The question is…can you afford not to?
Pay and Benefits – do you need to reconsider what you really need in terms of salary and benefits? Or like in that scene from National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, are you more like Eddie and “holding out for a management position?”
Image – should you stand on principle when a company asks if you will cut your hair, shave that mustache or only wear one earring at a time?
Knowledge – are you willing to take a night class to brush up on your skill set? Or finally go after that certification to help set you apart from the rest?
These are challenging times, there’s no doubt about it. But before you dismiss being unemployed or underemployed on the economy, make sure that you’re doing everything you can to be accessible in the marketplace.
0