The Four Factors That Will Affect Your Job Search, how to change our job search pattern

 

The Four Factors That Will Affect Your Job Search

What will most affect job seekers in the coming year?

The economy, agree Jon Sargent, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics economist, and Rick Cobb, corporate vice president and national director for Challenger, Grey & Christmas, an outplacement consulting organization.

Recent reports indicate that the U.S. economy is recovering. So job seekers have reason to be optimistic about their upcoming searches. But there are other factors to consider too.

Greater Efficiencies

Companies are going to try to do more work with fewer staff in 2004.

"Companies have learned how to become efficient," said Rick Cobb, corporate vice president and national director for Challenger, Grey & Christmas, an outplacement consulting organization.

"They’re not inclined to hire permanent [employees] as often as they used to. They staff up and down on an interim basis," said Cobb.

"As a company, if you have a spike in business, you want to make sure the business is really there before you commit to full-time [employees]," continued Cobb.

Because there may be fewer permanent opportunities, job seekers should try to be flexible and open to temporary positions. After landing a temporary job, then they can work to turn it into a full-time position.

Retiring Baby Boomers

Thank the boomers.

Jobs seekers interested in public education will have more opportunities in 2004 than ever before.

"[Many] baby boomers who have been working in public education can retire at age 55. That field, which employs a great many baby boomers as teachers and administrators, is expected to have great growth," said Jon Sargent, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics economist, in an interview with Yahoo! HotJobs.

"Teaching and educational administrative jobs may not be the highest paid jobs, but they have other attractive benefits to offer. And the jobs are everywhere," said Sargent.

Outsourcing

By 2015, 3.3 million U.S. jobs will have moved offshore, predicts a study by Forrester Research.

So, regardless of whether you support outsourcing, you should pay attention to the trend, said Jon Sargent, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics economist.

But you shouldn't hit the panic button.

"Is [outsourcing] a real threat, or is it overblown? We just don’t know [for sure] at this point," said Sargent. "We don’t know what kind of experiences American companies are having with companies offshore. [Outsourcing] may not be working out the way it’s supposed to."

And, if companies don't find value in outsourcing, they'll hire domestically instead.

The bottom line: It’s too soon to tell how greatly outsourcing will affect the job market. And it's too early for job seekers to get frightened of or discouraged by it.

Take Control

No matter what the year, some aspects of job searching never change.

"A job search boils down to two things: What you can and can’t control," said Rick Cobb, corporate vice president and national director for Challenger, Grey & Christmas, an outplacement consulting organization.

Don't get so caught up in the job market that you lose perspective on your own situation. For example, there's nothing that you can do about the national unemployment rate.

"If you’re unemployed, the unemployment rate for you is 100 percent," said Cobb. "Smart job seekers focus on the variables in their job search [that] they can control."

Put your energy into tried-and-true job search methods. Continue to send resumes and network.

"Put yourself in front of as many decision makers as possible as often as possible. That’s still the key to finding work," said Cobb.