Just How Bad Is It Out There? – Bill Kasko – Frontline Source Group, Inc.
Hi, this is Bill Kasko , President and CEO of Frontline Source Group, Inc. a temporary staffing and direct hire employment placement agency here in Dallas . To many it is really bad! Today the Texas Workforce Commission released the employment numbers for December 2008. This would be the number of jobs either created or lost in the State of Texas . Today we found out that 25,700 jobs were lost in December and that unemployment went from 5.7% to 6.0%. This might seem like a lot to many….but is it? The country currently has an unemployment rate of 7.0%. Texas is one full point lower than the national average and some states are seeing even higher numbers.
So what does this mean to all of us? I do not believe anyone expected Texas to show an increase in jobs during December. The loss of jobs was actually lower than what we would have expected with all of the news out there about layoffs. Think about this, if the number was expected to be higher and it is lower, we must have created some jobs during the month.
So where are the jobs if this is true? That is the million dollar question or maybe the trillion dollar question as we watch our government try to fix the employment issue. Here is what we do know if you are looking for work:
Network – network, network, network! If you do not have your resume on job boards and are not using social networking sites then you are behind in the game. Some interesting changes have taken place this time around. Sending your resume via fax or by snail mail is not the best way to communicate. Today we live in a world of here and now and the speed at which you submit your information is critical. Post your resume to job boards and send it directly to employers via email. Additionally, you need to check out and use sites like Facebook, LinkedIn, Local HR sites or niche sites like Jobertalk.com to get your information out to as many people as possible.
Headhunters/Staffing Agencies – Do not be afraid of them! We receive hundreds of calls every week from people that have been burned by agencies and headhunters. If you pay someone a fee then you should expect results. If you just submit a resume or apply for a position, do not expect anything. Since most staffing agencies do not charge candidates a fee their goal is to find you a new job as soon as possible. Remember, they work for you and are only paid if they find you a job. Do not expect them to work miracles but the more people and companies you submit your resume to and again, network with, the greater your odds are on finding a position.
Persistence – If you are out of work then guess what, you need to be working 8 to 12 hours a day to find a new job! If you seriously want to work then you will have to work just as hard to find that new position. It is a full time job of submitting information, interviewing, researching and again…networking!
For some out there it is a bad market, for others it could be worse. Many in the industry will disagree with me on much of what I have discussed here today, but this is not a normal situation. Economists say that this is a once in a lifetime downturn and we need to be creative and not follow the rules of the past. We need to look out for each other and help each other during this difficult time. History shows that it will come back, but this time around it is so much different than in the past. Nothing makes sense and things are moving slow. Stay focused, stay positive, network and communicate as much as possible. Remember whatever you do…..do not give up. It will get better!
If you are looking for employment, or are looking for that perfect employee, Frontline Source Group is here to help you! Our new motto…”We are not participating in the recession!”
Please be sure to visit us on our website at www.frontlinesourcegroup.com for more information about us and our available positions!
Frontline Source Group is one of the fastest growing Staffing agencies for Technical Services Information Technology Accounting Finance Human Resource Legal Administrative and Clerical employment staffing. Our offices are currently located in Dallas, Fort Worth, Plano, Houston, Sugar Land, The Woodlands and Austin Texas.
