Still plenty to offer an employer!

Recently I came across a white paper from a few years ago and gave it another look-see. It was worth the read and I would suggest that, while a lot has changed about the labor market since being published, "Grey Matters: Engaging the Older Workforce" by Manpower, Inc. (2007) tells an important story about the hidden talent pool. You can find an overview here athttp://us.manpower.com/us/en/research/whitepapers/grey-matters.jsp, with the ability to download the entire white paper as well.

I read a staggering statistic this morning that over 80% of those currently employed will conduct a job search in 2011. So in addition to the thousands of unemployed, the job seeker population is about to potentially explode. What's interesting is that many employers are still finding it hard to get the talent they need. Is it the "needle in a haystack" dilemma or is there already a significant gap in what employers need and what is being found in the talent marketplace.

If you are a baby boomer, the white paper is a source of hope. If you are an employer looking for talent, the white paper is a source of help. Either way...it's a good read!

People want to help you, but you have to tell them how! Like the Yellow Brick Road, job search is scary, uncertain and long, but there are people along the way who can help!

You can do this!

Reality Check - Keeping the job search course in a down economy.

According to Federal Reserve Chairman, Ben Bernanke, more than 40% of unemployed people have been unemployed for 6 months or longer and that it may take a long time for those individuals to return to "normal" working conditions (60 Minutes Interview - 12/5/2010 http://bit.ly/fH0hrZ). I offer this statistic not as a de-motivator, but as a reality check for both individuals and employers.

The 60 Minutes interview link above is worth a watch - it's about 14+ minutes in total, but was very enlightening and apparently rare. Bernanke seems to share expert information to the wide public in the hopes of educating and persuading. He makes us aware of some facts that seem germane to decision making for individuals and businesses and it also seems he's working to persuade the nay-sayers of his recent policy actions to see the economic situation more broadly and more long-term.

For individuals, particularly the unemployed, this report highlights the harsh reality of the overall state of employment or unemployment in the U.S. Highlights includes such fact as:

• 9.9% or greater unemployment rate for 16 months
• Unemployment rate not going down - same as mid-2009
• 8.5 million lost jobs from the peak of the downturn to the end of 2009; only 1 million jobs back since that time, not accounting for new employees entering the workforce
• Prediction that it could take 4-5 years to return to a 5-6% unemployment rate

Another assertion Bernanke makes is that individuals unemployed for longer periods of time can experience skill erosion and diminished attachment to the labor market. So the picture this all produces for the job seeker today is that it's imperative to have a thoughtful and long-term job search plan. To keep from the pitfalls, job seekers should plan for a longer than usual search. It was once thought that for every $10,000 of needed income it would take one (1) month of search - that's probably increased some, so keeping connected to job service organization, volunteer opportunities and other networks will mitigate the skill erosion and labor market detachment.

Remarks I think were more directed to business were Bernanke's assessment that the primary source of risk for another economic slowdown are related to unemployment. He states that if we continue to have high unemployment over a protracted period it could send us in the wrong direction. This seemed to be a call to action for business - lowering of interest rates is likely forthcoming and with that some stimulation to the economy - he talks about having faith in the U.S. and from the top financier of our country, which speaks to how businesses should consider adding jobs. He also acknowledges the educational gap contributing to unemployment - unemployment rate for College Graduates is 5%, while unemployment rate for High School Graduates is 10% or more.

The subject of education cuts across both the individual and business planes. If you believe this is a contributing factor to the unemployment situation then, job seekers need to keep skills current or potentially re-skill for job changes. Businesses in or connected to higher education could benefit from more job seekers returning to school. The dilemma is this: Where does the money come from to pay for higher education. Most grand (stimulus) funding is starting to diminish, unemployment benefits may or may not be extended and the only other alternative would be student loans. With the number of "baby boomers" and the percent of unemployment in that population, are they going to want to be saddled with new student loans?

This is no doubt a complex topic, but we have to talk about it at an individual level. If unemployment benefits are not extended, that might mean that nearly 15 million unemployed people would have no source of income come Christmas (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). This is obviously a policy issue, but that starts with the attitudes and actions of individuals.

It's a difficult time for unemployed people. It's a challenging time for our country. What can you do - on a personal level - to make a difference? Refer a friend to a job, help a friend with his/her resume, agree to keep a position filled at your small business and contact your Congressman to show support for unemployment benefits extension. This is a long road. Some of us at at the end of it and some are at the beginning, but let's all appreciate this is still an issue that, according to Bernanke may last several more years.

People want to help you, but you have to tell them how! Like the Yellow Brick Road, job search is scary, uncertain and long, but there are people along the way who can help!

You can do this!

Self-Employment - Real or Rationale?

I plan to explore the topic of self-employment in a variety of ways, but to get started I wanted to prod a bit about what is thought of self-employment as a status of employment today and maybe more importantly in the future. What values are associated with self-employment and how might they be changing and why?

I can recall years ago if I spotted the term self-employed on a resume I was immediately (and trained to be) suspicious. Based on the economy of that time (late 80s - early 90s) self-employment was mostly associated with those that had become un-employed and had now thought of labeling themselves self-employed to fill gaps on a resume. Honestly, I'm not sure this was statistically supported, but it was certainly the sentiment shared my many in Corporate America, more specifically with HR and hiring professionals.

It was thought that un-employed individuals grappling with stints of joblessness would "create" a business - often "consulting" and just hang a shingle. The question in the minds of HR and hiring professionals was: "Is this legit or a rationale for someone who couldn't get hired?" - And if it was the latter, was there a good reason they couldn't get hired...hence the suspicion. There wasn't a set of values that placed autonomy, creativity, choice, financial freedom and entrepreneurship in a positive light.

Today - and I can attest to this anecdotally and personally, self-employment is not only happening (legitimately), but based on the recession, it has become not just a viable choice for many, but a necessity for some. I would be one of the "some".

In late 2008 I was part of a downsizing - I had contemplated starting a consulting firm in 2003, during a prior unemployment time, but didn't feel it was good timing. Facing a very different market in 2008, I pulled the trigger. I purchased an LLC, designed a brand/logo, printed business cards and launched a website. I began with a couple very small clients, but the market was very slow so I continued my full-fledged job search. While I still dabble with a consulting gig here and there, it became economically necessary for me to secure traditional employment.

Many others in our community were not only able to follow this path of self-employment but make it a meaningful stand-alone business or as a compliment to eventual traditional employment. About a year ago, a good friend of mine suggested she would "never go back" to working for someone else. She referenced the book "Free Agent Nation" by Daniel Pink - among other concepts, Pink suggests that in the past employers provided security while in exchange employees provided loyalty. Pink believes that this exchange is no longer at play today and is the catalyst for a shift to freelance workers, contractors, consultants or other various ways one might define the self-employed of today.

As an aside - this friend did eventually return to a more traditional employment situation, but out of complete necessity. She is very unhappy and plans to return to self-employment when she is financially able. (Most of her decision was based on assess and costs associated with health benefits – a reality of this status of employment.)

Self-employment is the only "employment" status I haven't discussed so far. Whether you start a business of your own or work as a consultant or contractor (1099 worker) for a company, you may or may not have some of the same benefits, risks and rewards that other "employment" status individuals do. This is more a matter of relevant value - what's important to you, what is worth a trade-off and what is your tolerance for risk.

Self-employed individuals work hard and put in long hours - we turn on the lights and we turn off the lights, but they're our lights. We choose the work we do...except when we have to accept work we need to pay that light bill. We can be more flexible with the fees we command...when the market will tolerate it. We can be loyal to ourselves and to our dreams. We may give up some security for those dreams, but it may be worth it. If we have a passion for something, we can give it our all. If we have the self-discipline to focus (when no one is watching) we might be successful. We could enjoy more freedom - spend more time with family...as long as we haven't committed to a deadline - one where we are the only person who can deliver.

If you are considering self-employment or are currently self-employed and thinking of abandoning your efforts, consider making a simple relevant values list. Make a list of what you value most - time, money, space, solitude, collaboration, flexibility, variety, autonomy, risk, transparency, etc. Prioritize your list. Then, overlay the reality of making a living as a self-employed individual and see what matches up. Is this for you? Is this for you today?

People want to help you, but you have to tell them how! Like the Yellow Brick Road, job search is scary, uncertain and long, but there are people along the way who can help!

You can do this!

Can someone be over-employed?

I was reading an article by Mark Whitehouse titles "Unfilled Openings Frustrate the Jobless" (The Outlook, October 11, 2010) and got to thinking about the people left behind at my former employer. I wonder how they are feeling about all of the work they absorbed after the massive downsizing? Mark's article focused on the delays still being seen in hiring across the US. Do they see themselves as over-employed? Do their employers see them as over-employed people as well?

The reasoning for continued delays in creating openings and filling current openings is being pinned to a lack of confidence in consumer demand. In this same article, Jeff Joerres CEO of Manpower, Inc., says employers are taking a lot longer to fill positions even when presented with the right candidate and he expects to see this condition continue through 2011.

So here we are:

First, those still employed or possibly over-employed, are left taking on the work of their former colleagues. Once the market does start to shift, will those employees feel put-upon and tend to leave for a perceived greener pasture? It's hard to say, but it reasons out that there may be a mass exit of sorts once things shift in the economy. We already know that the employed are more sought after than the under or unemployed, so wouldn't it be fair to say that those employed when the market really shifts, will still be in the most competitive position for job change and employment?

Second, if this lack of confidence continues through 2011 as predicted then will the under and unemployed stay trapped in this status and is there a kind of self-fulfilling prophecy happening. The longer someone remains under or unemployed the less likely they will be seen as valuable to a prospective employer, or so the logic would suggest. Employers are fearful of over-hiring. Employers have, in some occupations and industries, been able to take longer, remain pickier and exclude potentially qualified candidates due to their current "employment status".

Whether you are over-employed, employed, under-employed or un-employed - What do you think about the situation?

For those of you under or unemployed...

People want to help you, but you have to tell them how! Like the Yellow Brick Road, job search is scary, uncertain and long, but there are people along the way who can help!

You can do this!

Excluded from consideration for being unemployed?

When I read "Looking for work? Unemployed need not apply" an article from http://money.cnn.com/ by Chris Isidore (June 16, 2010 4:25 AM ET) I was not so much shocked as disappointed. Certainly screening out those candidates that are unemployed from applying for a job isn't illegal, but what does it say about the value we place on a person's temporary employment status rather than what a person can contribute to the success of an organization.

A recruiter friend of mine said to me recently "there are no bad employers and there are no bad employees, just bad matches." I think there's truth in this. Except for companies that are engaged in unethical business practices or employees that steal from their employers, it’s all a matter of gradations.

Having been involved locally with Milwaukee JobCamp http://www.milwaukeejobcamp.org/, a collection of recruiting and HR professionals that created a sort of boot camp for job seekers, (creators are all voluntary and seekers pay nothing to attend all day resume writing, networking, online social media and expert speaker sessions) I can report that there is a sense of compassion and commitment to help those that need this kind of support. JobCamp4 took place a couple weeks ago and the attendance, while down from the JobCamp3 event in July (1700) to 1100, was still a much needed day of hope for many still searching for work.

In the http://money.cnn.com/ by Chris Isidore (June 16, 2010 4:25 AM ET) article I read about employers nationally that would not consider candidates for jobs that were not currently employed. In the article, senior level HR and recruiting executives reported that this practice is "more prevalent than it used to be." The explanation given is that there are so many candidates for each opening; this is one way to trim down the list to a manageable number. Mostly this was seen as a bad idea and that employers were in fact missing two important things in applying this practice. 1.) Potentially good candidates that they would never even take the time to interview. 2.) An employer tax break recently passed exempting them from having to pay the "6.2% of a new hires wages in Social Security taxes" for the rest of 2010.

If this practice is common even in some limited way it speaks to a few things that I think are important as we examine the identity of what it means to be unemployed. First there is this idea of insiders and outsiders or haves and have not’s at play. There are groups of individuals; in this case employers that are deciding for those that are now outsiders (non-employees) that they aren't welcome. Second, other insiders, namely other employed individuals are welcome and given access. So those without (often through no action of their own) are kept “out” while those already “in” maintain access to the inside or in this case employment. Like the Scarlet "A", it seems that the unemployed have a Scarlet "U" for unwanted or undesirable, as their badge of shame.

Having at one time been an unemployed person for over a year, there is plenty of guilt and shame that comes built in to the status of unemployed without the help of others. Losing a job is like any other loss and the process that goes with it is the same. We experience shock, denial, anger, bargaining, depression and finally acceptance. There are practical aspects that contribute to feelings of guilt and shame like not being able to pay ones way, take care of obligations or family members, etc. The stigma of being unemployed is a bit self-inflicted, but being further excluded contributes to a sense of unworthiness too. It was quite challenging to get up every day and face the rejection and harsh reality of a job search. I'm glad I didn't know about this exclusionary tactic then.

The phrase "pursuit of happiness" keeps coming to mind here. How is my finding a job (personal freedom) coming into conflict with someone else's personal or public success? What is it about an unemployed person that, by nature of that fact alone, makes them unworthy of consideration? I think that it gets down to one thing. As a society we are suspicious of what we don't understand. If we haven’t experienced unemployment, we make fast judgment that it's due to performance or some fault of the person who finds themselves unemployed.

I would ask us all to take a look at the situation more closely. Unemployment is still at 9.5% according to the BLShttp://www.bls.gov/. According to many experts (Manpower Employment Outlook Survey - Press Release http://bit.ly/aIE3m8) while there seems to be reason for cautious optimistic, the full economic recovery in terms of job loss is still a ways away. According to USA Today (10/13/2010) there is “a record 30% out of work at least a year."

Unemployment can happen to anyone. If you haven't been unemployed, someone you know, maybe even someone you love has. This is reason enough for insiders to consider the unemployed as part of the larger insider group. The currently unemployed but the future employed.

People want to help you, but you have to tell them how! Like the Yellow Brick Road, job search is scary, uncertain and long, but there are people along the way who can help!

You can do this!

Loyalty - What can you expect as an employer and employee?

There was a time when loyalty, both on the part of employer and employee, was held as a valuable attribute in the employment game. Companies would tout that you could work your way up in an organization, invest time in learning how to be a good employee, own stock in the company (by way of a 401k or other stock option purchase) and even consider retiring from a company. The same held true for employees. I recall being encouraged by my parents to stay in a job I didn't love for the stability of employment and all that entailed.

By the time I entered the "gown-up workforce" in 1985, those promises had changed a bit, but there was still an expectation that employment would last for a period of time, until the company and the employee felt the return-on-investment (ROI) was fair. Generation X employees, as we refer to them now, didn't seem to have the compulsion to stay in jobs for more than a couple of years. In fact they often were labeled as "job hoppers", a term that still exists in recruiting and hiring today.

So from both an employer and employee perspective, taking into consideration the current economic climate and overall unemployment rate at 9.5% according to the BLShttp://www.bls.gov/, what can employers and employee expect from each other?

Right now from an employer standpoint, it's not possible to say that loyalty is as highly ranked an attribute as say, flexibility, adaptability and dealing with ambiguity. As employees rally back from unemployment and underemployment, many people I know, including yours truly, have re-engineered their lives to accommodate for expected future times of un or underemployment. Many, like me, took a different path altogether and when faced with a longer than anticipated period of joblessness, went back to school, took part-time jobs, stated our own business, etc. The loyalty for "employees" shifted to a self-loyalty model.

Event those that lasted in their job over this painful time of joblessness, have heard and seen the message loud and clear. Their friends and colleagues were victims of circumstance, so they in turn have taken notice. There is this idea that once the market really started to recover in some significant ways, there will be a mass-exodus by those left behind in the joblessness story, those that stayed, took on more work, took pay cuts, stayed in jobs they didn't love, but stayed to keep from being one of the many who didn't have a choice.

Companies want to keep good talent. Talented people want to do good work, be compensated fairly and know that the relationship of employer and employee is mutually beneficial. If that means that loyalty turns into something we have yet to define, that may be one of the byproducts of our employment circumstances today.

I think that employers overall can expect that employees will want to have a way to protect themselves and to keep marketable skills sharp. Employee, in general, can expect that employers will, not more than before, expect employees to "want" to stay, but accept it when that's not in the cards.

If you are still un or underemployed, this is a good thinking exercise to go through. What are the attributes you look for in an employer and how do you know they really exist beyond a mission statement. Know what you want and know what is being offered and from "the trenches" keep you network healthy and have a Plan B.

People want to help you, but you have to tell them how! Like the Yellow Brick Road, job search is scary, uncertain and long, but there are people along the way who can help!

You can do this!

How do we define the unemployed and underemployed?

In future posts I would like to explore what it means (in our community, however we define that) to be unemployed and underemployed. What I plan to get at here is three things: the difference between unemployment and underemployment, how we define what it is to be unemployed and how we recognize the state of underemployment.

My posts to date have mostly been advice to the unemployed, but I think that this exploration is very relevant to those still in job search. How we see ourselves and therefore position ourselves to others is based, in part, on the taxonomy we use to articulate our worth. Our worth, or at least the worth we determine ourselves to have and the worth others put on our skills, experiences and talents, is in direct relationship to matching what we have with what an employer needs. More importantly it's how we are able to be selected and ourselves select a suitable job match.

Further to this idea I would like to take some time to examine the values and beliefs that have and do define what it is to be unemployed and underemployed in our community. My scope here is going to be on the U.S. The question that I would like to tackle is this: How has the most recent economic downturn together with the disguised talent shortage and the retiring baby-boomer population, shifted how the unemployed and underemployed is viewed and treated in our community?

This is kind of a set-up post, but I hope to engage some of my followers in the discussion so it's also a "call to action"! In the words of the recently unemployed or maybe underemployed Jerry Maguire, "Who's coming with me?" (1996) http://bit.ly/cqUFrP

People want to help you, but you have to tell them how! Like the Yellow Brick Road, job search is scary, uncertain and long, but there are people along the way who can help!

You can do this!