Thursday, April 28, 2011

Job Market Report - April 28, 2011

Not so good results ---
_______________________________________________

Capital Region Job Postings Drop 15% on Heels of Holiday

For Information: Dan Moran, 518-641-8968


(Albany, NY, April 27, 2011) – After a slight rebound, job postings dropped just over 15% this past week on the heels of the Easter and Passover holiday along with school breaks which is not unusual when the holidays and school breaks align. " The market is still showing weakness and an inability to rebound as it did in 2010. With job postings at just about 3450 this week, that is the same as 2009 when we were deep in the effects of the recession. My hope is that this is holiday influenced and not a trend which if that occurs, would signal a continued slowdown", reports Dan Moran, Founder & President of Next-Act (www.next-act.com), a career transition management firm located in Colonie.

Job postings were down in all other New York State markets by about the same percentage which may evidence a holiday slowdown and not a trend alone to the Capital Region. It is also important to note that Albany is the smallest market in size when compared to the other markets and continued to outpace with more job postings within an areas of smaller population.

About Next-Act


Next-Act, a division of DVG, Inc. is a career management & transition firm directed by Dan Moran, the Founder & President of the firm. Moran contributes over thirty years experience in career consulting, business and human resources management. Moran is noted for his expertise in helping today’s “boomers” move on to fulfilling second careers, while helping executives and professionals achieve their career goals. The firm also provides human resources consulting and corporate services to companies. Moran is also a certified facilitator for C.J. Hayden’s Get Clients Now! & Get Hired Now! programs.



For further press information: http://www.next-act.com/press_room.

Monday, April 25, 2011

Resolve – Dedication – Commitment … All Essentials …

“The more intensely we feel about an idea or a goal, the more assuredly the idea, buried deep in our subconscious, will direct us along the path to its fulfillment.” Earl Nightingale

This past Monday I had the opportunity to be in Boston with my family to see the Boston Marathon which was a first for all of us. 27,000 runners from all parts of the world convened with a single purpose – to do their best, in whatever manner they measured. What I was struck by was the focus on achieving their goals – their personal goals – which ranged from “just finish” to “finish in XXX.XXX time” to “best my own personal best”. As one runner would speak to another runner they would ask, ”what’s your goal?” and that became their standard of measurement. BTW, why me and the Marathon – what is the connection? See below.

Every runner had resolve, dedication, commitment and they all knew these were essentials to be in the game.

And they also had goals to meet – and exceed – and how so true in career and life. How often do you meet someone who talks about growing but stays in the same place, or complains about where they are rather than moving forward? All too common.

They don’t have goals – bet you a dime to a dollar. They haven’t had the focus yet to put their goals on paper and commit to them. Without this, they are in a game to win with no scoreboard. If you can’t keep score, you cannot win and as Peter Drucker has said “You cannot measure what you cannot measure”. One who is absent of goals flounders and they also beat themselves up. When they discover the value of goals – measurable, actionable, specific and timelined– things change.

Perhaps this is you I am describing, one of your cherished friends or loved one. If so, a formula to help move you toward your desire outcome:

(Defined and Measurable Goals) + (Both hands on the Rudder) = Achieving your desired outcome and direction

Having both hands on the rudder is that critical? Absolutely – goals set the direction – the rudder of your career or life helps you navigate toward your goals. It is like steering a ship with a destination port – the only way to get there – navigate. Try driving your car with not hands on the whets – where are you going – crash!

The Marathon connection – what was it?

I was there to cheer on, support and witness a young man who had never run a marathon before in his life, who dedicated himself to achieving a successful finish, who committed himself to rigorous training in the dead of winter on the roads of our community and who was resolved to not only finish – but finish to a specific goal. He worked his tail off, he pounded through his training. He went to Boston focused – and he finished with a great time and made all of us so proud and I have to admit, a bit teary eyed. That was dedication. That was focus. That was doing what others thought you could never do.

Who is this?

Our 38-year old son Greg who is CEO of www.Chequed.com . There was never a doubt in his mind that he wouldn’t achieve his goal. It was not an option. Seeing Greg at mile 20 when he came over and hugged his children, his wife and his mom with a smile from ear to ear and then off he went – there was nothing like it. Being so lucky to see him take the final turn toward the finish line with the same smile and that look of achievement in his eyes – as they say, priceless.

Believe you can – and set goals to do so. Be a winner Well done Greg! And thank you for reading this. - Dan


Dan Moran
President & Founder
Next-Act
Career Management & Transition Specialists
125 Wolf Road, Suite #128
Albany, NY 12205
Office: 518-261-4212
Cell: 518-641-8968
eFax: 586-279-4212
dmoran@next-act.com

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Job Market Report - April 21, 2011

Flat - but not going backwards!
______________________________________________________________________

For Immediate Release
For Information, Dan Moran 518-641-8968

Albany, NY, April 20, 2011

Job Postings Flat Past Week in Capital Region – Down in other NYS markets

(Albany, NY, April 20, 2011) – Job postings in the Capital Region were flat this past week coming in just over 4025, about the same as the previous week. Last year at this time, postings were just over 6000. “It is clear that the job market locally is sluggish especially compared to last year but much better than 2009. This news is on the heels of the recent unemployment report for the Capital Region which showed just a slight decrease in unemployment as compared to 2010 and 2009 while other markets in NYS saw more pronounced decreases in unemployment rates. Clearly public sector job cuts are holding us back from significant improvement as private sector employers are adding jobs – good jobs – but not enough to offset public sector losses”, stated Dan Moran, Founder & President of Next-Act (www.next-act.com), a career transition management firm located in Colonie. Moran assists individuals in identifying new careers and also those in the midst of a job search and needing direction. His firm also tracks the job market on a regional and statewide basis.

Moran continued that other markets in New York State saw a decrease in job postings this past week. “We held our own while other markets dropped – there is some good news here”. While a smaller market, the Capital Region still outpaces other NYS markets (with the exception of metro NYC). This has been consistent for well over three years.

#Background#

Job postings in the Region are normally in the baseline of 4000 – 4900 on a weekly basis and 7-day rolling average, consistent for this area. Monitoring job postings is a leading indicator of hiring within the following 30-45 days. This methodology is utilized by reading research houses nationally and is employed in the Region by Moran’s firm. For the purpose of reporting, the Region is defined as a 50 mile radius of Albany.

## End##

About Next-Act

Next-Act, a division of DVG, Inc. is a career management & transition firm directed by Dan Moran, the Founder & President of the firm. Moran contributes over thirty years experience in career consulting, business and human resources management. Moran is noted for his expertise in helping today’s “boomers” move on to fulfilling second careers, while helping executives and professionals achieve their career goals. The firm also provides human resources consulting and corporate services to companies. Moran is also a certified facilitator for C.J. Hayden’s Get Clients Now! & Get Hired Now! programs.

For further press information: http://www.next-act.com/press_room.



Dan Moran
President & Founder
Next-Act
Career Management & Transition Specialists
125 Wolf Road, Suite #128
Albany, NY 12205
Office: 518-261-4212
Cell: 518-641-8968
eFax: 586-279-4212
dmoran@next-act.com

Monday, April 18, 2011

It Takes Focus – Focus – Focus … a real story of winning …

“Never, never, never give up” – Winston Churchill

The quote above is so true and I want to share a real experience of a client – whose name and identity I will protect – that is evidence that if you give in, you lose. If you persevere, you win.

I met – let’s call her Pat – a month or so ago. She came to me for help with her career plan and search strategy. Something wasn’t working; she wasn’t getting interviews and wasn’t being considered for jobs that were a perfect match for her. Sound familiar?

Pat began to experience self-doubt, a loss of confidence and as a result, her efforts to find a job suffered. And she became lax. She lost the most critical element – Focus. She couldn’t see through the “fog” of frustration and lack of direction. She didn’t know where to turn, so she turned nowhere and her results proved it. Those close to her saw it and pushed her to get help and assistance, and she did.

Fast forward a bit …

It was clear that Pat wasn’t focused – laser focused - on securing the job she really wanted, was well qualified for but hadn’t be able to get any kind of response to her attempts to apply, over and over again. She had, to a degree, almost given up on this company and the opportunities for her. She would see a posting, apply again, and wait – nothing happened – and this occurred several times. It as time to do something different and stop doing the same thing over and over again that wasn’t generating results.

She got focused – laser focused – and visualized winning – the job …

It was clear her presentation – her resume, her approach and her Strategic Career Statement (a.k.a the elevator pitch) needed to be focused. It was also clear that her mind needed to be focused as well – focused on winning and achieving not just the BIG goal – get the job - but the goals to get there. We sharpened her presentation, sharpened her interviewing skills and focused her “pitch” and set three goals:

1. Get a phone interview – nail it and move to the face-to-face – then celebrate this win
2. Conduct the face-to-face interview with confidence and focus and again nail it – then celebrate this win
3. Get the job offer for the job she wanted- and really celebrate this win!
You can guess the rest of the story – she nailed the phone interview, nailed the face-to-face, got a job offer three days later for 20% + more that she was making before and even wanted. A huge win!

What was the difference?

Was it the polish of her presentation, interviewing skills or other like factors. I don’t believe so. It was her focus – and with the focus, a perseverance to win. She would not accept no – she took each step in process. She never gave up.
What does this mean for you?

• Applied several times to a company with no response? Stop that; shake your presentation up and start anew.
• Feeling lost with no direction? Stop dead in your tracks – get out of the “fog” , get direction and move forward with confidence and focus.
• Feel the job market rots? It really doesn’t; change your mindset, get focused on winning and push forward.
Churchill’s words are so important – “Never give up”. If you give up, you lose your focus, you will not persevere and you will not win. Break that cycle if you are in it – persevere to win – and focus, focus, focus.

And thank you for reading this. - Dan

Dan Moran
President & Founder
Next-Act
Career Management & Transition Specialists
125 Wolf Road, Suite #128
Albany, NY 12205
Office: 518-261-4212
Cell: 518-641-8968
eFax: 586-279-4212
dmoran@next-act.com

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Job Market Report 4/14/11

Looking a bit better!
____________________________________________________

For Immediate Release
For Information, Dan Moran 518-641-8968

Albany, NY, April 13, 2011

Job Postings Increase Past Week after Two Weeks of Decline

(Albany, NY, April 13, 2011) – Job postings in the Capital Region took a turn for the positive and increased this past week in the Capital Region, climbing to just over 4,000 (4048) after the week prior when postings dropped a full 20%. “ Let’s hope that this is a sign that we are on our way to a Spring rebound we as have seen in years past as the weather turns. Clearly the first quarter of 2011 didn’t shine like last year, and other reports support that we may have slid backwards a bit in terms of job losses, stagnant unemployment rate and fewer opportunities in the market for job seekers. This is why it is so important that job seekers be aggressive in seeking opportunities beyond the job board through networking, and on their A-game in interviews and follow-up”, stated Dan Moran, Founder & President of Next-Act (www.next-act.com), a career transition management firm located in Colonie. Moran assists individuals in identifying new careers and also those in the midst of a job search and needing direction. His firm also tracks the job market on a regional and statewide basis.

Other New York State markets posted similar results, with small increases in the number of job postings. While a smaller market, the Capital Region still outpaces other NYS markets (with the exception of metro NYC). This has been consistent for well over three years.

#Background#

Job postings in the Region are normally in the baseline of 4000 – 4900 on a weekly basis and 7-day rolling average, consistent for this area. Monitoring job postings is a leading indicator of hiring within the following 30-45 days. This methodology is utilized by reading research houses nationally and is employed in the Region by Moran’s firm. For the purpose of reporting, the Region is defined as a 50 mile radius of Albany.

## End##

About Next-Act

Next-Act, a division of DVG, Inc. is a career management & transition firm directed by Dan Moran, the Founder & President of the firm. Moran contributes over thirty years experience in career consulting, business and human resources management. Moran is noted for his expertise in helping today’s “boomers” move on to fulfilling second careers, while helping executives and professionals achieve their career goals. The firm also provides human resources consulting and corporate services to companies. Moran is also a certified facilitator for C.J. Hayden’s Get Clients Now! & Get Hired Now! programs.

For further press information: http://www.next-act.com/press_room.



Dan Moran
President & Founder
Next-Act
Career Management & Transition Specialists
125 Wolf Road, Suite #128
Albany, NY 12205
Office: 518-261-4212
Cell: 518-641-8968
eFax: 586-279-4212
dmoran@next-act.com

Monday, April 11, 2011

You need to fail sometimes – to succeed …

“I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed. ” - Michael Jordan

Some people live in fear of a potential failure in their career. This fear stops them dead in their tracks. They won’t take risks and they do not move forward. I see this all the time in my practice, especially when the big question comes up ----

Dan, what if I am a failure?

When I hear this, I know my client needs to get over the fear of failure before moving on to the thrill of success. We have been “conditioned” by our parents and prior generations to do the safe thing – do the secure thing. Latch on to a job or career, and stay with it, come hell or high water and who cares if you hate it.

Old school thinking, but engrained. Was in mine too until, at the age of early 30’s with a wife, son and mortgage, I stated that’s it – I am going out on my own. My father-in-law Vito – god rest his soul – thought I was crazy. But he soon became my supporter. We lost sage Vito early in his life – he would have been so proud of his family. But he is an example – toiled in the factory for 35 plus years, grew to a senior management position – would have never thought about leaving when, in fact, he was miserable.

Fear of career or job failure are the fears that shouldn’t be obstacles. The fears of illness, death, calamity in the world – now, they are real fears and put all other fears in perspective. When you frame your mind, and ask yourself the question …

If I fail in my job or in my chosen career, what is the worst that can happen?

You will be hard pressed to come up with a life-changing result. Yes it might be painful for a period of time, and you may feel disconnected in what you are doing or there could be a short change in your finances – but you still live, you can still grow and you can pick yourself up and move forward. You learn from the experience (won’t do that again!), you take on new skills – and you put it behind you because, as I have said over and over again – you can’t change history. It’s done – it’s over – move on.

And the market supports change …
Unlike not too many years back, the job & career market supports making change and change is encouraged. Years back, when one was in a job for perhaps a work lifetime, a failure or mistake could have been devastating as there was little change – or as we call it churn – in the market. Churn is the amount of change in the job market caused by people moving in and out of jobs. Over the past few years, we see once again that people are making job & career changes (many of the statistics come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics http://www.bls.gov) :

• Workers, on average, change jobs every 2 to 4 years (was 3 to 5 years just 2 years ago) – more frequently for the younger – less frequently for the more mature worker (BLS).
• Those in their 20’s are changing jobs every 18 months to 2 years (BLS).
• People are changing careers 2 to 5 times in their work life (Note: This is a collected average opinion from those in the career management industry. Surprisingly, the Bureau of Labor Statics does not track as they cannot define career change).
• 1/3 of the total workforce will now change jobs every 12 months (BLS).
• By the age of 42 you will probably already have had eleven jobs (BLS)

Employers are not looking for lifetime employees. Many employers tell me that 3 to 5 years is good – they learn, the employee learn, and they start fresh again with a new person/new ideas – and the employee moves on to a new role where their passion is reenergized. Long or lifetime employment is history.

If you take away one thing from this article: Look at failures as opportunities – opportunities to learn, to try harder, to know what not to do next time. Welcome failures along the path to success and fulfillment. R.H. Macy failed four times before Macy’s caught on. Abraham Lincoln failed to get elected before becoming the great President he was. And the stories can go on and on …

Look failures right in the eye – accept those speed bumps in life and career – move on and continue on your path to success. And thank you for reading this. - Dan

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

This week's job report - April 6, 2011

A bit unsettled ...
______________________________________________________________________________

For Immediate Release
For Information, Dan Moran 518-641-8968

Albany, NY, April 6, 2011

After flat week, Job Postings Decline Yet Again on heels of positive Region new jobs reports

(Albany, NY, April 6, 2011) – Job postings in the Capital Region dropped again last week by over 20% indicating an anemic, and slowly-recovering job market in the Capital Region at a time when the market should be much better. Job postings dropped under 4000 for the first time since January of 2010, coming in at just about 3800 – far below last year’s 6000 + number for the same period, but a full one-third better than 2009 where we were deep into the job recession in this area. “ We have had some great news on the job front this past week at the nanotech complex, of course with Global Foundries and other local companies, but it just doesn’t seem to be enough to spurn more hiring. Job postings are reported up in NYS, but it is no so in our Region. Also, we saw job losses in February this year, unexpected for sure. Employers may be still waiting for the details of the State budget to shake out, or, as strange as it may seem, for Spring to break out, which I have seen for years. Many industries were hurt by the number of severe storms this past winter and may need a few warm weeks to have business snap back. Others feel that the Capital Region has always felt the effects of economic downturns later than the rest of the country, and our recovery is, therefore, later as well. We will have to watch close the next few weeks to see if this is seasonal, or a trend, “ stated Dan Moran, Founder & President of Next-Act (www.next-act.com), a career transition management firm located in Colonie. Moran assists individuals in identifying new careers and also those in the midst of a job search and needing direction. His firm also tracks the job market on a regional and statewide basis.

In other New York State markets, postings were as well flat or down slightly the past week. While a smaller market, the Capital Region still outpaces other NYS markets (with the exception of metro NYC). This has been consistent for well over three years.

#Background#

Job postings in the Region are normally in the baseline of 4000 – 4900 on a weekly basis and 7-day rolling average, consistent for this area. Monitoring job postings is a leading indicator of hiring within the following 30-45 days. This methodology is utilized by reading research houses nationally and is employed in the Region by Moran’s firm. For the purpose of reporting, the Region is defined as a 50 mile radius of Albany.

## End##

About Next-Act

Next-Act, a division of DVG, Inc. is a career management & transition firm directed by Dan Moran, the Founder & President of the firm. Moran contributes over thirty years experience in career consulting, business and human resources management. Moran is noted for his expertise in helping today’s “boomers” move on to fulfilling second careers, while helping executives and professionals achieve their career goals. The firm also provides human resources consulting and corporate services to companies. Moran is also a certified facilitator for C.J. Hayden’s Get Clients Now! & Get Hired Now! programs.

For further press information: http://www.next-act.com/press_room.



Dan Moran
President & Founder
Next-Act
Career Management & Transition Specialists
125 Wolf Road, Suite #128
Albany, NY 12205
Office: 518-261-4212
Cell: 518-641-8968
eFax: 586-279-4212
dmoran@next-act.com

Monday, April 4, 2011

To hell with the numbers ...

“Love is like a Rubix Cube, there are countless numbers of wrong twists and turns, but when you get it right, it looks perfect no matter what way you look at it” – Brian Cramer

Short blog this week – traveling …

This week has been one of confusion – job market up., areas loses jobs, job posting up, unemployment down. The numbers are sooooo … confusing.

So what do you, as one engaged in the market, think about the numbers.

Forget about them. It doesn’t make a difference.

If you have resolved to move forward in your career, in good times or in bad., who cares what the numbers say. I live them everyday – but I do not plan my actions around them.

It is all about your conviction – your conviction to succeed. To hell with the numbers. Your desire – no you dedication – to move forward transcends any market numbers.

So be focused. Be dedicated to success. Visualize your ideal role. And nail it. Catch you next week. And thank you for reading this. - Dan

Dan Moran
President & Founder
Next-Act
Career Management & Transition Specialists
125 Wolf Road, Suite #128
Albany, NY 12205
Office: 518-261-4212
Cell: 518-641-8968
eFax: 586-279-4212
dmoran@next-act.com