Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Job Market Report, August 31, 2011

A little better -- time to gear up for Fall!
____________________________________________________________________

For Information: Dan Moran, 518-641-8968
August 31, 2011

Job Postings up 5% from Last Week after being Flat or Decreases Past Few Weeks

(Albany, NY, August 31, 2011) – Job postings were up about 5% last week in spite of the disruptions of Hurricane Irene in the Region, reversing a downward or flat trend seen in the past few weeks. Postings came in at just about 4670, which is better than weeks past.

“This is good to see after witnessing the attention the past several days on Irene. Typically news disruptions of this type affect the local job market; it appears not to have this past week which is good. We will, as expected, see a drop off this coming week with the Labor Day holiday, that should be short lived if history is an indication”, stated Dan Moran, Founder & President of Next-Act (www.next-act.com), a career transition management firm located in Colonie.

Job postings were the same in other NYS markets – up slightly. Albany is the smallest market in size when compared to the other markets outside of NYC and continues to outpace with more job postings.


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

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Communication ... is it a lost art as many say? No and it is part of your success if you go over-the-top …

“Success comes from taking the initiative and following up... persisting... eloquently expressing the depth of your love. What simple action could you take today to produce a new momentum toward success in your life?” – Anthony Robbins

Nothing beats good, “old fashioned” communication – in today’s world – to stand out.

We are sucked into the world of instant and continual communication – via Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare, texting, email, other social media, and by the time I finish this blog there will be others new to the market that will soon be the “gotta haves” of the world of communication. It never ends – and it streams constantly.

With this, we seem to have lost the art of communicating – through old fashioned postal mail (now known as snail mail), one-to-one communication and the good old phone. And it is a shame as it can be and has been, very successful in building – and cementing – relationships that stand the test of time and can pay back in the future.

If you were to walk into my office, you would see a bookshelf covered with thank you notes and other handwritten notes I have received. They are important – they are lasting. I want to share a success story that you can learn from about the value of good, old fashioned one-to-one communication and how lasting it can be.

Not too long ago, a gentleman who was interviewing with a company for a position in sales he had gone through two interviews and was scheduled to meet with the CEO – for the last and hopefully final interview. The interview seemed to go well – he left full of confidence. Thought, “ Yup – nailed that it – it is all me”.

He didn’t get the job – and was devastated to a degree, but dusted himself off and moved on. What he did however set the stage for the future.

In this situation, most would just go away, spitting and sputtering and maybe mad a bit.

He didn’t. He took another path – he wrote a personal thank you not to the CEO, thanking him for the opportunity to interview, meet he and his team and mailed it – the same day he was told he didn’t get the job. He got above the disappointment and planted a seed. He knew that being rejected for a job wasn’t a personal defeat – it was just more of a “not now” decision that can change in the future.

Fast forward about 18 months later. He receives a call to come meet with this same CEO again, and he didn’t know why. When he entered the office, on the CEO’s desk was his handwritten note he sent 18 months prior. He was told by the CEO of the impression his action made. The CEO kept the note in his desk drawer; he was impressed and wanted to find a way to make this work. And it did. A new opening became available – he was hired on the spot.

Good, old-fashioned communication set him apart and cemented a relationship for the future. An email is the “easy” way and he could have done that – he opted to make a stronger impression, and it worked.

So how do you follow-up after an interview many ask? Two steps:

1. Send an email the first opportunity you have and it must be the same day thanking those you met with for their consideration.
2. Send – the same day as well by US Mail – a handwritten (or typed) thank you care so it arrives the next day or the day after.

Is this overkill – no. It’s good communication and sets you apart. Many would not do anything or in the worst case, burn a bridge. What you should do in this situation: build a bridge – for the future.

Do so in all your relationships – continued to build them. Know that it will pay back in the future. 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
Follow my blog: http://careerandgrowing.blogspot.com


Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Job Market Report, August 24, 2011

Flat and stagnant - but not terrible - read on ...
_____________________________________________________________________________

For Information: Dan Moran, 518-641-8968
August 24, 2011

Job Postings Flat after 10% Drop Week Before

(Albany, NY, August 24, 2011) – Job postings were flat the past seven days, after dropping 10% the week prior signaling continual softening in the Region’s employment market on a consistent basis.

“Heading into the summer months, this is not the picture we were expecting given the analyst forecasts a few months back. It is clear that things have, to a degree, shut down this late summer and this has affected hiring for sure, nationally and in our region which had experienced growth last year. The economic crisis we have witnessed the past few months has come home to roost in our Region”, stated Dan Moran, Founder & President of Next-Act (www.next-act.com), a career transition management firm located in Colonie.

Moran stated that his discussions with other business owners echoed a familiar sentiment – hang where you are, don’t spend and invest until this sorts out and who knows when that will be. “I talked to a CEO of a technology company – the companies that should fuel economic growth and recovery and he told me what I am hearing from others – we are holding pat, not spending and cancelling hiring plans for the foreseeable future”.

Postings were in the 4450 range, no change from the week prior and this follows a 10% drop the week before. “This is hitting statewide as well”. Last year at this time, job postings were about 5500 consistently; this year they are 20% +/- less.

Job postings were the same in other NYS markets – flat after a drop the week before. Albany is the smallest market in size when compared to the other markets outside of NYC and continues to outpace with more job postings.

Should people in the market pull back and wait this out? “Absolutely not. While the market is not as good as it has been, we are still above 4000 job postings which is good. Anytime we are above 4000, the market is good – of course, the higher the better. There are some very good jobs out there – one just needs to continue to be aggressive and focused on finding the right job for themselves, and put the sometimes bad news behind them”.

Some good news
“While to job market news isn’t as strong as before right now, the good news is that the Region’s unemployment rate dropped very slightly last month for the first time in some time. This is the result of some continued private sector hiring and less public sector, government job cuts which for a time equaled each other keeping the unemployment rate steady”. Moran added that the Capital Region is unique with the significant percentage – about 13% -- of workers engaged in public sector employment at some level (state, federal, municipal and education). Cuts in public sector funding typically affect this market more than others.

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.
10% drop the week before



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


Sunday, August 21, 2011

Knowing when it is time to "move on"... It might be right now!

Achievement seems to be connected with action. Successful men and women keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don't quit. - - Conrad Hilton

Making the decision to move on to a new job (or seek a new career ... sell a business) is a very difficult and often an emotional undertaking. If you think about it, close to 80% of our waking time is engaged in our job or business. It becomes part of our heart and soul.

Surveys the past month are indicating a strong discontent among workers that is causing them to reflect on and then take action to move on to a new career and job . So many that I have revisited this subject again (since 2008) and why?

The recent survey numbers are staggering – one study indicated that 81% of workers are planning to change jobs . Another indicted that over 50% of employees in jobs are in an active job search right now (that may be the person right next to you).

Clearly the working population is starting to feel more confident about their chances in landing a new job and at the same time, many are just fed up with their current employer given the wage cuts, layoffs, increased workloads, lowered benefits and lack of growth many experience the past three or so years.

What does this mean?


The “Brain-Drain” is about to occur. The “Brain Drain” relates to the number of people with knowledge of a company, customers, processes and products who will be or are ready to jump ship. This has a detrimental effect upon an organization as they need to retrain and regroup, and that takes time and money. Smart companies will realize this now, and talk to their employees, perhaps give back some that was taken away or simply acknowledge the situation. Not enlightened companies will do nothing and think, Hell, they won’t find a job out there … (But they will!).

Is it time for you to move on?


But there are times in any job - what I refer to as defining moments – when a situation, a change or a significant revelation is a wake-up call. I was recently working with a client who made the decision to seek a new job after his 4-year old son asked Mommy, "...does Daddy live somewhere else?" That's a wake-up call. If you are having feelings that there is a disconnect in your job or career, perhaps it is your time to change – to move on and recharge your internal “batteries”. I hope the following tips help:

Have you lost that "loving feeling" or Passion? Maybe Bored? Move On …


You enter the job or business full of enthusiasm and vigor, and it wears off. You are not challenged, you lose interest or you don't see growth, challenge, etc. It's not that there is anything wrong with you or the company, you have just outgrown each other; it is time to move on.

If your job affects your life -- health, family, relationships --- Move on


Job stress can kill you (take it from an "expert"). It can affect your health in many ways including sleep, eating, clarity of thoughts, etc. Excessive job demands will affect your family and relationships, and when this becomes an issue, move on.

Changes don't fit you … Move on


Change helps grow businesses and at times, changes just don't fit everyone. If you feel that company changes are not right for you, and you see no light at the end of the tunnel, time to move on.

You are marginalized --- or work for boss you do not respect? … Move on


Everything is going great and then there is a new player or a new strategy that results in you being marginalized - not included in meetings, or not involved as you were before. You become disconnected. Top that with a new boss who you just don't click with and you know it is time to move on.

You are not growing … Move on


This is the number one reason why people leave jobs - no growth or learning opportunities. The result - you find you're "stuck" --- not growing, not learning, and not advancing. Talk to your management team and if there is no positive resolution, move on.

Change is good for all. When you are disconnected from your job, your performance suffers and that is not good for the company. It's best for both that you move on --- with a great experience under your belt and with a new set of skills and friends.

Energize yourself – take action – move on to bigger and greater things. – And thank you for reading this. - Dan

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

This week's job report - August 17, 2011

Down a bit this week - rough news week last week has taken it's toll ...
____________________________________________________________________________

For Information: Dan Moran, 518-641-8968
August 10, 2011

Job Postings Drop 10%

(Albany, NY, August 17, 2011) – Job postings dropped 10% in one week, likely the result of the difficult economic news which usually has a direct impact upon employer hiring plans. Postings dropped to just over 4400, still above the baseline of 4000 but down from the week before. “Employers react to unsettling economic news by holding back on filling vacant or anticipated new positions; history has shown this through the time that I have been conducting this survey research. The credit downgrade and erratic stock market caused many to pause and hold tight the past few weeks. Employers and businesses I have talked to expressed a significant degree of caution like we saw in 2008 – 2009. We will have to see how this plays out over the next few weeks”, stated Dan Moran, Founder & President of Next-Act (www.next-act.com), a career transition management firm located in Colonie.

For job seekers – Moran suggest that while the market is down bit and not at the levels of 2010 there are still excellent jobs available in the Region. “Don’t sit back and wait until you see more positive signs – there are great jobs out there, just not as many as last year but surely more than late Spring of this year. The is not time to put your resume in the shelf until Fall as many do, but keep your search very active”.

Job postings were the same in other NYS markets – down slightly to about down 10%. NYC say a strong increase this past week as well. holding steady.. Albany is the smallest market in size when compared to the other markets outside of NYC and continues to outpace with more job postings.


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


Sunday, August 14, 2011

Is your next or-ideal career in your genes?

Children have never been very good at listening to their elders, but they bhave never failed to imitate them. - James A. Baldwin

"I felt that I had to be a carpenter... Bookkeeper ... Doctor ... Nurse
because that is what my mother/father did and I was urged to follow them but
I never really really like what I was doing ......"

Sadly this is true and replayed over and over. There are however stories of
those who had their career in their generic background only to discover
this later after trying another career that was unfulfilling.

I met just a person on our trip to Europe this past week and he was a star
example. We were on a river cruise from Germany through Austria (Melk,
Strasberg, Vienna) and ending in Budapest Hungry). On our river cries ship,
we connected with the Captain,Tom Durning. Captain Durning was the one who
had full responsibly for the ship, crew and 150 passengers. You could tell
he was in total control; he clearly was the leader (more about his
leadership in a moment).

Vikki and I had the opportunity to sit with the Captain to talk about his
ship, but the conversation turned to his career choice to be a riverboat
Captain (Vikki is the publisher and owner of Where To? Magazine and
Co-publisher of Capital Region Living magazine www.crlmag.com and she was on
assignment).

I asked Captain Durning how he came to be a Ship Captain. He chuckled and
said "It didn't happen easily ...." The Captain proceeded to tell us that
both his mother and father were ship captains which in itself was a bit
unique to have both parents involved in this career which means long travels
and separation from family. The Captain himself is on the ship for 10 months
of the year away from his family. On this cruise he was able to bring along
his 17 year old daughter which was a treat for him.

The Captain shunned his parents advice but admitted he had a feeling the
career choice was right but heck, who, listens tom their parents at that
age! He went to university and studied accounting and began a nine-year run
at this. "I knew right away ... bad choice. .. but I stuck it out for many
years until I made the decision I should have years back and became a Ship
Captain which required years of training and experience. I love what I do
and could see me doing anything else".

The Captain's experience shows that sometimes your ideal career might be in
your genes and found in the wisdom of your elders. It is all about vetting
the career opportunity and perhaps accepting the advice or at least
listening.

Of course those in my business might feel differently about this and to a
degree, I can agree. We rely heavily on the science of assessments and the
process of discovery to help people identify their ideal career path(s).
While this works for most, there are those who just know what they should do
.... They just need to give themselves permission to do it, but it might
take a few attempts to do so like the Captain. He got it; he loves it and is
a fulfilled man.

His leadership style? The Captain believes that You cannot micromanage. This
creates a level of distrust among staff. He delegates and holds his team
responsible for their actions, and he leads by example.

His biggest challenge? "Finding the right people.....". I have heard that
many times before and our challenge in the US is the same in Europe.

I hope this is helpful and thank you for reading this. - Dan



Sunday, August 7, 2011

Tough Times – Opportunists?

You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you. ~Walt Disney

The events of this week – or few weeks for that matter – has been a wake up and take notice call for many.

Over the past few weeks, we have witnessed Washington at its worst, an addition to the staggering debt, a plummeting stock market and now a downgrade of the credit respected since the beginning of time, the credit of the United States in the world market. I am not trying to and will not be political – be you a Democrat, Republican, Conservative, Liberal or what have you, you have taken notice.

So what does this have to do with issues of your career and work life which is the focus of this blog.

Everything.

You need to be prepared. Really prepared.


We do not know where this is all going, but at some point in the very near future, it will affect you, me and our livelihood. There is no escaping from what the experts say and the talking heads chatter about. The past week it was 24/7 news from what I hear and people have become rightly scared. I had the experience of being in Europe the past two weeks and trying to catch what was happening through the media. In Europe, news is of an international basis – the woes of the US were just one of the many tough stories last week. While our markets were slumping big time, so were the European and Asian markets. It was sure nice to be back on US soil Friday and to be with our family again (but we did have a hell of a great trip – more on this to come and some critical management lessons I learned from the “masters”).

Like a Boy Scout, always be prepared.

Again, I do not want to scare anyone. But I do want each one of my readers to not just sit on the sidelines and wait to see how this play out. Three years ago the same thing happened, and iwe know what happened. The economist say this situation is worst – with the potential double-dip recession and world market problems. And we all know what happened after with the massive job loses that werenever recovered.

Have a plan – enact it. Don’t have a career plan – do it – NOW!

If and when credit tightens up again, jobs will go away. As consumer confidence drops as it has recently, purchasing stops – jobs go away. As we hunker down as a nation and change our living habits yet again – this results in job losses. To take a wait-and-see attitude is dangerous – very dangerous. Crank up your networking, dust off your career plan (and resume to say the least) and start engaging in the market. Figure out what you want to do next (a professional can help if needed) and start to work to that plan. Consider declaring your own independence and be in total control – evaluate if your own business is right for you or get help doing so. Just take action – be in control.

This quote tells it all


Career management is not job hunting. Job hunting happens when one does not manage their career (B. Ball, a well-know career authority).

When the going gets tough, be an opportunist

I have to end on a positive. While there are tough waves to navigate, there will be many opportunities l for those who are opportunists. Companies – likely smaller companies – will be looking to find better talent – you may be the one. More businesses are launched in tough economic times than any other time. The key – don’t get sucked into the negative – be positive and look for opportunities always.

I am – always do – always looking for better ways to do what I love and expand my scope. Your feedback and ideas are always valued – I really mean that.

And thank you for reading this. – Dan