Job Market Rots – Job Market Better – Job Market Rots Again – so what do you do?

Be yourself, take control of your life.” – Emma Bunton
 
The ups and downs are dazzling. I live them every day as I track the local job market daily and report weekly to the media. This past week, the NYS Department of Labor report showed that unemployment in the Region was at a 20 year high (NYS has only tracked since 1990). A few days earlier, in direct contrast, it was reported that private sector job growth had soared. So let’s see …

Unemployment at a 20-year high …
Unemployment has gone up each of the last three months …
Job postings are steady (that is good) but about 40% lower than last year at the same time (that is not good) …
National job growth has been terrible and about one-half of what is required to keep the national unemployment rate steady (hence why it is increasing) …
More people have returned to the market looking for work … That is good, I think …
Then Friday morning, a most confusing national jobs report that has many, like me, who track this, scratching our heads trying to make sense of it:

The economy added 163,000 jobs in July … Not bad as it could have been worse, but not good enough. We need 150,000 just to hold the unemployment rate at a level nationally…
But the unemployment rate increased yet again from 8.2% to 8.3% nationally …
The real unemployment rate that includes those under employed rises from 14% to 15% …
Junes jobs number was adjusted, from 80,00 to 64,000 – Really? That is a 19% “adjustment” …


Reading this one could say – “… oh the hell with it, there are no jobs and the market sucks” … 


Or one could be an opportunist --- “… ummm – all not good job market news so this is a great time for to jump in or search harder as there will be fewer looking” … 


The Malaise Effect ( defined as a general feeling of worry, discontent, or dissatisfaction, often resulting in lethargy) …

Many are caught or trapped in a malaise. They are worried, disconnected, concerned,  what have you, and they do nothing – they are waiting for something to change to get them out of it. And – this is dangerous to many. If we recall, a few years back when the economy began to tank, the same thing happened and millions of lives were upset through job loss et al. Many were caught unprepared and were whacked. As a country, our way of living was changed likely for many years to come.  Failing victim to malaise isn’t prudent; taking action is and that means change.


Change what you can change and focus on you …

The opportunist will win here. The opportunist knows that  they cannot control the economy, the job market, business conditions, the political environment  et al so why let that hold them back. Rather, knowing that many will shelve their search or not engage in a new search, they see a less competitive market and they double their efforts. More networking. More applications. More direct contacts. They create opportunities and they focus on what they can control  and change.
And while the market has been soft, over the past two weeks, close to one-third of my clients found new opportunities, and a few others are launching their own businesses. Not bad for a “terrible time in our economy” as I heard one news analyst state. The difference, they were opportunists. They shunned the doom and gloom and pressed forward. They had conviction – they gave themselves permission to be successful in spite of what others are telling them.

Looking ahead ...
The CBS6 CRHRA Next-Act Employment Index, which I conduct quarterly along with my partners at CBS 6 indicates that 35% /- of employers in our Region plan to hire this quarter. That is a piece of good news, and consistent with national forecasts.

You are the master of your own universe …
So take control Master.  Do not be led by others and their thinking – lead yourself to success. Put the bad news behind you and press on to the job, career or business of your dreams.
Sometimes we all need a swift boot in the butt to break out of a malaise. Maybe this helps.

And thank you for reading this.
Dan Moran
President & Founder
Next-Act
Career Management & Transition Specialists
Celebrating 24 years providing career management services in 2012!
125 Wolf Road, Suite #128
Albany, NY 12205
Phone: 518-641-8968
eFax: 586-279-4212
dmoran@next-act.com