Re: How is the job market in your area?

["Steve Arrants" <stephena -at- compbear -dot- com>]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Bruce Byfield" <bbyfield -at- axionet -dot- com>
To: "Steve Arrants" <stephena -at- compbear -dot- com>
Cc: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Sent: Monday, February 18, 2002 12:19 PM
Subject: Re: How is the job market in your area?


> Steve Arrants wrote:
>
> >
> >I don't think it is lack of imagination.  I think it is because that
isn't
> >the way people got jobs in the go-go past. What worked in the past isn't
> >working now, so folks have to change their strategy, their mindset. There
IS
> >an unknown job market out there, but most don't have the skills or
knowledge
> >to tap it.
> >
>
> Not realizing the need for change, and not figuring how to adapt to the
change sounds like a lack of imagination to me. But I think that we're
really saying the same thing, except that I was being lazy and trying to use
a single word for it

Well, we may be saying the same thing...:-) but I've just started on my
second coffee of the day, so I'm a bit wordy.
I've been trying to advise local friends that if it isn't working, try
something else.  There's a local publication, Sonoma Business Journal that
publishes a special issue each year that lists every company doing business
in the County, along with facts and figures that have been very helpful to
me in past searches.  The issue is organized by industry type, so it is
quite easy to get information on all the wineries or high-tech companies or
aviation companies or whatever in the County.  Things like number of
employees, company contacts, financials over the past 5 years, etc. It has
always been a good starting point for me; I'd use it to target the companies
that might need my skills, might be in a position to hire, then I'd work
from there (do I know anyone who works there? do I know anyone who knows
anyone who works there?  does someone from my church know....and so on).
Now, this issue costs $35.  Yet when I recommend it to people, they look at
me like I'm crazy.  "Spend $35 for a book of lists?  No thanks, I'll just
keep looking at DICE."

In the end, it's mostly about establishing relationships.  Cold calling and
such are intimidating to some people. Maybe the trick isn't to wait to get
offered a job, maybe it is more offering your skills to someone who can use
them.  Remember, too, that lots of people find it hard to break out of
established patterns.  They're afraid of failing, afraid of rejection,
afraid of change...which is a lack of imagination, but also tells a lot
about what kind of employee they're going to be.

Ugh.  Time for cut back on the coffee.

steve arrants



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