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Job Support Group Leader Newsletter
September 2006
In This Issue:
Leaders and Work Ministry: key support issues
Related Links:
Welcome to Job Support Groups that have just joined us!
Job market talking points
The most recent jobs report from the BLS is encouraging, with the unemployment rate holding steady at 4.6% as more than 121,000 jobs were added. The US economy is at an historic high for employment, with more than 135 million people on company payrolls. Every month going forward sets a new employment record. Job growth in health care, professional and business services, mining and manufacturing was strong. At 4.6% unemployment, the job market is as good as or better than any year in the 1970’s, 1980’s or 1990’s.
More importantly, the job market is entering a new phase as shortages of workers become national in scope. Today, there are areas of the US where employers cannot find new employees, or hire them for minimum wage. As this shortage becomes national, employers will hire staff at rates above minimum wage to fill jobs, so we can anticipate a steady improvement in starting pay for workers at all levels. Worker shortages at all levels makes today’s job market a very favorable one for job seekers.
Job search successes
In today’s job market, employers are discovering a lesson that was long forgotten: "take care of your people." A candidate with an Accounting degree, eight years of experience and an MBA acquired two years ago was making $50,000 a year. Based upon salary surveys, for comparable experience and responsibility in a large metro area, he should have a base of $60,000 to $65,000. He recently interviewed and accepted an opportunity for a base of $60,000 and begins his new assignment July 24. With the base pay increase of $10,000, his current employer did not even attempt a counter-offer. But its pay practices assured its failure to retain talent. Company pay and benefit practices will be challenged more and more as they escalate the effort to attract and retain talent. This is a great job market and pay is one of the variables undergoing change to the benefit of job seekers!
Connecting with employers
Increasing numbers of employers want to be known as companies that are "great places to work." Some companies have made this effort part of an overall employment branding strategy, while others make a less formal commitment and simply want to recruit and hire qualified people. In your position as a Leader of a Job Support Group, you can help job seekers get the right information about a company and its intent to be recognized as a "great place to work." To help your job seekers find the right employer, consider asking them to raise the following questions at the appropriate time during the interview cycle:
- What are the best two or three reasons for going to work for your company?
- What do employees say about working for your company?
- How do I fit in to your company and its culture, values?
If you get some interesting results, please share it with us!
Best ideas in job search
Zoominfo.com is an alliance partner of Work Ministry, which includes mutual links and sharing of resources for job seekers. If you click on the link to Zoominfo.com on our start page (direct link), you will find that it is the largest database of biographies on the internet. Every job seeker in your group at a management or Senior professional level ($80,000 base +) should take a moment and set up a bio. Zoominfo.com has a large client base of search firms and corporate recruiters that may or may not use any other job boards. Clients pay a substantial annual fee to access the bios on the system, with assignments that are often exclusive and confidential. Please encourage your members to use Zoominfo.com as part of their job board "short list" of key sites. One entry is all that is necessary, no updates needed.
Leaders and Work Ministry: key support issues
We hope our site and content plus a growing list of job leads is helping you in achieving your goals for your group. Please contact us with ideas and needs that would be helpful to you. Here's a short list of areas where we welcome your help:
- employer postings: can you note client companies using workministry.com in your emails and meetings with your group?
- job leads: please get job posts out to your group, follow up with the group for any updates and referrals. Ideally, all referrals should use the website process to apply for job posts.
- job market leads: if you learn about employers in your area that are adding to staff, an email to us would be most helpful. We would like to get those jobs posted on the site for your group access and follow up.
Have a success story or best ideas for job search to share? Send an email to leader@workministry.com.
Reminder:
Workministry.com has a growing list of job posts as well as continual improvement in resources for JSG Leaders and job seekers. Please make a
point of asking your group members to check the site, review the job posts and respond or send along to a friend, relative or former group
member.
Editor’s Note:
The Job Support Group Leader newsletter and message board are all about you. Our goal is to create a forum for
sharing information that helps you fulfill your mission. If you have feedback, ideas or suggestions for either the newsletter or the message
board, please send email to: leader@workministry.com.
Call our toll free number at 877-967-5646.
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