Executive Positions Lacking

We live in interesting times!  Not necessarily fun, but interesting.  One of the casualties of the economic downturn seems to be a lack of opportunities for C-level candidates.  As companies downsize they also eliminate leadership positions, and so there are many very experienced executives looking for opportunities.
There is also an increase in CEO turnover as some take early retirement, some are removed by their boards and some are casualties of the economic times.  According to an article in Staffing Management magazine the government/non-profit sector led all industries in May with 19 CEO departures.  The budget shortfalls being experienced by this industry means it continues to struggle, even as job losses in the private sector have slowed.  The largest turnover for the year was experienced in health care with 98 executives leaving so far this year. 
In the technology industry, and particularly in companies just starting out, the CEO has a major impact on success.  One of the problems in this area is that many of the new companies are cutting edge and there is no established market, or the business has a disruptive technology that requires a new approach.  Tech companies with new ideas need leadership that can apply new tools to grow the company. 
So, there is opportunity for leaders to find positions in these tech startups – but they may have a very small office and no secretary!  They also may not be able to pay much of a salary up front.    Ownership in the company is sometimes offered in lieu of salary, but to collect, CEO’s have to get the company into the profit mode, and this could take awhile.  We need the talent that these executives possess, and our challenge is to provide an opportunity that  these leaders will find attractive. 

Tags: candidates, Executive jobs, For Employers, industry news