As most economic writers will tell you, it is the small business sector in our country that adds the most jobs to our economy.  As a matter of fact large businesses (over 500 employees) have reduced the number of employees significantly in the last few years.  Thus job seekers are feeling the pinch as new business startup statistics are the lowest since the 1990s. 
An article in USA Today Small Business provided a summary from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.  For the 12 months ending in March 2010 there were 505,000 new business startups – the weakest growth since the bureau started tracking this stat in the 1990s.  Other publications have tracked current trends and say the outlook is not very rosy (National Federation of Independent Business).  After steady increases through early February, the optimism index dipped for March and April of this year. 
The lack of new business is attributed by many to the lack of consumer spending.  Sales trends are down, and there is a lot of uncertainty about what is next.  Also companies are worried about what will happen in the next year in U.S. Government. 
This news impacts our unemployment issues. National unemployment statistics hover at 9%, and an article in the Financial Times said that the “basic unemployment” percent (people between jobs or permanently unemployed) may not ever get back down to the 3% level we’ve held for years.  For every “opportunity” for growth in an industry there is a balancing economic factor that may dampen that growth. One example was the optimistic view that companies might move manufacturing jobs back to the U.S. because of rising costs overseas.  The pessimistic view is that these same companies will adopt more technologies that would replace these very jobs! 
There is an interesting factor in all this news.  Technology companies (mostly small businesses) and technology jobs continue to make gains, and there are jobs going begging.  The reason – the workforce lacks the skills to fill these positions.  One article talked about the loss of jobs in the construction sector, and the need for trained workers in the healthcare industry…and these skills don’t cross over.  There are also jobs to be had in IT, and even in skilled manufacturing. 
There is no easy answer to the problem.  There is hope for the job seeker with technology or IT skills, but it will require time and patience to find the best match.  Keep hunting!

Tags: hiring process, Hiring Trends, industry news, job seeker attitudes, retraining, technical jobs

The spring Tech2 Virtual Job fair begins next week (May 2-6) so don’t forget to visit online.  This is one job fair you can attend from home or anywhere.  Just go to www.nmvirtualjobfair.com Monday morning and see the current list of companies and opportunities. 
This is a time when job seekers should take advantage of whatever opportunities arise, and technology companies are hiring.  The jobs are mainly high tech, but there are also business and leadership opportunities available.  Make sure your resume meets the suggested requirements for the job, and is clear and concise.  Find something you are interested in and post away!
For those of you who do “attend” we would like to get your feedback on the site and the event.  Let us know if you found what you were looking for.  Send comments to the Contact link on the site.  See you there!

Tags: applications, hiring talent, job seeker, recruiting, technical jobs

An article in Time (January 17, 2011) as well as other business publications, predict that those working in the technology sector should fare better this year.  The Time article gave a number of statistics that are interesting to those seeking jobs.  The volume may not be what it was, but there are definitely opportunities.
Jobs in network-systems and data analysts are the second only to biomedical engineers in growth in that sector.  Companies have been spending more on software and computer services, and internet marketing and social networking companies are doing well. 
Health services is another area of positive growth, and again requires training and education, just like the technology services areas.  In fact, the Time article shows that in 2011 and 2012 over 37% of the new jobs will require a bachelor’s degree or higher. 
There is also some good news for the manufacturing sector, as some companies are going to lean manufacturing and bringing the work back to the states.  Various companies have stated that they want more control over their process and product.  General Electric’s head of technology for the appliance section sees lean manufacturing as a way to lower manufacturing costs as much as 30%.  Unit labor costs have fallen across the country. 
In New Mexico the growth is slow, and appears to be focused in manufacturing and mining sectors.  The UNM Bureau of Economic Research predicted that it will take years to replace the 50,000 jobs lost in the state.  The Bureau director predicts that the job growth for 2011 will be about 1.3%.  The manufacturing sector accounts for about 3.5% of GDP in New Mexico, as opposed to approximately 9% of GDP nationally.
The New Mexico Manufacturing Extension Partnership works with New Mexico manufacturing companies to improve processes and increase efficiency.  Ron Burke, Center Director, said that in the last 5 years the number of manufacturing companies in the state dropped from 1700 to 1500.  On the other hand, those who have survived the downturn are coming out strong, and some even have a backlog of orders – hopefully that means more job opportunities in the industry.  Ron said that one reason for the successful survival of these businesses is that they have worked on training employees and improving their processes.
Let us hope that these smart technology and manufacturing companies in our state can add good jobs for the people here who have great skills and need them!

Tags: applications, hiring talent, Hiring Trends, industry news, job seeker, technical jobs

The hunt continues – for good jobs and for good candidates.  The rules for hunting have changed somewhat as companies downsize, but need qualified folks for the jobs they have left.  Candidates have a harder time making connections and getting noticed in the crowd of job seekers. 
There are all kinds of new social networking venues for both companies and candidates to use, including LinkedIn, Facebook, MySpace and so many more. 
First important thing – don’t get too cute!  The resume/Facebook/LinkedIn information should fit the industry you are in and be appropriately professional.  Photos should look somewhat businesslike unless you are in the entertainment industry.  Likes and hobbies aren’t as relevant as past education and experience so keep that list under control.
Second important thing – if the company with job openings has a well-visited site, they may not post on the job boards, but just sort through the applicants that actually check out their company.  I have had some recruiters say that the big boards produce TOO many resumes, and many that aren’t applicable.  So – look for sites that are specific to the industry you are interested in.
Third important thing – it is worth keeping a resume active on  some of the niche sites (such as our site, www.nmtechjobs.org) as companies sometimes search in advance of a new contract or business expansion to see what types of candidates are available in their field.  It can serve as an introduction for you to companies you might not reach otherwise.
Good hunting!

Tags: applications, candidates, For Employers, hiring process, hiring talent, Hiring Trends, industry news, job seeker, job seeker attitudes

The ultimate goal of job hunting – getting hired!  There are a lot of people working hard at the hunt, so I thought maybe it was a good time to talk about success stories.
First there is the gentleman who attended the recent Kirtland Air Force/Hispano Chamber of Commerce job fair in Albuquerque.  He came prepared and was able to visit with a company representative about his skills and interests.  From that meeting he was invited for a formal interview, and was hired for a $50K a year job.
Then there was the person who was laid off from an out-of-state technology company and was networking in New Mexico.  He contacted the Technology Ventures Corporation recruiting service and shared his resume both on the free job site, nmtechjobs.org and with me.  I noticed that his skills and experience seemed a great fit for a local tech company.  They didn’t have any posted openings, but when I forwarded the resume they recognized his talent and added him to their team. 
One more example is the woman who was laid off from a local technology business and decided to strike out on her own.  Using the contacts and experience she had gained in her former position, she joined local professional organizations and contacted colleagues she knew in her field.  The result of her hard work was a successful consulting business.
So – keep looking, and be creative (an overused term but appropriate).  First and foremost always be prepared for an opportunity by having business cards and resumes at hand.  Dress professionally for any occasion where there might be an opportunity to make a contact to start you on the road to a new career, and keep your schedule flexible so you can take advantage of these opportunities.
Good hunting!

Tags: candidates, hiring process, hiring talent, job application, job fair, job seeker, job seeker attitudes