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Job opportunities are on the rise for executives, too

The best sign of a solid labor market is when you, the job seeker, actually land the job. But if you’re still looking, there are positive signs.

Last week, The Conference Board reported that its Help-Wanted Advertising Index — a key measure of job offerings in major newspapers across America — edged up in July. The index stands at 39, up from 38 in June. It was 38 one year ago.

In the past three months, help-wanted advertising increased in five of the nine U.S. regions, with the Pacific region experiencing among the greatest growth, according to the report.

Ken Goldstein, labor economist for the board, says: “The labor market indicators turned a little more positive this summer. Print want-ad volume edged up in both June and July. Initial unemployment claims also moved down a little. However, the JOLTS data (Job Opening and Labor Turnover Survey) show no change over the same period. Job openings essentially were unchanged through June, and the consumer appraisal of how hard it might be to find a new job was essentially at the same level in July as in May. That’s a mixed bag on forward indicators but with a little more positive direction in July than two or three months earlier.”

Recruitment firms also are optimistic about job placement potential for executive candidates. A recent survey conducted by ExecuNet, an executive job search and recruiting network, reveals that the search industry is expecting a 17 percent increase in the number of assignments it receives from clients during the second half of the year — slightly more than the 15 percent increase in assignments reported during the first six months of 2005.

The functions expected to be in greatest demand in the second half of 2005 include sales, operations management, marketing, finance and general management.

“With corporate profits climbing, companies are looking to add executive talent across the entire organization to manage growth,” says Mark Anderson, president of ExecuNet. “In some cases, the demand for talent is already greater than the supply.”

To help executives uncover new opportunities in the employment market, ExecuNet offers the following suggestions for working with search firms:

Learn the process. Understanding how an executive search is conducted is the first step in developing meaningful relationships with recruiters. Many candidates are quick to forget that executive recruiters earn a living by focusing on their clients’ needs — and not the candidates.

Leverage your network. Establishing a relationship with a recruiter can be difficult because they usually prefer to initiate contact with candidates who already have been screened through their network.

Given this preference, your best bet for getting on a recruiter’s radar is to search your network for contacts who personally know the executive recruiters in your industry, and then ask for an introduction.

Differentiate yourself. Before searching, develop a clear sense of what separates you from other professionals with similar work experience. Recruiters are always looking for candidates who will give their clients a competitive advantage. To help set yourself apart from your peers, focus on accomplishments that improved your employers’ bottom line. For more information