The Next Job Boom

In the heady days of the late 90's job seekers had it made. I fondly remember getting my very last job before I stepped out on my own. I went from a $55k job to a $70k job as an Information Architect with Modem Media. But the good vibe I had quickly diminished after beginning work when the downturn started. The company soon began downsizing. I survived 3 layoffs but would be out of a job and on my own a year or so later.

As I read my latest copy of Business 2.0, the cover predicts yet again that job seekers will soon be calling the shots during the next job boom.

I'll let you read for yourself but here are a few points that I found particularly intriguing.

The first is a quote from a job seeker on the first page. He says simply: "You have to look out for No. 1"...this quote exemplifies the mindset of today's job hunter. There is no company loyalty anymore. Workers must increasingly take charge of their career because you never know when it might end.

Other notable passages;

"a dramatic shift underway in the dynamic between American workers and their bosses"

"They've subjected employees to downsizing, productivity squeezing, outsourcing, and myriad lesser indignities. For most workers lucky enough to escape the mass layoffs, there was little choice but to hunker down and take whatever the boss dished out. Even as the economy took off in 2003 and corporate profits -- and CEO paychecks -- ballooned, the job market languished. The "jobless" recovery was for many beleaguered workers the "joyless" recovery."

"But now the tables have turned. "

and there's this;

"As workers move, of course, bosses countermove, and the result is a volatile labor market that teems with opportunity for employees - and peril for companies trying to hang on to them. "

I bolded the word peril for a reason. Companies need to heed this warning if they wish to win their own war for talent. And for all you 'A Player', passive job seekers out there, get ready for the next chapter in your career. Employers will soon be turning on the charm for you.

Side Note: Business 2.0 continues to be my favorite read of the month. I've been a loyal reader since the beginning. If you aren't subscribing - it's your loss.