Internal comms forecast: A thaw, at last, in the icy jobs market
As the economy heats up, employers are realizing they will again have to pay for top talent, headhunters say. But job-seekers must be willing to reinvent themselves.
In December, Lynn Hazan—a Chicago recruiter specializing in marketing and communications —took a look at hiring and found a market to cheer job-hunters.
“Economic recovery will escalate,” wrote the president of Lynn Hazan & Associates. “Budgets will increase. Hiring will pick up. Momentum will be on our side. There will be a shortage of talent.”
Her optimistic forecast is echoed by other recruiters in internal communications, paralleling an upsurge in public relations as the economy improves. But the assessment comes with a caveat: Those looking for work must be willing to reinvent themselves.
Headhunters report that the turnaround began last year. ROI Communication in Scotts Valley, Calif., grew 60 percent in 2010 over the previous year, hiring more than 50 people, says CEO Barbara Fagan-Smith.
Firms striving to retain workers
As companies have begun recovering from the recession, the need for internal communications has become a higher priority, she says. Bosses are realizing that some employees are bitter about cutbacks made during the recession. Now the looser hiring market is providing opportunities to jump ship.
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