The competition for good executive jobs is more intense than ever. During the period that you may be in the market, each aspect of your approach should be optimized-your resumes, your letters, your networking, your direct mailings, your access to openings, and so on.

      Size of the market. The total size of the job market for professionals is about 3,000,000 new jobs each month. However, when you allow for casual and active job seekers, at least 30,000,000 people circulate resumes each month. Staffing publications claim that 18,000,000 people will seek positions above $100,000 this year.

      Why competition has grown. With the use of PCs, faxes and e-mails, people now distribute far more resumes. And, with people living and working longer, far more people now look for jobs. With the growth of the Internet, many people also leave their resumes posted online ... blurring the line between active and passive job seekers, and increasing competition.

      Candidates under consideration. Today, many employers have up to 200 candidates for every attractive job. Even after you work hard to get a good interview, ten good candidates are likely to be under consideration. This is why refining your interviewing skills is critical.

© 2010 Robert J. Gerberg    All rights reserved