Silver lining in current economy: many companies are hiring
June 5, 2009
Silver lining in current economy: many companies are hiring
City lends helping hand for house repairs, other property needs
By Dan Kolen | June 2009
More than six million people have lost their jobs since the recession began, but there is a silver lining: companies still are hiring.
Across the nation, firms have more than two million openings, according to the U.S. Government. “Employers are getting very creative in working with less,” said Lynn Seermon, owner and general manager of Advancement Search and People Solutions, 908 S. Laflin St., a company that connects people with jobs. The firm also helps individuals start their own companies, runs a human resources helpline, and assists with payroll management.
Seermon’s company recently has found work for individuals in data entry, structural engineering, and manual labor posts, for example. “The inefficient companies will not make it, and the ones that do will have re-engineered processes that will make them more successful in the future,” she said.
For those that survive, job losses have helped improve the quality of the prospective workforce, according to Janet Sloan, president of Seville Staffing.
“The current economic situation is providing employers with outstanding candidates for positions,” Sloan said. “Employers are willing to terminate employees who do not meet their expectations, so employees need to keep focused on the job probably more than before.”
Because of current economic conditions, the rate of applicants per job opening has gone up two-and-a-half times to an average of five applicants per opening. Applications for government jobs have risen by the thousands nationwide, but Sloan continues to see growth in openings there as well.
“The greatest number of hires that we see,” Sloan said, “is from government and government contractors.” In its 30-year history, Seville has placed more than 20,000 permanent and temporary staff workers around the Chicago area. With an unemployment rate exceeding 9% in Illinois, however, staffing companies here have their work cut out for them.
The current period is proving challenging, as Illinois employers have cut nearly 400,000 jobs during the downturn, which has brought the fourth largest drop in jobs nationwide since it began in December of 2007.
Sloan feels optimistic, however.
“There are jobs available to people who are willing to be positive and eager to work. The market is flooded with good candidates, but they must be flexible and committed to doing a good job.”
“Employers want people with experience because they are available and employers don’t have time to train,” said Seermon. “They want someone who can walk in and be productive from the get-go.”
Earlier this year, Mayor Richard M. Daley indicated government officials will use national economic stimulus money to provide people jobs in the local economy in a group effort among national, state, and city government to make sure jobs are created expeditiously.
“This collaborative action plan can help generate economic activity now,” Daley said. “These steps can lessen the impact of the recession on our city’s residents and get the economy moving again.”
Seermon said the plan’s job creation portion and its money are working their way through the system, noting some companies are hiring “in response to the stimulus changes.” She even is seeing an increase in old-fashioned manufacturing jobs for “assembly people for a company making parts for Ford Motor Company.”
Many economists, government employees, and professionals agree the economy will get worse before it gets better, but with jobs to be had, those with experience are getting first crack.
“People retire, people leave, and companies have to fill key positions,” Seermon said. “I think people with a lot of experience in different areas are attractive because they are versatile and can cover more than one area.”
“Traditionally, job outlooks have been continuously strong in government, healthcare, education, and computers,” said Greg Rivara, communications manager for the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES). “Those four job sectors we anticipate will have continued growth over the next five to eight years. People need government, they need to go to the doctor, they or their children need retraining and education, and computer use continues to grow.”
Rivara’s department does not just deal with unemployment benefits, however.
“We offer career counseling, resume review, and other services,” he explained. “We advise people to avail themselves of our services even if they’re working. People may identify themselves as a member of one profession, but we can identify their skill sets and show them how they are applicable to other areas. If you work with us now, you are better positioned to make a job change when the economy turns around.”
Rivara recommended contacting the IDES through its website at www.ides.state.il.us. To reach Express Advancement Search and People Solutions, call (312) 218-3484. For Seville Staffing, call (312) 368-1272 or log on to www.sevillestaffing.com. To reach the City of Chicago for job information, call (312) 603-6598 or log on to http://egov.cityofchica-go.org and link to the Department of Human Resources. For State of Illinois jobs, go to http://work.illi-nois.gov or call (312) 814-2398. For jobs with the federal government, go to www.usajobs.gov.
