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Economy > Generational Hiring > Innovation > Talent Acquisition

Difficult Times Ahead Bring Opportunities to Embrace Change

I had an interesting conversation today with a VP of Global Recruiting for an international financial services firm, which inevitably turned to the current state of the American economy. To paraphrase his comments he said, “…yes, the economy is bad, but I still have commitments I need to deliver on for next year. I can’t have open sales positions. I have to complete our PeopleClick implementation. I have to make sure that my offices overseas are staffed. I have to advertise our company and the employment brand.” While acknowledging that the economy isn’t good, he also acknowledged that his business still needs to run – the world still turns.

This is an important lesson. We need to continue pushing forward. The environment will be more difficult, but it is in these difficult times that we will focus on the actions that really matter. And through those actions we will create success.

We also spoke about technology and Generation Y. The lines have blurred for that generation between work and social life as evidenced by the popularity of Facebook as both a social and business application, a topic Mary Lorenz touched on in a recent post. It is time to embrace this change, which may end up being an even more important driver of the economy in the future.

Knowing that the months ahead could be more difficult than the months past, are there new opportunities you are embracing to drive the future success of your business?

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Absolutely agree. These are difficult times however our business isn't heavily entrenched in the automotive or mortgage industries and are diverse in terms of our client base and service offerings so as in most industries and small businesses throughout the nation we will continue to focus on what we do best and continue to maintain those great relationships! Happy New Year all!

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Jason, thanks for sharing -- I agree with you. From the A&F recruiting perspective, while employers may be slower, may be scared, the work is still there and this is all cyclical.

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Absolutely agree. These are difficult times however our business isn't heavily entrenched in the automotive or mortgage industries and are diverse in terms of our client base and service offerings so as in most industries and small businesses throughout the nation we will continue to focus on what we do best and continue to maintain those great relationships! Happy New Year all!

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I agree that difficult times both on a professional and personal level present opportunity for change. I am an older "baby boomer" so have been through a lot of ups and downs but never as much as my parents and grandparents who lived through what is called The Great Depression. I learned good lessons from their experiences. On a personal level, such tough times should be used to focus on what really matters -- not getting a new car but working on family relationships and friendships. On a professional level, it should be an opportunity to take some risk in exploring new markets, finding new clients, or building new business connections. The challenges are 1)focusing on the most important aspects of personal and professional life and 2)working harder at becoming better at what we do best -- whatever that is.

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Thanks for your comment David. Glad to hear you have a similar perspective. It is an important reminder that this is cyclical. It is also a good sign that some projects are still in the works regardless...

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Jason, thanks for sharing -- I agree with you. From the A&F recruiting perspective, while employers may be slower, may be scared, the work is still there and this is all cyclical.

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