By Eli Amdur

            Who among us hasn’t heard that coolly delivered, purposely understated directive from the cockpit – long before we expected it, because we’ve not come close to our destination yet? And who among us doesn’t know what that portends? We all know there’s turbulence ahead, most probably before we can even raise our seat. Otherwise, we would have heard it sooner. The only thing we don’t know is to what degree it will affect our flight and with it, our nerves, stomachs, and what’s left in our soda cups (or now in our laps). But we’re about to find out.

            Given the events since mid-June alone – absolutely shocking revelations from the January 6 Committee, the Dow’s bumpy ride, Putin blowing up shopping malls, monkeypox – let alone this already-cuckoo mid-term election year, consider this column (following my previous two) to be that same directive. Metaphorically, this is your captain speaking, and I’m saying there’s a bit of a rough stretch ahead.

            We’ll get through it for sure, but there’s no getting around it. That’s as honest as I can be while balancing realism with optimism. Nineteen years in this space, and I’ve never done it any other way. So let me give you a dose of both – and then an action point.

The Need for Realism

            The stupendous job market performance we’ve seen in the past 18 months – record-setting in every regard – will not continue at this pace. That’s both bad news and good news. The bad? Job creation, open jobs, and rates of growth will simmer down. The good? It was such a roaring party for such a prolonged period, so the goody bags we’re bringing home – the residuals of the market’s momentum – will not empty soon. For example, the ratio of open jobs to unemployed job seekers reached an all-time high of two to one: two open jobs for every one job seeker. Unheard of! Compare that to the ratio of 6.5 job seekers for every open job in 2009, and you see something no one has ever seen before. But that will moderate, and I expect that’s happening already. But it’s not a fall; it’s moderation. Nonetheless, the smart job seeker – whether employed or not – will see this as the call to arms, the signal that this is the time to do more than sharpen your job skills. It’s the time to bolster your career skills, those that will get you the job.

The Case for Optimism

            As I state in my new video (https://www.linkedin.com/in/eliamdur/), no matter the current conditions, the person who wins in the job market is not necessarily the one who’s best at doing the job; it’s the one who’s best at getting the job. With that in mind, as the job market becomes more competitive, the more competitive you are, the better you will fare – probably more so than now than in any time in history.

            Why? Because employers have learned their lessons during the pandemic (well, not all of them), and I believe more employers are more aware of their needs – and of how candidates will meet those needs – than ever before. Therefore, if you’ve got the job skills, you now need to work on your career – or, job-getting skills. And you can start on July 21 by registering for my free webinar: “Eye on Jobs” – a half hour designed to make you more prepared, more aware, and more competitive.

“Eye on Jobs”

Given today’s unprecedented nature, pace, and scope of change, it’s imperative to know more not just about our jobs, but about our businesses, industries, the economy, and even global conditions. Having been through two and a half years that employers would rather not repeat, they’ve become more intent on identifying more prepared and aware candidates. I’m seeing this everywhere. That’s, of course, a good thing – as long as you can match up.

To that end, register for “Eye on Jobs” – filled with usable data, analysis, commentary, and a sharp focus on future jobs (they’re here now).

            “Eye on Jobs” will be a monthly subscription-based webinar, but the first one – July 21 at 7:00 PM – is absolutely free. During the free webinar, I will also announce a year’s worth of additional perks, benefits, and incentives of the series – including substantial rate reductions on my coaching.

            Register now. Simply go to this link: https://eliamdur.com/webinar/

            In the meantime, return your seat to its upright position. At least for now.

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Career Coach Eli Amdur provides one-on-one coaching in job search, résumés, and interviewing.

Reach him at [email protected] or 201-357-5844.