Alberto Ruggieri/Illustration Works/CorbisAlberto Ruggieri/Illustration Works/Corbis
For two long years, the best that career experts could say about the prospects for job growth and career advancement was that they felt "cautiously optimistic." Suddenly, there are growing signs of a much clearer and brighter picture ahead, especially at the executive level.
"We are definitely much busier than we were even a few months ago," says executive recruiter Richard Wajs, president and chief executive officer of TWC International Executive Search Ltd. in Toronto. "There is definitely a mood among decision-makers, who had been waiting to see whether the recovery was real, that they are ready to commit to new hires."
That shows up in a recent survey by professional association ExecuNet, which found a jump of more than 10 per cent in optimism about the prospects for increased hiring at senior levels, particularly in business development and sales.
Another survey by payroll company Automatic Data Processing Inc. in November found the largest monthly gain in hiring in three years. Caution persists, however, as Statistics Canada's monthly job reports continue to show part-time and contract work outstripping full-time hiring.
What do these trends mean for your own career in 2011? We asked the experts for their insights and tips:
Homework is essential
The job market is still highly competitive. Employers are looking even more avidly for candidates who demonstrate that they are passionate and motivated for the position. "You'll want to have done your homework, and be able to demonstrate you know what the job will entail and be able to express opinions about what needs to be done," Mr. Wajs says.
"The last thing employers want to see now is someone who is looking for a job – any job – and has nothing special to offer in terms of commitment or enthusiasm for this particular role," he said.
Think beyond Canada
Even if you're not thinking of physically moving abroad, it's essential to develop global experience, says David Hoffman, chairman and chief executive officer of DHR International, with offices in Toronto
The search firm – which just six years ago was doing no placements for clients outside North America – last year did 40 per cent of its executive recruiting for foreign companies that were looking for experienced managers to move overseas, or to become part of their expanding operations in North America. "In 2011, we expect 50 per cent of our business will be from China, India and Latin America, particularly Brazil and Chile," Mr. Hoffman says.
Candidates for these jobs are expected to have some experience managing outside their homeland, so if you don't have that on your résumé, think about getting it, Mr. Hoffman advises:
Become your own manager
Performance reviews – at least formal ones – have been losing favour and in many companies may disappear in the coming year, predicts Linda Allan, president of Toronto etiquette and career coach Linda Allan Inc. Instead, companies are moving responsibility entirely to employees to create what are called "pro-active performance plans."
"The smartest thing to do right now is look back on 2010 and pull together evidence of everything you've done that improved your company's position," she advises. "And don't forget to include all those 'kudos' you received this year from colleagues, clients, supply providers – anyone who commented that the way you handled a situation was exemplary, your thinking was clear and your approach was innovative."
Managers will thank you for being pro-active in suggesting actions you are taking that will increase productivity or profits, reduce costs or enhance customer satisfaction, she says.
Be open to temporary work
The market for freelance, contract and temporary employees has picked up substantially in recent months, while hiring for permanent jobs has been lagging. Many employers are adding temporary or project workers before deciding to hire full-time staff, says Warren Lundy, a partner with OI Partners-Feldman Daxon Partners Inc.
"If a potential employer says they don't have a position at present, find out what they do need to get done – and negotiate to do that for them. Temporary and contract work enables people to keep their skills current, make new networking contacts, and earn some money while looking for full-time work," Mr. Lundy says.
Contract work can be a lucrative career choice, particularly for older workers, adds Jim Geraghty, president of Happen Canada, a network for job-seeking managers and executives.
"Individuals doing the contract work … often are making more money than they did on salary. If you combine a series of contract opportunities, you can make as much money as you did in a full-time position and also receive certain tax benefits. "
Go where the jobs are
Full-time jobs are still being created, but you may have to retrain to qualify for them, says Kim Peters, Toronto-based consultant for online employment site Eluta.ca, which specializes in full-time jobs listed in Canada.
A snapshot of the current job market shows openings for computer software programmers and systems engineers leading the pack, while computer hardware specialties are substantially down the list. Other growth areas are finance, particularly jobs with banks and insurance companies.
Retail positions – particularly in-store and distribution management – have showed big gains, in part because major national chains have been expanding. Jobs are being created in trades and technical fields, especially in oil and gas specialties. Another high-demand specialty is building engineering, particularly in energy savings and environmental specialties, Ms. Peters says.
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Offer a helping hand
The past couple of years have been a real challenge for people who have kept their jobs, but an even bigger challenge for people who have lost roles and haven't landed a new one. "People who are fortunate enough to have positions should make some time to extend a hand to people who do not. There are a lot of strong performers out there who have been caught in the numbers game," said Lou Clements, managing director of Toronto career consultancy Clements United.
"Over the past decade I have known many people who lost a job and subsequently went on to make big contributions in new circumstances. One common sentiment is that those who were looking for a new role remember the difference made by people who made some time for them."
Learn the board game
Corporate governance will be a high-priority topic in the coming year, predicts Bob Levasseur, senior consultant at McDowall Associates Human Resource Consultants Ltd. in Toronto. A growing trend is for senior executives to take governance courses, offered by a number of Canadian universities.
"In the wake of the financial crisis, boards of directors are requiring more face time and reports from senior executives, who will be expected as never before to be conversant on issues of financial audit questions, risk management and executive compensation," says Mr. Levasseur, who gives courses on executive compensation in a director's program run by McMaster University and the Conference Board of Canada.
Editor's note: An earlier online version of this story and the original newspaper version of this story gave an incorrect name for DHR International. This online version has been corrected.