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“One big change is that companies are recognizing they need to move quickly when a qualified candidate is available,” says Doug O’Connor.
“We’re seeing job-search campaigns of shorter duration,” Bill Clark adds. “Multiple offers are becoming more common than they have been for several years, and employers are more willing to consider candidates who do not have recent experience in the same industry."
“Where I am seeing multiple offers, they are for more than the previous salary,” says Peter Olsinski. “But more of the candidates I work with are pursuing entrepreneurial ventures. Several are going into consulting, not based on their job experience but based on personal interests or hobbies."
Following are some examples of these trends:
§ It took only a month for a former Director/Senior Equity Research Analyst at an investment house to network her way into a Managing Director-Research position at a similar institution. Ayers assisted with the negotiating strategy. The new, higher-level position capitalizes on the candidate’s equity-research specialty while allowing her to broaden her experience to related areas.
§ Three months into the job search process, a senior manager from the compliance/regulatory area of a major Wall Street firm landed an interview at an international financial services firm. Coached by his Ayers consultant, he performed well during a morning-long series of interviews and received an offer later the same day—an offer he accepted the following day.
§ After a four-month search, a VP/Manager-IT Infrastructure made the jump from financial services to a new industry. Coached by Ayers consultants on interviewing and negotiating strategies, the candidate landed a comparable position in publishing.
§ Three solid offers were the payoff for a four-month, by-the-book campaign conducted by the former VP-Technology of a specialty chemical company. Aided by her Ayers consultant’s coaching on strategy and negotiation and a willingness to relocate, the candidate ultimately accepted a position as VP-Pharmaceutical R&D.
§ Learning that the wife of a client has lost her corporate-finance position at a small investment bank and received no career transition support, Ayers volunteered to work with her on a pro bono basis. The candidate landed a position in new-business development at a major pharmaceutical firm.
§ After working with his Ayers counselor to assess his aptitude for risk, the former Director of Alternative Investments at a major financial services firm launched a venture capital group to fund business development in Eastern Europe. The new firm has already attracted substantial funding.
