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New hiring report and what it means to the job seeker

- Jan 31, 2013

Payroll giant, ADP, said Wednesday, January 30, that December hiring was 192,000 jobs, higher than the government’s estimate.

All the hiring occurred in small to medium sized companies. Firms with 49 or fewer employees hired 115,000 people, while firms 50 to 499 people created 79,000 jobs in December. In contrast, large firms, 500 or more employees, cut 2,000 employees.

What does this mean for you?

Traditionally, job seekers would look to large companies as the ideal places to work. Great benefits, seemingly secure employment and a huge consumer base to keep the company running all seemed to guarantee that these were the best companies to work for.

That logic doesn’t apply any longer. Many large companies are finding that they are over-extended and struggling with a world economy that is not necessarily growing. Smaller companies are able to adapt more quickly and will find themselves in a stronger position more quickly.

Job seekers in today’s market should take their eyes off of the Fortune 500 list and start looking for those small businesses that are located in their local industrial park. Companies with less 100 employees will be a great place to get hired in the coming years.

How to get in the door?

1)      Clean up your public personae. Make sure your Facebook page doesn’t have lots of pictures of you smoking pot with friends. Check out your Google+ page to make sure your feed isn’t filled with pictures of you topless and drunk in Cancun.

2)      Look for people who already work there. If the company is located within a few miles of your house, you may find that you already know somebody who works there. Or a relative of someone you know.

3)      Go to your local employment agency and ask if they deal with the company. If they do, you could ask them to make a call on your behalf.

4)      Don’t act like you know their business; act like you know yours. You aren’t trying to take over their business. You want to be a part of it.

Small and medium sized companies represent the future of American business in a way that hasn’t happened in over 50 years.

Because larger companies are more susceptible to global economic news and the fickle attitude of the stock market, they are less like to find solid footing right away.

Don’t forget to check out “Main Street” businesses. There is a revival of the small retail and industrial businesses that are located near the centers of towns and cities. You can be part of that revival.

Image courtesy of GKChest via Wikimedia Commons

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