"Conventional wisdom has always said that in a shaky economy, workers will be extremely hesitant to changing jobs, fearing that if layoffs occur after the jump they’ll be the first to go," says Tony McKinnon, president of MRINetwork, "While taking a job from a career board might not be safe, if you are approached by a recruiter regarding a position in a slow economy, it signifies that this job opening is of the highest importance to the company and that it likely will be one of the very last to be let go."
Productive people who know their worth are always in demand, McKinnon believes. "Non-essential jobs may be left open, but critical jobs get filled despite a down economy," he says. "Savvy candidates know that a period such as we are experiencing right now, can actually highlight the opportunities in the market that are of the most importance to a company’s success and they are willing to pay top dollar for. To get these candidates, employers are not only willing to pay recruiting fees, they will offer terms even better than they would in a good economy in order to make the risk of changing jobs worthwhile."
"The survey indicates, however, that the economy hasn’t made candidates any less likely to consider new positions than they have in the past," continues McKinnon, "and getting an employed candidate’s attention can be the hardest part".
"In terms of who is most likely to be hiring during a downturn, publicly traded companies that are working to create good quarterly numbers are generally less likely to have the long-term vision necessary for recruiting through a contraction in business," say McKinnon, "Yet, private companies that have access to additional cash or credit and aren’t as concerned about short-term performance are often in the best position to craft positive long-term talent management strategies."
