Changing jobs
Yes, you (probably) can change jobs now
January 13, 2012: 11:40 AM ETIf you already have a job — plus a college degree and some work experience — your chances of getting hired elsewhere are better than they've been in years. Here's where to start looking.
By Anne Fisher, contributor
FORTUNE -- Dear Annie: A friend sent me your recent column about eight signs it's time to quit, and all eight of them apply to me. I would like nothing better than to leave the company where I work now. My performance reviews have been great, but this is a family-owned business, and I've come to realize over the past couple of years that nobody gets promoted (or gets a raise) unless they have the same last name as the CEO.
So it's clearly time to move on, and I've rewritten my resume to reflect the terrific track record I've built up as a brand manager since I graduated from college 12 years ago. But is there any point in going out looking? We keep hearing that 15 million Americans are unemployed, the job market is terrible, nobody's hiring, etc., etc. Should I start job hunting anyway, or just try to make the best of things here until the economy improves? — Hitting a Brick Wall
Dear HBW: "The constant barrage of lackluster employment news can make finding a new job seem like an impossible goal," says John Challenger, CEO of outplacement giant Challenger, Gray & Christmas. "It is not."
That's especially true in your case, for at least two reasons. First, you already have a job. It's no secret that employers (loath as they may be to admit it) often give preference to the already employed. "Unfortunately, there is a stigma attached to being out of work," says Geoff Hoffmann, chief operating officer of global recruiters DHR International. "There are ways to mitigate it but, yes, a gap in a resume does create apprehension." Since you are working now, the 15 million unemployed are not your main competition.
Which brings us to a second advantage you may not realize you have: your college degree. The overall U.S. unemployment rate, while lower than it's been for three years, is still dauntingly high at 8.5%. But that figure doesn't apply to every segment of the workforce. For people with a high school diploma but no college degree, for instance, the rate is 8.8%. By contrast, for folks like you with a bachelor's degree or higher, joblessness is at 4.3%, or less than half the aggregate rate.
(To put that 4.3% in perspective, it wasn't long ago that economists considered 6% to equal "full employment" -- meaning that unemployment is at the lowest point it can go, given seasonal and structural variations in workforce participation -- and, obviously, 4.3% is well below that.) More
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'The biggest turkey I ever hired'
More than two-thirds, of hiring managers in a recent survey said they'd rather muddle along with the employees they have than take a chance on hiring someone new, writes Fortune's Anne Fisher in her November 25 Ask Annie column. Of course, if some new hires turn out to be turkeys, lots of hiring managers are no prize pigs themselves. What was the worst hire you've ever made - or who MORE
Gabrielle S. (CNNMoney) - Nov 24, 2008 6:15 PM ETPosted in: Blunders, Changing jobs, getting hired, hiring, interviewing, Job hunting, Job interviews -
1 job, 11 interviewers
Panel interviews are getting more common all the time, writes Fortune's Anne Fisher in her November 21 Ask Annie column. Ever been interviewed by a panel -- or been a panel member? What do you see as the pros and cons? Got any tips for candidates or panelists? What are your most-dreaded types of interviews?
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Leave now - or risk getting laid off?
Once a company has announced plans to cut its headcount, employees face a tricky choice, writes Fortune's Anne Fisher in her Sept. 30 Ask Annie column. What should employees facing a layoff threat do and what should they avoid at all costs? Have you ever jumped ship in advance of a layoff - or stayed on board too long?
Gabrielle S. (CNNMoney) - Sep 29, 2008 11:21 AM ET -
Don't sabotage your job hunt: 6 tips
If you lose your job, you shouldn't immediately start calling and e-mailing your network and answering Internet job ads, writes Fortune's Anne Fisher in her August 28 Ask Annie column. Understandable as that course of action is, she writes, it's unlikely to get you into the job you want.
What mistakes have you made when job hunting? Have you ever taken a job you knew was wrong for you -and, MORE
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Despite the slump at lowlier levels of the job market, there's currently a war for senior management talent, writes Fortune's Anne Fisher in her August 8 Ask Annie column. Where is the most job growth for senior-level positions now? Would you relocate for the right job opportunity? If you've ever moved for a job, how did it work out? Any regrets, or tips for those who may be considering moving? MORE
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Anyone can call himself or herself a career coach (or a life coach), and many thousands of people do, writes Fortune's Anne Fisher in her Aug. 8 Ask Annie column. Have you ever hired a career coach? How did it work out? Any advice for others who might be considering a coach?
Gabrielle S. (CNNMoney) - Aug 1, 2008 10:00 AM ET -
Can you take clients when you leave a job?
"In recessionary times, companies are willing to take extra steps to protect their business," Michael Greco, a partner in labor law firm Fisher & Phillips, told Fortune's Anne Fisher in her June 20 Ask Annie column. Is it fair to take clients with you when you change jobs? Is it fair for employers to ask you not to? Have you ever been asked to sign a non-compete agreement, or any MORE
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