WorkingOT: 2018 job market heating up ... are you looking?

Submitted by UMProud on

https://www.housingwire.com/articles/42693-adp-job-market-threatening-to-overheat

All reports are pointing to one of the best markets for job seekers in a long time.  Many people have been hanging on to their jobs, underpaid and/or underappreciated, for many reasons not least of which was the (relatively) recent 2009 recession.

Anecdotally, I've seen a noticeable increase in pings from headhunters to my Linkedin profile and others I know are saying the same.

How many of you are looking to upgrade your job situation or have been stuck due to non compete agreements, lack of demand for your specialty or something else?

Pepper Brooks

March 7th, 2018 at 1:25 PM ^

As competition for labor really heats up, salary offers will go up substantially.  Think about '98-'99 when people were getting hired off the street and paid 6 figures to do data entry.

bronxblue

March 7th, 2018 at 8:23 PM ^

Salaries aren't rising that fast, and probably won't reach that crazy level before the job market softens.

People can get more money with a new job, but employers are smarter about compensation and know that there is a cap for certain skills regardless of "scarcity."

Monocle Smile

March 7th, 2018 at 1:29 PM ^

Started a new job January 8, and I'll both laugh and cry next year when I get a W2 for a single week.

Went to a much smaller aerospace company. I'm pretty done with the bigger corporations.

drjaws

March 7th, 2018 at 1:30 PM ^

I work for so I'm not going anywhere until we sell the company.

 

Then I'll go be a VP or Director or CSO somewhere and get that golden parachute people are always talking about.

TXWolverine44

March 7th, 2018 at 1:40 PM ^

I'm about to finish up my masters at Grand Valley and definitely am looking .Primarily in the Denver or Pittsburgh area (although i wouldn't mind staying in the MIdwest, i.e. Grand Rapids, Detroit, or Chicago). 

Any live in Denver or Pittsburgh and can tell me a little bit about what its like to live there, price-wise? If you know anyone who's hiring a SAS or R programmer, i'd also be interested in reaching out ha

Steve in PA

March 7th, 2018 at 1:44 PM ^

I hate my job but it's stable and I'm very close to early retirement with a fat lump sum pension and medical. There is no way I could recoup the difference in the lump present value and future value in a short time. In other words, The Man has me under his thumb and there is nothing I can do about it.

UMProud

March 7th, 2018 at 2:08 PM ^

Took a job about 7 or 8 years ago while unemployed that required a non compete. Did a few years then spent time finding a job that didnt require a non compete in an unrelated industry. Never sign a non compete unless they pay you full wages for the time you have to sit. Michigan needs to ditch their non compete laws like California has. Companies should compete for talent not be able to indenture employees.

UMProud

March 7th, 2018 at 4:19 PM ^

That's really not true, unfortunately.  I've actually paid my attorney to review one, and, as long as they are reasonable in scope and term they have a good chance to hold up.

Then, of course, you have the cost of litigating them.  Can you afford to spend at least $10,000 to defend yourself?  And, in Michigan, if you lose you get to pay for the other side's legal fees too from what I understand.

Michigan laws are friendly to employer non compete agreements.  Finally, the new job will usually fire you immediately if they even receive a cease and desist letter.  Many companies have a policy of never hiring anyone who has any sort of non compete agreement regardless of what it says even if completely unrelated to them.

bronxblue

March 7th, 2018 at 8:29 PM ^

While I agree with you about reasonable non-competes being enforceable, I have never heard of someone being fired for a cease and desist letter provided they made it known when they were interviewing.  Because in most cases, those C&D's are nuisances and don't stand up to scrutiny.

Also, most people with non-competes aren't the type that companies care about enforcing.  Yes, if you were a former Senior VP of Product your former employer doesn't want you to leave to go to another place with fresh knowledge of their pipeline.  But if you are a line-level grunt, you don't know enough for it to matter.

UMProud

March 8th, 2018 at 9:57 AM ^

Not sure what field you're in but I see them everywhere...buyers, accountants, sales reps...people making 35 to 50k ffs. Hell Jimmy Johns was making their employees sign the bloody things. I knew a sales rep making maybe 70k left to do non competitive work...ex employer sent threat letter to new employer resulting in him losing his job

xtramelanin

March 7th, 2018 at 11:06 PM ^

non-competes in michigan do stick, but they have to be reasonable in duration and scope.  rule of thumb is one year, in the state of michigan.  no fee shifting by statute for non--competes, though there could be by contract, meaning contained in the language of the agreement.  

never, ever sign a non-compete unless it includes them paying you for the amount of time you have to sit on the bench.  

The Krusty Kra…

March 7th, 2018 at 2:03 PM ^

To make a shift from my current field (writing) into PR. Does anyone have any suggestions for how I can prove my bonafides without maybe having prior PR experience like other candidates?

MgoFerndale

March 7th, 2018 at 2:43 PM ^

Took a promotion 4 months ago and I hate my new boss. Been with this company for over 8 years so it sucks thinking about leaving, but this boss is horrible. Haven’t started looking yet, but getting close.

ToledoWolverine

March 7th, 2018 at 3:03 PM ^

Was a locomotive engineer for near 20 years minus a 3.5 year hiatus for active duty Army. Graduate in August with BBA in supply chain mgmt. I am worried being 40 is going to hurt my prospects. Just need an opportunity, willing to relocate.

Anyone eve do the midlife career change? Help.

UMProud

March 7th, 2018 at 3:22 PM ^

Why did you leave that railroad job?  I have to tell you there is a bias against people over 40.  It's not everywhere but in my personal experience ageism is a thing.

Most of the handful of jobs I've had in my life have been obtained through contacting people I know who work at a company I want to work at.  I didn't always wait til a job was posted but contacted them asking if they had anything coming up in my area.

More often than not you might just be calling "at just the right time".

Hotel Putingrad

March 7th, 2018 at 5:15 PM ^

once you're established, (read: over 35) your best but is to mine your network. Very difficult to make it through hiring screening without a friendly hand from the inside. I left my last job at 39, after 11 years, but it took fortunate timing and an erstwhile colleague. Found out last week the company I left just axed 78 people, the fourth round of layoffs since December 2012. Count my blessings every day.

TrueBlue2003

March 7th, 2018 at 5:56 PM ^

to be going into right now.  High demand and relatively low supply.  Combine that with a demonstration of loyalty to a previous field, and being a veteran and I'd have to think you're looking good, even though starting a new career at 40 is generally not ideal.