Foreword

Career Management Professionals create optimism and success for their clients despite today's economic crises.

Without a clear vision of what lies ahead, it is challenging for job seekers and for those wishing to make a career change to formulate long-term strategic plans.  As a result, we have seen an increasing number of individuals taking up career management services to reflect on their career choices, prepare their marketing portfolio, effectively taking steps to re-position themselves for when the market improves and to be ready to seize any opportunities that present themselves.

It is important for individuals to take charge of their career and to devote time to analyse and understand their situation. This means keeping an open mind to the idea of making strategic career moves. 

Organisations are increasingly looking at opportunities to bring people on board who will have a positive impact on the business, its people and the bottom line. Employers know that talented individuals are critical to weathering this downturn.   Once the economy recovers, the battle for talent will intensify.  Will you be ready?

Are you a Solution in Search of a Problem?

There has never been a greater need for talented, skilled executives to demonstrate their value to a business; as essentially, what defines the success of an executive is their ability to make difficult decisions, drive profit growth and tackle unexpected challenges head-on.

Nick Waterworth, Chairman of Ambition Group says ‘it is wrong to think the executive job market is dead. It’s just changed.’ These trends have meant that companies are now placing a greater emphasis on leadership skills when recruiting executives, seeking those who have weathered recessionary times and are not afraid to make tough decisions.

As boards are scrutinising executive appointments more closely, they are starting to question whether they have the right management teams to lead them through such a deep global recession. This has resulted in companies making strategic executive appointments and searching for those talented enough to add value and grow the business against all odds.

To secure a position as an executive in these times, it is crucial that you demonstrate strong financial discipline combined with exceptional leadership skills and vision.

Source: ‘Wanted tough nuts to crack heads’ Australian Financial Review 6 March 2009. 

Australia’s Brain Drain Biggest on Record

The Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Senator Chris Evans, released a new report that shows Australia experienced its biggest annual exodus on record with 76,923 people leaving the country permanently in 2007-08.  The Emigration 2007-2008 report reveals that almost half the Australian residents that left permanently were in skilled jobs and nearly two thirds were aged between 25 and 54.

The data showed that emigration played a significant role in Australia’s current skills shortage.

‘The 76,923 people that departed Australia permanently in 2007-08 represents a 6.7 per cent increase on the previous year and a 325 per cent increase on the low of 18,100 people who left permanently in 1985-86.

 ‘The latest figures also reflect the current global demand for skills and the internationalisation of the labour market as part of the broader process of globalisation.’

Other key findings in the report include:

Residents of New South Wales led the exodus with 31,390 people, followed by Victoria (16,408); Queensland (15, 289); Western Australia (8,388); and South Australia (3,140); 39,467 or 51 per cent of the permanent departures were men compared to 37,456 women (49 per cent).

So  Source: Gilton Business Consultants, February 2009 www.gilton.com.au