ExecuNet 2009 Executive Job Market Intelligence Report

Mark Anderson

Welcome to a Career Transition podcast on Total Picture Radio. ExecuNet has just released their comprehensive 17th Annual Executive Job Market Intelligence Report for 2009. Peter Clayton interviews Dave Opton, Founder and CEO, and Mark Anderson, President and Chief Economist, ExecuNet.

"Executives find themselves in two camps today. One group saw their businesses and their roles dissolve last fall and must reposition themselves for the future. The other group is employed but afraid to look at new opportunities. It’s important to be pragmatic and prepared, you don’t want to be caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. Complacency is not a good strategy.” Mark Anderson.

Executive Job Market Intelligence 2009 is based on simultaneous national surveys of ExecuNet's executive members and the search firms and corporate recruiters who regularly use ExecuNet's services. In addition, they invited participation from the executive, search firm and corporate human resource communities of several strategic partner organizations: Forbes, UK based Goldjobs.com, Financial Executives International (FEI), Marketing Executives Networking Group (MENG), and Dillistone Systems/Filefinder.

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Dave Opton

“Corporate HR leaders are encouraging their teams and their hiring managers to conduct several prospective interviews each month. They recognize that economic necessity has forced many of them to cut and freeze their leadership teams to the bone, and they want to be prepared with the best talent available to meet the upturn. This is an important time to be connecting to companies you’d like to join, because you don’t know if they have a trade up they’d like to make or a position they want to be poised to fill.”- Dave Opton

Talking Points:

You've conducted The Executive Job Market Intelligence Report for 17 years. Give us an overview of whom you talk to.
How do you define an executive?
Is this a global survey?
What questions do you ask?
Regarding the search firm executives you survey, are these folks working in retained or contingency firms?
I've heard that search assignments at recruiting firms are way down this year. Does your survey validate that?
If we were to look at your surveys from the last recession, in the early 90's, what differences would we find?
One of the metrics you track is recruiter confidence. Where does it stand?
One of the things I heard from corporate recruiters at ERE last month: they felt this was an excellent time to upgrade their workforce -- weed out the dead wood and low performers. Does your survey uncover any of this kind of activity?
Have the mass layoffs changed the bias toward hiring unemployed executives? Can someone with excellent skills without a job compete with a passive candidate?
Where do recruiters predict industry growth?
Let talk about geography. Has this shifted in the last year? Where are the jobs?
One number we've seen shrink in the last decade is tenure. According to your current survey, what's the life expectancy of an executive in his or her current job
What kind of compensation packages are being offered?
Two other trends I've heard recently. Wondering if these are reflected in your survey. 1) Employees are cemented to their chairs. (Hard to get execs to move) and 2) it's taking much longer for companies to pull the trigger - and make an offer.
Is the grey ceiling alive and well? (Is anyone over 50 getting hired?)
How are executives finding jobs?
What surprised you, if anything in this years' survey?
Is the survey available to the public?

About ExecuNet

ExecuNet is a private network for senior-level executives. Since 1988, ExecuNet has helped thousands of executives connect to the people, opportunities and insights they need to reach their career and business goals.

About Dave Opton

David Opton is Chief Executive Officer and Founder of ExecuNet, the leading executive career and business network. Opton founded ExecuNet during the recession of the late nineteen eighties to improve the way executives, search consultants, and human resource professionals share information and opportunities. In 1995, ExecuNet helped transform the executive recruiting industry by launching the first website designed to bring corporate leaders and executive recruiters together in a cooperative, confidential environment. Prior to founding ExecuNet, Mr. Opton served as Vice President of Personnel for Sterling Drug International, an operating unit of 14,000 employees and over $1 billion in revenue. From 1971 to 1983, Mr. Opton held several executive positions in Xerox Corporation’s domestic, international, and corporate operating units. A widely recognized executive career management expert, Mr. Opton is regularly quoted in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, BusinessWeek, Fortune, Fast Company, and other leading business publications. Mr. Opton received his BA from Indiana University. He is a former President of the New Haven Jaycees and has served on the Board of Trustees for the Hopkins School in New Haven.

About Mark Anderson

Mark Anderson is President and Chief Economist of ExecuNet, the leading executive career and business network. In this capacity he directs the firm’s strategic growth initiatives and day-to-day operations. Mr. Anderson joined ExecuNet in 1993, with extensive business development experience. From 1987 to 1993, he served as President and Founder of Anderson & Monagle Associates, an investment management firm that invested in information service businesses, equities, and commodities. Before founding Anderson & Monagle, Mr. Anderson held several senior marketing and financial positions with RCA Global Communications and American Can Company. A recognized authority on executive recruiting trends, Mr. Anderson is a frequent conference presenter and is regularly quoted by The Wall Street Journal, Associated Press, CFO Magazine, Dow Jones and other leading business publications. An Arjay Miller Scholar, Mr. Anderson received his MBA from Stanford University and a BA in Economics from Yale University.

Resources:

ExecuNet
Dave Opton's blog
Highlights:17th Annual Executive Job Market Intelligence Report
ExecuNet Search Firm Hiring Index