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Chapter 1
Jobhunting in Today’s New World

Since the first edition of our book was published, the world has witnessed signif-
icant changes, many of which have had a dramatic effect on the job market. Some
were predictable: advances in technology, the economic downturn, mergers, ac-
quisitions, and bankruptcies. Others were unimaginable: terrorist attacks, embez-
zlement, and the falsification of corporate records.
As we write, the U.S. unemployment rate is high. Companies have become
conservative in recruiting and hiring in general as well as within specific sectors
and industries. In the airline industry, for example, job growth is weak. In law en-
forcement, it’s stronger. Some financial firms are desperately looking for seasoned
professionals while others are downsizing. Fields such as pharmaceuticals, nurs-
ing, and assisted living, that market to aging populations, are either enjoying
growth or planning for it as 76 million Baby Boomers approach retirement age. On
the other hand, the group that demographers call the “Baby Echo” (Boomers’ chil-
dren) is off to college in droves. Once these graduates enter the workforce, it may
well trigger growth in industries more dependent on the spending habits of those
in their twenties.
Nevertheless, opportunity does exist in the workplace—just not where it has
traditionally been! New jobs are being created as start-ups launch and relaunch,
as required skills shift from industry to industry and within sectors, and as grow-
ing numbers of workers retire.
The good news is that what you must do to conduct an effective job search
has not changed. What has changed is how you must do it and how much of it you
must do.
Here are several essential guidelines for managing the successful job search
in today’s challenging, new world.

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