I’ve talked with many packaging job seekers recently, and they have been frustrated with the job market. I am hearing the same objections such as ‘no one is hiring’ or ‘I can’t find anything.’
I have some news: there are a lot companies actively hiring and there are jobs out there. Even though unemployment is at a high, did you know that 4.4 million Americans found new employment in the month of March according to the Dept. of Labor, and it was anticipated at press time that 4.5 million Americans found jobs in April? And that number is believed to rise over the next few months.
As a former packaging recruiter working with one of the world’s largest fortune 100 consumer products companies, I know first hand that packaging professionals remain in high demand, even now in a global downturn. It’s all about where you are searching for that position.
Employers are not using the normal major job boards these days either. They are looking into new sources such as niche boards such as PackagingJobsOnline.com to post jobs and find candidates. They would rather spend the time looking directly at reputable sources that carry resumes of qualified individuals. Employers find this saves them time since they weed out a lot of unqualified candidates that apply for positions on the big job boards. Employers are also able to source new candidates that may not normally be looking at the bigger job boards.
In future columns I look forward to sharing with you what I’ve learned first-hand about finding the best packaging job, if you’re a job seeker, or sourcing the best candidate, if you’re an employer. Questions? Feel free to contact me directly at dan@packagingjobsonline.com.
