Media Contact:
Lizzie Souza
Marketing & PR Coordinator
lsouza@lasallenetwork.com
(312) 419-1700 ext. 1770
Chicago, IL, June 2, 2009 – Nearly 70 percent of active job seekers are confident they will find a job within the next three months, despite the shaky economic climate. “The economy appears to be reaching a bumpy bottom,” says LaSalle Network Founder and CEO, Tom Gimbel. “Companies will continue to downsize, however, some are realizing their budgets may allow them to reallocate employees to where business is, or will be, in the near future. With this week’s announcement of 623,000 jobless claims, 13,000 lower than forecasted, this optimism is encouraged, yet not without caution.”
“The newfound optimism of job seekers, which was scarce several months ago, is valid and important, but it must be coupled with a clear and diverse plan of action in order to be most effective,” states Gimbel. A lack of targeted activity to land a new job opposes job seeker confidence, according to LaSalle Network’s research. 60 percent of job seekers are limiting their search to online job boards, networking with friends and family and corporate websites. “In this saturated job market, in which it has never been more important to develop a well-planned job search strategy, many active job seekers are failing to do so,” says Gimbel.
While job boards, networking with friends and family and corporate Web sites are helpful, they can also be limiting. In addition to these methods, the most effective search strategies include a more diversified approach with a healthy mixture of the following:
• Networking with former colleagues, managers and subordinates
• Attending job fairs
• Joining networking associations
• Taking advantage of college and university alumni centers
• Utilizing staffing and recruiting firms
“In order for a job search strategy to be effective, it must be specific and diverse,” says Gimbel. “Too often, job seekers rely heavily on one or two resources to find a job and fail to utilize the other effective avenues available to them,” explains Gimbel.
Survey Methods: This survey was conducted in LaSalle Network’s Chicago, Oak Brook and Schaumburg offices with 500 job seekers ages 18 and over from May 11 to May 22. For more information on these findings, contact Megan Gentille at (312) 419- 1700.
About LaSalle Network
LaSalle Network is Chicago’s leading provider of professional staffing and recruiting services. Specializing in office services, accounting and finance, technology, human resources, customer service and executive search, LaSalle proudly serves companies of all sizes and across all industries. LaSalle’s innovative and unique approach to staffing is designed to provide our clients with quality talent who not only match the job requirements, but the company culture, as well. Since our inception in 1998, LaSalle Network has served over 2,000 clients and placed over 25,000 candidates in temporary, temporary-to-permanent and direct hire positions. With 30 percent growth each year, LaSalle was ranked on the Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Private Companies in America List in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011.
LaSalle Network is a $30 million privately-owned company based in Chicago with offices in downtown Chicago, Oak Brook, Arlington Heights and Gurnee.
