Too Many Indians Not Enough Chiefs

Posted on | March 8, 2010 | No Comments

The current job market is maddening for most, but if you happen to be a jobseeker with little or no management experience or specialized technical skills, it’s a waking nightmare.  Sadly, that nightmare is not likely to end soon.  In fact, based on the most recent stats on online job demand, and the Labor Department’s unemployment stats, it’s getting worse.

According to the Conference Board’s latest Help Wanted Index, job demand for management positions grew by more than 61,000 jobs between January and February as employers sought sales managers, computer and information systems managers, and marketing managers.  Demand for office and administrative workers was down by 25,600 jobs.  Even demand for health care support jobs, a category that’s held strong throughout the recession, dropped by 8,600.

According to the Department of Labor, the unemployment rate for management, professional and related occupations for February was 4.8%, compared with 20.8% for natural resources, construction and maintenance occupations,  10.7% for service occupations and 9.5% for sales and office occupations.

If that’s not enough, there is more competition for non-management jobs.  There are fewer than 2 qualified unemployed people for every management job; there are nearly 4 for office and administrative jobs, 5 for installation, maintenance and repair jobs, and 11 for transportation and material moving jobs.*

All that boils down to one thing–it’s hard out there for jobseekers with limited/no management experience.

What To Do Now

• Volunteer or take on an externship to gain management experience: Be ambitious and professional.  Ask for the most significant project you can manage and wow your employer.  It’s not about the money, it’s about the experience, so make it memorable.

• Go back to school: Like it or not, many employers are more willing to give management jobs to newly-minted MBAs than to seasoned workers with no management experience.

*Conference Board

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