Green shoots?

[Napster]

I'm on Linkedin, which as some people know, is a glorified version of facebook, but for business.

Anyway, in the last week, I've now been approached by 4 different companies (2 agencies, 2 conference companies), asking whether I'm interested in a position. Latest one today is a decent company, with branches across the globe.

Frankly, if conferences are on the up, then business is on the up. 2 years ago it was hard to get people to a conference, now it's picking up, and it seems, there are jobs out there...

What's your experience?

 

[Interpol Shrimper]

Noticed over the past couple of weeks that I am starting to see a load more Sold or Sale Agreed signs on properties and that there are a considerable number of '59' reg motors driving about. Compare this to 6 months ago and it's a considerable change.

 

[DTS]

As predicted by your truely and shot down in flames by many on here I am sure the market is starting to come back.

Cant be arsed to search my old posts but I said 2009 end of we would start to see recovery and by mid-late 2010 we can expect to see a period of growth.

Personally been job hunting and never had so many people offering work. Wages still a littler lower than they were a few years ago but you would expect that in the current market.

 

[BoyWonder2]

Well as a company, last month we hit our first global target in 13 months so things seem to be picking up again and from speaking to my customers most of them seem to be picking up again.

Fingers crossed this continues.

 

[Rayleigh Weir]

I was made redundant from my performance testing role in the summer, and within two weeks of starting my search I'd got a new job. I get a similar amount of approaches to yourself on LinkedIn, and also about half a dozen calls a week from employment agents that I initially registered with even though I've made them all aware that I'm not currently looking. I also get called or e-mailed from direct recruiters (i.e. not agents) about once every week or two - presumably they got my CV from one of the online agency portals that I registered with - even though I removed it a couple of months ago. So, yes, from my point of view the job market at least seems a lot more bouyant than I was led to believe...

 

[Slipperduke]

Still holding steady here in Journo-world. Sales of Football Fables collapsed along with every other book in late '08*, but the contracts for the four sports books were maintained and progressing as normal. I got pay-cut from Singapore, but they haven't laid me off yet and the Irish paper I write for are still paying, though on an extended period of payment so that can snaffle the interest.

I think I've been quite lucky. The papers got hit hard and a lot of far more talented journalists than myself got stiffed. Hopefully, things will start to improve now. It's been squeaky bottom time for too long.



* - Mind you, that might have been a question of quality!

 

[BrettieAngell]

Well we've got **** all work.

 

[MK Shrimper]

Green shoots? Not sure, NR are planning to make 1800 job losses in an industry that is already desperately short of skilled staff, however my missus' house was made an offer on before it even went on the market.

Strange times indeed.

 

[BLUEBLOOD]

We've been on a 4 day week for around 2 months, but i'll be in tomorrow and the next 4 Fridays as our order books are full and we need to replenish our stock-holding .. we're still uncertain if its a definate upturn or just the impact of customers trying to maximise their rebates by spending up to the next break point though we've also had a nice couple of orders in relation to the Olympic Village and Aquacentre

 

[Kent Shrimper]

Well i started my own branded merchandise, corporate giveaway and promotional clothing business 10 weeks ago http://www.outstandingbranding.com and business is great, we are growing extremely fast and will out perform our business plan if we can maintain the growth. People told me and my business partner we were mad.

 

[canveyshrimper]

While I agree the signs are looking a lot more promising than 6 months ago, I think there's a fair way to go yet. Unemployment figures were up again yesterday and are expected to reach 3 million. There's certainly not much in the way of job prospects in the freight industry.

 

[Napster]

While I agree the signs are looking a lot more promising than 6 months ago, I think there's a fair way to go yet. Unemployment figures were up again yesterday and are expected to reach 3 million. There's certainly not much in the way of job prospects in the freight industry.

Some freight companies would disagree with you. NYK seems to be riding out the storm, Panalpina is doing better than expected, WWL is doing OK.

ps yes unemployment went up, but it's the smallest rise for quite some time. I expect the number to start falling by the end of the year.

 

[canveyshrimper]

Some freight companies would disagree with you. NYK seems to be riding out the storm, Panalpina is doing better than expected, WWL is doing OK.

ps yes unemployment went up, but it's the smallest rise for quite some time. I expect the number to start falling by the end of the year.

That's 3 out of many, there's many more that are losing money hand over fist like Maersk whose losses were around $500 million for the first quarter of 2009. Others such as Senator, CSAV/Norasia & MISC have either folded or left particular trade lanes altogether. I believe that Hapag Lloyd have been struggling and there have been many rumours about their future.

I am pretty sure even the most optimistic in the government do not expect to see unemployment fallingjust yet.

 

[Napster]

That's 3 out of many, there's many more that are losing money hand over fist like Maersk whose losses were around $500 million for the first quarter of 2009. Others such as Senator, CSAV/Norasia & MISC have either folded or left particular trade lanes altogether. I believe that Hapag Lloyd have been struggling and there have been many rumours about their future.

I am pretty sure even the most optimistic in the government do not expect to see unemployment fallingjust yet.

Fair enough - but it's not all doom and gloom.

 

[canveyshrimper]

Fair enough - but it's not all doom and gloom.

Agreed, all the signs are there, it's now a matter of time.

 

[SupaBlues]

I fail to see any change on a personal level. I have several years experience working in Accounts, mainly in property, but have not been able to find work for 6 months now. The interviews I have been on, only 2, seemed to go really well but on both occasions I was told I was too qualified!!! So although there are some positions out there the market is still very very slow.

 

[returningshrimper]

Small signs in the business I am in, but thats all