On Top of the Job Market

Stocks came to BYU from the Air Force where, as head of human resources for the Air Combat Command, he directed personnel support for more than 250,000 military members and civilians. Twice a commander of military units, Stocks also served as chief of the Air Force’s personnel strategic planning branch in the Pentagon and was the primary architect of the Air Force’s first personnel strategic planning guide, establishing the service’s “people” priorities over the following decade. Stocks is a graduate of the National War College in Washington, D.C. He also earned an MS in communication from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and a BA in journalism from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Q: The U.S. Labor Department’s recent household survey shows job growth in the second half of 2003 averaging a healthy 134,000 per month. Do you see this growth trend continuing?

A: Yes, I certainly hope the growth trend continues, and, barring another 9/11 or other major interruption in the recovery, I think it will.

As we’ve pulled out of these economic downturns in the past, we’ve seen spikes in demand among employers. In a sense, companies feel like they’ve been dieting, and it’s time to go back to a routine of regular hiring. We’re seeing the same phenomenon as we pull out of this downturn; however, we have found it to be much weaker than previous recoveries.

I do think there has been a fundamental change in the behavior of companies as it relates to hiring. They’re much more cautious and systematic about hiring than in the past. That means our students and alumni will have to be much more prepared and aggressive in their job-finding strategies.

Q: Do you foresee an employee shortage in the future? If so, will it affect our students and alumni?

A: Some of the data suggests that, in the long term, we may see employee shortages again. But I’m not looking for it to be a factor anytime soon, especially with the kinds of jobs our alumni and students would like. Recruiters come to BYU looking for strong, well-prepared students with the ability to be future leaders in their companies. There will always be competition for these types of positions, but also opportunities.

There are still certain courses of study and general career areas that are in more demand than others. Right now, for example, our accounting students, who are always in high demand, are seeing an even greater clamoring for their skills. Our information systems students have had a little tougher time recently, but given the shortages that are projected in this career area, I expect the demand for these students to increase too. I think it’s also fair to say that our undergraduate management students have become the hires of choice among many major retail chains for both operations and corporate-level jobs, and we continue to see this demand grow. Our MBA placement has been relatively strong nationally—three years ago we led the nation in placement—and we’re seeing signs that demand for BYU MBAs will pick up in the next year. Our MPA students don’t place quite as quickly as our MBAs, but they seem to do remarkably well over time. In fact, their placement last year three months after graduation was just as good as our MBA placement.

As for our alumni, we’ve been told by our partners that the school’s growing reputation also makes them more attractive. That’s why we’re spending a great deal of time talking about how to improve our career management link with alumni. We don’t have all the answers yet, but we do believe a stronger link between alumni, the school, and our corporate partners could be a boon to us all.

Q: Is the average job tenure in one company lengthening or shortening?

A: If you read the literature on job trends, you’ll find the trend of shortening job tenure highlighted. What has been interesting to me, however, is that the message from our key corporate partners and trusted business allies has not changed. They’re still looking for employees who want productive, stable, rewarding job opportunities—and they still measure the value of school relationships in terms of retention within their companies.

These companies want individuals who will be good corporate citizens, will support the company’s culture and mission, and will become an integral part of the organization. That’s another reason many companies like our students. Despite some corporate legends—and they are just that, “corporate legends”—that all of our students eventually want to return to Utah, the truth is, we generally have better retention with most companies than other major business schools. In other words, our students actually “stick” better. We feel it’s one of our strategic advantages.

(United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, http://stats.bls.gov/news.release/tenure.t05.htm)

Q: Where are the geographic hot spots right now for finding jobs in the United States?

A: The most important question really isn’t the location question. The better question is, “Where can I best utilize the skills and abilities I have developed during my education and during my years of work?” After that, it’s really a question of passion and fit—these are words we hear all the time from recruiters. They want to see candidates for their jobs who have real enthusiasm for what they will be doing and who have the right backgrounds, either from their educations or from their work experience, to be successful in these jobs.

Marriott School students and alumni are very strong academically and intellectually, and it’s rare to hear that they don’t measure up in these areas. Generally, recruiters are most concerned about the “passion” of the candidates. Passion is certainly enthusiasm, as I have said, but it’s also preparation and company knowledge. How much do you really want to work for a company if you haven’t taken the time to thoroughly understand what the company does and what its challenges are? Today, thanks to the Internet, critical information about almost all companies is only a click or two away.

Q: According to a recent Business Week article, small businesses are especially upbeat about future hiring plans. Are small companies better bets than large firms?

A: I think they’re a good bet and a great opportunity, but they’re not necessarily a better bet. Obviously, the best way to learn to be an entrepreneur is from an entrepreneur, and small businesses can be a wonderful way to go. A small business may also be a great option for a parent who wants to work from home.

But, as a general rule, the best way to go is from big to little. I would usually rather see someone start with Ford Motor Company and then go out and found his or her own parts business instead of the opposite.

Q: How are people finding the available positions?

A: Most people still find jobs the old-fashioned way—by determining where they fit best and then networking with individuals who can help them get there.

There is a general feeling now that if you’ve got a problem, the Internet will solve it. As it relates to the job-finding process, the Internet can be helpful, but it is not a panacea. If you know exactly where you want to work, the Internet can be a key tool in your research relating to the employer. As a tool for finding a job, though, the job-finding sites typically offer little more than a good start in the search process. However, you can find great advice on the Internet related to the process of finding a job. Hundreds of sites, like monster.com and the Department of Labor web sites, offer a variety of outstanding services and data sources to help in the search.

Q: What are some key elements of effective networking?

A: Creativity is the key to networking. I’ve heard some people say, “I’ll ask three people whom I know really well, and when they tell me ‘no,’ I’ll go back to the newspaper.” That is not networking. Networking implies process and planning. Sure, you take advantage of targets of opportunity. But you also create your opportunities through deep thought and astute planning. You start the networking process by identifying people who might be able to help you, either by providing direct information or by providing access to someone else.

You never approach a contact by saying, “I’m looking for a job. Will you hire me?” You might say something like, “I’m thinking about changing careers,” or “I’m currently in the job-finding process and looking for help in understanding a particular industry or company.” The more creative you are without being abrasive or inappropriate, the more successful you will be.

Q: What trends do you see in resume preparation?

A: I’ve seen a tremendous change in resumes over the last several years. Resumes used to be job histories. But resumes today are all about impact, the results of your work with previous employers.

Instead of seeing something like, “I was responsible for a $200,000 budget,” employers today would prefer to see something closer to, “I was responsible for a $200,000 budget, and I was able to reduce that budget by nearly 20 percent every two years by doing these kinds of things.” The emphasis is not on what you did, but what you accomplished.

It has been estimated that the average recruiter spends less than ten seconds on a resume. In that ten seconds, he or she determines to toss it or put it in the “hold” pile. The recruiter will glance at it, make a quick decision as to whether there is anything of interest, and move on. You’ve got to attract attention fast. You do that with strong, pithy statements that show the value you’ve added in previous positions.

3 Absolute Truths About The Job Search

• People are always getting good jobs
• Your job search begins the day you start to look for your first job and never ends
• Knowledge rules and passion sells

Q: What’s the best way to keep yourself marketable for your next job?

A: There are several ways. The first is to know what is going on in your industry. If you lose the beat on your industry, you’re not going to know how to prepare for the future or even be ready for promotion opportunities. Over our careers, each one of us will be expected to reinvent ourselves many times. We must be ready to continually adapt to new ideas and improved tools in the workplace.

Once you get your first job, your job search never stops. I’m not saying that you shouldn’t be totally loyal to your current employer, because you should be. But, you’re not doing yourself or your employer any favors if you lose your edge and become content with the status quo, with where you are right now. As one pundit said, “When you’re through preparing for the future, you’re really through.”

Q: What advice do you have for those who are trying to change industries or who are re-entering the workforce after a period of absence?

A: We’ve got an economy right now that puts some major hurdles in the way of industry changers. It’s much easier to get better at what you’re doing than it is to change from one industry to another. Desire isn’t enough to become a successful industry changer. It takes a carefully thought-out strategy, taking into account individual weaknesses and strengths. But it also takes a story.

The first question any recruiter is going to ask is, “Why?”—“Why are you making this change?” Having a great story can overcome the negative attitudes you’ll invariably encounter about what you’re trying to do. I call it the “Oh, I see” approach. If you can get the recruiter to say, “Oh, I see,” you’ve probably done a pretty good job of explaining what you’re trying to do and why.

Q: Generally speaking, what other advice do you have when it comes to job searching?

A: It’s important to remember that recruiters are generally measured by their success in hiring good people. Their goal is to minimize the risk of hiring unsuccessful candidates. If you’re in the job market, you need to take a good hard look at yourself, and ask yourself where you might be perceived as a risk for a potential employee. Is your work experience weak? Was your education on target? Have you got the right track record? Then work to make yourself the absolutely smallest risk possible. The strongest candidate on paper does not necessarily get the job. It is usually the candidate who has the best overall balance of ability, experience, and personality, and is therefore the least risk.

Finally, the secret to a successful job search is to stay positive. Don’t give up too easily. Finding a job, whether it is your first job after college or the next job in your career, is hard work. It may be the hardest work you ever do. Don’t lose confidence in a good plan, just because you don’t have immediate success. I don’t know how many times I’ve heard, even at BYU, “It’s much too tough. I can’t deal with this.” You can deal with it, and you can be successful—if you only stick with it.

There are jobs out there, even in the worst economy, that people will get because they are persistent, aggressive, and creative. I can’t overstate how important it is to be creative in the job-finding process. There is no better advice than President Kimball’s admonition to “plan your work and work your plan.”

median years of tenure with current employer

Develop a Job-Search Strategy

• Have faith in yourself
• Self-assess
• Do your homework
• Develop your story
• Target your resume
• Network, network, network
• Apply in person, if possible