Many of the people I talk to believe this is a good time to hire talent. The supply is high and the demand (available jobs) is low. Need a manager? Hire an ex-Vice President for the manager price, at a discount. That person may leave you in a year or two but buying below market is seldom a bad deal. But you need  to act quickly.

According to a recent survey by CareerBuilder, 48% of those laid off from their full-time jobs found full-time employment in the last three months. In March that number was at 41%, so people are finding full-time employment faster (today) than they did just a few months ago.

The chart below breaks down the changes (pay, industry, field & relocation) laid-off workers encountered when returning to work. The bottom line is the experts are telling companies to hire now, before the economy heats up and the competition for talent intensifies.

cfodaily_chart59

A good friend of mine has a lot of people in his organization. He told me recently, “I’m not spending a dime or hiring anyone until I’m certain the economy has recovered and sales will increase.” He’s not wrong. That conservative approach is what you learn in the corporate world. Don’t take risks because the penalty for being wrong is severe – termination.

In the investment world, however, waiting until the data is crystal clear is too late. You would be buying at the top of the market.  You have to anticipate. The opportunity to buy low and sell high exists for all investments, even investments in talent.

Now looks like a good time to buy.

Steve