business

Today's job world rivals the dark days of the Depression. People crave job security. They're scared, and rightly so. But there's a difference.

Back then, lifetime employment was the goal. No more. Instead, you have to be constantly prepared to find the next job with another employer.

In 2007, Time magazine reported a Gallup poll saying "about 77 percent of people hated their jobs." The Bureau of Labor Statistics says the average person will have at least three to five career changes and 10 to 14 jobs by age 38. Downsizing and re-engineering are inescapable realities. Individuals can expect to be routinely caught in the employment meat grinder.

People now will live in a perpetual job search. That demands an expanded toolbox. Relentless and effective networking -- coupled with lifetime learning -- is the foremost survival skill.

Employers have ratcheted up their expectations, too. More than ever before, firms are banking on new hires to deliver payback plus. They want reliable results fast.

For a management job today, you can expect a psychological evaluation. It shouldn't spook you, but expect it to be thorough. Companies have neither time nor money to risk on newcomers who can't or won't adapt to their culture.

Be credible. If you say you're willing to take less salary and status, show you're adjusting your lifestyle or career plan.

Emphasize your teamwork skills. Natural team players are easier to supervise and contribute to higher productivity.

Today's savvy career planner is always on the lookout for the next opportunity. That philosophy only freezes up when companies quit hiring.

So, when will companies resume hiring? They already are, including some of the very best. An April Fortune magazine article said some Fortune 100 employers had at least 150 openings. They included Wal-Mart, Hewlett-Packard and State Farm Insurance.

Maybe you're one of those success stories, hired during this downturn. This is a chance to help others still pounding the pavement. E-mail your story to me at infoharveymackay.com. I'd love to hear from you and learn more about how people across the map are handling these tough times. Tell me:

• What was unique about how you presented your "value proposition?"

• Were you able to call on your personal network of references in an unusual way?

• Did you make a special promise that you would be able to make a big difference to the firm's performance short term and how did you deliver on it?

• Perhaps you're a returning veteran, having to switch from a shrunken industry such as finance or automotive, or you spent several years as a stay-at-home mom or dad. How do people in these straits claw their way back into a job?

The more innovative people we can help get back to work, the faster this economy again will be pumping iron.

Mackay's Moral: They're not not hiring. They're just not hiring like they used to.

Harvey Mackay is a Minneapolis businessman and author. Contact him at 612-378-6202 or send e-mail to harvey@mackay.com. His column is distributed by United Feature Syndicate.