The Recession Bargain: Two Jobs for One Person

Cool! You're Hired!

Well, that was quick. I just had an interview for what I thought was a Business Analyst position, with emphasis on Web skills. Actually, the job posting was for a System Analyst but the job description was for a Business Analyst. Very nice woman, who interviewed me, said that the company complained that they (the recruiters) kept interviewing business analyst, which made sense in light of the description. Nevertheless, the conversation was short and pleasant. I’m not disappointed but I think this is happening a lot lately.

I know companies are struggling and our recovery has been a series of fits and starts but a LAMP expert requires a different set of skills than say a visual designer or an SEO expert and probably should not be part of the same job opening. It seems like companies are polling each of their departments and asking them what type of help they could use, then they are taking those request, putting them into a jargon blender, mixing in a 6-month contract marinade and serving up these salvos on monster.com and indeed.com. But I completely understand, I mean if I could write the description for the perfect spouse or vacation, it probably would include some contradictory requirements (sorry hubby), like “wanted: introspective artist, who craves solitude but who can also be the life of any party”

The contract thing is interesting. It seems like a new tactic in hiring, where they can hire you for 6 months without benefits, let you go, then hire the next cat for another 6 months and on and on. This may be additional motivation for someone thinking of starting a small-business. If you are going to be working contract to contract without a guarantee of renewal then what’s the difference between that and working for yourself.

I’m really not sure what the answer is. It’s a tough time for businesses, which impacts all of us on some level. If the direction is small business then what can be done to support that transition. I read an interesting article from Robert Reich called a A new wave of entrepreneurs, or a growing class of the anxiously self-employed? and it did strike a chord.  But then I thought does it matter? I think everyone is anxious on some level and maybe, just maybe, if we can work through this and build something positive and profitable from it, perhaps we’ll be better off (you choose your ally-word- financially, personally,etc) on the other side.