Due to the current supply-and-demand situation, many companies and recruiting firms are cutting back on advertising job openings on job boards. Because supply (qualified candidates) far out numbers demand (open positions), companies and recruiting firms are receiving many more resumes than they have open positions to fill; therefore, reducing the need (and expense) for job board ads.

Our advice is to not put too much stock in the jobs (or lack of jobs) companies and recruiting firms are advertising on job boards. It is highly likely that they are hiring for more positions than they are advertising for. RJ & Makay lists only about 20% of our openings on job boards. Many companies and recruiting firms have scaled back their job ads or simply have not renewed with job boards in recent months.

Go to the websites of recruiting firms that you respect. Typically, their open positions listed on their website will provide a more current and thorough representation of the open positions they have available. Check back often for new openings or subscribe to their RSS feed if they have one available (we provide one as do most active executive recruiting firms).

Frequently visit the websites of target companies you would like to be working at and check their careers pages for new openings. Being amongst the very first gives you an advantage in how your resume is reviewed compared to the hundredth one that comes in.

Even though many companies and recruiting firms have cut back or eliminated job board advertising, many are still utilizing job board databases. So, make sure that you do have your resume out there where it can be found. Take the time to create search agents or alerts so you can be one of the first notified when jobs are posted that match the criteria you are looking for.

Of course, it is true that there aren’t a ton of job openings out there in the financial services industry compared to what there used to be. However, there are a lot more jobs available than you might think if you have been just using job boards as your gauge.

-Darin Manis

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