In my last entry, I wrote about how our economy may be in a slow recovery and how welcome this good news is for both candidates and clients. After hiring and growth ground to a halt for most of 2009, there are several indicators suggesting that things may be starting to rebound a bit.

One interesting trend we saw at BOWEN this year was despite the slowdown in activity levels and layoffs from the beginning of the year, we were not seeing an increase in the number of candidates coming through our doors, looking for work.

At first, we found this trend somewhat puzzling, but as we started to analyze information further, and from what we have heard and surmised, many candidates were taking a break before starting the job search again in the fall.

Some also received severance packages and may have chosen to use this time to explore new career options, spend some time with family or pursue further education. 

What I do know is that BOWEN is here to help candidates find suitable employment and we are a valuable partner in your job search. If you haven’t registered with us, I do encourage you to call or e-mail for more information. It’s that time of year when we start making plans and resolutions for the new year, and if finding a new career is one your list, please consider how our talented and experienced recruiters may be able to help you. It’s worth checking into!

The latest Labour Force Survey, released by Stats Canada on December 4, 2009, shows that Canada’s unemployment rate is declining, with 79,000 new jobs being added nationally in November.  

This is good news, especially because Alberta is one of the provinces showing the strongest gains. According to the release, “employment in Alberta rose by 13,000 in November, the largest monthly increase in the province since October 2008″.

The slight upward trend is certainly reflective of what we are seeing at BOWEN as well. Temporary orders doubled from July to October and our Professional division has 13 open orders, the highest number we’ve seen this year. We have also had 42 new or reactivated accounts since the beginning of January.

More good news comes in the form of discussions about start-up projects in the northern Alberta oils and and some companies are starting to hire to manage construction.  

On the flip side, energy trust rules change next year and there is significant speculation the 26 major players will merge and acquire down to four or five. There is still much uncertainty about the destiny of many companies. With South American and Asian interest showing up in our market. Who will be bought? 

Experts are saying we will stabilize at $75 oil and that figure makes getting it out of the ground and to market a viable business again. The same people say gas is still a year away from recovery. 

The moral is that there are industries hiring and doing well in this economy. If people are looking for a job or to want to make a change, it’s about getting smarter on where to apply. Listen to the media, study the trade publications, keep networking and do your research. Candidates still need to be proactive, but at least there are more options than there were a few months ago.

After this year, I’ll certainly take any good news I can get, won’t you?