Job Availability or Lack Thereof

[William R Lechner/ADD_LAKE_HUB/ADD_HUB/ADD/US <William_R_Lechner/ADD__LAKE__HUB/ADD__HUB/ADD/US.ADD@notes.abbott.com>]

I find it interesting that everyone is so discouraged about the job situation 
for HPs.  Last year at the annual meeting in Boston there was only 1 job 
posting per 8 resumes.  This year in Seattle there was 1 job posting per 2 
resumes.  Slightly better odds given that attendance to the two meetings were 
similar.  Also, I have personally seen 3 job listings on Radsafe in the one 
week that I have been on this listserv.  AND I received 2 separate calls for 
HPs last week (1 entry level no less).

It is true that the ads in the Newsletter have slowed down but so have the 
Resumes.  Comparing last year to this year (HPS fiscal year) there was 
approximately a 40% decrease in the number of resume postings in the Newsletter 
for a total of 36 advertisements.  There were 48 requests for HPs.  The obvious 
decrease in job postings appears to have had a negative effect on resumes as 
well.  It seems as though everyone is saying, "Well there aren't any job 
postings, so there must not be any jobs."  (expletives removed).

As ex-chair for the Placement Committee I would like to clarify a few items.  
First the review.  The Placement Committee holds a resume book of all 
individuals who are seeking employment.  These resumes are listed in the 
Newsletter.  A prospective employer sees these ads (ideally) and requests as 
many, or as few, of them as they desire.  This accounts for approximately 25% 
of the requests for resumes.  

Now the black box stuff.  The other 75% of the time, the Newsletter or a member 
of the HPS recommends contacting the Chair directly (depending on urgency of 
the postion, inability to print in the next issue of the Newsletter, etc).  If 
this happens, the Chair matches the desired characteristics and qualifications 
of the job to the resume book participants.  Those resumes are forwarded to the 
employer and, hopefully, a hire comes out of it.  So what's it all mean?

Due to the largely negative opinions of the HPs, there is an illusion of no 
jobs.  Consequently, the resume book of the Placement Committe has become 
thin.  The 36 HPs that decided that the Newsletter was still a worthy channel 
for finding a job were exposed to 36 more jobs that were never announced.  
That's a wake up call to all you nay-sayers.

The bottom line is that there ARE jobs but they are going undetected for the 
most part.  The Newsletter and Placement Committee should still be used as one 
of the main resources to finding some of these "secret" postings.  Remember, 
the Newsletter is not a gauge of the market, nor was it ever intended to be.  
The listings are a service to members of the HPS.  IMHO, I see this service as 
a benefit for the few bucks I shell out every year to belong to the HPS.

Bill Lechner
ex-Chair, Placement Committee
lechnwr.add@notes.abbott.com