Outside Job Offers, Counteroffers, Science Jobs and more... 

The Godfather happens to be one of those timeless, influential movies. The kind where you can watch it over and over again and always learn something new to apply in real life. After being a recruiter for 20 years, I can honestly say, I’ve seen it all. And you’d be surprised how often the lessons of The Godfather play out and carry over into what we do. Today, we’re sharing the best of those with you…

This is our first survey as Alaant Workforce Solutions, formerly Linium Recruiting, but our mission remains the same. With your input, we’re measuring the state of the Capital Region’s job market: who’s hiring, hot jobs, and the challenges and opportunities employers are encountering as they fill positions. We hope you’ll take 60 seconds to add your voice: Thanks in advance for your participation!

A recent article piqued the reader’s curiosity with the seemingly paradoxical title “Why I Encourage My Best Employees to Consider Outside Job Offers.” In it, veteran marketing executive Ryan Bonnici provides compelling arguments for several benefits that companies can reap by taking an active role in supporting the career growth opportunities of their best employees. This includes showing an interest in the employees’ career ambitions, and in some cases even encouraging them to explore outside opportunities.

Question: I have had a couple of interviews at other companies and am getting close to a job offer. However, because I’ve done well at my current company, I anticipate that they will try to counteroffer. In fact, I’m even thinking about asking for one. Should I, and what are my chances? — Anonymous…

With so many employers facing a talent crisis, there’s a push to find qualified candidates quickly. According to a recent ManpowerGroup report, 40% of 42,000 employers surveyed said they were having a challenging time filling positions within their company. What’s causing this gap in qualified employees? It has to do with more than just a lack of applicants in many fields. The main problem is that competition is fierce amongst top employers…

In July, Shengpei Wang—a fifth year Ph.D. student at Syracuse University in New York—went to her university’s career support center seeking help. She wasn’t sure whether an academic career was right for her. She loved doing research, but writing grant applications and manuscripts is “not my favorite thing to do,” she says. She had considered moving toward a career in data analytics, but her Ph.D. work wasn’t particularly data-intensive and she had a nagging feeling that she wasn’t capable of making the career switch. “I never doubted my interest; it’s more competency,” she says…