Employment and 9/11

Today marks Five Years since the United States was attacked both Physically and Emotionally. While the Media outlets take the opportunity to reflect on how it changed our nation, I would like to share a thought on how it changed the employment scene for the entire country.

There are some significant changes on my mind today.

1. In November of 2001, just 60 days after the event, an employment professional working for a national technology company had the first month in his twelve years of recruiting without a placement.

2. National companies began to tighten the employment screening process, in many cases re-defining their policies and procedures.

3. Professionals who had worked in their chosen field began to examine their motives for "why" they work. Many of them making career changing decisions.

Now, five years later the technology corridor has started to open up again and the opportunities and demand for technology-based employees has increased. The above-mentioned employment professional ended up leaving the national firm that he was with and opened his own placement company. He now employs a staff of six and has created a strong income for his family. More significantly he has printed his company mission statement on his business cards, which reads, "Bringing experienced professionals together with exceptional organizations, while honoring God."

So today I reflect on an industry that now requires:

Employment professionals to be Flexible and Pro-active

Employers who are more attentive to their employee's needs

An American workforce that should be focused on not just what they do, but why they do it.

Let's all use our hearts today in everything that we do.