From Weddle's Newsletter for February:

The Boston Globe reports that HR networking groups have seen their membership dwindle dramatically in the last several months. And, if HR professionals are no longer standing around looking at their shadows, then the long, cold winter of hiring freezes is clearly just about over.

Firms added 112,000 jobs in January, 2004 according to the US Department of Labor. This was seen as a disappointment by the stock market which expected a much greater number.

But in a different report, a survey of household, household reported an increase of 496,000 last month.

Why the difference?

Because the first survey record companies increasing payroll and the second includes self-employed and contract workers.

This is something we have been writing about since last summer--the beginning of the recovery as manifest by increased consultant utilization. This is usually the first phase of a labor recovery, particularly within information technology.

The survey does not speak about salary levels, rate scales or wages which, at the beginning of a cycle, tend to be very low with a demand for great numbers of skills.

To me, these reports and ourt own experience reflect the enthusiasm we have had for the labor market for several months and bodes well for the rest of the year--assuming no terrorist activity in the US.

It will probably not be enough to take away the sour feelings that many Americans have toward the President for various reasons.

You heard it here first. Bush will lose to whomever the Democratic nominee is--and it won't be close.

The job recovery continues to move along but slaries and consulting rates remain in the dark ages. We are getting rates and people are willing to accept assignments for rates as low as $240 per day, rates taht were laughably low not too long along. Salaries also remain stuck.

When CIO's, a branch of leaders hip that is polled regularly, receives advice about what to do during 2004, they are encouraged to keep their costs down. This comes in the form of looking at standardizing platforms to simplify integration issues and to look at the benefits of offshoring jobs.

Yet all surveyus are pointing to increased hiring in 2004 and that the labor market in our sector will be dramatically stronger by 2006 than today.

How can you survive and thrive? In all markets, experience with actively sought technology is a key ingredient but that is always a shifting target. More subtle requirements are excellent oral communications skills (required for people with all levels of experience) and leadership. This is an attribute that helps organizations justify assigning supervisory roles in addition to technical responsibilities.

More to come