It's tough to ignore all the talk of a recession over the past few days, weeks...months. And it's impossible to ignore the affect that this downturn in the economy has on the job market, which happens to drastically affect what I do here at Midtown.
On a slightly more positive note, Forbes found Bethesda, MD and the DC metro area among the top 25 Best Cities to Get a Job for 2008. Not the glorious top ten, of course, but not too bad either. At the very end of 2007, there was actually moderate, positive job growth. So, from what I can tell, it seems like major firms in the DC area are still hiring like mad, the only difference now is that they are demanding more value from their potential employees than ever before.
To be good enough is no longer enough; applicants need to showcase their skills through a flawless resume, a thoughtful cover letter and professional interview. With all those things, employers want to see high energy and passion for the position, someone who's proactive, able to go above and beyond in the position, rather than reactive and just doing what he/she's told. Now don't get me wrong, humility shows the ability to adapt and desire to learn, but standing out as a bright personality can be done without being obnoxious.
