The migration begins. Get ready to pick up some talent.
High performing employees have been hunkered down since last October (October 8th, 2008 to be exact. 4:00 pm EST to be even more exact. That is when Lehman Brothers declared bankrupcy)
I offer as proof the current “leading edge” job listings at Amazon HQ for top talent in recruiting. If you work in Lean, you watch Toyota. If you work in staffing, you watch Amazon and Google.
To quote Amazon themselves – “We currently have the following positions open in our Seattle Corporate offices:
• Manager, Talent Acquisition (Digital/Kindle team)
• Recruiting Manager, University Programs
• Sr. Recruiter – University Recruiting
• Sr. Recruiter – Human Resources
• MBA Recruiter
• Technical Sourcing Recruiter, Seller Services
• Sales Sourcing Recruiter, Seller Services
• Sourcing Recruiter – Digital
• Recruiting Coordinator – Digital
• Compliance Leader, OFCCP
You can review any of the positions at: www.amazon.com/careers”
This is big. I interpret that this significant recruiting hire is the first sign of spring – that Amazon wants their team in place to harvest the best of the flood of high performers that will be coming out of the woodwork in the Spring.
As I’m writing my book about the coming talent shortage (and what to do about it) I am pleased to see the first signs of the thaw.
I have my opinions – what other signs do you see?
Karl Ahlrichs' Uncommon Experience 
Employers are gearing up to pick up talent? Ok – I want to be first in line. Pick me! Pick me! Surely employers don’t know what they have been missing…
That means those of us who do recruiting will have to start working harder to get our positions filled. The good one will go fast!
I really do mean the “good one”.
I agree – I think employers will start to ramp up hard in spring. I also think those who were keeping seats warm until the thaw will start to move. The icebergs are melting.
I wonder how many unemployed have found flexible gigs that bring in enough cash to not be full-time anymore? I’ve talked to many folks who are sort of looking…it could be interesting as we migrate to a transient workforce.