Sep 10, 2009

When hiring, what has your experience been with an “opportunity buy”?

Posted by Wendy Weber

In this job market, we have come across quite a number of talented direct and online marketers who are out of work. It’s tough out there, and many of the unemployed are reaching the end of their unemployment benefits.

We are currently engaged in a search for a Financial Manager position. Just yesterday, I was talking to a job seeker who had previously held the title of CFO. When he expressed interest in the Manager position, I was surprised. The position was definately beneath his level of experience. He said that he had been out of work for quite some time, and he very much wants to secure employment. He said that at his former place of employment, they called people like him an “opportunity buy”.

Employers are both happy and cautious about such candidates. On one hand, talented professionals are “on sale”; an employee who in better times commanded a higher salary and enjoyed a more prominent role is willing to be flexible to get back into the workforce. On the other hand, employers are wary about how long such candidates will remain in their organization once the economy turns around.

In this case, the candidate has a history of lengthy tenures with prior employers, and he would be relocating his family for the position. I do believe that if hired, he will remain with my client for years.

What has your experience been with opportunity buys? Are they short lived hires? Or wonderful bargains?

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