Blogs
That was the year that was
Emma Murphy
21 December 2009
Well, we’re more than half way through December, and all around people are expressing incredulity at the speed at which the year has passed. Soon we’ll be immersed in ‘end of year’ reviews – looking back at all the trials and tribulations, the successes and various disasters that have befallen the world, our country, our industry and so on. Yes – they’ve just started dropping in to my inbox.
With so many big themes abounding (recession, climate change, MPs’ expenses, X Factor) let’s move from the macro and focus on the micro. How was 2009 for you? If you managed to stay dry, stay employed (or become employed), were invested in gold, had an existing standard variable rate or tracker mortgage it was probably pretty good or better. If you did get a bonus this year, better still (unless you are a banker – although something will be sorted out... )
If you graduated in 2009 then you might not be feeling quite so chipper. Graduate training programmes were greatly reduced; vacancies and recruitment targets were all down from the major employers. Graduates are reported to be feeling pessimistic about their chances of securing work.
However, recent research from recruitment firm VMA (its State of the Market survey from November 2009) revealed that all was not lost for those graduates looking for a career in PR, and in financial services PR in particular.
An incredible 67% of PR agency respondents witnesses an uplift in business levels over the past three months
An incredible 67% of (PR agency) respondents claimed that they had witnessed an uplift in business levels over the past three months, with the exact same number also predicting that the tough economic climate will remain the same over the next six months.
On the in-house PR front, one of the most significant results of the survey showed the confidence of the financial services arena, with more than 46% of companies looking to hire over the next six months – significantly higher than the non-financial services market.
Opportunities in financial PR aside, the length of the most recent economic boom will mean that many current graduates would definitely not have been expecting such a challenging employment environment when they embarked upon their courses. However, fear not. There are always opportunities, and even if your first job is not your dream job, it can be used as a stepping stone somewhere else. Good luck and happy new year.
