Business Executive Sees Continued Demand For New Management Positions in San Francisco
Earlier this month, outgoing Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernake explained to members of the American Economic Association that he expects continued growth in the American economy. That's great news for the San Francisco Bay Area, which experienced phenomenal job growth last year. Part of the local growth has been in management positions, and hiring agencies have played a prominent role in job placement. Cindy Fassler, vice president and chief talent officer at Professional Career Placements in San Francisco, expects the hiring trend for managers from a variety of industries to be strong all year.
What is your professional and educational background?
"While pursuing my undergraduate degree in Business Administration at San Francisco State University, I went to a staffing agency and applied for a part-time recruiting position. I fell in love with the job and decided to take a chance by leaving school early and opening up my own contract and recruiting firm. Thirty-one years later, I am still in staffing and executive search where I am currently the Vice President and Chief Talent Officer at Professional Career Placements."
What career advice can you offer to people interested in a career in your industry?
"You have to be passionate about the recruiting industry because it has long hours and is hard work. If you are not naturally a people person, it will be an uphill battle. Most successful recruiters are industry specific (i.e. accounting, banking, tech). Decide early on what you want your specialty to be so you can start growing your network and your expertise. Having a background in human resources and sales will give you a big advantage."
Do you expect a continued increase in demand in your industry?
"Absolutely. With the recession coming to an end and companies' budgets starting to increase, there are hundreds of new positions popping up each day. Hiring managers are beginning to realize they need help filling quality candidates into these open positions and are relying more heavily on outside sources such as recruiting agencies and executive placement firms to get the job done."
Randy Yagi is a freelance writer covering all things San Francisco. In 2012, he was awarded a Media Fellowship from Stanford University. His work can be found on Examiner.com Examiner.com.
