The employment industry, like any other industry, is governed by economic cycles,  fluctuation in consumer demand for skills of certain professionals, and psychological forces that come into play when certain jobs are considered "hot" and others are considered "cold."

There is no such thing as job security!

Rules For Determining Your Marketability

• Your market worth is a matter of what a prospective employer is willing to pay for your services.  You can get an idea of what the going rates are by looking at websites such as www.salary.com, which offers objective salary comparisons and differentials within a profession based on geographical demographics.
• Your market worth is also determined by subjective considerations of the employer based on the company needs and your specific strengths.
• Your market worth can be enhanced considerably through professional development.  Have you:

  - Earned an advanced degree or professional certification?
  - Developed new skills that enable you to make a greater
  contribution to the success of your company?
  - Received any industry or professional awards or other
  evidence of peer-recognized distinction?
  - Advanced on the job more quickly than others who
  were hired in similar positions?

• Consider the competition.  One way to do this is to work with professional recruiters who are experts in placing professionals with your background and abilities.  They have their pulse on hiring trends and can offer an objective assessment of a given candidate's marketability.  A brief informational telephone conversation or face-face meeting will allow you to identify if the recruiter thinks you are a "Hot commodity."
• Read online and print employment postings.  Scan the want ads in major newspapers and professional journals in your field.
• Try registering confidentiality with a couple of major employment portals, including IMDiversity.  Target the positions you are ideally suited for, and then ask some difficult questions:

  - What is the nationwide demand for persons with your skills?

  -  How long have certain positions been advertised and    unfilled?

  - What is the range of starting compensation for such    positions?

  - Would you qualify as an exceptional candidate question?

You can prepare to launch an effective search campaign that maximizes your chances to land your ideal position when you have answered these questions.