The BG Blog:  Rich Fresh Content Twice a Month We are pleased to announce the new BG Blog. Here we'll share firsthand observations of the current economy and hiring, along with actionable tips and advice. In place of the bg Times e-newsletter our blog will provide fresh, concise content twice per month. Why the change? A blog will allow us to stay in more frequent contact with you, and you with us. Posting about every 2 weeks, we can respond to and expound on industry trends and events quickly, and you can share comments and questions by posting them directly to our blog. It's a forum for meaningful two-way conversation. And we believe shorter more frequent articles will benefit you most. In the coming weeks expect thoughtful, informative posts on such topics as employment mega trends, tips on recruiting, retention and succession planning, and what's attractive to Gen Y, Gen X and baby boomer talent in a workplace and how to brand yours to appeal to each. So bookmark our blog's page and check back often.  From the blog page, you can also subscribe to an RSS feed or sign up to have us email you whenever there is a new post. A Point of OptimismLike everyone, here at Baldwin Gilman we are concerned about the economy, the goings on in Washington, and the seemingly endless stream of bad news.  However, we are also busy--and perhaps have a slightly different perspective to offer. After a terrible 2009 (which followed very strong years in 2007 and 2008), in 2010 we saw about a 20% revenue increase. As 2011 has gathered steam we now expect our annual revenue to be about double that of 2009.  All things considered, we're cautiously optimistic. What's happening and what our clients are telling us:

• About 40% of our assignments have been for new positions or for positions that have been vacant for some time.  Companies seem to be growing (although slowly) and they seem ready to add talent that can be used to accelerate that growth and increase market share.

• The remaining 60% of our assignments have been for replacement positions with the general objective of upgrading the talent and/or skill set from the previous employee. It looks to us like companies are using these turnover opportunities to become better and more competitive.

• Many of our clients come to us after they have attempted to fill a position on their own. We suspect they've been unsuccessful because good talent is still hard to find. The unemployment rate of those with college degrees is near 4% and we still see reluctance on the part of employed professionals to actively seek new positions.  (Here's a link to a recent Businessweek article that talks more about this http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/companies-are-hiring-just-not-you-08112011.html)

• Most of our assignments have been for sales, sales management, operations, and finance positions. This is consistent with the idea that companies are actively trying to increase market share and become more competitive.

In summary, we're hopeful that both the economy and the hiring environment are improving... and perhaps more so than the media or stock market portray them. We'd like to hear your thoughts as well. Please post a comment! Tom Gilman and Marci Lauber Editors, bg Blog