Introduction
The end of the 20th century saw economic boundaries between countries crumble, as businesses became more complex, global, and knowledge driven. Managers needed to ensure that their company's continuously innovated and improved in order to achieve and maintain a sustainable competitive edge. In fact Porter (1985) highlights that it is this competitive ability, which is considered to be at the core of the success or failure of a firm. Managers realized that if their companies are to survive in this dynamic and uncertain environment, they have to make decisions concerning new business opportunities, products, customers, suppliers, markets, and technical developments very quickly. They also have to be aware of what "cultural" factors gave other firms the competitive edge.
Today, new technology and process improvements can sharply truncate the length of time it takes for employers to hire employees. Through their online hiring systems, leading employers are compiling databases organized by candidates' skills. This allows for automated matching of talent supply and demand. Once an employer identifies the skills and competencies it needs, it can tap ready pools of talent. Hiring in some cases can even proceed without posting the position, saving time and costs.
By understanding these new employer staffing-management processes, professionals can position themselves better in the job market. The first step is to visit the Web sites of employers that interest you and then submit your profile to these companies' talent-pool databases.
Profile-based systems help companies identify talent quickly, so you'll improve your chances of being matched to an employer's requirements if you provide complete and pertinent information about your skills and interests. In the electronic job market, a personal e-mail address that you frequently monitor is the preferred means of communicating with employers.
Just-in-Time Staffing
New staffing technology also is affecting other job-market dynamics. For instance.......
