I just read employment numbers are stable for smaller (defined as 300 or fewer employees) companies in Wichita. There is even some growth! This is great news anytime, but especially when employment numbers for our city’s major aviation manufacturers remain depressed.
“According to information obtained by the Wichita Business Journal . . .18 of the 25 companies with 300 or fewer workers reported the same or higher employment totals than in 2009.”
Bottom line for job seekers: include small employers in your job search. As pointed out above, smaller companies may be hiring even when the bigger guys aren’t. According to the US Small Business Administration, small businesses represent more than 99.7 percent of all employers, employ more than half of all private sector employees, pay 44.5 percent of the total U.S. private payroll, and generate about 75 percent of net new jobs annually.
How do you find these companies? Pay attention to who is in the news. Read the Wichita Business Journal and the business section of the Eagle. Listen to the news on local television and radio. Talk to the Wichita Independent Business Association. Network! Talk to people and keep up on LinkedIn. “Walk in” – grab a copy of your resume printed on quality bond resume paper, dress up and drop in at the company. Be courteous to everyone you see and ask if you can leave your resume for the hiring manager. If the company is growing, and you really impress them with your qualifications and potential, they might even create a position for you. Sound impossible? Nope – this very thing happened to one of your WSU classmates.
There are many advantages of working for a small employer. Not the least of which may be working at a smaller company may give you the opportunity to have a variety of job duties – to wear many “hats”. The result -- a broader range of experience to help sell you for your next job.
Get out there. . .get a job!
