
DATE: Friday, October 31, 1997              TAG: 9710310654
SECTION: BUSINESS                PAGE: D1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY MICHAEL CLARK, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:   91 lines

THE SEARCH FOR A GOOD JOB NEVER REALLY ENDS, ACCORDING TO EXPERTS

The search for a good job never really ends.

``Even when you're employed, it's good to keep your eyes open,'' said Ilse Von Rubin, president of Von Rubin McLaughlin Inc. career placement firm in Virginia Beach. ``As long as you're in the job market, as long as you're employable, keep looking.''

Most people agree with Von Rubin's advice. A national poll released Monday by Louis Harris and Associates, New York, showed 53 percent of American workers expect to leave their jobs voluntarily within the next five years.

There's less loyalty to the company, Von Rubin said.

``It used to be that people stayed with a company for a long time,'' she said. ``Now, downsizing and merging are constant. Abrupt change is part of corporate volatility.''

The volatility works both ways. The Harris poll also reports that 17 percent of American workers consider it likely they will be fired or laid off.

``It's not as traumatic as it was in the past,'' said Phil Riddick, president of The Riddick Group recruiting firm in Norfolk.

Focusing on their careers keeps workers prepared in case the boss comes in one day and says their jobs have been eliminated, he said.

Riddick said he finds more people are working for the benefit of their resumes.

In the past, there was more dependence on internal company training for career development. Employees had more continuity with companies, Riddick said, and moving around every few years would have labeled them as job-hoppers, but not anymore.

``We're finding that the job market, the workplace and companies are so dynamic that people are now focusing on their career, coming up with their own career development plans,'' Riddick said.

Not every employee is intent on changing jobs often - at least not at first.

The poll reported that 54 percent of workers are very satisfied, and an additional 36 percent are somewhat satisfied with their jobs.

Stacy Fontaine, president of Career Market Consultants, Virginia Beach, said her firm's clients are involved in electronic and mechanical fields.

``We deal almost exclusively with military people,'' Fontaine said. ``Coming directly out of military training, when they get a job in a new market, they expect to be there forever.''

After 16 years designing computer systems for a Fortune 500 company, Richard Armstrong became a financial adviser with Legg Mason Wood Walker Inc. two years ago. Switching more for philosophical reasons, he said the idea of trying something new appealed to him more than sitting ``on the porch and wondering what if.''

Armstrong remembers observing the job-hopping trend as it gained momentum in the early 1990s.

``I was over in England for four years,'' he said. ``When I returned, I noticed there was something different in this country. I couldn't figure it out.''

When Armstrong left for England, he said everybody seemed to feel comfortable about the future. But the prevalence of downsizing left people uncertain about the future.

``I think it was shock at first, then acceptance,'' he said. ``People seemed irritable, angry. They were worried. You could do everything right and still not have a career, or be out on the street.''

That's when employees began to look out for themselves. Now, all industries have been affected.

Technology is at least partially responsible. Technology is changing so fast, in many instances, companies can't keep up with their in-house training, Riddick said.

``They'll go to other companies, recruit from other employers,'' he said. ``That activity contributes to people working less at one employer.''

Employees working on outdated computer systems, too, know if there's no in-house training, no chance to develop important skills at their present company, they'll go where they can get the training.

``No matter if you're in engineering, accounting, finance,'' Riddick said, ``it's all about information and access to information.''

MEMO: The Associated Press contributed to this report. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo

RICHARD L. DUNSTON/The Virginian-Pilot

Richard Armstrong...

Graphic

POLL

A Louis Harris poll of American workers revealed:

* 53% expect to leave their jobs voluntarily within five years.

* 17% consider it likely they will be fired or laid off.

* 54% are very satisfied with their jobs; 36% are somewhat

satisfied.

``We're finding that the job market, the workplace and companies