Amidst the hubbub of economic speculation, there is a new voice in the Cincinnati area speaking a different message. Despite opening its doors at a time of economic uncertainty, one On one Consulting sees an environment ripe with opportunities for those changing jobs.
Sr. Executive Recruiter for the firm, Marc Menne insists that this outlook is not the product of rose colored lenses.
"It’s not simply perspective. It's reality." Menne says. "These economic times offer opportunity our generation has never before seen, in terms of acquiring top talent. Some of the best, the brightest and the most valuable of employees are on the market right now, and forward-thinking companies are eager to use this time to upgrade."
Menne and partner Alyce Vilines launched one On one in September 2008, acting on the hunch that this economic uncertainty was fertile ground for a start-up.
So far their gamble is paying off.
"Within the first quarter we received our first job order and successfully placed our first candidate," Menne says. "Since that time we have been retained by two additional firms."
Offering its services liberally across all industries, one On one specializes in executive placement.
"Our first commitment is to our client and to finding the best fit candidate for their open positions," Menne says. "They are the experts in their fields and we rely on them to define their top performance needs. We consider ourselves the experts in finding top performers to meet those needs, regardless of the area of expertise.”
Even though losing a job can be stressful, Menne and Vilines assure opportunities abound. It's a matter of looking in the right places.
"In today’s market, an abundance of those top-level employees have been displaced," Vilines says. "Our privilege lies in finding a company focused on upgrading the caliber of their teams through the addition of these prime candidates."
Menne and Vilines remain optimistic with good reason.
For starters, according to Vilines and Menne, many area companies are actually launching growth initiatives. Further,
Site Selection magazine ranked Cincinnati 4th among the nation's best metro areas for new and expanded corporate facilities in 2008.
"As with anything, there is an upside to every downturn," Vilines says. "Several of our clients are capitalizing on the many opportunities which present themselves in a tight economy. Mergers and acquisitions require skilled management teams to successfully lead their transitions, and often such re-packaging of companies creates a mobility which generates additional job openings."