Q. I am a finance professional at the executive management level who recently moved back to the North Bay after living and working on the East Coast for the past eight years.

I’m fortunate to be working for my previous employer on a consulting basis during the transition. My husband and I are finally settled, and I’m ready to start my search for a new position. Do you have any advice on how to get started?

A. Welcome back to the North Bay – you’ve returned at an interesting time. Yes, you are right, the search process has become impersonal and overwhelming. Searching for a new position has become a full-time job.

Gone are the days of answering ads and going on a few interviews and landing the perfect job. Let’s face it, in today’s competitive job market, career transition can be a difficult hurdle to cross.

A great resume and years of experience are no longer enough to open the doors to new opportunities. With the advancement of Internet advertising and professional networking, coupled with economic uncertainties and outsourcing, the job-search playing field has changed forever. In the U.S., the Department of Labor statistics show 3.2 million people either lost their jobs or voluntarily re-entered the job market in the first three quarters of 2006. As a result, the average turnaround time to find new employment is now estimated at 4.5 months. If you happen to be a professional, senior manager or executive applicant who is over 40 years of age, this timeframe jumps to 6 months or longer. This represents an increase of 56 percent since 2001.

What can you do about it? Well, of course, partnering with an experienced executive search consultant who has established relationships with employers here in the area could help.

If you are targeting your search to North Bay companies only – Napa, Marin and Sonoma counties – it is important to be very patient with the process due to the fact that there are limited executive opportunities here compared with the greater Bay Area. You are very fortunate to be working as a consultant during the search process. Take your time and locate an opportunity that meets your goals.

Good luck.

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Jennifer Laxton is a senior partner with Executive Search Associates in Santa Rosa, www.esa.com. ESA is an executive search and consulting company. You can reach her at 707-525-1010 ext. 101 or jklaxton@esa.com. If you have questions about your situation, send an e-mail to askjen@esa.com.

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