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Is the Water Cooler Half-Full or Half-Empty? American Executives Divided on Big Issues for 2008

TheLadders.com Survey of $100k+ Job Seekers Finds Recession Threat, Writer's Strike and Election Results Provoking Polarized Views <Back

NEW YORK ( March 06, 2008) - With the presidential election locked in a dead heat, the threat of recession looming and the writer's strike finally over, there is no shortage of water cooler conversation fodder in corporate America. According to a new survey of executives conducted by TheLadders.com, the world's leading online marketplace for $100k+ jobs, many of those conversations are destined to turn into debates this year. When it comes to the big issues for 2008, executives are split into two diametrically opposed camps.

Recession Blues?

Although 2008 volatility charts look like an electrocardiogram during a heart attack and talk of possible recession is in every financial news story in the country, not all executives at American corporations agree that we're headed for disaster. When asked if they believed the financial markets would turn around this year, 56.5 percent of executives said, yes, citing underlying strength in the economy. Meanwhile, 43.5 percent of their peers said they felt the market could not recover this year because there are too many factors working against it.

As for the impacts of a recession on their careers, executives were split there too. While 59.7 percent voiced concern, saying that when the economy slows, so does their income growth, 40.3 percent said they are "recession proof." Even when it comes to home values - a part of the economy that most economists agree is declining - only 48.2 percent of executives surveyed said they thought their homes would be worth less money at the end of 2008. Thirty seven percent said their houses would be worth more at the end of the year.

Tracking the Campaign Trail

Politics is always a reliable source of workplace dichotomy, but the presidential race of 2008 has already shown the potential to spark heated debate among otherwise friendly forces. Of the three front-runners in the race, 31.3 percent of executives surveyed believe John McCain will win the 2008 presidential election; 28.5 percent think that Barack Obama will win; and 25.8 percent think Hillary Clinton will return to the White House.

Crossing the Line

The recently ended Writer's Guild Strike has also raised a host of contentious issues among corporate managers who are acutely aware of the constant struggle between talent and business objectives. When asked whether they felt the writers' strike was good or bad for organized labor, 50.9 percent of those surveyed said it was good because it demonstrated that talented workers cannot be taken advantage of, while 49.1 percent said it was bad because it shines a light on everything that's wrong with unions. When pushed further on the subject, 51 percent said unions are essential to maintaining workers' rights and 49 percent said they are a relic of the past.

"Executives across the nation are being hit with all sorts of mixed messages this year," said Marc Cenedella, CEO and founder of TheLadders.com. "The election, the markets, daily news about workers' rights - these issues can be spun into a good-news story or a bad-news story depending on how they are interpreted. But these kinds of transition years also create amazing business opportunities for those who are savvy enough to see through the surface layer of hype and get to the heart of new trends and ideas. It's very important at times like this for executives to keep their eyes on the ball."

TheLadders.com survey was conducted in January 2008 and included 508 executives. The results of this survey are statistically accurate to within +/- 4.33 percentage points.

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About TheLadders.com
TheLadders.com is the world's largest online service catering exclusively to the $100k+ job market. The company's mission is to make the search for senior talent and senior positions quick and effective. With access to the most $100k+ job leads in one place, senior level professionals can get to the next steps in their careers faster. Top recruiters value the ability to quickly and easily connect premier talent in the sales, marketing, finance, HR, legal, tech and operations industries. Founded in 2003 by Marc Cenedella, TheLadders.com has grown into the largest specialty employment website in the world, with over 2,000,000 members and over 35,000 recruiters. In addition to traditional job search services, TheLadders.com also provides a host of specialized career development resources, including a proven, one-on-one resume service; advice from career experts; customized online profiles; and e-mail alerts. TheLadders.com is headquartered in New York with offices in London. For more information, please visit www.theladders.com or www.theladders.co.uk.

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Media Contacts
Maria Schiller
TheLadders.com
646-453-1913
mschiller@theladders.com