Executive Employment Trends

Q1 2015

2 © BPI group

BPI group has established this Executive Employment Trends Report to offer visibility into the current

executive job market. We are committed to quality and results in our outplacement programs, and believe that

keeping a careful eye on trends in the market is an important way to ensure that we are meeting the needs of

our career transition clients. The findings of this report are based on a survey of our executive clients who

began their job search from Q4 2013 through Q1 2015.

The Executive Employment Trends Report includes analysis of the following executive employment trends:

– Average length of the executive job search

– How the length of the job search is impacted by various factors, including:

• Base Salary Level

• Education Level

• Age

We look forward to continuing to share the latest trends in executive employment. If you would like to learn

more about our approach to executive outplacement services, please call +1.800.323.0206 or connect with

your local BPI group office.

EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT TRENDS REPORT

3 © BPI group

REFLECTIONS ON EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT TRENDS IN Q1 2015

Patricia Siderius

Managing Director, Executive Outplacement Services

psiderius@bpi-group.us, +1.630.613-6373

The first quarter of 2015 ended on a strong note. While it took our executives slightly longer to land new

jobs from last quarter—4.3 months compared to 4.1 months in Q4 2014—a record 60% of them reported

greater compensation for their new positions.

Once again, a significant proportion of the executives, 17% of those surveyed, decided to start their own

business. In Q1 of 2015, for the first time ever, none of the executives surveyed decided to retire. This is

unusual considering that this group trended a little more senior than previous cohorts, with the largest

proportion of executives falling in the 51-60 age range. As professionals stay in the workforce longer due to

longer life expectancy and the financial difficulties of retiring in a struggling economy, they are also adapting

to a job environment where frequent career shifts have become the norm.

Related to this subject of career shifts and fluctuating job tenure,

I recently had the opportunity to speak with Fortune magazine about

the stigma some job seekers face for having spent “too much” time at

one company. Click here to read how you can actually use this

long tenure to your advantage while interviewing for a new position.

Feel free to contact me with your thoughts and questions. I look

forward to hearing from you.

4 © BPI group

About the executives:

This report is based on survey responses

from a sample of BPI group’s executive

outplacement clients, representing:

– 54 executives, comprising 38 men and

16 women

– 15 states

– 29 companies

All executives surveyed began and

completed their career transition with BPI

group between Q4 2013 and Q1 2015.

ABOUT OUR EXECUTIVE OUTPLACEMENT CLIENTS

Accounting/Finance/Insurance 11%

Business/Strategic Management 7%

Food Services/Hospitality 9%

Human Resources 11%

IT/Software Development 19%

Legal 6%

Manufacturing/Production/Operations 15%

Marketing/Product 13%

Sales/Retail/Business Development 7%

Other 2%

Executive respondents represent a

diverse array of occupations:

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EXECUTIVE OUTPLACEMENT PROGRAM OUTCOME

While most of our executive

clients chose to seek a new job

within an organization, 17%

decided to start their own

business.

83%

17%

Executive Outplacement Program Outcome

Landed NewEmployment

Starting OwnBusiness

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Executives spent an average of 4.3 months in the job search – slightly more time

than the Q4 2014 average of 4.1 months. This was significantly less time than the

national average of 7.5 months in Q1 2015, as reported by the Bureau of Labor

Statistics, the same job search length reported in the previous quarter.

EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT TREND: LENGTH OF JOB SEARCH

Salary at the new job:

• 60% rated the compensation

at their new job as Better

than that of their previous job

• 33% rated the compensation

at their new job as the Same

as that of their previous job

• 7% rated the compensation

at their new job as Less than

that of their previous job

71%

24%

5%

How Executives Found their New Job

Networking

Search Firm

Internet

7 © BPI group

EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT TREND: BASE SALARY

Key Takeaway: Executives in the $150,000-$250,000 base salary range, comprising the majority of

the survey sample, took the most amount of time to land a new job, in an average of 4.6 months.

Those surveyed in the $75,000-$150,000 salary range, representing 15% of the sample, landed in an

average of 3.1 months.

15%

68%

17%

Survey Sample: Base Salary Range

$75,000 -$150,000

$150,000 -$250,000

$250,000+

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

4.5

5

$75,000 - $150,000 $150,000 -$250,000

$250,000+

Mo

nth

s

Average Time to New Job by Base Salary Range

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EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT TREND: EDUCATION LEVEL

Key Takeaway: This quarter, we observed that executives with either a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree,

who make up 92% of the overall sample, landed in a combined average of 4.4 months. Those with a

Bachelor’s degree, comprising the majority of those surveyed, landed in an average of 4.2 months. Last

quarter, executives with a Bachelor’s degree took the least time to land—an average of 3.6 months—

while those with a Master’s degree landed in an average of 4.1 months.

6%

44%48%

2%

Survey Sample: Education Level

SomeCollege

Bachelor's

Master's

Ph.D

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

4.5

5

Some College Bachelor's Master's

Mo

nth

s

Average Time to New Job by Education Level

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EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT TREND: AGE GROUP

Key Takeaway: The largest proportion of those surveyed for this report were in the 51-60 age range,

the first time since Q4 2013 in which this age group, and not those in the 41-50 age range, made up the

majority of the sample. Executives in this 51-60 age range also took the most time in their job search, an

average of 4.8 months, compared to an average of 4.5 months in Q4 2014. In contrast, those in the 41-

50 took an average of 4.6 months to land in the Q4 2014 report, whereas those surveyed this quarter

took less time to land, an average of 4 months.

11%

39%46%

4%

Survey Sample: Age Range

31-40

41-50

51-60

61+1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

4.5

5

31-40 41-50 51-60 61+

Mo

nth

s

Average Time to New Job by Age Range

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BPI group offers a local boutique touch with a global network of

resources to ensure long-term career success for our executive

outplacement clients. In addition to job search coaching, clients

may also choose to focus on entrepreneurial ventures, preparing for

retirement, or other work alternatives.

Each client works with a personal career coach to develop a

customized, winning services plan, helping them to:

• Focus on developing the next step in their career, leveraging

assessment tools and professional consulting to establish short

and long-term career direction.

• Learn how to effectively job search and thrive in the new world

of work.

• Search for the next opportunity, be it a new job, a business

acquisition or start-up, or a part-time career.

• Connect to high-quality job opportunities, through technology, a

team of job developers, social networks, in-person networking

events, personal introductions, and direct placement activities.

• Succeed in their new role, by developing a 90-day onboarding

plan.

Interested in learning more?

Call +1.800.323.0206 or connect with your local BPI group office.

ABOUT EXECUTIVE OUTPLACEMENT SERVICES

… I am excited and eternally grateful for the time you (and

everyone at BPI group) took to help me in my search over

the past year. I feel it was a critical piece in my getting this

job and I cannot thank you enough.

- Tim, landed as Chief Advisor to the Board of Trustees

at a major education institution

Losing my job after 12 years with a company was a

confidence shattering experience. Patricia and her team

worked with me to build back my confidence and to help

me understand what I truly want at the next step in my

career. Job searching in today's market is extremely

different than 10 years ago and BPI gave me the

expertise to make a difference and stand out among

other candidates.

- Sandra, landed as Vice President of Operations

with a publicly traded manufacturing company

11 © BPI group

We are global management and human resources

consultants focused on helping individuals and

organizations navigate change.

Align + Engage

We help build optimal structures and get people

engaged in their roles.

Develop

We inspire individuals and teams to achieve

maximum performance.

Transition

We help individuals and organizations make the

most of change.

Connect with us at www.bpi-group.us to

learn more.

ABOUT BPI GROUP