Things Have Changed Fast for Job Seekers

The Wall Street Journal detects a shift in hiring practices—companies appear to have the upper hand again when it comes to dictating work conditions and perks. It's a stark contrast from just a few years ago when would-be employees could call the shots and had their pick of jobs. The story ticks off example after example of job offers that inform applicants in blunt terms to adjust their notions of work-life balance. And it's not like the applicants have to read between the lines: "If you're looking for work-life balance, this isn't it," health-care marketplace firm Solace tells job seekers.

Software company Rilla is looking for an engineer—provided that person is happy to put in 70-hour workweeks. And on and on. The story notes that Google's Sergey Brin told employees earlier this year that 60 hours a week is a good target. All in all, companies are "testing the limits of what they can ask of their employees, knowing how hungry people are to work, and knowing they're in the driver's seat," Lori Reed of the recruiting firm Schechter Reed tells the newspaper. "The pendulum has swung, and companies are in control again." (Read the full story, which notes that while jobs continue to be added to the US workforce each month, the pace of new hiring has slowed.)