High-level jobseekers see good in recession

NEW YORK (Reuters) - More than half of executive-level job seekers think the recession has been good for their children, as a lesson that opportunity will not be handed to them, according to a new survey.

Most of those surveyed said the economic crisis had a positive effect on personal relationships, with a third saying family and friends have grown closer and a third saying they have done more networking and made new friends, said the research by TheLadders.com, an online jobs site that lists positions paying $100,000 or more a year.

The survey, to be released on Wednesday, was conducted online in June among 699 job seekers who are either earning more than $100,000 annually or earned that much in their last job, TheLadders.com said.

On the downside, 23 percent said the recession made them depressed that their children would not have the same opportunities they did, and 27 percent said the recession had caused them to drift away from old friendships.

Asked to list the best things to emerge from recession, 32 percent said it was a reality check and they now are pursuing work they enjoy; 25 percent said it was an opportunity to show leadership skills; and 13 percent said their company had learned to be more efficient.

Ten percent said cutting back on working hours had allowed them more time with family, and another 10 percent said they had started their own business.

Asked what emotion best characterized the mood of the last year, most said frustration. Others said fear, hope, confusion, anger, happiness and relief, it said.

The results of the survey are statistically accurate to within 3.71 percentage points, TheLadders.com said.