Where is Everybody?

Twenty years ago, the Stock Plan Administration position was barely on the Radford job survey.  If a company needed someone in the role of Stock Administration, they would look around and find someone who a) knew what a stock option was, b) was in some way connected to the VP who was in charge of this work, and c) was willing to learn a new job. That was it!

Ten years ago, the Bay Area experienced a new crop of Stock Plan Administrators, many of them certified as CEPs, had great jobs, and this position even had grade and salary levels on the Radford survey.

Due to the recession, many of our colleagues moved on to other jobs, retired, or were out of work for a while.

Now, it's 2014 and we are finding (OK, I am finding) that that there are more Stock Plan Administrator job openings than there are people.  This is especially true for the SF Bay Area that is experiencing a boatload of new start-ups.  And those start-ups love to give out equity in the company.  Those stock options, RSUs, and all various types of equity need to be managed.

What to do?  It appears that companies will not look within for that person who is willing to learn a new job.  Companies are looking for the Stock Plan Administrator from the field of current professionals - on-site workers or those who work remotely through an outsourced firm. 

We must attend to this dilemma!  We should be willing to train new faces, college grads, persons willing to change careers.  Our industry should become known to the community so that professionals that get laid off look to our industry and know there are avenues for training.

Any ideas? 

Marianne Brannock-Hill, CEP, CTP