Now that the Red Sox have reversed the Curse, who do we have to blame? If our job is lousy…or gone for good…what can we do? Blame Grady Little? Wait ’til next year? There’s no choice but to get on with it. Fortunately, the reality of the job market right now ain’t half bad. Recently, I heard a report on the state of the direct marketing industry by Beth Negus Viveiros, executive editor of Direct magazine. She noted that “DM layoffs and hiring freezes are at their lowest levels in four years. A survey conducted earlier this month by executive search firm Bernhart Associates showed that 60% of respondents planned to do new hiring before the end of 2004, and only 11% had hiring freezes in place, an improvement over the 21% that had them in effect over the summer.” What’s more, the magazine’s own survey data suggests that overall direct marketing spending as well as database marketing and interactive marketing expenditures are up significantly. (Their December issue will have a full report.) That’s good news as direct has become a much bigger piece of the marketing pie. And our own microeconomic numbers at MPN confirm it: more people have jobs, less people are currently looking. The only footnote in all of this is that there are still pockets in the job market where it is extremely difficult to find a position or the right fit. For those who are still looking, take heart from the baseball season: if the Red Sox can win it all, so will you – this year!