Over 1 Million Jobs Lost This Year

The economy has cut over 1 million jobs so far this year, according to the Department of Labor, and first-time filings for unemployment insurance increased 542,000 in the past week - the highest since July 1992. The numerous reports of corporate job slashing in November are a sign that the labor market won't start to recover any time soon.

Unemployment forecasts have risen as the economic outlook for 2009 continues to worsen.

The Federal Reserve Tuesday said it predicts the unemployment rate will remain around 6.5% for the remainder of 2008, and will rise up to 7.6% in 2009. But that's a far cry from the jobless rate forecast of 9% for next year with further increases in 2010 that Goldman Sachs released Friday.

More job cut announcements are likely on the way. U.S. automakers say they are on the verge of collapse, retailers are expected to have a miserable holiday season and financial institutions continue to struggle in the midst of a credit crisis.

But even if the economy begins to improve in the second half of 2009 as some economists predict, unemployment could still continue to rise. Typically job losses continue for many months after the economy begins to pull out of a recession, with unemployment rates peaking as much as a year after the recession hits its trough.

In an attempt to heal the ailing job market, President-elect Barack Obama has repeatedly stated his support for another economic stimulus package in the form of tax rebates to consumers, states and municipalities. The proposal has gained traction in Congress, with hopes that consumer spending and aid to governments will help boost the economy.

But Obama won't take office until January, and signed legislation could be a long way off. In the meantime, experts say the labor market will continue to struggle.

You need to be prepared for the possibility of a job loss no matter what industry you are in or what position you hold. Update your resume using numbers and percentages to quantify accomplishments, keep building your network, explore your options while still employed (you are more marketable), anf be willing to assist others in finding a job.

For help in preparing for a job search visit Arlene Schwartz Personalized Resume Service

Hungry Children in U.S. Increases by 50% in One Year

How can a country like the United States of America allow its children to go hungry. It is amazing and upsetting to me, and I hope to everyone, that the incidence of hunger in children in the United States was up 50% in 2007 and almost 700,000 children went hungry in the United States at some point in 2007. It is predicted that because of the economic downturn the numbers will increase in 2008.

If you are able to donate to local food banks and local and national organizations that feed the hungry, please consider helping. Noone should have to go hungry, especially our children.

Healthiest City in U.S.

What's the healthiest city in America? It appears to be Burlington, Vt.
Vermont's largest city is tops among U.S. metropolitan areas by having the largest proportion of people — 92 percent — who say they are in good or great health.

It's also among the best in exercise and among the lowest in obesity, diabetes, and other measures of ill health, according to a recent report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

This New England city of 40,000, on the shores of Lake Champlain, is in some ways similar to the unhealthiest city — Huntington, W.Va. Both are out-of-the-way college towns with populations that are overwhelmingly white people of English, German, or Irish ancestry. But Burlington is younger, better off financially, and more educated.

Healthiest City in U.S.

Recession-Proof Jobs

During these difficult times when jobs are being lost and new jobs are sometimes hard to find, there are some jobs that seem to be recession- proof.

Medical-related jobs appear to have the greatest potential for job security. Medical / healthcare, computer, and veterinary jobs are the highest paying recession-proof jobs according to Laurence Shatkin.

The best recession proof job is Computer Systems Analyst which pays nearly $70K a year. New positions are growing at 29% a year.

Other fastest growing and recession-proof jobs are:

• Network Systems Analysts
• Data Communications Analysts
• Veterinary Technologists
• Medical Assistants
• Pharmacist - national average earnings over $94K
• Economist - $77K
• Veterinarian - $72K
• Nurse

Jobs missing from the list include those in:

• Real Estate
• Construction
• Finance
• Banking

For more information check out 150 Best Recession-Proof Jobs by Laurence Shatkin

Largest Provider of Jobs in Cleveland is Medical Industry

The biggest provider of employment in Cleveland, Ohio, is the medical industry.

In University Circle alone the total number of jobs provided by the Cleveland Clinic and University hospitals is 75,000.

University Hospitals, Medical Research at Case Western Reserve, MetroHealth Medical Center and the ever-sprawling Cleveland Clinic each lead the way in Cleveland's economic future.

The Cleveland Clinic's economic engine generates $9 billion a year for the Cleveland economy.

If you are seeking a new career or job you might consider a position in the healthcare industry.

Cleveland's Largest Provider of Jobs is the Medical Industry

Bad News for Auto Industry

Year-end auto clear-out sales could start as early as this week, a reaction to the worst October sales, per-capita, since World War II.

• General Motors October sales fell 45 percent compared with October 2007.
• Chrysler was down about 35 percent
• Mercedes-Benz posted a 34.3 percent sales decline
• Nissan, sales were down 33.6 percent
• Hyundai's October sales fell 31.1 percent
• Ford 30 percent
• Honda 25 percent
• Toyota 23 percent

Analysts had expected a massive drop in sales with almost every economic indicator working against auto companies. Consumer confidence has fallen to record lows, and banks and finance companies are either cutting the amount they will loan or lending only to consumers with great credit.

Projections from GM and Ford have October sales at their worst level since the 1970s. And when you take into account population growth, you have to go back to just after World War II, when companies were shifting back to car production from tanks and Jeeps, to find numbers this bad, DiGiovanni said.

In response, companies are doing the only thing they can do: cutting prices. GM will start its year-end sales event this week instead of waiting until after Thanksgiving as it typically does. Chrysler extended some discounts it began offering last month, and LaNeve said he expects Toyota and Nissan to continue their marketing and incentive offers.

At Ford, GM and Chrysler, sales have been down all year, but the reasons for the drops have changed. During the first few months of the year, high gas prices were pushing consumers out of trucks and sport utility vehicles into cars and crossovers. Toyota and Honda gained in those months because they had more of the small cars people wanted to buy.

But as the year continued, the pain spread. Jittery banks and finance companies began to tighten credit standards, making it harder for customers without superior credit to get loans.

General Motors Acceptance Corp., a lender co-owned by GM and private capital company Cerberus, stopped writing loans to consumers with credit scores lower than 700. Nationwide, the average credit score is about 692, according to Experian, one of the three major national credit bureaus.

In the past several weeks, analysts said consumers getting rejected for credit are the least of the industry's problems. More problematic is the fact that people just aren't shopping for cars.

Anxiety and Depression Linked to Overtime Work

People who work overtime are more likely to be anxious and depressed - and the more they work, the higher the risk, according to a study conducted by researchers from the University of Bergen, Norway, and published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, official publication of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

The researchers assessed anxiety and depression by means of a standardized questionnaire in 10,350 Norwegian women and men who were taking part in a larger study. Nine thousand of the participants were working 40 hours a week or less, while 1,350 were working between 41 and 100 hours per week.

Among those who worked 40 hours a week or fewer, women averaged a 7 percent "possible" depression score, while men averaged 9 percent. In overtime workers, however, this percentage went up to 11 percent in women and 12.5 percent in men. Those who worked between 49 and 100 hours per week were the most likely to experience anxiety and depression.

The researchers also found that those with lower incomes and those working in less skilled positions tended to be more anxious and depressed. At the same time, those working the most overtime also tended to have a lower level of education and to be in less-skilled positions involving manual labor or shift work. As such, the researchers were unable to tell to what extent the overtime actually causes the anxiety and depression, to what extent it is associated with another cause (such as low-income physical labor), or to what extent anxiety and depression are influenced by a more complex interaction of several of these factors.

Prior research has shown that those who work overtime are more likely to be stressed and fatigued, and also to become sick or injured. Based in part on such studies, the European Union allows workers to refuse to work more than 48 hours per week.

Your Birth Order May Effect Your Career

Depending on birth position, there are special roles within families, leading to different adaptation patterns and different personalities, says Ben Dattner, a New York City-based organizational psychologist.

Here's a look at the effect birth order may have on you:

1. Firstborn
Personality: Firstborns are ambitious, assertive, dominant and disciplined compared to their younger siblings. They're determined to succeed yet fearful of losing position and rank, and are defensive about errors and mistakes, Dattner says.

Compensation: A recent survey by CareerBuilder.com found that workers who were the firstborn child in their families were more likely to earn $100,000 or more annually compared to their siblings.

Professions: The oldest tend to pursue vocations that require higher education, like medicine, engineering, or law. Firstborns from the CareerBuilder.com survey reported working in jobs in government, engineering, pharmacy and science. Ohio State University researchers found firstborn children were more likely to pursue "intellectual" jobs.

Job level: Workers who are firstborn are more likely to report holding a vice president or senior management position, according to the survey.
Famous firstborns: Oprah, Hillary Clinton, Winston Churchill, Sylvester Stallone, and Bill Clinton.

2. Middle
Personality: Middle children are good at negotiation, peacemaking, and compromise, Dattner says. They are easy-going, diplomatic, and are usually closer to friends than family.

Compensation: More middle children identified themselves as earning $35,000 or less per year than firstborn or youngest children, according to the CareerBuilder.com survey.

Professions: Middles tend to have excellent negotiating and people skills -- anything that employs these skills is a great fit. Middle children from the CareerBuilder.com survey said they work in nursing, law enforcement, firefighting, and machine operation.

Job level: Middle children were more likely to identify with professional and technical staff level positions in the CareerBuilder.com survey. They also reported being the most satisfied with their current positions.

Famous middles: David Letterman, Richard Nixon, Madonna, and Princess Diana.

3. Youngest
Personality: Youngest children love the limelight and are used to sitting in it. They are charming, creative, have a good sense of humor, and manipulate others when they want to get their way.

Compensation: Last borns were the least likely to report earning six figures, according to the CareerBuilder.com survey.

Professions: Youngest children often gravitate toward artistic and outdoor jobs, according to the OSU survey. They're also successful in journalism, advertising, sales, and athletics. Those who responded to the CareerBuilder.com survey reported working in art, design, sales, and information technology.

Job level: The majority of last borns in the CareerBuilder.com survey held administrative and clerical level positions. They also reported being the least satisfied in their current jobs.

Famous younglings: Jim Carrey, Billy Crystal, Steve Martin, Cameron Diaz and Rosie O'Donnell.

4. Only children
Personality: Only children are similar to firstborns in that they are motivated to conform to parental expectations. They are also achievement-oriented, successful in school, and have problems delegating work. Research shows they are more confident, articulate, and imaginative than other children. They also hate criticism and tend to be perfectionists.

Famous only children: Jack Welch, Tiger Woods, Alan Greenspan and Maria Sharapova.

5. Twins
Personality: Because of their equal status in terms of age and genes, twins are usually treated the same and turn out similarly. They tend to have different personalities and interests, but are closer to each other than other siblings and tend to have less conflict with each other than other siblings, Dattner says.

Famous twins: Abigail and Esther Friedman ("Dear Abby" and "Ann Landers"); Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen; Joel and Benji Madden; and Jenna and Barbara Bush

Your Birth Order May Effect Your Career

JobRadio.fm

JobRadio.fm features audio content from Total Picture Radio, Secrets of the Job Hunt and Jobs in Pods. These “jobcasters” are at the forefront of career advice. Listen at work or at home. Right now about 10 hours of audio from these shows plays on a loop. Check the Current Playlists for whats playing. Every week, new content will be added to the rotation to keep it fresh and lively. This channel is a great resource for job seekers, recent grads, or anyone who wants to sharpen their job search skills. This site can help you to educate yourself on the art of job hunting.

JobRadio.fm

Expect Your Job Search to Take Longer

The time it takes to find a job is growing longer according to a survey of 3,000 job seekers conducted by Challenger, Gray & Christmas, the outplacement firm.

According to Challenger, “the median job search among those winning positions in the third quarter lasted nearly 4.4 months,” up from 3.6 months in the second quarter.

It’s also notable that 13.4 percent of the job seekers ended up relocating to take new positions. That’s up from a first-quarter figure of 8.9 percent, but still lower than the share who relocated in 2006 and most of 2007.
Moving is stressful and expensive, and some people may simply be unwilling to take that step. But the lower percentage of relocation no doubt stems at least in part from the housing market. Job seekers who are eager to move for the right job may find themselves trapped by an inability to sell their homes (and perhaps wishing they were renters right now).

Expect Job Searches to Take Longer

Jobless Claims Higher Than Expected

The government says new claims for jobless benefits increased by more than expected last week as companies cut jobs due to the slow economy.
The Labor Department reported Thursday that new applications for unemployment benefits rose 15,000 to a seasonally adjusted 478,000, slightly above analysts' estimates of 470,000.

The four-week average, which smooths out fluctuations, dropped slightly to 480,250, down from a seven-year high in the previous week.

Jobless claims above 400,000 are considered a sign of recession. A year ago, claims stood at 333,000, the department said.

Jobless Claims

How to be Happier in Tough Economic Times

"One of the best ways to make yourself happy is to make other people happy;
One of the best ways to make other people happy is to be happy yourself."

Gretchen Rubin, The Happiness Project

Two ways to help others, make them happy, and increase your own happiness:

1. http://www.freerice.com
2. http://www.freekibble.com

The Happiness Project

Increasing Your Chances of Getting a Job

In these frightening economic times it is important to remember:

• If you are employed, do not quit your job until you have secured a new one.
• Since 80% of jobs are found through networking and according to one study Internet job searches have only a 4% success rate, don't spend all of your time sending resumes to jobs posted on job boards on the Internet.
• If you send your resume as an e-mailed attachment, when possible, follow up with a snail mailed copy on good quality paper in a 9x12 white envelope.
• Always send a handwritten thank you note within 24 hours after an interview - your name printed or embossed on the note will enhance your chances. Since only 10% of all candidates send thank you notes, this will imoress the employer and may clinch the job offer for you.

For more tips visit http://www.aresumes.net/

Women Are More Stressed by Economic Fears

According to the American Psychological Association's recently released Stress in America survey, conducted in June and August, more women than men (84 percent to 75 percent) expressed fear about the economy, and many reported new physical and emotional symptoms, such as headaches, irritability, insomnia, fatigue, overeating and chest pain.

The gender difference is probably attributable to a combination of the extra family responsibilities carried by women, especially working women, and the fact that "women are just more open about reporting stress," says Katherine Nordal, the APA's executive director for professional practice.

Women 44 and older reported feeling the most anxious about finances, and that could have a real impact on their long-term well-being, according to Nordal.

Economic Stress is Worse for Women

159,000 Jobs Lost in September - Highest in 5 Years

In September, 159,000 were slashed — more than double the cuts made one month before. It was the ninth straight month of job losses. For the first eight months of the year, the economy lost an average of about 75,000 jobs each month.

A staggering 760,000 jobs have been lost since January.

The Labor Department's report, released October 3, 2008, also showed that the nation's unemployment rate was 6.1 percent, up sharply from 4.7 percent a year ago. Over the last year, the number of unemployed people has risen by 2.2 million to 9.5 million.

The government’s monthly snapshot of the labor market detailed a relentless assortment of woes afflicting American working families.

Job cuts in September:

• Manufacturing - 51,000 (442,000 lost in 2008; 4 million since 1999)
• Retailers - 35,000
• Construction - 35,000
• Transportation and Warehousing - 16,000
• Financial Services - 17,000 (172,000 since employment peaked in that part of the economy in December 2006). And that was before the bankruptcy of the Wall Street titan, Lehman Brothers; the bailout of the mortgage financiers, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac; the fire sale of Merrill Lynch to Bank of America; the near disintegration of the insurance giant American International Group; and the government takeover and sale of Washington Mutual.

The rare instances of job gains in September:

• Health Care - 17,000
• Mining - 8,000

The unemployment rate could hit 7 or 7.5 percent by late 2009. If that happens, it would mark the highest since after the 1990-91 recession. Some economists say the jobless rate could rise even more before the situation starts to get better.

Job Losses in September 2008

More Job Cuts Expected

The financial crisis in the U.S. could have wide-ranging effects on the job market and is having an impact on the number of layoffs planned in various sectors. It is still too soon to know how much worse it will get as the bailout acceptance or rejection will influence decision makers in the near furture.

The number of job cuts announced in September rose as the economy slowed, according to a report released today.

Positions lost rose 7.2% to 95,094 from 88,736 the previous month, and were 33% higher than the same month last year, when 71,739 cuts were announced, according to outplacement consultancy Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc.

September brought the announced layoff total for the third quarter to 287,142 - the largest number since 2005, according to the report.

• The computer industry took the biggest hit, with 25,715 positions on the line after PC maker Hewlett-Packard announced the largest workforce reduction of the year, the report said. HP said it would cut 24,600 jobs worldwide as a result of its acquisition of Electronic Data Systems Corp. But since those cuts were a result of the deal and not a consequence of the ailing economy, the report noted, HP's workforce could gain many of those jobs back.
• The struggling auto industry came in second place, with plans to drop 14,595 jobs
• The apparel industry came in third place, announcing 8,350 cuts, according to the report.
• The data showed that finance industry had announced 8,244 job cuts in September, compared with a spike of 27,169 during the same month last year as the credit crunch began to unfold. But they did jump from 2,182 in August.
  
  Whether the $700B bailout plan is approved by Congress - and what form it takes - will affect the number of layoffs that may eventually be announced, according to Challenger.
  "One of the big questions is: Are there going to be more runs on banks and financial institutions?'" he told CNNMoney.com.
  If there is no bailout plan, financial job cuts will likely increase, according to Challenger. On the other hand, if all banks take advantage of the government's offer, the number of layoffs could be limited, since no one institution is singled out.
  But if a bailout plan passes and is only embraced by a few institutions, that would emphasize the weakness of those companies, and we might see more job cuts, he added.

More Job Cuts Expected

Highest Jobless Claims in 7 Years

New claims for unemployment benefits jumped last week to their highest level in seven years due to the impact of a slowing economy and Hurricanes Ike and Gustav, the Labor Department reported Thursday.

The department said new requests for jobless benefits for the week ending Sept. 20 increased by 32,000 to a seasonally-adjusted 493,000, much higher than analysts' expectations of 445,000.

The two hurricanes added about 50,000 new claims in Louisiana and Texas, the department said. The four-week moving average, which smooths out fluctuations, rose to 462,500. That's the highest it has been since Nov. 3, 2001. The level of new claims was the highest since shortly after the 9/11 attacks, when it reached 517,000. David Resler, chief economist at Nomura Securities, said Thursday's figure is the second-highest since July 1992. Claims have topped 500,000 only a handful of times in the past twenty years, he said, and were consistently above that level during the 1991 recession.

Even excluding the effects of the hurricanes, jobless claims remain at elevated levels. Weekly claims have now topped 400,000 for ten straight weeks, a level economists consider a sign of recession. A year ago, claims stood at 309,000. The report "reflects a marked deterioration in the job market." Resler wrote in a note to clients. "That deterioration may well accelerate as the distress in the financial markets deepens and the effect of credit impairment spreads to other sectors." The number of people continuing to draw jobless benefits last week was 3.54 million, up 63,000 from the previous week and nearly a five-year high. The four-week average of continuing claims was 3.49 million. Other economic indicators Thursday were also negative.

Highest Jobless Claims in 7 Years

Where the Jobs are for Retirees

With the crisis in the financial markets and the volatility of the stock market, retirement may mean working at least part-time for many people.

According to a recent AARP survey, 8 out of 10 baby boomers want to keep working after they "retire," some because they expect to need the income or medical benefits, but many others because they aren't yet ready to feel they've been put out to pasture. "I really want to stay active and challenged," said Ortiz. "I've seen plenty of former colleagues retire and die shortly afterward, and I think that's because they had nothing compelling going on in their lives."

So let's say you're trying to plan your golden years, you've picked out a couple of places where you might like to live, and you're wondering about job opportunities there. Most towns' Chambers of Commerce are happy to send you an information packet describing local employers, and a subscription to the local paper will let you keep an eye on help-wanted ads in the area.

But now, thanks to a collaboration between AARP and a huge employment Web site for the over-50 crowd called RetirementJobs.com, there's a quicker and easier way:

• Go to www.aarp.org/money/work and enter the name or zip code of the town you're considering, plus a keyword describing what kind of work you're after ("sales" or "accounting," for example), and you'll get a listing of current job openings posted by local employers - many of them familiar national brand names like Staples (SPLS, Fortune 500) and Bank of America (BAC, Fortune 500) - that welcome older, experienced workers.
• The AARP site offers a wealth of other information and support for anyone planning to launch a second career in retirement. Check out The Water Cooler, an online discussion group about career issues for people over 50, and AARP's blog, ShAARP Session.
• Not surprisingly, a broad array of other online resources are popping up to help the 70-million-member boomer generation navigate the post-retirement career waters. No matter where you end up living when you've bid farewell to your current career, if you plan to keep working, here's a sampling of other sites worth a visit:
  Ageless in America - resources for older job seekers from Boom or Bust! New Careers in a New America co-authors Brad Taft and Carleen McKay.
  RetirementJobs.com - part job board, part advisor, and coach for job-seeking seniors.
  young2retire.com - Howard and Marika Stone, co-authors of Too Young to Retire: 101 Ways to Start the Rest of Your Life, offer coaching, a newsletter, profiles of interesting late-in-life career changers, and much more.

You may find all of these resources helpful, but don't forget to use the telephone and talk with people face-to-face to gain information, network, and secure retirement positions.

Where the Jobs Are for Retirees

Job Losses and Aftermath of Financial Crisis

In the next few weeks, the fate of Lehman Brothers' 25,000 and Merrill Lynch's 60,000 staffers will be decided. Most will lose their jobs. What will happen to them?

If the past is any guide, they'll be fine. In time.

Even before the current mess, some 104,000 U.S. financial jobs were lost in the 12 months ending August--1.2% of the 8.2 million positions in the country as the mortgage-market bubble ruptured and Wall Street convulsed. It's particularly painful for New York City, where many of these firms are based. In the last downturn, after Sept. 11, the city lost 45,000 finance jobs. So far 11,000 have been lost this time around, but that number will grow considerably as the fate of the Merrill and Lehman employees is decided.

And while the losses are big, they are part of a boom and bust cycle that's as old as the industry itself. In the nearly seven decades since the Department of Labor started tracking this data, the financial-services sector has posted three larger percentage losses in the same 12-month time frame--back in 1942, 1944 and 1991.

Already other banks are swooping in to pick over the bones of the failed companies. Barclays, who bought the investment banking arm of Lehman Brothers could hire some 8,000 to 10,000 of the firm's top revenue generators. The biggest stars at Lehman and Merrill will also find opportunities at former clients, mainly hedge funds.

Many small and medium-sized institutions will also be thrilled to hire those laid off at top-tier firms, a talent pool that mostly shunned them during headier days. Of course, taking a job at one of these less storied firms will require staffers to check their egos--and their usual pay requirements--at the door. It's not all bad. "These people can become a bigger fish in the smaller pond since they bring big Wall Street experience," says Sandy Gross, founder and managing partner of Pinetum Partners, an executive recruiter firm specializing in financial services.

The best bet for non-revenue generating staff in marketing, communications, client relations, and IT my be to leave the financial sector and look for positions in the growing areas like healthcare and sustainable energy. However, the vast, complex merger of Merrill Lynch and Bank of America should have ample potential for IT employees. Either way, they should be fine – over the next five years, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there will be 1.9M jobs created in computer networking, which will account for a quarter of all new jobs during the period.

Another, albeit lower paying option, is government. Expect a regulation boom in the wake of this crisis--and all the trappings that go with it.

Some of these laid-off employees will find work in places we have yet to imagine. "After financial collapses there is always innovation," says Ghilarducci. She points to the home mortgage, which was developed after the Great Depression and the junk bond market after the stock market lost its juice in the late 1980s. Recent history offers further proof: The same mortgage securities boom that created the current crisis also created hundreds of thousands of new jobs

Job Losses in Financial Crisis

Reasons to Always Send Thank You Notes

Only 10% of all candidates send thank you notes after job interviews. You can maximize your chances of securing a position by sending a thank you note within 24 hours after an interview. Make sure you get the exact title and names of all those with whom you have interviewed and take the time to write a thank you to each of them.

6 Reasons to Send a Thank You Note

Thank you notes:

1. Remind the hiring manager who you are


2. Show the hiring manager that you really want the job

3. Enable you to highlight your unique ability to provide solutions and benefits will help the employer achieve specific goals

4. Illustrate your understanding of the importance of proper business etiquette and politeness in building professional relationships

5. Make you stand out since 90% of all candidates don’t send thank you notes

6. Might give you a second chance if your interview did not go as well as you had hoped it would

To maximize the benefit of sending thank you notes you can send an e-mail (for speed) and then send a handwritten note with your name printed or embossed on the note and the envelope. This will impress the employer and make you stand out from the rest of the candidates.

Every extra self-marketing tool can make a major difference in whether you are selected for the job.

For help in writing, or to purchase printed or embossed personalized thank you notes visit Thank You Notes.

2008 Best Performing Large Cities

Milliken’s 2008 Best Performing Cities – 200 Largest Metros

1. Provo-Orem, UT
2. Raleigh-Carey, NC
3. Salt Lake City, UT
4. Austin-Round Rock, TX
5. Huntsville, AL
6. Wilmington, SC
7. McAllen-Edinburg, TX
8. Tacoma, WA
9. Olympia, WA
10. Charleston-North Charleston-Summerville, NC

The Milken Institute/Greenstreet Real Estate Partners Best Performing Cities Index ranks U.S. metropolitan areas by how well they are creating and sustaining jobs and economic growth. The components include job, wage, and salary and technology growth. The Best Performing Cities ranking depicts those U.S. metropolitan areas that are recording the top economic performance. The research was conducted prior to Hurricane Ike.

For the complete listing visit 2008 Best Performing Cities

Be Careful of Personal Information You Place on the Internet

One in five hiring managers say they use social networking sites to research candidates -- and 1/3 of them dimiss candidates after what they discover.

A survey by online job site CareerBuilder.com of 3,169 hiring managers found 22 percent of them screened potential staff via social networking profiles, up from 11 percent in 2006.

An additional 9 percent said they plan to start using social networking sites like Facebook or MySpace to screen potential employees.

The survey found that 34 percent of the managers who do screen candidates on the Internet found content that made them drop the candidate from any short list.

The top area for concern among the hiring managers were candidates posting:

• Information about drinking or using drugs
• Provocative or inappropriate photographs or information

Other areas of concern to arise from social network sites were:

• Poor communication skills
• Lying about qualifications
• Using discriminatory remarks related to race, gender or religion
• Having an unprofessional screen name

But the survey found hiring managers scouring social network pages was not all bad with 24 percent of these managers saying they found content to help them solidify their decision to hire that candidate.

Top factors that influenced their hiring decision included:

• Candidate's backgrounds supporting their qualifications for the job
• Proving they had good communications skills
• Having a site that conveyed a professional image with a wide range of interests

Be careful of personal information that you post on the Internet

Top Jobs for Satisfaction

"Work occupies a large part of each worker’s day, is one’s main source of social standing, helps to define who a person is and affects one’s health both physically and mentally.”

A survey of job satisfaction conducted by the General Social Survey (GSS) at the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago, based on 27, 000 interviews indicates:
47% are satisfied with their jobs

Top 10 Jobs for Satisfaction
Clergy 87%
Fire Fighters 80%
Physical Therapists 78%
Authors 74%
Special Education Teachers 70%
Teachers 69%
Education Administrators 68%
Painters and Sculptors 67%
Psychologists 67%
Security and Financial Services Salespersons 65%
Operating Engineers 64%
Office Supervisors 61%

Other jobs in which 50 percent reported "high satisfaction" included: police and detectives, registered nurses, accountants, editors, and reporters. Apparently, the perceived prestige (as opposed to actual salary) of a profession had an effect on job satisfaction and general happiness.

Most Affordable Places to Retire in U.S.

The 40 largest Census-defined metropolitan statistical areas were ranked for cost of living factors like housing affordability and inflationary pressures. All data was provided by the Bureau of Labor and Statistics and the U.S. Census. The rankings by Forbes were also based on the:

• Number of persons over 65 who are currently employed.
• Percent of people living below the poverty level are in their golden years.
• Number of doctors per capita
• Number of citizens tapping their Medicare benefits per thousand people--an important issue for those 65 and older.

The top 10 Most Affordable Places to Live in the U.S. include:

1. Columbus, OH

Columbus has a low cost of living and affordable housing--seniors seem to get along just fine. More than a fifth of folks over 65 are employed, and that age group only constitutes 6% of persons living under the poverty level, which indicates that independent living is en vogue in this river city.

2. Dallas, TX

Dallas has a robust economy, thanks to the many corporations headquartered in the city’s center. With sunny weather, low taxes and Southern hospitality, this Texas town is a great place to retire.

3. Minneapolis, MN

This twin city has a reputation for big city arts and nightlife, but it can accommodate a retiree’s fixed budget. While the winter may be rough, the cost of living won’t be.

4. Houston, TX

With tax revenues flowing from the oil and alternative energy industries centered there and a bustling tech scene, retirees won’t need to worry that they are settling into a place on the slide. Throw in affordable housing and sunny weather, and Houston is a great place to begin again.

5. Salt Lake City, UT

Utah’s capital is growing fast. With nearly 16 doctors per thousand people--far above the national average--retirees can be reassured by the cluster of medical professionals and facilities nearby. With a median age of 30, retirees may not blend in, but they can be sure that economic growth is ahead.

6. Indianapolis, IN

This Midwestern city ranked No. 1 for housing affordability relative to income and No. 8 for inflation. With Purdue University providing some youthful vibrancy and Colts fans upping the energy, this is one reasonably priced and lively place to retire.

7. Denver, CO

A Rocky Mountain retirement will involve outdoor living, a vibrant nightlife, and a manageable cost of living. Denver, one of Forbes.com’s Best Cities for Singles, attracts people of all ages making it a good long-term bet for retirees who want to ensure that they are settling somewhere with a bright future.

8. St. Louis, MO

Greater St. Louis is growing fast and with good reason. Affordable housing and sluggish inflation (just 3.2% in June 2008) make this is a great place to retire.

9. Atlanta, GA

This southern city isn’t just for young singletons and families. In terms of net migration among people over 65, Atlanta ranked No. 3 with droves of older Americans picking this affordable and desirable place to spend their golden years.

10. Nashville, TN

With a population of 1,486,695, this city came in at No. 9 for affordable housing. It was also one of our Best Places for Business in 2007. Add in pleasant weather and all the benefits a community derives from a top-notch university like Vanderbilt and you’ve got a fine place to retire.

Most Affordable Places to Retire

US Jobless Rate at 5-Year High of 6.1%

The nation’s unemployment rate hit a five-year high of 6.1 percent in August as employers cut 84,000 jobs, dramatic proof of the mounting damage a deeply troubled economy is inflicting on workers and businesses alike.

The Labor Department’s report, released Friday, showed the increasing toll the housing, credit, and financial crises are taking on the economy.

The jobless rate jumped to 6.1 percent in August, from 5.7 percent in July. And, employers slashed payrolls for the eighth month in a row. Job losses in June and July turned out to be much deeper. The economy lost 100,000 jobs in June and 60,000 in July, according to revised figures. Previously, the government reported job losses at 51,000 in each of those months.

Wachovia Corp., Ford Motor Co., Tyson Foods Inc., and Alcoa Inc. were among the companies announcing job cuts in August. GMAC Financial Services this week said it would lay off 5,000 workers.

Job losses in August were widespread:

• Factories - 61,000
• Construction - 8,000
• Retailers - 20,000
• Professional and business services - 53,000
• Leisure and hospitality - 4,000

Those losses swamped employment gains in the government, education, and health.

Job losses at all private employers — not including government — came to 101,000 in August.

The government said workers age 25 and older accounted for all the increase in unemployment in August.

Average hourly earning rose to $18.14 in August, a 0.4 percent increase from July. Economists were forecasting a 0.3 percent gain. Over the past year, wages have grown 3.6 percent, but paychecks aren’t stretching as far because of high food and energy prices.

33,000 Jobs Cut in August

The private sector lost 33,000 jobs in August on a seasonally adjusted basis, according to payroll manager ADP. A consensus of economists surveyed by Briefing.com had expected a loss of 30,000 jobs.

The August decline included losses of:

• 78,000 jobs among goods-producing companies, the 21st monthly decline in a row.
• 28,000 jobs in August by large companies with 500+ worker
• 25,000 jobs in medium-sized companies with 50-499 employees
• 20,000 jobs in small business with less than 50 workers (after adding 46,000 jobs in July

The service sector, however, gained 45,000 jobs in August.

The report showed a sharp drop-off from July, when the private sector gained 1,000 jobs, spurred by a boost in small business employment.

The U.S. Department of Labor will release its August employment report Friday. A consensus of economists surveyed by Briefing.com expects the unemployment rate to hold steady at 5.7%, while nonfarm payrolls are seen declining by 75,000 after a 51,000 drop in July.

In another separate read on the labor market released Wednesday, employers said they would cut 377,325 jobs from May to August, according to employment consulting firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc. That is the highest level of summer job cut announcements

Workers are Looking for Jobs Closer to Home

Beyond.com, Inc., the world’s largest network of niche career communities, polled members across its network of more than 15,000 sites to discover how professionals are compensating for rising gas prices. The poll received a record number of responses, with more than 20,000 professionals weighing in to voice their thoughts on the Beyond.com poll question:“What alternatives are you considering as a result of high gas prices affecting your commute to work?”

• 79% - Find a job closer to home


• 13% - Telecommuting from home


• 6% - Public transportation or walking


• 2% - Carpooling with colleagues

High gas prices have caused many professionals to consider taking drastic measures to save money on their commute, even if it means leaving their current job. A past poll conducted by Beyond.com discovered that 27 percent of professionals travel 25 miles or more to work. However, if gas prices continue to rise, the number of workers commuting long distances could decrease significantly as many workers make the decision to find a job closer to home.

Metro Jobless Rates in July

Unemployment rates were higher in July than a year earlier in 338 metropolitan areas, the Labor Department reported Thursday.

• The rates were lower in 25 areas and unchanged in six.
• El Centro, CA, and neighboring Yuma, AZ, recorded the highest unemployment rates, 23.3% and 20.0%, respectively.
• Sioux Falls, S.D., registered the lowest rate, 2.4%.

Overall, 153 areas posted unemployment rates in July above the national, not seasonally adjusted figure of 6.0%, while 205 areas had rates below it, and 11 areas had the same rate.

15 Jobs Paying $70K Annually

Psychologist
Annual median income: $71,551
Projected employment in 2016: 191,000
Increase between 2006 and 2016: 15 percent

Environmental Engineer
Annual median income: $72,350
Projected employment in 2016: 68,000
Increase between 2006 and 2016: 25 percent

First-Line Supervisor/Manager of Police and Detectives
Annual median income: $72,620
Projected employment in 2016: 102,000
Increase between 2006 and 2016: 9 percent

Computer Systems Analyst
Annual median income: $73,090
Projected employment in 2016: 650,000
Increase between 2006 and 2016: 29 percent

Advertising and Promotions Manager
Annual median income: $73,666
Projected employment in 2016: 50,000
Increase between 2006 and 2016: 6 percent

Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officer
Annual median income: $74,170
Projected employment in 2016: 15,000
Increase between 2006 and 2016: 0 percent

Administrative Services Manager
Annual median income: $75,083
Projected employment in 2016: 276,000
Increase between 2006 and 2016: 12 percent

Education Administrator, Post-Secondary
Annual median income: $75,780
Projected employment in 2016: 150,000
Increase between 2006 and 2016: 14 percent

Marine Engineers and Naval Architect
Annual median income: $76,200
Projected employment in 2016: 10,000
Increase between 2006 and 2016: 11 percent

Physician Assistant
Annual median income: $78,450
Projected employment in 2016: 83,000
Increase between 2006 and 2016: 27 percent

Agricultural Sciences Teacher, Post-Secondary
Annual median income: $78,460
Projected employment in 2016: 2.1 million (post-secondary teachers)Increase between 2006 and 2016: 23 percent

Veterinarian
Annual median income: $79,368
Projected employment in 2016: 84,000
Increase between 2006 and 2016: 35 percent

15 Jobs that Pay $70K Annually

New Business Networking Site to Launch

Forbes.com indicates that Talkbiznow.com, a website scheduled to launch on Monday, will strongly rival Linkedin.com.

No matter what industry you are a part of, or what job function you are involved in, business networking is an effective element to your professional growth.

According to Talkbiznow.com, it "provides an unrivalled, professional, networking platform, enabling smart communication between you and new found contacts on both the national and international market place."

Talkbiznow was designed with the business professional in mind. Unlike many other networking websites, Talkbiznow is completely free, it is intuitive to use and will add value to the way that you work. Talkbiznow comes equipped with a suite of services that have been developed to help increase your business productivity.

With your personal profile, you can choose to publicize your current career position as well as an in depth career history. By building a rich personal profile, you are then able to search for likeminded business professionals and give them a glimpse of yourself before becoming business contacts.

Invite business colleagues to join you in a Talkbiznow network, host webinars and invite people to come and take part in business presentations.

Through Talkbiznow you can:

• Rapidly find and build relevant contacts
• Be found for business opportunities and new careers
• Build public and private networks
• Host and invite people to your webinar sessions
• Use our clean email system and stop unwanted mail
• Compose and send adverts to your contacts
• Customise your entire experience
• Manage all of your appointments with your personal calendar
• Upload files and media to your personal store

Talkbiznow.com

Top 10 Best Small Cities - Best Places to Live

Money's list of America's best small cities

1. Plymouth, MN


2. Fort Collins, CO


3. Naperville, IL


4. Irvine, CA


5. Franklin Township, NJ


6. Norman, OK


7. Round Rock, TX


8. Columbia/Ellicott City, MD


9. Overland Park, KS


10. Fishers, IN

Tips for Dressing on the Job

If you want to secure a job or achieve a promotion, how you dress can make a difference.

Here are tips for dressing professionally on the job:
• Stock your closet -- Start with the versatile basics, such as a pair of black pants, a dark pant suit, some button-down collared shirts and a classic pair of dark shoes. Once you have the staples, you can continue to build your wardrobe to give you plenty of professional options.

• Keep it neat and clean -- Make sure your pants, shirts and other clothes are ironed, stain-free and in good condition. When your clothes look sloppy, so do you.

• Steer clear of bar attire -- Don't mistake the office for your local watering hole. Leave the slinky shirts, tight pants and cut off t-shirts at home.

• Look the part -- Have a client presentation or a meeting with the CEO? Dress for the part, making sure you choose appropriate articles of clothing for your role.

• If you have tatoos, cover them.

• Don't wear any jewelry other than an enagagement and wedding ring.

• Don't wear cologne, perfume, or aftershave in the office - some people are allergic and others just don't like it.

Unemployent Rate is 5.7%

The U.S. unemployment rate climbed to a four-year high of 5.7 percent in July as employers cut 51,000 jobs, dashing the hopes of an influx of young people looking for summer work.

Payroll cuts weren’t as deep as the 72,000 predicted by economists, however. And, job losses for both May and June were smaller than previously reported.

July’s reductions marked the seventh straight month where employers eliminated jobs. The economy has lost a total of 463,00 jobs so far this year.

Job losses in July were the heaviest in industries hard hit by the housing, credit and financial debacles. Job losses included:

• Manufacturing - 35,000
• Construction - 22,000
• Retailers - 17,000 jobs.
• Temporary help firms — also viewed as a barometer of demand for future hiring — 29,000 jobs.

Those losses swamped job gains elsewhere, including in the government, education and health care.

There were 8.8 million unemployed people in July, up from 7.1 million last year. The jobless rate last July stood at 4.7 percent.

Unemployment rate in U.S. is 5.7%

Top 10 Cities with the Most Singles

Here are the towns with the highest percentage of singles, with an over-30 scene.

1. Hoboken, NJ - 57.7%
2. Cambridge, MA - 52.4%
3. Somerville, MA - 51.4%
4. Berkeley, CA - 51.2%
5. Boston, MA - 50.3%
6. Burlington, VT - 50.0%
7. Washington, DC - 48.5%
8. Boulder, CO - 48.2%
9. North Druid Hills, GA - 47.6%
10. Hermosa Beach, CA - 47.2%


From the August 2008 issueSource: Census, OnBoard projections/aggregations

A New Book to Help You with Your Job Search

The job search process can be extremely intimidating, frustrating, full of anxiety, and depressing. The stress of suddenly losing your job (or of being in a job that you absolutely hate) makes the process even more difficult. Yet, the basic components of the job search process are really very simple. The Savvy Jobseeker's Guide & Workbook: Five Steps to a Simply Successful Job Search is a simple, job search strategy training resource that breaks the job search process down into five manageable steps:

1. Conduct a brutally honest self-assessment.


2. Create an ideal work profile.


3. Develop and implement a strategic self-marketing plan.


4. Get noticed with an employer-focused resume.


5. Interview like a pro and outshine the competition.

Use One or Two Networking Sites for Your Job Search

Social networking sites are continually popping up on the Internet. It is impossible to effectively use all of them, and LinkedIn is still considered the best for networking to find a job. However, you might want to explore some of the other sites. The facts listed below are from a July 21, 2008 article entitled Beware of Social Networking Overload. The author recommends using only one or two social networking sites to maximize your chances, and I agree.

Websites to help you with your job search and more

Changing Views and Benefits of Social Networking Sites

A new survey of 200 human-resources professionals reveals that nearly half of employers don't consider these popular social networking sites a problem. What's more, 10% of respondents said their companies view social-networking sites as invaluable marketing tools and 6% even encourage employees to have a presence on these sites, reports Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc., a global outplacement firm.

Wind Energy - New Jobs

The announcement this week that Texas has approved a $4.9 billion plan to build new transmission lines to carry wind-generated electricity from gusty West Texas to urban areas like Dallas will mean more jobs. It is the largest investment in clean and renewable energy in U.S. history.

Supporters predict the plan will spur new wind power projects, create jobs, reduce pollution and lower energy costs. Texans pay some of the highest electric rates in the country, in part because of congested transmission lines.

The plan still needs to receive final approval later this year from the PUC. The transmission lines would not be up and running for three to five years. Who would build them and other details have yet to be worked out.

But all over the country, businesses are preparing to meet the challenges and demands of the new wind market. On July 30th at 8:30AM, Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio will conduct a half day workshop to teach Northeast Ohio companies about opportunities in this fast growing market. The workshop will provide foundries, machine shops, fabricators, and others with information to enable them to become part of the wind supply chain market.

The conversion will mean new training and new and more jobs throughout the country and in Ohio which has now seen the unemployment rate rise to 6.6%.

For more information on jobs in the Wind Industry visit Green Industry Jobs

5 Hottest Global Job Markets

Some countries have greater demands for workers than they can meet. According to Fortune, the top 5 of those are:
1. Canada
2. Denmark
3. Japan
4. Romania
5. Australia

The need is so great that a few of these countries are relaxing their immigration laws. If you are interested in working abroad, you might research and explore employment opportunities in in one of these countries.

5 Hottest Global Job Markets

Fewer Job Losses

The number of U.S. workers filing new claims for jobless benefits tumbled 58,000 to 346,000 after seasonal adjustments last week—the biggest drop in almost three years, the Labor Department said Thursday. But this may not be a sign of a rebounding economy due to impending seasonal layoffs in some manufacturing sectors.

Continuing claims lasting more than one week hit a four-and-a-half year high, an indication that it is taking the unemployed longer to find new work.

Fewer File Jobless Claims.

The Sixth Straight Month of Job Losses

The Labor Department reported a net loss of 62,000 jobs in June. That matched the job loss figure for May, which was revised higher from 49,000.

The June number brought to 438,000 the number of jobs lost by the U.S. economy so far this year.

The unemployment rate stayed at 5.5%. Economists had forecast the rate would come in at 5.4% in the latest reading.

In a separate report, the department said initial claims for unemployment insurance rose 16,000 to 404,000 in the latest week. Economist Robert Brusca of FAO Economics said the reading over 400,000 is a "classic recession signal."

And the even more closely watched four-week moving average for initial claims neared that worrisome 400,000 benchmark, reaching 390,500 - the highest level since the four weeks after 2005's Hurricane Katrina. The four-week average hasn't been at or above the 400,000 mark since 2003.

Job losses:
Business and Professional Services – 51,000
Construction – 43,000
Manufacturing – 33,000
Retailers – 7,500

Job gains:
Government – 29,000
Education and Healthcare Services – 29,000
Leisure and Hospitality – 24,000

The seasonally adjusted average hourly wage edged up 6 cents to $18.01, which was in line with forecasts, while the average hourly work week stayed unchanged.

Wages are not keeping pace with inflation, as the average wage is now up 3.4% over the last 12 months, less than the 4.5% rise in prices over the 12 months ended in May as reported by the government.

79,000 Job Losses in June 2008

June was the cruelest month for America's blue-collar workers. On Wednesday, payroll processor ADP reported a 79,000 decline in private sector jobs--with 76,000 jobs lossed in the goods-producing sector alone--during the month of June.

The government sector added 20,000 jobs and small businesses added 7,000 jobs but losses included:

• Manufacturing – 44,000
• Construction – 34,000
• Finance – 19,277
• Service-Related Jobs – 3,000
• Job cuts in the retail, industrial goods and consumer product manufacturing sectors have remained fairly level

According to employment consulting firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas reported that American companies were planning to layoff 81,755 employees in June.

Medium-sized companies lost 35,000 jobs and large firms eliminated 76,000 employees.

Pink Slips Abound in June

Best and Worst Places to Build Personal Wealth

According to a new report from Salary.com, a provider of compensation data, the best places to build personal wealth are:

1. Plano, TX
2. Aurira, CO
3. Omaha, NE
4. Minneapolis, MN
5. Albuquerque, NM

The worst places are:

1. New York, NY
2. Washington, DC
3. Los Angeles, CA
4. Honolulu, HI
5. San Francisco, CA

Results were based on salaries, cost of living, and employment rates in cities with 250,000 or more residents.

For more information on jobs, industries, cities, job-finding tips, and assistance with your all of your job search needs, visit my new web site http://www.aresumes.net/.

Foods Can Improve Your Mood and Make You Happier

Foods that can improve your mood include those high in Omega 3s, folic acid, and Vitamin D. Also, eating every 4-5 hours will even out your blood sugar and your mood. Foods recommended for increasing happiness include:

• Sardines - (high in Omega 3s and Vitamin D)
• Skim Milk (Vitamin D fortified - only 1 cup a day)
• Ground Flax Seeds
• Edamame (high in Folic Acid)
• Sunflower Seeds
• Spinach
• Blackberries
• Beans
• Brussels Sprouts

Have a wonderful weekend and eat some of these foods - see if they give you a boost.

Workers Worries Interfere With Their Work

Personal-finance problems are taking a toll on some workers' ability to focus on their jobs, a new survey shows. Nearly one-quarter of 755 employed U.S. adults say their financial situation has distracted them at work. And close to one-third of respondents say they sometimes have trouble sleeping at night due to concerns about mortgages, credit cards and other expenses, reports the Marlin Company, a workplace-communications firm based in Wallingford, Conn.


www.aresumes.net

Take Your Dog to Work

Businesses nationwide are expected to open their doors to employees' four-legged friends in honor of Take Your Dog to Work Day on Friday, June 20th, an event sponsored by Pet Sitters International, an educational association. Want to bring your pooch to the office every day? You can search for jobs at dog-friendly companies on sites such as SimplyHired.com and DogFriendly.com. See these office-etiquette tips for dogs from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Yahoo Offers Free New E-mail Domains ymail and rocketmail

Beginning today, Yahoo is allowing its customers to create e-mail accounts in ymail and rocketmail domain names. This will make it easier for you to get e-mails with your first name or initial and last name.
It is a good idea to use a separate e-mail, accessible on any computer, for your job search like gmail, hotmail, yahoo, ymail, and rocketmail.

Accounts created with the new domain names will use the same Yahoo! Mail interfaces and get unlimited storage at no charge. Localized country versions of the domain will also be available. The ID's will also work for signing in to other Yahoo sites and services, such as Flickr, and Yahoo! Messenger.
As part of the launch, Yahoo will auction off special e-mail addresses, the proceeds of which will be donated to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation, Ocean Conservancy, The Point Foundation, Right to Play and World Wildlife Fund. The auction will run from today until June 30, and can be found at www.ebay.com/ymail.

Sustainable Energy Provides New Jobs

Emerging sustainable energy industries are going to be a major source of job growth in the future. Solar energy, wind power, biofuels, and nuclear energy as well as environmental clean-up equipment for current energy sources are all going to provide job opportunities. A great source for these jobs and for the names of companies that you can contact is http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/.

For more information on sustainable energy jobs visit my new web site, http://www.aresumes.net/.

The Company Website Recruiting Process Is Far From Ideal

Bernard Hodes Group recently conducted a survey of job seekers on Facebook and found that customer service leaves something to be desired in the recruiting process. They were asked to describe what happened after they applied for a job on a company website, the respondents reported as follows:

• 41% never received a response
• 28% decided not to submit a resume or application after looking at what they would have to do
• 15% were invited for an interview
• 11% received a timely acknowledgement of their submission
• 5% received an acknowledgement some time later.

So the fact that four-out-of-ten job applicants say they never receive a response is distressing to employers and recruiters. Despite employers' best efforts, job seekers still have a very negative view of the recruiting process and the "resume black hole."

This is just another indication of how important it is not rely solely on the Internet to find a job. You still need to network, use the phone, send resumes to specific people, and follow-up. Finding a job is an active job and takes research, organization, and effort.

Arlene Schwartz Personalized Resume Service

Accountants Are In Demand

A new survey shows that more than 203,000 students enrolled in accounting-degree programs in the 2006-2007 school year—an increase of 19% from 2003-2004. Meanwhile, 16% more accounting students graduated with bachelor's degrees and 18% more earned master's degrees in 2006-2007 compared to 2003-2004. Hiring at public-accounting firms also rose 83% over this period, reports the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, a national trade group. Survey respondents included 242 U.S. colleges and 639 public-accounting firms.

How To Stay Young

A very good friend of mine sent this to me and I wanted to share it with you.

How to Stay Young (by George Carlin)

1. Throw out nonessential numbers. This includes age, weight and height. Let the doctors worry about them. That is why you pay 'them.'

2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down.

3. Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever. Never let the brain idle. 'An idle mind is the devil's workshop.' And the devil's name is Alzheimer's.

4. Enjoy the simple things.

5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.

6. The tears happen. Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person, who is with us our entire life, is ourselves. Be ALIVE while you are alive.

7. Surround yourself with what you love, whether it's family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge.

8. Cherish your health: If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.

9. Don't take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, even to the next county; to a foreign country but NOT to where the guilt is.

10. Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER: Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

Thank you Lola, I love you and treasure your friendship

Jobless Rate Rose to 5.5% in May

The unemployment rate jumped to 5.5 percent in May — the biggest monthly rise since 1986 — as nervous employers cut 49,000 jobs.

Overall, the economy has shed 324,000 jobs this year, the worst start to a year since 2002, when the nation was still struggling with the aftereffects of a recession.

The 5.5 percent rate is relatively moderate judged by historical standards. Yet, there was no question that employers last month sharply cut jobs with total job losses this year in:

• Professional and businesses services - 39,000
• Construction - 34,000
• Retailing - 27,000
• Manufacturing - 26,000

Part of that business and professional services decline came from a 30,000 cut in temporary jobs, bringing losses in that sector to 106,000 so far this year.

Those losses swamped gains elsewhere this month, including in:

• Education
• Health
• Government
• Leisure and Hospitality

Job losses in both March and April turned out to be larger than the government previously reported. Employers now have cut payrolls for five straight months.

Employers won’t want to increase hiring until they feel more sure that an economic recovery has strong legs.

Unemployment Soars to 5.5%

Jobless Rate Jumped 5.5% in May

Hispanic Workers Have Greater Risk of Dying on the Job

Hispanic workers die at higher rates than other laborers, with 1 in 3 of these deaths occurring in the construction industry, a government study reported Thursday. Factors may include:

• Holding more high risk jobs than other racial groups
• Language and literacy barriers
• Poor training and supervision

The leading causes in recent years have been falls and highway-related accidents.

Hispanics Dying on Job at Higher Rates

Adults With ADHD Are Less Productive Workers

Adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) do about one month's less work each year than people who don't have this condition, a new 10-country study from the World Health Organization (WHO) demonstrates.

And only a few of these days are spent out sick.

Workplace programs to screen employees for ADHD and provide treatment could be a cost-effective way to improve productivity, especially since just a fraction of individuals are the condition were getting treatment.

To evaluate the prevalence of ADHD among adults and its consequences in the workplace, the researchers surveyed 7,075 18- to 44-year-olds who were paid workers or self-employed as part of the WHO World Mental Health Survey Initiative. The survey included workers in Belgium, Colombia, France, Germany, Italy, Lebanon, Mexico, the Netherlands, Spain and the US.

Overall, the researchers found, 3.5 percent of individuals surveyed met diagnostic criteria for ADHD. Males were much more likely to have the disorder, while ADHD was less common among professionals.

ADHD manifests itself somewhat differently among adults than children. Individuals with ADHD can be very lively, very hyperactive, but some don't appear hyperactive but are unable to stay focused and to concentrate on one job at one time.

One way to help workers with ADHD might be to allow them to concentrate on a single task per day, rather than requiring them to do several things at once.


Those With ADHD Do 1 Month's Less Work A Year

Who Do Employees Trust?

Most employees have more faith in their own bosses than top management, a new study shows.

• 75% of more than 7,500 workers surveyed world-wide say they trust their manager


• 60% trust their organization's senior management

The disparity is even greater among employees in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, with:

• 75% trusting their manager


• 53% trusting senior management

Source: BlessingWhite, a Princeton, N.J.-based consulting firm.

Smartest Cities in the U.S.

Sperling's Best places ranked the 200 largest metropolitan areas on the percentage of population 25 and over with a bachelor's degree. If you are interested in living in a community with more degreed residents, you might consider one of these top 10 smartest cities:

1. Boulder, CO


2. Bethesda, MD


3. Ann Arbor, MI


4. Cambridge, MA


5. San Francisco, CA


6. Durham, NC


7. Fort Collins-Loveland, CO


8. Washington, DC


9. Bridgeport, Stamford, Norwalk, CT


10. San José, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, CA

Smartest Cities in U.S.

Online Networking Sites Can Help Your Job Search

If you're looking for a new job but don't belong to an online social network, you could be hurting your chances of success. A recent survey of 115 human-resources professionals by Jobvite Inc., a provider of recruitment technology in San Francisco, found that:

• 78% use sites like LinkedIn, Facebook and Jobster for recruiting.


• Of those, 16% say that more than half the candidates they consider for jobs are identified through social-networking sites.

Is The American Dream Attainable

• Slightly less than three-quarters of U.S. workers say the American dream is unattainable, according to a new survey with 755 respondents.
• Seventy-seven percent also say the nation's political system doesn't represent them on workplace issues such as health care, retirement, fuel prices and the economy.
• Women feel even less represented than men, with 82% of female workers feeling unrepresented compared to 73% of male workers, reports the Marlin Company, a workplace-communications firm in Wallingford, Conn.

Should Paid Family Leave Be A Federal Law?

Paid family leave is a hot workplace issue. Up until last month, California and Washington State were the only states with any type of family leave legislation on the books. New Jersey passed a paid leave bill in late May. New Jersey and Washington’s programs take effect in 2009.

Most employers don’t provide any type of paid leave to take care of a new baby or an ailing parent. A study by the Society of Human Resource Management found that only one-third of companies offered paid family leave.

The Family and Medical Leave Act requires employers to let workers take up to 12 weeks off without pay. In most cases workers are guaranteed to still have a job when they return. But many employees are hard-pressed to take off so much time without pay.

The lack of paid leave is unusual among the world’s industrialized nations. Other nations without paid family leave include Liberia, Papua New Guinea and Swaziland.

The U.S. system generally is structured around the old model of Mom staying home with the kids and Dad being the breadwinner. The reality today is that 70% of families have both parents working.

There are movements in a handful of other states, including New York, Massachusetts and Oregon, to implement paid leave, but many advocates believe time off with pay should be mandated at the federal level. Two bills now circulating in Congress would mandate eight to 12 weeks of paid leave.

One bipartisan bill sponsored by Sens. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) and Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), calls for eight weeks of paid family leave within a one-year period. Benefits would be paid out on a tiered system depending on salary. The program, which would not affect companies with 50 employees or fewer, would be funded by employee, employer and the federal government.

A second bill in the House would mandate 12 weeks of paid leave. The legislation also includes a tiered wage system and would be funded by a new trust fund. Employers and employees would pay into the fund equally through payroll deductions, similar to unemployment benefits.

But the business community hasn’t exactly embraced these type of mandates with open arms, and Stark expects a battle to pass the legislation. Some employers see the mandate as a potential threat that would raise the cost of doing business, so compnaies would end up lowering wages to compensate. Others say it cuts down on flexibility and creativity.
“Employers didn’t step up on Medicare or Social Security. We made them do it and now it’s part of the system,” he notes.

In California, the paid leave program piggybacks on the state’s disability program and is 100 percent funded by the employees themselves at an annual average cost of about $47 depending on salary. Californians who take advantage of the program get 55 percent of their pay while on family leave.
No matter what the ultimate structure, calls for paid leave are likely to intensify, especially with the graying of the population.

Paid Family Leave Becomes Hot Workplace Issue

Traits Employers Look for in Hiring Employees

What skills do company chiefs consider vital to their organizations? For 88% of 1,150 CEOs surveyed recently, the answer is a tie between:

• The ability to quickly adjust to internal and external changes
• Expertise in leading and developing others.

Also highly valued are:

• Collaboration skills
• Creativity and innovativeness
• Proficiency in anticipating and managing risk

Source: PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an accounting firm headquartered in New York.

Networking Books To Help You With Your Job Search

The most effective way to find a new job is through networking. These books from leading experts can help you network:

• I'm on LinkedIn, Now What??? and I'm on FaceBook, Now What???, by Jason Alba


• Dig Your Well Before You’re Thirsty, by Harvey McKay


• Professional Networking for Dummies, by Donna Fisher


• The New Job Security, by Pam Lassiter


• Make Your Contacts Count, by Anne Baber & Lynne Waymon


• How to Work a Room, by Susan RoAne


• Masters of Networking, by Don Meisner


• Networking for Job Search and Career Success, by Michelle Tullier


• Never Eat Alone and Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time, by Keith Ferrazzi, Tahl Raz


• Career Distinction: Stand Out by Building Your Brand, by William Arruda and Kirsten Dixson

Arlene Schwartz Personalized Resume Service

Reasons for Changing Jobs

An online survey of why people change jobs conducted by Right Management received 1,308 responses, indicating:

• Slightly more than half changed jobs involuntarily due to downsizing or restructuring
• 30% opted to switch employers because they craved something new
• 18% made career moves to boost their incomes

Big Pharma Layoffs

It’s the era of layoffs in Big Pharma, with nearly every major player cutting thousands of jobs. In the past few months alone, Merck, Schering Plough and Wyeth have all announced cuts.

But most of the people losing their jobs seem to be landing on their feet, according to a survey of 1,282 pharma folks who lost their jobs in the Northeast between January 2007 and March ‘08.

• About 73% of the employees found jobs at the same or higher pay level.


• 84% found work without having to relocate, the Newark Star-Ledger reports.


• The most common way to find a new job was through networking, which worked for 43% of the respondents.


• 15% percent used Internet listings


• 12% used job search firms


• 8% sent their resume directly to a company, the article says.

The survey was conducted by Right Management, which has been hired by companies in the region to provide outplacement assistance to workers who lose their jobs.

Tough Job Market for New Graduates

This year's college graduates face an even tougher job market than last year's. Career coaches advise jobless grads not to get distressed, but to adjust their searches:

• Focus on smaller companies


• Be willing to move


• Network aggressively

Poor Job Market for Teenagers this Summer

The 2008 summer job market is shaping up as the weakest in more than half a century for teenagers looking for summer work, according to labor economists, government data and companies that hire young people.

This deterioration is jeopardizing what many experts consider a crucial beginning stage of working life, one that gives young people experience and confidence along with pocket money.

Little more than one-third of the 16- to 19-year-olds in the United States are likely to be employed this summer, the smallest share since the government began tracking teenage work in 1948, according to a research paper published by the Center for Labor Market Studies at Northeastern University in Boston. That is a sharp drop from the 45 percent level of teenage employment reached in 2000.

The rates among minority young people have been particularly low, with only 21 percent of African-Americans and 31 percent of Hispanics from the ages of 16 to 19 employed last summer, according to the Labor Department.

Toughest Summer Job this Year is Finding One