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.