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