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February Jobs Report Beats Expectations But Losses Continue

Fri, 5 Mar 2010 11:00:00 EST

36,000 jobs were lost in February according to the latest report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The unemployment rate held steady at 9.7 percent. The hard hit construction sector has lost 1.9 million jobs since December, 2007. The Christian Science Monitor reports that future indicators are seeing an immediate turnaround for construction.

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BLS Data Indicates 800,000 More Jobs Were Lost Last Year

Fri, 5 Feb 2010 18:00:00 EST

CNN/Money explains how the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data was off by 800,000 jobs. The BLS is revising its payroll frigures from April 2008 through March of 2009 to indicate there are 800,000 less jobs. The Labor Department's new estimate will mean that there have actually been 8 million jobs lost since 2007 instead of 7 million. CNN/Money's expert says the reason is because the models are not always correct, especially during major recessions. Take a look:

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Monster Buys Yahoo HotJobs Assets

Wed, 3 Feb 2010 15:00:00 EST

Monster Worldwide, Inc. has acquired the assets of Yahoo HotJobs from Yahoo for $225 million in cash. Monster and Yahoo have also entered into a three agreementin which Monster will become Yahoo's provider of career and job content on the Yahoo! homepage in the United States and Canada.

"HotJobs with its significant customer base plus the traffic agreement are an ideal complement to Monster's innovative recruitment solutions and global reach," said Sal Iannuzzi, chairman, chief executive officer and president of Monster Worldwide. "These agreements, combined with Monster's career Communities and our recently introduced 6Sense semantic search technology, will bring substantial new benefits for employers seeking more qualified candidates and job seekers searching for more relevant opportunities across a wider range of industries - globally."

The move will make Monster an even bigger jobs site and will allow Yahoo to exit the jobs business while still showing job opportunities (now from Monster) on yahoo.com.

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Beat On the Job Blues

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 16:00:00 EST

Susan Morem, author of How to Get a Job and Keep It, talks about how to stay happy in the workplace. Susan Morem says to try and avoid the office gossip and the negativity in the workplace. She also says to liven things up with creativity. Take a look:

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November Jobs Report Negative But Not as Bad

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 15:00:00 EST

11,000 jobs were lost in November. The unemployment rate also improved to 10%. It was the 23rd consecutive month the economy has last jobs. However, CNN reports that the losses were much lower than analysts had been expecting.

U.S. payrolls slipped 11,000 jobs in the month, far below any of the job losses posted over the last 23 months. Economists surveyed by Briefing.com had forecast a loss of 125,000 jobs in November.

The October and September job loss estimates were also revised sharply lower, trimming previous job loss estimates by 159,000 between them.

The new reading put October job losses at 111,000 jobs, and September's loss estimate was cut to 139,000. Each of those new estimates would have been the smallest declines in more than a year.

CNN says the total number of hours worked by American workers actually increased by 0.6%. This is small but a positive sign. Unfortunately, some of this could be seasonal holiday retail hiring. It doesn't mean the economy is out of the woods and the layoffs have ceased.

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Barnanke Sees Meager Recovery, Meager Jobs Improvement in 2010

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST

Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke spoke about the economy and the recession yesterday. Bernanke does not think we will have a jobless recovery that is as bad as the one following the 2001 recession but he is concerned job growth could be meager in 2010.

In response to a question from the audience, Bernanke said he doesn't see the same kind of jobless recovery in 2010 that the economy went through following the 2001 recession, in which job losses continued for nearly two years after growth returned. But he did say that he's worried job growth will be so meager next year that it won't make a dent in the unemployment rate.

Bernanke also said credit for small businesses and consumers is likely to remain strained. And he said that tighter credit will be a significant drag on the economy going forward.

We will be lucky if we have job growth in 2010. As of right now the economy continues to lose jobs. There has been recovery in the jobs market so to talk about a "meager jobs recovery" is premature as there has been no jobs recovery at all. Bernanke also said he does not see the economy slipping back into a recession but it will if there is not a jobs recovery. Consumers can't spend if they don't have an income.

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Unemployment Rises to 10.2%

Fri, 6 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST

Amidst all the talk of a recovery the country continues to lose jobs and the unemployment rate keeps rising. Unemployment climbed to 10.2% in October according to the Department of Labor's jobs report. Marketwatch says this is despite the fact that the economy grew 3.2% in the third quarter.

The October jobs report shows a growing disconnect between a recovery in economic output and continued job losses. The economy grew at a 3.2% annual rate in the third quarter, with productivity rising at a 9.5% rate.

"The grinding pace of progress in labor markets likely flags a tepid economic recovery," wrote Sal Guatieri, an economist for BMO Capital Markets.

The report was worse than expected. Economists surveyed by MarketWatch were forecasting a rise in the unemployment rate to 10%, with 150,000 lost payroll jobs. An upward revision to August and September payrolls cushioned some of the disappointment, however.

The 3.2% growth is likely from the Cash for Clunkers program and the infusion of cash by the government. The economy is likely to contract again if a way to create jobs is not found soon. 190,000 jobs were lost in October. It was the 22nd straight month the U.S. economy lost jobs.

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Plenty of Germs at the Office

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 21:00:00 EST

CBS reports that sick days cost American businesses billions of dollars every year. Unfortunately, it may be the office itself that is making people sick. Surfaces like desks, keyboards and phones can contain lots of bacteria. CBS talks about a study that found your workplace probably has more bacteria than the bathroom. This is probably because many people seldomly clean their desks and keyboards. Take a look:

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Recession is Forcing Couples to Split for Jobs

Sat, 10 Oct 2009 18:10:00 EST

There are many working couples in today's world that have been hit very hard by the recession. Each spouse needs a job for the couple to earn enough income to pay the bills. If one or both loses a job they could face financial hardship. The Wall Street Journal reports the ugly recession has split up couples as one spouse is forced to take a job away from home. The WSJ article quotes a study from Challenger, Gray & Christmas that found 18.2% of 1,450 successful job seekers relocated for positions in the second quarter. This was a big jump from the 11.4% found in a survey from a year before.

Faced with a choice between the financial hardship of unemployment or a relocating for a job, more couples are going for a third option and choosing long-term separations. The issue is more common during this recession than in past downturns because of the prevalence of two-career couples. In 2008, 51.4% of married households had both spouses working, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

"Someone finding employment in another city creates a bigger challenge for families than it did a generation ago," says Joseph Foudy, a professor of economics and management at New York University's Stern School of Business. "You can't assume that a spouse that follows another will find employment in this market."

It can also be expensive. Trips for the relocated spouse to visit can be costly and exhausting.

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Getting a Raise in a Recession

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 18:00:00 EST

The average salary increase at companies is only 2% this year so a raise seems unlikely. Harry Smith says he would be afraid to even brooch the subject in this kind of environment. However, Jill Schlesinger from CBSMoneyWatch.com tells Harry Smith that there are ways to go about getting a raise. She says to explain how much money you have saved the company and how valuable and criticial to the company you are. CBS also has an article about it here.

Jill Schlesinger says talk face to face with your boss - don't send an email. If your company is one of those with a salary freeze, salary cuts or widespread layoffs you probably aren't going to get a raise no matter how you ask. Jill Schlesinger says you can also ask for perks like a better office or more vacation time if a monetary increase is not possible. Take a look:

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James Alliban Creates AR Business Card

Tue, 4 Aug 2009 18:00:00 EST

James Alliban has created an augmented reality business card or AR business card. The AR card allows a video of James Alliban to pop out from the business card. Note: You can also watch the video here on Vimeo.

(via Artificial Intelligence and Robotics

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467,000 Jobs Lost in June

Thu, 2 Jul 2009 21:00:00 EST

The Labor Department reported Thursday that U.S. employers cut 467,000 jobs in June. The unemployment rate climbed to 9.5 percent, which is nearly a 26-year high. Reuters reports that the jobs cuts were 100,000 more than Wall Street economists had been expecting. The economy has now lost 6.5 million jobs since the recession began on Decemeber 2007.

The AP says jobs cuts were widespread covering most sectors. Only education and health services added jobs.

Professional and business services slashed 118,000 jobs, more than double the 48,000 cut in May. Manufacturers cut 136,000, down from 156,000. Construction companies got rid of 79,000 jobs, up from 48,000 the previous month. Retailers eliminated 21,000, up from 17,600. Financial activities cut 27,000, following 30,000 in May. The government cut 52,000 jobs, up from 10,000 the previous month. Leisure and hospitality cut 18,000 jobs, erasing a gain of the same size in May.

One of the few industries adding jobs: education and health services, which added 34,000 positions last month and 47,000 in May.

The big June figures are a clear sign that the pace of layoffs is not slowing down. U.S. News provides a good Q&A on what this latest jobs report means here.

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ADP: U.S. Companies Cut Payrolls by 473,000 in June

Wed, 1 Jul 2009 15:00:00 EST

Bloomberg reports that ADP Employer Services estimates that employers cut 473,000 jobs in June. This would be a sign that job losses are not slowing. Economists had been expecting a smaller figure.

The 473,000 drop in the ADP Employer Services gauge followed a revised reduction of 485,000 workers in May that was smaller than previously estimated.

Job losses may mount as the bankruptcies of General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC ripple through manufacturing. Increased firings threaten to further restrain consumer spending at a time when the world's largest economy is showing signs of stabilizing.

"This is a weak number," Joel Prakken, chairman of Macroeconomic Advisers LLC, said on a conference call with reporters. "It's a pretty clear indication that, while we're not shedding jobs as rapidly as the first part of the year, the labor market is still in a state of decline."

Bloomberg says tomorrow's jobs report from the Labor Department may show employers cut 363,000 jobs in June and that unemployment climbed to 9.6%. This would indicate deep losses and that employers are still firing and not hiring.

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Swine Flu Pandemic Will Give Employers Major Headaches

Sat, 20 Jun 2009 18:00:00 EST

The Independent reports that the swine flu pandemic could leave the UK with 15-20% of its workforce sick at home at its peak this fall. Experts estimate that 50% of UK residents could fall ill from the h1n1 virus.

The letter followed an earlier warning from Sir Liam that millions of Britons could fall victim to swine flu in the coming months. Government officials admitted last night that illness rates from the virus could reach 50 per cent.

Primary care trusts are now being briefed to expect that the pandemic could affect as much as 40 per cent of the workforce before the end of the year, with many worried that there could be a surge of cases in the autumn, according to health industry sources.

The Department of Health sought to reassure the public last night. A spokesman said: "Previous pandemics have seen total illness levels of 25-35 per cent. So our plans are as robust as possible, we have based them on illness rates of 50 per cent, though we do not anticipate it being this high in the current pandemic. Based on this figure, the workforce could be reduced by 15-20 per cent at the pandemic's peak. In the unlikely event that every school closed, this could rise to 35 per cent." He said it was impossible to predict when the pandemic would peak, but added: "As part of ongoing planning, the NHS is being asked to ensure that antiviral collection points could, if needed, be put into action in a week."

Keen to avoid panic, the Government is careful to present official statistics showing "laboratory-confirmed" cases, which currently stand at 2,244. Yet the true scale of infections is far higher than headline figures suggest. The total number of cases either confirmed by laboratory tests or "clinically presumed" currently stands at 3,725.

Some of those employees will also need to be hospitalized and could be out of work for much longer than others. Some will also die from the virus. The swine flu has already been killing people in the 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s age groups. This trend is likely to continue. Even if the swine flu kills just 1 out of every 300 people infected, the total number killed is going to be very large if half of the UK's population is affected. The people dying from the virus are in a demographic that includes the majority of the working population. The article says 50% of UK's population could fall ill from the virus before the end of the year. The U.S. is likely to face a very similar health and productivity issue because of the pandemic.

You can find a long list of h1n1 swine flu resources here.

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President Obama Says Unemployment Rate Will Reach 10%

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 18:00:00 EST

Bloomberg reports that President Obama acknowledged today that the unemployment rate is going to pass the 10% mark this year.

"You're starting to see the engines of the economy turn," Obama said today in an interview with Bloomberg Television at the White House. "It's going to take a long time -- we had a huge de-leveraging that took place."

Obama acknowledged that unemployment lines may keep growing despite government efforts to boost economic growth, saying he's confident an expansion will begin "shortly." His outlook mirrors the forecasts of private economists who predict a jobless rate of 10 percent -- a level unseen since 1983 -- by the final three months of the year.

"What you've seen is that the pace of job loss has slowed," the president said. "The economy is going to turn around, but as you know, jobs are a lagging indicator and we've got to produce 150,000 jobs every month just to keep pace, just to flatten this out."

Hopefully, President Obama is correct but there have not yet been signs of a turnaround and losing 345,000 jobs in a month - like we did in May - is not much of a slowdown.

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Economists See Hope in May Jobs Report

Mon, 8 Jun 2009 18:00:00 EST

Many economists welcomed the May jobs report as a positive sign even though the economy lost anouther 345,000 jobs and unemployment climbed to 9.4%. The optimism is only there because there were genuine fears the economy was in a terrifying free-fall.

Economists described the Labor Department's monthly jobs report, released Friday, as an unambiguous sign of improvement, yet also clear evidence of broadening national distress, as millions of households grapple with joblessness and lost working hours.

The fact that a report showing the highest unemployment rate in more than a quarter-century was embraced optimistically testified to the stark fears over the economy in recent months.

"The free fall that the job market was in does finally appear to be tapering off," said Stuart G. Hoffman, chief economist at PNC Financial Services Group in Pittsburgh. "It's the prelude to an economic and job recovery later this year."

VOA News reports that the unemployment rate is currently higher than the White House and analysts had expected and forecasted months ago.

The White House says America's employment picture is worse than the Obama administration had anticipated just a few months ago. The somber admission follows the latest jobless report showing the highest unemployment rate the United States has seen in more than 25 years.

U.S. unemployment jumped a half percent in May, to 9.4 percent prompting this comment by Austan Goolsbee, a member of President Barack Obama's Council of Economic Advisors:

"The economy clearly has gotten substantially worse from the initial predictions that were being made, not just by the White House, but by all of the private sector," said Austan Goolsbee.

The high unemployment rate is likely why President Obama announced a new plan (PDF file) to create jobs today. The Christian Science Monitor notes that the plan has little room for error.

Yet the administration is still in rescue mode. On Monday, it formally announced its plan to step up its recovery efforts and create 600,000 jobs, including 125,000 summer jobs for youth.

This may be a good thing. A recession that's moderating is still a recession. People are still losing their jobs at a faster rate than they're finding new ones. Supporters of continued stimulus are those who see no recovery this year - or such a weak one that it will still feel like recession.

But the economy moves so fast - and government stimulus moves so slowly - that the administration risks falling behind the curve.

Several experts quoted here in a U.S. News article say they expect job losses to continue to moderate but the unemployment rate is still expected to come closer to or exceed 10%.

Job losses may moderate but it could be difficult to estimate the fallout from the GM and Chrysler bankruptcies. Retail sales in May were also weak and another weak month or two could result in more layoffs in the retail industry. There are many unknowns we have to yet to face in this recession.

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Economy Likely Shed Another 500,000 Jobs in May

Sun, 31 May 2009 14:00:00 EST

Marketwatch reports a survey of economists finds that payrolls are expected to show the economy lost another half a million jobs in May. The economists surveyed expect the unemployment rate is to climb to 9.2%

The Labor Department will release the May employment report on Friday at 8:30 a.m. It's the biggest economic release in a week chock full of data covering every sector of the economy.

In "normal circumstances," such heavy job losses "would be seen as very bad news," wrote Brian Bethune and Nigel Gault, economists at IHS Global Insight. But these times are anything but normal.

Investors "may be encouraged that the pace of job losses appears to be slowing -- albeit marginally," wrote Meny Grauman, an economist for CIBC World Markets. It would be the smallest monthly job loss since 380,000 were lost in October in the wake of the financial panic that followed the collapse of Lehman Bros.

500,000 lost jobs will be the lowest monthly number since last October. It may seem like good news to some that a smaller number of jobs are being lost but 500,000 lost jobs is not really a positive sign. It's a sign of a very unhealthy economy. The May jobs report will be out next Friday.

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Insurance Company Celebrates Bahama Fridays

Fri, 15 May 2009 22:00:00 EST

One branch of the ELG Insurance company has a policy that takes casual Friday even farther. The brance celebrates Bahama Fridays. The bikinis seem like they would be a little distracting but Branch Manager Steve Rotondo says Bahama Fridays boost moral and productivity. It's also possible that this is just a very clever marketing campaign for the Bahamas. Take a look:

(via Buzzfeed)

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Emplyment Webby Award nominees

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 15:00:00 EST

These sites were nominated for a Webby award in the employment category.

Monster.com - job site
NYPD Career Site - NYPD recruitment site
TES Connect - teaching job site
TheLadders - job site
VisualCV - Internet-based resumes

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ADP Reports Private Employers Cut 742,000 Jobs in March

Wed, 1 Apr 2009 18:00:00 EST

Reuters reports that a report released by ADP Employer Services says 742,000 jobs were cut by private employers in March. The February number was also revised to 706,000 job cuts - up slight from 697,000.

Private employers cut jobs by a record 742,000 in March versus a 706,000 revised cut in February that was originally reported at 697,000 jobs, said ADP, which has been carrying out the survey since 2001.

The big drop foreshadows a huge decline in the non-farm payroll reading in the government's employment report that will be released on Friday, some analysts said.

"It's a terrible number. It is almost a loss of three quarters of a million jobs which is possibly the highest we have seen so far over the length of this crisis," said Matt Esteve, foreign exchange trader with Tempus Consulting in Washington

This is a very large number job cuts. We will find out Friday if the government's number are similar.

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Unemployment Rate Climbs to 8.1%

Mon, 9 Mar 2009 18:00:00 EST

The unemployment rose to 8.1% in February after another 651,000 jobs were lost in February according to the Labor Department. The Wall Street Journal quotes Joseph LaVorgna, chief U.S. economist at Deutsche Bank, who says we will reach 10% unemployment by the end of 2009.

The number of jobless Americans rose to 12.5 million in February, pushing the unemployment rate to 8.1%, up from 7.6% in January, said the Labor Department.

"We'll be at 10% unemployment by year end," said Joseph LaVorgna, chief U.S. economist at Deutsche Bank. "What's going to stop it?"

The U.S. has lost 4.4 million jobs since the recession began in December 2007 -- more than half the losses coming in the last four months as the worst financial crisis in decades has intensified the economy's steep decline.

The jobs data is really grim. Bloomberg gives you an idea of just how bad it is when they note that job losses have now exceeded 600,000 for three straight months - the "first time this has happened since the data began in 1939."

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Unemployment Related Search Terms Spiked in December

Sat, 28 Feb 2009 18:00:00 EST

The Wall Street Journal reports that searches using the word "unemployemnt" triped in December 2008 when compared to December 2007. Searches for "unemployment benefits" and "bankruptcy" also soared.

The market-research firm reports that December 2008 search-engine queries using the word "unemployment" tripled to 8.2 million from December 2007. ""Unemployment benefits" saw an even sharper spike - 748,000, up from 215,000 a year ago - while "bankruptcy" searches more than doubled to 2.6 million.

"Mortgage" and "foreclosure" queries grew 72% and 156%, respectively.

The research also found that search terms like "coupons" and "discounts" are on the rise. That's not a surprise since consumers are reportedly growing less self-onscious about using coupons. During a time period when people are worried about jobs or out-of-work trying to save money makes good sense.

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Nearly 600,000 Jobs Lost in January

Fri, 6 Feb 2009 18:00:00 EST

Nonfarm payrolls fell 598,000 in January according to a new report from the U.S. Department of Labor. December was also revised to a loss of 577,000.

Nonfarm payrolls fell by a seasonally adjusted 598,000 in January after a revised loss of 577,000 in December, the government said. It's the largest payroll loss since December 1974, according to a survey of workplaces. Payrolls fell by 597,000 in November.

"Job losses were large and widespread across the major industry sectors," said Keith Hall, head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Manufacturing saw its largest decline in 26 years.

Unemployment climbed to 7.6%. It was the deepest cut in payrolls in 34 years. It was also higher than the 525,000 losses economists were expecting. Nearly 3.6 million jobs have now been lost since the recession began.

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Pep Rally's Get People Fired Up For Job Hunting in Japan

Thu, 5 Feb 2009 18:00:00 EST

Pep rallies are held in Japan to get young people motivated to hunt for a job. Cheerleaders and live music are part of the pep rallies. Reuters says the pep rallies are held by colleges and vocational schools. Take a look:

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Another 500,000+ Jobs Lost in December. Unemployment Climbs to 7.2%

Sat, 10 Jan 2009 15:00:00 EST

The number of jobs lost in November was similar to November. Nonfarm payroll employment declined sharply in December, and the unemployment rate rose from 6.8 to 7.2 percent - this is a 16-year record. Payroll employment fell by 524,000 over the month and by 1.9 million over the last 4 months of 2008. In December, job losses were large and widespread across most major industry sectors.

The New York Times says the total number of jobs lost in the recession is now 2.59 million. That number is likely to grow as companies are not done making cuts.

The December decline in jobs came on top of similar losses in October and November. Not since 1980 has the work force shrunk so much in just three months. Companies across all industries are grappling with sales that are deteriorating rapidly just as they lose easy access to loans.

"The simplest way for a company to hoard cash is to drain their inventories and fire their workers," said Robert J. Barbera, chief economist at the Investment Technology Group, a research and trading firm, "and everywhere you look, that is what is happening."

The total number of jobs lost in the recession now totals 2.59 million, counting upward revisions for October and November, with many more job losses expected in coming months.

In some cases companies are filing for bankruptcy or liquidating and jobs are lost because the company is gone. You can see the complete report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics here.

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Interviewing Basics From CalTech

Sat, 27 Dec 2008 15:00:00 EST

This video from CareerTV has some good tips from CalTech for those prepping for a job interview. Some of the tips include research the employer as much as possible on the Internet. Going beyond the Internet by finding people who worked for the employer is also a good idea because they might have insight not available online. Another tip from the video is to practice for the interview. They also explain the STAR method for deconstructing an interview question. STAR stands for Situation Task Action Result. Take a look:

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Video Essay: Tough Job Climate For Young Job Seekers

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 18:00:00 EST

This AP video essay by Martha Irvine focuses on recent college grad Kimberly Bratton. Kimberly Bratton moved to Chicago with the hopes of landing a job in her dream city. So far she has found a lot of temporary work but she has found it tough going when it comes to landing a permanent job. A lot of young job seekers in a lot of cities are finding the job market in today's recession is just as tough and unwelcoming as Kimberly Barrton is discovering it to be. Usually persistence pays off even in a difficult recession like this one.

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Jobless Claims Hit 26-Year High

Fri, 12 Dec 2008 18:00:00 EST

Applications for jobless benefits spiked last week by 58,000 to 573,000. This is a 26-year high. The rising unemployment trend is likely to continue tinto 2009. More big employers announced layoffs this last week including Dow Chemical, Bank of America, 3M, NPR and the NFL to name just a few.

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November's Big Ugly Jobs Report

Fri, 5 Dec 2008 18:00:00 EST

The November jobs report is out and it is even uglier than analysts were expecting. 533,000 jobs were lost in November and unemployment climbed from 6.5% to 6.7%. As the Wall Street Journal says the report is blecch. Total wise it was the biggest job in three decades but percentage wise there were bigger one month falls in 1980 says Time.

What it still isn't is a historic drop: It's yet another sign that this recession is a much bigger deal than the last two, in 2001 and 1990-91. But in percentage terms (it was a 0.39% drop) there were bigger one month falls in employment in 1980 and, repeatedly, in 1974 and 1975. There were also sharper drops in almost every year of the 1950s, but those were mostly the result of temporary layoffs that were reversed a few months later.

The October and numbers were also revised upward 320,000 from 240,000. The jobs report statement from the Bureau of Labor Statistics can be found here.

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U.S. Agency Sees Robots Disrupting Unskilled Labor Markets by 2025

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 15:00:00 EST

Computerworld reports on a report from the National Intelligence Council that says robots could begin disrupting unskilled labor markets by 2025.

In a report titled "Global Trends 2025: A Transformed World" that was released last week, the National Intelligence Council offered its long-range strategic thinking about the military and economic challenges the U.S. will face from other countries over the next 17 years, as well as the environmental challenges ahead. The report also looks at technologies, and it includes some sweeping ideas about the future.

IT workers have long been familiar with the ways that advances in automation can reduce the need for people, especially in data centers. By 2025, robotics technology will be far enough along to take over low-skill jobs, according to the NIC.

That could provide benefits, such as enabling robots to be used to help provide care for the elderly. But the machines also may be far enough along "to disrupt unskilled labor markets," the NIC said, adding that they could also affect immigration patterns by taking over some jobs now performed by migrant workers.

The more efficient and intelligent robots become - and the cheaper it becames to mass produce them - the more of a threat they will be to the human labor force. 2025 seems far away but if the report is accurate robots could start taking service jobs away from humans in just over 15 years. That could impact people just entering the workforce today. You can read the complete government report here. There are reasons to believe the study could be correct as there have been plenty of robots created in the last few years that can do amazing things. For example, this robot maid could be in mass production in just ten years according to Japanese scientists.

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240,000 Jobs Lost in October; Jobless Rate Hits 6.5%

Fri, 7 Nov 2008 18:00:00 EST

The latest jobs report from the U.S. Department of Labor has the jobless rate at 6.5%. 240,000 jobs were lost in October and the September job cuts were revised to 284,000 jobs. A total of 1.2 million jobs have been lost this year reports the Associated Press.

The jobless rate zoomed to 6.5 percent in October from 6.1 percent in September, matching the rate in March 1994.

Unemployment has now surpassed the high seen after the last recession in 2001. The jobless rate peaked at 6.3 percent in June 2003.

October's decline marked the 10th straight month of payroll reductions, and government revisions showed that job losses in August and September turned out to be much deeper. Employers cut 127,000 positions in August, compared with 73,000 previously reported. A whopping 284,000 jobs were axed in September, compared with the 159,000 jobs first reported.

So far this year, a staggering 1.2 million jobs have disappeared. Over half of the decrease occurred in the past three months alone.

It may be a while before we see a month with an increase in jobs as big companies like Merck, Yahoo, PepsiCo, Mattel, GM and Whirlpool have all already announced plans to layoff workers in 2009. The complete jobs report can be found here.

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Poll: Word of Mouth Best Way to Find New Job

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 18:00:00 EST

Internet Retailer reports that a poll from TopGrading Solutions has found that word-of-mouth is the best way to find a job.

The poll, conducted by search firm TopGrading Solutions found that 38% of employees found their last job through word-of-mouth or referrals, 20% found their jobs online and 24% via recruiting firms. 7% found their last position by walking in and applying, and 2% found their job through a newspaper or print advertisement. TopGrading Solutions is part of MRINetwork, which recruits for retail and other industries,

TopGrading Solutions surveyed unemployed and employed adults over four months for the poll.

Since all careers and all people are different it won't be the same techniques that work in each industry. However, hearing about job openings from friends and networking are certainly great ways to learn of a new job opportunity.

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Economy Lost 159,000 Jobs in September

Fri, 3 Oct 2008 19:00:00 EST

159,000 jobs were cut in September according to the latest jobs reports from the Labor Department. This was the biggest monthly jobs loss in five years. Unemployment remained at 6.1%. The AP notes that the economy has now lost 760,000 jobs this year.

The reduction in payrolls was much sharper than the 100,000 cuts economists were forecasting. They expected the jobless rate to be unchanged.

It marked the ninth straight month that the economy has lost jobs. The drop underscores fallout from a long slump in the housing market and a dangerous credit crunch that intensified last month throwing Wall Street -- and the economy -- into chaos.

So far this year, 760,000 jobs have disappeared.

"The economy is now sliding down the slippery slope of recession," said economist Ken Mayland, president of ClearView Economics.

Wall Street appeared relieved the decline in payrolls wasn't deeper. Stock futures were strengthening, pointing to a higher opening. The Dow fell 348 points Thursday amid worries about the broader economy.

The job cuts were widespread in several industries. Manufacturing jobs led with construction companies and retailers also cutting tens of thousands of jobs.

Manufacturers cut 51,000 jobs, construction companies axed 35,000 jobs, retailers got rid of 40,000 positions, business services shed 27,000 and financial services slashed 17,000 positions, with securities and investment firms accounting for 8,000 of those reductions. Leisure and hospitality companies also reduced employment by 17,000. That overwhelmed employment gains by the government, in education, health and elsewhere.

With the problems on Wall Street and deepening economic concerns it doesn't appear likely that the remaining three months of the year are going to be much different than the September report. You can see the jobs report here.

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More Hiring Managers Using Social Networks to Evaluate Possible Hires

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 21:00:00 EST

MediaPost reports (via Ypulse) that a new survey from CareerBuilder.com indicates that more hiring managers are looking at social networking profiles on social networks like Facebook and LinkedIn to evaluate possible hires. The study found 22% of hiring managers have used social networks in evaluations - a jump from 11% just two years ago.

A new CareerBuilder.com survey found that 22% of all hiring managers have combed through social media profiles to help evaluate potential hires, up from just 11% two years ago. HR execs from media and creative agencies like MediaVest and AKQA weighed in on the practice, identifying LinkedIn as their site of choice for new hire research.

"We use LinkedIn a lot. It's like resume shopping," said Lionel Carreon, creative recruiter at AKQA. "Sometimes we'll ask candidates why they aren't on LinkedIn or Plaxo, because it's the easiest way to be found."

Carreon also said that the digital agency has hired employees they found through blog searches. "We look for some of the more serious blogs, particularly for positions like art directors and developers," he said. "Blogging about what they do and how they're being innovative makes candidates that much more attractive."

According to Tricia White, SVP and director of human resources at MediaVest, LinkedIn profiles can even substitute for resumes in some cases. "They both have a list of jobs and basic accountabilities," White said. "If I'm searching for a position like a media planner, for example, I can fill in the blanks with LinkedIn."

You know the number of recruiters using social networks is only going to climb. Using more business-like social networks like LinkedIn seems to make the most sense. It's possible social networks could eclipse resume databases at some point in the near future.

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What Should Laid Off Financial Professionals Due Now?

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 18:00:00 EST

Many financial professionals are concerned about layoffs with all the upheavel in the financial markets. The Fed had to step in to save AIG. Lehman Brothers is going to file bankruptcy and Alan Greenspan is calling this the worst economy he has ever seen. An article on ERE says that some Lehman, Merrill, and AIG employees are being bombared by recruiters.

In the video below, recruiter Deborah Marcus of the Gerson Group shares some tips with the Wall Street Journal's Sarah Needleman. Deborah Marcus said there is some demand in marketing and client interfacing roles. She says there are still some hedge funds and boutique investment banks looking to bring in new talent. Marcus also talks about using a focused network of contacts as opposed to casting a wide net. She also says workers may want to consider other sectors outside of the financial industry. Job seekers may also want to look at opportunities overseas.

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Anti-Theft Lunch Bag Won't Work

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 15:00:00 EST

Life Hacker calls this this an anti-theft lunch bag. It was originally found at skforlee.

If office gremlins are making off with your daily meal, innovative designer Sherwood Forlee has a clever solution: the Anti-Theft Lunch Bag. Simply put, Anti-Theft Lunch Bags "are regular sandwich bags that have green splotches printed on both sides." With your sandwich inside, the bag simulates mold and makes the contents look disgusting. These bags aren't available for purchase, but the idea shouldn't be difficult to replicate if you need more sandwich security at your workplace.

Yes, it would discourage someone in your office from eating your sandwhich. The real problem with this faux moldy sandwhich bag is that it might encourage someone to throw it away.

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August Jobs Report is Grim

Sat, 6 Sep 2008 18:00:00 EST

The August jobs report is in from the U.S. Department of Labor. The unemployment rate climbed to 6.1%. In August the economy lost 84,000 jobs in August. That makes a total of 605,000 jobs lost this year.

As CNN reports each of these final job reports as we get closer to the November elections is very significant and the presidential candidates are jumping on each report.

The jobs report immediately drew comment from the presidential candidates as well as the Bush administration.

The White House pointed to other economic readings, including last week's gross domestic product report. It showed second quarter growth jumping to a 3.3% annual rate, helped by economic stimulus checks and strong exports.

"While these (jobs) numbers are disappointing, what is most important is the overall direction the economy is headed," said the White House statement.

But the campaign of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama said the report points out the failure of Republican policies.

"John McCain showed last night that he is intent on continuing the economic policies that just this year have caused the American economy to lose 605,000 jobs," Obama said in a statement. "John McCain's answer is more of the same: $200 billion in tax cuts to big corporations and oil companies, and not one dime of tax relief to more than 100 million middle-class families."

One thing that could help create jobs is holiday hiring by retailers. However, retailers have a bleak outlook for sales this holiday season so they may not hire as many positions are they would during a more upbeat holiday shopping season.

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Study: Small Wage Increases Expected in 2009

Tue, 2 Sep 2008 14:50:00 EST

The Associated Press reports that a new study from Hewitt Associates found that base pay will climb only by an average of 3.8% in 2009. However, performance-based payments are expected to climb.

A study released Tuesday by Hewitt Associates, a human resources consulting firm, found base pay will rise by 3.8 percent in 2009, marking the seventh consecutive year of flat growth.

One-time performance-based pay, however, is expected to grow by 10.6 percent. That's down slightly from 10.8 percent this year and 11.8 percent in 2007.

Performance-based rewards are popular since they don't commit companies to ongoing costs, said Ken Abosch, leader of Hewitt's compensation consulting business. The survey measured one-time performance-based awards and did not include raises based on performance.

"Most of the compensation growth today comes from (one-time merit-based) pay - it accounts for almost three-quarters of the increase," he said.

Wages have barely been keeping ahead of inflation over the past several years and earlier this year inflation overtook wage increases. A post on a New York Times blog shows that earlier this year wages were not keeping up with inflation for many employees meaning employees were actually taking home less pay.

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Cubicle Warfare Author Visits CBS

Fri, 8 Aug 2008 18:00:00 EST

This clip from CBS celebrates the cubicle's 40th birthday as a workplace institution. They were joined with Cubicle Warfare author John Austin. He shows Harry Smith some mean pranks for the office. One of the pranks involves taping a can of tuna underneath a co-worker's desk. Another prank involves posting sticky notes that say so-and-so wants to see you so that everyone in the office will go to that person's cubicle. A third prank is a package with the bottom cut out and filled with peanuts so that when the person picks it up the peanuts spill all over his or her desk. The last two pranks are pretty harmless but the can of tuna prank is just wrong and stupid because eventually everyone in the office would be smelling it.

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July Planned Layoffs Up 26% Over June

Wed, 6 Aug 2008 22:10:00 EST

A Reuters story says a new report from consultancy Challenger, Gray & Christmas indicates planned layoffs by employers have climbed 26% over June's figures. Planned layoffs at U.S. companies for July exceed 100,000 jobs.

Planned layoffs at U.S. companies jumped 26 percent in July from June, depicting further deterioration in the labor market, a report showed on Monday.

Planned layoffs at U.S. companies totaled 103,312 in July, compared with June's 81,755, employment consulting firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc said.

Announced job cuts at U.S. companies last month were the second highest total so far in 2008, more than double the 42,897 a year earlier, the report said.

eWeek takes a close look that the report to see what it means for IT workers. A couple other articles on the planned layoffs report can be found on TheStreet.com and Forbes.

The economy shed over 50,000 jobs in June so increasing signs of more layoffs to come is not a good thing.

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Economy Continues to Shed Jobs

Mon, 4 Aug 2008 17:44:00 EST

The latest jobs report indicates that employers are continuing to layoff workers. Another 51,000 jobs were shed by the economy in July reports the Huffington Post. That makes a total of 463,000 jobs lost this year. The unemployment rate also ticked up to 5.7% - up from 5.5% in June.

Employers clamped down on hiring and cut 51,000 jobs in July, the Labor Department said Friday. The economy has shed jobs each month this year _ 463,000 in all.

The unemployment rate rose to 5.7 percent, up from 5.5 percent in June.

The jobs report contributed to another day of grim news for the economy. General Motors reported a staggering quarterly loss of more than $15 billion and said its sales fell by more than a quarter from last year.

The Commerce Department said spending on construction projects around the country dropped 0.4 percent in June as cutbacks in home building eclipsed gains in commercial construction.

An article from U.S. News has comments from several experts on what the jobs drought means for you. Here's an AP video about the jobs report which says it is the teen demographic that is being hit the hardest.

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More Workers Working Less Hours

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 05:00:00 EST

It goes unseen in the jobs report that Wall Street typically follows but the New York Times reports that many workers are losing working hours. The Times says the number of workers who have lost hours or can't find full time work accounts for 3.7% of all those employed. The Times says is up from 3% a year ago.

On the surface, the job market is weak but hardly desperate. Layoffs remain less frequent than in many economic downturns, and the unemployment rate is a relatively modest 5.5 percent. But that figure masks the strains of those who are losing hours or working part time because they cannot find full-time work - a stealth force that is eroding American spending power.

All told, people the government classifies as working part time involuntarily - predominantly those who have lost hours or cannot find full-time work - swelled to 5.3 million last month, a jump of greater than 1 million over the last year.

These workers now amount to 3.7 percent of all those employed, up from 3 percent a year ago, and the highest level since 1995.

"This increase is startling," said Steve Hipple, an economist at the Labor Department.

The loss of hours has been affecting men in particular - and Hispanic men more so. Among those who were forced into part-time work from the spring of 2007 to the spring of 2008, 73 percent were men and 35 percent were Hispanic.

If someone loses hours or gets laid off and has to accept part-time work they are going to have considerably less income. Less hours worked combined with rising inflation and you have someone who is probably going to have to find a way to cut back on spending to make up for the loss in income. As this trend continues it will have a bigger and bigger impact on the economy.

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U.S. Jobless Claims Rise

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 18:40:00 EST

Signs the economy is getting worse for workers increase this week as jobless claims climbed to over 400,000. This was the highest level in nearly four months according to the International Herald Tribune

The number of Americans filing first-time claims for unemployment benefits rose last week to the highest level in almost four months, a sign the slowing economy is weakening the labor market.

Initial jobless claims increased by 34,000 to 406,000 in the week ended July 19, from a revised 372,000 the prior week, the Labor Department said Thursday in Washington. The filings exceeded economists' forecast and were the most since 406,000 in the week ended March 29.

U.S. employers are reducing workers as surging fuel costs, a three-year housing slump and a crisis in credit markets restrains demand. Rising joblessness reinforces concern that consumers will pull back on spending, which accounts for more than two-thirds of the economy.

"The job market is weakening, and the numbers this morning confirm that," Brian Bethune, an economist at Global Insight Inc. in Lexington, Massachusetts, said in a Bloomberg Television interview. "The economy is growing but at very slow rates."

This news comes on top of what has already been a grim year for job growth. In 2007 the economy created an average of 91,000 jobs each month. This year the economy has lost jobs each month.

Over a six-month period, payrolls have declined for a total loss of 438,000 workers and the payroll in April and May was revised to 52,000 more jobs.

The U.S. economy has lost jobs every month since the beginning of this year and it shed 62,000 jobs in June and up to 49,000 jobs in May. Last year, the economy created on average 91,000 new jobs each month.

If the new jobless claim figures are any indication July will probably be another month that loses jobs. Maybe by the end of the year there will some new job creation as retailers hire workers for the holiday shopping season.

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GM to Reduce Labor Costs by 20%

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 18:00:00 EST

General Motors (G.M.) has announced plans to cut its labor costs by 20%. The methods it will use include layoffs, pay freezes and early retirement packages.

The moves, which include selling at least $2 billion in assets and borrowing as much as $3 billion, are expected to raise about $15 billion by the end of 2009, the chief executive Rick Wagoner said.

Mr. Wagoner said the automaker would stop providing health care coverage to salaried retirees at age 65, offer buyout and early retirement packages to reduce its salaried work force and freeze base pay for salaried employees through 2009.

In addition, G.M. executives will no longer receive discretionary cash bonuses.

"These are tough but necessary actions," Mr. Wagoner said, "and these, along with current cash and available credit lines will provide us with ample liquidity through 2009 even under conservative U.S. industry sales assumptions."

GM has already made considerable job cuts since 2006. This time they are targeting white-collar positions as Freep.com notes. A satirical Onion headline earlier this year read, "GM Introduces New 2008 Line Of Layoffs."

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ADP Report Says 79,000 Jobs Were Lost in June

Thu, 3 Jul 2008 18:00:00 EST

TheStreet.com reports that 79,000 jobs were lost in June according to a report from Automatic Data Processing (ADP).

Declines were much broader than previous months, as continued weakness in the housing and financial sectors bled into other areas. Even the services sector -- which had not posted a decline since November 2002 -- slashed 3,000 jobs over the course of the month.

The overall drop was nearly four times as high as the median estimate of economists surveyed by Bloomberg News. ADP also downwardly revised its May figure to an addition of 25,000 private, nonfarm jobs, rather than the initially reported 40,000. Figures are adjusted for seasonal shifts.

Sectors related to the housing market -- including residential construction, home sales and mortgages -- were especially hard hit again, as the housing sector struggles to find solid ground. Construction companies dropped 34,000 employees, the 19th consecutive monthly decline. Since the height of the housing market in August 2006, the sector has lost 349,000 jobs.

Joel Prakken, chairman of Macroeconomic Advisers, which develops the report with ADP, noted that small businesses posted weak growth, despite having been the "the savior" of the drab employment picture for the last year and a half. That sector added 7,000 jobs in June, compared with 50,000 in May.

The reports shows the economy is weak and the weakness is spreading. The estimated change in employment from April to May was also revised down from an increase of 40,000 to an increase of 25,000. Jobs are likely to continue if the recent Starbucks layoff announcement is a sign of things to come. You can find a PDF version of the ADP report here.

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Bad Grammar Acceptable When Applying for Lolcats Job

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 17:15:00 EST

The normal rules of proper grammar and spelling may not apply when applying to at I Can Has Cheezburger says this article in the Sydney Morning Herald.

"I can haz dream Job? My rezumez! let me showz u thm"

That's the subject line of a cover letter sent by a job applicant to I Can Has Cheezburger, one of the premier sites for so-called Lolcat pictures.

Don't think the letter will be rejected out of hand - bad spelling is no obstacle to a job in Lolcat world. It may even be an asset.

Lolcats became an internet craze last year. According to Wikipedia, a Lolcat is an image combining a photograph of an animal, most frequently a cat, with a humorous and idiosyncratic caption in (often) broken English - a dialect which is known as "Kitty Pidgin", "lolspeak", or Lolcat.

Sometimes it is ok to be different in your resume. Obviously you wouldn't want to do this when applying for the vast majority of jobs available today. If you don't have a resume the I Can Has Cheezburger website says, "No resume? No problem. Recreating Tetris using lolcode may also get you the job."

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Economy Lost 80,000 Jobs in March

Fri, 4 Apr 2008 21:00:00 EST

The economy lost jobs in March for the third month in a row. 80,000 jobs were lost and the job losses were spread over a number of industries according to the Associated Press.

The new snapshot of the job market, released by the Labor Department Friday, underscored the damage that a trio of crises --in the housing, credit and financial sectors -- has inflicted on companies, jobseekers and the economy as a whole.

"The labor market has indeed turned south," said Joel Naroff, president of Naroff Economic Advisors. "That was the one last bastion of hope to stay out of a recession. Now the question is how deep and how long will it last?"

The unemployment rate was the highest since September 2005, when significant job losses followed the devastating blows of Gulf Coast hurricanes.

Job losses were widespread in March. Construction, manufacturing, retailing, financial services and various business services all racked up losses. That overwhelmed gains elsewhere, including in education and health care, leisure and hospitality as well as in government.

The national unemployment rate climbed from 4.8% to 5.1% in March. The complete March jobs report can be found here. The report indicates that construction and manufacturing have been hard hit.

Employment in construction declined by 51,000 in March and has fallen by 394,000 since its peak in September 2006.

Manufacturing employment fell by 48,000 in March and by 310,000 over the past 12 months.

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Banking Industry Could Lose 200,000 Jobs

Wed, 2 Apr 2008 18:00:00 EST

The Associated Press is reporting that the U.S. financial industry could shed as many as 200,000 jobs over the next 12 to 18 months because of the credit crises.

The U.S. financial industry has been shedding jobs at a record clip, and some analysts predict the pace will only accelerate over the next year-and-a-half as banks cut costs in the face of the housing market slump and the weak economy.

Analysts at the financial research firm Celent LLC said in a report Tuesday that it expects the U.S. commercial banking industry - essentially, all companies that lend or collect deposits - to lose 200,000 of its 2 million jobs over the next 12 to 18 months.

An annual loss of 200,000 jobs at the nation's commercial banks would be an unprecedented number.

These kind of losses would also expand the economic weakness we have already been seeing. These would be in addition to the 153,000 financial services jobs lost in 2007. Most of these losses came in the mortgage-lending business according to the AP story.

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A Lecture About How to Give a Lecture

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 18:00:00 EST

This is an introduction to a lecture from MIT Professor Patrick Winston about How to Speak. Winston was director of the MIT Artificial Intelligence Laboratory from 1972 to 1997. He applies some of his AI knowledge in his explanation about how to speak. It isn't directly related to job interviewing but you might be able to apply some you learn in the lecture to giving an interview.

How to Speak shows how even someone who isn't naturally charismatic can become an effective speaker. In this presentation recorded before a live audience, Professor Patrick Winston of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology offers advice on all aspects of academic presentations. He discusses how to begin and end a lecture, how to cycle in on the material, how to use verbal punctuation to indicate transitions, and how to devise "near misses" that strengthen understanding by showing what a particular concept is not. In addition, his presentation covers do's and don'ts of blackboard use, overhead projectors, and props. Throughout his lecture, Winston not only describes his techniques, but actively adopts them, illustrating each as he goes. The result is a detailed, practical guide designed for anyone who wishes to communicate effectively with an academic audience.

You can see the full 45-minute lecture here.

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Economy Loses Jobs in January and February

Fri, 7 Mar 2008 18:00:00 EST

February's job report is in and it isn't pretty. The economy lost 63,000 jobs last month. The jobs report for January was revised downward to a minus 22,000 jobs so the economy has lost over 80,000 jobs already this year. The IHT quotes economist Jared Bernstein as saying he hasn't "seen a job report this recessionary since the last recession."

The economy shed 63,000 jobs in February, the government said Friday, the fastest falloff in five years and the strongest evidence yet that the nation is headed toward - or may already be in - a recession.

Manufacturers and construction companies, reeling from the worst housing slump in decades, led the declines in payrolls. But the losses were spread across a broad range of businesses - including department stores, offices and retail outlets - putting increased pressure on consumers' pocketbooks.

The unexpected decline raised anticipation on Wall Street that the Federal Reserve would lower interest rates again this month, perhaps by as much as a full percentage point, as the central bank scrambles to stave off a steep economic slowdown.

"I haven't seen a job report this recessionary since the last recession," said Jared Bernstein, an economist at the Economic Policy Institute in Washington. "This is a picture of a labor market becoming clearly infected by the contagion from the rest of the economy."

Unless there is a big positive number in March then the first quarter is going be negative for job growth. You can see the February, 2008 jobs report from the BLS here.

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