Monday, February 19, 2007

US - Major Industry Sector Gross Job Gains and Gross Job Losses

Goods-producing. Expanding and opening establishments accounted for 1,673,000 jobs gained, and contracting and closing establishments accounted for 1,644,000 jobs lost. This was a net gain of 29,000 jobs.
   Construction. Gross job gains over the quarter fell to 828,000 and gross job losses increased to 830,000, resulting in a net loss of 2,000 jobs.     Manufacturing. Gross job gains in manufacturing increased to a level of 559,000 jobs in the second quarter of 2006. This sector experienced a positive net change of 10,000 jobs.   Service-providing. Gross job gains totaled 6,088,000 and gross job losses totaled 5,651,000 in the second quarter of 2006, resulting in a positive net change of 437,000 jobs.     Retail trade. Gross job gains in the retail trade sector totaled 1,053,000. Gross job losses increased to 1,074,000, resulting in a net loss of 21,000 jobs.   Leisure and hospitality. This sector gained 1,200,000 jobs and lost 1,169,000 jobs in the second quarter of 2006, for a net gain of 31,000.   Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics.      
Posted by Resumesolutions at 15:24:37 | Permalink | No Comments »

Thursday, February 8, 2007

Career News


 Retirees Returning to WorkMore than one-third of retirees are planning to return to the workforce to gain the “personal satisfaction” of working, while nearly 29 percent are being driven by financial worries. The findings are contained in a study by global human resource consultancy DMB, which surveyed nearly 140 people at the AARP conference in September. Although 54 percent dismiss the specter of age bias, many participants acknowledge that it can be difficult to win the respect of younger bosses. (Shared by Nancy Branton) Source: Workforce Week newsletter, November 7, 2006 Workaholics Anonymous More and more Americans are working more and more hours. Some believe they must put in the extra time in order to hang onto their jobs, while others think that spending lots of time in the office or on the road is the key to career success.According to the U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average workweek in the
U.S. now drags on for 49 hours, which means Americans are working 350 more hours per year than their counterparts around the world. Worse, recent surveys indicate that American workers are also cutting back on or even eliminating their vacations in order to meet their employers’ demands.Spherion conducted a survey several years ago that explored where people are spending their time. It polled 600 people and found that a staggering 51% spent 7 or more hours of personal time each week thinking about work. When asked what part of their lives this behavior most adversely affected: * 32% said family and relationships
* 27% said health and fitness
* 20% said their personal lives and hobbies Bottom line: over-doing work is a harmful addiction. There is a Web site that provides support for those who are afflicted. Read the complete article for tips on overcoming workaholism (see link below). Read the article >> Weddle’s Newsletter, November 16, 2006, Section Two: Insights From In-Sites

http://www.weddles.com/seekernews/issue.cfm?Newsletter=186 

The Zero Tolerance Debate: The Harvard Business Review magazine (November 2006 issue), has published an extensive article entitled “The Reign of Zero Tolerance,” about the pros, cons, and best practices around the practice of “zero tolerance” in companies. See pages 39-52.

Newspaper Ads Still Important to Job Seekers: While many employers have migrated from traditional newspaper ads to online advertising to meet recruitment objectives, they may want to reconsider their strategy. Close to two-thirds of job seekers use both online and newspaper ads to seek work, according to a survey by the Conference Board.Statistically, more than 71 percent of survey participants say they use online ads, while 70.6 percent reported using newspaper ads. The Conference Board polled a nationally representative sample of 5,000 household for the study, released in early November 2006.Newspaper ads work well for employers and job seekers in rural areas where there tends to be less access to Internet connectivity. In more metropolitan areas like San Francisco or Seattle, online ads could be more effective.Geography is not the only factor. Certain pockets of the population have more Internet access, like office professionals.The bottom line for a company is knowing who they are targeting when looking to fill job openings, as it will influence where to advertise.

Read more >> http://www.workforce.com/section/00/article/24/62/06.html

About Resume Solutions


Résumé Solutions offers advanced resume writing and interview coaching services from entry level, mid-career through to executive clientele in the global marketplace.  The President of the company is Surranna Sandy, a Certified Professional Résumé Writer and Certified Employment Interview Coach and former Human Resources Management Professional who launched resumesolutions.com 5 years ago. She directs a client focused team of resume writers and career coaches helping thousands of job seekers meet their career goals.     Contact:
Resume Solutions Website: http:///www.resumesolutions.ca Toll Free 1-866-361-1290  Locally 416-361-1290Info@resumesolutions.ca

 

 

Posted by Resumesolutions at 18:38:13 | Permalink | No Comments »

How Social Networking Sites Can Derail Your Job Search

For many, the start of a new year means the start of a new job search using the internet to research employers. For up coming college graduates in particular, it is opportunity to get a head start in getting their careers off the ground using online resources.  At the same time, many employers are also researching potential job candidates through Google, Myspace.com and Facebook.com and what they are finding could be used as reasons not to hire you.
 A recent poll conducted for Careerbuilder.com showed that 26 percent of hiring managers admitted to using the Internet to perform background checks on job candidates. A further 12 percent admitted to using social networking sites such as MySpace.com and Facebook.com as a screening tool.  For many college students, social networking sites such as Facebook.com and Myspace.com are a core part of their cyber profile used for networking. However, many students are surprised to learn that their candid and sometimes sexually explicit photos and the details of their drinking and dating lives in their profiles can negatively affect their job search.  Those disparaging comments, risqué photos, inappropriate language and lewd jokes posted on their profiles could be viewed as a reflection of their character by a potential employer. According to an HR director, people should carefully consider their potential audience and the impression they may have based on your pictures, personal opinions, and ideas posted online.  “We were in the process of extending an offer to a great candidate, until his myspace.com page was brought to our attention. He had a great resume, went to an elite school and had impeccable references. However, our review of his myspace profile highlighted his recreational drug use. This made us immediately reconsider hiring him,” says an HR Director for a financial services company in
Toronto, Ontario. “Our company is very conscious of client relations and our public image and we could not risk this candidate’s background being taken as a reflection of our organization. “ A recent poll of Resume Solutions student clients showed that over 60% of the respondents were unaware that their profiles on social networking websites could be viewed by potential employers. This is surprising, despite the increased media attention focused on employers reviewing Myspace and Facebook prior to making hiring decisions.  Prior to starting a new job search, it is recommended that job seekers perform a Google search on their names to find out what a potential employer may read or see about them online. If any questionable content is discovered, content you would not feel comfortable if an employer or your parents view, then request that the site’s webmaster remove it immediately. Questionable content may include nude photos, slanderous comments or photographs that show you in inappropriate situations. Keep in mind you may encounter resistance in getting the content removed, however, you can let them know that they may be affecting your future job prospects and you may have no choice but to seek legal recourse. For that information, that you absolutely  cannot have removed due to lack of control, construct a plausible answer to counter or explain away to a hiring manager. We are not advocating that social networking sites are to be used solely for job searching  or building  a web portfolio of your resume and job skills, but it makes sense to remove as much of the negative content about yourself as is possible. You should be smart and discreet in your online communications and consider creating private profiles for just your family members and friends. There are many ways to create a “positive cyber profile” that does not affect your career prospects. College students can create personal web pages and profiles at social networking sites that include their resumes, hobbies and interests, details on leadership activities or academic successes. You can also include photos of yourself but ensure they do not include explicit materials. Job seekers can use their online profiles to demonstrate their excellent communication skills, establish a professional image of themselves prior to an in-person meeting, demonstrate their creativity and diverse interest – things that can set them apart from other job seekers. As more and more users flock to social networking sites, the affect these sites have on the job search and candidate screening may include employers going even deeper into candidate’s personal and professional lives. It is therefore advisable to put nothing online that have the potential to hurt your future job prospects and include anything that would help you in landing a new job. Use common sense when creating an online profile.  Remember that employers who do online searches are looking for reasons not to hire you.  About Resume Solutions
Résumé Solutions offers advanced resume writing and interview coaching services. The President of the company is Surranna Sandy, a Certified Professional Résumé Writer and Certified Employment Interview Coach and former Human Resources Management Professional who launched resumesolutions.com 5 years ago.Contact:
Resume Solutions Website: http:///www.resumesolutions.ca Toll Free 1-866-361-1290  Locally 416-361-1290Info@resumesolutions.ca

 

     

Posted by Resumesolutions at 18:01:05 | Permalink | No Comments »