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One swallow does not make a summer, but one skein of geese, cleaving the murk of March thaw, is the Spring.
Aldo Leopold Categories
Tag Archives: jobs
Summary Box: Unemployment drops in 37 states
STATE UNEMPLOYMENT: The unemployment rate fell in 37 states and the District of Columbia in May, the Labor Department said. But the declines were mainly because people gave up looking for work.
NEVADA REPLACES MICHIGAN: Nevada now has the highest unemployment rate in the nation at 14 percent. It replaced Michigan, where unemployment . . . read more Read More
Laid-off workers can’t find jobs; start businesses
When Darren Drewitz was laid off in February, his first move was to start looking for another advertising agency job.
He couldn’t find one. Instead, Drewitz began getting offers for freelance work. Four months later, he has become something he didn’t plan to be: a small business owner.
Laid-off workers across the country are finding themselves in similar situations. Instead of full-time work, they’re getting jobs as freelancers or independent contractors, and in the process have the role of entrepreneur thrust . . . read more Read More
More employees jump ship as economy improves
One sign of better economic times is when more people start finding jobs. Another is when they feel confident enough to quit them.
More people quit their jobs in the past three months than were laid off — a sharp reversal after 15 straight months in which layoffs exceeded voluntary departures. The trend suggests the job market is finally thawing.
Some of the quitters are leaving for new jobs. Others have no firm offers. . . . read more Read More
Tips on how to make the temp-to-perm transition
TEMP POSITION TRANSITION: Contract work and temporary employment are on the rise as the economy improves, especially for companies that need to meet increased demand but are hesitant to commit to permanent employees and higher benefit costs.
Working a temp job can be a great opportunity to keep skills current and make new networking contracts while continuing to look for permanent employment. But those seeking to turn these positions into full-time jobs need to be cautious . . . read more Read More
May Payrolls Disappoint
Zacks Research—The number of new jobs created in May was significantly below expectations, a clear disappointment to all who were looking for a robust turnaround along the lines of the last few months. Could it be that the extreme market gyrations of past month and anxiety about Europe caused some employers to hold off on their hiring decisions? . . . read more Read More
Industries where jobs may not return, at a glance
Three industries where many jobs may be gone for good:
— RETAIL. Retailers have lost 1.2 million, or 7.5 percent, of jobs that existed before the recession, according to Labor Department data. Robert Yerex, an economist at Kronos, a work force management company, estimates 20 percent of those jobs are never coming back.
Circuit City and Linens & Things have collapsed. Starbucks closed nearly 800 U.S. stores. Retailers closed a net total of 52,000 stores in 2008 and 2009, estimates CoStar Group, a research firm.
Remaining retailers are shifting more business online to save on costs, said Michael O’Hara of Consensus Advisors, an investment bank. Rather than stock goods at hundreds of stores . . . read more Read More
Economic rebound slowed last quarter
The economic rebound last quarter turned out to be slower than first thought, one of the reasons unemployment is likely to stay high this year.
The economy grew at a 3 percent annual rate from January to March, the Commerce Department said Thursday, May 27. That was slightly weaker than an initial estimate of 3.2 percent a month ago. The new reading, based on more complete information, also fell short of economists’ forecast for stronger growth of 3.4 percent.
The reasons for the small downgrade: consumers spent less than first estimated . . . read more Read More
Finance Bookshelf: Thrifty tips and Twitter tricks
The struggling economy has sparked new interest in finding ways to save without scrimping on lifestyle, and to use all available tools to find work. It has also awakened some teens — and even more parents — to the importance of building skills to craft a flexible career.
Three new titles offer guidance for tackling all of these topics.
If you want to learn the best ways to spend less without sacrifice, “Be Thrifty: How to Live Better with Less” offers lessons for even the most practiced at frugality. If you’re looking for a job, or thinking about looking, you can learn . . . read more Read More
Millions of jobs that were cut won’t likely return
Fewer construction workers will be needed. Don’t expect as many interior designers or advertising copywriters, either. Retailers will get by with leaner staffs.
The economy is strengthening. But millions of jobs lost in the recession could be gone for good.
And unlike in past recessions, jobs in the beleaguered manufacturing sector aren’t the only ones likely lost forever. What sets the Great Recession apart is the variety of jobs that may not return.
That helps explain why economists think it will take at least five years for the economy to regain the 8.2 million jobs . . . read more Read More
Small business owners consider vacations again
Karena Nigale used to take time away from her hair salon in New York’s financial district several times a year. Then the recession came, and some of her clients who worked in nearby banks were laid off.
Nigale had to let about half her staff go, and she had to take on more work. There was no way she could take a vacation.
Now, clients are getting jobs again. . . . read more Read More
Report finds it wasn’t just a ‘Mancession’
They’ve called it the “Mancession” — a recession that’s affected men disproportionately, because of its brutal impact on male-dominated sectors like construction and manufacturing.
But that term rings hollow to women like Sara Wade, an Illinois schoolteacher who became the sole supporter of two school-aged children — possibly for good, she fears — when her ex-husband, a carpenter and contractor, stopped paying child support 15 months ago. . . . read more Read More
Why more people feel now’s the time to seek a job
A Miami woman who exhausted her unemployment aid needs to pay bills. A Phoenix job-seeker wants a greater sense of purpose. A Boston woman has heard that hiring is picking up.
The economy absorbed a flood of 805,000 new job-seekers last month — the sharpest monthly influx in seven years. They were driven by economic need, renewed optimism and evidence that more employers are hiring. . . . read more Read More
Businesses may be pressed to retain top workers
This scene is likely to play out at many small businesses in the coming months:
One of the company’s top performing employees comes in to see the owner and says, “I’ve been offered a job at XYZ Widgets. They’re going to give me a substantial raise. Can you make me a better offer?”
Many owners will be hard-pressed to come up with money to keep staffers who want to leave for better-paying jobs. But small companies can win a bidding war by offering more intangibles and flexibility . . . read more Read More
How to ask for special treatment at work
Sean Ryan’s schedule becomes a juggling act this time of year.
Come springtime the public relations account manager in Richmond, Va., has to balance his work responsibilities with coaching a varsity high school baseball team. And to be an effective coach he needs to leave work early to supervise practices, attend games and travel to tournaments.
It’s a common situation these days. Many workers face scheduling conflicts in April and May . . . read more Read More
Get rid of performance reviews, author says
PERFORMANCE PREVIEW: Want to lower morale, reduce productivity and undermine the relationship between the boss and his or her subordinates? Give an annual performance review, say authors of a recently published book deeming the practice bogus.
Pay and performance reviews are merely tools used to intimidate employees . . . read more Read More
