College, Career, Life » employment

Top Sites for Employment Trends and Statistics

collegecareerlife — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 22:27:37 +0000

Successful career planning requires an understanding of employment trends, including which occupations are growing and which are declining. Several great websites offer statistics on job growth, layoffs, and hiring. A few of the best sites for tracking employment trends and statistics:

Vault.com Employment Tracker

Vault’s employment tracker lists significant layoffs and hires from small and large companies in a variety of industries. New hiring and layoff events are listed daily, along with other information such as location of events and specific departments affected.

Indeed.com Stats

Check Indeed.com’s statistics feature to find out if your skills are in demand, what the job market competition is like in your city, or hiring changes in your industry. Indeed reports the top trends based on percentage of matching job postings from thousands of job boards. The job market competition statistic compares the number of jobs to the number of job seekers in each city.

Bureau of Labor Statistics

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics provides information including state and local unemployment rates, international unemployment rates, employment by occupation, employment projections and mass layoff events. You’ll also find statistics regarding pay and benefits, workplace injuries, and productivity.

Layoff Watch

LayoffWatch.com reports details of major layoff events at companies and organizations in the United States. Reasons for layoffs, quotes from management, and location of layoffs are included in reports.

Career One Stop

Fastest growing occupations, occupations with most openings, and fastest growing occupations are a few statistics reported at Careeronestop.org. The site also offers the detailed statistics for each state.

PayScale

For wage and benefit trends, including compensation by company size and location, visit PayScale.com. The PayScale Index tracks changes in compensation over time. You can also view compensation trends based on city, company size, and industry. PayScale offers several other useful features and tools, including a cost-of-living calculator and personalized salary reports.

© Andrea for College, Career, Life, 2011. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: economy, employment, jobs, statistics, trends

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Frustrations of Today's Job Search

collegecareerlife — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 19:55:33 +0000

Unemployment remains high, despite improving economic conditions and increased corporate profits. Job seekers are experiencing as much frustration as ever. Employers are dragging their feet in the hiring process, posting bogus ads or leaving ads up after jobs are filled, and discriminating against candidates for a variety of reasons. Below, the most common complaints from today’s job seekers and some tips for overcoming or preventing job search frustration:

No Follow-Up

With so many applicants for each position, a followup isn’t possible for each application. However, failing to followup after an interview is inexcusable. Candidates that have spent time and effort interviewing deserve a timely followup.

Too Many Hoops

Never-ending applications, assessments, texts, and multiple rounds of interviews are frustratingly common experiences for today’s job-seekers. A bad hiring decision can be costly for an organization, but over-thinking a decision doesn’t guarantee the best pick. Plus, employers are often turning off the best candidates.

Unrealistic Expectations

Candidate must have ten years experience in abc software, five years of experience with xyz software, speak Japanese, and possess a Ph.D. in plant pathology. MBA strongly preferred but not required. If this sounds familiar, you’ve probably searched for a job recently. These job listings make you wonder- does the perfect candidate for this job even exist?

Discrimination Against Unemployed

Reports of overt discrimination against the unemployed have made news recently. Some employers have been so bold (and stupid) as to put employment as a qualification in their ads. For other employers, discrimination is less obvious but very real. The long-term unemployed often have poor credit and large resume gaps, giving employed candidates a huge edge.

Solutions for the Frustrated Job-Seeker

Try smaller companies because small companies usually hire only when they really need someone. They won’t waste time with unnecessary procedures.
Get your foot in the door with an internship. Some companies offer jobs to a high percentage of former interns. Interning will not only help you gain experience, it can also prevent a long and frustrating job search.
If you’re an experienced candidate, temping is an alternative to an internship and can reduce resume gaps while providing networking opportunities. Do well in your temporary position and you may be offered a permanent job.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

© Andrea for College, Career, Life, 2010. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: employment, job search

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Getting the Most out of a College Job Fair

collegecareerlife — Sat, 15 May 2010 13:48:41 +0000

The great thing about being in college is that any good university career center organizes a job fair once every semester—or at least once a year. These job fairs can be an absolute goldmine—after all, how often do employers gather in one place and reach out to you, instead of the other way around? It is important to take advantage of these job fairs any chance you get. To help you toward that end, I will discuss a game plan that will help you get the most out of your college’s next job fair.

First of all, as soon as you get wind that a job fair is headed your way, go online and find out about it. Register for the fair if necessary, and if the fair lasts more than one day, make plans to attend both days. Some employers can only send a recruiter out for one day. If you only attend one day, you may miss out on an opportunity. Print out any lists of employers that plan on attending. Circle any that catch your eye so you can do a little research on the company ahead of time and make plans to visit their booth. If you go into a job fair ignorant of who will be there, you may end up wasting a lot of valuable time.

Next, update your resume, print off several copies, and prepare a portfolio of work you’ve done in college or in previous jobs that might be relevant to the jobs you are seeking. You may even want to copy your resume and samples of your work to a portable flash drive so you can easily transfer it to a computer. After all, many career representatives bring laptops so students can apply for jobs online.

The day before, prepare a brief statement about yourself that lets career representatives know your skills and strengths in a nutshell. Keep in mind that these recruiters will be speaking with hundreds of students, and you will need to find ways to stand out from the crowd. Most recruiters will be ready and waiting to sell you on how great their company is, but don’t let them do all the talking. Be prepared to ask questions, like “What type of degree is needed for this position?” or “What positions are available?”

Some recruiters are pushy and attempt to draw students in with candy bowls, spinning wheels and other gimmicks, but don’t feel pressured to waste time with those who represent jobs you won’t realistically pursue. You can politely decline to start a conversation with them. If you’re not sure if you’re interested in a job, wait until the recruiter is speaking with another student, then stealthily swipe a brochure, stepping away to consider the job in peace before approaching the recruiter.

Dress professionally and take the job fair seriously. In fact, treat it like an interview—complete with business casual attire, a welcoming smile and a solid handshake. There’s no better way to make an excellent first impression on potential employers.

Finally, follow up on any good leads or connections you make, reminding employers of your interest in the company. Send a thank you note if they took the time to interview you at the fair. Little details go a long way toward landing a great job.

By-line:

This guest post is contributed by Alvina Lopez, who writes on the topics of accredited online colleges. She welcomes your comments at her email Id: alvina.lopez@gmail.com.

© Andrea for College, Career, Life, 2010. | Permalink | One comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: advice, college, employment, guest post, job fair, job search, jobs

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Tips for Using Job Boards

collegecareerlife — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 10:26:41 +0000

Finding a real job on a job board can be extremely frustrating. Jobs are often several weeks old, many ads are for surveys or commission-based sales jobs. Sifting through all the spam to find relevant jobs takes time, even with sorting options. A few tips for using a job board:

Ignore jobs that seem too good to be true and work-at-home ads. These ads are usually for training programs that charge you a lot of money to get trained in a field that may or may not be in-demand. They could also be total scams that ask for money up-front but never deliver any materials.

Ignore nationwide listings. These are usually work-at-home ads.

Check for details. What’s the company name and location or recruiting agency? Is there a detailed job description? Real companies with real jobs post details.

Apply through the company website. You’re much more likely to get a response if you send an email directly to the recruiter/hiring manager, or apply through the company’s career website.

Organize your search. Create a document with information about your usernames/passwords on job boards. Keep a record of the jobs to which you’ve, including date applied, job title, company, and location.

Create job alerts. Job alert is a great feature that delivers relevant jobs to your inbox so you don’t have to visit every job board each day. It’s best to sign up for daily alerts, so that you’ll have the chance to apply to jobs before they close.

Be specific. The more specific you are in your search, the more likely you are to find a job that matches your qualifications. For example, type in “accounts payable specialist”, instead of “accountant”. You can also type in skills rather than a job title. This method increases the chance that you’ll find real jobs with detailed descriptions of job requirements.

Don’t overlook niche job boards. You should sign up for several niche job boards that target workers in your industry, your geographic location and at your experience level. See the online resources page for a list of suggested job boards.

Job boards aren’t the only places to find jobs. Visit company career pages, look in your local newspaper’s classified ads, and visit your campus career center if you’re a student. For information about job openings in various industries and locations, visit CareerAlley.com.

© Andrea for College, Career, Life, 2010. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: employment, jobs, jobsearch

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Hiring Trends for 2010 College Graduates

collegecareerlife — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 12:55:22 +0000

Update: Latest hiring trends for the Class of 2010 (from MSNBC): Dim job outlook brightens for the class of 2010.

Summary:

5 % increase in hiring of 2010 graduates over 2009 graduates
most in-demand majors : accounting, business administration, computer science, engineering, and math
Survey shows only 40% of graduates have offers, compared to two-thirds of graduates in 2007

—————————————————————————————————————————————

Original Article:

College graduates faced a tough job market in 2009, but will 2010 graduates face similar challenges? Although layoffs have slowed down, unemployment is at a 26 year high and a recent survey conducted by Michigan State University’s Collegiate Employment Research Institute doesn’t offer a lot of hope to college seniors. The survey shows that hiring for 2010 graduates is predicted to decline by 2% from 2009.

According to MSU’s survey, large and medium-sized companies plan to decrease hiring, while smaller companies plan to hire more graduates. Statistics and environmental science are the most in-demand degrees, but one-third of employers would consider graduates with any degree. Regions with the most job growth are the South Central, Northwest, and Southwest.

Despite the negative survey results, many companies are thriving. A great example of growth in the technology industry is Intelius Screening Solutions, a leading provider of on-demand employment and drug screening solutions to thousands of businesses throughout North America. The company has experienced growth of 578% over the last five years and has added over 100 people to its workforce.

I spoke with Intelius Screening Solutions General Manager, Todd Owens, about hiring trends for 2010 graduates. Mr. Owens advises recent graduates to focus on growing industries such as healthcare, education, energy, and technology. He also suggests that graduates be open to relocation, since some areas are experiencing job growth. In addition, graduates should look at the Inc. 500 list of fastest-growing private companies for ideas on where to apply.

The greatest differentiator for businesses over the coming years will be customer service, says Mr. Owens. Sales, account management and customer service jobs are great choices for recent graduates with any degree. Young workers are ideal candidates for such positions because of their energy and enthusiasm. According to Mr. Owens, new graduates are a great investment for the future because they have a willingness to learn and to take on a variety of roles. He says that this is the best time to be entering the workforce because today’s young, eager, and educated graduates will be well-positioned for the next expansion.

So what should graduates do to improve their chances of finding employment? Surveys and experts indicate that graduates should focus on smaller companies. They should also be open to moving to regions where hiring is improving. Employers are looking for flexibility, so job-seekers need to demonstrate the ability to take on a variety of responsibilities. Read Getting from College to Career: 90 Things to Do Before You Join the Real World
for more advice for life after graduation.

© Andrea for College, Career, Life, 2009. | Permalink | 2 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: advice, business, economy, employment, jobsearch, trends

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Top Ten Most Flexible Degree Choices

collegecareerlife — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 10:42:18 +0000

The following guest post was contributed by Christine Howell who frequently writes about Accredited Online Degrees and college related topics for Online College Guru, an online college directory and comparison website.

Recent economic conditions have reinforced the importance of flexibility in the employment marketplace. Selecting a degree program that allows a wide range of employment opportunities is essential for new and returning students in order to maximize their chances of obtaining employment quickly. Here are the ten best options for students seeking to ensure their employability in the highly-competitive job market of today.

Business administration

This degree opens doors throughout the corporate world. Whether the emphasis is on accounting, finance, marketing, or management, a bachelor’s or master’s degree in business administration is the starting point for a wide range of careers that are always in demand. For those interested in working in the field of business, this is the most versatile degree to achieve that goal.

Engineering

For technically-minded students, engineering degrees offer a wide range of employment options. Architecture, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medicine, environmental science and many other fields of endeavor require the scientific background an engineering degree can afford.

Computer science

Computer science is closely related to the engineering field. Although many feel this degree has lost its luster in recent years, it still provides a large number of career choices to those holding a Bachelor of Science degree. Computer science graduates go on to serve as systems administrators, software engineers, network specialists, and in many other positions and career paths.

Mathematics

Considered the most practical and useful of all general science degrees, a strong mathematics background prepares one for jobs in actuarial science, business, education, and even law enforcement. The analytical skills derived from a four-year program in mathematics can be applied to nearly every field of endeavor.

English and other languages

Often unjustly maligned, a degree in English can provide opportunities for employment in a number of lucrative positions, including editing, journalism, public relations and advertising, and commercial writing. Expertise in foreign languages can allow students to obtain jobs in the government and public service field, as well as a number of educational and administrative opportunities only available to those who speak and write a second language.

Education

This may not seem a versatile selection at first; however, the variety of different disciplines covered under this one degree is immense. For any field of endeavor, there is a degreed professional to teach it; this makes education perhaps the most flexible of all degree programs.

Political science

For those interested in public service, a political science major offers the knowledge and skills necessary to pursue elected, appointed, or agency-level career paths. Political science degrees prepare students for jobs in government, law, budget planning, university administration, and many other fields that require a detailed knowledge of the inner workings of societal structures.

Psychology

Marketing, advertising, public relations, health care, and education careers are among the career options available to psychology majors. While advanced positions require advanced degrees, the knowledge of human nature and behavior allows students to step into a wide range of jobs with a reasonable certainty of success.

Graphic design

Artistically-minded students will find ample career opportunities after graduating with a graphic design degree. Most jobs are found in the advertising and commercial fields, but talented graphic designers can find work as animators, product design specialists, creative directors, and webpage designers.

Economics

An alternative to the business administration degree, economics degrees offer a different range of job opportunities. Many economists are employed by large corporations or government agencies; others work in the area of finance, statistics, or as legislative assistants to elected officials. In any field where financial predictions are useful and necessary, economists find themselves in high demand. An economics degree is also the perfect prerequisite to an advanced business law degree.

These ten degree programs will increase the chances for students to find work quickly in their chosen field after graduation. Opportunities are varied and plentiful in these fields and, while some are more lucrative than others, all offer the chance to excel in one’s chosen field of endeavor.

© Andrea for College, Career, Life, 2009. | Permalink | 3 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: academic, college, degree, education, employment, majors

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Five Job Scam Red Flags

collegecareerlife — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 09:00:33 +0000

If you’ve visited job boards lately, you have probably seen work-at-home jobs advertised. While it is possible to make money working at home, many of these ads are scams that provide profit for only a few people while everyone else loses money. What are some signs of a job scam?

No information about the company.

Most companies now have web-sites with an About Us page that explains what the company does and where its office(s) are located. If the company is small and doesn’t have a web-site, the posting should have a company name listed that you can look up at the Better Business Bureau’s website .

No specific responsibilities listed.

If you can’t determine what you’ll be doing to contribute to a company, then don’t apply. A posting with no specific duties means that the person posting is afraid of explaining the details for fear that no one will respond.

Asking for bank account information or credit report.

There are lots of money transfer scams that ask for your account information or want you to wire money. Never give out financial information (bank account, PayPal, etc.) when applying for a job and never wire money. A new scam I’ve noticed is scammers asking you to obtain a credit report. DO NOT click on any links in an email. If you do want to visit a sight, enter the address into the address bar yourself.

Spelling errors/typos.

Legitimate ads will be well-written because they are posted by businesses wanting to attract qualified applicants, not desperate people applying randomly.

You have to pay for training materials.

What are you buying? Probably information about how to scam other people. Even if you don’t mind participating in these schemes, you probably won’t make a lot of money because most people won’t fall for it.

The best way to avoid scams is to deal with companies or recruiters that you know. Don’t give out information that allows access to your money or accounts, and don’t pay for mysterious training materials. Legitimate jobs will require considerable effort on your part, so don’t expect to get a well-paying job that requires very little work. Finally, don’t ignore your instincts. If something seems “off”, it’s probably a scam.

© Andrea for College, Career, Life, 2009. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: employment, job nab, job search, scam, warning

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

College, Career, Life » employment

Top Sites for Employment Trends and Statistics

Related Posts:

Frustrations of Today's Job Search

Solutions for the Frustrated Job-Seeker

Related Posts:

Getting the Most out of a College Job Fair

Related Posts:

Tips for Using Job Boards

Related Posts:

Hiring Trends for 2010 College Graduates

Related Posts:

Top Ten Most Flexible Degree Choices

Related Posts:

Five Job Scam Red Flags

Related Posts: