December 2011

Europe Needed to Boost US Economy

Italy Lagging Behind

Who would have known that we’d be waiting on Europe to hit the upswing for the economy in the United States to get better? According to an article in the Washington Post, the world economy’s future is hinging on Europe’s ability to resolve its debt crisis.

Italy is one of the main issues when it comes to Europe being able to resolve the crisis. The gross domestic product (GDP) is $1.7 trillion and the national debt is currently $2.6 trillion and Italy is dangerously close to insolvency and too big for the rest of Europe to now bail out. Bond markets are charging Italy unsustainably high interest rates, and this isn’t going to change unless the country can start to shrink the debt-to-GDP ratio.

How to Reduce the Stress of Job Hunting

Create a plan and Avoid trying to meet perfection

Searching for a job is a full-time job as it is and it takes a lot of time to search, apply and go through the interview process. However, one important thing is that the added stress while dealing with unemployment is very difficult to say the least. Losing a job adds on additional pressure, feelings of hurt, angriness, and vulnerability. It’s hard to deal with all of these problems and worrying about one’s financial future.

The top two tips job hunters should use and help them deal with the stress of job searching: Read more about How to Reduce the Stress of Job Hunting

Applications for Unemployment Benefits Dropping

Could be a Sign the Economy is Regaining Strength

According to an article in the Washington Post, the number of people applying for unemployment benefits has dropped to its lowest level since April of 2008. This has the ability to lead a downward trend that shows the job market strengthening.

The Labor Department stated that first-time applications for unemployment benefits have fallen to 4,000 leading to a seasonally adjusted 364,000. This is the third straight weekly drop.

Increase in Economic Growth This Holiday Season

Can be an Forecast for Future Increase as Well

Economic growth has been picking up for the last three months of the year; this has been caused by an increase in consumer spending, rising business stockpiles and relatively most increases in hiring.

Holiday shopping usually starts in November, and this year, it helped to produce the sixth straight monthly increase in retail sales. Americans who bought gifts this year spent more on clothing and electronics, and also on sales of autos and furniture. Read more about Increase in Economic Growth This Holiday Season

New GOP Bill Could Change a Lot

In Regard to Seniors with Medicare

House Republicans have unveiled a bill that will renew the Social Security payroll tax cut and extend but trim unemployment benefits. This barreled toward a showdown with President Barack Obama since it included language jumpstarting work on a controversial oil pipeline.

Democrats are claiming that the measure is stingy toward the jobless and those individuals who have a lower income. Next week, the House vote will open a year-end battle that allows each party to spotlight its economic priorities ahead of November’s presidential and congressional elections.

Quick Guide: How to Survive Unemployment

"Losing a job affects so many aspects of a person’s life that it can be an overwhelming experience and journey."

Unemployment rates are high in many states such as California has seen devastating double digits for the last several years. Layoffs have occurred due to the economic turndown. While there are jobs that are out there, the competition is stiff as there are so many potential employees searching for work too. Losing a job affects so many aspects of a person’s life that it can be an overwhelming experience and journey. Read more about Quick Guide: How to Survive Unemployment

Healthcare Jobs are Now on the Rise

Especially in DC

In the DC metro area, healthcare job trends are shifting to meet consumer demand as well as a federal government mandate. In particular, area-staffing firms are accommodating these new employment trends.

The on site clinics offer basic healthcare services like medical physicals for professionals who do not have time to leave their office for such services. This gives nurses extra payment and is convenient for employees. Another area of demand is administrative personnel to make the transition to paperless medical records more efficient. This demand has come from newer technology and a federal mandate that all paper records must be processed into electronic form by 2015. If this does not occur, healthcare entities will be penalized for non-compliance with the mandate.

Tips on Finding Work During a Recession

Three simple ways to help you stay on track.

It may feel as if it is an impossible goal to find a job during a recession however this isn’t true as there are people who have been able to find work in record time compared to what the news may report. It depends on the industry and how focused a person’s job hunting skills are along with how often they search and apply for work.

1. Concentrate on an industry as there are some industries that are growing and doing better compared to other industries. Several of the top industries that are doing well are the healthcare, food service, education, and government sectors. If the job seeker is in an industry that isn’t doing well then look into using those same skills in a different industry such as public relations for the healthcare industry. It will take flexibility and creativity from the job seeker to look into changing the way they search.

2. Turn yourself into a brand by rebranding yourself through jotting down your best skills. Come up with a new slant to market yourself such as your passions. For example, your job may have been technical but do you have a creative passion? Use this to your best advantage. Look into blending your skills and passions together to create a new brand for yourself as this will help to give you a new slant in the job market.

3. Use all avenues of job hunting tools and avoid relying on just one or two ways of searching for work. In this day and age of the internet, take a look into using social media as a way to find work. Network through sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to communicate with headhunters, corporations, and recruitment agencies.

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