Why Unemployment Statistics Can Be Very Misleading

Why Unemployment Statistics Can Be Very Misleading Statistics. They’re great if used appropriately and they’re understood. According to a recent U.S. government ‘statistic’ the inflation rate is about 1 percent. But anyone who buys anything knows that’s probably not a true portrayal of costs event though that rate is defined as ‘the rate at which the general level of prices for goods and services is rising.’ The same argument can be made for what the media, government and politics use when quoting the unemployment rate from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That rate refers to “the percentage of the total labor force that is unemployed but actively seeking employment and willing to work.  But that rate is not an accurate portrayal of the percentage of Americans who want to work full-time but arent able to. The official rate doesnt include those whose unemployment benefits have run out, those who are under-employed (e.g. working part-time when they’d rather work full-time) or others who choose for whatever reason not to file an unemployment claim.   That’s one reason why I’m opposed to the decision to cut off federal unemployment benefits. By using the ‘official unemployment rate’ nearly 90,000 New Jersey residents had their unemployment benefits cut off on December 28th as Congress failed to vote on extending long-term benefits before going on recess until early next year. But even that number is a bit deceiving as it doesnt include what I call the forgotten unemployed  â€" those who aren’t counted by the government. Viable system: I agree there needs to be a finite amount of time before a person’s unemployment benefits expire. But along with unemployment benefits, there needs a viable system in place to help train those that want to work in a field but don’t have the needed skills. This isn’t just about re-training someone to do a different type of job as much as it is to explain how to ‘network’ â€" that generic term meant to explain how to find jobs besides applying online to job boards and sending up your resume hundreds of times without hearing back. Teach how to connect with people, schedule ‘informational’ interviews, have resume review sessions and schedule job fairs which don’t just have customer service or sales jobs. More experienced workers: For those of us (me included) who are a specific ‘age’, we acknowledge there are many biases that hinder our individual job searches. Many employers won’t hire someone who’s out of work; others will find ways to not hire an older person by questions they ask and by how they phrase a job description. Others assume we won’t work for a specific salary based on our job history.   Let’s just say when I get called by a recruiter and their first question is whether I’m working and I say ‘no’ that conversation ends abruptly without any acknowledge or interest in my situation. I’ve learned to ‘dance’ around that question and others like it. READ MORE:  How to  Get  a  Job  Past the Age of  50 Conclusion: We all can agree to disagree on how we got into this situation â€" but pointing fingers and grandstanding isn’t going to change anything soon. Emotions run high and there are some simple ways that we can fix things as long as we acknowledge the system is broken and not point fingers and play the ‘blame game’. There needs to be an open discussion between hiring managers, recruiters, those out of work and those who are working. We need to leave government out of this equation as much as possible. I’ve said on more than one occasion that the government Healthcare website would’ve been up and running a bit easier if they let many of the IT and marketing people who are out of work, fix it. As well-meaning as some in government may be, a long-term (no pun intended) solution needs to come from a consortium of officials at Fortune 500 companies and other stakeholders. There are many great job support groups that have sprung up out of necessity â€" the challenge is to integrate the best of each into one location. I’m calling on those who are in position to help me make this dream come true. I also facilitate several job support groups in northern NJ. I welcome LinkedIn connection requests.

Facebook and Your Job Application

Facebook and Your Job Application If you have a social profile on Facebook and are in the job market, beware Unlike Internet giants Google and Amazon who sell books and DVDs or offer money transfer services, Facebook’s business model is all about getting ‘us’ to sign up to use their site. And let’s face it, without ‘us’ they would have no model at all. In order to survive and prosper, Facebook has to retain existing users and generate new ones, and because of the nature of Facebook, they’re totally reliant on social trends and preferences. As we all know, trends can and do change with time, so be warned when deciding to make your next career move, because your Facebook profile could thwart your ambitions. In the USA, social profiles on Facebook are now being used by governmental and non-governmental agencies to make important decisions that may impact on your life. All kinds of data such as criminal convictions, child custody issues, personal profiles and everyday online material â€" much of it posted by Facebook users themselves â€" is now being scrutinised for information that may be detrimental to the owner of the profile. In recent years, companies like LexiNexis, an online legal research business, have been established with the sole aim of trawling social networking sites for pertinent personal information. And some of these research companies work for clients in the recruitment industry. In the USA, the Internal Revenue Service trawls MySpace and Facebook, searching for tax evaders, personal income details, and the whereabouts of profile owners, if they’re on the run. Most of us are not evading our tax commitments or are wanted fugitives, however, most of us do apply for jobs. Results of a recent survey revealed that around three-quarters of all job recruitment companies have rejected applicants based solely on their online personal profiles. The numbers of online research companies are growing exponentially. These companies trawl for data that may be of interest to prospective employers, unhappy spouses, advertisers and other interested parties. Online users with personal profiles are being stereotyped. For example, if youre a university graduate, the choice of music you list in your profile could well place you in a demographic that includes recreational drug users. This information can then be used by recruitment companies or motor and health insurance companies and may lead to you being rejected for a particular job or turned down for some form of insurance. And since most of these companies don’t have to disclose why they reject an applicant, the real reasons may never be known. So, be aware of the incriminating trail your Facebook profile may leave and post personal information with great care. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

How to Set and Achieve Your Goals - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

How to Set and Achieve Your Goals - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Almost half of 2014 has passed.   Did you ever look back and think what you have achieved since the beginning of this year or what goals you have that you need to complete by the end of this year? Did you revisit your list to revise your goals or more importantly do you have a list of goals written down? Goal setting is a trigger of success. The more you achieve your goals, the more successful you feel. You will also feel more motivated to set new goals and grow yourself. If you are not sure how to set and achieve goals for yourself, you can find some helpful tips below. 1.  Decide What You Want to Achieve: It is important to decide what you want to accomplish during the year. For example; if you are not happy with your current job, finding a new job can be your goal. If you want to continue your education, enrolling a graduate degree or a certificate program should be your goal for this year. All of your goals do not need to be career related. Traveling to a new country can be your goal or a prize that you give to yourself when you achieve a career related goal. 2.  Be Specific About Your Goals: Reachable goals are specific. For example; ‘I want to lose 10 pounds in two months’ is a much better goal compared to ‘I want to lose weight this year’. If you know exactly what you want, you can work easier towards that goal. 3.  Write Down Your Goals: If you don’t write down your goals, they stay as wishes. You want them to happen but you barely find the motivation to make them real. If you write down your goals plus figure out an action plan to work towards them, you will notice that it will be easier for you to achieve them. If your goal is to buy a four bedroom house in your favorite neighborhood, write it down and figure out an action plan to save money for payments. This can be to cut back from shopping or to sell your luxury car and start using public transportation, etc. 4.  Don’t Postpone Your Goals: Always set yourself a deadline to achieve your goals. If you want to change your job within six months, do so! Don’t delay it for another six months or else, it will never happen. However, your deadlines must be realistic enough so you can accomplish them. For example; if you just started your career as an actor and acted in your first movie, expecting to win an academy award with this movie is not a realistic goal. It can happen but still, it is not a realistic goal to achieve. 5.  Revise Your Goals over Time: Things may not always go according to the plan. Maybe your goal was to get promoted but a financial crisis occurred and as a result, your employer started to lay off its employees. In this case, it is wise to revisit your goal and revise it as ‘keep your job’. Under these circumstances, it is more important to keep your job rather than to get promoted.

What Are the Best and Worst Jobs in America

What Are the Best and Worst Jobs in America Most Americans spend more time on the job than they do on anything else. FACTS: The average employee spends more than 2/3 of his or her day at work or on work-related activities. That’s more time than they spend sleeping or raising children. Americans work an average of nearly one month more per year now than in 1970. In 1960, only 20 percent of mothers worked. Today, in 70 percent of American households all adults work. America vs. the world: Americans work 137 more hours per year than Japanese workers 260 more hours per year than British workers 499 more hours per year than French workers Average productivity for American workers has increased 400% since 1950 In every country included except Canada and Japan (and the U.S., which averages 13 days/per year), workers get at least 20 paid vacation days. In France and Finland, they get 30 â€" an entire month off, paid, every year. So it matters what you do… doesn’t it? Because Americans work so much…. Here are the 10 Best AND 10 Worst Jobs in America, (with median salaries) by our friends at Numbersleuth. Related: How Do American Workers Waste Time and Money?

Why SMART Goals are Important to Project Success CareerMetis.com

Why SMART Goals are Important to Project Success â€" CareerMetis.com An important factor in taking your career to the next level is goal-setting, because objectives will keep you focused on important tasks and motivate you to strive for excellence.Goals will also improve your project’s success by setting smaller daily tasks to accomplish a larger objective. By writing your goals down and sharing them with a friend, you are 70 percent more likely to succeed according to recent study by Dr. Gail Mathews.To increase the effectiveness of your goals make them SMART which means they should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound.evalSMART goals prioritize projects and tasks, increases an employee’s worth by valuing their input and allows them to measure the impact of their efforts.When working with a team, goals will improve cohesion, because coworkers will realize the only way to succeed is by helping each other. High-performing organizations successfully complete more than 80 percent of their projects while low-performers only com plete 36 percent.Likewise when goals are tied to external awards and recognition, it can increase an employee’s motivation. Companies with higher levels of employee engagement have 50 percent higher sales and 50 percent higher customer loyalty levels.If you are a leader in your organization, these types of goals can help improve your team’s project success rate by improving communication, delegating tasks, providing constructive and meaningful feedback and showcasing positive progress.A successful career is something everyone wants to achieve, but only a few find a job that they really love and enjoy. SMART goals can help you realize your true passion, find a new career or keep the one you already have and rise through the ranks.Check out the following infographic from Brandeis University’s Masters in Project Management to learn more about the power of goal-setting and the benefits of SMART goals.Infographic Credit â€" http://projectmgmt.brandeis.edu

Summary Sunday Be Ready For Your Next Job Search

Summary Sunday Be Ready For Your Next Job Search You never know when youll need to start your next job search. The trick is to always be ready. This weeks summary includes articles covering some interesting research about the decline in US workers looking for new jobs. And is toxic workplace culture a reason to leave a job? Yes, SHRM explains recent data. Youll also find tips on how to make sure you are always job-search ready, how to find a job when youre unemployed, a fresh look at networking, and some new tools for Twitter and personal branding. Heres what you need to know so you are ready for your next job search. WORKPLACE TRENDS Far Fewer U.S. Employees Are Job Hunting by RJ Cheremond | Gartner More than 53% of U.S. employees said they intend to stay at their current job when surveyed by Gartner in 2Q19. Not only are workers planning to stay, they also appear to be putting more time and effort into their work.   This is a summary of key points found in the Gartner 1Q19 Global Talent Monitor. The Impact of Toxic Work Culture Comes With A Quarter-Trillion Dollar Cost by Workplace Convos Coffee | SHRM Interesting stats and findings based on recent SHRM research. 49% of Americans have thought about leaving their current organization. Almost 1/5 of workers have left a job due to toxic work culture within the last 5 years. The cost of turnover due to workplace culture exceeded $223 billion over the last 5 years. JOB SEARCH How to Always Be Job Search Ready by Adrienne Tom | Career Impressions These tips from Adrienne Tom and her career colleagues will help you focus on the things you should be doing right now so you are ready to job search when its time! Here are some of the basics: Keeping abreast of job search strategies, gainfully employed or not. Updating your resume often, not just when you need it. Refreshing skills regularly. Never stop learning. Building and fostering a strong network of connections you can lean into when needed. Finding a Job When You Are Unemployed by Susan P. Joyce | Job-Hunt.org Here are 5 keys to finding a job when you are unemployed. The secret is to take action and these are definitely do-able! LINKEDIN Guide to LinkedIn Profile SEO in 2019 By Susan P. Joyce | Job-Hunt.org Are you ready to take steps and make your LinkedIn profile stand out? This article lays out the reasons why   SEO (search engine optimization) is important and how to get your Profile ranking well in LinkedIn search results. NETWORKING 3 Simple Things That Will Make You the Most Interesting Person in Any Conversation by Marcel Schwantes | Inc. To put a fresh spin on networking, Schwantes suggests doing these 3 things: Be intensely curious Be a good listener Stop asking dumb and uninteresting questions He also provides some conversation-starting questions youll want to try out. TWITTER 21 Twitter Tools That Every Twitter Power User Must Know Of by Srikanth AN | ShoutMeLoud Even if you arent a Twitter Power User, some of these tools are great to know about! PERSONAL BRANDING How a Consulting Agency Upgraded Their Content By Switching to Visme by Chloe West | Visme When a solopreneur needed a design software that allowed her to create more polished digital products and marketing content to attract bigger and better clients, she turned to Visme. This case study is applicable to job seekers as well. A unified and professional-looking set of marketing materials will help set you apart. While I love Visme and recommend it, read this through the lens of a case study on personal branding. RELATED CONTENT 10 Ways To Research Company Culture 1e3)g=1e3;else if(~~g

Resume Writing Pricing Guidelines

Resume Writing Pricing GuidelinesMany employers require a pricing statement before granting an interview or employment. While the situation of non-competency should be avoided as much as possible, it is not always so, and if it is presented, it must be attached to the resume and clearly stated.Since companies wish to differentiate their products from competitors, they seek out information that is unique to that product. The qualifications and experience that are acquired by a candidate should be clearly stated on the resume.If you have used the same product or service for any length of time and have a strong recommendation for the company, you can include a reference stating that fact. Some industries are perceived as more secure than others. They may prefer to interview people that have been in that particular field for many years.Pricing is the pricing in the price tag. One example of a pricing statement is that for a home security system. The name of the company, the price, the ty pe of system being offered, the warranty coverage, and the availability of installation are all information that can be added to the resume.The skill set and training must also be stated clearly. Such information can be added to the resume when adding an applicant to the job posting. The amount of training that is required will vary based on the skills necessary for the position being offered.The license number should be included on the resume. For those who hold any professional licenses, such as a medical billing license, it is helpful to have the license number on the resume. This will provide the employer with a record of education that is available for verification.Education, if relevant, can be added to the resume after looking over the resumes of those being considered for the job. The employer wants to know about education and training that could help in the hiring process. In addition, having education from specific institutions that are available for the education to be ac cepted is helpful.Experience can be added to the resume after the information has been validated by the employer. The resume may be submitted immediately to the employer or may be submitted when the opening has become available. Using these steps can help you avoid embarrassment in an interview.