Career and job-search news, trends, and scoops for job-seekers,
compiled by the staff of Quintessential Careers.
September 28, 2004
There's good news for college seniors this year... employers are coming back to college
campuses and recruiting graduating seniors.
Many college career officials report that the number of companies registering for
upcoming campus career fairs has increased over last year as accounting, financial
services, healthcare, and some technology firms prepare to expand services or fill vacancies.
And according to new data compiled by the National Association of Colleges
and Employers (NACE), U.S. companies will hire about 13 percent more college
graduates in 2004-2005 than they hired last year -- while another 23 percent said
their hiring levels would remain the same as last year.
With Hurricane Jeanne bearing down on the Quintessential Careers World Headquarters here
in Florida, we may again be without power for several days... so while this blog may not
be updated until later in the week, please know all our career resources and
job portal, which run on servers outside the state, are all working and ready with
career advice and job postings to help you find a new job!
And, we have published the latest issue of QuintZine early. Check out all the great
resources in this issue, our Career
Branding Issue.
September 24, 2004
A new quarterly employment survey that tracks projected recruitment and job-search
activities for the fourth quarter of 2004 shows that job creation should increase.
In the study of more than 1,600 workers, including 700 hiring managers, CareerBuilder.com
found that almost half of hiring managers report that they will be "increasing their staffs
with a balanced mix of incremental and replacement employees."
About 12 percent of hiring managers say they will be decreasing employments at their
locations from the third to fourth quarter.
Start building your network by adding someone new everyday... and make sure your resume(s)
is in the shape it needs to be in to get you the job you deserve.
A little more than a quarter of companies in a recent survey say they plan
to add workers in the fourth quarter of this year.
In their quarterly survey of 16,000 U.S. employers, Manpower, Inc.
(a staffing services company), found that while 60 percent of responding
businesses reported they had no plans to change their workforce, only
about 7 percent said they expect to reduce their payrolls, while 28 percent
plan to add staff.
Sectors that expressed the strongest optimism about hiring included
manufacturing, retail, and services.
Now is the time to plan and implement your fall job-search plan!
September 15, 2004
One in eight Americans has lost a job in the past three years, according to a recent survey.
In a nationwide study of 1,007 adults conducted by the Scripps Survey Research Center at the Ohio
State University, about half of the unemployed job-seekers who found work reported
that the new job paid less than the previous one.
And of those who lost a job, more than one-quarter have not found new work.
And don't wait until you need a job to work on those skills. In this job market, you should always
have a resume handy.
September 13, 2004
After more than a week of no power and no Internet access due to Hurricane Frances we are back
all full speed. Thanks again to all our readers for your understanding.
Using marketing techniques to build your career brand
Reconnecting with former colleague after long absence
Finding help with changing careers out of nursing
Deciding whether to list a part-time, second job on resume
September 9, 2004
The Quintessential Careers home office -- as well as the surrounding area in Central Florida --
was hit hard by Hurricane Frances, and we still do not have power as of today... five days without
power. And no water, ice, or gas.
We have an alternate location to work on minor updates and email, and our server is actually in a different
state, but generally we spend most of our days cleaning up all the mess from the downed trees in our
yard... and we dream of the power company arriving.
We hope to have job and career news again soon, but for now we are just trying to survive day-to-day.
September 3, 2004
The U.S. saw modest job growth in August according to a report released today by
the Department of Labor.
Employers added 144,000 workers to their payrolls in August, slightly below Wall Street analysts' forecasts for a 150,000-job gain.
The Labor Department also revised the July figures upward, now saying that 73,000 jobs were created than the original figure of 32,000.
These new job numbers are encouraging for those job-seekers still struggling to find full-time work, but the job growth is still
far below the 250,000 monthly number needed to bring back all the jobs lost in the last few years.
And with Labor Day approaching, the fall hiring season will soon begin in earnest. Be prepared!
September 1, 2004
Do you have any skeletons in your past? You might want to check -- because your next employer
will likely do so, according to a recent study.
In a study conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management earlier this year, 80 percent of
the companies surveyed say they conduct criminal background checks on employees -- up from 51
percent in 1996. Industries included in the survey include retail, manufacturing, and insurance.
And criminal background checks are not the only thing they are doing. Some employers also
check credit scores, conduct drug tests, and more.
Finally, you also must be prepared in the interview to explain any discrepancies or
problems the prospective employer finds.
Job Stuff, A Blog for Your Career, from Stephen Harris.
Stephen's blog is a great resource for those job-seekers who find yourselves in transition, searching for guidance
and reassurance.
The Occupational Adventure Blog, from
Curt Rosengren, a Passion Catalyst. Curt's blog is great for finding encouraging ideas (and resources) for moving forward with your career... a career
that lights your fire.
TrueCareers Career Blog, from the career and job site
dedicated to professional and college-educated job-seekers... where they say you get the real scoop on how to get the job you want faster --
with insider tips and more.
