March 24, 2005

Claims for first-time jobless compensation rose unexpectedly last week.

In a sign that the economy is still struggling -- at least in terms of the job market -- the Labor Department said initial unemployment claims rose by more than 3,000, climbing to 324,000 in the week ended March 19 from an upwardly revised 321,000 the prior week.

Many experts had expected a decrease in claims to 315,000 -- an 9,000 swing in job-seekers seeking unemployment benefits.

While the total number is still well below the 344,000 who sought benefits in the same period a year ago, it's a yet another sign the job market, while on the mend after years of decline, is still struggling...

So, if you are a job-seeker finding it hard to find a new job, the best advice is to keep at it... the market should slowly continue to get better.

March 22, 2005

Most retirees plan to stay busy, make money.

In a recent Associated Press-Ipsos poll, 63 of those who have not retired said they thought they would work for pay after they retired.

The reason given most often for working after retirement was "to stay busy," followed by "to make ends meet," and "to have enough money for extras."

Read more in this section of Quintessential Careers: Job and Career Resources for Mature and Older Job-Seekers -- Including the Baby Boomers.

March 16, 2005

Professional women returning to work often do so at a much lower salary.

A recently published study by the Center for Work-Life Policy found that professional women who step off career tracks for family or other reasons earn about 18 percent less once they return to the workforce -- and for career businesswomen, their earnings drop an average of 28 percent upon their return to the workforce.

Some of the drop in earnings, however, is a reflection in the types of jobs women return to, often taking positions with less responsibility or fewer hours.

And the longer women wait to return, the deeper the cut in salary. Women who take less than a year to return did so at an average of 11 percent less pay, but for those women who take three years or more, the average drop is 37 percent.

The survey was conducted with more than 2,400 women and 653 men (for comparison) nationwide.

March 12, 2005

More workers are increasingly dissatisfied with their jobs.

Two recent studies show that workers are increasingly dissatisfied with their jobs.

Only about half of today's workers are happy with their jobs, compared with 60 percent who were satisfied in 1995, according to a survey of 5,000 households released last month by the Conference Board.

And a Monster.com poll of more than 10,000 people found that 86 percent said they were not satisfied with their jobs, compared with 83 percent who said they were dissatisfied in 2003. (Of course, if they were job-hunting, it's more likely they would be dissatisfied with their jobs.)

What's your job satisfaction level? Take our quiz! Job Satisfaction Quiz: How Satisfied Are You with Your Job?

March 10, 2005

Domestic partner benefits are on the rise, according to a new survey.

It's predicted that 19 percent of salaried office workers and 18 percent of hourly office workers will be eligible for domestic-benefit benefits in 2005 -- up from up from about 13 percent in 2003.

For workers employed in manufacturing, about 11 percent of workers will be eligible for domestic-partner benefits this year, up from 8 percent in 2003 -- according to the 2005 Survey of Employee Benefits by Business & Legal Reports.

Domestic partners -- of the same or opposite sex -- are mainly concerned with health insurance and leave benefits according to the survey results.

What kinds of benefits are part of a compensation package? Check out the details on this page of our Salary Negotiation Tutorial.

March 5, 2005

Last month had the largest gain in new jobs in recent months, but unemployment also rose.

U.S. employers created 262,000 jobs in February, double the number of new jobs created in January -- and the largest gain in four months, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Not surprisingly, most of the job gains were in the services industry (including 30,000 new temporary jobs), though manufacturing and construction also saw an increase. Government payrolls also increased -- by more than 33,000 new positions.

The unemployment rate, however, rose to 5.4 percent from January's 5.2 percent. The rise in the jobless rate, drawn from a separate survey of households, partly reflected an increase in workers entering the labor force.

Use our vast collection of career resources toolkit for job-seekers to get the tips, tools, and advice you need to perfect your cover letter, resume, interviewing skills, and more.

March 3, 2005

Analysis shows a slowing job market.

Recruiting Trends reports that, while job growth continues, it has substantially slowed since last July, according to the Leading Indicator of National Employment (LINE). In fact, the number of firms expecting future employment increases is the lowest it has been in eleven months. LINE's end of year numbers (2004) indicate that new job growth in the manufacturing sector continued to slow, and is expected to stall further in early 2005.

March 1, 2005

How's your networking within your organization? A new study details its importance.

A new study shows that about 35 percent of managers who change jobs fail in their new ones and either quit or are asked to leave within 18 months.

According to the data from Right Management Consultants, a leadership-development firm based in Philadelphia, it's the softer skills -- fitting into the corporate culture, navigating the political landscape, and establishing the kinds of relationships that help get things done -- that sink new managers.

Read more in this article from Fortune.com.

Need help understanding your workplace? Use our Workplace Resources for Dealing With Your Current Job/Employer.

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