Career and job-search news, trends, and scoops for job-seekers,
compiled by the staff of Quintessential Careers.
April 28, 2005
Initial jobless claims up, but continued claims declined last week.
Initial claims for state unemployment benefits rose to 320,000 last week,
according to the U.S. Labor Department... about in line with expectations.
The four-week average of claims, which smooths weekly volatility and makes
for a more reliable picture of the job market, fell by 8,000 to 323,000 --
still too high for many analysts.
New job creation numbers for April will not be released until early
May, but analysts are predicting that 170,000+ new jobs were created this month,
which would be up from the disappointing 110,000 created in March.
April 22, 2005
Jobless claims plummet to under 300,000 last week.
For only the second time in more than three years, people
filing for initial jobless claims fell to below 300,000.
The U.S. Labor Department reports that 296,000 people
filed for unemployment benefits for the week ended April 16th --
down 36,000 from the previous week's revised number of 332,000
claims.
The weekly number for claims was well below the 329,000
predicted by experts -- and the largest one-week drop since
a 73,000 decline in early December 2001.
The more stable four-week running average fell to 330,250 --
still fairly high.
States with the largest increase in unemployed: California,
North Carolina, Texas, Florida, and Georgia.
States with the biggest decline in unemployed: New Jersey,
Wisconsin, Ohio, Kentucky, and Missouri.
April 17, 2005
Who are the top employers hiring college graduates?
According to Michigan State University's annual Recruiting Trends survey, published in
The Black Collegian Magazine, the top 10 employers are
Enterprise Rent-A-Car, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Maxim Healthcare Services,
United States Customs and Border Protection, Ernst & Young, KPMG LLP,
National Security Agency, Accenture, Fairfax Country Public Schools, and
United States Air Force.
Your goal should be developing as many job leads as possible -- from as
many sources as possible. Read our article,
10
Ways to Develop Job Leads.
April 11, 2005
Teens are staying busy with school and extracurricular activities, but working less.
According to an article in USA Today, teenagers are taking heavier course loads
in high school, spending more time in extracurricular activities, and working for a
paycheck less.
The percentage of teens in the workforce fell to 44 percent in 2004, continuing a
decades-long trend that resulted in the lowest level on record.
Employment during the summer months was generally higher, but still just barely above
50 percent.
How do teens find employment? Get all the details, including articles, tools, and job sites
in our Job and Career Resources for Teenagers
section of Quintessential Careers.
April 7, 2005
First-time claims for state unemployment benefits fell last week, as expected.
The number of Americans submitting new claims for jobless insurance dropped
19,000 last week -- to 334,000, the U.S. Labor Department reported today, largely erasing
an unexpected spike the previous week.
The new claims data was in line with market expectations for a drop to 332,000 from the
original estimate of 350,000 for the week ended March 26.
However, so-called continued claims -- those filed by people still on the benefit rolls after
an initial week of aid -- rose 90,000 to 2.69 million for the week ended March 26, the
latest week for which data are available.
Your best defense to the current job market is being an active participant. Keep your
resume current, network, and keep your eyes open to opportunities.
April 3, 2005
U.S. employers were not in as big a hiring mood as expected last month.
The Labor Department on Friday reported that 110,000 payroll jobs were created in
March, shocking analysts who had expected much stronger growth closer to 220,000.
Weakness was seen in the manufacturing and service sectors.
The Department also revised downward job growth numbers from the previous two months.
In other labor-related news, the unemployment rate, measured separately from the survey used to calculate
payroll growth, dropped back to 5.2 percent by 5.4 percent, matching its lowest
level in more than three years. And average hourly wages rose 0.3 percent to
$15.95, slightly higher than expected.
April 1, 2005
Claims for first-time jobless compensation rose again last week.
Other signs show the economy growing strongly, and a new report is expected to
show more than 200,000 jobs added in March, but even with the news, the
U.S. Labor Department reported that jobless claims jumped 20,000 to
350,000. The four-week running average moved up to 336,000 from 327,500 the
previous week.
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.
