Career and job-search news, trends, and scoops for job-seekers,
compiled by the staff of Quintessential Careers.
December 22, 2006
Pay projected to rise in 2007 in larger companies.
Both workers and management at mid-size and large companies
can expect a decent pay raise in 2007 if all goes according
to the results of a recent survey.
Executives, management, professional, and white collar workers
will see average raises of 3.7 percent, while workers in the
trades, production, and service can expect raises of 3.6 percent --
according to a survey by Mercer Human Resources Consulting.
December 11, 2006
U.S. employers added more than 100,000 jobs in November, as seasonal jobs kick in.
November ended with mixed employment numbers, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
On the plus side, the nation's employers added 132,000 jobs to their payrolls, an improvement
from the 79,000 generated in October.
On the down side, as more displaced job-seekers re-entered the workforce, the
nation's unemployment rate actually increased to 4.5 percent, from 4.4 percent
in October -- a still relatively low rate by historical standards.
Job gains were reported in retailing, bars and restaurants, hotels and motels, health-care providers,
financial firms, and computer-designs, architectural, and engineering companies. Their increases
made up for job losses in construction and manufacturing.
Just because its the holidays doesn't mean you should stop job-seeking.
Many job-seekers are under the incorrect assumption that very little hiring
and job-search activities take place during the holidays, and that simply
is not the case anymore. While it certainly does slow -- as does much business
activity -- hiring and job creation does take place.
And with more parties and happenings around the holidays, it's a great
chance to network and meet people.
The end of the year is also a good time to do a career check to make certain
you are where you want to be. More on this topic later this month.
December 1, 2006
Many holiday office parties are going to be bigger than last year. Do you know the
basic rules of survival?
About four out of five employers are planning to hold office parties this year --
approximately the same percentage as last year -- but a third of the companies
plan to spend more on the parties than they did last year, according to a survey
of more than 100 human resource managers conducted by Challenger, Gray & Christmas
(as part of their annual Holiday Party Survey).
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.
Blue Sky Resumes Blog, from career
expert Louise Fletcher, a general career and job-search blog that covers all aspects of the job-hunt.
