1999 vs. 2009 What a difference a decade makes

Okay, so I just read a report titled “Unemployment and Jobs In International Perspective” by two distinguished professors for the United States Congress and it read “The United States has low unemployment rates and substantial job creation, while much of the rest of the industrialized world has high unemployment and little or no expansion in employment. Why?“

The in-depth report went on to show many descriptive statistics and simple econometric evidence to underscore why the U.S. did it better than the rest of the industrialized world due to its untiring attention to controlling labor costs. The report was written 10 years ago when the US economy was labeled the "Goldilocks economy" because things were going just right… not too hot and not too cold. Unemployment and inflation were both lowest they had been in 30 years and the stock market was booming with blossoming day traders all over the place. According to Business Week, the U.S. economy had entered a "new era" in which rapid technological change (especially information technology) will make it possible for the U.S. economy to continue to achieve both low unemployment and low inflation for the foreseeable future.

Oh what a difference a decade makes. Let’s fast forward to 2009 with the highest unemployment rates since the 80’s. Since December 2007 more than 5 million people filed for unemployment according to a recent report from the Department of Labor. The national unemployment rate hit 10.2% not since the 1980’s have we seen such a high rate. The manufacturing sector accounted for 36 percent of all initial unemployment filings during October 2009 compared to 2008’s number of 45 percent, reflecting a slight decrease.

Industries Hardest Hit in 2009:
1. Temporary help services
2. Motion picture and video production
3. Professional employer organizations
4. Automobile manufacturing
5. Construction machinery manufacturing
6. Highway, street, and bridge construction
7. Farm labor contractors and crew leaders
8. Food service contractors
9. Discount department stores
10. Hotels and motels, except casino hotels

States with the highest recorded unemployment rates for Aug, Sep & Oct 2009
1. California
2. Illinois
3. Florida
4. Wisconsin
5. Pennsylvania
6. Ohio
7. Michigan
8. Texas
9. New York
10. Indiana

Secret Tactics of Interviewers

By: www.Countrysbestresumes.com

One of the biggest mistakes many people make when interviewing for a job is they think all that is necessary to be successful at an interview is to show you have what it takes to do the work. However, according to many recruiters and hiring managers there is much more.

• Trained Interviewers will most likely:
  Ask open-ended questions
• Encourage you to talk 70-80% of the time
• Give limited information about the position until qualifications are confirmed
• Maintain eye contact
• Be comfortable with silence
• Ask you to tell them why you are interested in the job
• Ask you about your knowledge of the company
• Ask you at least 10 questions
• Ask you why you left your last employment