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How Far Would You Go For a Job?

February 18, 2012 by

Last week I talked about moving to North Dakota for a job, where the unemployment rate is 1.5% in some places. But it does get a bit cold for many people and can also be rather remote.

Turns out there’s a place that has an even lower unemployment rate… the South Pole. The temperature can dip down to 40% F and it’s dark 24 hours a day in the winter, but hey, there’s probably not much competition for jobs, right? Wrong.

There are only 36 job openings and the British Antarctic Survey expects over 3,000 applications. Some of the job openings are for chefs, carpenters, and plumbers. The jobs are spread across the five bases.

I actually know someone that worked at the pole. He said workers are given a mental evaluation beforehand and it’s recommended that you apply after working a summer there. Winters, and the constant darkness can affect even the most sane people.

As the ad says, “must have a sense of adventure and get along well with others”. Sense of adventure, indeed. And, since the living conditions are close, you do need to be able to get along well with others. Meals are served cafeteria style and mail service is limited, with none in the winter.

 



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European Job Loss

February 14, 2012 by

Global companies are bracing for a European recession and a slowdown in China. This means companies will be cutting jobs three times faster than they were last year. This means the unemployment rate there, which is already at a 13 year high, could get worse.

Uncertainty over Greece’s debt crisis has the Euro zone on edge. They are worried that Greece could default on their debt and pull out of the euro pact. Portugal, Ireland, and Greece all received bailouts. This means that companies are now being very cautious.

One thing that can be agreed on is that any recovery right now will be slow and unemployment will remain high.



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Need a Job? Move to North Dakota!

February 11, 2012 by

My memories of driving through the Dakotas as a child were of driving on the moon. I remember miles and miles of empty open space. The temperature in the winter can dip below negative 60 degrees. And summers can be hot and humid. But if you’re looking for a job you are sure to find one in North Dakota, where the unemployment rate is as low as 1.5% in some towns. In fact, it hasn’t gone below 5% since 1987.

Many of the jobs are in the booming oil industry, but with the influx of people moving there, jobs like teaching, retail, and food service. In fact, local fast food restaurants are now paying workers $15-17 an hour and giving bonuses to anyone that can help them fill their jobs. Servers in restaurants make around $25 an hour and truck drivers make between $70-80,000 a year.

Most of the state is rural, and the agricultural industry is productive and profitable. It’s the only state that has added manufacturing jobs over the last decade.

This oil boom is expected to continue for years to come, and the national unemployment rate is too. So, if you can handle long, hard hours and brutal winters, and you want to double your income or find a good, high paying job, go north young man! To North Dakota.



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Job Fairs for the Blind

January 28, 2012 by

A job fair can be a daunting experience to begin with, but it can really be difficult for the blind, even with the right training and resume. But the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind put on a job fair recently specifically for the visually impaired. The unemployment rate in Massachusetts is 7 1/2% for all workers and 37% for the blind.

Among the hurdles they have to overcome are applications they can’t read and the need for software that converts text to speech.

The job market is normally a challenge, but the recent recession has made it even more challenging. It’s also harder to get employers to hire the blind when there is more training involved.



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Dropping out of the Job Market

January 25, 2012 by

The unemployment rate dropped slightly last month for one major reason… many people have simply given up looking for a job. The number of workers that are actively looking for a full-time job and can’t find one is over 6 million people.

As someone that doesn’t have the luxury of not working, I was wondering exactly what those people that have dropped out are doing. Turns out the younger ones are choosing to live at home with their parents for much longer and staying in school much longer. A lot of those students aren’t working a job while they are in school, which means their student loans are going to be hell to pay off once they do get out. And that’s assuming they can even find a job once they’re out. Yes, getting a good education will look nice on their resume, and their job experience will grow as they get out into the workforce, but student loans are forever.

The number of women that are choosing to work has dropped to the lowest level in 20 years. More women are choosing to stay home and take care of the kids.

Once those discouraged workers go back to looking for work again the unemployment number will rise.



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Unemployment Numbers

January 7, 2012 by

The White House today is celebrating the unemployment number going down slightly to 8.5% because of 200,000 jobs being added this month. But not so fast. Numbers can be deceiving.

5% used to be the number that signaled that anyone who wanted a job could find a job. It will never go down to zero because too many other factors are at play. People come in and out of the job market and it constantly fluctuates.

Most important is that fact that the 8.5% unemployment number doesn’t include the underemployed and those that have simply given up looking for a job. Then the number doubles.

According to the Congressional Budget Office, if we added 200,000 new jobs every single month until Oct, 2015 we would only get the unemployment rate down to 7%.

Yes, we may possibly be looking at a new normal as far as the unemployment rate goes. Grim numbers for the future, but it also may be time to change the way you look at the job market and consider all options, like creating your own job. Or piecing together two part-time jobs.



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Job Search for 2011

February 1, 2011 by

The U.S. is facing a staggering 9.8 percent unemployment rate and about 84 percent of employed workers looking for work should expect to see nothing less than a fiercely competitive job market during 2011.

According to Moody’s Analytics the unemployment rate is projected to remain high through 2012, and might even go up.

job search

job search


The same ole/same ole isn’t going to work anymore. Job seekers will need to figure out creative ways to make it in the current job market.

Job seekers are turning to career experts to help them navigate through the murky waters of the new job market.
It’s a good time to try everything to see what will work. Don’t count on just one source.

Update your resume and take a good, hard look at your job skills. If you have fallen behind, then it’s a good time to take some new training. Learn as many new skills as you can to get a leg up on the competition.

Employers are inundated with applications from eager job seekers. Make sure you stand out from all the rest.



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