Archive for April, 2009

Salary Expectations Drop as New Grads Compete for Fewer Jobs

CollegeJobBank.com, a Beyond.com career community and premier site for entry-level job seekers, encourages new grads to seek out the advice of their parents when searching for a job in today’s recession.

With more than 1.6 million college students projected to graduate in 2009, many will be disappointed to learn that employers anticipate hiring 22 percent fewer grads this year than last year, according to National Association of Colleges & Employers. In addition, bls.gov recently reported an unemployment rate of 14 percent for professionals between ages 20-24, which is the first time in over a quarter century it has topped 14 percent.

Not only is the unemployment rate on the rise, but salary expectations are continuing to fall. In Q1 2009, CollegeJobBank.com recognized a 3.1 percent decrease in salary expectations for candidates with less than one year of experience when compared to last year. With the increased quantity and quality of competition in the job market – including seasoned professionals willing to consider lower-level job offers – college grads are urged to shift expectations and be willing to accept a lower starting salary to accommodate the current market conditions.

“The Millennial generation is ambitious, confident, goal-oriented and typically not shy about exercising their independence,” says Rich Milgram, CEO of Beyond.com. “In today’s economy, it’s important that new grads remain realistic, patient and flexible in their job search and not be afraid to lean on their parents, who have experienced multiple economic downturns, for old-fashioned career advice.”

So what job search wisdom can college grads take from their parents?

Be Willing to Work Your Way Up. Job seekers should keep an open mind when looking for their first job, and like the Boomer generation, be willing to work their way up. Although their education may be in a particular field, it is all about gaining work experience, so all industries should be considered. According to CollegeJobBank.com, the top industries hiring candidates with 0-3 years of experience in Q1 2009 were Healthcare, Sales, Hospitality and Customer Service.

Consider Multiple Jobs. It may be necessary for new grads to take on multiple jobs to build experience and credibility on their resume, while supplementing their income during these tough economic times. Having a “go-getter” attitude is a key characteristic to attracting employers looking for hardworking candidates.

Use “Old School” Methods. Job seekers should compliment their online job search by using a personalized and multi-faceted approach to finding a job. Old school methods include calling prospective employers, leveraging personal or family contacts, attending networking events and taking advantage of college resources.

Take Responsibility. New grads who allow their parents to directly participate or interfere in their job search can give employers the wrong impression. It is acceptable to seek advice from parents, but it is ultimately the job seeker’s responsibility to create and build a successful career!

Source: Onrec.com

Opportunity Knocks OK Extravaganza Competition

ATLANTA, Ga. / April 13, 2009 — The Opportunity Knocks’ nonprofit job board is giving away 2 round trip tickets and a host of other job seeking tools through video and written competitions designed to showcase the unique talents and stories of jobseekers that makes them unforgettable to friends, work colleagues, or their (current or future) employers.

One winner for each competition will be selected by Opportunity Knocks from submissions held April 13 through May 15, 2009. All submissions must be received by deadline May 15, 2009. Winners will be selected by Opportunity Knocks and announced by the week of June 1, 2009.

The two competitions consist of:

1. Short Film Competition: Video that is 5 minutes or less in length that shows off participant’s talents, employable or otherwise. It could tell a story, demonstrate a skill, or just be hilariously funny (a la Gong Show). Winner of Short Film Competition receives 2 Round trip Airtran Tickets to anywhere in the U.S.*

2. Essay Submission Contest: Short essay (300 words or less) featuring your Most Unique Job Interview story. Story can range from the bizarre to job interview utopia. Winner of Essay Submission receives the OK Job Seeker Toolkit which includes a professional Resume Review and Update conducted by an experienced Career Counselors.

Full details of the competition can be found here http://www.opportunityknocks.org/extravaganza.asp
*2 Roundtrip AirTran Airways coach class tickets to/from any domestic AirTran Airways Destination. Travel is subject to AirTran Airways contract of carriage, rules and regulations. Full details available on OK Extravaganza competition website.

About Opportunity Knocks Opportunity Knocks is the national online job site focused exclusively on the nonprofit community. For Nonprofit professionals, www.OpportunityKnocks.org is the premier destination to find nonprofit jobs and access valuable resources for developing successful careers in the nonprofit community. For Employers, www.OpportunityKnocks.org is the best way to find qualified nonprofit candidates and receive valuable information that nonprofit organizations need when building successful recruitment, retention and human resource strategies.

Contact: Lynne Norton, Marketing Manager, Opportunity Knocks, 678-916-3066 or lnorton@opportunityknocks.org

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Employers More Focused on Keeping Current Staff Levels Than Hiring

Following a loss of 2.6 million jobs in the past four months, U.S. employers are holding off on staff expansions and focusing efforts on keeping current head count as they navigate through a tough economy. This is according to the latest quarterly survey from CareerBuilder and USA Today, tracking projected employment trends.

The survey, titled “Q2 2009 Job Forecast,” was conducted from Feb. 20 through March 11 among 2,500 hiring managers and human resource professionals and more than 4,400 workers in private-sector companies.

“We’ll be looking for the market to stabilize over the next three to six months, when you’ll hopefully see job losses below 100,000 and eventually closer to zero,” said Matt Ferguson, CEO of CareerBuilder.com.

“Employers want to hold on to their talent and are taking measures to contain costs and bring in new revenue streams so they can maintain their staff levels. Sixty-four percent of employers expect there will be no change in their number of full-time, permanent employees in the second quarter.”

Hiring in Q1 2009
Thirteen percent of employers said they increased their number of full-time, permanent employees in the first quarter, down from 31 percent this time last year, while 60 percent reported their staff levels remained the same. Twenty-six percent reported a reduction in head count, up from 13 percent this time last year. One percent were undecided.

Hiring in Q2 2009
Fourteen percent of employers expect to add full-time, permanent employees in the second quarter, relatively unchanged from the first quarter of 2009 and down from 29 percent in the second quarter of 2008. Fourteen percent anticipate there will be a decrease in headcount in the second quarter, while 64 percent expect no change and 7 percent are undecided.

Layoffs
Twenty-two percent of hiring managers reported there were layoffs at their locations in the first quarter of 2009, up from 11 percent this time last year. Twelve percent anticipate there will be layoffs in the next three months while 16 percent are unsure. Seventy-two percent expect no change.

Looking at a subset of managers specializing in human resources, nearly half (48 percent) believe their organizations will benefit from the economic stimulus in terms of getting more business. Twenty-three percent said their companies are planning to bring back workers who were laid off once the economy turns around.

Six Employment Trends for Employers and Job Seekers
No. 1 - Trimming perks and benefits - Companies are taking interim measures to free up funds to weather the economic storm. Forty-two percent of employers reported they experienced a cut in perks and benefits at their organizations in the first quarter of 2009; 31 percent expect there will be cuts in the second quarter of 2009. The top three areas that will be impacted are bonuses, 401(k) matching and health care coverage, according to the survey.

No. 2 - Upgrading talent rosters - Twenty-three percent of employers said they are taking this time, when hiring has slowed, to replace lower-performing employees with top talent that may not have been available in a healthier economy. Job seekers who stand to benefit the most include those operating in sales, accounting/finance, retail and customer service.

No. 3 - Postponing retirement – Six in 10 workers over the age of 60 said, in a separate survey, they are putting off their retirement due to the impact of the U.S. financial crisis on their long-term savings. The majority (73 percent) anticipate it will take them up to six years to recoup lost savings while one in 10 fear they may never be able to retire.

No. 4 - Transferring skills - Seventy-one percent of workers who were laid off and have not found work said they are looking for jobs outside of their chosen professions either because they’re ready for a change or there are no available jobs in their fields. Hiring managers are amenable with 69 percent stating they would hire someone who didn’t have experience in their profession, but had transferable skills.

No. 5 - Relocating - Thirty-nine percent of workers who were laid off and have not found work said they would consider relocating to another city or state for a job. Employers are open to recruiting candidates from other cities with 28 percent of hiring managers stating they would pay to relocate a good job candidate.

No. 6 - Going back to the classroom - Twenty-one percent of all workers surveyed are going back to school for formal degrees, certifications and refresher courses to make themselves more marketable to employers.

Hourly Workers in Q1 2009
When asked if hours had changed, on average, for hourly workers in Q1 2009 year over year, 53 percent of hiring managers reported no change in the number of hours offered, while 25 percent reported hours were cut. Five percent stated that hours had increased while another 5 percent were unsure.

Hiring By Region in Q2 2009
The South continues to perform better than other regions in terms of hiring, seeing the benefits of growth in health care and energy. Sixteen percent of hiring managers in the South plan to increase their full-time staff, compared to a 14 percent average among other regions. The Northeast, plagued by losses in banking and financial jobs, is expecting the largest decrease in headcount among the regions. Nineteen percent of hiring managers expect to trim staffs, compared to 14 percent in the Midwest and West and 12 percent in the South.

Compensation in Q2 2009
Tightened budgets are restricting pay increases and, in some cases, resulting in pay reductions. Forty-two percent of employers expect to increase salaries for full-time, permanent employees in the second quarter, down from 70 percent this time last year.

Twenty-nine percent estimate the average raise to range between 1 and 3 percent, 12 percent expect an average raise of 4 to 10 percent, while 1 percent expect raises to be 11 percent or more. Forty-six percent of employers anticipate no change in compensation levels, 7 percent expect a decrease and 5 percent are unsure.

Source: careerbuilder.com

The Best and Worst States to Find an Internship or Entry-Level Job

In response to recent reports that job seekers are struggling to find jobs, CollegeRecruiter.com compiled lists of the five best and worst states for finding internships and entry level jobs. The data was gathered through a state-by-state search on the site. The lists will be updated every month to help students and entry level job candidates know how many opportunities are available to them and in which states.

The states with the largest number of internship and entry-level job listings on CollegeRecruiter.com are:

Internships:

California: 2,152
New York: 1,487
Texas: 1,038
Florida: 911
Illinois: 700

Entry-level jobs:

California: 11,327
Texas: 8,723
Florida: 6,272
New York: 5,828
Pennsylvania: 4,857

The states with the fewest number of internship and entry-level job listings on CollegeRecruiter.com are:

Internships:

Montana: 14
Wyoming: 14
South Dakota: 21
North Dakota: 31
Idaho: 35

Entry-level jobs:
- Montana: 200
- Wyoming: 209
- North Dakota: 215
- South Dakota: 258
- Vermont: 251
Some other states that have a lot of entry level jobs and internships, but don’t appear on the lists, are:
- Washington: 1,199
- Ohio: 3,602
- North Carolina: 2,621
- Colorado: 1,192
  
  The metropolitan area with the most combined lists was the Washington D.C. area, with 9,457 combined listings:
  - Washington D.C.: 680 internships and 2,914 entry level jobs.
  - Maryland: 403 internships and 1,476 entry level jobs.
  - Virginia: 530 internships and 3,454 entry level jobs.

More older Californians working longer

Contrary to rising unemployment among the general population, the employment rate for older Californians grew last year, according to a new report from the California Budget Project.

In 2008, 63 percent of Californians ages 54 to 64 — about 2.3 million people — were working, up from 62.1 percent in 2007.

In addition, 29.7 percent of Californians ages 65 to 69 — about 350,000 people — were working in 2008, up from 25.2 percent in 2007.

In contrast, the share of working Californians ages 25 to 54 declined to 76.7 percent in 2008 — about 12 million people — from 77.9 percent in 2007.

Increased employment rates for Californians in their late 50s and 60s reflect a number of factors, including improved health, longer life expectancy, a declining share of physically demanding jobs and an inability to afford retirement.

“The good news is that some Californians are choosing to work longer because they can,” Alissa Anderson, deputy director of the California Budget Project and author of the report, said in a news release. “The bad news is that for other Californians, working later in life is a necessity, reflecting the fact that they can’t afford to retire, at least not at the traditional retirement age.”

Source: Sacramento Business Journal

8 Alternatives to Starting a Nonprofit - You Can Do Good Without Starting a Nonprofit

Serving the greater good can be accomplished in many ways. And most don’t require setting up an IRS approved nonprofit, a risky endeavor in this economic environment, and always a complicated task that many people underestimate.

If you are thinking of starting a new nonprofit, you might want to put it off until the economic future becomes clear. Better yet, consider one of the many other ways of applying your passion for a cause such as:

1. Seek Fiscal Sponsorship.
Seek fiscal sponsorship instead of becoming a tax-exempt organization yourself. Fly under the cover of an existing nonprofit so that you can accept donations and apply for grants before being registered as a tax-exempt organization.

2. Volunteer.
Volunteer for a nonprofit that is doing something similar to what you have in mind. Consider joining that group’s board, or even taking a job there. Even if you later decide to start your own group, the experience with an existing nonprofit will help you hone your ideas and learn what is realistic rather than just idealistic.

3. Start a Local Chapter of a National Nonprofit.
Cut through red tape by starting a local chapter of a national organization. Avoid duplication, yet bring needed services to your community.

4. Organize an Unincorporated Association.
Put together an unincorporated association to fulfill your mission without seeking tax-exempt status. Not all charitable organizations are incorporated and IRS registered.

5. Form or Join a Giving Circle.
Giving circles are rapidly becoming a popular way for individuals to channel and amplify their philanthropic impulses. Giving circles can be small and informal, something like a neighborly potluck, with a few people pooling their money and giving it to a chosen charity. Or they can be highly organized, require contributions of thousands of dollars, and a commitment of many years.

6. Set Up a Donor-Advised Fund.
Even with relatively modest resources, you can set up a donor-advised fund which actually makes grants to charitable causes of your choice. Donor-advised funds are mini-foundations, but without the hassle.

7. Become a Social Entrepreneur. Become a social entrepreneur by forming a for-profit social venture to accomplish your social goals; or set up a small business with the goal of contributing some or all profits to a charitable cause.

8. Organize Support for a Cause At an Online Social Networking Site.
Yes, you can be an organizer, marshaling the help of many people to aid the causes you care about. Do it all online and magnify your efforts many times over.

Source: About.com