Thursday, July 31, 2003
More people will soon be introduced to the unemployment rolls as Pillowtex announced its closing shop costing nearly 6,500 people their jobs, 4,300 of them in North Carolina.
I saw yesterday that May Department Stores was getting rid of 34 of stores, I guess I didn't read the fine print saying the company was closing those stores for good and laying off 3,700 people in the process. I took it as May was looking for a buyer, but the retail industry is suffering just like everyone else although it’s taking hard hits from the Wal-Marts and Costcos of the world.
For those of you who could still afford to go fine department store shopping, and their are fewer and fewer each day, here's the list of stores to cross off your list.
COLORADO - Three stores in Denver. CONNECTICUT - Stores in Manchester and Meriden. GEORGIA - Three stores in Atlanta. FLORIDA - Two stores in Miami; one each in Boca Raton, Ft. Lauderdale, Orlando, Palm Beach County and Tampa. IOWA —One Famous-Barr store in Des Moines. KENTUCKY - One store in Louisville. LOUISIANA - One store in New Orleans. MARYLAND - One store in Baltimore. MASSACHUSETTS - One store in Springfield. NEBRASKA - One Jones Store in Omaha. NEW YORK - One store in Albany. NORTH CAROLINA - One store in Raleigh. OHIO - One store in Columbus. PENNSYLVANIA - One store in Harrisburg and one store in Pittsburgh. RHODE ISLAND - Two stores in Providence. TEXAS - Two stores in Dallas/Fort Worth and three stores in Houston. VIRGINIA - One store in Norfolk.
Wouldn't it be nice if each employee received a nice business suit for future interviews as part of a severance package. My bet is, since it's retail, there won't even be a severance package.
One of the constantly overlooked reasons for such a sluggish economy, and the reason companies are still not hiring, is the skyrocketing costs of health insurance and other employee costs. I realize it's easy to criticize companies for any number of employee related reasons, but many businesses are simply becoming overwhelmed by the costs that show no sign of slowing down.
"Benefits costs outpaced wages and salaries, rising 1.4%. Wage and salary costs increased 0.6%. For the year through the second quarter, employment costs rose by 3.7%. In the first quarter of 2003, employment costs jumped by 1.3%, the highest amount in nearly 13 years."
Figures such as those continuing at that pace will do absolutely nothing to help the unemployment crisis, if not make it worse in some industries. A solution to all this is the private sector lobbying Congress hard for real health care reforms. I've sat in on enough company budget planning meetings to know the effects health insurance costs alone are doing to a company's bottom line.
However, businesses will still point their lobbying efforts towards other issues and the insurance companies will continue to rule the day in Washington. But, this is an issue that's going to catch up with everyone in the very near future.
Health care reform or bust.
In closing, not to get all sappy and such, but there was at least one incredible benefit to my unemployment and that was the time I got to spend with my children. I'm not saying it was easy, for them or me at all times, but the opportunity to make something productive out of such a discouraging situation is worth the investment for you and your children.
Taking the time to step away from the frustration of no work, no interviews, no contacts, and just go somewhere with your children to just get out of the house for a while is so beneficial. For me, it rarely involved having to pay for anything thanks to trips to the park or the library, and I got to learn about their interests and encourage them to pursue things they find enjoyable. Sometimes, you will even meet someone going through the same struggles as you, and sharing war stories helps ease the pain.
I would have rather been working during those nine months, but I know my kids and I will be able to look back on those days with some fondness, them knowing they got to enjoy a summer with their father, my knowing I got time I would have never found otherwise, later found a job, and survived.
If you've got children, please, make some time for them during your career search.
I saw yesterday that May Department Stores was getting rid of 34 of stores, I guess I didn't read the fine print saying the company was closing those stores for good and laying off 3,700 people in the process. I took it as May was looking for a buyer, but the retail industry is suffering just like everyone else although it’s taking hard hits from the Wal-Marts and Costcos of the world.
For those of you who could still afford to go fine department store shopping, and their are fewer and fewer each day, here's the list of stores to cross off your list.
COLORADO - Three stores in Denver. CONNECTICUT - Stores in Manchester and Meriden. GEORGIA - Three stores in Atlanta. FLORIDA - Two stores in Miami; one each in Boca Raton, Ft. Lauderdale, Orlando, Palm Beach County and Tampa. IOWA —One Famous-Barr store in Des Moines. KENTUCKY - One store in Louisville. LOUISIANA - One store in New Orleans. MARYLAND - One store in Baltimore. MASSACHUSETTS - One store in Springfield. NEBRASKA - One Jones Store in Omaha. NEW YORK - One store in Albany. NORTH CAROLINA - One store in Raleigh. OHIO - One store in Columbus. PENNSYLVANIA - One store in Harrisburg and one store in Pittsburgh. RHODE ISLAND - Two stores in Providence. TEXAS - Two stores in Dallas/Fort Worth and three stores in Houston. VIRGINIA - One store in Norfolk.
Wouldn't it be nice if each employee received a nice business suit for future interviews as part of a severance package. My bet is, since it's retail, there won't even be a severance package.
One of the constantly overlooked reasons for such a sluggish economy, and the reason companies are still not hiring, is the skyrocketing costs of health insurance and other employee costs. I realize it's easy to criticize companies for any number of employee related reasons, but many businesses are simply becoming overwhelmed by the costs that show no sign of slowing down.
"Benefits costs outpaced wages and salaries, rising 1.4%. Wage and salary costs increased 0.6%. For the year through the second quarter, employment costs rose by 3.7%. In the first quarter of 2003, employment costs jumped by 1.3%, the highest amount in nearly 13 years."
Figures such as those continuing at that pace will do absolutely nothing to help the unemployment crisis, if not make it worse in some industries. A solution to all this is the private sector lobbying Congress hard for real health care reforms. I've sat in on enough company budget planning meetings to know the effects health insurance costs alone are doing to a company's bottom line.
However, businesses will still point their lobbying efforts towards other issues and the insurance companies will continue to rule the day in Washington. But, this is an issue that's going to catch up with everyone in the very near future.
Health care reform or bust.
In closing, not to get all sappy and such, but there was at least one incredible benefit to my unemployment and that was the time I got to spend with my children. I'm not saying it was easy, for them or me at all times, but the opportunity to make something productive out of such a discouraging situation is worth the investment for you and your children.
Taking the time to step away from the frustration of no work, no interviews, no contacts, and just go somewhere with your children to just get out of the house for a while is so beneficial. For me, it rarely involved having to pay for anything thanks to trips to the park or the library, and I got to learn about their interests and encourage them to pursue things they find enjoyable. Sometimes, you will even meet someone going through the same struggles as you, and sharing war stories helps ease the pain.
I would have rather been working during those nine months, but I know my kids and I will be able to look back on those days with some fondness, them knowing they got to enjoy a summer with their father, my knowing I got time I would have never found otherwise, later found a job, and survived.
If you've got children, please, make some time for them during your career search.
Maybe I'm searching in the wrong categories on Ticketmaster, but I can't seem to find anything on about the Jobs and Growth Tour featuring "The Traveling Secretaries." You know, Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao, Treasury Secretary John Snow and Commerce Secretary Don Evans.
I guess instead of handing out backstage passes and cheap T-shirts, Chao says "The Traveling Secretaries" are handing out jobs all over the upper Midwest.
"Creating and securing jobs, growing the economy, and allowing taxpayers to keep more of their own money are the goals of the Jobs and Growth Package-we have been seeing those results on our tour through Wisconsin and Minnesota," stated Secretary Snow. "We had an excellent opportunity to meet with factory workers, families, and small business entrepreneurs-and hear their hopes and concerns. I am confident that the economy has turned the corner, is gaining momentum, and that the Jobs and Growth plan is beginning to have a positive effect."
Again, I don't know where the tour buses are stopping next, would have been nice to include some future dates on the press release, but as long as their "creating and securing jobs," it may pay off to become a groupie.
The Labor Department is touting the rise in the GDP for the second quarter as a sure sign that the economy is coming back to life. How short is the memory of the Labor Dept? I can remember just last week that consumer confidence was again slipping showing the unsteadiness of the economy.
"In another encouraging report, new applications filed last week for unemployment benefits dropped by 3,000 to a five-month low of 388,000, the Labor Department said. It marked the third week in a row that jobless claims went down and suggested that the pace of layoffs is stabilizing."
Fewer applications don't exactly equal new jobs, people. It's sad that the government is celebrating a slowdown in unemployment starts as opposed to a recovery of the job market.
You may have missed it yesterday, but I think President Bush threw out his new campaign phrase for '04; 'We're making progress, but it's going to take some time.' Well, it's not quite Tippecanoe and Tyler too, but it's all the unemployed will have to go on.
Should you choose to do so, the president is asking you to give him about another four years worth of time to get you back on your feet. In search of more insight into his job recovery plans; "(Bush) added that unemployment remains too high and that his administration will not relent until everyone looking for work has a job."
So Bush says he's not going to stop until we all have jobs. Just like we weren't going to stop in Afghanistan until we found Bin Laden and we aren't going away in Iraq until we find the weapons of mass destruction.
So, the next time the creditors are ringing your phone, just tell them things are looking up because Stone Cold George Bush said so!
I guess instead of handing out backstage passes and cheap T-shirts, Chao says "The Traveling Secretaries" are handing out jobs all over the upper Midwest.
"Creating and securing jobs, growing the economy, and allowing taxpayers to keep more of their own money are the goals of the Jobs and Growth Package-we have been seeing those results on our tour through Wisconsin and Minnesota," stated Secretary Snow. "We had an excellent opportunity to meet with factory workers, families, and small business entrepreneurs-and hear their hopes and concerns. I am confident that the economy has turned the corner, is gaining momentum, and that the Jobs and Growth plan is beginning to have a positive effect."
Again, I don't know where the tour buses are stopping next, would have been nice to include some future dates on the press release, but as long as their "creating and securing jobs," it may pay off to become a groupie.
The Labor Department is touting the rise in the GDP for the second quarter as a sure sign that the economy is coming back to life. How short is the memory of the Labor Dept? I can remember just last week that consumer confidence was again slipping showing the unsteadiness of the economy.
"In another encouraging report, new applications filed last week for unemployment benefits dropped by 3,000 to a five-month low of 388,000, the Labor Department said. It marked the third week in a row that jobless claims went down and suggested that the pace of layoffs is stabilizing."
Fewer applications don't exactly equal new jobs, people. It's sad that the government is celebrating a slowdown in unemployment starts as opposed to a recovery of the job market.
You may have missed it yesterday, but I think President Bush threw out his new campaign phrase for '04; 'We're making progress, but it's going to take some time.' Well, it's not quite Tippecanoe and Tyler too, but it's all the unemployed will have to go on.
Should you choose to do so, the president is asking you to give him about another four years worth of time to get you back on your feet. In search of more insight into his job recovery plans; "(Bush) added that unemployment remains too high and that his administration will not relent until everyone looking for work has a job."
So Bush says he's not going to stop until we all have jobs. Just like we weren't going to stop in Afghanistan until we found Bin Laden and we aren't going away in Iraq until we find the weapons of mass destruction.
So, the next time the creditors are ringing your phone, just tell them things are looking up because Stone Cold George Bush said so!
Wednesday, July 30, 2003
Just two days away from the end of July and analysts are predicting a slight dip in unemployment figures for the month in comparison to June's nine-year high.
Basically, going from 6.4 to 6.3 percent doesn't do much to boost anyone's confidence as the calendar continues to move closer to October which represents the fourth quarter of the year ... otherwise the dead period for hiring.
"Anthony Chan, chief economist at Bank One Investment Advisors, said the economy needs to generate at least 125,000 more jobs a month just to absorb the growth in the labor force, which has surged in recent months as jobless Americans -- hopeful the worst is behind them -- resume job searches."
Of course they're hopeful, it couldn't get worse, could it?
Stories such as today's Associated Press piece on companies handing out the smallest pay raises since the mid-70s don't carry as much weight when you consider so many of those still employed are just thankful to even have jobs. I can remember before being pink-slipped at my last job that my staff came to me and said they would be willing to forego raises provided they got to keep their jobs.
Of course, they did, I didn't. I made too much money. Hey, based on the nine months I spent unemployed, I would have taken a cut in pay just to keep on working.
An Op/Ed piece in USA Today smacks down the practice of nepotism existing today in Washington D.C. and throughout U.S. businesses.
"After decades of decreases in nepotism under good government laws, there has not just been a resurgence in the practice, but also a new boldness, if not defiance, among government officials using their offices to benefit their family members."
I was thinking about something similar to that last night while listening to some people complain about the Bush dynasty. What is the number of jobs lost in this country during the terms of Bush I and Bush II? And, as it stands today, how would that number relate to the chances of Bush II being re-elected?
Truth is, it wouldn't. Bush is on pace to win a second term and our nation's recovery from this unemployment crisis hinges on another Bush presidency.
Basically, going from 6.4 to 6.3 percent doesn't do much to boost anyone's confidence as the calendar continues to move closer to October which represents the fourth quarter of the year ... otherwise the dead period for hiring.
"Anthony Chan, chief economist at Bank One Investment Advisors, said the economy needs to generate at least 125,000 more jobs a month just to absorb the growth in the labor force, which has surged in recent months as jobless Americans -- hopeful the worst is behind them -- resume job searches."
Of course they're hopeful, it couldn't get worse, could it?
Stories such as today's Associated Press piece on companies handing out the smallest pay raises since the mid-70s don't carry as much weight when you consider so many of those still employed are just thankful to even have jobs. I can remember before being pink-slipped at my last job that my staff came to me and said they would be willing to forego raises provided they got to keep their jobs.
Of course, they did, I didn't. I made too much money. Hey, based on the nine months I spent unemployed, I would have taken a cut in pay just to keep on working.
An Op/Ed piece in USA Today smacks down the practice of nepotism existing today in Washington D.C. and throughout U.S. businesses.
"After decades of decreases in nepotism under good government laws, there has not just been a resurgence in the practice, but also a new boldness, if not defiance, among government officials using their offices to benefit their family members."
I was thinking about something similar to that last night while listening to some people complain about the Bush dynasty. What is the number of jobs lost in this country during the terms of Bush I and Bush II? And, as it stands today, how would that number relate to the chances of Bush II being re-elected?
Truth is, it wouldn't. Bush is on pace to win a second term and our nation's recovery from this unemployment crisis hinges on another Bush presidency.
I thought I would check in early today although it does not look as if it will be a day filled with stories on unemployment. However, the Bureau of Labor Statistics filled my email with plenty of unemployment stats for you to ponder.
"In June, 176 metropolitan areas recorded higher unemployment rates than a year earlier, 134 areas had lower rates, and 21 areas had rates that were unchanged, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. Fourteen metropolitan areas registered unemployment rates of at least 10.0 percent, seven of which were located in California and five in Texas. Ten areas posted jobless rates below 3.0 percent, with half of these located in the Midwest. The national unemployment rate in June was 6.5 percent, not seasonally adjusted."
Among the cities that stand out as I peruse the stats:
Yuma, AZ has the highest unemployment rate at 31.2 percent followed by Merced, CA (14.4); McAllen, TX (14.2) and Yuba City, CA at an even 14 percent. An awful lot of agricultural processing jobs going away until the winter, which is always expected, so let's peek at larger metropolitan areas.
Portland, OR and San Jose, CA are one and two with the highest unemployment rates at 8.8 and 8.5 percent. Meanwhile, Portland, Detroit and Hartford have recorded a full percentage point increase in unemployment from a year ago. But, those big cities have got nothing on Steubenville, OH where the unemployment rate has jumped 2.2 percent from a year ago.
So where is one to point the compass while packing up the U-Haul in search of jobs? How about Phoenix, AZ, Salt Lake City and Indianapolis, as each city has posted at least a half a percentage point decrease in unemployment from a year ago.
Not to be outdone is Florence, AL where residents enjoyed the largest decrease in unemployment in the nation of 3.3 percent! Some lucky mayor isn't worried about being out of a job.
Meanwhile, Pocatello, ID and Provo Utah are also down more than 1 percent in unemployment from June 2002.
Go West, Young Man!
"In June, 176 metropolitan areas recorded higher unemployment rates than a year earlier, 134 areas had lower rates, and 21 areas had rates that were unchanged, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. Fourteen metropolitan areas registered unemployment rates of at least 10.0 percent, seven of which were located in California and five in Texas. Ten areas posted jobless rates below 3.0 percent, with half of these located in the Midwest. The national unemployment rate in June was 6.5 percent, not seasonally adjusted."
Among the cities that stand out as I peruse the stats:
Yuma, AZ has the highest unemployment rate at 31.2 percent followed by Merced, CA (14.4); McAllen, TX (14.2) and Yuba City, CA at an even 14 percent. An awful lot of agricultural processing jobs going away until the winter, which is always expected, so let's peek at larger metropolitan areas.
Portland, OR and San Jose, CA are one and two with the highest unemployment rates at 8.8 and 8.5 percent. Meanwhile, Portland, Detroit and Hartford have recorded a full percentage point increase in unemployment from a year ago. But, those big cities have got nothing on Steubenville, OH where the unemployment rate has jumped 2.2 percent from a year ago.
So where is one to point the compass while packing up the U-Haul in search of jobs? How about Phoenix, AZ, Salt Lake City and Indianapolis, as each city has posted at least a half a percentage point decrease in unemployment from a year ago.
Not to be outdone is Florence, AL where residents enjoyed the largest decrease in unemployment in the nation of 3.3 percent! Some lucky mayor isn't worried about being out of a job.
Meanwhile, Pocatello, ID and Provo Utah are also down more than 1 percent in unemployment from June 2002.
Go West, Young Man!
Tuesday, July 29, 2003
The more things change, the more they stay the same. The old saying still holds true for unemployment as well.
A good number of people have either found or can expect to find jobs recently in the securities industry, an industrial manufacturing plant, and, hot damn, North Carolina.
North Carolina is on a bit of a roll this year as evidenced by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) scoreboard of jobs lost/gained in 2003.
"The largest over-the-year gains in employment occurred in Florida (+89,200), New Jersey (+36,900), North Carolina (+33,600), Maryland (+23,100), and Texas (+22,200). The largest percentage gains were reported in Nevada (+1.9 percent), New Mexico (+1.8 percent), Vermont (+1.7 percent), Alaska (+1.5 percent), and Hawaii (+1.3 percent)."
If you're not currently living in any of those states, hopefully you're also not living in the following states courtesy of the BLS.
"The largest employment decreases were in New York (-53,400), California (-51,300), Ohio (-40,600), Illinois (-39,300), and Michigan (-35,300). South Carolina recorded the largest percentage decline in employment (-1.6 percent), followed by Connecticut (-1.2 percent), Indiana (-1.0 percent), and Kentucky and Massachusetts (-0.9 percent each). "
For all the jobs added in the state listed above, more layoffs were announced or threatened today continuing our unemployment crisis in America.
Verizon Wireless couldn't let people get too excited over its better-than-expected quarterly earnings, so the company included a little asterisk in the earnings report that 5,000 of its employees may soon be wireless and jobless.
That's a tough slug to the gut when one considers what analysts are saying about Verizon.
"They're beating their competitors in every possible way," said Michael Hodel, telecoms analyst with Morningstar. "Verizon Wireless has allowed Verizon as a whole to report a small gain in revenue versus a year ago, which is something no other major telecoms company is reporting right now."
Well, I just recently found a loophole in my Verizon Wireless contract that allows me to drop the service without paying a penalty. Hmmm, I'm thinking a sweet Blackberry blackmail deal is in the works with Verizon.
Can you hear me know, you blockheads?
The maker of Wrangler jeans announced today that more than 1,800 of its employees can do the Boot Scootin' Boogie right out the door starting in September. VF Jeans has dropped 11,000 pink slips already this year.
Fewer pair of jeans and all things retail are flying off the shelves as consumer confidence continues to fall due to continuing unemployment and job security issues.
"Feelings about the job market declined considerably. A third of the more than 2,500 respondents said jobs were "hard to get," the highest level in 9-½ years."
It's the economic double-edged sword as nothing boosts the national economy more than consumer spending, but when those consumers can't be assured of a paycheck, it's good-bye Marshall Field's, attention K-Mart shoppers!
My ongoing warnings about U.S. companies exporting high-tech, high-paying jobs overseas continues as Congress finally begins to tackle the issue, although only in the cases of government contracts.
"Politicians are reacting to the loss of 2.6 million manufacturing jobs since mid-2000, and studies predict millions of service jobs - call centers, engineering, architectural drafting and others - will move abroad in the next decade."
Feel free to write your Senator or congressman if you like, but the unemployed have never been known for their lobbying efforts in comparison to big business. You see, the unemployed tend to use the few coins they have for things such as food, clothing and shelter, but not campaign contributions.
For fun, you can contribute to the Bridget for Governor campaign as little Bridget O'Reilly is making a go of it for the office of governor in the great state of California.
"I am running for governor mainly to call attention to the problem of Unemployment. Everybody talks about it and shakes their head, but nobody seems to want to deal with it."
So as it stands right now, it's Bridget against the Terminator! Can you "deal with it", Ah-nuld?
"Listen! And understand! That terminator is out there. It can't be bargained with! It can't be reasoned with! It doesn't feel pity, or remorse, or fear. And it absolutely will not stop, ever, until you are dead!"
A good number of people have either found or can expect to find jobs recently in the securities industry, an industrial manufacturing plant, and, hot damn, North Carolina.
North Carolina is on a bit of a roll this year as evidenced by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) scoreboard of jobs lost/gained in 2003.
"The largest over-the-year gains in employment occurred in Florida (+89,200), New Jersey (+36,900), North Carolina (+33,600), Maryland (+23,100), and Texas (+22,200). The largest percentage gains were reported in Nevada (+1.9 percent), New Mexico (+1.8 percent), Vermont (+1.7 percent), Alaska (+1.5 percent), and Hawaii (+1.3 percent)."
If you're not currently living in any of those states, hopefully you're also not living in the following states courtesy of the BLS.
"The largest employment decreases were in New York (-53,400), California (-51,300), Ohio (-40,600), Illinois (-39,300), and Michigan (-35,300). South Carolina recorded the largest percentage decline in employment (-1.6 percent), followed by Connecticut (-1.2 percent), Indiana (-1.0 percent), and Kentucky and Massachusetts (-0.9 percent each). "
For all the jobs added in the state listed above, more layoffs were announced or threatened today continuing our unemployment crisis in America.
Verizon Wireless couldn't let people get too excited over its better-than-expected quarterly earnings, so the company included a little asterisk in the earnings report that 5,000 of its employees may soon be wireless and jobless.
That's a tough slug to the gut when one considers what analysts are saying about Verizon.
"They're beating their competitors in every possible way," said Michael Hodel, telecoms analyst with Morningstar. "Verizon Wireless has allowed Verizon as a whole to report a small gain in revenue versus a year ago, which is something no other major telecoms company is reporting right now."
Well, I just recently found a loophole in my Verizon Wireless contract that allows me to drop the service without paying a penalty. Hmmm, I'm thinking a sweet Blackberry blackmail deal is in the works with Verizon.
Can you hear me know, you blockheads?
The maker of Wrangler jeans announced today that more than 1,800 of its employees can do the Boot Scootin' Boogie right out the door starting in September. VF Jeans has dropped 11,000 pink slips already this year.
Fewer pair of jeans and all things retail are flying off the shelves as consumer confidence continues to fall due to continuing unemployment and job security issues.
"Feelings about the job market declined considerably. A third of the more than 2,500 respondents said jobs were "hard to get," the highest level in 9-½ years."
It's the economic double-edged sword as nothing boosts the national economy more than consumer spending, but when those consumers can't be assured of a paycheck, it's good-bye Marshall Field's, attention K-Mart shoppers!
My ongoing warnings about U.S. companies exporting high-tech, high-paying jobs overseas continues as Congress finally begins to tackle the issue, although only in the cases of government contracts.
"Politicians are reacting to the loss of 2.6 million manufacturing jobs since mid-2000, and studies predict millions of service jobs - call centers, engineering, architectural drafting and others - will move abroad in the next decade."
Feel free to write your Senator or congressman if you like, but the unemployed have never been known for their lobbying efforts in comparison to big business. You see, the unemployed tend to use the few coins they have for things such as food, clothing and shelter, but not campaign contributions.
For fun, you can contribute to the Bridget for Governor campaign as little Bridget O'Reilly is making a go of it for the office of governor in the great state of California.
"I am running for governor mainly to call attention to the problem of Unemployment. Everybody talks about it and shakes their head, but nobody seems to want to deal with it."
So as it stands right now, it's Bridget against the Terminator! Can you "deal with it", Ah-nuld?
"Listen! And understand! That terminator is out there. It can't be bargained with! It can't be reasoned with! It doesn't feel pity, or remorse, or fear. And it absolutely will not stop, ever, until you are dead!"
Monday, July 28, 2003
I didn't have a lot of time today to update the latest in unemployment, but there's not much to highlight today that I either haven't covered already, asides from the growing list of companies announcing layoffs.
Let's start with the layoffs as yet another software company is posting lower earnings causing the obligatory layoff of hundreds of workers. BMC Software is joined by a Kansas City, Kansas call center and a medical supply company that's slashing ten percent of its workforce.
With the national no-call list gathering new households by the millions, one should expect the telemarketing industry to be decimated. The same may soon hold true for the banking industry as bank tellers are finding themselves pushed out of work due to the increasing popularity and cost effectiveness of automatic bank transactions.
At least telemarketers can take heart that their industry is taking action, in court, of course, however, the bank tellers don't stand a chance against the balance sheet.
Finally, more news on white-collar jobs going overseas. It's not always you’re ahead of the trend on a topic, but I've been on this bandwagon for a week and I'm not getting off. This poses a great threat to an employment recovery in the U.S.
"The result is a growing backlash from unionists, contract workers, and erstwhile techies with time on their hands. More broadly, the trend raises a pointed question in an age of globalization: Is sending certain jobs offshore - even high-tech ones - better for the US economy, or does it just amount to more pink slips for American workers?"
The higher up the ladder these layoffs go, the greater the climb this country faces in a job and economic recovery.
Let's start with the layoffs as yet another software company is posting lower earnings causing the obligatory layoff of hundreds of workers. BMC Software is joined by a Kansas City, Kansas call center and a medical supply company that's slashing ten percent of its workforce.
With the national no-call list gathering new households by the millions, one should expect the telemarketing industry to be decimated. The same may soon hold true for the banking industry as bank tellers are finding themselves pushed out of work due to the increasing popularity and cost effectiveness of automatic bank transactions.
At least telemarketers can take heart that their industry is taking action, in court, of course, however, the bank tellers don't stand a chance against the balance sheet.
Finally, more news on white-collar jobs going overseas. It's not always you’re ahead of the trend on a topic, but I've been on this bandwagon for a week and I'm not getting off. This poses a great threat to an employment recovery in the U.S.
"The result is a growing backlash from unionists, contract workers, and erstwhile techies with time on their hands. More broadly, the trend raises a pointed question in an age of globalization: Is sending certain jobs offshore - even high-tech ones - better for the US economy, or does it just amount to more pink slips for American workers?"
The higher up the ladder these layoffs go, the greater the climb this country faces in a job and economic recovery.
Friday, July 25, 2003
Since yesterday's unemployment news was so rich in content, I thought I would recreate everything I lost thanks to my computer burping.
First, I've been all over IBM for exporting tech jobs overseas to India, so let's salute Microsoft for reinvesting into its workforce by creating 5,000 new jobs to spearhead its efforts in wireless technology and the ever evolving gaming sector.
This is not to say that all 5,000 will remain within our borders, but a majority of those will which is bucking the trend of other technology companies that continue to ship everything else overseas. In Martin Wolk's story on this technology trend on MSNBC, he lists other technology companies that are establishing centers outside of the U.S.
"Already tech giants like Oracle, Dell, Motorola and Intel have opened software development centers in India, Russia and China. Insurance giant AIG is moving some back-office functions to the Philippines, according to the Forrester study. Investment banking giant Morgan Stanley is building a facility in a Bombay suburb that will employ 1,600 people in jobs like back-end operations and research, according to the Economic Times of India."
No wonder India PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee can promise more than one crore jobs in the next year. Now if I only knew how much a crore was worth, I'd really start going off. (Oops, the link's not working now, trust me, he said it!)
Some good news emerged regarding the number of jobless claims filed last week; they're at their lowest since February of this year. Now, one good week does not a job recovery make in the U.S. But, we'll take it as there's been little else to hang our hats on.
Reality check: "A (labor) department spokesman urged caution in reading too much into one week's figure, saying "it is not uncommon for the series to exhibit volatility during July because of traditional temporary layoffs in industries such as automobiles, textiles and apparel."
As if finding a job hasn't been hard enough, at least there were some places you knew you could go to if all else failed, for instance, the Arizona Department of Corrections! Strap on the riot gear because the Grand Canyon State has always loved its prison system, but leave it to pinkos to screw around with a good thing and endanger 872 potential new jobs in the rural desert.
At issue is whether or not it's right to create a women's prison for non-violent, first-time offenders. I have to admit I'm stuck on this one as I love seeing new jobs created, but it's true, our national prison systems are whacked.
Here's an argument from one of the opponents to the prison.
"When women, historically, are coming into incarceration, they've made bad liquor, bad drug, bad men choices. Why do we further penalize them and keep them in prison?"
Because nothing says rural revitalization quite like chicks behind bars, baby!
These rural outposts are willing to give up each citizen's first born just to get a prison into their midst. Building prisons is big business for small towns often saving many a community from extinction. And, as bad as finding jobs are in the city, they are nearly impossible to find out in the country.
Another career choice I avoided, but always figured provided a lifetime of stability, was to Aim High and join the military. Well, in celebration of finally killing a wanted terrorist or evil mastermind, the Air Force is cutting more than 6,100 positions by the end of 2004.
In this week's finale, I pass along the ramblings of someone who is really, really into robots. Marshall Brain's trip to a local McDonald's inspired him to advise the rest of us to give up any hopes of holding a job in the future because anything worth doing is going to be done by robots.
"Nearly every construction job will go to a robot. That's about 6 million jobs lost.
Nearly every manufacturing job will go to a robot. That's 16 million jobs lost.
Nearly every transportation job will go to a robot. That's 3 million jobs lost.
Many wholesale and retail jobs will go to robots. That's at least 15 million lost jobs.
Nearly every hotel and restaurant job will go to a robot. That's 10 million jobs lost.
If you add that all up, it's over 50 million jobs lost to robots. That is a conservative estimate. By 2050 or so, it is very likely that over half the jobs in the United States will be held by robots.
All the people who are holding jobs like those today will be unemployed."
It's fitting than that we close with this all-time classic human/robot interaction.
Dave Bowman: HAL, I won't argue with you anymore! Open the doors!
HAL: Dave, this conversation can serve no purpose anymore. Goodbye.
First, I've been all over IBM for exporting tech jobs overseas to India, so let's salute Microsoft for reinvesting into its workforce by creating 5,000 new jobs to spearhead its efforts in wireless technology and the ever evolving gaming sector.
This is not to say that all 5,000 will remain within our borders, but a majority of those will which is bucking the trend of other technology companies that continue to ship everything else overseas. In Martin Wolk's story on this technology trend on MSNBC, he lists other technology companies that are establishing centers outside of the U.S.
"Already tech giants like Oracle, Dell, Motorola and Intel have opened software development centers in India, Russia and China. Insurance giant AIG is moving some back-office functions to the Philippines, according to the Forrester study. Investment banking giant Morgan Stanley is building a facility in a Bombay suburb that will employ 1,600 people in jobs like back-end operations and research, according to the Economic Times of India."
No wonder India PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee can promise more than one crore jobs in the next year. Now if I only knew how much a crore was worth, I'd really start going off. (Oops, the link's not working now, trust me, he said it!)
Some good news emerged regarding the number of jobless claims filed last week; they're at their lowest since February of this year. Now, one good week does not a job recovery make in the U.S. But, we'll take it as there's been little else to hang our hats on.
Reality check: "A (labor) department spokesman urged caution in reading too much into one week's figure, saying "it is not uncommon for the series to exhibit volatility during July because of traditional temporary layoffs in industries such as automobiles, textiles and apparel."
As if finding a job hasn't been hard enough, at least there were some places you knew you could go to if all else failed, for instance, the Arizona Department of Corrections! Strap on the riot gear because the Grand Canyon State has always loved its prison system, but leave it to pinkos to screw around with a good thing and endanger 872 potential new jobs in the rural desert.
At issue is whether or not it's right to create a women's prison for non-violent, first-time offenders. I have to admit I'm stuck on this one as I love seeing new jobs created, but it's true, our national prison systems are whacked.
Here's an argument from one of the opponents to the prison.
"When women, historically, are coming into incarceration, they've made bad liquor, bad drug, bad men choices. Why do we further penalize them and keep them in prison?"
Because nothing says rural revitalization quite like chicks behind bars, baby!
These rural outposts are willing to give up each citizen's first born just to get a prison into their midst. Building prisons is big business for small towns often saving many a community from extinction. And, as bad as finding jobs are in the city, they are nearly impossible to find out in the country.
Another career choice I avoided, but always figured provided a lifetime of stability, was to Aim High and join the military. Well, in celebration of finally killing a wanted terrorist or evil mastermind, the Air Force is cutting more than 6,100 positions by the end of 2004.
In this week's finale, I pass along the ramblings of someone who is really, really into robots. Marshall Brain's trip to a local McDonald's inspired him to advise the rest of us to give up any hopes of holding a job in the future because anything worth doing is going to be done by robots.
"Nearly every construction job will go to a robot. That's about 6 million jobs lost.
Nearly every manufacturing job will go to a robot. That's 16 million jobs lost.
Nearly every transportation job will go to a robot. That's 3 million jobs lost.
Many wholesale and retail jobs will go to robots. That's at least 15 million lost jobs.
Nearly every hotel and restaurant job will go to a robot. That's 10 million jobs lost.
If you add that all up, it's over 50 million jobs lost to robots. That is a conservative estimate. By 2050 or so, it is very likely that over half the jobs in the United States will be held by robots.
All the people who are holding jobs like those today will be unemployed."
It's fitting than that we close with this all-time classic human/robot interaction.
Dave Bowman: HAL, I won't argue with you anymore! Open the doors!
HAL: Dave, this conversation can serve no purpose anymore. Goodbye.
Since yesterday's unemployment news was so rich in content, I thought I would recreate everything I lost thanks to my computer burping.
First, I've been all over IBM for exporting tech jobs overseas to India, so let's salute Microsoft for reinvesting into its workforce by creating
First, I've been all over IBM for exporting tech jobs overseas to India, so let's salute Microsoft for reinvesting into its workforce by creating
Thursday, July 24, 2003
Damn computers!!! I had a great batch of stuff today, and I lost it all. Very aggravating! I'll try again tomorrow.
Wednesday, July 23, 2003
Leaving the blog early yesterday without a chance to really go off on IBM exporting jobs overseas and what does it get me? Another story today on how other companies, besides IBM, are also planning on sending tech jobs to India.
Among the numbing statistics in this story are that 3.3 million jobs will transfer overseas by 2015, thousands of which will go before the end of this year. The story goes on to say that Forrester predicts eight percent of all tech jobs in the U.S. will be gone in the next 12 years. One must also take into consideration that this doesn't figure in layoffs, leaving positions unfilled and failed businesses.
Technology has always reduced the need for labor, but now it's the creators possibly being swallowed by the beast they create.
I wish I had some better news to pass along today, but Kodak is slashing 6,000 jobs as their earnings have dropped 60 percent in the second quarter.
"Kodak's film and paper business faces a long-term threat from digital photography, where users record snapshots onto a memory chip and delete unwanted pictures. Analysts say Kodak must shrink its size and fund profitable growth areas such as medical imaging, which makes X-ray products for hospitals."
Call me silly is you like, but those Kodak moment commercials just won't be the same watching doctors and nurses examine the results from an elderly woman's mammogram.
Not to be outdone, Snap-on tools is snapping the necks of two of its factories costing more than 500 people their jobs by early next year.
I checked the Snap-on site to see if they left a sappy good-bye press release in conjunction with the announcement of laying off 500+ employees, but this is all they really had to say about it.
"Snap-on plans to phase out production at two of its U.S. hand tool plants, with a planned completion in 2004. The closure of these facilities would streamline and center production capacity around core technologies and improve operational effectiveness. As a result, higher profitability, lower asset intensity and improved customer service levels are expected to be achieved. "
I searched the entire press release and not once does it mention its soon-to-be-Kodak-moment-less employees. No thanks, no nothing. But, just maybe, they'll receive this nifty Snap-on exclusive Dale Earnhardt Jr. die-cast car featuring ... Oreo?
Why on earth sell something that doesn't even display your company branding? The damn car doesn't even snap!
I have really nothing to say about the fact that Flextronics International also announced today that its letting go of 367 of its employees in September. You just start to go numb after a while.
I have been saving today's best for last as the Kansas City Star published a guest column about jobs that offer a decent wage and benefits, but the employers can't find qualified applicants to fill them.
"Among the hardest hit is the automotive industry. Automotive service centers, as well as car and truck dealerships, face a critical need for young people who know the intricacies of today's new vehicles. A conservative estimate of 35,000 service technician positions are unfilled.
"Similar shortages exist in construction, air conditioning/refrigeration, hospitality, health care, printing, transportation and manufacturing -- industries where workers with the right skills command high wages and excellent benefits."
The story sums up correctly that the problem of filling the jobs is there is little in place throughout the country for training people on how to perform with these positions. It's true that high schools and junior colleges have abandoned offering training and classes that would have prepared many people who are now out of work and unable to acquire the technical skills necessary fulfill the requirements of these blue-collar jobs of the 21st Century.
No one is claiming these jobs are glamorous or guarantee a future corner office with a view, but there are thousands of people who couldn't care less about either and just want the opportunity to work at something that provides them with the means necessary to live comfortably. And trust me, there are plenty of trades that pay quite handsomely. However, the drive to put everyone through a high school scholastic program that assumes everyone wants to go away to college is shortchanging a great number of young people who would do much better by just combining technology skills with a little handiwork.
Industrial arts teachers, shop class students, unite!
Among the numbing statistics in this story are that 3.3 million jobs will transfer overseas by 2015, thousands of which will go before the end of this year. The story goes on to say that Forrester predicts eight percent of all tech jobs in the U.S. will be gone in the next 12 years. One must also take into consideration that this doesn't figure in layoffs, leaving positions unfilled and failed businesses.
Technology has always reduced the need for labor, but now it's the creators possibly being swallowed by the beast they create.
I wish I had some better news to pass along today, but Kodak is slashing 6,000 jobs as their earnings have dropped 60 percent in the second quarter.
"Kodak's film and paper business faces a long-term threat from digital photography, where users record snapshots onto a memory chip and delete unwanted pictures. Analysts say Kodak must shrink its size and fund profitable growth areas such as medical imaging, which makes X-ray products for hospitals."
Call me silly is you like, but those Kodak moment commercials just won't be the same watching doctors and nurses examine the results from an elderly woman's mammogram.
Not to be outdone, Snap-on tools is snapping the necks of two of its factories costing more than 500 people their jobs by early next year.
I checked the Snap-on site to see if they left a sappy good-bye press release in conjunction with the announcement of laying off 500+ employees, but this is all they really had to say about it.
"Snap-on plans to phase out production at two of its U.S. hand tool plants, with a planned completion in 2004. The closure of these facilities would streamline and center production capacity around core technologies and improve operational effectiveness. As a result, higher profitability, lower asset intensity and improved customer service levels are expected to be achieved. "
I searched the entire press release and not once does it mention its soon-to-be-Kodak-moment-less employees. No thanks, no nothing. But, just maybe, they'll receive this nifty Snap-on exclusive Dale Earnhardt Jr. die-cast car featuring ... Oreo?
Why on earth sell something that doesn't even display your company branding? The damn car doesn't even snap!
I have really nothing to say about the fact that Flextronics International also announced today that its letting go of 367 of its employees in September. You just start to go numb after a while.
I have been saving today's best for last as the Kansas City Star published a guest column about jobs that offer a decent wage and benefits, but the employers can't find qualified applicants to fill them.
"Among the hardest hit is the automotive industry. Automotive service centers, as well as car and truck dealerships, face a critical need for young people who know the intricacies of today's new vehicles. A conservative estimate of 35,000 service technician positions are unfilled.
"Similar shortages exist in construction, air conditioning/refrigeration, hospitality, health care, printing, transportation and manufacturing -- industries where workers with the right skills command high wages and excellent benefits."
The story sums up correctly that the problem of filling the jobs is there is little in place throughout the country for training people on how to perform with these positions. It's true that high schools and junior colleges have abandoned offering training and classes that would have prepared many people who are now out of work and unable to acquire the technical skills necessary fulfill the requirements of these blue-collar jobs of the 21st Century.
No one is claiming these jobs are glamorous or guarantee a future corner office with a view, but there are thousands of people who couldn't care less about either and just want the opportunity to work at something that provides them with the means necessary to live comfortably. And trust me, there are plenty of trades that pay quite handsomely. However, the drive to put everyone through a high school scholastic program that assumes everyone wants to go away to college is shortchanging a great number of young people who would do much better by just combining technology skills with a little handiwork.
Industrial arts teachers, shop class students, unite!
Tuesday, July 22, 2003
Short on time today which is a shame as there are some interesting stories out there.
A corporate giant is exposed due to a leak of some internal documents, however, the leak reveals that IBM may plan on exporting thousands of jobs from the U.S. to India.
This reminds me of the emails I will get from time to time from the good people of India asking me to sponsor them so they can find work in the U.S. Well, I've finally got a decent answer for all those emails, just wait, the jobs are coming gift-wrapped to you!
Finally, in keeping with the idea of jobs being exported overseas which puts otherwise qualified people out of work based on their probable refusal to relocate ... to NEW DELHI, Newsweek has a story on the sharp increase in wrongful termination lawsuits in the U.S.
Hey, serves these companies right when they do such loathsome tactics as exporting high-paying jobs overseas to pay next to nothing for results that are usually as substandard as the office shacks these people overseas are forced to work inside.
Oh, if I only had more time today. Shame on you, IBM, shame on you.
A corporate giant is exposed due to a leak of some internal documents, however, the leak reveals that IBM may plan on exporting thousands of jobs from the U.S. to India.
This reminds me of the emails I will get from time to time from the good people of India asking me to sponsor them so they can find work in the U.S. Well, I've finally got a decent answer for all those emails, just wait, the jobs are coming gift-wrapped to you!
Finally, in keeping with the idea of jobs being exported overseas which puts otherwise qualified people out of work based on their probable refusal to relocate ... to NEW DELHI, Newsweek has a story on the sharp increase in wrongful termination lawsuits in the U.S.
Hey, serves these companies right when they do such loathsome tactics as exporting high-paying jobs overseas to pay next to nothing for results that are usually as substandard as the office shacks these people overseas are forced to work inside.
Oh, if I only had more time today. Shame on you, IBM, shame on you.
Monday, July 21, 2003
When overcome by those moments of desperation and depression, I always found it helped to know there are people as talented and hungry for work as I was and knowing their sharing the same frustration I was during my time unemployed.
There's a terrific article today on oregonlive.com about the condition of unemployment in one of my all-time favorite cities, Portland, Oregon.
Titled "In a state of unemployment," the story touches on the struggles of trying to find a job in a city growing by leaps and bounds such as Portland. The influx of people from all over the country flocking to Portland with no history in the city, a small or non-existent support base, and, more importantly, no job, is making finding a job incredibly difficult for natives and newbies alike.
Which do you choose in seeking a city to chase down a job? A city that's hot, or not? Are you really willing to work anywhere or do you have your limits? Would you go to Wyoming, North Dakota, Mississippi, West Virginia or New Mexico? How bad do you want a job and how far are you willing to go to get it?
Tough choices. I would have never guessed I would have ended up in the city and state that I am now. But now that I'm here, I like it; I have my first house and a great job to match. But, I didn't know anyone here, my family is far away and the overall economy here is questionable.
But, I'll take my chances ... and the job too.
Towards the end of the story, several people are profiled and you can find a little bit of yourself in each of them. Great story, well done.
There's little doubt in my mind how journalist Salim Muwakkil will be voting in the next general election. Muwakkil depicts the alarming unemployment rate among blacks in the U.S., a whopping 11.8 percent last month. The black unemployment rate is rising two times as fast as unemployment for whites.
The story goes on to highlight a few other unemployment stats related to the Bush presidency.
"Since the Bush administration took office in January 2001, 2.7 million jobs have been lost, nearly 400,000 of them since the beginning of 2003. The administration's package of tax cuts, the latest of which was signed May 28 by President Bush, has done little to improve the economy. In fact, as Senate Democrats said, the Bush administration's job-creation record is worse than any president since Herbert Hoover."
Oh, no, not a dreaded Hebert Hoover reference! When you get the Pope, the Dixie Chicks and Herbert Hoover on your tail ...
I wonder how much added significance there is in combining the number of unemployed blacks with the number of blacks in prison? It's really incredible.
Finally, USA Today looks into the lengths some people will go to just get the interview. From plastic surgery to hair coloring, the fear of age discrimination combined with the unemployment crisis is turning the hiring game into more of a cloak and dagger affair everyday.
Personally, I've always stopped my resume at 10 years of employment and never included graduation dates. It's the screening done by a company HR staff that's preventing quality candidates from reaching the decision-maker's desk based on their prejudices and personal opinions of what's right for a position they may actually know little about.
All-time advice tip for the job seeker: If possible, don't send your resume to the HR staff, find the email address of the decision-maker and sent it directly to him/her. You are so far better off. If you don't know who that person is, find out, the investment in time doing your homework will pay off far better than leaving your resume's fate in the hands of an HR clerk.
There's a terrific article today on oregonlive.com about the condition of unemployment in one of my all-time favorite cities, Portland, Oregon.
Titled "In a state of unemployment," the story touches on the struggles of trying to find a job in a city growing by leaps and bounds such as Portland. The influx of people from all over the country flocking to Portland with no history in the city, a small or non-existent support base, and, more importantly, no job, is making finding a job incredibly difficult for natives and newbies alike.
Which do you choose in seeking a city to chase down a job? A city that's hot, or not? Are you really willing to work anywhere or do you have your limits? Would you go to Wyoming, North Dakota, Mississippi, West Virginia or New Mexico? How bad do you want a job and how far are you willing to go to get it?
Tough choices. I would have never guessed I would have ended up in the city and state that I am now. But now that I'm here, I like it; I have my first house and a great job to match. But, I didn't know anyone here, my family is far away and the overall economy here is questionable.
But, I'll take my chances ... and the job too.
Towards the end of the story, several people are profiled and you can find a little bit of yourself in each of them. Great story, well done.
There's little doubt in my mind how journalist Salim Muwakkil will be voting in the next general election. Muwakkil depicts the alarming unemployment rate among blacks in the U.S., a whopping 11.8 percent last month. The black unemployment rate is rising two times as fast as unemployment for whites.
The story goes on to highlight a few other unemployment stats related to the Bush presidency.
"Since the Bush administration took office in January 2001, 2.7 million jobs have been lost, nearly 400,000 of them since the beginning of 2003. The administration's package of tax cuts, the latest of which was signed May 28 by President Bush, has done little to improve the economy. In fact, as Senate Democrats said, the Bush administration's job-creation record is worse than any president since Herbert Hoover."
Oh, no, not a dreaded Hebert Hoover reference! When you get the Pope, the Dixie Chicks and Herbert Hoover on your tail ...
I wonder how much added significance there is in combining the number of unemployed blacks with the number of blacks in prison? It's really incredible.
Finally, USA Today looks into the lengths some people will go to just get the interview. From plastic surgery to hair coloring, the fear of age discrimination combined with the unemployment crisis is turning the hiring game into more of a cloak and dagger affair everyday.
Personally, I've always stopped my resume at 10 years of employment and never included graduation dates. It's the screening done by a company HR staff that's preventing quality candidates from reaching the decision-maker's desk based on their prejudices and personal opinions of what's right for a position they may actually know little about.
All-time advice tip for the job seeker: If possible, don't send your resume to the HR staff, find the email address of the decision-maker and sent it directly to him/her. You are so far better off. If you don't know who that person is, find out, the investment in time doing your homework will pay off far better than leaving your resume's fate in the hands of an HR clerk.
Friday, July 18, 2003
As the headline on usatoday.com says, there are signs of life back in the Silicon Valley.
Among the early indications of a recovery are; an increase in spending from businesses for high-tech hardware, surging tech stocks (a couple of recent IPOs are cited) a return of venture capital and more realistic expectations of new tech products and companies.
As much as I enjoyed the mid-to-late '90s, I still refer to it as our generation's 1849 Gold Rush with plenty of fool's gold to go around. The article describes the tech marketplace as fertile again although I'm more than content to hang on to what I've got after a nine-month unemployment stint.
However, for those dot.com casualties, I can only hope for another rush of business, but with greater responsibility and realistic business plans.
Welcome aboard South Carolina as the Palmetto State suffers with its highest unemployment rates in nine years.
South Carolina joins Michigan and Oregon this month with unemployment levels not seen in years. As stated here earlier this week, Oregon's rate is the highest in 17 years and Michigan is seeing its highest unemployment rate in 10 years.
For South Carolina, the loss of manufacturing and end-of-the-school-year jobs brings its jobless rate up. Here's an additional kick in the pants for all you Gamecocks; the Associated Press reports several other companies in S.C. have announced plans to layoff workers.
I wonder what President Bush's popularity rating will be in South Carolina around the time the primaries arrive? Better yet, what will it be for the general election?
Everyone handles the stress of unemployment differently, but its impact on people's lives can be devastating. A recent study says unemployment is a leading social-risk factor leading to the murder of women by their partners.
Obviously, there are other factors cited, but they are all in conjunction with the loss of a job.
Finally, teen unemployment is at its highest level in 55 years and there are some theories as to why. Among them are that teens spend more time looking for work over longer periods of time meaning there are more teens than adults looking for work.
Hmmm, I don't know about that one. The story uses the word "actively." We're to believe that more teens than adults are "actively" looking for work? Being as so few teens have the financial responsibilities of their adult counterparts, I would seriously question that assertion.
The next two reasons make more sense. It's easier and cheaper to fire teens than adults and companies overall are hiring less which usually hits teens the hardest.
Here's my theory as to why teen unemployment is so high, simply put, it's good to be a kid!
As the MSNBC story points out, teens are scoring better in school, they're healthier, and are having fewer babies. The only rough spot is kids are gaining weight more than before.
And why do you think that is?
Why go out to work when your parents provide you with everything you need within the comforts of your own home? The Internet and thriving gaming industry provide teens with the social circles of today. No more cruising around looking to meet or make new friends, its all done online. Want to play a game of one-on-one? Drop the ball and grab your PS2 controller.
I do feel for the teens that must find work in order to help support their family or raise their own money for college. But, before long, I expect the term "gas money" to become obsolete.
Enjoy your weekend; chase those jobs again on Monday.
Among the early indications of a recovery are; an increase in spending from businesses for high-tech hardware, surging tech stocks (a couple of recent IPOs are cited) a return of venture capital and more realistic expectations of new tech products and companies.
As much as I enjoyed the mid-to-late '90s, I still refer to it as our generation's 1849 Gold Rush with plenty of fool's gold to go around. The article describes the tech marketplace as fertile again although I'm more than content to hang on to what I've got after a nine-month unemployment stint.
However, for those dot.com casualties, I can only hope for another rush of business, but with greater responsibility and realistic business plans.
Welcome aboard South Carolina as the Palmetto State suffers with its highest unemployment rates in nine years.
South Carolina joins Michigan and Oregon this month with unemployment levels not seen in years. As stated here earlier this week, Oregon's rate is the highest in 17 years and Michigan is seeing its highest unemployment rate in 10 years.
For South Carolina, the loss of manufacturing and end-of-the-school-year jobs brings its jobless rate up. Here's an additional kick in the pants for all you Gamecocks; the Associated Press reports several other companies in S.C. have announced plans to layoff workers.
I wonder what President Bush's popularity rating will be in South Carolina around the time the primaries arrive? Better yet, what will it be for the general election?
Everyone handles the stress of unemployment differently, but its impact on people's lives can be devastating. A recent study says unemployment is a leading social-risk factor leading to the murder of women by their partners.
Obviously, there are other factors cited, but they are all in conjunction with the loss of a job.
Finally, teen unemployment is at its highest level in 55 years and there are some theories as to why. Among them are that teens spend more time looking for work over longer periods of time meaning there are more teens than adults looking for work.
Hmmm, I don't know about that one. The story uses the word "actively." We're to believe that more teens than adults are "actively" looking for work? Being as so few teens have the financial responsibilities of their adult counterparts, I would seriously question that assertion.
The next two reasons make more sense. It's easier and cheaper to fire teens than adults and companies overall are hiring less which usually hits teens the hardest.
Here's my theory as to why teen unemployment is so high, simply put, it's good to be a kid!
As the MSNBC story points out, teens are scoring better in school, they're healthier, and are having fewer babies. The only rough spot is kids are gaining weight more than before.
And why do you think that is?
Why go out to work when your parents provide you with everything you need within the comforts of your own home? The Internet and thriving gaming industry provide teens with the social circles of today. No more cruising around looking to meet or make new friends, its all done online. Want to play a game of one-on-one? Drop the ball and grab your PS2 controller.
I do feel for the teens that must find work in order to help support their family or raise their own money for college. But, before long, I expect the term "gas money" to become obsolete.
Enjoy your weekend; chase those jobs again on Monday.
Thursday, July 17, 2003
When unemployed, momentum doesn't mean jack unless you've got a job offer on the line, however, the economy still shows some signs of improving although its impact on the job market is still questionable.
The first tick in the career market is last week's drop in the number of jobless claims fell sharply from the 20-year high water mark of two weeks ago.
Still, the unemployment rate is alarmingly high and it still casts doubts on improving as you slowly but surely head towards the final quarter of the year. Simply put, if you don't have a job by Oct. 1, your chances of finding one before the end of the year are severely diminished. Other than retail, what fun, businesses do not normally hire during the fourth quarter of the year. That's always reserved for the traditional holiday lay-offs.
In other news, a committee of number-crunchers (beware, ladies, beware) have declared that the 2001 recession lasted only eight months and we are in the midst of an economic recovery.
Well, that is unless your still having your checks handed to you from the mailman!
With the recession behind us, why is the country still in the grips of this unemployment epidemic? Well ...
"After contracting the first three quarters of 2001, gross domestic product or GDP, the country's total output of goods and services, began growing again in the fourth quarter 2001 and has been rising since, although in a zig-zag pattern that has not been strong enough to keep unemployment from rising."
I realize this news is enough to have you starting on a zig-zag pattern of your own.
Meanwhile, President Bush brought together a group of business yes-men to back up his claims that the tax cuts will now fuel the economy in the second half of the year. The admission ticket to this event was your continued support of these tax cuts, but leave it Fed Chair Alan Greenspan to deliver a dagger to the deficit darlings.
"So, I have no question that if we do not come to grips with these deficit issues, it will make it more difficult for us to maintain the type of growth rates which ... will bring total employment up and bring the unemployment rate down."
It should be noted this rah-rah rally was held in Washington D.C. and NOT Washington state where Boeing announced it may have to cut 5,000 jobs from its Pacific Northwest hub. Nor was the rally held in Michigan where the state unemployment rate is at its highest in 10 years. Go Blue!!!
The first tick in the career market is last week's drop in the number of jobless claims fell sharply from the 20-year high water mark of two weeks ago.
Still, the unemployment rate is alarmingly high and it still casts doubts on improving as you slowly but surely head towards the final quarter of the year. Simply put, if you don't have a job by Oct. 1, your chances of finding one before the end of the year are severely diminished. Other than retail, what fun, businesses do not normally hire during the fourth quarter of the year. That's always reserved for the traditional holiday lay-offs.
In other news, a committee of number-crunchers (beware, ladies, beware) have declared that the 2001 recession lasted only eight months and we are in the midst of an economic recovery.
Well, that is unless your still having your checks handed to you from the mailman!
With the recession behind us, why is the country still in the grips of this unemployment epidemic? Well ...
"After contracting the first three quarters of 2001, gross domestic product or GDP, the country's total output of goods and services, began growing again in the fourth quarter 2001 and has been rising since, although in a zig-zag pattern that has not been strong enough to keep unemployment from rising."
I realize this news is enough to have you starting on a zig-zag pattern of your own.
Meanwhile, President Bush brought together a group of business yes-men to back up his claims that the tax cuts will now fuel the economy in the second half of the year. The admission ticket to this event was your continued support of these tax cuts, but leave it Fed Chair Alan Greenspan to deliver a dagger to the deficit darlings.
"So, I have no question that if we do not come to grips with these deficit issues, it will make it more difficult for us to maintain the type of growth rates which ... will bring total employment up and bring the unemployment rate down."
It should be noted this rah-rah rally was held in Washington D.C. and NOT Washington state where Boeing announced it may have to cut 5,000 jobs from its Pacific Northwest hub. Nor was the rally held in Michigan where the state unemployment rate is at its highest in 10 years. Go Blue!!!
Wednesday, July 16, 2003
There's some encouraging news in the manufacturing and retail industries, however, I believe the North Korea nuclear crisis will begin to loom larger over our spending habits as Americans ponder if we are not seeing a repeat of the build up to the war with Iraq.
Remember, the Iraq war drums first started in the summer of '02 before climaxing into the actual war itself in the first quarter of this year. In that time, the economy tanked and employment prospects went right out the window.
I don't suspect the U.S. is in any position to engage North Korea with our forces spread so thin throughout the world, however, former defense secretary William Perry thinks North Korea and the United States may be heading towards war. Talk like that and North Korea's willingness to keep raising the stakes could chill what is an otherwise good news day in the world of unemployment.
Regarding the retail market, the Associated Press reports that sales jumped in June 0.5 percent, the best mark in three months.
"Tuesday's report provided fresh evidence that consumers are keeping their wallets and pocketbooks sufficiently open to support the fragile economy. With consumer spending accounting for two-thirds of economic activity in the United States, consumer behavior plays a major role in shaping the economic recovery."
Keep the faith in an economic recovery producing a return to your career.
Meanwhile, the Federal Reserve reported positive signs in manufacturing.
"The numbers provide a glimmer of hope for the beleaguered factory sector, which has shed almost three million jobs since March 1998, pushing manufacturing payrolls to their lowest levels since 1958. The sector has been hit hard by companies' unwillingness to invest in new plants and equipment during the 2001 recession and the sluggish economic recovery."
The good news doesn't spread out West where Oregon has reached its highest unemployment level in 17 years.
In Oregon, May figures show unemployment at 8.5%. The story later goes on to tell how the labor department sees some encouraging news in the figures. I'm sorry, but the numbers state labor departments find encouraging never seem to jive with the numbers I kept seeing while I was unemployed.
I also found a story from Australia that relates to something I found incredibly annoying. Apparently, the Aussie labor department is not checking up on the unemployed to make sure they are filling out there application diaries necessary to receive unemployment benefits.
I don't know about you, but I've never been called to show off my application diary either. I hated those damn things. I hated calling in to the state labor office and being asked if I was filling it in. Screw you, I felt, do something that increases my chances of getting a job.
My process for looking for work involved doing it entirely online. I'm not saying this is the best way to find a job, but it's what I chose to do. In order to keep a record of where I had applied, I created two folders with my email account; one for sent resumes and letters, the other for responses. If the state had ever asked for my documentation, I could either print out the folder web pages, or simply copy down the five necessary applications per week.
Didn't matter, never once did I get called in to show my diary/record.
In the Aussie instance, a Labor and Community Services rep has this observation on those damn diaries:
"The truth is that the government only wants to vilify the unemployed, it doesn't want to get down there and do the hard work of giving them a hand up into the workforce."
I don't think our government seeks to vilify the unemployed, but this person is dead-on about labor reps doing more to help people return to the workforce.
I'm convinced state job offices are filled with nothing more than number crunchers, paper pushers and data entry clerks ... none of the three doing much to help you find a job.
Perhaps I never took full advantage of what these offices had to offer the unemployed, but good luck to anyone finding a state labor representative who can take the time to fully explain to you all the benefits available.
However, for employers, the state job boards will make time to make sure business asses are covered regarding unemployment insurance.
In closing, a little bit of fun as we go back Down Under.
An Australian man was referred from the government's job network to apply at an escort service. Sadly, the escort service was only looking for women.
Yet again, a labor department screw up, but, oh, oh, the benefits.
Remember, the Iraq war drums first started in the summer of '02 before climaxing into the actual war itself in the first quarter of this year. In that time, the economy tanked and employment prospects went right out the window.
I don't suspect the U.S. is in any position to engage North Korea with our forces spread so thin throughout the world, however, former defense secretary William Perry thinks North Korea and the United States may be heading towards war. Talk like that and North Korea's willingness to keep raising the stakes could chill what is an otherwise good news day in the world of unemployment.
Regarding the retail market, the Associated Press reports that sales jumped in June 0.5 percent, the best mark in three months.
"Tuesday's report provided fresh evidence that consumers are keeping their wallets and pocketbooks sufficiently open to support the fragile economy. With consumer spending accounting for two-thirds of economic activity in the United States, consumer behavior plays a major role in shaping the economic recovery."
Keep the faith in an economic recovery producing a return to your career.
Meanwhile, the Federal Reserve reported positive signs in manufacturing.
"The numbers provide a glimmer of hope for the beleaguered factory sector, which has shed almost three million jobs since March 1998, pushing manufacturing payrolls to their lowest levels since 1958. The sector has been hit hard by companies' unwillingness to invest in new plants and equipment during the 2001 recession and the sluggish economic recovery."
The good news doesn't spread out West where Oregon has reached its highest unemployment level in 17 years.
In Oregon, May figures show unemployment at 8.5%. The story later goes on to tell how the labor department sees some encouraging news in the figures. I'm sorry, but the numbers state labor departments find encouraging never seem to jive with the numbers I kept seeing while I was unemployed.
I also found a story from Australia that relates to something I found incredibly annoying. Apparently, the Aussie labor department is not checking up on the unemployed to make sure they are filling out there application diaries necessary to receive unemployment benefits.
I don't know about you, but I've never been called to show off my application diary either. I hated those damn things. I hated calling in to the state labor office and being asked if I was filling it in. Screw you, I felt, do something that increases my chances of getting a job.
My process for looking for work involved doing it entirely online. I'm not saying this is the best way to find a job, but it's what I chose to do. In order to keep a record of where I had applied, I created two folders with my email account; one for sent resumes and letters, the other for responses. If the state had ever asked for my documentation, I could either print out the folder web pages, or simply copy down the five necessary applications per week.
Didn't matter, never once did I get called in to show my diary/record.
In the Aussie instance, a Labor and Community Services rep has this observation on those damn diaries:
"The truth is that the government only wants to vilify the unemployed, it doesn't want to get down there and do the hard work of giving them a hand up into the workforce."
I don't think our government seeks to vilify the unemployed, but this person is dead-on about labor reps doing more to help people return to the workforce.
I'm convinced state job offices are filled with nothing more than number crunchers, paper pushers and data entry clerks ... none of the three doing much to help you find a job.
Perhaps I never took full advantage of what these offices had to offer the unemployed, but good luck to anyone finding a state labor representative who can take the time to fully explain to you all the benefits available.
However, for employers, the state job boards will make time to make sure business asses are covered regarding unemployment insurance.
In closing, a little bit of fun as we go back Down Under.
An Australian man was referred from the government's job network to apply at an escort service. Sadly, the escort service was only looking for women.
Yet again, a labor department screw up, but, oh, oh, the benefits.
Tuesday, July 15, 2003
Today marks the one-year anniversary of my entry into the painful and frustrating existence of unemployment. In the last year, I went from optimism, to worry, to depression, to desperation until finally becoming gainfully employed. It wasn't the first time I was unemployed, but it was the first time my unemployment lasted for an extended period of time that tested my abilities as a husband, a father and a viable candidate for employment.
The impact unemployment had on my life, I have no doubt, will stick with me for the rest of my life and it has hopefully changed my view of life and better prepared me as a manager in dealing with my employees and prepared me for any future periods of unemployment. I hope not, but as we all learn through unemployment, everyone is expendable.
All I hope to accomplish with this blog is to keep up with the plight of the unemployed and hopefully offer insight into dealing with unemployment and the efforts necessary to survive and find meaningful employment.
And away we go ...
The following text comes from a story on marketwire.com about CEOs mixed opinions on the outlook for employment.
"CEO's outlook on employment proved the only category in which the latest results veered significantly from those in June. When asked to rate current employment conditions in the United States, a mere 3% said, "good," down from 6.4% a month earlier. The results dovetail with a recent U.S. Department of Labor report showing that unemployment rose to 6.4 percent in June, a nine-year high. However, the survey respondents expressed optimism (38% vs. 28.9% this month compared with last) that the situation would improve."
Well, it's always easy to be optimistic when sitting in the corner office. Still, there's not a lot here to be optimistic about for the unemployed. The article could break the results down further to be industry specific, which would make it more useful.
What I suspect is business is improving as employee turnover lessens and corporations drive more productivity out of its workforce. Doing more with less, what a concept.
USA Today has an entertaining review of a book on the world's toughest interview questions. The thinking behind these unorthodox questions are to gain insight into your ability analyze, use creativity and remain poised under pressure.
Everyone has dealt with interview questions that come from left field. I believe few of the people asking these questions really understand the reasoning behind it. They only do so because it was done to them and they want you to feel as uncomfortable as they did when they were asked.
The better questions are ... knowing what you do about our company, how can you make an impact in improving our bottom line? What separates you from the other 50 candidates who I'll see in the next week?
Encouraging News From the USA Today Business Section.
"Ten percent of small companies plan to add workers in the next three months, a June survey out Tuesday shows. That's up from 1% in March, says the National Federation of Independent Business trade group."
Now we need the return of the small business in America.
Verizon Communications is hiring back 1,100 or so workers they laid off earlier in the year. However, that's still less than half of the total number of Verizon employees who received pink slips last December.
I Bet They Can Hear You Now!!!
Before we get all warm and gushy for Verizon, the article quotes Verizon suits admitting they were forced to hire them back by court order. Advice: Keep those resumes flowing.
Remaining in the tech sector, I see where Motorola posted a profit. I'll bet we can still expect more layoffs by year's end.
Budget blues on the beltway as the White House is predicting the biggest deficits ever. Quick, someone go back and poll all those CEOs now on their feelings for the future.
The impact unemployment had on my life, I have no doubt, will stick with me for the rest of my life and it has hopefully changed my view of life and better prepared me as a manager in dealing with my employees and prepared me for any future periods of unemployment. I hope not, but as we all learn through unemployment, everyone is expendable.
All I hope to accomplish with this blog is to keep up with the plight of the unemployed and hopefully offer insight into dealing with unemployment and the efforts necessary to survive and find meaningful employment.
And away we go ...
The following text comes from a story on marketwire.com about CEOs mixed opinions on the outlook for employment.
"CEO's outlook on employment proved the only category in which the latest results veered significantly from those in June. When asked to rate current employment conditions in the United States, a mere 3% said, "good," down from 6.4% a month earlier. The results dovetail with a recent U.S. Department of Labor report showing that unemployment rose to 6.4 percent in June, a nine-year high. However, the survey respondents expressed optimism (38% vs. 28.9% this month compared with last) that the situation would improve."
Well, it's always easy to be optimistic when sitting in the corner office. Still, there's not a lot here to be optimistic about for the unemployed. The article could break the results down further to be industry specific, which would make it more useful.
What I suspect is business is improving as employee turnover lessens and corporations drive more productivity out of its workforce. Doing more with less, what a concept.
USA Today has an entertaining review of a book on the world's toughest interview questions. The thinking behind these unorthodox questions are to gain insight into your ability analyze, use creativity and remain poised under pressure.
Everyone has dealt with interview questions that come from left field. I believe few of the people asking these questions really understand the reasoning behind it. They only do so because it was done to them and they want you to feel as uncomfortable as they did when they were asked.
The better questions are ... knowing what you do about our company, how can you make an impact in improving our bottom line? What separates you from the other 50 candidates who I'll see in the next week?
Encouraging News From the USA Today Business Section.
"Ten percent of small companies plan to add workers in the next three months, a June survey out Tuesday shows. That's up from 1% in March, says the National Federation of Independent Business trade group."
Now we need the return of the small business in America.
Verizon Communications is hiring back 1,100 or so workers they laid off earlier in the year. However, that's still less than half of the total number of Verizon employees who received pink slips last December.
I Bet They Can Hear You Now!!!
Before we get all warm and gushy for Verizon, the article quotes Verizon suits admitting they were forced to hire them back by court order. Advice: Keep those resumes flowing.
Remaining in the tech sector, I see where Motorola posted a profit. I'll bet we can still expect more layoffs by year's end.
Budget blues on the beltway as the White House is predicting the biggest deficits ever. Quick, someone go back and poll all those CEOs now on their feelings for the future.
