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“It is time to turn our unemployment system into a reemployment system…”

Just in case you missed last night’s State of the Union and wanted to know what the President said about jobs, here are the highlights:

• In the last 22 months businesses have created more than 3 million jobs.
  
  
• Last year businesses created the most jobs since 2005.
  
  
• American Manufacturers are hiring again.
  
  
• Today General Motors is back on top as the world’s number one automaker.
  
  
• The American auto industry is back and has added 160,000 jobs. 
  
  
• If you want to bring jobs back to the US the government will help you succeed starting with taxes.
  
  
• Companies should be rewarded by creating jobs here in the US.
  
  
• If you’re an American Manufacturer you should get a bigger tax cut.
  
  
• If you’re a high-tech manufacturer the tax deduction you receive should be doubled because you’re making your products here.
  
  
• If you want to relocate a business to a community that was hit hard, you should get help with financing or training for new workers.
  
  
• Growing industries in science and technology have twice as many openings as we have workers that can do the job.
  
  
• Model partnerships between companies and community colleges to train 2 million Americans with specific skills that will lead directly to jobs need to continue to happen.
  
  
• These reforms will help people get jobs that are open today.

Why You Should Hire Overqualified Employees

Lately, I've been asking myself if in this kind of economy are professionals focusing on their career or are they focusing on keeping or getting a job? I ask this question because I hear so many stories about American workers struggling to get by. 

When I came out of school (seven years ago) I was able to secure a job right away, in fact I was still in school when I received my first job offer and that offer wasn’t my only one.  Before starting my first real job, I would have two other offers in my hand, and then I had to choose which one would put me on the right path for my career. Today, it doesn’t work like that (at least that’s the impression I’m getting based on what I've seen and heard), it seems as though those searching for new opportunities are looking for jobs and jobs that are not necessarily on their career pathes.  Securing a job on your career path is a plus, but it seems as though securing a job that’s even in your industry is “a nice to have”, while securing any job regardless of the field is what people are looking for. 

And thus it brings us to the topic of the overqualified candidate.

Many HR professionals shy away from giving the overqualified candidate a shot; because they’re afraid that the candidate will find something else they’re more suited for and leave them high and dry.  And while this is an understandable concern as it is costly to hire new talent, there are some benefits to hiring the overqualified.

1. It's a great way to help a candidate get their foot in the door. While the position they’re currently being hired for is not their ideal fit, their advanced skills and knowledge will benefit the rest of the team, as well as possibly lead to a better position within the organization down the road for your fancy new hire.

2. Get more bang for your buck.  Now I’m not saying you should lowball your overqualified candidates when it comes to salary, but if they accept a position that is below their skill level, they should expect to earn an appropriate salary for that kind of job.

3.  Save on training expenses and time.  There may be less of cost to train a more skilled worker.  While you should always expect that there will be a learning curve, with an overqualified employee, that learning curve may be cut in half—saving your organization time and money.

4. Instant mentorship. Junior staffers look to experienced workers to set an example and they’ll feel even more at ease with an experienced colleague on their same level.

5. Keeps the rest of their staff on their toes.  Hiring a candidate that is overqualified might be the morale boost you’ve been looking for.  Because an experienced staff member is more likely to take  their job seriously—their work effort might encourage those around them to kick it up a notch as well. 

While the overqualified worker is not as prevalent in healthy economies, we unfortunately are coming across numerous candidates that are underemployed or taking survival jobs just to get by. So the next time an overqualified resume comes across your desk, don’t immediately move it to the rejected pile because you're scared they'll leave you, read it with the benefits above in mind—you never know who you might meet.

 

Great Way to Start the New Year

“New Year, New You”—the cheesiest tagline/slogan ever! But I admit it applies. 

Whether you’re resolving to get a new job this year, change career paths, or simply do your job better, this time of year brings out the best in us—that is until we recoil into our comfort zones—but let’s resolve not to do that this year.  This year let’s make a resolution to keep our New Year’s Resolutions!

So as an HR pro, what kinds of resolutions have you made when it comes to your job:

• Did you resolve to make smarter hiring decisions?
  
  
• Better prepare for interviews?
  
  
• Discover new/awesome incentives for your team?
  
  
• Advance in your current position?
  
  
• Change careers paths altogether?

With the thought of a new year and a fresh start fresh in our minds, things are certainly already starting off on a good foot when it comes to hiring.  The December jobs report was released today and hiring is up and unemployment is down. In fact, unemployment is the lowest it has been in close to two years—more than 200,000 jobs were added in December!

So whatever you resolve to do, we hope that you have positive results just like the December jobs report.  Happy New Year!

Finding a Job is All About Location, Location, Location

In anticipation of Beyond.com’s Q3 Trends Report being released, we thought that we’d whet your appetite with some highlights from the report—particularly regarding the location of jobs. 

Find out:

• Top 10 States for Hiring.
• Industries with the most opportunities.
• And Top 5 cities for each top hiring industry.

Download the “Where The Jobs Are" [INFOGRAPHIC] Now

 

If You Don’t Factor Mobile Into Your Recruitment Plan You’re Making a HUGE Mistake

Sometimes when I’m in a public place—riding a train, walking down the street, or even sitting in a restaurant, I love to observe how many people are engrossed in their cell phones.  And I will tell you I’m no different. 

My Smartphone is my lifeline, I don’t leave home without it—I don’t even leave a room in my home without it (but don’t tell my mother that, because then she’ll wonder why I don’t ALWAYS answer the phone when she calls).

But I have become so addicted attached to my phone that I do EVERYTHING on it, from paying bills, checking movie times—and buying movie tickets, sending emails, playing Words With Friends (I recently discovered that “Nachos” is not an acceptable word—I know I was shocked too!), to reading my favorite blog, EmploymentMetrix (shameless plug!).  So with so much reliance on our Smartphones and unfortunately a large number of people out of work, it is little surprise that job searching and recruitment has gone mobile—in a big way!

Mobile job search apps are BOOMING and the number of candidates searching for jobs on their mobile devices has skyrocketed by more than 100% in the last year alone. So if you’re an HR Pro that has yet to factor in mobile into your recruitment plan, you’re making a BIG mistake.

Check out the latest infographic from Beyond.com—it shows that more than 77% of job seekers use mobile job search apps.  Job Seekers use these apps to quickly react to new job postings, discreetly search for jobs, and simply the freedom it allows them to search for jobs anytime from anywhere.  Potential candidates are no longer tied down to their home computer to search and apply for jobs, now they can do it on their commute to work, while they’re waiting in the doctor’s office, or even waiting for that barista to make their favorite tasty beverage.   So if you have yet to jump on the mobile bandwagon you’re going to be left behind—that goes for HR pros and job seekers alike!

U.S. Job Creation Stagnant in August, Yet Some Industries Maintain Strong Hiring Activity

 Beyond.com’s First Infographic Analyzes Key Challenges and Positive Trends for the Job Market

Beyond.com, today released its first Employment Data Report, which provides a timely assessment of recent economic and political events that have had an impact on the employment world. Released in conjunction with Beyond’s recently released Second Quarter 2011 Career Trend Analysis Report, this first Employment Data Report examines job posting volume from January 2011 to August 2011, compared with the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) unemployment rates.

The Employment Data Report explores the possibility that the U.S. could face a double dip recession and considers the role of political events and economic instability on the job market. After an encouraging start to the year, unemployment numbers have continued to rise as the economy failed to add as many jobs as expected in June and July. During that same period, the nation’s economy has been threatened by a debt crisis and the subsequent Standard & Poor’s (S&P) credit downgrade.

In spite of the obvious challenges, the Employment Data Report notes some industries that increased hiring activity in the second quarter, including Healthcare, Sales & Sales Management, Merchandising, Purchasing & Management and Information Technology. The report also highlights some new job titles that have emerged, particularly in the IT and Environmental fields, as a result of new technologies and demands.

“Ahead of President Obama’s speech addressing the jobs crisis on Thursday, many are already fearing that we’re headed toward another recession, fueled even more by last week’s Department of Labor report indicating that job creation was at halt in August,” said Rich Milgram, CEO at Beyond.com. “While these fears are real, there are still some bright spots in the employment market and our data pinpoints industries and specific careers that job seekers should have on their radar to ensure they’re taking advantage of the opportunities and growth sectors that are out there today.”


To view the complete Infographic for September 2011, please visit http://about.beyond.com/infographics/employment-data-report-september-2011.

The Benefits of Searching for Jobs and Candidates via Mobile

Beyond.com CEO, Rich Milgram recently had the opportunity to create a guest post on the HR blog, Recruiting Trends on the topic of mobile recruitment strategies for both employers and job seekers. With the trend of mobile phones to do everything but make phone calls, this post further examines the benefits of searching for jobs and candidates through mobile devices.

Read the full post.

Beyond.com Identifies Emerging Jobs Despite Fears of Double Dip Recession

Quarterly Trends Report Finds Positive Indicators in Uncertain Economic Times

Beyond.com, a Career Network focused on helping people grow and succeed, today released its Second Quarter 2011 Career Trend Analysis Report which provides an in-depth look at the latest job market trends. While the U.S. economy continues to pose uncertainty, Beyond.com is reporting a positive outlook with the emergence of new job titles and growth sectors in a year over year comparison of Career Network data.

The Beyond.com Career Trend Analysis Report, which gathers information across thousands of top-tier industry and local career sites, indicates that five job titles have shown a noticeable and steady uptick in job postings, spanning primarily across two industries: Green and Technology. While both industries have remained steady over the past year overall, some specific positions stand out amongst the others in providing an increase of opportunities for job seekers.  

 According to the report, the emerging job titles include:

• Green Consultant Jobs
  • With an average salary of $60,000, this position can take on a variety of different roles, from helping organizations evaluate and improve internal environmental processes to aiding in the implementation of green strategies. Nationally, green jobs employ 2.7 million people, according to a report by The Brookings Institution. Green Consultants will continue to be in demand as more and more businesses look to these experts to help establish environmental best practices. 

• Eco-Friendly Freelance Writer Jobs
  • With many people turning to magazines and news outlets for tips and information about green and eco-friendly living, writers with knowledge of the green market are becoming more sought after. Further, with many publications unable to take on full-time staff, a freelance position is often the best route to establish yourself and continue to practice your skill. As a freelancer making an average of $60,000 a year, this job often provides more flexible hours which can be a nice perk for some professionals.

• Genius – Apple Store Jobs
  • The “Genius” position has presented more job opportunities over the past year for the similar reasons as an iPhone Developer – growing adoption of the iPhone along with the iPad, iPod and other Apple products. As people are using these products, there is more need for customer service and technical support. This position typically requires working in an Apple store and has an average salary of $41,000. Responsibilities include helping customers resolve issues and conducting hardware and software troubleshooting.

• iPhone Developer Jobs
  • With the increasing popularity and adoption of the iPhone – particularly with availability now across multiple mobile carriers – it is no surprise that the growth of job openings for iPhone Developers is on the rise. This position with an average salary of $95,000 typically requires working for a specific mobile company and is responsible for all frameworks and mobile technologies to make new applications successful.

• Silverlight Developer Jobs
  • Developers are in demand across the technology industry. However Silverlight developers in particular are seeing a rise in job opportunities due to an increase in consumers’ streaming of TV shows and movies on their computers. At an average of $104,000 a year, qualifications for this position include expertise in creating software solutions for enterprises and in building rich internet applications using Microsoft technologies.

“It’s no secret that the U.S. economy is currently facing financial worries and the unemployment rate remains high, yet at the same time it’s important to recognize that some markets are still thriving and providing opportunities to job seekers and professionals within those industries,” said Rich Milgram, CEO at Beyond.com. “For job seekers in either the green sector or technology industry or those looking to enter these fields, there are options available when you know what to look for. By identifying these specific job titles, job seekers can modify their search and apply their expertise to these specific positions in an effort to not only secure a job but establish themselves in a healthy sector.”  

 To view the complete Career Trend Analysis Report and Industry Essentials Reports for second quarter 2011, please visit http://about.beyond.com/statistics.

What Does the U.S. Credit Downgrade Mean for U.S. Jobs?

So the debt ceiling has been raised and America’s credit has been downgraded, so how does that impact jobs?

This is a hot topic of discussion at the moment, but many of us might not fully understand what it all means, so for those of you who need a crash course—here is high level way to understand how the credit downgrade can affect you and jobs in the United States. 

As everything is interdependent—the raising of the debt ceiling has in turn downgraded the U.S. credit which in turn will increase the interest rates that the United States will pay on the national debt, which in turn will result in higher borrowing costs for all of us (i.e. business credit lines, mortgages, student loans, and credit cards rates) which in turn can instill fear that any interest increase will slow the economy and mean less demand for workers, bringing about layoffs and increasing the risk of a double dip recession. 

For those of you who are like me—visual learners click on the image below:

Other influencers? The downgrade adds to the worry that has already been instilled based on the fact that the government said our economic growth was far weaker in the first half of 2011 than economist had initially expected.  So have employers stopped hiring?  Well according to the soon to be released Beyond.com Q2 Trends Report (this is a sneak peak) when comparing Q1 to Q2 there was an increase in the number of fulltime jobs posted—which is promising.

So should we be worried?  Well there are a lot of things up in the air at the moment, so it is hard to say. After all this is the first time in history that the U.S. lost its triple-A debt rating, however a better than expected jobs report that was released on Friday is keeping people calm. 

Also, according to Beyond.com, CEO Rich Milgram, who acknowledges that while we saw a modest uptick in jobs for July, part of what is currently impacting job growth is the fact that many people forget about the woes of the world and go on summer vacation (even stay-cations)—that goes for the people who are doing the hiring and the people who are looking.

Need a Job? NYC is the Place to Be, says Beyond.com

Beyond.com, Inc., the world’s largest network of niche career communities, today released its First Quarter 2011 Career Trend Analysis Report, which identifies the top metropolitan regions for jobs, ranking New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island as number one with the highest percentage of online job postings and offering the best opportunity for employment amongst job seekers. In a region-by-region comparison, the job posting trends data is representative of the percentage across metropolitan regions and is adjusted by population.

According to the Beyond.com quarterly trends report, which gathers information across thousands of top-tier industry and local career sites, the New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island region yielded the most online job postings, with more than 14 percent of jobs across all regions. The top three industries for jobs in this metro area include Healthcare & Medical, Accounting & Finance and Information Technology, respectively. Across all U.S. metropolitan regions, the Healthcare & Medical industry was reported as the number one generator of jobs, lending more widespread options for professionals in this industry. The top seven metro regions for overall online job postings are:

1) New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island (14.2 percent)



2) Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County (12.5 percent)

3) Chicago-Gary-Kenosha (8.95 percent)

4) San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose (8.91 percent)

5) Dallas-Fort Worth (7.07 percent)

6) Washington-Baltimore (6.63 percent)

7) Atlanta (5.66 percent)

 

The top 15 major metropolitan areas within the United States, the majority of the regions experienced a position shift from the previous quarter. Over the past quarter, New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island and Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County remained steady holding the top two positions, while the majority of other metropolitan regions experienced a position shift. The Chicago-Gary-Kenosha metro area experienced an uptick in job postings, elevating its ranking to the number three spot.

“While there has been impressive job growth in the New York area it is important to note that overall there has been job growth throughout the country,” said Rich Milgram, CEO at Beyond.com. “For those searching for jobs, they should be aware that many organizations are adopting new policies by offering telecommuting options and shortened work week schedules in an effort to attract and hire the best possible candidates – so job seekers should be open to all opportunities regardless of location. As for the increase in jobs we’ve experienced, we hope that this growth continues throughout the summer as it would be a positive sign for the economy.”

To view the complete Career Trend Analysis Report and Industry Outlook Reports for first quarter 2011, please visit http://about.beyond.com/statistics.