Category: Economy
And You Thought Accidentally Hitting “Reply All” Was Your Biggest Worry … Why a Company E-Mail Policy May Be In Order
May 12, 2009
Does your company have a standardized e-mail policy? If you have to stop and think about it, then it’s probably safe to assume that, if there is one, it’s not strictly enforced. And that could be a problem – especially if your company has had layoffs recently, which can open the door to wrongful termination lawsuits from ex-employees.
That’s the reality an HR professional who wrote into this recent “Ask Annie” column is facing: The company where the manager works is being sued by an ex-employee, whose lawyers are demanding that management turn over its e-mails as part of the discovery investigation, which “has got the whole place in an uproar.”
- Categories: Economy, Employee Engagement, Employer Advice
CareerBuilder’s Annual Summer Job Forecast: Popsicle-Making, Heated Competition, and Long-Term Gigs
May 12, 2009
Summer jobs can’t all be all Summer Rental-esque boat-racing, resort dancing/noboby-puts-Baby-in-the-cornering, and running off to space camp (don’t we wish), but job seekers have had their share of jobs at which they’ve had the time of their life unusual jobs. And as tradition would have it, summer jobs, a crucial source of income for many, is thriving. This year, however, summer-job seekers are facing a more challenging market, according to CareerBuilder’s Annual Summer Job Forecast.
Nearly a quarter (23 percent) of employers plan to hire seasonal workers for the summer, similar to last year’s Summer Job Forecast findings, but as unemployment is high and more people are clamoring for the same number of summer jobs, the competition for summer jobs will be stiffer than in years past.
“Summer job seekers face a bigger challenge this year than in years past, as the market is flooded with candidates looking for both full and part-time positions,” said Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources for CareerBuilder. “The good news is that many traditional summer jobs are still available, but in this environment, it is essential that job seekers differentiate themselves and demonstrate how their skills can have a positive impact on a business in a short amount of time.”
Summer, extended
You think it’s likely that you’ll fall in love with your lifeguarding job (or, alternately, one of your fellow lifeguards)? Good news: The survey, conducted from February 20 to March 11, 2009 among more than 2,500 employers, found that many who do land summer jobs may have a chance to turn their seasonal roles into year-round stints. More than half (56 percent) of companies reported that they would consider summer recruits for permanent placement within their organizations.
Steady (pay)rollin’
When it comes to summer paychecks, nearly eight in ten (77 percent) of hiring managers will offer the same pay to seasonal workers this year as they did last year, while 9 percent will offer more and 9 percent will offer less.
How much more — and how much less — will summer workers get paid?
- Forty-two percent of companies plan to pay $10 or more per hour
- Thirty percent anticipate paying between $8 and $10 per hour
- Ten percent expect to pay less than $7 per hour
- Six percent plan to pay $20 or more per hour
Where are the jobs?
Comparing the industries surveyed, hospitality and retail have plans to bring the most summer workers on board, at 38 percent and 34 percent respectively. Across all industries, the most popular summer positions being offered include:
- Office support — 26 percent
- Customer service — 18 percent
- Research — 12 percent
- Landscape/maintenance — 11 percent
- Restaurant/food service — 11 percent
- Sales — 10 percent
- Construction/painting — 8 percent
Workers’ most unusual summer gigs:
When asked about the most unusual or memorable summer jobs they’ve ever held, workers shared the following responses:
- Bungee-jumping tower assistant
- Commercial bee herder
- Scouted garage sales for items to resell on eBay
- Murder Mystery dinner actor
- Cleaned gum off of school desks
- Gun fighter at a theme park
- Popsicle maker
- Picked up road kill
- Painted silo tops hanging from a crane
- Waterslide repairman
Let’s just hope the “road kill picker-upper” and “Murder Mystery dinner” aren’t connected in any way. Yikes.
- Categories: Economy, Employee Attraction, Survey Results
Are You Doing Business in One of The Best Cities for College Grads?
May 8, 2009
Yep, it’s that time of year again: College Graduation. Parties, celebrations, awards, a sense of accomplishment — and, oh, figuring out a place to live! Many college graduates-to-be are considering relocation to new cities to find a fresh start, a fresh career, and a fresh place to mount their shiny new college diploma. Only this time, the game is a bit different, as more competition for jobs is coupled with an economy in the midst of a recession — and the stress of stretching those entry-level-job dollars is often immense. The cost of living is high, and upcoming grads need as many resources as they can get to help them decide where their dollars will be best spent in their initial months out of the dorms.
With this in mind, Apartments.com and CBcampus have provided results for the second annual Top Ten Best Cities for Recent College Graduates.
“Given the current economy, new grads looking to relocate are becoming increasingly concerned with the cost of living as they are faced with more competition for jobs than seen in previous years,” said Tammy Kotula, public relations and promotions manager at Apartments.com.
The results were based on three criteria:
- Number of entry-level job openings
- Cost of rent
- Population of young adults
As it’s important for job seekers to understand their best living options, it is also important for employers to know where their city stacks up in the job atmosphere — and be aware of their competition in attracting top job seekers not only to their city, but to their company as well.
So… did your city make the list?
- Categories: Branding, Building a Best Place to Work, Economy, Employee Attraction, Generational Hiring, Leadership Development, Survey Results
Latest BLS Report A Mix of Good, Not-So-Good News
May 8, 2009
The following is a re-post from our colleagues over at The Work Buzz, CareerBuilder’s job seeker blog:
While the BLS reported this morning that nonfarm payroll employment continued to decline in April (-539,000) and the unemployment rate rose from 8.5 to 8.9 percent, a closer look shows some positive indicators. Yes, 5.7 million jobs have been lost since the recession began in December 2007. And yes, nearly all major private-sector industries lost jobs again in April.
- Categories: Economy
Weight & the Workplace: 43 Percent Gaining Lbs. Over Economic Anxiety
May 4, 2009
Yes, swimsuit season is fast upon us… and ridiculously mouth-watering temptations like this aren’t helping the cause. The waistlines of American workers are expanding, as four out of ten American workers have reportedly gained weight at their current jobs, according to a newly released CareerBuilder survey. You can blame delicious gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches directly if you like, but as it turns out, there’s something else making us turn to one of our most consistent comforts: The recession.
The survey, conducted from February 20 through March 20, 2009 among more than 4,400 workers, reveals that one in ten workers report increased snacking during the day due to economic concerns, and almost half (43 percent) of workers say they have gained weight in their current jobs. A quarter have gained more than ten pounds, and 12 percent have gained more than 20 pounds in their present positions. That’s a lot of grilled cheese sandwiches.
While we can point fingers at the recession for our weight-related woes, other factors are likely at play here as well — factors that contribute to weight gain with or without a struggling economy in the mix, like:
- Restaurants – Nearly two in five (39 percent) employees surveyed eat out for lunch twice or more per week, making it difficult to control portions and calorie intake.
- Vending machine meals — 12 percent buy their lunch out of a vending machine at least once a week.
- Snacking — Two-thirds (67 percent) of employees surveyed snack at least once a day, including 24 percent who snack twice a day.
“Weight gain in the office is common and is a result of a variety of issues including today’s economic stress and poor eating habits,” said Rosemary Haefner, vice president of Human Resources for CareerBuilder.com. “Making little adjustments to your routine, such as bringing your lunch to work, getting up from your desk during the day, and walking instead of driving or taking public transportation will help curb some of your financial worries, while making you healthier.”
So how can employees stay healthy and keep those waistlines from growing, despite growing concerns over our economic state?
- Categories: Economy, Employee Engagement, Employer Advice, Generational Hiring, Leadership Development, Social Media, Survey Results
CareerBuilder’s Annual College Job Forecast: New Grads Must Step it Up
April 21, 2009
Do you know someone graduating this spring (and no, watching the “Donna Martin Graduates” episode of old-school 90210 doesn’t count)? Chances are if you do, you’ve sensed or outright listened to them rant about heard their trepidation about entering the “real world” and throwing their hat into the current job market ring. Because, well, the environment right now is not exactly what it used to be for soon-to-be or recent grads. Things are a little tough out there.
The class of 2009 will face the most competitive job market in years, as companies continue to proceed with caution amid economic uncertainty, according to CareerBuilder’s newly released annual college job forecast.The percentage of employers planning to hire recent college grads is roughly half of what it was just two years ago. Only 43 percent of employers plan to hire recent college graduates in 2009, down from 56 percent in 2008 and 79 percent in 2007.
2009 Salaries
Along with the economy, entry-level salaries have taken a bit of a dive. Among those employers planning to hire recent college graduates, more than one in five (21 percent) said they will decrease starting salaries for recent college graduates in 2009 as compared to 2008. But there’s hope! A whopping 68 percent of employers plan to keep initial salary offers the same as last year, and 11 percent will increase them.
- Thirty-three percent of employers plan to offer recent college graduates starting salaries ranging between $30,000 and $40,000.
- An additional 17 percent will offer between $40,000 and $50,000
- Fourteen percent will offer more than $50,000
- Thirty-six percent will offer less than $30,000
“While recent college graduates are facing a highly competitive job market right now, there are still opportunities out there,” said Brent Rasmussen, President of CareerBuilder North America.
“The biggest challenge is showing relevant experience, which employers say is one of the most important factors they look for in applications from recent college graduates. This isn’t limited to professional work experience, so don’t get discouraged. Class work, school activities and volunteering also qualify as relevant experience and can be included in your resume as well.”
So how can new graduates differentiate themselves in the current job market, and what are the absolute faux pas that today’s candidates need to be aware of — and steer clear of? Employers who participated in the survey weighed in below.
- Categories: Economy, Generational Hiring, Social Media, Survey Results
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