Merger benefits Atlanta economy and jobs

Merger between Delta Air Lines and Northwest Airlines has just created 500 Atlanta jobs. Atlanta, the company's location, will be welcoming additional new employees from Northwest's Minneapolis headquarters.

Delta plans to hire “MBA-types” in 60 positions including finance, economics, math and operations research to work in pricing. Northwest's pricing operation will be moving to the city.

Other positions to move to Atlanta, from Minneapolis, are flight dispatchers and other staff. The airline is expanding its operations control center.

This merger is going to help the economy as well. With all the employees moving, the housing market will benefit.

“These are all people that are going to be down here buying houses,” said Delta chief executive Richard Anderson.

Currently the airline has about 25,000 employees in Georgia, with most of them in Atlanta. Prior to finalizing the merger, Delta was at risk of loosing 1,000 jobs.

Connecticut jobs have a "Deal"

The Connecticut economy is getting a little help from television. "Deal or No Deal" is moving to the state creating more Connecticut jobs.

"Deal" isn't the only NBC program to move its taping to the state. It's following "Jerry Springer," "Maury" and "The Steve Wilkos Show", which are on NBC U, the cable affiliate. These shows will be taped in a Stamford, Conn., studio. But Deal will be at the Sonalysts Studio in Waterford.

The reason for the move to Connecticut, tax incentives. The state has offered a 30% production tax credit.

According to Governor Jodi Rell, "growing jobs and improving the economic outlook," is the benefit.

"This is tremendous news for Connecticut and its ever-growing film and television industry," Gov. Rell said in a statement. "We've done everything we can to make our state an attractive and economically smart place to make good film and TV -- and you can see it paying off."

Sonalysts has already been used by some big name people over the years, such as Aerosmith, Dave Matthews and Mary J. Blige for taping music videos. As well as by Steven Spielberg for filming part of "Amistad".

Florida drilling bill helps jobs

The House passed a bill on Monday that will help Florida jobs. Drilling will begin off the state's shore. It plans on decreasing dependency on foreign oil.

Many people feel this isn't the right move for Florida, thinking that it could hurt the state's economy. They feel that drill would decrease tourism, which is one of the state's main assets. The environment is, also, an major concern.

However, the governor and his three person Cabinet believe that drilling would create more money and jobs coming into the state.

According to Business Week, "Rep. Charles Van Zant, the bill's sponsor, said the proposal could attract a new industry to Florida while helping free the U.S. from relying on unfriendly OPEC countries. He said drilling could reap more than $6 billion annually for the state and create more than 16,000 jobs."

Democratic counterparts feel opposite, that drilling would only hurt the state.

"This is something serious, a dagger in the heart of the economy in my district and the districts of other coastal communities," said Rep. Keith Fitzgerald, a Sarasota Democrat. "Just the smallest of spills will send people elsewhere."

According to the bill's supporters, technology advancements make spills highly unlikely. Also, for those who feel drilling would drive away tourism, pumps can be out of sights by being placed on the sea floor.

Republicans argued that it's better to drill in American waters than to hand money over to Middle East nations that hate the United States.

The next step for the bill is to be passed by the Senate.

Is your social network making you look good?

People are consumed with social networking, Facebook, Myspace, Twitter. Do these sites make you look good to others? How do you know that your profile isn't being viewed for a background check?

As a graduating senior, I wonder, whether or not my Facebook page would earn me a job. So many of my friends, who are in my same position, out there looking for jobs, have made a change to their pages.

There are no more drunk photos are their default picture, no personal photos for the public to view, and no inappropriate postings. Everything that an employer doesn't want to see or know about a perspective employee is at their disposal.

According to EmployeeScreen, "An employer can terminate an employee or refuse to hire an applicant based on information found online as long as that information is not used in a discriminatory manner. This means job seekers should be careful about what they put on their social networking profiles when preparing for a background check".

It's interesting to think that one's personal web page could be used against them, when looking for a job.

Step one:
Cleaning up our social networking page!

Tips to finding a job

Graduating college and looking for an entry level job or any job? There are a few things to keep in mind before starting your hunt.

First off, the most important part of the job hunting process is to fix your resume. once this is complete use these tips

1. Don't look desperate! Leave your nervous at the door. Letting a potential employer know how much you need a job doesn't look good. Its not a beneficial state of mind or image to portray.

2. Yes, we are in a recession and jobs are hard to find. Don't let that stop you from looking for the perfect job. Job hunting is like buying a car. You need to shop around for the right one.

3. Don't do something drastic, like join the Peace Core, because there is nothing else for you to do. Find something to do because you want to.

4. People change jobs all the time. By taking your first job doesn't mean that you will stay there for long. Taking an unpaid of low paying internship isn't the worst thing to do. It is great experience and could turn into something more. Don't write it off because it's not a full time job or your dream salary.

5. Don't waste your time on jobs that don't interest you or that you're not qualified for.

6. Asking your parents for help isn't a bad thing. They may have some great connections.

7. Life is too short to worry.

Finding the right job takes time, but with these tips things could get a little easier.

Serious job problems in Nevada

Nevada jobs are taking one the biggest hits in the country. according to the bureau of Labor Statistics, the state's unemployment rate was 10.4%. it is one of the top states in double digit unemployment, among Michigan, Oregon, North and South Carolina, Indiana, and California. They are all higher than the national rate at 8.5%.

According to the Las Vegas Sun, 104,000 were out of work this past month, which is a 1,600 person increase. Not only has the unemployment increased, but the number of people working in the labor force has decreased. An estimated 14,000 have dropped out of the labor force compared to previous month.

To give a better idea of the problems throughout the job field, The Sun compared the drastic changes in unemployment in the past year. Construction jobs in Las Vegas have dropped, as well. A year ago, 94,000 were employed compared to 81,000 that are now.

The hotel and casino industry has taken a hit. employment is at 156,400, which is a 13,400 drop.

Manufacturing jobs in Las Vegas is 6.2 percent lower than this time last year. Trade, transportation utility jobs are at 156,100, which decreased 5,500.

Another Nevada city, Reno, is at 11.2 percent unemployment. While Carson City is at 11.3 percent.

Connecticut Accounting Jobs

The number of new Connecticut accounting jobs created during the next quarter may be a small disappointment to job seekers.

A recent survey conducted on a national level by recruitment firm Robert Half International found that corporate level hiring for accounting and finance professionals will remain unchanged in the next between now and the end of September.

Of the 1,400 CFOs who participated in the survey, 84 percent stated that they planned to neither increase nor decrease the number of individuals they employed in this field. The remaining 12 percent of CFOs were evenly split down the middle when it came to their hiring plans. Exactly 6 percent planned to make additions to staff and 6 percent planned on doing away with jobs.

Despite the 0 net gain in jobs, those accounting positions available are becoming increasingly difficult to fill. According to 32 percent of the CFOs surveyed, these positions are the most challenging to find the right employee for. Accounting slots were followed by audit and finance jobs, which 18 percent of participants believed to be the most difficult to hire for.

With employers complaining about the challenges in finding properly trained staff members, those job seekers with experience in the field shouldn’t have too much trouble finding a new workplace.

The largest amount of employers planning to hire new employees for accounting and finance positions were in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. In these states, the most important skills were budget forecasting and strategic planning.

Other areas that are expected to see an increase in staff numbers included Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas. Hiring in the West South Central states is mainly fueled by the energy sector. In these two groups combined, CFOs stated that the planned to hire a net 4 percent of accounting and finance professionals before the end of the third quarter.

Online job scams

In the business world it's all about networking. The internet is filled with social networking sites, like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, which have opened the gates for online job hunting. However, it is difficult for one to decipher between what's real and what isn't.

The Better Business Bureau says that job scams are on the rise. Since so many are unemployed and searching for a job, people take advantage of this. Scam artists could walk away with your money and your identity for you're not careful.

Eastern Illinois University had an issue with fake job opportunities earlier this month. The university's Career Services warned students of fake job offers and scam companies attempting to use the online job recruiting service.

So what can a job hunter do to avoid becoming a victim? According the better business bureau signs of a job scam:

• Grammatical errors in the ad or email,
• A request to send money to a foreign country,
• Jobs that offer work at home,
• Jobs that ask you to pay money up front.

Always be weary of jobs that seem too good to be true. In this economy, no one needs to add an identity and money scam to their problems.

Australian Law Jobs

The Western Australian job market is now becoming more favorable for lawyers who practice litigation involving energy and resources.

A recent survey conducted by top legal recruitment firm The Australian found that this area of law is expected to have one of the highest level of demands for new talent.

Seven recruiters were polled and all agreed that those practicing energy and resources law will have an increasingly easy time find a job in Western Australia. The need for these professionals is now considered urgent due in part to the thriving mining industry in Perth and Brisbane.

Another thing that all of the recruiters involved in the survey agreed upon is that the legal recruitment market will continue to thrive for the rest of this year.

Greg Plummer, office manager of Dolman Melbourne, says that “Over the next six months, Australian firms are expected to continue their search for strong Australian and international lawyers in all states and across most practice focuses, particularly for lawyers with at least two years of sold experience.”

Because of the level of need, this is a great time for those lawyers who desire to find new employment to begin their job search. Lawyers with experience in energy and resources will have the easiest time finding a new office to work for.

Cam Thomson, the associate director of Naiman Clarke, says that the need for these individuals is so great that they are “more valuable than the resources themselves--and there’s no end in sight.”

The city of Perth has the greatest need for energy and resources lawyers. Recruiters have found that the current job market cannot seem to supply enough experienced professionals to meet the demand. According to Stuart Ablethorpe, leader of Hudson Legal practice, law firms are becoming increasingly competitive in their efforts to attract the best talent available.

Western Australia Jobs

Despite the strength of the mining industry, Western Australia job growth is expected to slow down slightly before the year is over.

According to the newest report by the Melbourne Institute, annual employment growth nationwide is expected to slow down to 2.2 percent in March of next year, which is down 0.6 percent from this year. The real cause of the diminishing job gains is believed to be the high interest rates that the Reserve Bank has set.

“The outlook for labor remains gloomy,” Dr. Michael Chua, of MI’s applied macroeconomics team, said. “The decline in dwelling commencements and the number of building approvals are indicative of further possible slowdown in the labor market, particularly in the construction sector.”

Although the institute expects there to be fewer new jobs, it predicts that the unemployment rate will remain steady at 4.3 percent through the beginning of 2009.

Throughout the country the number of positions created may slow, but Queensland and Western Australia are expected to remain the strongest states in this regard. Since the economy of both of these areas is driven by mining and resources, the institute believes they will have the strongest economic growth in earliest part of 2009.

“The stronger growth for Queensland and Western Australia is consistent with the relatively stronger consumer sentiment observed in these two states in June,” the report stated. “Although the continued demand for commodities and the associated improvement in the terms of trade tend to support the Australian economy, the prospect of rising inflation in China and India, and continued weakness in the US, poses an additional downside threat for Australian growth.”

Elsewhere in the country, Victoria and New South Wales are expected to have unemployment rates as high as 4.6 percent in March of 2009. NSW job growth will likely drop to 1.8 percent by the same time period, which is down from 3.2 percent this March. The institute has predicted that Victoria’s employment growth will slow down from 2.8 percent to 1.7 percent.

Newton Inc., the future of recruiting software

Newton, Inc. is a new recruiting software company based in San Francisco, CA. This new program, called Newton, is a simple, web-based recruiting software and applicant management system. Newton is meant to organize and simplify programs, thus, creating a stress free way for everyone to become involved in hiring. It is good to get several people in a company involved in the hiring process because it ensures the right person is chosen on all levels.

According to Talent Managment Tech about what sets Newton apart from other software, "While many recruiting software vendors continue to tout features that aim to attract more candidates, Newton is designed to solve the bigger problem associated with streamlining the recruiting process: improving the communication and collaboration between recruiters and hiring managers."

Co-founder of Newton, Inc., Joel Passen, says that the company is coming from a completely different angle. "Hiring lives and dies in two key areas: one, getting hiring managers engaged in the recruiting process; and two, empowering recruiters to collaborate with those managers and increase their accuracy."

The software has been available for 5 years, which allowed the company to change any issues. This helped make Newton be completely user friendly. It is now the first Rich Internet Application for recruiting.

An estimated 250,000 small and mid-sized companies are the aim of Newton, Inc. Pricing for the software varies according to the number of administrative and staffing users. An estimated annual subscription could cost under $2000.

Companies using Newton will be pleased with some of the extra care provided, such as expert support to help companies set up the system, import existing resumes and create a custom careers site.

The purpose of pre-employment tests

Pre-employment tests are being used more and more by companies hiring new employees. These tests ensure that the applicant has the necessary skills, abilities, and personality traits to succeed at the job.

The first of these tests is the aptitude test, or test of maximum performance. The tests tell an employer how quickly a person may be expected to learn to do any tasks required. It is important to employer to hire someone they feel is competent in the field and a hard worker.

When employers are selecting aptitude tests, it is important to find a test-form which can rank applicants in order of percentiles. If applicants answer a majority of questions correct, the test may be too "easy" to measure the individual accurately. An applicants' abilities could be higher than the test could measure.

Personality tests could be included in pre-employment testing. This looks into an applicants' honesty and reliability, as well as, their customer service and sales capabilities. However, most personality tests are administered by psychologists.

Here are some tips to keep in mind when taking these tests:

• Read instructions and each question carefully.
  
• Read all parts of the test question.
  
• Avoid over-analyzing the questions, they aren't meant to be tricky.
• Look at each test as a separate set of questions.
• Don't spend too much time on problem questions. Move on and then come back.

Staffing Software Company Helps Client Save Money

One staffing software company is helping its clients save money.

TempWorks Software, Inc. recently announced that one of its clients, Penmac Personnel Services, expects to increase its bottom line by about $15,000 per year by using the TempWorks Time Clock solution.

During the last nine months, Penmac Personnel has installed more than 12 TempWorks Time Clocks. The product allows staffing companies to decide how employees should punch-in and punch-out using the clocks. Security authorization can be accomplished by number of different methods, including: keyed pin codes, magnetic swipe cards, or biometrically.

The software also allows line-workers and managers to have access to real-time information so they can see who is on-site and who is absent, as well as up-to-the-minute information on when employees enter and exit a worksite.

"The TempWorks Time Clock is a big step forward in the weakest area of staffing; getting accurate data into the system for payroll processing," Mark Gullet, application systems analyst for Penmac Personnel Services, said in a press release. "Fewer staff members are needed to verify the Time Clock 'punches' and submit the data directly into our payroll system."

"TempWorks Time Clocks are yet another way Penmac is able to differentiate themselves from their competition, while saving money at the same time," TempWorks Vice President Cory Hintz added.

TempWorks Software is designed to automate and streamline all facets of a staffing firm's daily operation. The company, which was founded in 1994, offers fully-integrated front and back-office staffing software and Web portals for customers, employees, applicants and vendor management, as well as other additional modules.

Penmac Personnel Services offers staffing services for light industrial placement and the clerical and transportation industries. The company operates 35 offices in five states and was named one of the Top 50 Organizations for Diversity by DiversityBusiness.com.

Applicant Tracking System for Mobile

One company has developed a mobile applicant tracking system.

Jobscience, Inc has launched a mobile application for searching, viewing and communicating with a CV database. The application is designed for use with the applicant tracking solution available through Salesforce.com's AppExchange.

The application, which was developed for the iPhone, enables corporate recruiters and staffing agencies to quickly find contacts with the skills they need. A recruiter can then call, e-mail, text message or connect with candidates via social networks.

Applicant tracking changes

myStaffingPro has always been in tune with the changing needs of companies when it comes to applicant tracking. On Wednesday the company announced their new Vendor Portal Module. This enables vendors to manage submissions of applicants by third party recruiters. Also, it allows vendors to submit and review applicants 24/7.


Features include
Create New Vendors:
Select the Add Contact link at anytime to create a new vendor. Enter as little as the vendor’s name and email address to create an entry.

Manage and Remove Vendors:
Utilize the View/Edit link to modify or remove vendors.

Notify Vendors about an Opening:
Inform vendors about the new requisition with the automatic vendor notification email. The email will populate with information from the requisition and will provide details on how to submit an applicant.

Vendor Access Level:
Provide vendors with limited access to myStaffingPro® so they can:

• Submit applicants to a requisition

• Review their submitted applicants

• Review their assigned requisitions

Receive Applicant Submission Emails:
Stay informed about third party recruiter submissions with automated email notifications.

Review Vendor Submissions:
Build a list of submitted applicants and track them through the hiring process.

Launch Vendor Sourcing Reports:
Analyze vendor data with sourcing reports that detail your contact list and the contact log.

Pentagon could threaten Connecticut jobs

Thousands of Connecticut jobs could be at risk if the government choose to can the F-22 project. The state's lawmakers are ready to fight the Defense Secretary, Robert Gates, to protect its people.

Several states, including Connecticut, are the main areas in the U.S. for defense manufacturing. If the Pentagon decides to stop production on the F-22 fighter jets it will not only leave thousands without jobs and the country at risk.

"This budget presents an opportunity - one of those rare chances to match virtue to necessity; to critically and ruthlessly separate appetites from real requirements," Secretary Gates said Monday.

Machinists Union responded saying, "Connecticut unemployment is currently at 7.4% and climbing; cancelling the F-22 is a disastrous decision for Connecticut manufacturing workers and their families."

This is such an imperative issue to be addressed that Connecticut governor voiced her concerns.

According to Governor Jodi Rell, "thousands of critical Connecticut jobs depend on the future of the F-22 program, and I will be working with our state's Congressional delegation to fight for those jobs every step of the way."

Gates, also, announced that if the F-22 was cancelled, the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter would be accelerated. The Pentagon ultimately wants to purchase this new fighter.

Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman said that by cutting F-22 production, "our industrial base will suffer a major blow before the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter reaches full-rate production. This would result in the loss of thousands of jobs in Connecticut -- the skilled workers we will need to support the F-35 in just a few years, but who may no longer be available."

Even though the decision won't be made until later this year, people are still concerned.

United Technologies Corporation's Pratt & Whitney and Hamilton Sundstrand are thought to take the hardest hits.

Disney lays off thousands

Disney World is a place where dreams come true, but some have come to an end after the company eliminated thousands of Florida jobs. The company claims that the lay offs are not related to the suffering economy, but from reorganization. No matter what the reason is, this is one of the largest lay offs for Disney.

With 1,900 lay offs at both Disney parks, 1,400 came from Florida. But Disney says that park goers won't notice a difference. Hundreds of the lost jobs were in positions that weren't being filled at the time. However, no "backstage" jobs didn't have the potential to be on the chopping block.

"These decisions were not made lightly, but are essential to maintaining our leadership in family tourism ... We continue to work through our reorganization and manage our business based on demand," Disney spokeswoman Kim Prunty said.

According to Disney, people who lost their jobs were given severance packages and help to find another job.

The good news is that the majority of the cuts are over. However, employees do have to face that their is a chance for more lay offs to come.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Florida unemployment rate was 9.4% and rising in February.

The new face of recruiting software

The recruiting software business may be in for some serious competition. SmartRecruiters is a free and new applicant tracking system.

SmartRecruiters works with companies with as many as 2,500 employees. It stands out from all the rest because of their Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) and Open Source creates a simple system that can be set up in minutes. The community-based, Open SaaS application connecting users to other recruiters. SmartRecruiters works with more than 60,000 corporate users across 100 countries.


The community-based system benefits small and medium sized companies with no fees. SmartRecruiters has numerous features to help employers. Users can generate and post jobs, build career sites, schedule interviews, and rate and hire candidates. A community-based system is a help to recruiters; other features include adding colleagues as users, interact with other recruiters within the community.

Before, companies needed to pay exorbitant amounts of money to outside tracking companies. Some fees were for set-up fees, hosting, licensing, and system upgrades. No longer will companies waste their money.

And in this economy, company can put the money their saving to good use.

The in's and out's of background checks

The number of employers running background checks is growing. Even though most people have little to nothing to hide, it still makes them uncomfortable knowing a stranger will be looking into their personal lives.

Information to be included in the search:

• Driving records and vehicle registration
• Court and criminal records
• Bankruptcy and credit report
• Medical and drug test records
• Education and past employment

After a certain time some items that cannot be included:

• Bankruptcies after 10 years
• Civil suits, civil judgments, and records of arrest, from date of entry, after seven years.
• Paid tax liens after seven years
• Accounts placed for collection after seven years
• Any other negative information (except criminal convictions) after seven years

Applicant are allowed to know what a company will be checking for. According the FCRA applicants need submit written consent prior to the background check being conducted.

Still concerned about background checks? Potential job applicants can conduct there own type of background check to ensure no "surprises" or concerns come up. Some examples include:

• Conduct your own credit report
• Check DMV records
• Ask for your personnel file from a previous job
• Clean up your personal web pages, like Facebook

If you follow these steps and there are no surprises, you'll have nothing to worry about.

Las Vegas isn't recession proof

With the Nevada unemployment rate hitting 10.1% in February, Las Vegas jobs have been struggling over the past months. Las Vegas Sands Corp. laid off 283 employees last week.

The lay offs came to the Venetian and the Palazzo resorts, which the company owns, and the to the corporate office. This is in addition to the hundreds of jobs lost in December 2008. Las Vegas Sands Corp. and resorts have become victim of the recession.

According to Ron Reese, Sands spokesperson, the company is attempting to save money. It is in $10.4 billion of debt and are facing large interest costs.

Even though the Sands Corp. is in battling debt doesn't stop them from open new resorts in the country and over seas. On May 22, the company plans to open another Sands resort and casino in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

The following the announced lay offs, Las Vegas Sands Corp. could go ahead with opening a new resort in Asia called the Macua. Additionally, a $5.4 billion Singapore resort will be opening at the end of the year.

ATS Company Improves Software

One ATS company is working to improve its software.

myStaffingPro, one of the leading applicant tracking systems, is increasing its software with the Offer Approval module. The new module enables human resources professionasl to request and receive hiring manager feedback on an applicant offer without logging into myStaffingPro.

The offering includes a configurable feedback request process, a stand-alone hiring manager portal and ongoing progress notifications.

Recruiters can configure the offer request by selecting the desired hiring manager, response due date and applicant attachment. Communication options enable hiring managers to receive and review the request through email, PDA or a web-enabled cell phone.

The response request features the applicant’s information, requisition information, response deadline and a link to the hiring manager interface. The easy-to-use interface enables hiring mangers to review the applicant offer information and immediately submit feedback without logging into myStaffingPro.

The new interface removes the training barrier that typically prevents hiring managers from using applicant tracking.

The hiring manager feedback is immediately tied to the applicant file and is accessible in myStaffingPro. Meanwhile, the requester is sent continual updates on the progress of their request. The result is a streamlined feedback process that improves response rates and requires no training.

"Our pre-release testing partners have been overwhelmingly enthusiastic about this cutting-edge HR technology," Jennifer Brogee, product development manager, said in a press release .