Sales Jobs in Phoenix Thankful for Black Friday

An influx of Black Friday shoppers should support many sales jobs in Phoenix (Click here) this week.

A new report from the National Retail Foundation is predicting that the number of Americans who shop on Black Friday, or the day after Thanksgiving, will increase from 138 million last year to 152 million this year.

"Though many retailers are already touting select Black Friday ads, there's no doubt we'll all be blown away by what retailers still have in their bag of tricks for shoppers, " Matthew Shay, president and CEO of NRF, said in a press release. "We fully expect to see excited shoppers as early as midnight at stores around the country, as many holiday shoppers would rather stay up all night to take advantage of retailers' Black Friday deals than set their alarm to wake up the next morning."

Some highlights of the report include:

• 74 million people will definitely go shopping on Black Friday, while another 77 million are waiting to see what bargains stores will offer.
• 50.5 percent plan to use advertising circulars to find deals, while 31.7 percent will watch retailers' commercials., 23.1 percent will use coupon websites, and 32.3 percent will use e-mail coupons from retailers.
• 17.3 percent will monitor retailers' Facebook pages, while 11.3 percent will use deal sites like Groupon and LivingSocial.
• Of those who own tablets, 31.2 percent will monitor retailers' Facebook pages and 21.3 percent will use group buying site.

"Social media will play a big role in how shoppers follow company sales announcements this holiday season," Phil Rist, executive vice president of strategic initiatives for BIGresearch, which conducted the study, said. "From Facebook to Twitter and even group buying sites, 'social' retailers may be rewarded this season in terms of additional holiday sales."

Dallas Hotel Jobs to Grow as Construction Projects are Completed

Plenty of Dallas hotel jobs (Click here) should be created in the coming months, as the city ranks high for its number of hotel rooms in construction.

According to the October Construction Dodge Pipeline Report from Smith Travel Research and McGraw Hill, there are currently 2,835 hotel projects underway totaling 310,387 rooms, which is a 9 percent decrease from last year.

Dallas ranks fourth in the nation for the number of hotel rooms in construction. The report includes projects in the "In Construction," "Final Planning," and "Planning" stages, but not those in the "Pre-Planning" stage.

The top 10 markets by number of rooms in construction include:

1. New York City - 7,459
   
2. Orlando - 2,835
   
3. Washington, D.C. - 2,674
   
4. Nashville - 1,490
   
5. Dallas - 1,400
   
6. Phoenix - 1,156
   
7. Philadelphia - 1,071
   
8. Miami-Hialea - 1,036
   
9. Las Vegas - 794
   
10. Chicago - 724

"New room supply growth will remain muted for the overall industry in the coming years," Vail Brown, vice president of global sales and marketing for STR, said in a press release. "An exception is the New York City market; they are in the middle of a new hotel construction explosion. Currently, rooms under construction represent around 7 percent of their existing supply base; this is a robust number.

"One very interesting observation is this is the first time in several years STR hasn't seen Las Vegas in the top five for new construction," she added.

Grad Schools for OT Jobs Arizona

Those considering the OT jobs Arizona has to offer among their future career options should be sure to first gain the proper education.

Occupational therapists work with patients who suffer from mental, physical, developmental, or emotional disorders. Their goal is to help patients improve their quality of life and work by better performing basic functions.

All students must first earn their master's degree before becoming eligible to work as an entry-level occupational therapist. Most employees work in ambulatory healthcare services, while others are employed by hospitals, officers, other healthcare practitioners, educational services, and nursing care facilities.

According to Education-Portal.com, the top 20 graduate schools for occupational therapy include:

• Ohio State University
• University of Florida
• New York University
• University of Wisconsin-Madison
• University of Washington
• University of Southern California
• San Jose State University
• Boston University
• University of Kansas
• Colorado State University
• University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
• University of Pittsburgh
• Columbia University
• Eastern Kentucky University
• Washington University in St. Louis
• Duquesne University
• Tufts University
• St. Catherine University
• University of Puget Sound
• University of Texas Medical Branch

Nursing Jobs in Arizona Grow Along with Nation

Nursing jobs in Arizona and across the country are continuing to grow.

A recent report from American Traveler found that nursing jobs - including registered nursing and travel nursing positions - have increased by 56 percent over the last year. This is great news for anyone wondering what RN jobs Phoenix has to offer.

The majority of that growth is due to larger employers that are recovering from the recession and beginning to hire again, as well as an influx of ambulatory outpatient care centers that have opened throughout the nation.

"It looks like healthcare is back in business," Deborah Bacurin, RN, clinical resource manager for American Traveler, said in a statement. "The demand for ambulatory nurse jobs has skyrocketed and almost half of all jobs created in September went to healthcare."

Here are some key findings of the report:

• The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that hospital job growth during the first nine months of 2011 was four times that of 2010.
• Of all the jobs created during September, 42 percent were healthcare related.
• The number of ambulatory healthcare jobs doubled last month.
• About 344,000 new healthcare jobs should be created by the end of the year, more than in manufacturing and construction.

"It's a really good time for nurses to consider a career in travel nursing, and for some to look beyond the hospital," Mary Kay Hull, vice president of recruitment for American Traveler, said. "New business models have pervaded healthcare. These include not only ambulatory care centers, but skilled nursing facilities, outpatient surgery clinics and various types of physician practices subject to a seasonal census.

"The nurse jobs are out there," she continued. "They pay good and come with great benefits. On the other hand, healthcare employers are looking for the 'cream of the crop.' They've raised performance standards for nurses and are keeping better track of where and how they spend labor dollars."

Physician, Nursing Jobs Arizona Recognized

Those with physician and nursing jobs Arizona were recently recognized for their excellence in patient care.

Physicians at Arizona Heart Institute were recently awarded the Aetna Aexcel-designation for its top performance in general surgery, cardiology, and vascular surgery. The Aexcel designation recognizes physicians in 12 specialties who have met certain clinical performance and efficiency standards.

In order to be considered for the designation, physicians must meet a certain minimum patient volume and pass clinical performance criteria. Physicians are evaluated based on five specific categories, including:

• Hospital readmission rates
• Health complication rates
• Outcomes
• Cost for service
• Number and types of services performed

"We are extremely proud to be recognized as top performers in these clinical specialty areas at Arizona Heart Institute," Dr. Mark Kestner, chief medical officer for Abrazo Health Care, said in a statement. "These particular categories speak volumes to our patients who seek high-level medical care for general surgery, cardiology and vascular surgery needs."

Arizona Heart Institute is part of Abrazo Health Care, the second-largest healthcare system in Arizona. Abrazo runs five acute care hospitals; one cardiovascular hospital; one free-standing dedicated cardiovascular outpatient facility; two health plans; school-based health centers; and Abrazo Medical Group.

Sales Jobs Phoenix Arizona Bolstered by Retail Growth

The number of sales jobs Phoenix Arizona (http://jobs.bestwestern.com) has to offer should see an increase thanks to a recent boost in retail sales.

A recent report from the National Retail Federation found that retail sales increased by .4 percent during September and by 5.7 percent when compared to last year. This is great news for the economy, because it means consumers are once again spending money.

"The American consumer and the retail industry continue to lead this recovery, and strong September retail sales are just what the economy needs right now," Matthew Shay, president and CEO of the NRF, said. "The unexpectedly strong sales increase in September may work to dampen fears of a double-dip recession and could indicate an economic and employment rebound."

A separate report from the U.S. Department of Commerce - which includes non-general merchandise like cars and restaurants - found that sales increased by 1.1 percent over the month and by 8.6 percent over the year.

Here's a look at how sales fared during September:

• Clothing and clothing accessory stores - +1.3 percent
• Furniture and home furnishing stores - +1.1 percent
• Health and personal care stores - +.3 percent
• Electronics and appliances stores - +.2 percent
• Building materials and garden equipment stores - -.1 percent

"Despite stagnant unemployment figures and a shaky stock market, American consumers are holding their own," NRF Chief Economist Jack Kleinhenz said. "While September's sales figures were strong, retailers' fourth quarter growth will continue to depend heavily on the labor market and consumer confidence, both of which continue to experience weakness."

Sales Careers Phoenix Bolstered by Halloween

Many sales careers Phoenix should be supported as consumers gear up for upcoming Halloween festivities.

 The 2011 Halloween Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey from the National Retail Federation found that holiday spending will reach $6.86 billion this year. About 68.6 percent of Americans plan to celebrate Halloween, spending an average of $72.31 per person.

"Eager to shake off the summer heat and forget about the economy for a few days, Americans are looking forward to having some fun this Halloween," Matthew Shay, president and CEO of NRF, said in a statement. "Many retailers have already stocked their shelves with Halloween merchandise and, given the popularity of the holiday this year, consumers should not hesitate when they find something that would make their celebration complete."

Some interesting findings of the survey include:

• The average consumer will spend $26.52 on costumes.
• A total of $1 billion will be spent on children's costumes, while $1.21 billion will be spent on adult costumes, and $310 million will be spent on pet costumes.
• Consumers will spend an average of $19.79 on decorations, $21.05 on candy, and $4.96 on cards.
• 43.9 percent plan to dress in costume, up from 40.1 percent last year.
• 34.3 percent plan to attend a party, up from 33.3 percent during 2010.
• 22.9 percent plan to visit a haunted house, up from 20.8 percent last year.
• 49.5 percent plan to decorate their home or yard.
• 14.7 percent plan to dress their pets in costume.
• 73.5 percent plan to hand out candy.
• 47.8 percent plan to carve a pumpkin.
• 32.9 percent plan to take children trick-or-treating.
• 32.1 percent say the state of the economy is affecting their Halloween plans.
• 87.1 percent plan to spend less overall.
• 18.9 percent plan to make a costume, while 16.6 percent plan to use last year's costume, and 40.2 percent plan to buy less candy.

"Thanks to creative costumes and décor for consumers of all ages, Halloween has become one of the most anticipated holidays of the year for many people," said Pam Goodfellow, consumer insights director for BIGresearch, said. "As a non-gift holiday, even people on the strictest budget can enjoy themselves this Halloween."  

Nonprofit Fundraising Jobs Supported by Millions in Grants

A number of organizations have received large grants in recent weeks that will support many nonprofit fundraising jobs.

The Chronicle of Philanthropy releases a list of grants totaling $20,000 or more every Thursday. Grants are made by foundations, companies, and other private sources and go toward a variety of causes, from drought relief to education reform.

Here are the 10 largest grants for the week of September 15:

1. Bloomberg Family Foundation (New York, N.Y.) - $18 million over 33 months from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to reduce tobacco use in low and middle-income countries with a priority focus on Africa.
2. Duke Ellington School of the Arts (Washington, D.C.) - $17.2 million from the Eugene B. Casey Foundation for an educational endowment.
3. Harvard School of Public Health (Boston, Mass.) - $12 million over three years from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to improve maternal health in developing countries
4. Duke University (Durham, N.C.)/Michigan State University (East Lansing, Mich.)/Salk Institute for Biological Studies (La Jolla, Calif.) - $1.6 million each over 62 months from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation to support innovative plant biology research.
5. KIPP Foundation (San Francisco, Calif.) - $3.5 million from the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation to support the 2015 Plan program, particularly data collection, reporting, usage training, and school and regional reviews.
6. World Health Organization (Geneva, Wash.) - $2.9 million over three years from the Bil l & Melinda Gates Foundation to bring new vaccines to low and middle-income countries.
7. Kaivalya Education Foundation (Ahmedabad, India) - $2.5 million from the Michael and Susab Dell Foundation to help governments and schools develop into strong and inspirational leaders.
8. D.C. Public Education Fund (Washington, D.C.) - $1.5 million over 29 months from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to help school systems properly train employees who observe classrooms.
9. Pew Research Center (Washington, D.C.) - $1.4 million over 32 months from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to conduct national research on consumer expectations and use of public library services, especially e-books and digital content.
10. Oxfam America (Boston, Mass.) - $1.4 million over 19 months from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to support relief efforts after the recent drought in Ethiopia.