The US jobs growth slowed sharply in July as the country struggled to control the coronavirus pandemic.
1.8 million jobs have been added last month, down from a record 4.8 million in June.
The US unemployment rate fell to 10.2%, continuing to improve from the high of 14.7% seen in April.
The figures reignited calls for Washington to approve further economic stimulus, though the slowdown was not as bad as many economists had feared.
The US Labor Department report, “confirms that the resurgence in new virus cases caused the economic recovery to slow, but also underlines that it has not yet gone into reverse,” said Andrew Hunter, senior economist at Capital Economics.
The job gains in July came from many of the sectors hit hardest by shutdowns, including restaurants, bars and retail outlets.
Economists have said this kind of hiring, happening as states around the country allow establishments to reopen, represents the “easy” part of a long recovery ahead.
Since February, the US has lost more than 12 million jobs and seen unemployment spike from a roughly 50-year-low of 3.5%.
In Q2 of 2020, the US economy was hit by its sharpest quarterly contraction in more than 70 years of record-keeping, shrinking at an annual rate of 33% or nearly 10% year-on-year.
The 10.2% unemployment rate the Labor Department reported for July is higher than the worst of the 2007-2009 financial crisis, when the jobless rate peaked at 10%.
This week, nearly 1.2 million people filed new claims for unemployment. More than 31 million people – roughly 1 in 5 American workers – continue to collect the benefits.
Economists have said the loss of momentum last month is a sign of the peril facing the economy, as health concerns put a dampener on consumer spending and temporary measures passed in March, including bans on evictions and a $600 emergency boost to unemployment benefits, expire.
While Washington lawmakers have been trying to negotiate further stimulus, many Republicans oppose a deal of the size Democrats say is necessary.
“The most responsible thing we can do is to take proactive measures to allow people to return to work safely, instead of continuing to lock down the economy,” Republican Congressman Kevin Brady said after the report.
Republicans want a deal to include legal protections for employers against virus-related health claims from workers.
They are also pushing to reduce the $600 emergency supplement to unemployment benefits, which expired last month, and have proposed far less aid to local governments than Democrats want.
Their stance has presented a challenge for President Donald Trump, who had hoped to use a strong economy as his calling card to voters in his campaign for re-election in November. He has said he may act unilaterally to extend some aid.
Hiring the best employees is critical to your business’s long-term success. But how can you ensure that you’re hiring the right people? When broken down into its most basic components—creating a job listing, reviewing applications, interviewing candidates, then hiring the individual you like most—it might seem like hiring is fairly straightforward and difficult to get wrong. But there is actually a strategy to finding the most qualified people to bring onto your team.
Before you hire anyone else, implement these steps into your recruiting process so you can hire top-quality candidates who will be an asset to your business.
Step 1: Do Your Research
Before you create a job description, it is advisable that you set aside some time to research the duties, experience level, and expectations for the role. This will help you craft a detailed job description that clearly communicates what you will need a prospective candidate to be able to do and set a realistic standard in their mind. Even when you’re just hiring freelancers, this process is important because you want to have someone who you can trust with the tasks at hand—plus, you never know who could become a part of your full-time team in the long run. Having a clear and informational job listing will also help you remain competitive against other companies who are looking to fill this same position.
This step is especially important if you’re hiring for a brand-new type of position or it’s your first time hiring someone in general.
Step 2: Have a Vetting System in Place
One of the biggest mistakes a business can make when hiring is neglecting to vet candidates thoroughly. Why is this important? First and foremost, it can confirm that applicants are being truthful about who they are and their experience. Additionally, it serves as a safety measure. If candidates have a criminal record, especially one that involves violence or theft, it can put your employees and customers at unnecessary risk.
Criminal background checks for employment can provide reliable reports on prospective employees. If you are going to also search candidates online and review their social media profiles, tread carefully. The information found on these platforms can give you access to information (sexual orientation, religion, etc.) that might be considered a basis for discrimination if you turn them down for the job.
Another useful vetting measure is conducting phone interviews before bringing candidates into the office. During a phone interview you can ask a few key screening questions that can help you make a quick decision as to whether the applicant is worth investing sit-down interview time in, or if they are no longer in the running.
Step 3: Make a List of Must-Haves
When it comes to sifting through large stacks of applications, it can be difficult to narrow down your candidates to the few you’ll actually interview—especially if you posted a highly specific listing. One thing you should do before reviewing applications is create a succinct checklist of must-haves for each category.
For example, this could be two years’ experience, the ability to use a certain program, typing speed, etc. This will allow you to quickly go through and disqualify applicants who don’t meet your criteria. This can be done quickly with a search function. Then, you can do a more in-depth evaluation of those applications that made the initial cut. This method should help you cut down on time and effort.
Step 4: Ask the Right Questions
The one-on-one time you have with a candidate is limited, so make the most of this opportunity by asking direct questions that will yield useful information about them. Ask them about specifics like their experience with a program, to give examples of problem-solving skills in a certain situation, and what they believe their best asset is to bring to the table. Most importantly, make the questions you ask relevant to the qualities they need to possess to perform well at their job.
Keep in mind that personality is also an important factor to consider when comparing candidates. Someone who fits your company culture, takes criticism well, and is easy to collaborate and communicate with will likely transition into the position more easily and may even be more likely to remain onboard for longer.
With these four steps in mind, you can refine your hiring process to help you find highly qualified candidates who can help your company reach the next level.
With the economy on the slow road to recovery after the 2008 collapse, you may be thinking that it is the right time for a career change. Whether looking for a change of scenery, or a leg up, you will find yourself in the unenviable task of putting yourself out there. However, too often people begin their job searches with a lack of preparation. Going into the job market without taking the proper steps beforehand, can decrease the chance of you landing the job you always wanted. Let’s take a look at some simple things you can do to make yourself more ready than ever to find a new job.
Research Potential Employers
When you have had the itch to leave your job for longer than you can even remember, it’s easy to jump ship at the first opportunity. With the economy continuing to add jobs, there are more options than ever. Don’t make this mistake. It might seem like the first job that pops up is the one you have always been waiting for, but it’s likely not. The desire to immediately jump ship is a result of wanting to be rid of your old job, not excitement to work at the new one. Switching jobs frequently can lead to a pattern of working for a small amount of time, only to then switch to a new job, and so on. Not only does this mean you will be constantly retraining and wasting time, but it looks bad on your resume too.
A better solution is to be patient and wait until you the right opportunity opens up. Part of this is knowing what your career goals are. Obviously, if you aspire to be a restaurant manager, switching from your fry cook position to a retail advisor makes zero sense. Ideally, you want every job switch you make to be done with a solid reason as to why your new job will aid your career. Researching the companies that you are considering applying to will help you make those decisions. There are plenty of resources available that can give you detailed information about certain company’s employment policies, pay scale, culture and more. Researching the companies you are thinking of applying to will save you time, and send you on the right path for your career.
Perfect Your Resume
More often than not, your resume will be the first thing any prospective employer will see from you. It can’t be overstated how helpful taking the time to update, rework, and improve your resume can be. Again, it is the first thing an employer is going to look at. You don’t want it to be a flimsy, wrinkled piece of paper you haven’t changed since college.
Sitting down and updating your resume will give you the chance to highlight any strengths you have in your field, as well as cover any weaknesses. Didn’t finish school? Focus on your employment history. Got fired at a previous job for eating too many jelly doughnuts? Talk about your food addiction rehab and how you have positively changed your life and relationship with food since. You don’t have to go it alone either. There are plenty of resources available to help you fine-tune your resume into a veritable work of art. Both online and offline professional resume helpers can give you sound advice on your resume, such as what areas to highlight, or how to format your resume. You can even find great cover letter examples online.
Have A Backup
Sometimes finding the job you want takes a long time. In fact, it can take months of applying, researching, and interviewing before you land a permanent gig. So before you start, it is wise to have a backup plan ready. A backup plan can take a few different forms. One option is to continue to work at the same job you already have. This is the route most people choose, whether it is out of necessity or convenience. On the plus side, it looks good to employers when you are still working while applying, and you keep a steady income. However, one negative aspect is that keeping your old job leaves you less time and energy to search for a different job.
Another option is to save up enough money to able to take time off and dedicate yourself to a job search. While not feasible for everyone, this is the best option if you really want to spend the time searching out the perfect job for yourself. You will have ample free time to research, apply, and prepare for your next job. One possible pitfall though is you get stuck without a job and run out of money, in which case you are back to square one.
Wrap Up
Searching for a job is an exciting time. Just remember to plan out your approach ahead of time, so you are not giving yourself unnecessary headaches, looking for your next job.
Under the right circumstances, careers in the field of finance tend to pay quite handsomely, and one of these circumstances is related to job location. A financial planner or investment analyst can earn a significant paycheck each month, but the cost of living in certain cities will determine how far the salary will go. In the United States, it is easier for professionals in the finance sector to find job opportunities in the five cities listed below:
Miami
The Magic City is mostly known for tourism, fashion, and entertainment, but it is important to remember that this is the financial capital of Florida and Latin America. Miami is one of the best places for bilingual professionals to find work in the field of finance; an underwriter processing title loans in Orlando will likely earn a higher salary in Miami if they’re fluent in Spanish, but they will also have to adjust to the higher cost of living.
San Francisco
This majestic city in California is the headquarters of the global venture capital industry, which means that there is no shortage of job opportunities for accountants, investment analysts, and portfolio managers. The City by the Bay is also home to the main offices of Charles Schwab and Franklin Templeton, two of the biggest names in retail stock investments. Although San Francisco offers a great quality of life, the cost of living is one of the highest in the country; in 2016, the average rent payment on a one-bedroom apartment was more than $3,400 per month.
New York
Even though London has been considered to be the financial capital of the world for most of the 21st century, the Brexit referendum for the United Kingdom to leave the European Union is causing an exodus of financial firms from this capital city, which means that New York has regained that title. As long as Wall Street continues to operate in Manhattan, there will be plenty of jobs for financial professionals who seek to relocate here. The bullish run of the Dow Jones and the S&P 500 investment benchmarks over the last few years has created ample employment opportunities for investment professionals.
Charlotte
When it comes to retail banking, no other city has a higher concentration of major companies than Charlotte. By virtue of being home to Bank of America, quite a few other major banks have also chosen to make this North Carolina city their headquarters. The best part about Charlotte is that its median annual salary of $67,470 for financial professionals is more than adequate to cover the cost of living; after all, this is a city where a small house can be rented for just $1,000 per month.
Seattle
This city has achieved the distinction of being known as the Silicon Valley of the Pacific Northwest due to its growing tech sector that is spearheaded by companies such as Microsoft and Amazon. Seattle is a major center of innovation and development in the burgeoning financial technology sector, which is becoming known as “fintech.” The median salary in Seattle is adequate for its cost of living, and the quality of life is one of the highest in the United States. Two other cities that financial professionals should consider include Lincoln and Omaha in Nebraska, where most of the American insurance industry is concentrated, and where the cost of living is substantially lower than in the rest of the cities listed herein.
You may be struggling with your job now but can’t quit it because it’s the job that pays the bills. You may be thinking about how far you are from the fulfilling career you’ve always dreamt of. We often think about how this gap is so huge and how we can ever bridge this gap.
This world that we live in is so much different from three decades ago. The technology was able to revolutionize the way we do our jobs. However, the process of hiring is still the same as that during the 70s. There is very little that has changed in the ways jobs are posted and applied for, and how interviews happen both personally or online.
Maybe what should be considered first when it comes to creating an engaging workplace is by rewriting the rules of engagement to make the employment of workers more meaningful. In this post, we will look at some of the suggestions that you can do for you to be able to finally get the job of your dreams. The old ways of the hiring process and creating fun and exciting workplace may be something that is out of our hands. But there are things you can do to make sure you are right at the door of opportunities when it does open for you.
Go Beyond the Listed Jobs
There are a lot of jobs listed both online and offline. But you can do better than that. You can go beyond the listed jobs by taking the time to meet people from all walks of life. Don’t you know that most of the extraordinary jobs that you are looking for have already been filled in even before the companies posted them on job sites? Yes!
If you want to work for a certain company, go and meet the people who are already working for that company. Don’t be afraid to talk to them and meet new friends. Discover the restaurants and the pubs that they frequently go to. Once you earn good friends, it will be easier to ask if there are any job openings. Sometimes, you don’t even have to ask. They will already have you in their minds when an opening comes up, and they will be sure to call you or even refer you to their bosses. Remember, the time you spend with them is your investment, and it will all be worth your while.
Hone Your Skills
There are so many things that are being considered in an applicant such as charm, charisma, and likability. But above all these things, it always comes down to one thing: skills.
If you are aiming to be the best novelist there is, you have to take the time to practice and develop your craft. You may be working as a barista now but you’re not a barista 24/7, right? After your eight-hour shift, you have the rest of the 16 hours to sleep and to do what you want. If you are really serious at becoming a writer or becoming anything you set your mind to do, you will always find the time to do it and to practice, practice, practice.
Money Will Come Later
Some of the things we love to do do not easily come with money. If you are a struggling artist, you know this very well. But while you are honing your skills and talents just like what we mentioned above, you still have to be the best at what you do. Maybe you are an accountant at a big firm, but you really want to be a painter, you still have to work at being the best accountant there is in your firm.
Don’t be afraid to pursue your passion and still work hard to keep the job that pays the rent. Soon enough, you will have your own exhibition, and you will be known as the great painter that you are. If you only think about the money, you will not find happiness in what you do. But if you value your work, if you value your passions, each day of accomplished work will be its own reward.
Don’t Quit the Day Job
While your dream job is still miles away, it’s not only practical to stay in your day job; it will actually provide you with the resources to run after your dream job. Think about it, if you can save enough to live off for the next three to six months, you can actually start pursuing your dream. Other than that, if you are really confident about your chances of hitting it big, you can always look for loans such as those in Money Banker to help you start.
You should not only be passionate in pursuing your dream; you have to be smart as well. You don’t just blindly jump into the uncertainties of the unknown, but for some, that actually works. But if you want to be on the safe side, don’t quit your day job. Again, be the best at what you do, and the rewards will follow.
Takeaway
Now that you are equipped with the suggestions that you need to do to go after your dream job, the next thing you need to do is to decide on it. Beyond all these practical tips, it’s still important to go with your gut feel. Always take that into account. Sometimes, there are things that are seemingly irrational, but it can actually lead you towards the right direction. At the end of the day, you alone can make the decision to move closer to landing your dream job.
The Steve Jobs biopic jOBS had its debut at Eccles Center Theatre during the 2013 Sundance Film Festival on January 25, 2013, in Park City, Utah.
jOBS is directed by Joshua Michael Stern and stars Ashton Kutcher, Dermot Mulroney and James Woods.
The film presents the story of Steve Jobs’ (Ashton Kutcher) ascension from college dropout into one of the most revered creative entrepreneurs of the 20th century and it focuses on the early years of Apple was made without any involvement from the mega computer company.
This is the debut of jOBS. The film will be released into theaters in Friday, April 19 and will be released into theaters throughout the world up until the end of October.
jOBS is not yet rated and has a run-time of 2 hours and 2 minutes.
The Steve Jobs biopic jOBS had its debut at Eccles Center Theatre during the 2013 Sundance Film Festival on January 25, 2013, in Park City
A job interview is the first real opportunity you’ll have to start to build a relationship with people who may be pivotal to your career success for many years to come.
They’re not the only ones making decisions – you’ll also be sizing up whether you want to work with them.
1. Create a “to be” list
Entry is everything so think about how you want to “show up” at the interview. What qualities do you want to demonstrate? Decide in advance how you intend to come across – for example as confident, reliable, dynamic.
Write a “to be” list and identify ways you can transmit the qualities you want to broadcast. For example, to show confidence, make sure you can talk fluidly about your strengths and successes without bragging.
2. Make it more of a conversation
The more you can make the interview a two-way exchange, the more likely you are to relax. Make the most of this opportunity to gather information, get to know your prospective colleagues and catch a glimpse of the way they do things.
Come to the interview with some insightful questions prepared. Don’t trot out the same old questions that every candidate is likely to ask (such as what the opportunities for promotion are). Read the company’s website and research their performance, whether on the stock market or the league tables, so that your lines of inquiry are on point.
3. Be comfortable talking about money
Even if the job comes with an advertised salary, you may be asked what your salary expectations are. Anticipate this question and, off-line, practice saying your answer out loud. If you want to be paid more than the ad suggests, be prepared to give your reasons as you’ll need to justify your request.
Do some market research and find out what the going rates are. Check out how much equivalent jobs at other organizations pay by looking at job adverts or online salary surveys. Having this data at your fingertips will increase your confidence at striking a deal that feels good to you. It will also help you to come up with an original response to that interview classic – “Why do you want to work for us?”
A job interview is the first real opportunity you’ll have to start to build a relationship with people who may be pivotal to your career success for many years to come
4. Know your strengths
Be prepared to articulate your “unique selling points”. Give this question serious consideration. Think about your own combination of strengths – for example, are you that rare individual who is creative, proactive and reliable.
Before you go to the interview, complete this sentence, “I am someone who…” Write down your answer and reflect on your response. Think about feedback you’ve had from friends, family and other people who have affirmed your sense of who you are.
5. Be prepared to talk about your weaknesses
Anticipate being asked about your shortcomings. This is a sensitive subject that needs a careful response. Don’t be insincere, such as saying you’re a perfectionist if you’re not.
Be honest about your areas of development. If attention to detail is not your strong suit, say so and then indicate how you plan to address this. For example, you could say that at times you might ask a colleague to check over a critical document to make sure that you’ve attended to all the detail.
6. Value the non-verbals
When you talk face-to-face, it’s not just about the words you use. We’re social animals so body language, eye gaze and gestures all play their part. If you find it hard to look someone in the eye, you risk being judged as untrustworthy or as having something to hide.
Sit in an upright posture without leaning forward – you don’t want to come across as a people pleaser. Do your best to sit still without fidgeting as this will make you look nervous. Hold the other person’s eye gaze until just before they look away to send the message that you can hold your own without being aggressive.
7. Tailor how much you talk
It’s easy to fall into the trap of talking too much during an interview. Sometimes a question needs only a short response. Develop the ability to be concise.
If a longer response is needed, you could structure your answer by indicating, for example, that there are three points to consider. Help the other person to follow what you say by using some signposting such as “firstly..”, “secondly…” and “finally…”.
Varying the length of your input will help to make the interview more of a conversation. Listen carefully to what the interviewer has to say and, if needs be, check your understanding before answering.
8. Have a get-out line
Think through how you’ll respond to a question you don’t know the answer to. Instead of fudging it, have something prepared. You could say, for example, “Please can we come back to that question as I’d like a little more time to gather my thoughts?”
Do your best to stay composed. If you suddenly freeze, take a couple of deep breaths and ask them to repeat the question.
9. Ask for feedback
Towards the end of the interview, say that you’re keen to get some feedback on how you did (if this hasn’t been offered). Find out how who to follow up with and get their contact details. Do this in a respectful way so that you come across as keen to learn without being pushy.
10. Cultivate an attitude of “You win some, you lose some”
Have the intention to get the job without having the expectation that you will. Go into the interview with some degree of humility – arrogance is a big turn off for any employer.
Decide ahead of time that you’ll accept the outcome, whether you‘re successful or not. If you get turned down, be philosophical and resolve to reap the benefits of the experience next time you’re faced with an interview. If you do get offered the job – congratulations! – time to go out and celebrate!
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