The rather surprising turn-around from previous Labor Department reports brings a fresh air of hope with it as we head towards the Christmas season.  The Labor Department also revised July and June’s private-sector job figures in an upward direction.  The Dow Jones Industrial average reflected the hopefully revised figures as it jumped 128 points on Friday closing out its best week in the last 6 weeks.

The economy is still struggling to experience a full-fledge turn-around but several economist believe things are about to get much better.  Scott Brown, an economist at Raymond James, said he does not believe the country slip back to recession.”You’re still seeing broad-based job gains. It’s not strong, but it’s positive,” Brown said.

One conflicting and confusing statistic shows the actual jobless rate rising to 9.6 percent from 9.5 percent in July.  Much of this due to than a half-million Americans resuming their job searches in August.  This renewal of the unemployed searching for work actually drives up the jobless rate. When the unemployed stop looking for work, they are no longer counted in the jobless rate.

With nearly 8.4 million jobs lost in 2008 and 2009, we obviously have a long way to go to regain our previous job numbers and economic vitality.

Obama is asking congress to extend the Bush tax cuts for middle-class people and for reduced taxes along with making new loans available for small businesses.  But with elections around the corner in November, let’s hope patrician politics and maneuvering for control of the House and Senate don’t override the better good of the nation as a whole.   We need every possible innovative and far-sighted solution available to help dig us out of this mess.  There really is no room for politics when so many Americans lives and ability to put food on the table is affected.

Joseph Nino Rudolph

Obama continues to push for his clean energy agenda in order to address America’s growing energy demand and a means of putting people back to work.

Obama additionally had this to say, “These have been a couple of very hard years for America. And we’re not completely out of the woods yet, but we are headed in the right direction.”

Obama also noted his administration’s investments in clean energy as a source of job creation. He pointed out that ZBB Energy Corp. was able to expand its operations and will eventually open a new factory because of a tax credit available for clean energy companies. “We expect our commitment to clean energy to lead to more than 800,000 jobs by 2012,” Obama said after touring the battery factory on Monday.

Obama also mentioned, “When folks lift up the hoods on the cars of the future, I want them to see engines stamped ‘Made in America.’ When new batteries, to store solar power come off the line, I want to see printed on the side, ‘Made in America.’”

By the end of 2011, Obama plans to channel more than $50 billion to literally thousands of various clean-technology companies via low-interest guaranteed loans, tax credits, and grants.  Also, $19 billion of additional money are to be allocated for the “smart” power grid, including research and consumer tax breaks.  These include such programs as the $7,500 credit for buying an electric car.

Individuals currently out of work with jobs in a dead industry such as construction should consider job retraining in a multitude of clean energy industries.  These include but not limited to solar cell manufacturing and installation, wind turbine manufacturing and installation, advanced battery storage systems manufacturing and installation and electric vehicle manufacturing and maintenance along with charging system infrastructure implementation.  With such governmental support look to these industries as stable areas of employment in the years to come.

Joseph Nino Rudolph

Today Obama signed into law the Manufacturing Enhancement Act of 2010, saying: “I’m signing a bill into law that will make it cheaper and easier for American manufacturers and American workers to do what they do best:  build great products and sell them around the world.”

This bill will reduce and completely eliminate some tariffs that manufacturing companies in America are currently paying to import certain materials used in the manufacture of their products.  According to studies, this bill will significantly reduce the cost of manufacturing for numerous companies across the nation.

Another inspiring comment in support of our manufacturing sector was said by Obama in the signing of this bill.  “The answer isn’t to stop building things, to stop making things; the answer is to build things better, make things better, right here in the United States.  We will rebuild this economy stronger than before and at its heart will be three powerful words:  Made in America.”

While thankful to see some credible action in restoring jobs, there are unintended consequences to everything.  It seems if the tariffs and important taxes are removed on the products or raw material needed for the manufacturing processes at American manufacturers, are not many of these products coming from countries such as China Southeast Asia and India?   Will China, Southeast Asia and India see increased sales of their goods as a result of dropping the tariffs?  I thought they are the ones who took most of our manufacturing jobs to begin with.

While I am happy to see any kind of creative assistance from Washington at getting us back into the manufacturing bed with the rest of the world, I see these moves as limited at best.

I believe we need to really sit-down, get our best think tanks together, create websites, blogs and forums where the general public can add their ideas and get back to becoming a competitive, producing nation again.  We need to truly implement numerous innovative, far-sighted, out-of-the-box initiatives.  We absolutely need, not one, but dozens of ideas, plans, incentives, tax breaks and tax penalties (on those companies sending jobs overseas) to get us out of this mess.

We came together in WW-II to rid the world of terrible tyranny.  Without hesitation, America came together in an effort that still causes us tears today.  Everybody was inspired and driven; even housewives all pitched-in to help build airplanes and the hardware of our war machine.   Within a few months time we built a military empire unequal to any in the world at that time.  Without that pulling together as a nation in the midst of terrible powers killing millions and claiming the world as their territory, we would all be speaking German and Japanese.

Our beloved President Kennedy set a goal to send a many to the moon before the decade was up.  The goal was lofty and seemed the stuff of a science fiction novel.  But once again, we didn’t sit-back; we believed we could walk on the moon.  We realized that sending a man to the moon said “we are still the greatest power on earth.” This sent a powerful message to Russia at the time that we were not going to allow communism and empirical powers to have their way with us.  Our status as the dominant world power was reestablished and we set foot on the moon even though our most inspirational president left us.

We are Americans!  We have incredible potential!  We have become complacent and lazy though.  It is time to gather our thoughts and remember the past where we were driven, creative, and victorious. We don’t need to be the victims of globalization; we can be the victors.

Joseph Nino Rudolph

Companies are finding few applicants for jobs mostly in the manufacturing sector working as machinists, certified electricians, factory control and automation technicians and many other individuals requiring specialized training and skills.

An example of this is Mechanical Devices in Bloomington, Illinois.  They can’t find highly specialized workers for their factory making parts for Emirates Airlines.

In another story, a manufacturer of stamped-metal parts in Ohio, called Long Stanton Manufacturing Co. has been struggling to hire toolmakers. The chief executive, Dan Cunningham actually made this statement: “It’s bizarre.  We are just not getting applicants.”

There seems to be a confluence of reasons for this rather interesting situation.  Number one seems to be the lower wages manufacturers are forced to pay due to the stiff competition from China.  Add to this the fact that jobless benefits have been extended to 99 weeks, lowering the incentive to accept the lower pay jobs and you start to see the situation come together.  Add to this the fact the specialized individuals qualified and trained for these jobs are stuck in their homes due to the housing market collapse causing them to be under water in their mortgage payment and not able to move or sell their houses, then you see the quandary.

Perhaps the saddest part of this whole mess is the fact the manufacturing companies could actually be able to significantly increase their outputs and resultant profits if they could find the people to fill the new jobs.  Apparently the demand for additional product is real but the jobs will once again be lost to China manufacturing companies if the U.S. companies cannot supply the needs.

It would seem logical that since the jobs available are changing to the higher-skilled manufacturing segment, why not analyze the market and develop specialized training programs for these people to move-up while collecting their total or up to 99 weeks of unemployment checks?  The continued collection of an unemployment check after a predetermined and protracted amount of time should be contingent on participation in either an employee sponsored or government sponsored training program if the individuals cannot find work in their previous field.

It’s time to get more far-sighted and creative in our approach to this crisis.  The world is a much more competitive and hostile place.  Globalization and the recent economic mess we find ourselves in will continue to put the brakes on the U.S. economy and it will have a compound effect on all of us if we don’t react smartly to every challenge and situation.

Joseph Nino Rudolph

A business development agreement has just been signed by the SBA and the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA).  The SBA has been and continues to pursue ongoing efforts to bolster small IT businesses across the nation.  With this new agreement, increased expenditures will be levied and resources made available to small information technology (IT) firms.  These resources include providing speakers for conferences, training, and seminars. Also provided will be increased access to technical experts for business counseling and more coordinated support to entrepreneurs along with playing a more active role in providing overall business development services to this important technology sector.

SBA Administrator Karen Mills expressed it this way. “The SBA is pleased to partner with CompTIA to help nurture the growth and development of technology businesses and companies. We continue to strengthen the nation’s competitiveness by increasing outreach to entrepreneurs and providing them with the necessary tools to help them start, grow, and thrive.”

Todd Thibodeaux, president and chief executive officer of CompTIA further expanded on this program with this statement. “This strategic alliance recognizes the critical role of IT companies as strong contributors to the nation’s economic growth. Whether it’s an auto dealer or doctor’s office, dry cleaner or restaurant, technology helps them improve operations and reach their customers; and small IT companies play an important role in deploying and managing these technologies.”

This appears to be a two year alliance between the SBA and CompTIA.  In the near future, we hope to see this important alliance with its coordinated efforts make a significant difference in assisting small business start-ups and even established businesses in the information technology sector.

If you are a technologically-driven individual with talents in one of the many disciplines such as computer hardware repair and maintenance, network administration, programming, web design, multimedia development or other fields in the information technology realm, perhaps now is the time to consider a small business start-up doing something you love.  With this kind of dedication and support from the SBA and CompTIA your chance of success could be significantly improved. 

Well, guess again. The growth rate in the human resources fields are expected to expand greater than many other fields in the next 10 years or so.  This information is not from a casual source either, rather the U.S. Government Bureau of Labor Statistics. They claim a 22% growth rate in the areas of human resources, labor relations, employment training and related fields between 2008 and 2018.  Wow, what a surprise!

If you look at some of the reasons for this rosy picture in the human resources field, you will find the recently passed Obama health care legislation being one of the main contributing factors.  This wide-sweeping reform in our health care system will create a need for specialists able to format and initiate creative benefit packages to help lure new potential hires.

Also, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Website, the need for talented people in the H.R. related fields of occupational health and safety, equal employment opportunity, wages, healthcare, family leave and retirement planning are on the rise due to recent court rulings and legislation in these areas.

With the old Baby Boomer generation arriving at retirement age, the doors are wide-open, availing new employment opportunities for a new generation of replacement workers.  Also, it’s expected that jobs in the near future will become much more complex and demanding in nature requiring new levels of specialized training.  Given these issues, the demand for H.R. employment-training and work-development specialists will dramatically increase.

If you are considering a career in this fast-growing field, obtaining a bachelor’s degree is the bare minimum for human resource/labor relations professions.  Going for the bachelor’s degree, you will have to focus on a broad choice of disciplines/studies in a combination of courses in the social sciences, business and behavioral sciences fields.  If you go this route it is recommended you acquire additional certification from such organizations as The Society for Human Resource Management, The International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans, The American Society for Training and Development (ASTD), and The WorldatWork Society of Certified Professionals.

Of course the most advantageous salaries and opportunities are accessible if you are more ambitious and go the full-route.  Most universities offer graduate-level (master or doctorate) courses specifically in such fields as human resources, personnel management or labor relations.

If you are the type that likes working with people and wants to enter a field with growth and opportunity on the horizon, then consider a educational path in the diverse human resources field.

Joseph Nino Rudolph

It appears that as the labor market shows signs of making a turn-around, employers are concerned about losing their principle, go-to employers as more available jobs and opportunities become available in the near future.  Obviously, these key employees are critical to sustained and efficient companies operations and losing these important players just as business starts to pick-up again is a negative situation for business owners and corporations.

Also according to Mercer, only 2% of companies plan all-out salary freezes next year.  Compare this figure with 13% or companies in 2010 and 31% in 2009 indicating pay freezes for all employees were on the horizon.  Some of the largest raises are anticipated to be in the oil/gas industry and professional business services.

Mercer’s study has been an annually survey for more than twenty years now.  The survey is comprehensive and covers more than 1,100 mid-size and large employers responsible for the employ of over 12 million workers.

As a result of this protracted recession, it’s easy for employers to become somewhat complacent as they seem to have an endless database of highly-qualified and talented potential employees to choose from.  The loss of some important, vital-personnel just as business starts to pick-up again could be seriously detrimental to the bottom line of the company.  As the pendulum drifts back to a more positive economic environment, employee compensation and benefits are once again becoming crucial to the long-term success of companies big and small.

Joseph Nino Rudolph

Just like you, most managers would rather do things the easy way.  If they are able to type a person’s name in Google and a wealth of information returns in a few microseconds, they will choose this course of research over wading through stacks of applications and resumes.  If you make your face, unique attributes and skill-set readily available online, you will be ahead of the game.   The idea here is to introduce you to prospective employers without ever meeting them.  By the time you get the phone call for an interview, they will already know volumes about you, your positive job attributes and character.

Be sure to create profiles and content that is professional, interesting and well-written. Have a friend or two check your work and become your chief editor.  You can also do more harm than good if only one less-than-complementary aspect about you is revealed.  Put aside your need to be cool and blend in with the rest of your friends by posting derogatory comments or compromised photos.  If you post a photo of you and your friends doing the city in an all-nighter, with beer bottles scattered throughout the back seat of your vehicle, you are probably going to be overlooked by most employment managers.  Remember, the name of the game is to get that great job.

An even more powerful approach, and one normally overlooked by many job seekers, is to build your own website.  There are plenty of free website hosting options out there.  Do a few Google searches for “free website,” you’ll be surprised at all the options available!  While free is always good, if you can afford it, a custom domain of your own and paid hosting will present an even more serious potential employee to those considering you as a part of their organization.

The most respected approach here is to actually purchase a domain name using your actual name, (first and last) or a derivative thereof.  This will help your site to be found by prospective employers when doing a Google search.  Consider an extension domain with your full name contained within it if your name is common and already taken.  An example of such may be johnsmithresume.com, johnsmithprofile.com or another variable.  Strive for the .com domains as much as possible as they are the most desirable.

There are many quick-build website services out there to create a cookie-cutter site in no time.  Again, be sure to create good content and have a friend edit your writing and work as it is virtually impossible for the writer to edit his or her own material.

The last consideration is getting a few links to your site.  Actually, the more the better!  This will cause the search engines to find your site and do what is called “spider it.” If it does not have links pointing to it, it may never come up for that busy human resource manager to see. Have all of your friends place links to your site from their social networking, or other internet pages.

It’s a tough job market out there and you need all the help you can cultivate to position yourself above the rest of the crowd.  Be sure to have a strong online presence and if you are able, get out there and build your own website.  It may mean the difference between sitting at that desk at home searching or actually obtaining that ideal work situation.

Joseph Nino Rudolph

The numerous recessionary layoffs of the last couple years have created one of the most competitive job environments in recent history.  College graduates with 4 year degrees are moving back in with their parents and forced to take jobs as store clerks or restaurant workers.

Looking to the future and doing some homework on the greatest moving industries is important in making it in the new job market.  One industry showing extremely strong growth is the very strong solar industry.  According to the United States PV Market 2010, in 2009 the solar industry grew 36% and is one of the brightest starts in the economy.  But the projected growth over the next 4 years is forecast as up to ten times–that’s 1000% growth.  Where else can you find such promising growth numbers for a career today?

Two thousand nine was a pivotal year for the U.S. solar industry with utility companies planning and starting new mega projects, lower cost Photo Voltaic cells becoming available, especially from the Asian market, new and flexible thin film cells made using the CIGS process becoming available, new solar cell companies entering the market and direct marketing approaches (you can purchase complete solar panels and even complete smaller solar systems now at Costco).  It seems like the entire world is talking solar power.

In California alone the push is on. That state, due to a very progressive initiative has accounted for 53% of the United States Photo Voltaic on-grid installations. The California Solar Initiative offers cash back for solar installations on private homes and businesses.  The CSI program has a total budget of close to 3 billion dollars and a goal to install approximately 1,940 MW of new solar generation capacity.  As you know the saying, “as California goes, so goes the rest of the nation.”

For those out of work and considering a new job field, the solar industry should be seriously considered. The solar industry will be needing installers, technicians, solar cell engineers, factory process technicians and additional support service jobs over the next several years.

Job Service Help sees the solar industry as a viable and long-term secure career.  The time is now to start your training in the industry.  There are many community colleges and trade schools with programs for solar installers and a growing number of higher-level colleges offering more advanced solar industry jobs in solar engineering and factory process control system technicians.

Job Growth Industries – Find Your Next Job in the High Growth Solar Power Industry

Jobs seem almost like an ancient dream out there nowadays.   If you are a recent college graduate looking for work in your major, you are faced with the prospect of competing with a glut of seasoned professions vying for the same positions.

The numerous recessionary layoffs of the last couple years have created one of the most competitive job environments in recent history.  College graduates with 4 year degrees are moving back in with their parents and forced to take jobs as store clerks or restaurant workers.

Looking to the future and doing some homework on the greatest moving industries is important in making it in the new job market.  One industry showing extremely strong growth is the very strong solar industry.  According to the United States PV Market 2010, in 2009 the solar industry grew 36% and is one of the brightest starts in the economy.  But the projected growth over the next 4 years is forecast as up to ten times–that’s 1000% growth.  Where else can you find such promising growth numbers for a career today?

Two thousand nine was a pivotal year for the U.S. solar industry with utility companies planning and starting new mega projects, lower cost Photo Voltaic cells becoming available, especially from the Asian market, new and flexible thin film cells made using the CIGS process becoming available, new solar cell companies entering the market and direct marketing approaches (you can purchase complete solar panels and even complete smaller solar systems now at Costco).  It seems like the entire world is talking solar power.

In California alone the push is on. That state, due to a very progressive initiative has accounted for 53% of the United States Photo Voltaic on-grid installations. The California Solar Initiative offers cash back for solar installations on private homes and businesses.  The CSI program has a total budget of close to 3 billion dollars and a goal to install approximately 1,940 MW of new solar generation capacity.  As you know the saying, “as California goes, so goes the rest of the nation.”

For those out of work and considering a new job field, the solar industry should be seriously considered. The solar industry will be needing installers, technicians, solar cell engineers, factory process technicians and additional support service jobs over the next several years.

Job Service Help sees the solar industry as a viable and long-term secure career.  The time is now to start your training in the industry.  There are many community colleges and trade schools with programs for solar installers and a growing number of higher-level colleges offering more advanced solar industry jobs in solar engineering and factory process control system technicians.

Joseph Nino Rudolph

Needless  to say, it’s easy to be cynical, negative and even despondent when so many difficult signs are all indicating a no-win situation when it comes to finding a job.

Negativity is detrimental in just about any aspect of life, especially when it comes to searching for a job. When we get into a negative frame of mind, often-times developed from a pattern of turn-downs and failures, we start to doubt ourselves and to a degree become self destructive in our job search efforts.  If we continue in our negativity, we will end-up becoming pessimistic, encumbered in a deep self-inflicted dilemma of despair and hopelessness.  This negative attitude will greatly affect our ability to ever find a job and do us absolutely no good in all of our life-situations; especially our relationships.

We must look at things differently, we must focus on the positive and minimize the negative.

The reality is, as in all previous economic downturns, recessions and even the great depression, they all come to an end.  Any economy is inherently cyclic by nature; when there is a sustained period of economic prosperity, it will usually always follow with a downturn or adjustment period and then eventually come back around to prosperity again.

This particular adjustment period happens to be more severe than others due to some unusual situations of greed and manipulation in our financial/housing markets and a confluence of congruent other factors.  If we attempt to remember the fact that we are in a normal cycle and will soon experience a rebound, look toward all positive aspects and minimize the negative, we will be in a better position to make a difference in our attitude.

Our attitude hugely affects our personal success or failure, readjusting it will greatly assist us in maintaining a positive focus throughout the normal negative cycle we currently find ourselves in.

One tip, when looking for work and to help defray the negative emotions is the following. Keep in mind during this period of downturn it is entirely an employer’s market out there. The habits and methods of employers change with the change in the economy. Because of the vast number of job seekers out there, many employers are actually removing their job postings from the internet and the newspapers simply because they are experiencing a flood of applicants that’s becoming unmanageable for them.  They may actually continue to have several good job openings, but they remain internal and not publically presented due to too robust a response to their ads.  This limits the available opportunities to those willing to hit the streets getting out there face-to-face with potential employers.  Employers are finding these applicants are turning out to be some of the most driven and reliable employees and are learning to reserve their openings for these individuals.

Remember, the U.S. economy is too diverse and large to simply go away.  There are still numerous companies out there positioning themselves for the inevitable growth period that will follow sometime down the road.  They are developing strategic business plans and preparing for a flood of new hires when the economy eventually make a resounding rebound.

When we assess at the overall picture this way, and learn a few tricks, we will develop a positive attitude and try more diverse ways to search for the work that is out there. That new attitude will actually have a tendency to become self-fulfilling in nature leading to the inevitable successful in the landing of that great employment situation.

Normally, employers can see right through a potential job hire, assessing a negative attitude a mile away.  Even if someone has figured-out all the right things to say, their non-verbal expressions will easily give that person away.  If the economy and job market are driving our attitudes towards the pessimistic side, it will come out in an interview.

Managers are also afraid a negative person will bring down the moral and attitude of others and the general company as a whole.  Misery loves company as the old expression goes; depressed individuals tend to spread their disease looking for others to commiserate with.  Hiring managers many times, are schooled to some degree in psychology, they look for these dynamics.  Employers and their managers are looking for an employee who is self-confident, positive, self actualizing, helping to foster a common work environment that is productive and enjoyable.

In another tip for changing attitudes and improving the chance of a successful interview, consider the following.  It’s important to become a solution-oriented person, not a problem elaborator.  If a job interviewer asks a question regarding the reason an applicant left their last job or the problems they faced there, it’s best to capitalize on the opportunity to present a positive, solution-oriented person.  This plays-out much better than being  the negative, dissatisfied individual who answers the question with an opportunity to vent their frustration with typical responses as: “their co-workers were stupid,” “the boss expected too much” or “they hated the type of work they were doing.” The smart and solution-oriented person will cease the opportunity to talk about the problems they were responsible for finding creative solutions to while employed at the previous company rather than expound on the negative.   This is the approach of a much more positive fix-it type of person who will become a positive team player . Managers actually see these type of employees as individuals who will making their job easier.

The mind is a powerful organ and self-fulfilling prophecy as a result of the mind’s power is a mysterious thing we need to be closely aware of.  It can either bring us health or sickness, a good job or unemployment checks, prosperity or bankruptcy.  With all else being equal as far as being qualified for a specific position, those wining-out over others in this tough environment are the ones willing to do their homework, put things in perspective and develop their attitude and character in every way to become a more positive, solution-oriented person.

Joseph Nino Rudolph