This article is from Reuters. 

“Global employers still have trouble finding the right people for open positions, even as candidate resumes pile up amid recession.

“A global talent crunch has eased slightly, but is set to worsen in coming years because of demographic trends, according to an annual survey by global employment services company Manpower Inc.

“Worldwide, 30 percent of employers reported trouble filling positions because of the lack of suitable talent, down slightly from 31 percent who said so a year ago, according to Manpower, which polled 39,000 employers in 33 countries.

“While many more people are looking for work, they often lack the skills, or experience, that employers need.”

Click here to read the full article.

This article is from KRDO.com. 

“You could soon find a job with the help of some of your very own tax dollars.  At a town hall-style meeting in Denver, Vice President Joe Biden announced $500 million from the stimulus package will go to new energy jobs and new energy job training.

Click here to learn more about green jobs.

“‘We’re going to focus today on jobs for the middle class folks, in the 21st century, in a green economy and green jobs,’ said Biden. ’To make these programs possible, government will increase funding for work force education that incorporates green, technology training.’

“Some of the new green job training could include how to weatherize your home.

“‘Blowing in clean, non-toxic insulation in our grandmama’s houses, replacing windows and doors that don’t fit,’ says Van Jones, Special Advisor for Green Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation at the White House Council on Environmental Quality.

“‘All told, our energy investment will, on their own, create 450,000 new jobs,’ said Biden.”

Click here to read the full article.

This article is from MSN Careers.

“The Class of 2009 has been watching the job market disintegrate since senior year began.“The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) released another round of discouraging data in early May. Fewer than one in five graduates who are looking for jobs have found one, and employers are planning to hire 22 percent fewer graduates this year than they did last year.

“On top of that, the worst job market in 25 years has brought of a sense of déjà vu to households across the country. Many of the estimated 1.6 million students graduating college in May and June have parents who went searching for their first jobs in the equally dismal early-1980s. It’s an economic rerun for the whole family.

“‘You are graduating into a world of anxiety and uncertainty,’ Vice President Joe Biden told graduates of Syracuse University. ‘But these are the moments you can embrace … only a handful of us ever get a chance to actually shape the course of history.’

“History might need shaping, but now is a great time for graduates to embrace the positive. The numbers aren’t all bad.”

Click here to read the full article.

This article is from Redding.com. 

“Kris Hart hopes to start over.

“Last August he was laid off from a small drafting company where he worked, and by December it became clear he wasn’t going to find another job as a draftsman in Redding.

“So at 51, after talking to his wife, he decided to go back to school and earn his bachelor’s degree. He started at Shasta College in January and hopes to finish at Simpson University in a year and a half with a teaching credential.

“He hasn’t been a full-time student since 1982.

“‘It’s fun,’ he said of being back in the classroom. ‘It’s so much more fun than it was before.’ ”

Click here to read the full article.

This article is from The Daily Times. 

“Americans are currently facing serious economic challenges. In just one year, the number of unemployed workers across the nation has increased by about 5.3 million people, leaving high school and college graduates to face the toughest job market in decades.

“While unemployment rates continue to rise, the recession has provided several industries with real opportunities for growth. To obtain the skills needed for these expanding fields, recent graduates, unemployed and under-employed workers are turning to the classroom.

“Changes in consumer demand, technology, and many other factors have contributed to the continually changing employment structure in the U.S. economy. The sectors projected to be the fastest growing over the next several decades are education and health services.”

Click here to read the full article.

This article is from StamfordPlus.com.

“Norwalk Community College urges unemployed workers to consider taking advantage of new opportunities for education and training available to them. On May 8, President Obama announced that workers getting unemployment insurance (UI) benefits will receive special consideration for financial aid to pay for job training or education. You may also be able to keep your UI benefits while enrolled. Studies have shown that workers with more education and training have more secure jobs and higher wages.Federal Pell Grant scholarships cover up to $5,350 in education and training expenses. They are accepted at nearly all community colleges, colleges and universities, and many trade and technical schools. Even if you do not qualify for a Pell Grant, you may be eligible for other aid.

Applying for financial aid and finding training are not difficult. The Departments of Education and Labor have created a single web site, www.opportunity.gov, where you can find helpful information. If you are interested in pursuing these opportunities, here are the steps you should take:”

Click here to read the full article.

This article is from ABC News. 

“If you’re looking for work, don’t go it alone. Job searching and navigating workplace challenges are much easier with the support of a small group of trusted peers.

Start or join a job club to connect with people in your area and share much-needed advice and camaraderie. We’ll tell you how to get started now—let’s go!

What Is a Job Club?

Job clubs are small groups of people who meet regularly to talk candidly about job searching and career advancement, with the goal of supporting the success of all members.”

Click here to read the full article.

This job is from MSN Careers.

“For many, the road to success cuts through college and often graduate school. But the skyrocketing cost of education coupled with the widespread squeeze on people’s bank accounts and time, makes pursuing a traditional four-year or graduate degree a pipe dream.“For others, like IT professional Chris Moyer, success isn’t contingent on a bachelor’s or master’s degree. Moyer’s career path began in high school, where she was able to take two weeks of technical training per month. After high school, she moved into data entry and computer operations.  While she raised her small children, she did temporary computer work and then went to technical school for computer programming.

” ‘I found a job at a small company, which had purchased a computer and some business software and needed someone to get it up and running,’ Moyer says. ‘I took the job at minimum wage and earned the experience I needed to move on. There were similar jobs after that and I increased my salary along the way.’ “ Click here to read the full article.

Your license, job or a raise may depend on earning continuing education units (CEUs) but most people simply don’t have the time for courses. Now you can earn those units with on line courses from home in your pajamas.

(EMAILWIRE.COM, May 16, 2009 ) Fort Lauderdale, FL - More education? Wait a minute! You’ve already earned your degree, and you’re ready to get established in your new career and start having a social life again. The thought of going back to school even to earn an online degree makes you shudder. And then you find out that your employer or professional license has a continuing education requirement.

Before you panic at the thought of spending your vacation time traveling to seminars trying to get the necessary education hours, relax. You can meet all of these requirements through distance learning programs, without ever setting foot outside your home. Instead, keep your job and meet licensing requirements at home ñ you don’t even have to worry about what to wear.

When most people think of distance learning, they think of online degree programs such as Bachelor or Master’s Degrees. These programs offer excellent opportunities to finish a college education and earn a degree. Many distance learning universities, though, also realize that sometimes people only need short-term courses for certification or continuing education units.

Some of these non-degree programs offer certificate studies programs, such as a tax preparer’s certificate. Others offer special certifications to people who have already earned their degrees. Many others, though, are specially tailored to offer continuing education credits.

Continuing education credits usually offer a certain number of units, or contact hours. After studying the material, learners are usually required to complete a test. After passing the test, learners receive a certificate from the university or program offering the course. This certificate proves that the learner has successfully completed the required continuing education to earn the units or hours offered by the program.

Many employers offer at least partial repayment for the cost of continuing education, but education seminars can be expensive. When you count the travel cost, as well as meals and hotel stays, you may find that you save hundreds of dollars by choosing the distance learning option. Check with your organization to see if it supports distance learning continuing education the money you can save will be almost like getting a raise.

Be sure you know what your continuing education requirements are, and choose a traditional seminar or online non-degree program that meets these requirements. Sometimes, certain seminars or programs won’t meet your needs. It’s up to you to know what you need, so educate yourself before you start. Then sit back and enjoy the luxury of meeting your job requirements while you’re sitting at home in your pajamas.

Career Consulting International
Sheila Danzig
Tel: 1.800.771.4723

This blog entry is from the Wall Street Journal.

“If you’ve spent the last two decades working in a single industry or job function, landing a position post layoff can be especially tough. But even if your experience hasn’t been as broad as that of other job seekers, it’s possible to land on your feet, says Carolyn Thompson, author of ‘Ten Steps to Finding the Perfect Job.’ Here, Ms. Thompson weighs on how to navigate a job search if your job history is too narrow or specific.

“What are some of the stereotypes that employers think about people who’ve been at their jobs for a long time and how can you get around them in the hiring process?

“The biggest obstacle to overcome, is the misconception from the future employer that the person may only know the ‘xyz’ company way. This is easily overcome by highlighting how the company has changed and evolved over the time the candidate has worked there. For example, many companies may merge or divest many times and change with different systems and new implementations. Be prepared to speak of how the company has changed and evolved over time and how those experiences have shaped the candidate for the benefit of the future employer.”

Click here to read the full article.