Landmark Events: Wisconsin Limits Collective Bargaining
Posted in Employment Scene, Landmark Events, Recent.
– March 11, 2011
February Readers Respond
Readers report that business is improving. New hiring increases are impeded by health care costs and a shortage of skilled labor.
I fired off a “Great To Be Back” letter on February 3, and asked, “…what have you been seeing in your part of the world?”
Excellent answers flowed in, many on the same day.
Here’s a selection of readers’ observations. I’ve edited some for clarity, and I’ve removed details from all, just to keep everybody safe.
In your own words, then, here’s what’s happening in the real world…
Continued…
Posted in Business Climate, China, Employment Scene, Health Care, Pick, Z Editor's Notes.
– February 17, 2011
Landmark Events: Egypt – Mubarak Falls
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has resigned under pressure, after 30 years in power.
Similar anti-government protests sweep North Africa and the Middle East.
Posted in International, Landmark Events.
– February 11, 2011
Employment Weather Report, Fall 2010
The seasons are changing again in the Jobs Markets. Employers and Candidates are re-evaluating.
Coming out of a rugged summer, many indexes are unimpressive. Negative news stories have become boringly repetitive. Gold continues to climb to new highs.
Political Silly Season is in full bloom. Politicians strive to make new and exciting promises to an electorate that is still waiting for free health care, no debts, jobs for everyone, cheap energy, easy mortgages, instant U.S. citizenship for the entire world, and not one cent of additional taxes.
Voters seem skeptical.
Continued…
Posted in Business Climate, Employment Scene, Reviewed.
– September 25, 2010
Quote Of The Week 9/24/10
“It’s been quiet for months. Just this week, two different recruiters called me.” — From two different candidates on the same day.
Posted in Employment Scene, Quotes, Reviewed.
– September 24, 2010
Sign Of The Times
A candidate reports this story from his job search…
“The local Unemployment Office has finally responded to my application for a position. I applied to them back in January, in case I couldn’t find anything else.
“They are desperate for help. They are swamped with people coming in to file for unemployment. The office here has 30 intake positions they are trying to fill.”
I asked if he was going to accept the position.
“No.”
Posted in Employment Scene, Reviewed.
– September 13, 2010
The Association Letter
Candidates fighting ambivalent employers and low-ball pay plans have a new option. Better than merely stringing together contract work, it is possible to create your own employment by moving higher up the food chain.
Here’s some of my letter to the Employment Assistance arm of a national association.
We are seeing a distinct uptick in employer interest just recently.
That’s the good news. However, this isn’t your garden variety recovery. There is confusion in the jobs markets.
Your members will most likely talk about the quality of employer interest. They will describe headhunters as “clueless.” They will complain that full time employment dissolves into short term projects. They will tell you they are fed up.
Candidates who have been on the market for any length of time may become jaded, not by the lack of jobs, but by the lack of candor.
They’ll tell of a Job Fair advertising 600 employers and delivering just thirty, the top presenter being Good Will.
Continued…
Posted in Business Climate, Employment Scene, Reviewed.
– September 2, 2010
More CEOs Speak Out
Add Intel’s Paul Otellini and T. J. Rodgers from Cypress Semiconductor. Corporate America is courteous but firm: Government must back off before job creation will resume.
On August 4, I mentioned my surprise that CEOs of business and industry have been speaking out on government policy issues. Here’s a link to that posting (which includes even more links…)
Business And Industry Leaders Speak Out
By far, the easiest route for a CEO is to maintain a positive, sanitized, no-fingerprints posture that will be good for business and will offend the fewest people.
I was startled when I first noticed some major leaders taking bold, clear stands against destructive behavior in Washington. (Of course, secretly, I was gratified that I may not be the only oddball pointing out serious weirdness for almost two years.)
Certainly, CEO-speak is carefully crafted. There are no raucous statements. The passion is muted. Words like “outrage” never show up. “Deeply concerned” or “worrisome” carry the burden. Nevertheless, the message is clear. Continued…
Posted in Business Climate, Economy, Employment Scene, Financial Markets, Reviewed.
– August 30, 2010
Brain Drain
Pay in the U.S. declines, and pay in India goes up. Outsourcing company Genpact turns to Americans for cheap labor. Meanwhile, high margin intellectual positions stay overseas.
On August 9, I published a piece called Crazy Talk in my Candidate Advisory blog.
It included this story…
“Last week, I heard about an Indian candidate who had finished a high end IT contract. While with the U.S. recruiter, he had gotten his green card, and then he became a U.S. citizen. With his contract complete, this in-demand specialist returned to India, where the pay is better.”
Continued…
Posted in Business Climate, Economy, Employment Scene, Reviewed.
– August 20, 2010
Brain Redistribution
Over the last year, many displaced professionals managed to hire on with federal agencies. Will their private sector skills bring massive improvements to critical government services? Perhaps. To these pros, this work is like picking low hanging fruit. What will it be worth to the rest of us?
I remain certain that governments should not compete against private enterprise. To the delight of the current administration, existing insurance companies are slowly folding their tents and going out of the health care business. Competing auto companies are brutalized by Congress, while Government Motors celebrates its barely electric car.
The damage is inexcusable.
Yet, somewhere in this very ugly scene, I have detected one remarkable benefit for the U.S. taxpayer.
Continued…
Posted in Business Climate, Employment Scene, Pick, Political Commentary.
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By Ted Dieck – October 22, 2010