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4 Jobs with Higher Job Security

August 4, 2020 by Tim McMahon

In turbulent times, one thing you are probably looking for is job security. With many businesses seemingly disappearing overnight, you may be looking for a career you can be confident won’t suddenly end one day. Thankfully, there are fields with better than average job security that you can be assured won’t leave you in the unemployment line. Here are some examples:

Domestic Health Aide

With America’s aging population, one career field that is doing quite well is healthcare. Thankfully, today, not everyone who is elderly or infirm has to live in a hospital or group living center. Many can stay at home thanks to the help of domestic health aides that allow them to continue living their lives with dignity. Domestic health aides are part nurse and part maid and perform an important service for those they assist in their own homes. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual wage for home health aides was $24,200 in May 2018. And employment of home health aides and personal care aides is projected to grow 36 percent from 2018 to 2028, much faster than the average for all occupations.

Security Guard

Working in security can actually allow you to obtain good job security. There is a continuing demand for security guards across many sectors of society. Businesses, individuals, organizations, schools, and even governments need trained security to help protect certain buildings, facilities, and people. If you want a career that can make a difference, providing protection to those that need it via a security job is one way to do so. According to the BLS, the median annual wage for security guards was $29,680 in May 2019.

Software Developer

The world has become extremely linked to technology thanks to smartphones and mobile internet. Now everyone has a computer with them wherever they go. As such, there is a significant and growing need for those with the skills and expertise to code software. Becoming a software developer could lead you to create mobile apps, video games and many other kinds of software used by thousands and even millions of people. According to the BLS, the median annual wage for software developers, applications was $103,620 in May 2018. Employment of software developers is projected to grow 21 percent from 2018 to 2028, much faster than the average for all occupations. Software developers will be needed to respond to an increased demand for computer software.

Registered Nurse

There is a huge and growing need for healthcare workers. With an aging population and the threat of pandemics, this is truer now than ever before. As such, there is a huge demand for registered nurses. If you become one, it is doubtful you will ever be out of work. According to the BLS, the median annual wage for registered nurses was $73,300 in May 2019. Employment of registered nurses is projected to grow 12 percent from 2018 to 2028, much faster than the average for all occupations. Growth will occur for a number of reasons, including an increased emphasis on preventive care; increasing rates of chronic conditions, such as diabetes and obesity; and demand for healthcare services from the baby-boom population, as this group leads longer and more active lives.

It’s understandable to be worried about job security in the current climate. Thankfully, there are careers that are rather resistant to economic factors and other conditions. The list above is only a starting point. Overall, look for a job where the demand for your work is unlikely to ever dry up.

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Unemployment Rate by State April 2020

May 23, 2020 by Tim McMahon

On May 22^nd 2020, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released the Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment rates for each of the fifty U.S. states but “Due to the effects of the pandemic and efforts to contain the virus, Puerto Rico was not able to conduct normal data collection for its household survey in March or April 2020.”

According to the May 8^th BLS data, April’s overall U.S. Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment Rate was 14.7% in today’s release we can see that some states had significantly higher rates with Nevada having 28.2% Unemployment, and Hawaii and Michigan having 22.3% and 22.7% unemployment respectively. At first blush, we might consider Hawaii and Nevada as understandable due to their high reliance on tourism but Michigan doesn’t have high tourism. And if high tourism is the cause for Hawaii and Nevada why does a high tourism state like Florida have “only” 12.9% unemployment?

By looking at the map we can see the high unemployment states are clustered in the Northeast and run down to Louisiana (which got hit with a double whammy of both the Coronavirus and falling oil prices). Other hard-hit areas are the West Coast and Hawaii.

State Unemployment Levels

The following table provides [Read more…] about Unemployment Rate by State April 2020

Coronavirus Shutdown Causes 20 Million Job Losses

May 9, 2020 by Tim McMahon

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released its employment / unemployment report for April on May 8^th.

COVID-19 Shutdowns Send Unemployment Rate Soaring

Unadjusted U-3 was Up from 4.5% to 14.4%!
Adjusted U-3 was Up from 4.4% to 14.7%!
Unadjusted U-6 was Up from 8.9% to 22.4%!
Labor Force Participation fell from 62.7% to 60.2%.
Unadjusted Employment down by approx. -19.5 MILLION jobs.

Civilian Unemployment

In April, the ranks of the unemployed swelled by almost 20 million bringing it up to approximately 23 million in total. Rather than looking at percentages, the following chart looks at the actual number of unemployed individuals. The current number of unemployed is considerably higher than at the peak of the 2008-2010 “great recession”.

According to the Commissioner of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics:

Nonfarm payroll employment declined by 20.5 million in April, and the unemployment rate increased to 14.7 percent, reflecting the widespread impact on the job market of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and efforts to contain it. Employment fell sharply in all major industry sectors, with a
particularly large decline in the leisure and hospitality sector.

The response rate for the household survey continued to be adversely affected by pandemic-related issues, while that for the establishment survey returned to a normal range in April. In addition, there were changes to the estimation methods for the establishment survey to better account for the historic number of temporary or permanent business closures in April. The impacts of the pandemic on the household and payroll surveys are detailed in the April Employment Situation news release and accompanying materials (available on the BLS website)). For both surveys, we were able to obtain estimates that met BLS standards for accuracy and reliability.

The substantial job declines related to the coronavirus pandemic started in March, as payroll employment declined by 870,000, as revised. Job losses accelerated in April, as an additional 20.5 million jobs were lost. These April losses were pervasive across all industry sectors, and brought nonfarm employment to its lowest level since February 2011.

Of course, he is talking about “Seasonally Adjusted Jobs” from the “Current Population Survey (CPS)”
rather than looking at the results reported by actual companies in their “Current Employment Statistics survey (CES)”

Looking at the CES report we see…
Originally the BLS reported 150.804 million jobs for March and then they subtracted 221,000 jobs from that estimate.
So currently they are saying 150.583 million jobs for March and 131.071 million jobs for April which is actually a decrease of -19.733 million jobs compared to what they originally reported last month. Or -19.512 million jobs based on their current estimates of March’s employment.

September Unemployment Rate Hits 50-Year Low

October 5, 2019 by Tim McMahon

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released its employment / unemployment report for September released on October 4^th. Unemployment is at record lows. According to the BLS, the “Seasonally Adjusted” Unemployment Rate for September fell to 3.5% after spending 3 months at 3.7%. The last time unemployment was this low was in December 1969 almost exactly 50 years ago.

According to the Commissioner of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics:

“The unemployment rate declined by 0.2 percentage point to 3.5 percent in September, and nonfarm payroll employment increased by 136,000. Employment continued to trend up in health
care and in professional and business services… Health care employment rose by +39,000 in September… employment continued to trend up in professional and business services +34,000… Employment in transportation and warehousing edged up by +16,000… Government employment also continued to trend up in September +22,000…”

Of course, he is talking about “Seasonally Adjusted Jobs” in reality last month the BLS reported there were 151.517 million people employed in August and this month they are reporting there are 151.949 million employed in September, so that is an increase of 432,000 jobs.

For more info see our Current Unemployment Chart and Current U.S. Employment Chart commentary:

Key September Employment and Unemployment Numbers

This month’s Unemployment report was full of positive news.

Adjusted U-3 Unemployment- 3.5% down from 3.7% June through August.
Unadjusted U-3 Unemployment- 3.3% down from 3.8% in August and 4.0% in July, it was 4.4% in January.
Unadjusted U-6 Unemployment- 6.5% down a whopping -0.8% from 7.3% in August.
Unadjusted Employment (Establishment Survey)- 151.949 up from the 151.517 million the BLS reported in August.
Labor Force Participation Rate- 63.2% unchanged from August but up from 63.0% in July, and 62.9% June.

Key factors in the BLS report were:

Health care employment increased by 39,000

Professional and business services increased by 34,000

Transportation and warehousing increased by 16,000

Government employment increased by 22,000 approximately 1,000 of those were related to the upcoming census.

Hispanic and African American unemployment are both at the lowest levels on record.

10 Online Radiology Courses Every RT Should Add to Their Resume

September 16, 2019 by Tim McMahon

The medical industry has made a massive amount of leaps in new technology over the past few decades. Keeping up with these changes is vital to giving quality care.

A radiologist is far from exempt from this. As such online radiology courses have become a common standard to further medical education.

Getting those continuing education credits will further your education, your career, and your ability to help those in need. Eager to learn more? Keep reading below.

Furthering Your Education: 10 Online Radiology Courses You Need

Taking online educational courses has been on the rise for many for easy and reliable access to education. Many online courses can work around any schedule, flexing around job hours and other responsibilities.

Some of these 10 sections have a wider variety of fields that they cover. Even if you do not branch out into other wider varieties, the basic courses can prove very useful for radiologists new and old.

When searching through online courses, most will fall into categories like those found below.

1. Radiography

Radiography is the foundation of a radiologist’s career. The science behind digital mapping allows radiologists to view and discern any number of unseen issues with the human body.

These classes might seem like any radiologist would know everything that will be learned here. The truth is that these basics are so necessary that a refresher course can be a valuable tool for keeping a radiologist’s abilities sharp.

2. Bone Densitometry

July Unemployment Unchanged But…

August 3, 2019 by Tim McMahon

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released its monthly unemployment survey results for July on August 2^nd. Unemployment is still near record lows but this month’s Unemployment report was a bit of a “mixed bag” with some positive news and some not quite so positive.

According to the Commissioner of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics:

“Nonfarm payroll employment increased by 164,000 in July, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 3.7 percent. Notable job gains occurred in professional and technical services, health care, social assistance, and financial activities.

The July increase in payroll employment was in line with the average monthly job gain in the first half of the year (+165,000), but below the average monthly job gain of 223,000 for 2018. (Incorporating revisions for May and June, which decreased employment by 41,000, monthly job gains have averaged 140,000 over the past 3 months.) ”

Of course he is talking about “Seasonally Adjusted Jobs” in reality there were 152.307 million people employed according to the BLS’ June report and then they adjusted it down to 152.242 million but in July there are only 151.183 million employed so there was either a decrease of -1.059 million jobs based on the new numbers or a decrease of -1.124 million based on the original numbers. But there were only 148.295 million employed in January so there about 2.88 million more people employed in July than in January.

For more info see our Current Unemployment Chart and Current U.S. Employment Chart commentary:

Key July Employment and Unemployment Numbers

Adjusted U-3 Unemployment- 3.7% Unchanged from June
Unadjusted U-3 Unemployment- 4.0% Up from 3.8% in June and 3.4% in May but still below 4.1% in February, and 4.4% in January.
Unadjusted U-6 Unemployment- 7.3% down from 7.5% in June Up from 6.7% in May. It was 7.5% in March, 7.7% in February and 8.8% in January.
Unadjusted Employment (Establishment Survey)- 151.183 million down from 152.307 million in June up from 148.295 million in January.
Labor Force Participation Rate- 63.0% up from 62.9% June, 62.8% in April and May but unchanged from 63.0% in March and still below the peak of 63.2% in February.

Although they rose a notch in June (and stayed there in July), current Seasonally Adjusted U-3 levels are still below the 3.8% lows of 2000. Prior to that, we have to go all the way back to 1969 to see better unemployment levels than we have currently. If we break below 3.4% we have to go all the way back to 1953 (during the Korean War) to find lower levels. And we must remember that there was a massive loss of the workforce due to the war, and a higher percentage of the population was not counted due to “farming”, so we probably won’t see levels that low again. The 1969 lows occurred during the Vietnam war. Prior to 1969 was a low of 3.7% in 1957 so we are currently at that level. As we can see from the above chart we are in one of only 5 “green zones” where unemployment levels are below 4%. Not even the “boom” period 2006-2007 reached such low levels.

Health Risks of Office Work and How to Avoid Them

April 24, 2019 by Tim McMahon

At a glance, office work may not seem dangerous. There isn’t a lot of heavy lifting going on and certainly no one wears a hardhat to their desk job. While working in an office may not seem like it could pose any health risks, there are several dangers of working in an office that you should be aware of. The good news is that they are avoidable when the proper measures are taken.

Obesity

Food at parties, meetings, corporate events, and random coworkers bringing in treats all add up to extra calories and extra inches around your waistline. If your company isn’t health-conscious, it may be time to take matters into your own hands. Advocate for healthier options at meetings and in the break rooms and vending machines. Bring your own lunch and stock your drawers with healthy snacks. If you are in a position of power, encourage your subordinates to have walk-and-talk meetings and to take breaks every so often. Get more exercise, take the stairs rather than the elevator, park further from the door take walks during your breaks. There are also several “chair exercises” that you can do right at your desk.

Stress and Depression

Many Americans cite work as one of their top stressors. Causes of stress at work include long hours, lack of support, and large workloads. All of these factors lead to very stressed and depressed office employees. It’s well-known how stress and depression can negatively impact a person’s health; issues range from increased illness to suicide. If you are an office worker, be sure to identify why you are feeling stressed. Talk to your manager about those specific things and try to work out a better plan. Also, be sure to use all of your mental health days! One of the major causes of depression is a lack of vitamin “D” aka. the “sunshine vitamin” and so being in an office all day you probably aren’t getting much sunshine. So if you can add the 5 or 10 minute walk in the sunshine that will help also taking a vitamin supplement can also help make up the deficiency. Of course not all depression is from a vitamin deficiency but it is a good place to start. And once again getting more exercise can also help increase your serotonin levels.

Neck and Back Pain

Sitting for too long or having an improper posture leads to [Read more…] about Health Risks of Office Work and How to Avoid Them

Landing a Good Job Teaching ESL

June 27, 2018 by Tim McMahon

You dream of traveling the world teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) and have worked hard to graduate from your chosen ESL program. It is time to start applying for your dream job. The steps for landing an ESL job are similar to the steps for landing any other job. You still need to prepare your resume, apply for the job and ace your interview. Here are some tips for landing a job after graduating from an ESL program.

You Probably Need a Bachelor’s Degree

If you are planning on using your ESL degree to gain entry into a foreign country like Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, etc. You will probably need to have a Bachelor’s degree in addition to your ESL degree because most countries want to be sure that you aren’t taking a job from a native before they will offer you residency.

What Kind of Jobs are Available?

Teaching ESL can be done in a variety of different ways and places. You can teach ESL in an English speaking country to immigrants who do not yet know the language. Or you can travel to a foreign country and teach English to natives who want to improve their English. It can be taught in a traditional classroom or in one-on-one tutoring sessions. It can be simply conversational practice for someone who already knows the basics and just needs to improve their pronunciation or it can be teaching using pictures for someone who doesn’t know any English at all. ESL classes can also be online or in person. Classes can be made up of children, Teens, Adults and even strictly Professionals or “Business English”. [Read more…] about Landing a Good Job Teaching ESL

5 Business and Part-Time Employment Ideas for College Students

May 22, 2018 by Tim McMahon

College students can take advantage of the free hours, the weekends and holidays to start a small business. As a young entrepreneur, you will get some extra cash to sustain your lifestyle and reduce the amount you need to borrow on student loans. Additionally, you get to learn new skills that can be helpful once you graduate. For some students, working while studying is solely for the purpose of paying bills whereas for others it’s the foundation of their full-time employment. Regardless of the motive, a small business venture is an opportunity to learn, earn and contribute to the growth of the economy. Some of the ideas you should consider as a student include:

Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is an easy business for students because you don’t require stock to get started. You simply get paid for referring people to sellers. You can be an affiliate for both products and services. Products can be promoted through a website, social media, email and YouTube. However, be sure to check if [Read more…] about 5 Business and Part-Time Employment Ideas for College Students

4 Careers Where Military Training Can Offer a Powerful Advantage

March 14, 2018 by Guest Contributor

There are a variety of reasons why people join the military. For some, serving your country is their dream. For others, it is “the family business”, or they do it for the respect, or even simply through a lack of other options. For many people it can be a great career. While many people may serve at some point, not all choose to pursue it as a lifetime career. Here are four different career options that would provide a former military member with a competitive advantage over their peers and set themselves up for success.

Law Enforcement

One field in which someone with a military background will excel is the law enforcement industry. Law enforcement professionals need to be able to handle very stressful and life-threatening situations while also being able to obey the law and their principles. All of these skills are taught in the military and someone with this background will have the mindset needed to handle these challenging situations. Furthermore, being in law enforcement is another way to serve the community and country.

Defense Contractor and Support

Another good career choice for those that have a military background would be to work for a defense contractor or manufacturer. There are thousands of defense contractors around the country, from very large such as Lockheed Martin that developed the F-22 Raptor fighter jet, to smaller companies like AvioTech Ltd., that makes components for RADAR systems. A former military member will have an in-depth knowledge of these products and could excel in consultation, technical expertise, or sales.

Business or Management Consultation

Another type of job in which a military member will excel is [Read more…] about 4 Careers Where Military Training Can Offer a Powerful Advantage