jobs

4 Ways a Criminal Record Can Affect Your Employment

August 27, 2020 by Tim McMahon

A criminal record can severely impact a person’s employment prospects. In time, you can leave your past behind, but while job searching, a criminal record may have a detrimental effect on your ability to get the job you want. In the UK and Australia most convictions are considered ‘spent’ after 4 years, and you should not be required to divulge your criminal record to an employer. However, that is not the case in the U.S.

Restricted Job Pool

Having a criminal background may prevent you from being considered for certain types of employment. Depending on the nature of your criminal conviction and the work that you are applying for, you might not be able to obtain a job in a security position, in education, or in certain kinds of medical jobs. Many employers require a background check, and someone with a criminal record might not be interviewed for a job in these occupations. You might have to accept an entry-level position and work your way up the ladder to better jobs if employers are aware of your criminal past. [Read more…] about 4 Ways a Criminal Record Can Affect Your Employment

Essential Jobs That Are in High Demand During Emergencies

April 2, 2020 by Guest Contributor

You may not think about it until it happens but when emergencies hit, there are some essential people that always have to work. Getting a career in these fields is a great way to ensure that you always have a job regardless of what’s going on in the world. When you first think of essential jobs that get kicked into high demand when emergencies occur you might think of firemen or police. But the COVID-19 pandemic has led us to realize that there are a lot of other critical jobs as well.

Hospital Staff

One extremely in-demand field when emergencies happen is hospital staff. When emergencies happen, the demand for health services increases greatly. Not just Doctors, and Nurses, but Nursing Assistants and Orderlies, X-ray technicians, EMT personnel and even maintenance people are in high demand during an emergency.

Utility Personnel

During natural disasters infrastructure often gets damaged and people are without electricity, water, gas, internet and phone services. This requires Line Installers and Repairers, Power Plant Operators, Distributors, and Dispatchers, and Electrical and Electronics Engineering Technicians among many others.

Inventory Management

During ordinary times people don’t give much thought to [Read more…] about Essential Jobs That Are in High Demand During Emergencies

Benefits of Working with a Staffing Agency

March 24, 2020 by Tim McMahon

When it comes to finding a job, there are many ways to go about it. Most people try doing their job search on their own. But if you’re looking for a new job, you might consider calling in the professionals by working with a staffing agency. Over a single year, staffing agencies help companies hire over 16 million temporary and full-time workers. In fact, most people hired through staffing agencies are able to find full-time work, and about 49% of staffing employees say it’s a good way to get a full-time job.

They Have Experience

You could spend days pouring over all the self-help advice on how to do the job search properly. Or, you can simply work with a staffing agency that lives and breathes the hiring process. They understand what employers are looking for and know how to showcase your individual talents to get you job offers quickly.

They Have Job Openings That Aren’t Publicly Listed

Businesses who rely on staffing agencies to find them the top talent that they need don’t [Read more…] about Benefits of Working with a Staffing Agency

The 10 Highest Paying Jobs in the Oil & Gas Industry

January 28, 2020 by Guest Contributor

Make no mistake: Oil and gas companies may be doing some serious cost-cutting and slimming-and-trimming to stay competitive after the shale boom binge, but when it comes to employment, it’s still one of the best industries to hit up for a job.

Jobs are booming, just as much as U.S. oil and gas production is.

US oil production has increased from 11.7 million Barrels per Day (BPD) at the start of 2019 to 12.6 million by the end of October, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA). Natural gas production has risen as well, to 99.1 Bcf/d at the end of October—95 Bcf/d of which is from dry natural gas—up from 91.3 Bcf/d this time last year for total US natural gas production.

Those gains have translated into more oil and gas industry jobs.

US Oil and Gas Employment

The United States Traditional Energy and Energy Efficiency Sectors in 2018 employed 6.7 million Americans in 2018, according to the US Energy and Employment Report 2019, with nearly 1.5 million directly employed by the oil and gas industry, and another 1.2 million workers employed by the power generation sector, which includes all types of power generation, including oil and gas.

Employment in the oil and gas extraction and support services, specifically, was at its highest level in 2018 since the fall of 2014—the next most recent high.

And those jobs? None too shabby if you’re interested. [Read more…] about The 10 Highest Paying Jobs in the Oil & Gas Industry

October Unemployment- Jobs Much Better Than Expected

November 2, 2019 by Tim McMahon

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released its employment / unemployment report for October on November 1^st.

Unemployment is still near record lows. Although the “Seasonally Adjusted” Unemployment Rate for October ticked up from 3.5% in September to 3.6%. However, the unadjusted U-3 Unemployment rate was unchanged at 3.3%. This Jobs report was unexpectedly good despite counting 30,000 “unemployed” strikers at auto manufacturers.

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

“Nonfarm payroll employment increased by 128,000 in October, and the unemployment rate was little changed at 3.6 percent. Notable employment gains occurred in food services and drinking places, social assistance, and financial activities. Within manufacturing, employment declined in motor vehicles and parts due to strike activity. Federal government employment was down, reflecting a drop in the number of temporary jobs for the 2020 Census.”

Experts had been predicting that the economy would add no more than 75,000 jobs. In fact, MarketWatch on Thursday told readers that
the report would be “a big dud” due to the impact of the General Motors strike on the overall numbers.
If it hadn’t been for the strike the October numbers would have been even better.

Of course, the Commissioner is talking about “Seasonally Adjusted Jobs” from the “Current Population Survey (CPS)”
rather than looking at the results reported by actual companies in the BLS’ “Current Employment Statistics survey (CES)”
in reality, the BLS has done a lot of “Adjusting” over the last few months.
The original CES numbers the BLS reported for August was 151.517 million people employed in August
then later they adjusted it up to 151.607 million. And for September they originally reported there were 151.949 million employed
and currently they are reporting 152.962 million employed so that is an actual increase of 1.013 million NOT and adjusted increase of 128,000!
But in addition to “Seasonal Adjustment”, they adjusted September’s number up to 152.015 million
so the difference between September and October appears to be less than it actually was.

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

October Jobs Report Smashes Expectations

Unadjusted U-3 was Unchanged at 3.3%!
Adjusted U-3 was up slightly from 3.5% to 3.6%!
Unadjusted U-6 was Unchanged at 6.5%!
Labor Force Participation hits levels not seen since 2013 at recent peak levels of 63.3%.
Unadjusted Employment Up
The unemployment rate for black Americans nudged lower to 5.4 percent, setting a new record,

Key factors in the BLS report were:
Employment in food services and drinking places rose by 48,000 over the month.
Financial activities employment rose by 15,000, with nearly half of the gain occurring in insurance carriers and related activities (+7,000).

Social assistance added 20,000 jobs in October, with most of the gain occurring in individual and family services.

Financial activities added 16,000 jobs.
Professional and business services added 22,000 jobs.

Health care added 15,000 jobs.

Manufacturing employment declined by 36,000 in October.
Employment in motor vehicles and parts manufacturing decreased
by 42,000, reflecting strike activity.

How Those With Autism Can Strengthen Their Odds in Applying for Jobs

August 14, 2019 by Tim McMahon

Diagnoses of autism have become more prevalent over the last several years, as has the awareness of the condition. There are many adults on the autism spectrum who are more than capable of holding down jobs and participating in business activities, but many still have problems with the application process. Below are four of the ways that adults with autism can strengthen their chances when it comes to applying for a job.

Work Within Areas of Strength

The next logical step to take is to look at those areas that speak to an individual’s areas of strengths. If you have issues with significant social interactions, for example, it might make sense to look for positions that require less team-based work. If certain physical stimuli are an issue, on the other hand, you may want to seek out fields that don’t tend to regularly feature those problems. Finding a workplace that allows you to embrace your strengths is always a good idea, and it’s usually the best way to put your own unique skills to their best use. In the following video, we can see that some companies are actually looking for people with the special skills Autistic people have. The problem, of course, is the interview. But now companies are finding alternative ways to screen autistic candidates.

The Interview

The best solution would be to [Read more…] about How Those With Autism Can Strengthen Their Odds in Applying for Jobs

How to Get a Good Job Fast When Unemployed

June 18, 2019 by Guest Contributor

With unemployment at the lowest level since 1969 it should be easier to find a job than at any point in recent history. But if you have little business experience, are fresh out of college or have poor interviewing skills you might still be having difficulty finding a job.

Unemployment can be a difficult period in any life. Not having a job can lead to all sorts of financial concerns. It can make you feel like you don’t have a sense of purpose in your day-to-day life, too. If you’re unemployed and wish to change that rapidly, then you can try these things out right away.

Attend Job Fairs

Going to career fairs can be helpful to people who are interested in rapid employment. If you attend these events, you get the rare opportunity to meet employers face-to-face. This is your chance to shine. You can hand our your resume, talk about your educational background, and even discuss your strong suits and career aspirations.

Tell People You Know that You Need a Job

Don’t keep your employment status a mystery. Secrecy won’t help your cause in any way. If you’re keen on getting a job quickly, you should make sure everyone you encounter knows that you’re looking around. Tell your neighbor who works at a marketing agency that you need a position. Tell the postman that you’re trying to find a new job as well. You never know what people may be able to do to help you out. A friend may tell you about paid truck driver training opportunities that you might want to look into further. Or you might hear that Mike Rowe testified before congress about the lack of workers available for blue collar jobs.

“Right now, American manufacturing is struggling to fill 200,000 vacant positions. There are 450,000 openings in trades, transportation and utilities. The skills gap is real, and it’s getting wider. In Alabama, a third of all skilled tradesmen are over 55. They’re retiring fast, and no one is there to replace them. Alabama’s not alone.”

Rather than paying for college you can get paid to train as an electrician. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, electricians earn an average of $55,190 but many earn much more.

Four Great Reasons to Consider a Career in Healthcare

April 13, 2019 by Guest Contributor

With so many exciting, rewarding, and challenging jobs to choose from, it can be difficult to narrow things down to just one field you want to focus on. This is part of the reason why statistics show that the average person changes jobs 12 times in their life. Picking just one stream can limit your overall options. And since your interests, skills, and needs will change throughout your lifetime it can be smart to pick a field that offers a lot of variety, one that can evolve and grow with you, so that you can remain in that one field but change jobs along the way.

A career in healthcare can offer the kind of variety you’re after, as well as a number of other benefits and advantages. Here’s a look at four reasons to consider a career in healthcare.

The Industry is Growing

When you’re picking that perfect career path, it’s always good to keep an eye open for those that are experiencing growth and demand. The healthcare industry checks off both those boxes, especially as the large baby boomer population continues to age, requiring more medical attention. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the healthcare field is projected to grow by 18% between now and 2026. Not only is that good news for anyone eyeing the industry, but it’s also well above the national job growth average in general.

You can boost the number of jobs that are open to you by making sure that you get a healthcare-focused master’s degree such as these Boston MHA programs, which offer a Master of Healthcare Administration.

A Chance to Give Back and Make a Difference

If you’re the type that measures job happiness and success by how it makes you feel, then the healthcare industry again can check off all the boxes. Working in this field allows you to truly give back and make a real difference in people’s lives. It’s the kind of job you can take pride in.

There Is Flexibility with Your Work Hours

The healthcare industry is also great for those who want flexibility with work hours. Sure you will find plenty of jobs within the industry that will be Monday through Friday, 9am-5pm, but there is also a lot of shift work and even part-time hours if you prefer. These kinds of hours can work well for busy families where one parent wants to be home with the kids as much as possible, so flex hours and part-time hours can help.

Salaries Are on the Rise

Then there is the fact that salaries in the healthcare field are on the rise by an average of 17.8% since 2006. This is great news for anyone that is currently struggling with a lower paying job and is looking to make more money in a new field.

Plenty of Pros for Looking at the Healthcare Industry

This is just a small look at the many pros and advantages to pursuing a career in the healthcare industry, and why it may be a great option for your future.

You might also like:

4 Entry-Level Jobs that Pay Higher-Level Wages

April 12, 2019 by Tim McMahon

Everyone wants a “good” job that pays enough to live on, but that’s not always attainable in today’s market. With minimum wage jobs paying far below the cost of living, and with so many jobs requiring years of experience to even apply, finding a job that you qualify for and that pays what you need can be daunting. However, there are jobs available that pay good wages and are easy to get started in.

Air Traffic Controller

ATC operators have the important job of managing and monitoring a wide range of commercial flights. They communicate with pilots and other airport control operators on a daily basis to make sure flight paths are clear and everything is running smoothly. Although you can increase your ATC salary as you complete different phases of training on the job, the starting wages for this industry already pay better than minimum wage in most cases. Most air traffic controllers have a bachelor’s degree or a degree through the Air Traffic Collegiate Training Initiative program, which is administered by the Federal Aviation Administration. Whatever your current education, you need to pass the Air Traffic Controller Specialists Skills Assessment Battery and gain admittance to the air traffic controller training course at the FAA Academy located in Oklahoma City. The FAA does not accept candidates for training over the age of 31 but does give preference to military veterans. The good news is that the median annual wage for air traffic controllers is $124,540 and even the lowest 10 percent earned about $68,000.

Shipping

The process of shipping physical goods from one location to another involves many steps, which means many jobs. One of the jobs you might be suited for is transporting those goods using a heavy vehicle rig. These types of jobs usually only require a high school diploma to start. In many cases, the employer will direct you to the necessary truck license training you should have for the job. At the moment, the demand is very high for truck drivers. See Considering a Career in Trucking?

Other jobs in the shipping industry can be with [Read more…] about 4 Entry-Level Jobs that Pay Higher-Level Wages

Job Hunting Anxiety? 4 Tips for Nailing Your Next Interview

April 1, 2019 by Tim McMahon

A job interview is one of the most stressful experiences that you can have, especially if you’re not fully prepared for it. If you want a better chance of nailing your next interview and landing a decent job, consider these four tips.

Research Your Potential Employer

Whether you’ve been interviewing with staffing services, a part-time job or you’re a candidate for your dream job, you will want to research every potential employer who calls you for an interview. It shows that you have an interest in their company, and that you have an attention for detail that will prove to be beneficial for any employer.

Come up with Good Selling Points

The whole point of a job interview is to see if you’re a good fit for the job in question, so you have to sell yourself. Before you go in for your interview, come up with three or four selling points for yourself. These should be reasons why this particular company should want to hire you. What those points are will be determined by what the company really wants in an employee, so decide which of your strengths will be most beneficial for an employer and highlight those during your interview. [Read more…] about Job Hunting Anxiety? 4 Tips for Nailing Your Next Interview