Tag Archives: Labour economics

TIME FOR TOUGH LOVE

Posted on March 28, 2013 | Leave a comment

resumewritingtipsBY: Adam Gavriel

It’s time to set the record straight here, America.

A bit of tough love here, but it has to be said. You are NOT going to find work if you give up looking for work. A job is not going to fall straight on your doorstep if you’re patient enough; you have to be willing to go out and fight for it.

Some economists will have you believe that America’s economy is on the upswing when presented with a chart showing the unemployment rate decreasing steadily. What is not visible on that chart however is how many American’s have just plain exited the work force.

A report published earlier this month by Forbes.com reports:

“The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported unemployment fell to 7.7% from 7.9%, but the drop was at least partially attributable to a decline in labor force participation, Baker says. The employment-to-population ratio (EPOP) was unchanged at 58.6 percent, exactly the same as the rate in February of 2012 and just 0.4 percentage points above the low hit in the summer of 2011. This compares with an EPOP of 63.0 percent in 2007, pre-crisis.”

The only thing more discouraging about this statistic are the Americans who are looking for work, but essentially not even trying anymore.

Recently here at Crossroads Consulting a resume was submitted to us that really hit home in a very depressing way. To avoid any conflicts of interest, and to protect the identity of this applicant who we are trying to work with, we will just post a few snips from their resume so you can avoid these mistakes in the future.

In addition, please, if you are not comfortable with your resume contact us immediately. We have a highly recommended resume service that can help you most effectively optimize your resume for the eyes of employers.

The resume we received went as follows:

“Objective: To find a job in a sea of joblessness.”

The ‘Objective’ of your resume will be the first thing any recruiter or HR manager reads. This applicant did everyone in that business a favor. The average HR Manager spends six seconds looking at a resume. This applicant brought the average down to whatever time it takes to hit the delete key.

But it gets worse.

Instead of listing their internship experience under work history, the applicant listed it as a part of their education section. As was the case with all other job history written on the resume by the applicant, there was no description of what the duties of the jobs entailed.  Not to mention under job history, the applicant included “currently unemployed.”

This resume was just an absolute train wreck. What makes it TRULY sad was that it was avoidable. There are unlimited resources available with a simple Google search about putting together a strong resume. You do not have to have a listing of accomplishments a mile long to have a good resume to get yourself under serious consideration for a position.

As we look back and monitor the number of Americans who have just given up altogether, what about those still in the job market not really even trying anymore. We have hit a serious inflection point in America’s history at the moment, and we can go one of two ways. Everyone works together to get the economy going again, or we continue down a mediocre path where nothing happens.

It pains us here at Crossroads Consulting that we even had to mention this kind of resume in a blog post. If you have been following along here at OutOfOurMind.net you know how many times we have posted resources about how to bring your resume to an optimal level. We want to make sure nobody is sending horrific resumes like this one to any recruiter or HR manager, not just us. It does not help and helping people is the central tenant of our mission statement. It is why we are in this business.

Our main goal here is to get Americans working again. Whether it is through a position that we place the person in or not, if our system helped your resume or interview preparation skills, then we have done our job.

Even if all this article did was get you thinking, that is something for us to be proud of.

Please visit our website and feel free to send your resume our way for critique and helpful tips. And while you’re there, feel free to take a look at our job openings from across the nation that we are looking to fill TODAY.

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SLOW BUT STILL NOT GOOD

Posted on March 14, 2013 | Leave a comment

BY: Adam Gavriel

Slow and steady wins the race.

The American job market continues to slowly improve. As many economists suspected before the released numbers, there has been a gradual trend in the right direction for many Americans.

The report from Bloomberg.com today shows that the number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits has dropped to its lowest levels in two months. In the week ended March 9th, jobless claims fell by 10,000 to 332,000. This was after many economists predicted jobless claims would rise to 350,000.

“The rate of job destruction is pretty low,” said Scott Brown, chief economist at Raymond James & Associates in St. Petersburg, Florida, who projected the number of claims would drop to 338,000. “The labor market is in continued-recovery mode, though there is still a lot of ground to make up.”

As Scott Brown warns, the market is still highly at risk. With government slashing across the board coming soon, companies believe that they will have to be cutting their payroll expenses in the near future as the sequester takes effect.

“The sequester is another issue,” Ryan Sweet, a senior economist at Moody’s Analytics Inc. in West Chester, Pennsylvania, said before the report. “Beginning in April, we’ll start to get layoff notices, so we could see some upward bias on new filings because of the sequester, but lawmakers still have time to scale it back.

Although the numbers are trending in a positive direction, they are still moving too slow to help the American economy recover. Optimism is on the way with the way the economy is moving, but factors such as the sequester looming could set up the American economy to fail again. As was the case with the NHL Lockout this past summer, it is a “cautious optimism” that is beginning to sweep the nation. The numbers are progressing at a slow wait, but no one really knows what looms on the horizon. And without the ability to predict the future markets, companies and hiring managers are going to play things very close to the chest and protect their pockets.

All caused by the government’s inability to work across the aisle, and avoid The Sequester.

Well, as they say, slow and steady wins the race. You have to keep that pace though. The tortoise would have never won had he walked backwards for half of the race. Keep moving forward.

At Crossroads Consulting we are doing our part to help the tortoise to keep moving in the correct direction. Despite the government slashing coming across the board, Crossroads Consulting currently has over 50 open positions that we are looking to fill TODAY across the nation. If you’re one of those Americans that can’t seem to find the right opportunity, we implore you to check out our openings and send us your resume today. If you’re not comfortable with your resume, you can request our highly recommended resume service. We want to do our part from meeting you, to helping you, to get you in that job you’ve been eyeing.

At Crossroads Consulting, we are putting the ‘human’ back into ‘human resources’

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UNDEREMPLOYMENT

Posted on February 20, 2013 | Leave a comment

BY: Adam Gavriel

After last week’s State of the Union address from President Barack Obama, congressman David Joyce (1st term Republican, Ohio) was quoted on the current job market, and how he feels American’s aren’t well prepared for the market in front of them.

“We need to better prepare our workforce for the jobs that we have,” Joyce said. “There are three million jobs that go vacant each month in this country, so the idea of trying to better prepare our children for the workforce by reforming high schools and stressing technical degrees in engineering, that is something that intrigues me. It’s something that people in other districts hear from their people, who said we have difficulty finding competent workers.”

The website PolitiFact picked up on Joyce’s comments out of intrigue, and decided to do some research. Not willing to believe that in a country with a 7.9% unemployment rate that 3 million jobs could go vacant from month to month.

PolitiFact contacted Joyce’s office, who referred the website to these figures:

“Reports the office issued for previous months in 2012 indicated there were 3.8 million job openings in June, 3.7 million job openings in November, October , July,   May and March,  3.6 million openings in September and August, 3.5 million vacancies in January and February, and 3.4 million unfilled jobs in April,”

Joyce wasn’t wrong.

It is becoming an epidemic in today’s struggling economy that jobs are remaining unfilled. This is due to a believed “skill gap” in the workforce between employers and prospective employees. Currently, employers aren’t paying what prospective employees feel they are worth. With this in turn comes the underemployment number. Underemployment, if you are not familiar with the term, can be defined as people who are working in a lower capacity than they are qualified for, including in a lower-paid job or for less hours than they would like to work.

The current reported underemployment number in the United States sits at around 15%

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Is it possible that all these issues can be tracked back to simple supply and demand theory? There isn’t a very large demand for workers these days, but the supply of those looking for work continues to be at an all-time high. This allows prospective employers to pick and choose as they please, at the rates they wish to pay, with the skills they want to add to their teams.

The job market is always evolving. If you find yourself unemployed at the current time, we encourage you to stick with it, to keep building your resume however you can, and adding those skills that employers in your field desire. If you’re like the many other hardworking unemployed Americans, you are reading job ads daily, you know what companies are looking for. Always remember that unemployed time is NOT vacation time.

At Crossroads Consulting we continue to have over 50 job postings that we’re looking to fill TODAY across the nation. If you believe that your resume is holding you back, we can help you there too with our resume service.

As patriotic as we are, we want to see all of America back on its feet and in the workforce. This economy cannot recover on its own, but requires a team effort from everyone out there. Make your connections, including us, work them, and let’s get working together.

Remember, Crossroads Consulting is here to put the ‘human’ back into ‘human resources.’

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PAGING ACCURATE UNEMPLOYMENT NUMBERS…PAGING ACCURATE UNEMPLOYMENT NUMBERS!

Posted on December 6, 2012 | Leave a comment

BY: Adam Gavriel

The November jobs report has arrived and boy was it discouraging.

Gallup reported on Wednesday that there was a huge increase in the United States unemployment number jumping from a reported 7% in October to close to 8% again moving to 7.8% for November. Seasonally adjusted unemployment rose from 7.4% in October to 8.3% over the same time frame.

Though the cause for the huge jump in unemployment is not clear, some economists believe it could be due to jobs lost to the devastating Hurricane Sandy. Economists also believe that it could be due to a very lackluster holiday hiring season.

Looking at November alone, it’s not as bad as it has been as the unemployment rate remains below 8% and at 7.8% is the 2nd best month reported in the year 2012. However after the unemployment rate hit a huge low at 7% in October, and just after the presidential election, it is discouraging to say the least that the unemployment rate is now a reported 7.8%

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A report from Bloomberg shows a different side however, reporting that the number of people seeking unemployment fell heavily last week. The report at Bloomberg states that this could be due to those who filed for unemployment in the wake of Hurricane Sandy now back at work. The number reported showing that applicants dropped 25,000 last week and fell to a seasonally adjusted 375,000. In the week ending November 10th, just 12 days before the biggest day of thanks in the nation, unemployment applicants was at 451,000 so it is very encouraging to see that number continue to drop.

From Bloomberg:

“The report is “a positive development for the labor market, which appears to be recovering from the temporary effects of Sandy more rapidly than originally anticipated,” Joseph LaVorgna, an economist at Deutsche Bank, said in a note to clients.”

This report provides little encouragement however on top of the news of the unemployment rate skyrocketing today. Hopefully, as more and more get off of their temporary stay on unemployment aid, the unemployment rate returns to a manageable level.

The news doesn’t end there however. Further reports from Gallup show that Small-Business Owners continue to slow down their hiring. Small-Businesses are the engine that run the United States economy and when they’re not hiring it’s easy to tell which way the economy will head. Net hiring intention for the next 12 months plummeted to -4 matching its previous record low.

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Gallup also reported that small-business owners who intend to decrease jobs at their companies sky-rocketed to 21%, while those who intend on adding jobs dropped to 17%

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All further signs that this recession is here to stay.

Here at Crossroads Consulting, LLC. we are working to try and keep the unemployment rate in the country as low as possible. We understand that the motor that feeds a strong economy is a strong working class, and getting people in to jobs and lowering the unemployment rate. That’s what we strive to do every day. Check out our listings. We have over 50 positions, many unadvertised on our website. Don’t be shy about applying either; we want to see your resume. If you’re not confident in your resume, don’t worry, we can help you there as well with our recommended resume optimization process.

Remember, at Crossroads Consulting we’re trying to put the ‘human’ back into ‘human resources.’

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EMPLOYMENT TIPS FOR A GRADUATING CLASS

Posted on May 25, 2012 | 1 Comment

BY: Adam Gavriel

A few weeks ago Mike Myatt, a contributor at Forbes.com, wrote an article on 10 tips for the Graduating Class of 2012. As one of the many graduates from that 2012 class who now founds himself entering what people like to call the “real-world” (which looks oddly like my parent’s house) I took to reading Mr. Myatt’s article.

Of his 10 tips I’m going to talk about one I love, one I hate, and one that was fairly obvious.

Continue reading →

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EMPLOYMENT NUMBERS FROM CANADA PAINT PORTRAIT OF AMERICAN CONDITIONS

Posted on March 11, 2012 | Leave a comment

BY: Adam Gavriel

Leave it to the Calgary Herald to release a report that many American’s were dying to hear. As the unemployment rate remains too high for comfort in America, many of its citizens are trying their best to get back into the job market. When the recession was at its deepest from 2007-2009 many American’s found looking for work to be tedious, time consuming, and overall a dreadful experience. These factors led many of those potential employees on the outside looking in.

Today the Calgary Herald released a report that the labor force participation rate, which is the percentage of working-age Americans either with a job or looking for one- experience its biggest monthly jump since April 2010 as it rose from 63.7% to 63.9% in January.

Also noted in the report is the figure that the United States economy created more than 200,000 jobs for the third month in a row, slowly picking away at the millions of jobs lost in the recession.

Many of the unemployed who never gave up on looking for work are starting to see the dividends pay off from their perseverance. Whether it was continuing to hunt the job market, or trying to build accomplishments for their resumes like learning new skills or obtaining a master’s degree, these prospective employees are finally finding a place to settle their feet.

In a speech on Friday, President Obama said, “We can’t go back to an economy that was weakened by outsourcing and bad debts and phony financial profits. We have got to have an economy that’s built to last and that starts with American manufacturing.”

It is certainly a dream to get more American manufacturing, to keep jobs in America while keeping costs down and lowering the unemployment rate all at the same time. A dream that if accomplished, those looking for work and those looking to hire will be able to pick and choose who or what they want, rather than waiting to be in the right place at the right time and hoping for the best.

Through the recession Crossroads Consulting has been focused on finding the opportunities that many times the person at home simply can’t. We’ve also searched for people with resumes who we can help fill those opportunities or guide them to finding one through our services. If you’re looking to hirethe right individual to fill whatever positions they are, remember we’re here to help.

Crossroads Consulting is your resource to the best employment and best employees.

If you have any questions about our services which, if you’re looking for a job includes resume preparation, submission and/or interview preparation you can submit your resume in MS Word format. If you’re a perspective client includes both contingency and retained searches we want to hear from you as well. All inquiries should be sent to Info AT crossroadsconsulting DOT com.

If you would like to share your comments on the recession, how you’re dealing with it, or any ways you think we can make your life easer at Crossroads Consulting, feel free to comment in the comments section below.

Also make sure to like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter!

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Posted in Crossroads Consulting, LLC, Hiring Company News, Interviewing, Job Seeker News, Resume

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Import Knowledge – Export Skills

Posted on October 12, 2011 | Leave a comment

BY: Adam Gavriel

The Heckscher–Ohlin model of economic trade suggests that producers of abundant resources will favor free trade while the holders of scarce resources will favor protectionism. With this, those who have a hold of the abundant resources will become rich while those holding the scarce resources, who can’t find anyone to export those resources to, will watch their business flounder.

This theory can be applied to any market, today we will specifically look at the job market. With the United State’s unemployment continuing to hover over 9% the job market finds itself abundant in potential labor, however, it goes deeper that. To make sure that you can export a feature of yourself to make you useful to a company that is, in essence, importing you, it needs to be abundant.

Continue reading →

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UNEMPLOYMENT TRENDS STAGGERING

Posted on September 14, 2011 | Leave a comment

BY: Adam Gavriel

With the August unemployment rate sitting at 9.1% and stagnating there with no end in sight to the recession that has conquered the US many American’s find themselves out of the workforce; or know someone who is looking for work.

These tables posted a week ago at seekingalpha.comshow why this recession may be here to stay and just how sharply America’s job market is trending downward.

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Employment Changes (in thousands)

Showing what most of us already knew, that August was one of the worst months for job growth since September 2010.

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Private Sector Changes (in thousands)

This table shows growth in all private sectors but the financial sector in 2011 and a supreme increase in the Construction sector from just last year. However the negative trend in Education from 2010 to 2011 has to be a concern.

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Government Employee Changes (in thousands)

Another table highlighting the severe downfall in education, while also highlighting the overall downward trend that government employees have been experiencing all year.

Overall these tables show just how hard of a year 2011 has been on the American economy.

The jobs however are still out there. Searching for jobs you just have to be prepared. Research the field of work you’re looking into. Let a professional look at your resume. And no matter what, never stop looking for those open job opportunities around the country

Make sure to connect with Crossroads Consulting on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter!

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DON’T JUDGE A BOOK (UNEMPLOYMENT) BY IT’S COVER

Posted on June 21, 2011 | Leave a comment

BY: Adam Gavriel

It appears we’re sticking with some solid proverbs here on out of our mind. Last week it was “know before you go” and today it is “don’t judge a book by it’s cover.” Today’s blog won’t actually be covering a book, but it will be breaking down the cover.

The 9.1% unemployment rate that was recorded in May for the US seems to go so much deeper than just that number. People now referring to the time we’re in as “The Great Recession” believe this to be one of the hardest economic downturns the country has taken since The Great Depression.

A statistic from an article in the USNews published yesterday says that nearly 3 million Americans who are unemployed have stopped their search for the next job. This to me is the most disheartening statistic of them all, but it goes further. The article reports that Hiring reports have skydived to 10,248 in May down from nearly 60,000 in April.

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JOB CONFIDENCE WANING

Posted on June 6, 2011 | Leave a comment

BY: Adam Gavriel

According to a telephone survey conducted by Rasmussen Reports 31% of American Adults believe that unemployment will be higher a year from today. This report comes at a 5 point increase from March. However, the same study showed that 29% of American adults believe the unemployment rate will go down, while 32% believe it will stay about the same.

Even with the increasing uncertainty in the unemployment rate, 21% of Americans believe that the job market is better now than it was a year ago. The statistics stay consistent when the report continues to say that 39% believe the job market is worse.

Also interesting is that workers under 30 (Generation Y and X) are more doubtful about the future of the job market than the older workers.

Now after the survey recorded in June, 3 out of 4 employees believe that when they leave their job it will be on their terms. This number is up from the 72% that was reported in May, as you can read in a post on out of our mind here. This number remains reasonable as the 19% of the same adults surveyed reported that their firms were currently hiring, while 23% reported that their firms are currently laying people off.

In today’s uncertain economy it all comes down to how prepared you are as an employee. The roughly 75% of workers who believe that when they leave their job it will be on their terms could be in for a hard surprise when it’s not. These same 75% of employees may not have a current resume finished and ready to send to employers while the 25% of those that are wary will more likely than not be prepared to get started on the hunt. It all comes down to preparation.

Stressed in every blog here on out of our minds is having that great resume and cover letter, being prepared for an interview. Knowing everything you can learn about a firm you are applying to can make or break your status as an applicant.

This is where Crossroads Consulting comes into play. Not only do we have the job listings for you, but we’ll walk you through every step of the way if you need us to with resume optimization and interview preparation services. At Crossroads Consulting we take pride in every resume we handle to make sure we are showing you off to the employer in the most efficient way.

Stop being so down on the economy and start doing something about it. Reading in that Rasmussen report that some potential employees looking for work have given up their search was extremely disheartening. It’s time to exhaust every opportunity you can. Have your resume optimized with us and begin sending it out to employers. Get your name out there and start making an impact on the job market today.

Make sure to follow Crossroads Consulting on twitter, like us on facebook, and connect with us on LinkedIn. Building that connection on social media could be your first step towards that new job.

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