January 29, 2009

Unions add to ranks
Posted by Jesse Nunes at 5:17 PM

The following story originally appeared in the Business News Updates blog on Boston.com.

By Robert Gavin, Globe Staff

Labor unions in Massachusetts added nearly 80,000 members last year and significantly increased the share of workers they represent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Union membership grew to 458,000, or about 15.7 percent of workers in 2008, up from 379,000, or about 13.2 percent, in 2007. Nationally, union membership rose to 12.4 percent of workers from 12. 1 percent in 2007.

"As the economy implodes, workers are increasingly looking for the protection and security provided by unions through collective bargaining," said Richard M. Rogers, executive secretary-treasurer of Greater Boston Labor Council.

Massachusetts is one of 20 states, including two others in New England, with higher union membership rates than the US average. In New England, Connecticut had the highest union membership rate, 16.9 percent of workers, up from 15.6 percent in 2007, followed by Rhode Island, with 16.5 percent, up from 15 percent.

Union membership in Maine rose to 12.3 percent from 11.7. In New Hampshire, it increased to 10.6 percent from 9.7 percent, and in Vermont, it remained unchanged at 10.4 percent of workers.

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On the other side...
Posted by Jesse Nunes at 12:50 PM

The news covering all things employment has been nothing but doom and gloom lately, so it's important sometimes to highlight those areas that aren't so, well, doomy and gloomy.

An article in Today's Globe shows that it is not such a bad time to be a recent grad with a Ph.D. who is looking to get into academia. From the story:

Amid the gloom of hiring freezes across much of academia, some New England colleges are seizing on the opportunity to scoop up the brightest newly minted PhDs to bolster their faculty ranks and gain ground on their competition.

A few are recruiting tenure-track faculty in droves even as the majority of colleges, most notably Harvard, have curtailed faculty searches as part of belt-tightening measures. Northeastern is conducting a search for 46 professors in fields ranging from nanotechnology to public health. Tufts is moving forward with 52 faculty searches. Others, including Emerson, Holy Cross, and Amherst, have created teaching positions.

However, the story notes that competition for these open positions is very stiff. Click here to read the whole story.

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A tough Wednesday bleeds into Thursday
Posted by Jesse Nunes at 11:05 AM

Well, the layoff announcements yesterday rivaled those of Monday, making this a pretty dismal week. Again, the scope and breadth of layoffs in the state and across the country continues to hit all industries.

And the scary thing is there still seems no end in sight. Even more companies announced job cuts today, as the number of Americans claiming jobless benefits jumped to a record high.

The AP reports:

Businesses continued to hemorrhage jobs Thursday. Ford Motor Co. reported a fourth-quarter loss of $5.9 billion and said its credit arm would cut 20 percent of its work force, or 1,200 jobs. Eastman Kodak Co. said it's cutting 3,500 to 4,500 jobs, or 14 to 18 percent of its work force, as it posted a $137 million quarterly loss on plunging sales of photography products.

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Starbucks Corp. on Wednesday said it would cut 6,700 jobs. The coffee company also said it would close 300 underperforming stores, on top of 600 it already planned to shut down.

Time Warner Inc.'s AOL division is cutting up to 700 jobs, or about 10 percent of the online unit's work force. And IBM Corp. has cut thousands of jobs in its sales, software and hardware divisions in the past week, without announcing specific numbers.

Boeing Co., Pfizer Inc., Home Depot Inc. and other U.S. corporate titans also have announced tens of thousands of job cuts this week alone.

In addition, more Massachusetts-based business also announced cuts yesterday and today. Analogic Corp. of Peabody is cutting 128 jobs, Sepracor of Marlborough is cutting 530 jobs, Cambridge Health Alliance is reducing its workforce by 300 employees and closing some clinics, and Teradyne of North Reading said it would cut 14 percent of its 3,800 worldwide workforce, or around 530 workers.

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January 28, 2009

Those shrinking wallets
Posted by Jesse Nunes at 4:04 PM

Last week's poll was a popular one - I guess it always will be when you bring up money.

In the wake of a Salary.com report that showed raises at companies will be scarce this year, and also in the midst of daily layoff news, we wanted to find out just how hard the recession is hitting Massachusetts workers in the wallet.

The results weren't too surprising:

Although the most respondents indicated they are making "slightly more" money than last year, the combined responses for those making "slightly less" or "a lot less" totaled more than 40 percent. Add in the relatively high percentage of people that are making the same as last year, and the smaller number of people who are now jobless, and you end up with only a third of workers who are actually making more than a year ago.

Again, these results are far from scientific, but they are interesting.

This week, we want to know who you think is most effected by the recession when it comes to looking for jobs. Cast your vote here.

And on a related note, check out a new Boston.com article on who may be hiring the upcoming graduates in the Class of 2009.

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January 26, 2009

The hits keep on coming
Posted by Jesse Nunes at 3:25 PM

Today was not a particularly good day to be a worker in the United States.

Major layoffs were announced by a number of companies across the country and it seems not a single industry has been untouched as the recession deepens every day.

The AP reports on today's bloodbath:

Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer Inc., which is buying rival drugmaker Wyeth in a $68 billion deal, and Sprint Nextel Corp., the country's third-largest wireless provider, said they each will slash 8,000 jobs. Home Depot Inc., the biggest home improvement retailer in the U.S., will get rid of 7,000 jobs, and General Motors Corp. said it will cut 2,000 jobs at plants in Michigan and Ohio due to slow sales.

Caterpillar Inc., the world's largest maker of mining and construction equipment, announced 5,000 new layoffs on top of several earlier actions. The latest cuts of support and management employees will be made globally by the end of March. An additional 2,500 workers already have accepted buyout offers, and ties have been severed with about 8,000 contract workers worldwide. In addition, about 4,000 full-time factory workers already have been let go.

Just last week, Microsoft Corp. said it will slash up to 5,000 jobs over the next 18 months. Intel Corp. said it will cut up to 6,000 manufacturing jobs and United Airlines parent UAL Corp. said it would get rid of 1,000 jobs, on top of 1,500 axed late last year.

Not included in the AP report were a couple of smaller layoff announcements with a larger local impact. Waltham-based biopharmaceutical company Altus Pharmaceuticals Inc. announced a workforce reduction of around 107 employees and Chelmsford-based Brooks Automation, Inc., which makes software and equipment for chip manufacturers, announced plans for 350 worldwide job cuts.

For a quick recap of some of the more notable layoffs in the Bay State over the last couple of months, click here.

Are you worried about losing your job amid the mounting layoffs? Let us know in our survey.

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January 22, 2009

Mass. unemployment rate highest in 15 years
Posted by Jesse Nunes at 11:42 AM

The following article originally appeared in the Business News Updates blog on Boston.com.

By Robert Gavin, Globe Staff

The Massachusetts economy deteriorated sharply in the past two months as employers slashed nearly 40,000 jobs in November and December, and the unemployment rate soared to the highest level in more than 15 years, the Executive Office of Workforce Development reported.

Employers cut nearly 17,000 jobs last month, the state reported, and job losses were much worse than initially estimated in November. Employers cut more than 22,000 jobs in November, 14,000 more than were first reported. State officials said the unusually large revision is the result of procedural changes made by the US Department of Labor.

The Massachusetts unemployment rate last month jumped a percentage point, from 5.9 to 6.9 percent, the highest rate since October 1993. The state jobless rate was 4.3 percent in December 2007. The number of unemployed has increased by nearly 90,000 over the year.

The surge in joblessness reflects impact of the national recession, which many economists expect to be the worst since the Great Depression. The nation shed more than 1 million jobs in November and December, and the unemployment rate rose above 7 percent for the first time since 1986.

In Massachusetts, job losses were broad. Professional and business services, a key employment sector that includes consultants, scientific and technical firms, lost 7,500 jobs. Retailers shed 3,100 jobs. Construction firms slashed 2,500 jobs, and manufacturers 1,000. Education and health care services, which includes universities and hospitals, lost 700 jobs.

Few major sectors added jobs. Information, which includes software publishers, gained 200 jobs. Government added 500 jobs.

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January 21, 2009

Survey results: Where are the job openings?
Posted by Jesse Nunes at 1:06 PM

Last week's poll, tied to The Big Help online, attempted to find out what our readers thought they needed the most help with in their job search. Not a very interesting survey topic, apparently, as only around 300 readers put in the time to respond.

Nevertheless, here's how the results shook out:

So obviously, a majority of people feel they need the most help finding where the jobs openings are. Apparently, the search tool at Boston.com/Monster isn't giving the desired results, or else people think many postings are for jobs that aren't really "there." Regardless, with the economy in the shape it's in and the ranks of unemployed swelling by the day, there are more and more job seekers for less and less job openings. So trying to find the inside track on where the "real" jobs are seems to be a priority for most.

The next area people felt they needed the most advice from was a logical one: Networking. Many experts out there like to talk about how networking is really the key to finding a good job, and everything else is secondary. Luckily enough, we had some great tips on networking last week during The Big Help, including a chat with author and networking expert Diane Darling and a really good in-depth article from Dave Sanford of Winter, Wyman on how to effectively network.

As for where to look for jobs, as well on tips for the whole job search process, check out our new Job Seeker Advice page for tons of useful tips and links. Also check out the links to some industry-specific niche job sites out there (See the "Niche job sites" links under the "Organizing your search" section.)

This week, we hope for a little bit more participation in the weekly survey. Against the backdrop of the well-documented economic woes and companies cutting back wherever they can, we ask a question that hits where it matters most: the wallet. Are you making more of less money that you did a year ago?

Chime in and let us know.

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January 20, 2009

More Bay State job cuts
Posted by Jesse Nunes at 1:18 PM

Yet more job losses in the Bay State resulting from the economy's impact on personal tech sales.

First, Circuit City, the second-largest US consumer electronics chain, announced late last week that is shutting all of its stores - including 19 in Massachusetts - and going out of business. The move results in lost jobs for around 600 people in the Bay State, and 34,000 in the US. Read the story here.

Next, Framingham-based Bose Corp., a company best known for its audio products, announced today that it is cutting 10 percent of its US workforce, which will result in about 1,000 job cuts. The company has 2,000 employees in Massachusetts, so if the total job cuts were applied proportionately, then 200 people could lose their jobs in state. Read the story here.

To read about more of the major Massachusetts workforce reductions announced since late August 2008, check out this photo gallery chronicling the carnage.

Are you worried about losing your job? Chime in here.

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January 14, 2009

The Census is hiring
Posted by Jesse Nunes at 4:09 PM

This article originally appeared in the Local News Updates blog on Boston.com.

By Globe Staff

The US Census Bureau has opened three offices and is looking for applicants to fill more than 3,000 temporary jobs across the state as it gears up for the 2010 Census, the agency said today.

The offices have been opened in Boston, New Bedford, and Worcester. The agency is looking for address listers, office clerks, recruiting assistants, crew leaders, and field operation supervisors, the agency said in a statement.

The first wave of employees will help develop an address list this spring that will be used to deliver Census questionnaires in 2010. In the second wave, census takers will be hired to go door to door to collect information from people who haven't returned their questionnaires by mail.

The agency said it would open eight additional offices in the state this year. Nationwide, it will open 500 offices during peak activities.

Those interested in applying for the jobs should go to www.2010censusjobs.gov for information. Or they can call 1-866-861-2010.

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January 13, 2009

Job fairs in Boston this week
Posted by Jesse Nunes at 1:03 PM

There are a couple of notable job fairs this week in Boston.

First, Good Morning America's Great American Job Fair and Career Camp takes place tomorrow at the grand ballroom in the Sheraton Boston.

Suzanne Bump, the Massachusetts secretary of labor and workforce development, will be on hand to lend her expertise to job seekers, as well as a number of labor department employees, who will be critiquing resumes, offering job search tips, and answering questions in person and by phone.

The event starts at 6 a.m. and runs until 9 a.m., and only employers who have actual jobs to fill will be allowed to participate, a labor department spokeswoman said. More than 65 employers are expected to participate, according to a press release. A spokeswoman also suggested job seekers arrive early, as there is usually a line that forms more than an hour before the start of such job fairs.

Click here for more on the Great American Job Fair and Career Camp.

Also, the House of Blues, which is returning Boston with a Landsdown Street location in mid-February is holding a job fair today and tomorrow at the Absolut Club at Fenway Park.

The new restaurant will be looking to hire 200 people in a variety of jobs ranging from training and HR staff to restaurant staff, retail associates and ticket sellers, among others, according to a press release.

The job fair will be held January 13 to 14 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the club, which is located at 72 Brookline Ave.

"We are seeking experienced individuals who are enthusiastic about the return of House of Blues to Boston and are ready to bring our signature hospitality back to the Boston market," said Julie Jordan, general manager for House of Blues Boston, in a press release. "We are looking forward to being fully-staffed and opening the doors in mid-February."

Click here for more info on the new House of Blues in Boston.

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January 12, 2009

Need networking help?
Posted by Jesse Nunes at 10:00 AM

You may have noticed the expanded careers section in your Globe yesterday.

Yes, it's time yet again for The Big Help.

This edition focuses on "working through a recession." We all know it's a tough job market out there, and offer tips on what you can do to make it through as best as possible.

Today, we focus on perhaps the most important part of the job search: Networking. Many people know what the word means, but are really unsure how to use it effectively.

We have a uniquely qualified guest to speak on the subject today: Diane Darling, who has written two books on the subject ("The Networking Survival Guide" and "Networking for Career Success.")

She will talk about a newer concept to the world of networking -- using both "old-fashioned" face-to-face networking effectively along with "new-school" online social networking. She calls the concept "hybrid networking." Check out the chat at noon, and get all your networking questions answered.

Also, Dave Sanford, Executive Vice President of Client Services for Waltham staffing firm Winter, Wyman, offers 10 tips to building, maintaining, and using your professional network in a job search.

Read the article here.

And stay tuned to Boston.com/bighelp this week for more chats, advice, and more resources for helping you deal with the job market.

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January 7, 2009

Resolving to accept reality
Posted by Jesse Nunes at 3:40 PM

The New Year is the time for resolutions. Every year, you resolve to do something, start something, or quit something, which usually ends up with you being racked with guilt for the next few months after not following through. Or maybe that's just me.

Nevertheless, in last week's survey, we asked readers what their top priority was for their careers in 2009, keeping in mind that the economy continues to be a major concern, and "pie in the sky" dream jobs are probably less on people's minds than normal.

Here are the results:

As you can see, there's a broad range of answers given, with more than six of the answers grabbing more than 10 percent each of the final vote. It looks like climbing the corporate ladder -- or at least hoping for a "better" future, is still on the minds of the most people. Also not surprisingly, many people would be happy to just remain gainfully employed during these tumultuous times. The rest of responses centered on accumulating skills that will help them land a job... which, in and of itself, seems harder than ever.

With that in mind, and in anticipation of the upcoming Big Help section in print and online, this week we ask: What aspect of job searching do you need the most help with?

And be sure to tune in to Boston.com/bighelp starting Sunday and continuing online through next Wednesday for advice on how to keep working through a recession.

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A call for tech mentors
Posted by Jesse Nunes at 12:01 PM

This article originally appeared in the Business News Updates blog on Boston.com.

By Chris Reidy, Globe staff

American teens approach the subjects of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics with increasingly positive attitudes, according to the latest survey from the Lemelson-MIT Program, a Cambridge nonprofit organization that seeks to recognize outstanding inventors and inspire young people to pursue creative lives and careers through invention.

There was a downside, however, to the 2009 Lemelson-MIT Invention Index: Many teens lack the necessary encouragement from mentors and role models in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, which the program collectively refers to as STEM.

The program's annual survey aims to gauge Americans’ perceptions about invention and innovation, the Lemelson-MIT Program said in a press release, and the graphic that appears above this post, which was provided by the program, shows that this year's survey results indicate that many teens are motivated by altruistic reasons to pursue STEM careers.

The press release included a statement from Leigh Estabrooks, invention education officer with the Lemelson-MIT Program.

“As an educator, it’s exciting to see that teens have such positive perceptions about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics," Estabrooks said. "Traditionally, many students find these subjects intimidating. Increased exposure to STEM through hands-on learning and interaction with teachers and professionals in these fields may be partly responsible for this positive shift in teens’ perceptions. It may also continue to help shake off any existing stereotypes, making STEM careers seem more accessible.

One initiative of the Lemelson-MIT Program is Lemelson-MIT InvenTeams, which are teams of high school students, teachers, and mentors that receive grants up to $10,000 each to invent technological solutions to real-world problems.

The 2008-2009 Lemelson-MIT InvenTeam initiative has provided nearly 350 teens with real-world experience and role models in STEM, the program said.

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Job cuts slam financial services
Posted by Jesse Nunes at 11:55 AM

This article originally appeared in the Business News Updates blog on Boston.com.

By Chris Reidy, Globe Staff

Employers announced plans to eliminate another 166,348 jobs in December, the largest December job-cut total on record, according to a report released today by Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc.

The financial services sector of the US economy was hit especially hard, noted Challenger Gray, a global outplacement consultancy in Chicago that began tracking layoffs in 1993.

Last month, financial services companies announced plans to cut 39,604 jobs, a firm spokesman wrote in an e-mail.

The firm said that overall December job cuts for the US economy were 8.4 percent lower than the seven-year high of 181,671 in November, but that last month’s total was nearly four times larger than December 2007, when employers announced 44,416 job cuts, the lowest December total since 1999.

Job cuts for all of 2008 were dominated by the financial sector, which announced plans to shed 260,110 workers, the firm said. That is the third largest annual industry total on record behind the 317,777 job cuts and 268,851 job cuts announced by the telecommunications sector in 2001 and 2002, respectively, Challenger Gray said in a press release.

The financial services industry has a major presence in Massachusetts. An October story in the Globe noted a projection from the forecasting firm Moody's Economy.com that the Massachusetts financial services industry could lose 7,200 jobs, or 4 percent of the sector's local work force, by the end of this year. As of October, the Massachusetts financial services industry was estimated to have 179,800 jobs, accounting for 5 percent of the Bay State's total work force, Moody's Economy.com said. To read that October story, please click here.

For the overall US economy, employers announced 1,223,993 job cuts in 2008, the largest annual total since 2003, which saw 1,236,426 job cuts, Challenger Gray said in a press release, and the year-end total for 2008 was 59 percent higher than the 768,264 layoffs announced in 2007.

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January 6, 2009

Help for those who need it
Posted by Jesse Nunes at 1:53 PM

The following story originally appeared in the Business News Updates blog on Boston.com.

By Chris Reidy, Globe Staff

Suzanne M. Bump, the Massachusetts Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development, announced several grants that aim to help older workers, low-wage workers, disabled citizens, and unemployed residents.

Among grants awarded was a $499,991 grant to the Building & Construction Trades Council, which focuses on the construction sector with an emphasis on apprenticeship preparedness for a variety of trades, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development said in a press release.

A grant of $475,000 was also awarded to the Utility Workers Union of America Local No. 369, the executive office said.

Referring to older workers, low-wage workers, low-income individuals, disabled citizens, vulnerable youth, and the unemployed, Bump said in a statement, “Our goal is to help these populations gain access to employment, education, and the skills necessary to move forward along a career path leading to economic self-sufficiency."

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