Many jobless Spaniards are moving abroad to find jobs, escaping economic crisis at home. CNN's Al Goodman reports.
Friday, June 15, 2012
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Nokia cuts another 10,000 jobs as losses deepen
Nokia is cutting another 10,000 jobs globally and has warned that second-quarter losses from its mobile phone business will be larger than expected.
The cuts bring total planned job cuts at the Finnish group since Stephen Elop took over as chief executive in September 2010 to more than 40,000.
Nokia will also book additional restructuring charges of about 1bn euros (£811m; $1.3bn).
Nokia's shares have slumped more than 70% since February 2011. "These planned reductions are a difficult consequence of the intended actions we believe we must take to ensure Nokia's long-term competitive strength," Mr Elop said in a statement.
Last year, Nokia announced it would phase out its own Symbian smartphone operating software and, for its smartphones, focus on Microsoft's Windows Phone operating system.
Reducing costs
Nokia will close its last remaining plant in Finland, at Salo, although it will continue to do research there.Research and development sites at Ulm in Germany and Burnaby in Canada will also close.
The company hopes to complete the closures and redundancies by the end of 2013.
It expects the process to cost 650m euros ($817m) this year and 600m euros ($754m) next year.
The overall aim is to reduce core operating costs to 3bn euros ($3.8bn) a year.
continue reading at BBC.co.uk
Monday, April 9, 2012
Top 10 IT Position That Are Hard To FIll
The IT job market is usually a seller’s market, even in tough times
like these. But some IT roles are especially difficult to fill. Here are
10 jobs that typically send companies into fits when they need to hire
for them.
1: IT trainer
IT trainers play a unique role in the IT world, and they need a unique skill set. By itself, this position would be hard enough to fill. But add the fact that being a trainer differs in many ways from the typical IT job, along with the frequent need for travel, and you have a recipe for “tough hire.”
2: Project manager
The biggest problem in hiring project managers is usually self-imposed: the “requirement” of a PMP certification. Why does that make it hard to hire? It isn’t just that folks with PMP certification are expensive and tough to find. It’s the difficulty of obtaining the certification in the first place. The certification has a “chicken and egg” logic to it: To earn it, you need to be managing projects… but it can be hard to get project management work without the cert. As a result, the talent pool is artificially small, and many otherwise well-qualified candidates get filtered out.
3: CIO/CTO/director of IT/etc.
IT leadership roles are extremely difficult to fill. Like IT trainers, leadership positions require the candidates to have skills that just are not learned in the typical IT job. Companies are forced to hire good leaders with weak (or nonexistent) technical knowledge or to hope that a technical person can learn the leadership and business skills required to be a success. It is difficult to find someone who has good “crossover” skills and whom you feel comfortable with, making leadership positions hard to fill.
4: Help desk staff
The basic problem with filling help desk jobs is that they usually pay far less than the person you really want to hire will accept. Plenty of people can do a perfectly fine job with the help desk position, despite the technical skills required and its challenges for workers (the stress of metrics they have little control over, like “average time to answer calls” and ticket closure rates, dealing with angry people over a phone, etc.). But how many of them are actually going to work for what the help desk job pays?
Most companies see the help desk as a necessary evil, a cost center to be contained. And in a way, they are right. With razor thin margins in many industries, the cost of support can make or break the profitability of a company. So it is natural for them to squeeze the salaries as hard as they can. But for managers looking for well-qualified workers, those tight budgets make it impossible to get the right help, unless they find a diamond in the rough or someone with a tough job situation.
5: Specialized programmer
Device drivers, operating systems, and mobile applications: Any idea what they have in common? The developers who know how to write those kinds of software and do a good job of it are exceedingly rare — or there is a high demand for a relatively small number of developers. Some of these positions are just so specialized that only a handful of developers are doing it. Others (like mobile applications) have lots of developers out there, but the demand is just so high that the companies looking to make a hire have positions unfilled for months at a time.
Read the next 5 @ Techrepublic.com
1: IT trainer
IT trainers play a unique role in the IT world, and they need a unique skill set. By itself, this position would be hard enough to fill. But add the fact that being a trainer differs in many ways from the typical IT job, along with the frequent need for travel, and you have a recipe for “tough hire.”
2: Project manager
The biggest problem in hiring project managers is usually self-imposed: the “requirement” of a PMP certification. Why does that make it hard to hire? It isn’t just that folks with PMP certification are expensive and tough to find. It’s the difficulty of obtaining the certification in the first place. The certification has a “chicken and egg” logic to it: To earn it, you need to be managing projects… but it can be hard to get project management work without the cert. As a result, the talent pool is artificially small, and many otherwise well-qualified candidates get filtered out.
3: CIO/CTO/director of IT/etc.
IT leadership roles are extremely difficult to fill. Like IT trainers, leadership positions require the candidates to have skills that just are not learned in the typical IT job. Companies are forced to hire good leaders with weak (or nonexistent) technical knowledge or to hope that a technical person can learn the leadership and business skills required to be a success. It is difficult to find someone who has good “crossover” skills and whom you feel comfortable with, making leadership positions hard to fill.
4: Help desk staff
The basic problem with filling help desk jobs is that they usually pay far less than the person you really want to hire will accept. Plenty of people can do a perfectly fine job with the help desk position, despite the technical skills required and its challenges for workers (the stress of metrics they have little control over, like “average time to answer calls” and ticket closure rates, dealing with angry people over a phone, etc.). But how many of them are actually going to work for what the help desk job pays?
Most companies see the help desk as a necessary evil, a cost center to be contained. And in a way, they are right. With razor thin margins in many industries, the cost of support can make or break the profitability of a company. So it is natural for them to squeeze the salaries as hard as they can. But for managers looking for well-qualified workers, those tight budgets make it impossible to get the right help, unless they find a diamond in the rough or someone with a tough job situation.
5: Specialized programmer
Device drivers, operating systems, and mobile applications: Any idea what they have in common? The developers who know how to write those kinds of software and do a good job of it are exceedingly rare — or there is a high demand for a relatively small number of developers. Some of these positions are just so specialized that only a handful of developers are doing it. Others (like mobile applications) have lots of developers out there, but the demand is just so high that the companies looking to make a hire have positions unfilled for months at a time.
Read the next 5 @ Techrepublic.com
Monday, April 2, 2012
Quick Resume & Cover Letter Book: Write and Use an Effective Resume in Just One Day
Quick Resume & Cover Letter Book: Write and Use an Effective Resume in Just One Day
Book Description
Publication Date: March 1, 2011 | Series: Quick Resume and Cover Letter BookAmericas leading job search and career guidance expert presents his definitive guide to resumes, offering well-researched and proven techniques; a friendly, easy-to-follow design; and rock-solid advice to create outstanding resumes and, more importantly, use them effectively. The very easy-to-use first section of the book shows how to create a basic resume in about an hour and an improved resume in about half a day. The new edition includes more than 90 sample resumes written by professional resume writers for all types of jobs and people. The book also provides excellent career counseling sections to help people define their ideal job then go out and get it. This book can help anyone find a job from high school graduates to high-level professionals.
Friday, March 30, 2012
Top 10 Hot Jobs in Construction
The construction industry is growing at a rapid pace every day. Private and government investments are making it a booming market of the day. Even public investments have been incorporated into the scenario today which only makes the industry bigger. This multibillion dollar industry spread across the globe covers suppliers, producers, contractors, subcontractors, installers, designers, engineers and many more professionals. The variety of professionals needed in careers in construction speak for the huge intake itself.
Government requires infrastructure for a number of constructions like nuclear power plants and other necessary buildings. There is a trend of decommissioning older plants and reinstating a new one in its place. This trend is global and thus will require thousands of construction professionals globally. Government jobs construction is considered to be the most secure environment to work in. Also in demand these days are overseas jobs in construction. Here are 10 of the hottest construction jobs available today:
1) Architects: They are the brains behind every construction. The whole plan is chalked out by them and it takes them days to work on the full design of the building. They are the people who design the luxurious buildings also maintaining safety of the building. Be it the window panes or the outer designs everything is a brainchild of the architect. They are also amongst the highest paid professionals in construction.
2) Civil engineers: They look into the technical aspects of the construction. These professionals implement the plans of the architect and hence work in close contact of the architect. Their job revolves around executing plans.
3) Building services engineers: There chief job responsibility revolves around the installations of essential amenities in the building. Providing cost effective and environment friendly solutions for lighting, heating, electrical wirings, air-conditioning, ventilation, fire protection, lifts, safety devices, public health, sanitation, etc is what they specialize in.
4) Building surveyors: These professionals are generally referred to as enemies by builders and workers. Their chief job revolves around visiting construction sites and carrying out inspections. They then have to write inspection reports which are essential to maintain the safety of buildings.
5) Electrical engineers: This is one job in construction management which is not about construction rather about the electrical support required before and after the construction of buildings.
6) Facilities Manager: This is one of the most interesting jobs in construction. It involves planning and implementing new facilities for new constructions. Other job responsibilities include the maintenance and upkeep of structures.
7) Quantity Surveyor: Their prime responsibility is to handle all cost related to buildings. Right from making the initial costing to cost cutting all the accounts are handled by these professionals.
8) Manufacturers: No construction can be finished without building materials. Being a manufacturer is a very profitable business and one that requires a lot of investment too. You actually make all the construction material required in every building.
9) Suppliers: Builders do not buy directly from the manufacturers. They usually act via a middleman. Suppliers act as the liaison between the manufacturers and the builders.
10) Contractors: They take contracts for buildings on pre-decided quotations and then finish the job in a fixed price. Right from plans to construction material to the construction process everything is managed by these professionals.
To learn more about finding jobs in construction, please visit http://www.constructioncrossing.com and sign up for a FREE trial to gain access to ALL of the many exclusive job listings we offer in the construction profession. Silas Reed, Writer for ConstructionCrossing, writes articles that inform and teach about different construction job profiles and tips.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5982919
Government requires infrastructure for a number of constructions like nuclear power plants and other necessary buildings. There is a trend of decommissioning older plants and reinstating a new one in its place. This trend is global and thus will require thousands of construction professionals globally. Government jobs construction is considered to be the most secure environment to work in. Also in demand these days are overseas jobs in construction. Here are 10 of the hottest construction jobs available today:
1) Architects: They are the brains behind every construction. The whole plan is chalked out by them and it takes them days to work on the full design of the building. They are the people who design the luxurious buildings also maintaining safety of the building. Be it the window panes or the outer designs everything is a brainchild of the architect. They are also amongst the highest paid professionals in construction.
2) Civil engineers: They look into the technical aspects of the construction. These professionals implement the plans of the architect and hence work in close contact of the architect. Their job revolves around executing plans.
3) Building services engineers: There chief job responsibility revolves around the installations of essential amenities in the building. Providing cost effective and environment friendly solutions for lighting, heating, electrical wirings, air-conditioning, ventilation, fire protection, lifts, safety devices, public health, sanitation, etc is what they specialize in.
4) Building surveyors: These professionals are generally referred to as enemies by builders and workers. Their chief job revolves around visiting construction sites and carrying out inspections. They then have to write inspection reports which are essential to maintain the safety of buildings.
5) Electrical engineers: This is one job in construction management which is not about construction rather about the electrical support required before and after the construction of buildings.
6) Facilities Manager: This is one of the most interesting jobs in construction. It involves planning and implementing new facilities for new constructions. Other job responsibilities include the maintenance and upkeep of structures.
7) Quantity Surveyor: Their prime responsibility is to handle all cost related to buildings. Right from making the initial costing to cost cutting all the accounts are handled by these professionals.
8) Manufacturers: No construction can be finished without building materials. Being a manufacturer is a very profitable business and one that requires a lot of investment too. You actually make all the construction material required in every building.
9) Suppliers: Builders do not buy directly from the manufacturers. They usually act via a middleman. Suppliers act as the liaison between the manufacturers and the builders.
10) Contractors: They take contracts for buildings on pre-decided quotations and then finish the job in a fixed price. Right from plans to construction material to the construction process everything is managed by these professionals.
To learn more about finding jobs in construction, please visit http://www.constructioncrossing.com and sign up for a FREE trial to gain access to ALL of the many exclusive job listings we offer in the construction profession. Silas Reed, Writer for ConstructionCrossing, writes articles that inform and teach about different construction job profiles and tips.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5982919
Monday, March 12, 2012
Unemployment Steady at 8.3 Percent, but Job Market Improving
The Labor Department reported on Friday that the unemployment rate
stayed put at 8.3 percent in February, with nonfarm payrolls rising by
227,000 jobs. It is the first time since August that the jobless rate
has not fallen.
While the jobless rate is unchanged, the report still indicates a strengthening recovery.
"The really good news is that this pace of job creation looks like it could be sustained through spring and summer, and possibly even pick up," Kathy Bostjancic, director of macroeconomic analysis for the Conference Board, said in a statement about the figures.
Many of the report's underlying numbers reveal sustained strength in the labor market. For example, revisions show that employers added a combined 61,000 more jobs than originally estimated in December and January.
The Labor Department's broadest measure of unemployment, the U-6 unemployment rate, also continued its steady decline, now having fallen from 16.4 percent in September to 14.9 percent in February. This rate includes discouraged workers, people who have looked for work in the last 12 months, and people employed part-time for economic reasons, in addition to unemployed Americans.
Other data suggest that Americans may finally feel more optimistic about the labor market. The civilian labor force participation rate grew by 0.2 percentage points, to 63.9 percent—a small uptick, but the largest since spring 2010. The rate measures the number of people working or looking for a job as a percentage of the entire working-age population. This rate has been on a relatively steady decline since 2008, so the upward movement may mean that out-of-work Americans are re-entering the labor market.
A look at growth in individual industries also yields some promising signs. Manufacturing remains strong, adding 31,000 jobs in February. Temporary help services also added over 45,000 jobs. Perhaps counterintuitively, continued improvements in temporary hiring also may signal future improvements in full-time hiring.
Read the rest of the story at: USNews.com
While the jobless rate is unchanged, the report still indicates a strengthening recovery.
"The really good news is that this pace of job creation looks like it could be sustained through spring and summer, and possibly even pick up," Kathy Bostjancic, director of macroeconomic analysis for the Conference Board, said in a statement about the figures.
Many of the report's underlying numbers reveal sustained strength in the labor market. For example, revisions show that employers added a combined 61,000 more jobs than originally estimated in December and January.
The Labor Department's broadest measure of unemployment, the U-6 unemployment rate, also continued its steady decline, now having fallen from 16.4 percent in September to 14.9 percent in February. This rate includes discouraged workers, people who have looked for work in the last 12 months, and people employed part-time for economic reasons, in addition to unemployed Americans.
Other data suggest that Americans may finally feel more optimistic about the labor market. The civilian labor force participation rate grew by 0.2 percentage points, to 63.9 percent—a small uptick, but the largest since spring 2010. The rate measures the number of people working or looking for a job as a percentage of the entire working-age population. This rate has been on a relatively steady decline since 2008, so the upward movement may mean that out-of-work Americans are re-entering the labor market.
A look at growth in individual industries also yields some promising signs. Manufacturing remains strong, adding 31,000 jobs in February. Temporary help services also added over 45,000 jobs. Perhaps counterintuitively, continued improvements in temporary hiring also may signal future improvements in full-time hiring.
Read the rest of the story at: USNews.com
Sunday, March 11, 2012
What is a Cover Letter For Job Application?
Most of jobseekers just submit their resume with their prospective employers without including a cover letter. This is a big mistake since giving a resume cover letter will increase the chances of the job seekers likely being hired. In this blog post I will introduce what is a cover letter and parts that make up a good cover letter for job application.
Cover Letter for job application is a letter attached on the front of you resume. It mentions an greetings to your employer and an overview of your skills and experience in your previous employers. An applicant's cover letter can also include the jobseekers career path. Cover letters
are generally one page in length and jobseekers need to limit it to that. Hiring officers or Employers tends to be bored reading long written cover letters.
A cover letter is divided into four main parts: the header, introduction, body and closing.
Header. Cover letters use standard business letter style, with the sender's address and other information, the recipient's contact information, and the date sent after either the sender's or the recipient's address. Following that is an optional reference section.
Introduction. The introduction briefly states the specific position desired, and should be designed to catch the employer's immediate interest.
Body. The body highlights or amplifies on material in the resume or job application, and explains why the job seeker is interested in the job and would be of value to the employer. Also, matters discussed typically include skills, qualifications, and past experience. If there are any special things to note such as availability date, they may be included as well.
Closing. A closing sums up the letter and indicates the next step the applicant expects to take. It may indicate that the applicant intends to contact the employer, although many favor the more indirect approach of simply saying that the applicant will look forward to hearing from or speaking with the employer. After the closing is a valediction ("Sincerely"), and then a signature line. Optionally, the abbreviation "ENCL" may be used to indicate that there are enclosures.
Additional tips you need to remember when writing a cover letter for job application:
1. Always check for gramatical errors. If you are not sure if your cover letter is error free, have someone check it for you.
2. Always include a cover letter even if it the job advertisement does not specify that you need one.
3. Do not mention you expected salary unless the job ad clearly states that you need to. If that is the case then write an estimated range of
your expected salary.
4. Remember KISS. Keep it short and simple st***d. Highlight only the important factors of your application like the source of the ad, education, skills and experience, and the reason of hiring you.
Now you have an introduction on what is a cover letter for job application. Good luck and don't be lazy writing a cover letter.
Cover Letter for job application is a letter attached on the front of you resume. It mentions an greetings to your employer and an overview of your skills and experience in your previous employers. An applicant's cover letter can also include the jobseekers career path. Cover letters
are generally one page in length and jobseekers need to limit it to that. Hiring officers or Employers tends to be bored reading long written cover letters.
A cover letter is divided into four main parts: the header, introduction, body and closing.
Header. Cover letters use standard business letter style, with the sender's address and other information, the recipient's contact information, and the date sent after either the sender's or the recipient's address. Following that is an optional reference section.
Introduction. The introduction briefly states the specific position desired, and should be designed to catch the employer's immediate interest.
Body. The body highlights or amplifies on material in the resume or job application, and explains why the job seeker is interested in the job and would be of value to the employer. Also, matters discussed typically include skills, qualifications, and past experience. If there are any special things to note such as availability date, they may be included as well.
Closing. A closing sums up the letter and indicates the next step the applicant expects to take. It may indicate that the applicant intends to contact the employer, although many favor the more indirect approach of simply saying that the applicant will look forward to hearing from or speaking with the employer. After the closing is a valediction ("Sincerely"), and then a signature line. Optionally, the abbreviation "ENCL" may be used to indicate that there are enclosures.
Additional tips you need to remember when writing a cover letter for job application:
1. Always check for gramatical errors. If you are not sure if your cover letter is error free, have someone check it for you.
2. Always include a cover letter even if it the job advertisement does not specify that you need one.
3. Do not mention you expected salary unless the job ad clearly states that you need to. If that is the case then write an estimated range of
your expected salary.
4. Remember KISS. Keep it short and simple st***d. Highlight only the important factors of your application like the source of the ad, education, skills and experience, and the reason of hiring you.
Now you have an introduction on what is a cover letter for job application. Good luck and don't be lazy writing a cover letter.
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