10 Cover Letter Mistakes That May Cost You The Interview (But Earn You Some Laughs)

y Sindhu Sundar
It's never too early to make a bad impression.
A cover letter or introductory email is often the first thing a potential employer sees when reviewing a job applicant. It's the first opportunity to impress recruiters and hiring managers and, therefore, the first opportunity to disappoint them. Everything from copy mistakes to inappropriate jokes in a cover letter could derail an application.
Here are the top 10 worst things to put on a cover letter:

1. Next to Nothing

While writing something that's too long is a common cover letter mistake, what can be even more damaging is a cover letter that's too short.
Bruce Hurwitz, president of Hurwitz Strategic Staffing, Ltd., a New York-based staffing firm, recalls a cover letter he received a few months ago for an entry-level IT sales position. It read simply, "Here's my resume. Call me. [Phone number]."
"I cracked up," Hurwitz says. "This person had only just graduated with a bachelor's degree. It was ridiculous."
A good cover letter should be somewhere between 200 to 250 words, Hurwitz says, and should answer the question of why a recruiter should look at the resume. "The key is to highlight one success," Hurwitz says. "For example, 'I successfully increased sales 500 percent over two years, resulting in increased, sustained revenue of $25 million.' Once I read that, I look at the resume."
From FINS.com: The Best Kept Job Interview Secret

2. Criticism of a Prospective Employer

Thumbtack.com, a San Francisco-based site that connects customers with small business services, asked potential employees to submit in their cover letters feedback about their website. One candidate, a contender for an entry-level position in April, didn't pull any punches.
"The engineering of your site looks lazy and ineffective," the applicant wrote, proceeding to describe the color scheme of the site as "disconcerting to my eyes."
Needless to say, he was not considered for the position, though not before the hiring manager got in some laughs around the water cooler at his expense.
"We forwarded the cover letter to our managers sort of as a joke," says Sander Daniels, co-founder of the site. "It was the most caustic feedback we received. But we responded kindly to him -- we didn't suggest any improvements to him in approaching other employers. We don't see it as our role to counsel failed candidates."
Daniels observed that while many strong candidates turn in well-written cover letters, some have let the demand for engineers get to their heads, as Silicon Valley romances them with six-figure salaries and other job perks.
"Maybe they think they can get away with it -- but in our company, culture is a very important factor." Daniels says. "Even if Facebook's best engineer came to us, we wouldn't hire him if he was a jerk."

3. Personal Stories

While employers are sometimes interested in personal stories, especially if they give some idea about work ethic, it's best to save these stories for the interview, says Lindsay Olson of New York-based Paradigm Staffing, who specializes in recruiting communications and marketing professionals.
"I think my favorite of all time was the salesperson who poetically told me about how he decided to run a marathon, climbed to reach glaciers to have a taste of pure water, ran at heights of 5,000 meters in Peru, and biked down the world's most dangerous road and survived (over 300,000 have not)," says Olson, of a candidate who was applying for a business development position at a recruiting firm in June last year. "All this in his opening paragraph."
If you are asked in an interview about your hobbies and adventures, be prepared with a strong answer, says Olson. "What a [job candidate] likes to do outside of work might show how they are in their job," she says. "As a hiring manager, what you don't like to hear is, 'I just like to sit around at home and read books all day.' "
From FINS.com: How To Negotiate the Salary You Deserve

4. Awkward Language

Rachel Levy, director of marketing at Just Military Loans, a Wilmington, Del.-based personal loan service for military personnel, got a letter last week from a candidate who seemed to be expressing lukewarm interest in an IT analyst position.
"My name is xxx. I am pretty interested in the IT analyst position at Just Military Loans," the letter began.
Levy says she sees many applications, especially for IT jobs, to have grammatical and other language flaws. "What I've noticed is that there are a lot of people applying to these jobs, for whom English is a second language," Levy says. "So the connotations of certain words and phrases may not be clear to them. Which is fine, but they should get someone to help word their intentions correctly."
In this case, Levy thinks the applicant meant "very" instead of "pretty," but she'll never know because that applicant didn't get an interview.

5. Someone Else's Words

Frank Risalvato, a recruiting officer for Inter-Regional Executive Search Inc., is deluged with cover letters from different candidates that all obviously use the same template from the same career coaches.
"Some of these [cover letters] we see are very obviously not written by the individual," says Risalvato. "We get 15 to 20 of these a month, and it sounds disingenuous and insincere, seeing these cover letters from Seattle one week, Chicago another, and it's all the same style."
Some career experts also warn against the tired stand-by opening lines in a cover letter. "Opening a letter with a passive and cliched statement such as 'Enclosed please find my resume highlighting my experience and skills that would help your company to grow and succeed,' " is a no-no, says Ann Baehr, certified professional resume writer and president of New York-based Best Resumes. "It's best to use something catchy and more specific such as, "If your company could benefit from the expertise of a hard-charging sales producer with a flawless record of success for closing tier-one Fortune 500 prospects in the healthcare technology market and capturing millions of dollars in revenue, please take a moment to review the attached resume."
If you're uncomfortable with that approach, make your cover letter unique to you with insights about the company you're applying to, advises Darrell Gurney, Los Angeles-based founder of career coaching site Careerguy.com and author of "Backdoor Job Search: Never Apply For A Job Again!"
"Put in a note saying something like, 'I've been following your company's progress in the last year and in February and I noticed your company was mentioned in the Journal of such and such,'" Gurney says. "That's the amazing thing about the Internet. You can spend 15 minutes online and look like you've been following them for a year."
Gurney reminds applicants to do their full research on the company if they do get called in for an interview after.
From FINS.com: Who To Trust in a Job Search

6. Irrelevant Experience

As noteworthy as an impressive Girl Scout cookies sales record may be, it's not worth trumpeting that experience when trying to break into a field like software sales. Rich DeMatteo, co-founder of Philadelphia-based Social Media Marketing firm Bad Rhino, remembers a candidate who did just that when DeMatteo was working as a corporate recruiter at a software company.
"I was recruiting for a software sales position, and one candidate was sure she was qualified because of her success selling Girl Scout cookies when she was a young girl," DeMatteo says. "I think she was young and didn't realize how important it is to state the right experience. Younger applicants tend to reach for skills, and try to find them anywhere in their life."
Some candidates take it even further, acknowledging they have no relevant skills, but pushing to be hired anyway.
"I read one for an IT analyst position that says, 'Although my qualifications do not exactly match your needs, the close proximity to my home is a big bonus for me,' " Levy of Just Military Loans recalls. "You have a lot of underqualified people, just out of college, just throwing resumes at the wall, and hoping something sticks."
DeMatteo suggests trying to focus on specific sales figures or experience in relevant projects. "A lot of sales, for instance, is numbers-based. Stick to that."

7. Arrogance

It's one thing to promote yourself favorably in a cover letter, but watch that it doesn't degenerate into overt bragging.
This is especially true when it comes to ambiguous skills, says Jennifer Fremont-Smith, CEO of Smarterer, a Boston-based tech startup aimed at helping IT applicants improve their resumes.
"People claim to have things like, 'superior Internet skills.' What does that even mean?" says Fremont-Smith. "I saw an application from a Web developer about a month ago where he described himself as a 'rockstar in design tools,' and an 'expert in developer tools.' That kind of inflated language doesn't really tell your employer much about your skills."
Fremont-Smith recommends carefully personalizing your cover letter to the employer and listing the skills most relevant to the job you want, and why you want it. "The cover letter is the place to tell your story about why it is that you're the right person for the company," she says. "It's about really crafting a narrative that answers the question of why the employer should talk to you."
From FINS.com: The Best Kept Job Interview Secret

8. Wrong Company Name/Wrong Cover Letter

Talk about mistakes that are easy to avoid.
"The biggest mistake I see on a regular basis is that candidates either misspell the name of the company or get the name wrong," says Gary Hewing of Houston-based Bert Martinez Communications LLC. "If it's a small misspelling like 'Burt' instead of 'Bert,' I'd be willing to overlook that. But the big, unforgivable mistake is when someone copies and pastes a cover letter without the name or address to the correct company. That, to me, is someone who's lazy and not paying attention."
Hewing says that sometimes it's hard to tell if a cover letter was meant for a particular job, even if the candidate got the company name and position right, if they talk about disconnected experience without explaining themselves.
"We're a sales organization, but at least twice a month, we'll get a cover letter with someone talking about their banking background instead of sales," says Hewing. "It's a complete disconnect to the job description and it doesn't even explain if the candidate is seeking a career change. It tells me that they're just not paying attention."

9. Cultural Preferences

Job hunting is often compared to dating: It's about finding the right match; and success hinges on staying cool under pressure and masking anxieties to appear confident instead of desperate. But a few candidates take the dating analogy too far, subjecting hiring managers to long lists of personal likes and dislikes in cover letters.
"This one guy wrote the first part of his cover letter talking about his interests like it was an ad for an online dating site," Olson of Paradigm Staffing says about an applicant trying for a PR job. "He likes all types of music, but 'never got into country.' "
While potentially charming to a possible mate, those tidbits are not helpful in a cover letter.
From FINS.com: How To Negotiate The Salary You Deserve

10. Jokes

Breaking the ice with humor isn't necessarily a bad idea, but jokes in cover letters are usually a turn-off for busy employers, say recruiters. It might be better to save them for the interview, if they are to be used at all. Olson recalled a candidate for a communications executive position who rubbed an employer the wrong way with an off-color joke.
"She decided in her interview, for some reason, to compare kids to Nazis," says Olson. "She thought she was being funny, but the interviewer happened to be Jewish and didn't think she was very funny."
Recruiters agree that it's best to stick with tried-and-true, unfunny but effective, conventional pitches about your education and work experience.
"The thing with trying to be chummy and funny is that you lose credibility," says Gurney of Careerguy.com. "It looks desperate. And the worst thing you can do in job-seeking is looking desperate or needy."
Write to Sindhu Sundar here.
-----------------
By FINS.com,
-----------------

Verizon Strikers Weather Storm

Around 40 red-shirted, poncho-wearing strikers stood in the pouring rain in Lower Manhattan on Tuesday, the third day of the Verizon strike. Collective bargaining negotiations broke down over the weekend, after representatives from the Communication Workers of America and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers refused Verizon's proposed cutbacks. When contracts expired Saturday at midnight, 45,000 workers walked out, and took up rotating shifts at picket lines from Virginia to Massachusetts.

"It's my third tour of duty," said Troy Woodson, a Verizon employee of 22 years, from under his umbrella. Two strikers even set up lawn chairs in the flooded gutter, facing Verizon headquarters' regal art deco facade.
According to strikers, Verizon is demanding an excessive reduction in benefits, including a pension freeze, a cut in paid disability leave, and $100 monthly healthcare contributions. This has particularly offended some New York strikers, whose West Street offices were badly damaged on 9/11. "The next day people came in," said Jackie McLaughlin, who has worked for Verizon for 28 and a half years. "And during the blackout that followed, we made sure your landlines were up."
According to McLaughlin, a number of Verizon employees have contracted cancer since then, which she believes is linked to working three blocks from Ground Zero.
Only Verizon's unionized traditional telephone workers are on strike, and not the more profitable non-union wireless division. Verizon claims it is trying to bring its benefits in line with the industry, and faced with fierce competition from Internet services like Skype and nonunion cable companies like Comcast, it requires major concessions from its wire-line employees.
Strikers counter that Verizon makes profits in the billions annually, and earned a net income of $6.9 billion in the first six months of this year.

"It's corporate greed," said Peter Burke, a Verizon employee of 23 years.
We're continuing the fight from Wisconsin," added McLaughlin. "We have sons and daughters in Iraq and Afghanistan. We're paying for our kids to go to college. This is an attack on middle class values."
It does not help Verizon's case that the company's new CEO, Lowell McAdam, was the former CEO of Verizon Wireless, which settled a class action lawsuit last October for fraudulent data charges, to the tune of $90 million.
This is the man we're dealing with here," said Douglas Heigl, a Verizon employee of 35 years.
Verizon's contract is up for negotiation every few years, and workers in fact worked through the negotiations without a contract in 2005. The last strike was in 2000 and lasted 15 days, a much tamer ordeal than the 17-week strike of 1989. The red-colored T-shirts worn this time around are in fact a tribute, one striker claimed, to blood spilled back then, when a strikebreaker wounded a picketer.
"Scab alert!" one striker yells, and the crowd bursts into a chorus of boos, kicking the dirty sidewalk puddles at a parade of workers in button-downs, sheepishly exiting the building. Verizon is committed to running its operations smoothly while the strike is in progress. According to McLaughlin, the strikebreakers are Verizon desk workers flown-in from Colorado and Texas.
For many of the striking workers, grievances go far beyond the current demands. The wire line division has been heavily downsized in recent years, with work increasingly outsourced and contracted. Verizon feels like these are necessary steps to keep their old fashioned telephone service afloat, while Verizon's employees feel hung out to dry after decades of loyalty.
"We have made this company profitable," said Al Russo, a Verizon employee of 11 years and chief steward of the Local 1101 chapter of CWA.

While most of the protesters insist that they will accept "no givebacks," Russo claimed that employees would get back to work without a contract, as long as the right chips were on the table. "They at least owe us a proper negotiation," he said.

----------------------
By Claire Gordon,
----------------------

How To Trick The Automated Screening Process And Get Your Resume Noticed

Before you apply to any job opening, before you set up any account or profile on any website, before you do anything, wouldn't it be nice to have the inside story on what the manager is looking for in a candidate? Especially the required skills or knowledge that they want you to have, so you can highlight that on your resume?
Now, I can't tell you what keywords and phrases they are going to use. But let me enlighten you on how this often gets done. You have a person sitting at a computer. Their job is to essentially screen all the resumes that are associated with a particular job.

You know what is scary? You would think that these people understand the difference between, for example, an industrial engineer and mechanical engineer, or the difference between finance and supply chain management. Many do, but a significant number may not, and some don't have a clue: They just look at the job description, then simply look for the keywords and phrases in it, type those into a search field on the computer, and press "enter."

The means that the resumes lacking those keywords or phrases are simply counted out. So you need to incorporate those keywords and phrases verbatim, because you never know the kind of screening system that you are up against.
Whether you think that's unfair or not, it's a reality at many companies. So use it to your advantage. These 7 Critical Steps can give you a far better chance of getting to the next step in the process:

1. Don't follow the directions when a company website tells you how to apply! Before doing anything else, go to the company website and print out all the jobs that you qualify for, and not just the ones that you are most interested in.
2. Take a highlighter and highlight all the keywords and phrases that the job description used to describe the skills, knowledge and years of experience they want or prefer.
3. Take the keywords and phrases you highlighted and incorporate them verbatim throughout your resume.
4. Create a heading at the very end of your resume labeled "Interest Areas" and put all the keywords and phrases you previously highlighted and list them, verbatim, under this heading.
5. Now follow the directions of the site, which may include setting up an account online. Make sure to take those same keywords and phrases and incorporate them into your profile or the "interest areas" section, if they have that option.
6. Apply for the job.
7. As you apply for more openings, continually update keywords and phrases in your resume, in your profile, or interest area section.

This is called "reverse engineering" your resume. Just remember: To do it right, it will take you about 45 minutes to take your "base" resume and tailor it to each job.
Approach it this way: Each job that you apply for is the only job your resume is geared to. It may sound like a lot of time and effort, but your resume can't just be a good match, it must be a great match.
When I teach seminars on this topic, some ask, "Won't they look at my resume and count me out when they see that I just listed all the keywords and phrases in the 'interest areas' section of my resume?" The answer is: They might, especially if you haven't first incorporated the keywords and phrases throughout your resume. That's why doing both is critical.
For example, just incorporating the keywords and phrases into your resume might get you through to the next step, but might not raise your compatibility to a high enough level and you could miss the cutoff.
Remember, with online processes the way they are at most companies, there are very few ways for candidates to stand out. There could be 10 candidates that, by luck, score a higher percentage of compatibility. And although you meet all the qualifications, others might be ranked by the computer as "more qualified" and you are counted out. That is why having the "interest areas" section helps.

If you just cut and paste all the keywords in the "interest areas" section without also incorporating them into your resume, though, screeners will probably see this and count you out as well.
To incorporate the keywords and phrases into your resume, change or add bullet items in appropriate places. Change your objective to include some. The more time you spend crafting your resume this way, the more calls you are likely to get.
Finally, if you are applying online for jobs and are quickly getting counted out, that's the best indicator that you are not doing a good enough job of tailoring your resume to each job. It's then time to go back to the 7 Critical Steps, and measure your resume against them.

Remember, when you are applying to a particular job, your resume must be entirely directed toward that one job.
----------------------
By Mark Lyden,
----------------------

Job Openings Rose In June, Though Levels Are Low

By CHRISTOPHER S. RUGABER
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Employers posted more job openings in June and layoffs fell, a sign that hiring could improve a bit in the coming months.
The number of available jobs rose to 3.1 million, up from 3 million in May, the Labor Department said Wednesday. It was the highest total since March.

Still, 14 million Americans remain unemployed. The weak economy is not generating enough jobs to rapidly reduce that figure. And the total number of job openings is far below healthy levels seen before the recession.
For those who are out of work, there is heavy competition for each available position. Roughly 4.5 unemployed people, on average, were competing for each job in June. That's down only slightly from 4.6 in May. In a healthy economy, the ratio is about 2 to 1.

Even if all the positions were filled, there would still be about 11 million unemployed people. That compares to the 7.7 million who were out of work when the recession began.

There were more jobs available in retail, at hotels and restaurants, and for professionals, a broad category that includes accountants, engineers and temporary help. Postings fell in construction, education and health care. Open manufacturing positions were flat. Layoffs fell slightly from a nine-month high in May.
June's total number of openings was higher than the 2.1 million posted in July 2009, one month after the recession officially ended and the lowest total since the government began recording the data a decade ago. But it is also significantly below the 4.4 million openings in December 2007, when the recession began.
The economy expanded at just a 0.8 percent annual rate in the first six months of this year, the slowest since the recession officially ended two years ago. In June, consumers cut spending for the first time in 20 months and saved more.

Companies have reduced hiring in recent months. Employers added an average of only 72,000 jobs per month from May through July, after creating an average of 215,000 jobs per month in the preceding three months.

The unemployment rate ticked down to 9.1 percent last month. Still, it has been above 9 percent in all but two months since the recession ended.
Fewer than 1.8 million lost their jobs in June, compared to nearly 1.84 million in May, according to the report known as the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey. In the worst months of the recession, layoffs reached 2.5 million per month.

The report also illustrates the level of churn that takes place in the job market each month. In June, 4.05 million people were hired and 4.02 million people left their jobs, either because they quit or were laid off. The difference between those two figures is similar to the 46,000 net gain in jobs reported in the June employment report.

The Federal Reserve on Tuesday offered a dim outlook for the economy, saying it expects growth will stay weak for two more years. As a result, the Fed said it would likely keep the short-term interest rate near zero at least through mid-2013.

The move could hold down interest rates on mortgages, car loans and business loans. Lower rates may also support stock prices, since bonds are likely to make less money.
The market rallied after the Fed announcement. The Dow Jones industrial average closed 429 points higher. But on Wednesday, stocks tumbled and the Dow erased all of those gains. Many investors are nervous that the U.S. economy could be on the verge of another recession.
 ------------------------
By AP -
------------------------

With Weak Unions Come Less Equal Wages, Study Suggests

Wage inequality has ballooned in the last 40 years, thanks in large part to the declining power of unions, according to a study published this month in the American Sociological Review, and reported by The New York Times.
Between the years 1973 and 2007, the study found that wage inequality rose 40 percent. In this same period, private sector union membership plummeted 34 to 8 percent among men and 16 to 6 percent among women. These drops explain one third of the increase of wage inequality among male workers and one fifth of the increased inequality among their female counterparts, the study concludes.
Climbing income inequality is usually blamed on technological changes, immigration, outsourcing, and the relative increase in wages for college graduates. The studies two authors found, however, indicate that waning union power is just as significant as any of these factors.
Private sector union membership is now lower than it was in 1935, when the Wagner Act, which protects workers' right to organize, came into force. Unions swelled after World War II, but since the early 1970s, Big Labor has been steadily and relentlessly shrinking.
This has reduced the political power of all workers, according to the study. Unions have long advocated for more equalized wages for labor, by opposing, for example, the radical deregulation of financial markets and the explosion of executive pay. "Union decline marks an erosion of the moral economy and its underlying distributional norms," the study claims. "Wage inequality in the nonunion sector increased as a result.
These findings support past research, which has shown that countries with strong unions, like Canada and Germany, have a flatter economic playing field.
The declining power of private sector unions has also produced another kind of wage inequality: between public and private sector workers. 36.2 percent of government workers are unionized, and thus have greater political clout on average than private employees.
As Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker likes to say, unions are the "haves" and the largely private-sector employed taxpayers are the "have-nots." But as this study tells us, organized Labor has been critical in battling the other war of "haves" and "have nots": corporate and Wall Street interests versus the average worker.
It is these tensions that came to a head in Wisconsin's recall elections Tuesday. Of the four Republican state senate seats up for grabs, pro-union Democrats managed to wrest only two away. Republicans have successfully kept control of the senate, and are calling it a big win. But if Wisconsin is a microcosm of the country on this issue, Americans are split almost perfectly down the middle, divided on which "have not" to defend.
----------------------
By Claire Gordon,
----------------------

Bank Of New York Mellon Plans 1,500 Job Cuts

By CHRISTINA REXRODE
NEW YORK (AP) -- Bank of New York Mellon Corp. said Wednesday that it will cut about 1,500 jobs, or 3 percent of its work force, the latest sign of the banking industry's painful shrinking.
CEO Bob Kelly noted that the bank's revenue had been growing but added that "expenses have been growing unsustainably faster." The bank said it hasn't yet determined what types of jobs will be cut or where. It said it would try to minimize layoffs with a hiring freeze and by reducing the use of temporary workers, consultants and contractors.
The banking industry also resorted to layoffs during 2008 and 2009, as the financial crisis pummeled earnings and banks took government bailouts. But 2010 provided some relief, and banks even hired back some of their laid-off workers.
Banks have been cutting jobs again in recent months. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and State Street Corp., among others, each announced last month that they would lay off about 3 percent of their work forces.
What makes these cuts different from the layoffs of 2008 and 2009 is that they're coming at a time when many banks are actually posting improved profits. Analysts say the latest cuts point to permanent structural changes as the banking industry becomes smaller, less risky and also less profitable. Many of the complicated investment vehicles that fueled earnings before the financial crisis are gone, banned by new regulations meant to prevent another global collapse.
Nancy Bush, a contributing editor at SNL Financial, predicted that layoffs will intensify when banks start determining bonus payments around the end of the year. "The tendency has been to lay off when times are bad and rehire again when times are good," she said. "I don't think we're going to get Part B this time."
The U.S. banking industry employs about 2.09 million workers, according to calculations by SNL Financial. That's down about 5 percent from 2.21 million at the end of 2007.
A spokesman for BNY Mellon said the layoffs had been planned "for some time" and weren't related to the banking industry's recent hammering in the stock market or by the Federal Reserve's announcement Tuesday that it would keep interest rates near zero for at least the next two years.
The low interest rates are meant to stimulate the economy, but they can also hurt banks because the banks make less money on their investments. And though the entire stock market, not just the banking industry, has been slammed because of broad concerns about the U.S. economy, investors are especially worried about banking.
The industry's credit problems are easing, in contrast to the depths of the financial crisis, but investors are wondering how many more lawsuits and regulatory probes could be filed against the banks, particularly around their selling of subprime mortgages and mortgage-backed securities before the financial crisis.
BNY Mellon, the country's sixth-largest by assets, has flown under the radar for much of the financial crisis, losing money in the third quarter of 2009 but otherwise staying profitable. Last month it beat analysts' estimates for second-quarter revenue and per-share earnings.
Its shares fell $1.04, or 4.9 percent, to $20.05 in afternoon trading Wednesday.
----------------------
By AP,
----------------------

As Shuttle Program Continues Wind-Down, Layoffs Skyrocket

When Atlantis successfully completed its mission last month, it brought to an end NASA's 30-year-old space shuttle program and thousands of jobs.

Many of those positions ended in advance of the program's end this summer, but the bloodletting hasn't ceased just yet.
On Friday, more than 500 workers will be given pink slips at United Space Alliance, according to The Register, a British technology-news site. The employees will join 1,550 former colleagues who were cut when Atlantis touched ground on July 21.

Another 285 workers will be laid off at month's end, the Register notes, reducing USA's staff to 3,100 from its 2003 peak of 10,500.

Though the news is bleak for many alumni of the space program, the Houston Business Journal notes that USA is actually cutting fewer jobs than anticipated because some doomed employees took jobs elsewhere within the company or left before the cuts were made.

Still, the cuts aren't limited to USA. The Houston-based company's parent firms, Boeing and Lockheed Martin, are also planning layoffs this month related to the end of the shuttle program, Space News reports.
Combined, the companies will cut an additional 360 jobs -- 100 of those are at NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, operated by Lockheed, which has about 400 employees.
Of the remaining 300 Lockheed employees at the plant, 200 have been assigned to work on NASA's next generation Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle.

"Approximately 100 will depart later this month as a result of the shuttle program end," a Lockheed spokesman told Space News, noting that the workers supported launch and landing operations for the final mission
---------------------
By David Schepp,
---------------------

Should Waiters Require Professional Training?

Amid the Great Recession, the so-called Generation Debt is seeing lawyers graduate without job prospects, and the onetime masters of the universe on Wall Street reaching out to the government of New York City for employment help. Indeed, with the rise of the developing world, the millennial generation may be the one that witnesses America's conversion into a service economy.
Mindful of that potentially permanent transformation, those authorities of the service industry -- Tim and Nina Zagat of restaurant guide fame -- have begun a push to take our service jobs more seriously. And they want to start with waiters and waitresses. The Zagats, as they announced in an essay written for the Huffington Post, think it's high time that America offers formal training for future waiters and waitresses.
As the husband and wife team point out, "in the U.S., most service jobs aren't considered long-term careers and there is very little professional training for them. Take front of the house restaurant jobs, for example. Although they number in the millions and can offer a good living, the public generally gives these occupations little respect."
The drive to formalize training for waiters and waitresses is all the more pressing when considering the sector's performance, the Zagats say. According to their surveys, 67 percent of diners say service is the most irritating aspect of dining out, even above price.
Sound crazy? Indeed, most people become waiters so they can pay the bills while they train for another field. But to counter the counter-intuitiveness of professionally trained waiters, the Zagats also point out that by 2018, the service sector is expected to have 4 million new jobs. And so why not promote training for one of the few industries that is almost a surefire bet to be growing over the next decade?
Yet the campaign has garnered a raised eyebrow on the blogosphere. The New York City blog Gothamist, which often comments on the latest goings-on at restaurants, follows up the argument that culinary schools are worthless by outlining a potential course catalogue from a Waiters College run by Zagats. The courses are mentioned along with descriptions:
Candle Lighting 310, Striking The Match Away From Your Body
Tray Handling 101, Holding One Tray
Tray Handling 215, Holding Two Trays
Tray Handling 330, Holding Two Trays And Scratching That Itch On Your Nose
Eye Contact, 250, Firmly Telling A Customer You Do Not Serve Nachos
Scraping Food 400, One Bite Of That Uneaten Quiche Won't Kill You
Sleeping With Coworkers, Seminar, Asking For That Shampoo That Kills Crabs
Imbibing On The Floor, Seminar, Art Of Shallow Breaths When Talking To Management
Maintaining Sanity On The Floor, Seminar, Understanding And Not Murdering Customers Who Drink Decaf Macchiatos
-------------------------------
By Dan Fastenberg,
-------------------------------

Data Scientist: The Hottest Job You Haven't Heard Of

By Maryalene LaPonsie
What has information overload done to us?

The search engine Bing would have us believe that we are all just a moment away from starting a food fight in the supermarket produce section. Even if the fruit doesn't start flying, experts agree that society is almost at critical mass when it comes to the amount of available data. But what are we to do with all of this information? Enter data scientists - the professionals responsible for filtering out the noise and analyzing essential information. The emerging world of competitive intelligence.

Data scientists are an integral part of competitive intelligence, a newly emerging field that encompasses a number of activities, such as data mining and analysis, that can help businesses gain a competitive edge. Ken Garrison, CEO of the industry group Strategic and Competitive Intelligence Professionals (SCIP), explains, "The field involves collecting data, analyzing it and delivering the data as intelligence that is actionable."
Data collection can be done either internally or externally, but competitive intelligence professionals stress that their collection techniques are legal and ethical.

Competitive intelligence is poised to offer data scientists increasing job opportunities in coming years. SCIP reports that the market for business intelligence is worth approximately $2 billion annually, and Garrison says that many corporations now operate their own competitive intelligence divisions.
------------------------------
By OnlineDegrees.com,
------------------------------

Bus Driver, George Daw, Fired For Saving 3 Police Officers

Are we really proud of the George Daw precedent?

The New York state bus driver was fired Monday because he "endangered welfare of student he was transporting when he picked up three unauthorized passengers," according to the Educational Bus Company on Long Island. But as transgressive as that statement makes Daw's actions sound, what in fact happened was what would commonly described as either an act of heroism or at the least a good Samaritan in action. What Daw in fact did was rescue three police officers who were stranded amid a hail storm on August 1.
"I felt this was something anyone would do under the circumstances," said Daw, 58, according to an NBC News report. The incident in question took place in New Hyde Park, located just south of the Long Island Expressway. The passengers in Daw's bus included a teenager and a bus matron. As he passed through the park, Daw noticed the unmarked police car flooding with three passengers inside.

"They're saying, you've got to help us, you've got to help us," Daw told NBC. "You've got to get us to the third precinct. We're police officers."

So he took their cue, and brought the officers to their precinct. By the time he returned to his headquarters in Copiague, located in Long Island's Nassau County.

Laws protecting good Samaritans can come in a variety of forms. New York state passed in July a version that prohibited arresting someone on drug possession charge if that person was contacting police in the event of helping a victim of overdose. Most commonly, the laws protect bystanders who come to the aid of an emergency but run the risk of contributing to injuries or a wrongful death. Indeed, New York is one state that has such a protective statue for licensed dentists, physicians, nurses, physicians and physical therapists.

But in a case like Daw's, the decision ultimately rests with his employer. He says he is hoping to be reinstated, but holds out little hope. When approached for comment about the incident by CBS News, Educational Bus had no comment.
 ---------------------------
By Dan Fastenberg
---------------------------

How to Make Money Just by Being Someone's Friend

How would you like to get paid to hang out with someone? To go to dinner, take a class, go shopping, to a sporting event -- in essence, doing all the things you normally do with your friends, and also have someone else pick up the tab? If this sounds like some too-good-to-be-true Internet scam, it's not. Welcome to Rent-a-Friend.com. No, really. Scott Rosenbaum's year-old site where anyone can offer their platonic services to members who pay a fee to access them, is going gangbusters, and no unfortunate situations have been reported yet. The site makes it clear to all who enter that this is not a dating site or an escort site, and all interaction is strictly on a friendly basis. Friends are free to accept or decline any offers that come their way.

A wide variety of clients

So what kind of a person has to pay for friendship? You'd be surprised. Rosenbaum says that among those who use the site are:

• People who travel to a new city and want to hire a local to show them around town.
• People who want to see a movie or go to a restaurant but don't want to go alone.
• People who want to learn unique talents and skills -- there are Rent-a-Friends who can teach you a new language, tutor you, share a new hobby, etc.
• People who want to meet someone from a different culture or religion.
• People who have an extra ticket to a sporting event or concert and don't want to go alone.
• People who want a workout partner for the gym to help motivate and spot during the workout.
• People who need personal advice and don't want their close friends to judge them or know the details of a situation.
• People who need errands run, dogs walked, plants watered, or myriad other chores they don't have time to do themselves.

"A lot of families are hiring friends to be with their adult children who are autistic or have Asperger's," Rosenbaum says. "The friends teach them how to socialize, how to converse, how to act in public, how to order in a restaurant, how to shop, that sort of thing. Some people hire friend to visit their elderly parents or take them out. Friends can specify on their profiles that they're available for these types of activities," he adds.

The price of friendship

So just how much does friendship cost? All prices are negotiable between friend and member, but the fees usually start at around $10 per hour and can go up as high as $50. Friends are free to charge whatever they like, and they get to keep 100 percent -- the site requires no fees from friends. If your activity is really appealing, however, the friend might not charge at all. "I usually pay $20 for the evening, and then cover the cost of the meal or the movie or whatever we're doing," says Christopher Barton, a Las Vegas computer professional who travels often and hates to eat in restaurants alone.
He's also been known to rent a friend in his hometown to hang with, because the nature of the city requires his real friends to have unusual work hours and it's hard for them to get together on weeknights, when Barton sometimes wants to go out. "Sometimes I just want to talk to someone," says Barton, "to get another perspective, or to talk shop without boring my friends." He can rent friends in the same line of work, if he feels like it.
Members pay $24.95 per month or $69.95 per year. For that they can not only look at all the friends' profiles from all around the world, but they also get contact information -- either a blind e-mail address, or a cell phone number, whichever the friend chooses to provide. All a member has to do is type in a ZIP code or country, and they'll be able to see profiles, pictures and interests of myriad people in that area.

That's what friends are for

If you're interested in being a Rent-a-Friend, it's completely free of charge. All you have to do is post your picture, state your interests and talents, and wait for a member to contact you. You don't even have to pay to post your profile. Of course there is no guarantee of how much you can work, but the more engaging your photo and the more activities you're willing to participate in, the better your chances of earning more. Rosenbaum doesn't keep track of what the friends make, but he says there are some who work every day, and he's heard of one married woman in Nevada who is making more than $1,000 per week.
"Oh sure," you think, (wink wink). "I wonder what she's doing for that?" How do they limit the hanky panky? Well, no website can control what people do when they actually meet, but Rosenbaum gives participants guidelines that are similar to those on dating websites: always meet in public, follow your instincts, carry a cell phone, have your own transportation or at least money to get home, don't go into people's homes alone with them, that sort of thing.
Nick Garkusha is a new friend on the site who isn't worried at all. He signed up to be a Rent-a-Friend to help ease his move from Connecticut, where he's lived all his life, to Los Angeles. "I'm 25, and you only live once, right?" he says. "I want to meet every type of person there is." He has listed that he charges $20 per hour, but his rate is negotiable. "If someone really needs someone to talk to, I'm not going to be greedy," he says.

Benefits with friends

So would Rosenbaum use his own service? He doesn't have time. He's married and has two children, and he personally vets each member and runs the site. He hasn't been on a vacation since Rent-a-Friend launched. With about 290,000 friends and 26,000 paying members, he doesn't have a lot of spare time to socialize. Do the math on that, by the way, and you can see that he could well be making more than $1 million a year.
Rosenbaum says he got the idea from an article he read about a similar service in Japan, where renting a substitute family member to attend a public event is more acceptable and common than appearing as a broken or incomplete family. Even if Rent-a-Friend seems like a foreign concept to you, you have to admire Rosenbaum's savvy skills in adapting the idea to work in an American culture. Remember that the ubiquitous Facebook started as a way to connect friends too. But Rosenbaum figured out a way to monetize it from the beginning.
-------------------------------
By Lisa Johnson Mandell,
------------------------------

World's Data Doubles Every Two Years, Creating Mega Job Opportunities

The world's information is more than doubling every two years-with a colossal 1.8 zettabytes to be created and replicated in 2011, according to a study. Creating, managing storing and securing that data is a monumental task that could create jobs for hundreds of thousands.
The study, from IDC Digital Universe, is called "Extracting Value from Chaos" and finds the Digital Universe -- and "Big Data" -- are driving transformational societal, technological, scientific, and economic changes. Enterprise investment in the digital universe has increased 50 percent, to $4 trillion (USD), since 2005, and that's not all going into the CEO's pockets -- much is being used for job creation, salaries, benefits and recruiting.
To give you an idea of the sheer volume of the information being created, 1.8 zettabytes of data is equivalent to:

• Every person in the United States tweeting 3 tweets per minute for 26,976 years nonstop.
• Every person in the world having over 215 million high-resolution MRI scans per day.
• Over 200 billion HD movies (each 2 hours in length) -- It would take one person 47 million years of continuous viewing to watch them all.
• The amount of information needed to fill 57.5 billion 32GB Apple iPads. With that many iPads we could:
  • Create a wall of iPads, 4,005-miles long and 61-feet high extending from Anchorage, Alaska, to Miami.
  • Build the Great iPad Wall of China -- at twice the average height of the original.
  • Build a 20-foot high wall around South America
  • Build a mountain 25-times higher than Mt. Fuji.

All that information does not manage itself, nor is it created without the help of human workers. It certainly gives the unemployed hope for job creation. The study found that the skills, experience and resources needed to manage the deluge of data simply isn't keeping pace.
"The chaotic volume of information that continues growing relentlessly presents an endless amount of opportunity -- driving transformational societal, technological, scientific, and economic changes," said Jeremy Burton, chief marketing officer, EMC Corporation.

Maybe it's time to look into the world of information management.

------------------------------
By Lisa Johnson Mandell,
----------------------------- --

More Nurses Are Sick of Their Jobs

Now that the recovery is in full, albeit anemic, swing, workers are no longer so inclined to stay put in the jobs they don't like. Among registered nurses, for example, about one-quarter of those surveyed say that they've had it with their current employers, and will seek a new position as the economy recovers. That's up sharply from the 15 percent who said the same thing last year.
That's according to the "2011 Survey of Registered Nurses: Job Satisfaction and Career Plans," conducted by AMN Healthcare. The survey was meant to find out how RNs may alter their career plans due to the recovery, and found that a large number of nurses are not happy with their profession, or their specific jobs.
"Our survey clearly indicates a significant job satisfaction decline from 2010 to 2011, and that seems to be driving nurses' desire for change," said Ralph Henderson, AMN Healthcare's Nursing and Allied Division president.

"If nurses change jobs in large numbers -- as they say they will in our survey -- that may increase nurse vacancy, thus putting stress on staffing resources. That, in turn, would impact patient care outcomes."

When asked if they were happy with their choice to pursue a career in nursing, 74 percent indicated that they were. But only 58 percent said that they were happy in their current job. This figure is down from 66 percent in the 2010.

The survey also showed that 32 percent of nurses plan to take steps in the next one to three years that would take them out of nursing altogether (by retiring or seeking non-nursing jobs) or by reducing the volume of clinical work that they do (by switching to part-time or less-demanding roles). This is up from the 26 percent who said in the 2010 survey that they would take those steps.

What's more, close to half (43 percent) said that they were not eager to recommend nursing as a career to young people. That is up significantly from the 36 percent who said that in 2010. Then there are the 44 percent who said that they would probably not select nursing as a career if they had it to do it over.

While more than half of all RNs say that they're fine with their current job, the amount of discontent in the profession is surprising. Many thought that health care professionals, especially nurses, were recession-proof, and were therefore much happier in their jobs than so many others. The survey is yet another indication that the recession has taken its toll on everyone.
-------------------------------
By Lisa Johnson Mandell,
-------------------------------

Step Aside, Hedge Fund Managers: Geek is Chic

Jobs in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields may not sound very sexy and exciting at first, but once you realize that those fields, traditionally considered the realm of the Geeks, pay better and are growing faster than any others, you might change your tune. These days, positions that are plentiful and lucrative, no matter what the field, are among the most admired and desired.
The U.S. Department of Commerce's Economics and Statistics Administration (ESA) just released a new report that profiles U.S. employment in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or what are often referred to as (STEM) fields. It's obvious why the term "STEM" is preferred to "Geek," although this report shows that the latter term could well be considered a status symbol. The report, called STEM: Good Jobs Now and for the Future, would encourage any one with a facility for numbers and a tendency toward left brain functions to say it out loud, "I'm Geek and I'm proud!"
"This report illustrates how we can win the future by encouraging the pursuit of 21st century jobs in science, technology, engineering and mathematics," U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke said. "STEM jobs are essential to a competitive, innovative and technologically advanced U.S. economy." In other words, STEM jobs are not just good for the individual, they're good for the entire nation.
Among the report's fascinating findings:

• Over the past ten years, the number of STEM jobs grew three times faster than any other category, and that growth is expected to accelerate over the next ten years. Geeks are in hot demand.
• Those employed in STEM positions are less likely to be unemployed than workers in any other category.
• STEM workers' salaries are 26 percent higher than those of workers in other fields -- including finance.
• If you hold a degree in one of the STEM categories, you'll make more than those who don't, even if you work in a totally non-STEM related job.
• Starting positions in STEM fields for college grads pay better -- no matter what you majored in. Of course, if you graduated in Communications, it would probably be a little difficult to get a staring position as an electrical engineer, but you never know.

"A STEM education is a pathway to prosperity -- not just for you as an individual but for America as a whole," U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said. "We need you in our classrooms, labs and key government agencies to help solve our biggest challenges, and that's why we are investing heavily to promote STEM education."
So it would seem that Geek is no only chic these days, but it's also lucrative, and downright patriotic. Looks like the rest of us better start working on our Geek salutes.
------------------------------
By Lisa Johnson Mandell,
------------------------------

July Payrolls' Rise Soothes Recession Fears

By Lucia Mutikani
U.S. job growth accelerated more than expected in July as private employers stepped up hiring, a development that eased fears that the economy was sliding into a fresh recession.
Non-farm payrolls increased 117,000, the Labor Department said on Friday, above market expectations for an 85,000 gain. The unemployment rate dipped to 9.1 percent from 9.2 percent in June, mostly the result of people leaving the labor force.
The payrolls count for May and June was revised to show 56,000 more jobs added than previously reported. The report was the first encouraging piece of economic data in some time.
"While I do not think this sounds the all-clear signal, it does quell some of the conversation that the U.S. is falling back into a recession," said Tom Porcelli, chief U.S. economist at RBC Capital Markets in New York.
"There are still plenty of headwinds, like Europe. This report pulls us back from the ledge a little bit."
Fears that the U.S. economy might be sliding back into recession, coupled with Europe's inability to tame its spreading debt crisis, have roiled global financial markets. Economists see the probability of a U.S. recession as high as 40 percent.
U.S. stock index futures rallied more than 1 percent on the report, while prices for Treasury debt slid. The dollar trimmed losses against the yen.
Top policymakers at the Federal Reserve will sift through the report when they meet on Tuesday but are not expected to announce any new measures to support the sputtering recovery.
The Federal Reserve has cut interest rates to zero and spent $2.3 trillion on bonds. Policymakers have said that they want to see how the economy fares before taking any further action.

Growth Has Stalled

U.S. growth stalled in the first half of 2011, fanning fears of a new downturn. Gross domestic product grew at a 1.3 percent annual pace in the second quarter, after a scant 0.4 percent rise in the first three months of the year.
A stand-off between Democrats and Republicans over raising the country's debt ceiling poisoned the atmosphere for employers and consumers. The economy's poor health has eroded President Barack Obama's popularity among Americans and could hurt his chances of re-election.
The borrowing limit was raised this week in a deal that relied on spending cuts. Economists estimate that the budget cuts and expiring stimulus -- including a payroll tax cut and emergency unemployment benefits -- could subtract more than a percentage point from GDP growth next year.

Private Hiring Steps Up

All the gains in non-farm employment in July came from the private sector, where payrolls rose by 154,000 employees -- an acceleration from June's 80,000 increase and more than the 115,000 expected by economists.
Government payrolls dropped 37,000 in July, a ninth straight month of job losses. The drop was mostly due to a government shutdown in Minnesota that left thousands of state workers without paychecks during the survey period for July payrolls.
With looming budget cuts at the federal government level, and state and local governments still tightening their belts, the burden of job creation falls on the private sector.
Within the private sector, most of the job gains were concentrated in the services sector. Temporary help -- a harbinger of permanent hiring -- rebounded modestly after declining for three straight months.
Manufacturing payrolls rose 24,000 after increasing 11,000 in June. Most the gains came from the auto sector. Construction employment increased 8,000 after dropping 5,000 in June.
------------------
By Reuters,
------------------

Teachers Protest Social Media Crackdown

By Alan Scher Zagier
COLUMBIA, Mo. -- As they prepare lesson plans for fall, teachers across Missouri have an extra chore before the new school year begins: Purging their Facebook friend lists to comply with a new state law that limits their contact with students on social networks.
The law was proposed after an Associated Press investigation found that 87 Missouri teachers had lost their licenses between 2001 and 2005 because of sexual misconduct, some of which involved exchanging explicit online messages with students.
But many teachers are protesting the new restrictions, complaining the law will hurt their ability to keep in touch with students, whether for classroom purposes, personal problems or even emergencies.
The new law forbids teachers from having "exclusive access" online with current students or former students who remain minors, meaning any contact on Facebook or other sites must be done in public rather than through private messages.
Lucinda Lawson, an English teacher at Hartville High School in southern Missouri, expects to purge nearly 80 current and former students from her Facebook account, and she worries that doing so could leave some students vulnerable.
Private messages give "truly supportive teachers the chance to get help for them when they're in dangerous or compromising situations," Lawson said.
Lawson once called a state child-abuse hotline after a private online conversation revealed dangerous drug use by a student's adult family member. She encouraged a pregnant teen to remain in school and helped the girl tell her parents. Another student confided that his attendance woes and classroom struggles were caused by the financial and emotional stress of caring for a mentally ill parent.
Lawson has no qualms with other provisions in the law to monitor teachers accused of sexual misconduct, such as conducting annual criminal background checks and requiring districts to share information about employees who are fired or resign in sex-abuse cases.

Still, she says, teachers often use Facebook and other online forums for legitimate educational purposes -- and to help students with personal troubles that they might not be willing to discuss in more public settings.
In Joplin, where 160 people died and hundreds more were injured by a historic tornado in May, several teachers relied on Facebook to track down missing students in the storm's immediate aftermath.
"I am not a pervert and don't wish to be treated as one," Joplin middle school teacher Alana Maddock wrote in an email to Gov. Jay Nixon in June, not long before he signed the legislation. "I am very responsible with my Facebook pages and don't appreciate being assumed to be a danger to my students."
The law, which takes effect Aug. 28, does not outright prohibit teachers from interacting with students on Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and other sites. Instead, it requires local school districts to create written policies by January that outline "appropriate use of electronic media such as text messaging and Internet sites for both instructional and personal purposes."

It will be up to individual districts to define "exclusive access," but in general the law holds that any contact must be made in the public sphere rather than through private messages. So teachers can set up public Facebook pages or Twitter accounts but can't reach out to their students as friends or followers, or vice versa.
State Sen. Jane Cunningham, who sponsored the proposal, said many educators who have spoken against the new rules misunderstand them. The legislation had backing from education lobbyists and organized teacher groups, and enjoyed unanimous support from lawmakers.

"Any teacher who is really working hard with a student privately would want to have a parent or administrator know how hard they're working," said Cunningham, a Republican from suburban St. Louis. "The only problem is if there's something they want to hide."

Despite its earlier support for the measure, the Missouri State Teachers Association now says it plans to seek changes when legislators return to the Capitol in January.
"The problem is the bill is so vague," said Todd Fuller, a spokesman for the statewide teachers' group. "There is a lot of interpretation left up to a local school district."
Many school districts already have such policies in place, and individual teachers have their own internal guidelines, Fuller added.

Nate Smith, a debate coach and history teacher at Lee's Summit High School near Kansas City, said he already declines students' Facebook friend requests to maintain personal and professional distance. He worries that some overzealous districts will go even further than the limits spelled out in the new law.
"You'll have a lot of school districts that will ban all forms of social media communication with students," he said. "There could be some really good educational opportunities lost."
In Hartville, Lawson isn't the only member of her household who needs to amend her Facebook settings. Her husband is also a teacher, and their 14-year-old daughter, Olivia, relied on Facebook to communicate with her English teacher to discuss school projects.

Olivia Lawson said that she spends several hours a day on Facebook. And like her mother, she recalls examples of friends and classmates who shared concerns with teachers online that they would not dare discuss in person.
------------------------
By AP,
------------------------

47 Percent of Employers Plan to Add Workers by Year's End

We're halfway through 2011 and many job seekers are wondering what the state of the job market is. Although the Bureau of Labor Statistics releases employment figures each month, the data can be informative but still doesn't answer the questions a lot of people have: Who's hiring? What are my chances of finding a job? Where should I be looking?
One way to get answers is to just ask employers. Since you probably won't get a response if you call an HR department and ask, "So, what are your hiring plans for the rest of the year?" We did the asking for you, and some of the results are promising.
For a reminder of what employers expected 2011 to be like, you can look at the 2011 Job Forecast as well as the Second Quarter Forecast. What we found then was that employers expected this year to be better than the last few, and this latest survey indicates that they were right.
As we pointed out in June, job cuts are down this year, online postings are up, and manufacturing has grown for 22 consecutive quarters. Plus, more states have an improving job market than those that have worsening ones. In other words, despite some occasional setbacks and slow growth, the overall job situation is better than it has been and seems to be heading for more improvement. The latest results from the 2011 Midyear Job Forecast echo those sentiments.

Here's some of the good news we found:

• 47 percent of employers plan to hire new employees between now and year's end.
• Actual hiring exceeded expectations for eight quarters in a row.
• 50 percent of employers say that there is a shortage of skills within their organization, which is good because it means they need qualified job seekers to apply for their positions.

Here's a glimpse of employers' hiring plans:

• 26 percent of employers plan to add full-time, permanent employees in the third quarter of 2011.
• 35 percent of employers are hiring full-time, permanent employees (up from 28 percent in 2010).
• 15 percent of employers are hiring part-time employees (the same as 2010).
• 12 percent of employers are hiring contract or temporary employees (up from 9 percent in 2010).

Where should you look for a job?

• The biggest shortages of skilled workers are in information technology, customer service and communications.
• The South expects the most hiring in the third quarter, with 38 percent hiring full-time, permanent employees, but the other regions aren't far behind.
• The areas where hiring managers expect to focus on hiring are customer service, information technology, and sales.

Ultimately what the survey tells us is that we can expect a promising second half to 2011, especially compared to last year. And if history is any indicator, employers are being cautious about broadcasting their hiring plans. They've consistently hired in greater numbers than they anticipated, so we could be in for two quarters of strong hiring and happy job seekers.
------------------------------
By Anthony Balderrama
------------------------------ 

Now Hiring: Schneider National Is Hiring a Fleet of Truckers

At least 300 truckers will be back on the road again. Schneider National, a $3.1 billion company that's one of the largest truckload carriers in North America, is hiring 300 professional truck drivers in Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico for its growing Dedicated and Bulk (tanker) divisions.

There's a lot of energy behind this hiring burst: It's fueled by new business with leading energy companies in the oil industry. Specifically, drivers will use either dry hopper tankers to deliver products into, or liquid tankers hauling condensate from, the oil extraction areas. That means that most of these new drivers won't have to make those grueling, cross-country runs.

The salaries are not bad, either: Average earnings for these full-time, permanent positions will be $40,800 to $60,500 per year (depending on experience and the specific account). Among the other benefits are good work/life balance, with most positions allowing drivers to go home each day.

Schneider is also offering comprehensive benefits packages, and drivers will be hauling no-touch freight for just one customer, which yields predictability and familiarity with the business, the customer team, and the delivery locations and routes.

Specific areas in Texas that need drivers include Alice, Laredo, Victoria, Midland and San Antonio, as well as the Oklahoma regions of Elk City and El Reno. They're also looking for drivers in the Hobbs, N.M., area.
"It is a great time to be in trucking and the energy business," said Mike Hinz, Schneider's vice president. "We are excited about the excellent career opportunities we'll be providing local residents. Our company is built on the service and professionalism our drivers exhibit on every load, every day."

Truckers with a valid Class A Commercial Driver's License are eligible, both experienced drivers and recent truck driving school graduates (tuition reimbursement is available). Tanker and Hazardous Materials endorsements are required.

• Find Jobs at Schneider National

In addition to these positions, Schneider is hiring company drivers and leasing owner-operators in its Regional, Over the Road and Intermodal fleets. For more information or to apply, interested drivers can visit www.schneider.com
 ------------------------------
By Lisa Johnson Mandell, 
------------------------------

25 Jobs in Demand Right Now

Although the job market is still sluggish, there are plenty of new and exciting careers for individuals looking to switch jobs or put their skills toward something new. Check out 5 exciting jobs that are in high demand right now.

1. Gaming Manager

Gaming managers are responsible for all games played on casino floors. Often equipped with Bachelor's degrees in business administration, hospitality services, or math, gaming managers are responsible for kicking out cheaters and rewarding frequent guests and high-rollers. Apply to be a gaming manager at your nearest casino and put your management skills to work in an exciting environment.

• Find Gaming Manager Jobs

---

2. Hydrologist

With an increasing need for sustainable environmental practices, hydrologists are in high demand in both the government and private sectors. Hydrologists study the distribution, circulation, and physical properties of water and most hydrologists come from a science background. With the ability to work both indoors and outdoors, hydrologists enjoy flexibility in their work routine. Jobs within the private sector, like working for a consulting firm, usually offer higher salaries for beginning hydrologists.

• Find Hydrologist Jobs

---

3. Network Architect

Network architects are responsible for designing and structuring computer networking within businesses. Often network architects will choose what programs and processes to implement for the large-scale computer systems. Degrees in computer science and management, plus impeccable organizational skills are integral for success in this field.

• Find Network Architect Jobs

---

4. Multimedia Artist

Those with a creative eye and a knack for technology can find a rewarding career as a multimedia artist. Multimedia artists help people visualize new and imagined spaces in our world and beyond by providing visuals used for planning purposes. Multimedia artists can work in animation, film, design, or advertising.

• Find Multimedia Artist Jobs

---

5. Logistician

Logisticians are responsible for the transportation of goods and materials from one place to another. While managing the supply chain, logisticians must be able to calculate and analyze the efficiency of the project to make sure items are delivered on time and within budget. Most logisticians complete specialized training and certifications, and they must be highly organized and good communicators.

• Find LogisticianJobs

---

6. Training Development Manager

Training development managers are needed across multiple industries - from healthcare to the corporate world. Training development managers must be able to understand the needs of the business effectively and conduct workshops to train employees on new duties or software. Applicants must be well-spoken, able to lead new groups, and able to translate processes and procedures effectively. Natural-born teachers, who are comfortable speaking in front of others, often do best in this growing profession.

• Find Training Development Manager Jobs

---

7. Category Manager

Category managers work for suppliers to negotiate pricing, shelving, and shopper satisfaction for goods in the store with retailers. Instead of building a relationship with a retailer that revolves around advertising a specific product, category managers work with retailers to make in-store purchases easier to find and to provide a better overall shopping experience. Though no specialized training is needed, category managers often have degrees in marketing, advertising, and business administration. Certification is available and recommended for career development.

• Find Category Manager Jobs

---

8. Environmental Health & Safety Specialist

Companies hire environmental health & safety specialists to make sure that the working environment for employees is up to the highest safety standards. A specialist will be tasked with analyzing things like air quality, water quality, machine safety, workspace, and dust to see if any of these elements may cause harm to employees while they work. Working across a variety of industries, these specialists often carry certificates or associate degrees. Certification is available and desirable especially with work in the government. Great organizational and analytical skills are important for success in this growing industry

• Find Environmental Health & Safety Specialist Jobs

---

9. Urban Planner

Urban planners help city officials locate the best places for parks, schools, roads, shopping centers, and much more. Traveling on-site and using maps and computer programs, urban planners organize data and report it to officials and decision makers, working together to provide a safe and easy way for people to navigate their city. They often carry degrees in urban planning, architecture, and environmental studies and find that internships help further their career when they graduate into this exciting and needed field.

• Find Urban Planner Jobs

---

10. Risk Management Manager

While supervising a team of analysts, the duties of a risk management manager involve assessing and understanding risks involved with a project or business. After determining risks, the manager must make sure that there are ways to reduce risk and prioritize risks based on strategies that they create. Risk management managers usually have degrees and advanced degrees in business administration. If you love to crunch numbers and have a knack for organizing data, this may be the career for you.

• Find Risk Management Manager Jobs

---

11. Speech Language Pathologist

Helping people of all ages to speak, swallow, and communicate effectively is the duty of a speech language pathologist. Carrying advanced degrees and working within the government, healthcare, and private sectors, speech language pathologists must be patient and have a desire to help others communicate better. Analyzing new research and staying up-to-date on the latest treatments is imperative for continued success in this field.

• Find Speech Language Pathologist Jobs

---

12. Biomedical Engineer

Biomedical engineers use medicine and technology to create devices that help people live a healthier life. Engineering items like patches, inhalers, replacement organs, and more, biomedical engineers are in high demand as the global population gets older and relies more heavily on modern medicine. A degree in biomedical, technical, or mechanical engineering is required for new engineers and advanced degrees are required for research and development. Biomedical engineers often find that there are opportunities not only within the pharmaceutical industries but across multiple industries like law or finance.

• Find Biomedical Engineer Jobs

---

13. Physician's Assistant

Under the direct supervision of a doctor, physician assistants meet with patients and provide guidance and care as outlined by the attending physician. Often working in family practice, internal, and pediatric medicine, physician assistants are many times needed in rural areas where doctors may be sparse. Becoming a physician assistant requires licensure and a degree in a health-related field.

• Find Physician's Assistant Jobs

---

14. Occupational Therapist

Helping others learn to navigate their world both inside and outside the home are the key duties of an occupational therapist. People who suffer from temporary and permanent disabilities often seek the aid of an occupational therapist to learn how to perform daily functions in their home and in the workplace. Occupational therapists teach people to do a variety of things from dressing themselves to using a computer. Carrying advanced degrees and certificates in psychology or medicine, occupational therapists must be good communicators, whose patience and kindness help people live better lives.

• Find Occupational Therapist Jobs

---

15. Meeting Planner

Meeting planning is an exciting career that combines people skills with great organizational abilities. A meeting planner must think through all of the logistics of the event from the event space, to staffing, to catering, housing, audio/visual needs, and much more. Cool under pressure and highly organized, successful meeting planners usually earn advanced certifications to help their careers to boom in both the private and public sectors.

• Find Meeting Planner Jobs

---

16. Financial Analyst

Financial analysts help people invest their money with confidence. Often working in banks, investment firms, or insurance companies, financial analysts meet with clients and inform them of the types of investments available and the risks involved. Long hours and uncertain outcomes with the economy can be tough to overcome. Successful financial analysts are able to mix their math, computer, and problem-solving skills with people skills. A degree in finance, business administration, accounting, and statistics are needed for entry-level positions and advanced degrees are desirable for long-term success.

• Find Financial Analyst Jobs

---

17. Technical Writer

Technical writers are the unsung heroes of assembly manuals around the world. These dedicated writers must take a difficult task – like programming a DVR or putting together kid's toys - into easy-to-understand terms for the general public. Not only do they help with consumer products; technical writers also are employed in science, medicine, and technology fields to put complicated tasks into digestible language. Though no specialized degrees or certifications are required, technical writers must have impeccable writing and organizational skills.

• Find Technical Writer Jobs

---

18. HVAC Technician

HVAC technicians keep people cool in the summer and warm in the winter by making sure that heating, air-conditioning, and ventilation equipment is installed and works properly. With advanced machines and an on-going global effort to be environmentally friendly, HVAC technicians will find that the job is constantly challenging and evolving. Certification requirements can be earned in accredited trade and technical schools. A technical brain and an honest attitude ensure success in this needed occupation.

• Find HVAC Technician Jobs

---

19. Lab Technician

Doctors and nurses rely on the data reported by lab technicians to understand and monitor a patient's well-being. The work of lab technicians helps doctors make informed diagnoses and plan a course of treatment. Great organizational abilities and working well with a team are all important skills for success. In demand in the healthcare industry, entry into this field requires an associate's degree or specialized certification in addition to on-the-job training.

• Find Lab Technician Jobs

---

20. Product Management Director

Product management directors work with their team and clients to ensure that deliverables meets client expectations. They also help manage client expectations and relate to both the client and their team in an effective manner. Product management directors must be good at managing others, organizing themselves, and have good communication skills. Often carrying Bachelor's degrees (MBA preferred), their knowledge and understanding of the product and delivery schedules across various projects is key to success. Product management directors often work in the technology sector within large and start-up web and technology companies.

• Find Product Management Director Jobs

---

21. Project Engineer

Project engineers are responsible for the delivery of projects through effective planning, methods, and procedures that help deliver the project on time and on budget. Often project engineers must supervise field-testing of products while managing the workflow of other engineers and participants in the project. Project engineers can work across a variety of industries as their skills in analyzing data, budgeting, and management is in demand. A degree and advanced degrees in engineering and project management help this booming career become a lucrative and rewarding choice.

• Find Project Manager Jobs

---

22. Web Developer

Responsible for creating and implementing websites across multiple industries, web developers must make sure that the website functions properly and seamlessly. Often needing skills like HTML, PHP, CSS, and the ability to design simple and advanced content management systems, web developers turn client's dreams into reality. Web Developers usually have degrees in computer science and engineering, though some can make careers by simply using their innate technical and analytical skills. Web development is an evolving industry with consistent need and growth opportunities.

• Find Web Developer Jobs

---

23. Special Education Teacher

The National Education Association estimates that today there is a greater need for special education teachers than for any other type of teacher. Special education teachers receive specialized training when earning their teacher certification. They help students with physical and mental disabilities learn effective ways to excel in school and beyond. Special education teachers must be patient, great communicators, and have the ability to adapt to different student needs.

• Find Special Education Teacher Jobs

---

24. Registered Nurse

Registered nurses are responsible for making patients comfortable, administering medication, recording patient progress, and assisting doctors in procedures and on-going patient care. Registered nurses must be registered through the state in which they practice and must have a degree in nursing. The profession is in high demand and many hospitals and healthcare facilities offer sign-on bonuses for nurses along with a good hourly wage and flexible working hours.

• Find Nursing Jobs

---

25. Court Reporter

Court reporters are needed not only in courts, but also across multiple legal and corporate industries. Reporters must have good listening and transcribing skills as their work is heavily relied upon to help solve cases and issues within important delegations. Though it varies by state, some courts require special certification for court reporters. Successful court reporters must have good concentration and communication skills. Certification can be in stenography (typing what you hear) and other specialties like speech recognition equipment, and computer software.

• Find Court Reporter Jobs

--------------------------------
By AOL Jobs Contributor,
--------------------------------