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Friday, December 4, 2009

TURNING A CORNER. National Jobs Report Much Better than Expected for November

The November jobs report was released this morning with expectations of another 120,000 to 130,000 jobs lost (the fewest since March 2008). The report is creating a major buzz in the recruitment industry as only 11,000 jobs were lost and the unemployment rate, expected to remain at 10.2% or tick up to 10.3%, actually dropped to 10%.

September and October figures were revised lower by a combined 159,000 jobs. Temporary jobs, considered a leading indicator of future hiring activity, rose by 59,000. Manufacturing shed another 69,000 jobs while service industries expanded by 58,000, seasonally adjusted.

How this affects our local Pittsburgh market has yet to be seen, with Pittsburgh’s October report showing an uptick to 8.3% from 8.1% in September. While certainly not a “mission accomplished” moment, this portends and much faster healing of the worst jobs market in a generation. It will be interesting to see how this affects consumer attitudes in the coming months and if it is sustainable.


More details: http://bit.ly/8K2KmO

EmploymentGuide.com

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Pittsburgh Metro Unemployment Rate Rises to 8.3% for October 2009

At almost 2% below the national figure of 10.2%, Pittsburgh’s area unemployment rate rose to 8.3% from 8.1% in September. While the metro labor force decreased by a seasonally adjusted 21,000 job seekers over October 2008, there are over 57,000 fewer jobs.

Month to month seasonally adjusted comparisons show 900 fewer job seekers from September to October with 3,000 fewer total jobs. Fayette County faired the worst with unemployment at 10.6% while Allegheny County came in at 7.7%.

For more details follow these links:


Friday, November 20, 2009

Pennsylvania Adds Over 10,000 Jobs In October

While the October unemployment rate in Pennsylvania remained flat at 8.8% from September, the state managed to add over 10,000 jobs month to month. This is only the second time since 2007 that Pennsylvania has seen job counts rise.

The big gainers were Healthcare/Education and Hospitality, while manufacturing and construction continue to shed the most jobs, though at a reduced level from prior months.

This puts Pennsylvania 1.4% better than the national unemployment rate of 10.2%.

More: http://bit.ly/4ukKIH

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Former Pittsburgh Steeler Rocky Bleier to Speak at Veteran's Job Fair November 12th

If you or someone you know is a veteran of the U.S. Military Service and are in search of employment make plans on attending this special job fair hosted by the Allegheny County Department of Veteran's Affairs.

About 70 employers will be represented at the event to be held at Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall in Oakland from 9:00AM to 3:30PM November 12th (the day after Veteran's Day).

Employer booth space is already sold out so bring plenty of resumes and dress for success. Click on the image to the right and save it to your computer for more information.



Monday, November 2, 2009

HealthCareerWeb.com is Redesigned to Integrate Healthcare Job Board With Medical Professional Network


Healthcare recruiters and job seekers can now more easily interact with blogs, groups, forums, photos and videos

NORFOLK, Va., Nov. 2, 2009 – HealthCareerWeb.com, a full service healthcare job site and a division of Dominion Enterprises, has been redesigned to seamlessly integrate its online job board with its medical professional network.

“We’ve redesigned HealthCareerWeb.com with the user in mind. Healthcare recruiters and job seekers can now more easily engage with one another through our professional networking environment. And the best part is—it’s all free!” said Denise Tanner, business development manager of HealthCareerWeb.com.

The redesigned site
encourages visitors to create a user profile. Similar to other professional networking sites, once a user profile is created, the visitor can then add friends, create or join groups, post blogs, participate in forum discussions and post photos and videos. HealthCareerWeb.com’s forums offer an informal place where medical professionals can post questions and articles about careers in healthcare and work-related issues.

The new HealthCareerWeb.com also allows job seekers to apply for positions directly from their
profile and to save jobs in one central location. The next time the user logins in, he or she can view uncompleted job applications. This new streamlined application process makes applying for a medical job even easier.

For healthcare companies, HealthCareerWeb.com provides the perfect setting to showcase the organization’s offerings. Free of charge, healthcare organizations may create their own
user profiles to post videos and other useful information to the healthcare Web site. Companies may also apply to become a Certified Healthcare Recruiter which allows the organization to post a special emblem to its profile page.

The new HealthCareerWeb.com will be showcased at the American Society for Healthcare Human Resources Administration (ASHHRA) 45th Annual Conference and Exposition, Nov. 1 – 3, in Chicago. Show attendees should visit Booth #129 for a live demonstration of the professional networking healthcare Web site and to register to win a Wii Fit.

“The ASHHRA conference is a great opportunity for HealthCareerWeb.com to unveil our new features and products. The 2008 event in Austin was pivotal in our conceptual redesign and we are now prepared to unveil the new site to our customers and to the industry,” said Chris Baker, director of business development.

Thursday, October 15, 2009

EmploymentGuide.com and The Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh To Hold Final Big Job Fair of the Year at Mellon Arena October 27th

The Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh and EmploymentGuide.com partner again to sponsor “Putting America Back to Work” Job Fair Series in Pittsburgh, PA

Pittsburgh, PA, 10/15/2009– In response to the current economic crisis and a tightening labor market, The Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh and EmploymentGuide.com have combined efforts for the third time this year to bring together jobseekers with companies who seek their talents. On Tuesday, October 27th from 10:00AM to 3:00PM at Mellon Arena more than 30 Pittsburgh area employers and schools will meet and interview hundreds of job seekers at the 2009 Pittsburgh Diversity Employment and Career Education Expo.
Attendance is expected to exceed 1,000 Pittsburgh area residents seeking a new career. The March and August events attracted 1,500 job seekers each and have resulted in over 300 job offers combined, giving those job seekers a 1 in 10 chance of finding employment or retraining. Job Seekers will enter through gate 10. Attendance for job seekers is free and no pre-registration is required.

Co-sponsored by The Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh and EmploymentGuide.com, the 2009 Pittsburgh Employment and Career Education Expo is part of the “Putting Americans Back to Work” Job Fair Series, taking place in more than 50 cities across the country throughout 2009. The job fair series allows jobseekers to have personal contact with perspective employers.

Participating employers will seek to fill hourly up to mid-level skilled positions ranging from and they represent industries such as health care, customer service, hospitality, banking/finance, sales and more.

Adding to the success of this job fair series is support from associations interested in supporting their members including: the AARP Foundation WorkSearch, the National Urban League, and the American Hotel and Lodging Association.
A partial List of employers includes:

Academy of Court Reporting
Adecco
American Eagle
Aramark Mellon Arena
Army National Guard
CardWorks Servicing
CCAC North Campus
CCAC/MOST
Cintas
City of Pittsburgh
CVS Caremark
First Niagara Financial Group
Geneva College
Giant Eagle Market District
H & R Block
Kaplan Career Institute
Liberty USA Inc
Life Pittsburgh
Lifesteps, Inc.
Mainstay Life Services
HCR Manorcare
OK Grocery Co
Pittsburgh Job Corp
Pittsburgh Tech. Institute-PTI
Quest Diagnostics
SMG Management
Southwestern Pa Commission CommuteInfo
Transitional Service Inc
UPMC
Verizon Wireless
Waddell & Reed

Friday, October 2, 2009

National Employment Situation Worsens More Than Expected in September

From the U.S Burough of Labor Statistics:

THE EMPLOYMENT SITUATION -- SEPTEMBER 2009

Nonfarm payroll employment continued to decline in September (-263,000), and the unemployment rate (9.8 percent) continued to trend up, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. The largest job losses were in construction,manufacturing, retail trade, and government.

Household Survey Data

Since the start of the recession in December 2007, the number of unemployed persons has increased by 7.6 million to 15.1 million and the unemployment rate has doubled to 9.8 percent.

Unemployment rates for the major worker groups--

  • adult men (10.3 percent)

  • adult women (7.8 percent)

  • teenagers (25.9 percent)

  • whites (9.0 percent)

  • blacks (15.4 percent)

  • Hispanics (12.7 percent)--showed little change in September.

  • The unemployment rate for Asians was 7.4 percent, not season-ally adjusted.
The rates for all major worker groups are much higher than at the start of the recession. Among the unemployed, the number of job losers and persons who completed temporary jobs rose by 603,000 to 10.4 million in September. The number of long-term unemployed (those jobless for 27 weeks and over) rose by 450,000 to 5.4 million. In September, 35.6 percent of unemployed persons were job-less for 27 weeks or more.

The civilian labor force participation rate declined by 0.3 percentage points in September to 65.2 percent. The employment-population ratio, at 58.8 per-cent, also declined over the month and has decreased by 3.9 percentage points since the recession began in December 2007.

In September, the number of persons working part time for economic reasons (sometimes referred to as involuntary part-time workers) was little changed at 9.2 million. The number of such workers rose sharply throughout most of the fall and winter but has been little changed since March.

About 2.2 million persons were marginally attached to the labor force in September, an increase of 615,000 from a year earlier. (The data are not seasonally adjusted.) These individuals were not in the labor force, wanted and were available for work, and had looked for a job sometime in the prior 12months. They were not counted as unemployed because they had not searched forwork in the 4 weeks preceding the survey.

Among the marginally attached, there were 706,000 discouraged workers in September, up by 239,000 from a year earlier. Discouraged workers are persons not currently looking for work because they believe no jobs are available for them. The other 1.5 million persons marginally attached to the labor force in September had not searched for work in the 4 weeks preceding the survey for reasons such as school attendance or family responsibilities.

Establishment Survey Data

Total nonfarm payroll employment declined by 263,000 in September. From May through September, job losses averaged 307,000 per month, compared with losses averaging 645,000 per month from November 2008 to April. Since the start of the recession in December 2007, payroll employment has fallen by 7.2 million.

In September, construction employment declined by 64,000. Monthly job losses averaged 66,000 from May through September, compared with an average of117,000 per month from November to April. September job cuts were concentrated in the industry's nonresidential components (-39,000) and in heavy construction (-12,000). Since December 2007, employment in construction has fallen by 1.5 million.

Employment in manufacturing fell by 51,000 in September. Over the past 3 months, job losses have averaged 53,000 per month, compared with an average monthly loss of 161,000 from October to June. Employment in manufacturing has contracted by 2.1 million since the onset of the recession.

In the service-providing sector, the number of jobs in retail trade fell by 39,000 in September. From April through September, retail employment has fallen by an average of 29,000 per month, compared with an average monthly loss of 68,000 for the prior 6-month period.

Government employment was down by 53,000 in September, with the largest decline occurring in the non-education component of local government (-24,000).

Employment in health care continued to increase in September (19,000), with the largest gain occurring in ambulatory health care services (15,000).Health care has added 559,000 jobs since the beginning of the recession, although the average monthly job gain thus far in 2009 (22,000) is down from the average monthly gain during 2008 (30,000).

Employment in transportation and warehousing continued to trend down in September. The number of jobs in financial activities, professional and business services, leisure and hospitality, and information showed little or no change over the month. In September, the average work week for production and nonsupervisory workers on private nonfarm payrolls edged down by 0.1 hour to 33.0 hours. Both the manufacturing work week and factory overtime decreased by 0.1 hour over the month, to 39.8 and 2.8 hours, respectively.

In September, average hourly earnings of production and nonsupervisory workers on private nonfarm payrolls edged up by 1 cent, or 0.1 percent, to $18.67. Over the past 12 months, average hourly earnings have risen by 2.5 percent, while average weekly earnings have risen by only 0.7 percent due to declines in the average workweek.

The change in total nonfarm payroll employment for July was revised from-276,000 to -304,000, and the change for August was revised from -216,000to -201,000.

The Employment Situation for October is scheduled to be released on Friday, November 6, 2009, at 8:30 a.m. (EST).

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Jobs in Pittsburgh Show Slight Decline From July to August

Experts say year over year job losses have stabilized. The August Pittsburgh Metro unemployment rate moved up to 7.8% from 7.7% which is 2 percentage points below the national rate. The City of Pittsburgh came in at 7.7% while Allegheny County was 7.2%. See the details here from the Post Gazette and here from the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

AARP Names 50 Top Employers for Those Over 50. University of Pittsburgh and S&T Bank Make the List.

Other employers with a Pittsburgh presence that also made the list include The Dept. of Veteran’s Affairs, Adecco Group (temp staffing), GlaxoSmithKline, Avis Budget Car Rental, Corinthian Colleges (Everest Institute in Pittsburgh) and Express Employment Professionals (temp staffing). Read the full article here: http://bit.ly/XEsw8
For a job board that caters to jobseekers over 40 go to www.WiserWorker.com.

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Pittsburgh Job Market in August Still Flat From Spring

Having been directly involved with the recruitment industry in Pittsburgh for the past dozen years or so, speaking with literally thousands of human resource professionals, business owners and department heads across the region, we are seeing this year shaping up to be the most unusual in trending that we have encountered.

After having maintained a relatively healthy level of recruitment activity through most of 2008 (until 4th quarter) we, along with the rest of the country, plummeted in ad count during first quarter of 2009. Beginning just after our job fair at Mellon Arena in late March, however, the precipitous drop in activity leveled out in April giving hope that May and June might see a reversal and show some improvement.

Seasonally, spring and fall are the biggest hiring periods (and thus, highest ad counts) of the year. Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on how you look at it) recruitment activity remained flat through April. May came and went and then June and July. Mid summer and mid winter have always trended as the weakest recruitment periods in the past but recruitment activity this summer did not rise or fall to any significant amount. August is now about over and levels still remain flat from July. Hiring managers appear to be holding their collective breaths waiting to see what the near term economy will bring.

As has been widely publicized over the past year, healthcare and education related fields show the greatest strengths in terms of activity in the Pittsburgh region. Other areas that have shown some strength are food prep/hospitality, social services, protective services and technician/maintenance (including automotive technicians).

Nationally the job market is projected to remain in decline through at least mid 2010. While Pittsburgh has enjoyed one of the strongest job markets in the country through the past year and a half, the best we can hope for going into September is that we are “less worse” than August. If seasonal hiring trends once again begin to approach typical form, we could see a fall hiring season that shows some job growth in our region. That is a big “if”.

Monday, August 3, 2009

Putting America Back To Work Job Fair Series Returns To Pittsburgh August 4th at Mellon Arena

The “Putting America Back to Work” job fair series, with over 50 events scheduled to be held across the country, returns to Pittsburgh on August 4th at Mellon Arena (home of the Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins!) from 10AM to 3PM.

The March event, which was also held at Mellon Arena, featured 45 companies and schools and was attended by approximately 1,500 job seekers. One aspect of this series across the country is the post event tracking of how many job offers are made to the job seekers who attended each event. The goal was 10,000 jobs by 2010. As of the end of June that goal was already achieved! The new goal has now been put at 15,000 job offers nationwide. The Pittsburgh event in March has resulted so far in over 150 job offers made giving those in attendance a better than 1 in 10 chance of landing a job.

The upcoming August event is expected to be somewhat smaller in size due to the seasonal aspect of an early August job market. About 35 employers and schools are expected to attend. The doors will open to the public at 10:00AM with free admission for all job seekers and no pre-registration required.

This event, the 2009 Pittsburgh Diversity Employment and Career Education Expo, is produced by the Pittsburgh office of EmploymentGuide.com, The Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh, AARP Foundation WorkSearch and Allegheny Department of Veteran’s Affairs. Representatives from each of those organizations will be on hand to speak with job seekers about programs offered to help with job searches in this difficult economy.

As of this writing 36 employers and schools have signed on to attend. The list includes:

Giant Eagle Corporate
TSA, Transportation Safety Admin
HCR Manorcare
US Navy
Sheet Metal Workers
Transitional Services
Waddell & Reed
Life Pittsburgh
Giant Eagle Get Go
Army National Guard
CCAC, Community College of Allegheny County
Mainstay Life Services
Aramark
SMG/Mellon Arena
H & R Block
Goodwill
Kaplan School
Family Foundations - Early Head Start
CVS Pharmacy
Dish Network
Academy of Court Reporting and Technology
EDMC Online
Giant Eagle Market District
Pittsburgh Job Corp
Giant Eagle Xpress
Quest Diagnostics
Vanguard Cleaning Systems
Lifesteps

United Insurance
Everest Institute
Barber National Institute
Pittsburgh Multicultural Beauty Academy
Pittsburgh Renaissance Hotel

Allegheny County Modern Office Systems Training
Verizon Wireless (Sales and Customer Service)
Pittsburgh Technical Institute





Tuesday, June 2, 2009

April Unemployment Rate for Pittsburgh Metro Rises to 7.3%, Up 1/10th Point

HARRISBURG (JUNE 2) – The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for the seven-county Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) rose one-tenth of a percentage point in April to 7.3 percent.

The rate was below those of Pennsylvania (7.8 percent) and the United States (8.9 percent). The civilian labor force decreased for the third consecutive month due to a drop in resident employment. The unemployment count has been increasing for a full year, and has reached its highest point since October 1986 at 88,900. This has been the longest run of increases in resident unemployment on record (current data set back to 1970). The Pittsburgh MSA’s unemployment rate was 2.6 percentage points above the April 2008 rate.

Among Pennsylvania’s 14 Metropolitan Statistical Areas, the Pittsburgh MSA held the sixth lowest unemployment rate. Rates in the Pittsburgh MSA ranged from 6.5 percent in Allegheny County to 9.8 percent in Armstrong County. Allegheny and Beaver counties experienced unemployment rate declines, the first drops in the MSA since September 2008.

In April, the Pittsburgh MSA’s seasonally adjusted jobs count declined 3,200 to 1,123,500. This was the eighth consecutive monthly loss. Over the year, jobs were down 2.4 percent in the Pittsburgh MSA, a smaller percentage drop than Pennsylvania, down 2.8 percent from April 2008.

Industry Detail (Not Seasonally Adjusted)

Goods-producing jobs in the Pittsburgh MSA increased 2,500 in April due mostly to a seasonal construction gain. Manufacturers inched down to a record low of 90,900 jobs with both durable and nondurable goods manufacturers at their lowest levels on record (current data set back to 1990). Over the year, goods producers shed 11,600 jobs with losses in construction and manufacturing.

Service-providing jobs increased 5,200, the smallest April gain since 2002. The majority of increases were within leisure & hospitality and professional & business services, both of which showed less April gain than usual. Information dipped 300 to a record low of 19,900 jobs.

Service-providing companies dropped 16,000 jobs from April 2008. This was the largest over-the-year decline on record (current data set back to 1990). Aside from education & health services, all supersectors posted declines from last April.

See the full report from the PA State Department of Labor and Industry here.

Friday, May 29, 2009

Point Park University Presents Free Series for Unemployed Adults In June

Here is a press release we received from Point Park College on a free series of workshops to help recently unemployed workers put their job search on track:

Point Park University Presents Free Series for Unemployed Adults
“Bridging the Career Gap – from Panic to Planning”

Workshops Offered Five Evenings in June

Pittsburgh - A job loss can feel overwhelming. How do you market yourself in the digital age? What is the most effective way to uncover job prospects in today’s market? How do you handle finances? Should you consider switching careers?
Point Park University is offering a free program for recently unemployed adults to help answer these questions and create a strategy to bridge the career gap.

“Whether a job loss is expected or not, people need a plan to move successfully through the change,” says
Mary Smith Peters, associate dean of students, business school adjunct faculty member and instructor for the series. “As part of its service to the community, Point Park is offering this series free to residents who now find themselves unemployed. Even those who have been without a job will find tools to help them move to the next step in employment.”

“Bridging the Career Gap – from Panic to Planning” will be held Tuesday evenings in June, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., at Point Park University’s Academic Hall, Room 309. Smith Peters suggests that participants plan to attend all sessions for maximum benefit. Registration is required.
Register online or by e-mail dbateman@pointpark.edu or by calling 412-392-3433.

June 2 “Where You Fit in Today’s Job Market”
6-8 p.m. Learn what job types are prevalent now in this region, what the market will be for the future, and how your skills can be applied.

June 9 “Managing Debt and Finances Without a Paycheck”
6-8 p.m. Hear from a panel of experts about available resources and effective ways to manage finances and debt.

June 16 “Is it Time for a New Career Path?”
6-8 p.m. Find out if the best next step is changing your career.

June 23 “Updating Your Self-Marketing for the New Economy”
6-8 p.m. Facebook? Twitter? Create a “digital age” resume that will work for you.

June 30 “Your Custom Career Plan”
6-8 p.m. Build a winning strategy tailored just for you.

“The last class will help individuals with their personalized plans,” says Mary Smith Peters. She will be joined in the final session by Debbie Bateman, director of transfer and articulation and enrollment management, and Sandy Cronin, Point Park University’s director of financial aid, both of whom will also answer questions about University programs for participants who want to pursue further education opportunities.

Smith Peters teaches career planning and decision making courses in the School of Business. In her role as associate dean of students, she also works to ensure an intellectually stimulating and supportive learning environment for non-traditional students.

Point Park University, founded in 1960, is an independent, four-year coeducational institution located in the heart of downtown Pittsburgh. Point Park enrolls approximately 3,800 full- and part-time students in 67 undergraduate programs and eight graduate programs offered through its School of Arts and Sciences, School of Business, School of Communication and Conservatory of Performing Arts.
The University is transforming its campus and Downtown Pittsburgh with the
Academic Village at Point Park University, a $244 million campus and public enhancement space plan. For more information about Point Park, visit www.pointpark.edu.

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Manpower's Annual 10 Hardest Jobs To Fill Survey Finds Four Years of Similar Data Points to Gaps in the U.S. Workforce

Even in the midst of the biggest "buyer's market" in decades, these are the posiitons found to be most difficult to fill nationwide, according to Manpower:

MILWAUKEE, May 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Engineers, Nurses and Skilled/Manual Trades are among the nation's most challenging positions to fill, according to survey findings released today by Manpower Inc.
"In the four years we have performed this research, the same positions appear on the list again and again," said Jonas Prising, President of the Americas. "Despite the current economic instability and high unemployment, there are still skills that the U.S. workforce seems to lack."

The 10 Hardest Jobs to Fill, as reported by U.S. employers for 2009, are:

Engineers
Nurses
Skilled/Manual Trades
Teachers
Sales Representatives
Technicians
Drivers
IT Staff
Laborers
Machinist/Machine Operators

Each of the 10 job categories on the 2009 list has appeared on the Hardest Jobs to Fill list in the past. Technicians, Machinist/Machine Operators and Sales Representatives have been present all four years. Engineers, Drivers and Laborers have appeared three out of four years; and Nurses, Teachers, Skilled/Manual Trades and IT Staff have been present in two of the four years Manpower has performed the survey.

Even with unemployment at or near record levels in many communities, Manpower's research highlights the problem many employers are having finding individuals with the right combination of job-specific skills, experience, training and soft skills.

"While talk has slowed in the U.S. about the pending talent shortage, it is becoming more clear that there is a talent disconnect," said Melanie Holmes, vice president, world of work solutions for Manpower North America. "Our workforce needs to be more open to retraining and upskilling for jobs that are in demand. And, our government, business leaders and educational facilities need to take action together to ensure students are being enticed to enter these fields."

The U.S. findings are part of a Manpower global study that surveyed more than 39,000 employers across 33 countries and territories in January 2009. Positions in the skilled trades, sales, technical work and engineering remain the most difficult for employers to fill globally. Manpower surveyed more than 2,000 U.S. employers in the fourth annual survey to determine which positions employers are having difficulty filling this year.

Duquesne University Student Featured in CBS News Story on Job Hunting for College Grads

We found an interesting blog post on Katey Couric's blog "Couric & Co." on the CBS News website. A local Duquesne University graduate is featured as well as other interesting aspects of the most difficult job market for graduates in 30 years. Follow the link here: http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/05/27/couricandco/entry5044062.shtml

Friday, May 22, 2009

Tourism Rally Announced For June 10th in Harrisburg

We just recieved this by email from the Pennsylvania Tourism and Lodging Association. The main intent of this rally is to protect JOBS right here in Pennsylvania. Use this link to go to their website:



Click on the picture to enlarge

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Have Pittsburgh Job Seekers and Recruiters Jumped on the Social Media Band Wagon?

Facebook. Twitter. LinkedIn. These and literally hundreds of other networking sites on the Internet, with new ones popping up everyday, have seen dramatic increases this year in both traffic and news headlines. Pittsburgh area jobseekers and recruiters are just now realizing the advantage of using these newer tools in their recruitment and search mix (along with the rest of the country).

LinkedIn, considered to be populated by a more professional networking audience, allows users to build out an online resume showing career history, awards, group memberships and education background. Users can communicate both publically and in private. Due to the popularity of employment networking on LinkedIn the site has been actively pursuing this as a revenue stream.

Facebook is more family and friends oriented. Once you create a profile on Facebook the site helps you locate people you might know by looking for similar school histories, hometowns and more. You can allow the site access to your email contact list and it will tell you if any of those emails are registered with the site. The biggest advantage Facebook offers jobseekers and recruiters are “Groups” established on the site specifically set up to help them find one another. These are usually uncovered by doing searches on the site or from “Friends” passing along information (called viral).

Then there is
Twitter. Everyone it seems is still trying to figure out what to do with Twitter. How to use it and NOT use it has become the topic of hundreds of news articles, blog posts and even “Tweets” (postings on Twitter). Twitter is a “micro blogging” site that lets you tell, in 140 characters or less, what you are doing. Pick any topic, hobby, political view, or quest and you will find “Tweeps” (people who use twitter) that specialize in what you are looking for. This allows you to “Follow” any and all whom you find interesting and eventually build a list of hundreds or even thousands of “Tweeples” (also people who use Twitter). If you are so inclined, you also have the ability to build your own following depending on how public you wish to be. As a job seeker or recruiter this gives you the ability to find one another, or those with similar interests, and communicate on regular, even daily, bases.

How the social networking phenomena will change the recruitisphere is so far unknown. Some consider most of it a fad that will fade over time. Many believe it is only in its infancy and will eventually transform how jobs are filled even more than the advent of the big job board. If any of you who are reading this are not at least putting your toe in the water, you are missing out on a very important tool for your toolbox. Pittsburgh, it seems, is embracing this new way of communicating as well as most areas of the country. Local communities of people who otherwise have never met are forming bonds and taking advantage of this new ability to “get their story out”.

If you have read this with familiarity because you use these resources then you can feel good that you are ahead of the curve. If you have resisted taking the social networking plunge we ask “what are you waiting for”? Since it can take a few months to get up and running on these sites, and build a network that can be of value, starting now can mean the difference between a three month job search and a six month job search! But remember, these are additional tools in your toolbox. No successful carpenter uses only one tool!

Thursday, April 16, 2009

The “Pittsburgh Promise” will bring young families back to the City of Pittsburgh

On Tuesday night of this week four Pittsburgh television stations simulcast a story on a relatively new program in the City of Pittsburgh called “The Pittsburgh Promise”. In short, the Pittsburgh Promise guarantees any student in the Pittsburgh Public School System tuition dollars to go to any approved college or technical school in the state of Pennsylvania if they maintain a certain minimum grade point level both in High School and in college.

We are not talking about small change here. Beginning in 2012 each student could earn as much as $10,000 per year for 4 years. That’s $40,000 for the mathematically challenged! For any family with children deciding on where to buy a house, this eliminates completely all reasons not to live in the city that involve finances like higher taxes.

This opportunity is real and it is right now. We all have the ability to donate money into this fund. A very large portion of the funding for this program comes from a challenge grant from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. $85 million dollars in contributions over the next 10 years are dependent on raising an additional $15 million dollars by June 30th, 2009. At this writing there is $3 million dollars to go.

We feel this is an amazing opportunity to help revitalize the city. As quoted often during last Tuesday’s broadcast, “The vitality of a region depends on the prosperity of the city at its core”. This program will revitalize the city by bringing families back thereby increasing population and property values while helping to improve the quality of education offered to all students in the public school system. Improving educational oppportunities will guarantee a better workforce in the future making our area even more attractive to companies with jobs.

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Sites, Sites, Everywhere are sites. Blocking Out the Scenery, Breaking My Mind…

By Pete Denio, General Manager, EmploymentGuide.com, Pittsburgh, PA

Whether you are a jobseeker or a recruiter there have never been more choices to make when deciding which tools to use in either finding your dream job or finding a million dollar candidate. According to
Weddle’s (a “guide to resources for employment, personal development and career success”) who publishes an annual User’s Choice award for job boards (Top 30 sites), there are over 40,000 recruitment sites on the Internet today! Add in print, broadcast, billboards and even social networks (on and offline) and the choices become dizzying.

With so many choices how can a job seeker most efficiently use his or her time and how can a recruiter most efficiently spend precious recruiting dollars while still finding qualified candidates?

The answer lies with what any Marketing Director would advise an advertiser:

1) Do not Put All Your Eggs in One Basket, Diversify

Utilizing only one media outlet, say, the pop music radio station in your city, to launch an advertising campaign misses a large part of a products potential audience. Using a media mix that includes broadcast, print and Internet is going to greatly increase both the number of people reached as well as the number of times each person hears the message (frequency).

The same goes with a job search. Our best advice is to find one or two “mass audience” job boards you are most comfortable with but then include two or three “niche” job boards or specialty job boards that cater to the specific industry you are pursuing (
Sales, Healthcare, truck driving, etc).

2) Don’t be afraid to try new things

The world of communication, branding and reaching consumers is constantly changing faster than at any time in history. The same goes for job seeking and recruitment. Although a consistent campaign is well advised (that is, the message you are trying to convey) never be happy with what you are getting for your return on investment (R.O.I.), whether your investment is your time or your company’s money. The very latest buzzword (which may be already passé by years end!) is social networking (Twitter, Facebook, etc.). Many job boards are incorporating
social networking aspects into their websites.

3) Your Message Will Be the Single Largest Influence on Success

If you are a job seeker, being unhappy with results from a job board can easily be due to a poorly written resume. If you are a recruiter, poor results can be due to an ineffective or poorly written job posting. Seek advice from experts. Paying a
resume service can mean the difference between getting the job you want sooner rather than later. For recruiters, carefully writing out job descriptions and reading them from a job seeker’s standpoint, or consulting with media professionals, will improve the quality of candidate regardless of which media is used. A media’s potential effectiveness is not only determined by how it reaches its target audience (or yours), but also in how well put together the message is.

4) BE PATIENT

No effective marketing campaign can be implemented in one or two weeks. Nor can a campaign’s results, or potential results, be determined in one or two weeks. Both job hunting and recruiting are processes, not events.

Using the advice presented here will help improve your results, whether you are the buyer or the seller. Develop your message, pick a mixture of media, always be looking for new opportunities in media choice and be patient. Good things will come!

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

TRG Customer Solutions to Add Over 80 Jobs in Pittsburgh

TRG Customer Solutions announced today that it is expanding staff on two separate business-to-business sales programs in its Pittsburgh operations center. In total, the Company expects to add over 80 new employees over the next several months.

TRG Customer Solutions provides customer care, technical support and telesales services to Fortune 500 companies in the telecommunications, financial services, technology, healthcare, and utility industries. The programs to be expanded in Pittsburgh are on behalf of a nationally known telecommunications company. One of the programs in particular involves selling a variety of products including data services, technical support, wireless devices and other telephone access services to small to medium sized businesses.

"We are expanding these programs to service our client's desired growth since launching the programs in late 2008," said Frank Kelly, CEO, TRG Customer Solutions. "TRG is seeking candidates with strong selling skills that have at least 1 - 2 years business-to-business sales experience."

Work hours for both programs are Monday through Friday with one program operating from 8AM until 5 PM and the other from 11AM until 7:30PM. All positions are expected to be filled with local personnel, who will be required to complete a 2 or 3 week training program, during which time they will be paid. Interested persons should contact TRG Customer Solutions by calling Valene Schlichtkrull, TRG's Recruiter, at 412-645-6001. In addition, the company will be holding a job fair in its offices at 200 Industry Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15275 on Tuesday, April 14 from 11:00AM until 1:00PM and from 6:00PM until 8:00PM. Candidates are requested to bring a resume and contact information for their references.

Lionsgate Studios Looking for Extras for Filming April 22nd and 23rd

We received this email from the Producers of “WARRIOR”:

Warrior Extras Casting is looking to book people for 4/22 and 4/23. Please respond if you are over 21 and available to work.

WARRIOR, a Lionsgate Studios feature film shooting in Pittsburgh, is seeking extras to participate in the filming of a staged "smoker" - an unlicensed mixed martial arts fight- as fans. Background actors age 21 and up of all types are needed.

There is a special need for bikers- as in Harleys, not Ducatis- both male and female for this location. Shooting will take place in Clairton on Wednesday, April 22nd, and Thursday, April 23rd, beginning in late afternoon. Background will be required to stay for the entire day of shooting, usually around twelve hours but often going longer.

Pay is $100/12 hours, with overtime as needed. Actors will be required to provide their own wardrobe and transportation, and may be asked to use their vehicles in the film for an additional $25. If available for this date, please send an e-mail to
warriorextras@gmail.com with "SMOKER" in the subject line to be considered.

Include your name, e-mail address, phone number, photo of yourself, and photo of your vehicle. Please only respond if available for the specified dates and location. The shoot day may start late and end late.
www.warriorextras.com

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

As Expected, Pittsburgh Region Continues to Shed Jobs in February

With about 1,500 job seekers coming to our job fair at Mellon Arena on March 24th, the 45 companies and schools in attendance are reporting one of the best qualified groups of job seekers seen in years. We knew this was the largest attendance we have had since 2003. This also coincides with the last time Pittsburgh had seen year over year job losses that approach the levels reported for February. The Pittsburgh Metro unemployment rate rose to 6.9%, up from 6.5% in January. The last time Pittsburgh had a rate this high was 1994. The state unemployment rate was 7.5 % in February and the national rate was 8.1%.

With a diversified economy, the Pittsburgh region has been better off than in past decades when steel and manufacturing accounted for a much higher percentage of jobs. Healthcare and education in particular have helped mitigate the effects of this recession buffering our area from the brunt of job losses like those seen in southern and western states. Also contributing to the relative strength of our economy is a housing industry that, because it was never part of the national housing bubble, has not seen the kinds of declines in housing values seen elsewhere.

Pittsburgh area recruiters that we speak with, though not as pessimistic as over the past three to six months, are still showing extreme caution in their hiring plans going into spring. Until they see a sustained improvement in economic news, job losses in our area will continue to mount. On the plus side, we are starting to see a slight uptick in the search for sales people in various industries.

For more details on the February Pittsburgh job market see the
Pittsburgh Tribune Review article here. For more insight into what the numbers mean visit Harold Miller's Pittsburgh's Future blog.

Monday, March 23, 2009

EmploymentGuide.com, HealthCareerWeb.com and the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh Help Pittsburgh’s Unemployed Workers

2009 Pittsburgh Diversity Employment and Career Education Expo at Mellon Arena
The Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh and EmploymentGuide.com® partner to sponsor “Putting America Back to Work” Job Fair Series in Pittsburgh, PA

This job fair is open to all job seekers and admission is free. Please enter Gate 10 at Mellon Arena from 10AM to 2PM.

Pittsburgh, PA, 3/23/2009– In response to the current economic crisis and a tightening labor market, The Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh and EmploymentGuide.com have combined efforts to bring together jobseekers with companies who seek their talents.

On Tuesday, March 24th, from 10:00AM to 2:00PM at Mellon Arena more than 40 Pittsburgh area employers and schools will meet and interview hundreds of job seekers.

Companies and schools attending include:

Aramark
Army National Guard
Burns & Scalo Roofing
Community College of Allegheny County
H&R Block
CCAC/ Modern Office Systems Training
Life Pittsburgh
Mainstay Life Services
New Century Careers
SMG
Transitional Services
Waddell & Reed Financial Services
Echostar
Haemonetics
HCR/Manorcare
All-State Career School
Greenery Care Center
Cardworks Servicing
YWCA
PIA Truck Driving School
Rent-A-Center
U.S. Navy
Parkvale Bank
Giant Eagle
Market District
Getgo
Giant Eagle Express
Labor-Management Clearinghouse (building trades)
Brightside Academy
City of Pittsburgh
CEP / Clayton Academy
CVS Pharmacy
Cintas
Academy of Court Reporting
Verizon Wireless
Allegheny Answering Service
Reliance First Capital
Kaplan School
Gallagher Home Healthcare
Baptist Homes
Futurity First Insurance Company
CynaMed Healthcare
Lionsgate Studios, Movie Extras, "WARRIOR"
Scott Medical Center

And more

Co-sponsored by The Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh and EmploymentGuide.com, the 2009 Pittsburgh Employment and Career Education Expo is part of the “Putting America Back to Work” Job Fair Series, taking place in more than 50 cities across the country throughout 2009. The job fair series allows jobseekers to have personal contact with perspective employers.
Participating employers will seek to fill hourly to mid level positions ranging from entry-level to management and they represent industries such as health care, customer service, hospitality, finance, sales, insurance, skilled trades, transportation, security and more.

Adding to the success of this new job fair series is support from associations interested in helping their members including: the AARP Foundation, the National Urban League, and the American Hotel and Lodging Association.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

In an era when so many are feeling depressed here’s a story about a father and a son that will help put our problems in perspective.

Read the story first…then watch the video

Rick Reilly for Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated Issue date: June 20, 2005, p. 88

I try to be a good father. Give my kids mulligans. Work nights to pay for their text messaging. Take them to swimsuit shoots. But compared with Dick Hoyt, I’m lousy.

Eighty-five times he’s pushed his disabled son, Rick, 26.2 miles in marathons. Eight times he’s not only pushed him 26.2 miles in a wheelchair but also towed him 2.4 miles in a dinghy while
swimming and pedaled him 112 miles in a seat on the handlebars — all in the same day.
Dick’s also pulled him cross-country skiing, taken him on his back mountain climbing and once hauled him across the U.S. on a bike. Makes taking your son bowling look a little lame, right?
And what has Rick done for his father? Not much — except save his life.


This
love story began in Winchester, Mass., 43 years ago, when Rick was strangled by the umbilical cord during birth, leaving him brain-damaged and unable to control his limbs.
“He’ll be a vegetable the rest of his life,” Dick says doctors told him and his wife, Judy, when Rick was nine months old. “Put him in an institution.”
But the Hoyts weren’t buying it. They noticed the way Rick’s eyes followed them around the room. When Rick was 11 they took him to the engineering department at Tufts University and asked if there was anything to help the boy communicate. “No way,” Dick says he was told. “There’s nothing going on in his brain.”


“Tell him a joke,” Dick countered. They did. Rick laughed. Turns out a lot was going on in his brain.
Rigged up with a computer that allowed him to control the cursor by touching a switch with the side of his head, Rick was finally able to communicate. First words? “Go Bruins!” And after a high school
classmate was paralyzed in an accident and the school organized a charity run for him, Rick pecked out, “Dad, I want to do that.” Yeah, right. How was Dick, a self-described “porker” who never ran more than a mile at a time, going to push his son five miles? Still, he tried. “Then it was me who was handicapped,” Dick says. “I was sore for two weeks.”

That day changed Rick’s life. “Dad,” he typed, “when we were running, it felt like I wasn’t disabled anymore!” And that sentence changed Dick’s life. He became obsessed with giving Rick that feeling as often as he could. He got into such hard-belly shape that he and Rick were ready to try the 1979 Boston Marathon. “No way,” Dick was told by a race official. The Hoyts weren’t quite a
single runner, and they weren’t quite a wheelchair competitor. For a few years Dick and Rick just joined the massive field and ran anyway, then they found a way to get into the race officially: In 1983 they ran another marathon so fast they made the qualifying time for Boston the following year.
Then somebody said, “Hey, Dick, why not a triathlon?”
How’s a guy who never learned to swim and hadn’t ridden a bike since he was six going to haul his 110-pound kid through a triathlon? Still, Dick tried.

Now they’ve done 212 triathlons, including four grueling 15-hour Ironmans in Hawaii. It must be a buzzkill to be a 25-year-old stud getting passed by an old guy towing a grown man in a dinghy, don’t you think? Hey, Dick, why not see how you’d do on your own? “No way,” he says. Dick does it purely for “the awesome feeling” he gets seeing Rick with a cantaloupe smile as they run, swim and ride together.

This year, at ages 65 and 43, Dick and Rick finished their 24th Boston Marathon, in 5,083rd place out of more than 20,000 starters. Their best time? Two hours, 40 minutes in 1992 — only 35 minutes off the world record, which, in case you don’t keep track of these things, happens to be held by a guy who was not pushing another man in a wheelchair at the time. “No question about it,” Rick types. “My dad is the Father of the Century.”

And Dick got something else out of all this too. Two years ago he had a mild heart attack during a race. Doctors found that one of his arteries was 95% clogged. “If you hadn’t been in such great shape,” one doctor told him, “you probably would’ve died 15 years ago.” So, in a way, Dick and Rick saved each other’s life.

Rick, who has his own apartment (he gets home care) and works in Boston, and Dick, retired from the military and living in Holland, Mass., always find ways to be together. They give speeches around the country and compete in some backbreaking race every weekend, including this Father’s Day. That night, Rick will buy his dad dinner, but the thing he really wants to give him is a gift he can never buy. “The thing I’d most like,” Rick types, “is that my dad sit in the chair and I push him once.”


Thursday, March 12, 2009

Pink Slip Party Tuesday March 24th from 2:00PM to 5:00PM!

What is a Pink Slip Party?

A Pink Slip Party is a grass-roots phenomenon that took off during the dot com crash many years ago. They have become popular once again due to the economic conditions we all find ourselves in again. Pink Slip Parties bring together job seekers, recruiters and followers with a renewed sense of purpose and hope for the future. These gatherings offer great networking opportunities, connecting those who have been, or are about to be, pink slipped with Human Resource and recruiting professionals from companies looking for new talent.

Attending a Pink Slip Party is a smart move. If you are a job seeker, you can learn about new job opportunities and you’ll be able to showcase your talents in a relaxed, friendly environment. If you are a recruiter, you can meet with potential candidates to fill positions within your company and make a one-on-one connection that you may not get from a “typical” job interview.

This event will be downtown on Tuesday, March 24, 2009 from 2 – 5 p.m. at Mullaney’s Harp & Fiddle on 2329 Penn Ave. in the Strip District right after our Diversity Employment Expo at the Mellon Arena. The event will benefiting the
Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s “Team In Training” (TNT) program and will provide a unique opportunity for job seekers to network with local recruiters and their peers, as well as learning about the TNT endurance sports training program. A $10 donation to LLS will be collected at the door, all going to a great cause. Recruiters from throughout the Western PA area are invited to attend and are welcomed. Those interested in attending and/or sponsoring should contact Megan Nemecek at 412-697-2863, or email her at megan.nemecek@lls.org.

Friday, March 6, 2009

What Should You Expect From a Job Fair?

Having put on job fairs in the Pittsburgh region for almost ten years now, we have seen the events evolve over time from both an employer and job seeker standpoint. With the maturation (and use) of the Internet as used for recruiting purposes more employers use job fairs today as a way to get face time with some of those resumes they get from their websites. Some employers consider a job fair to be informational as much as a direct interview-hire event. Many companies will actually interview at the event but still ask that you “apply online”.

Job seekers who have been to multiple job fairs over the years have a better understanding of this and therefore come better prepared. Quite often we hear job seekers complain that the particular employer they came to see was not actually interviewing at the event. Because of this they were disappointed and considered the event a waste of their time.

Although many employers do still interview at job fairs it is important for job seekers to understand what to expect from the company they most want to see. This can be done by researching the company website, looking for whether they accept applications on their website (look for a tab that says “Careers”). If you see a company is going to be at an event and want to know what to expect by going to speak with them CALL the company ahead of time and ask (do not rely on email as this has become too impersonal – you want to make an impression). Often representatives will be able to tell you what their policies are. If they will be interviewing at the event, you’ll be sure of this beforehand and can prepare accordingly. If they are there for informational purposes, that also is great! The people you speak with will usually be from the human resources department and will be a great source of information on work environment, benefits, pay structure and who an “ideal” candidate would be. This gives you an opportunity to customize your resume before you submit it on the company website and increase your chances of getting an interview. You also may find out the job isn’t really what you were looking for and allows you to focus your job searching efforts in a better direction.

Whether you are a job seeker or a recruiter those that get the most from any job fair are those who best sell themselves and either their skill-set or the company they represent. Company representatives should never just sit behind their tables frowning at job seekers as they walk by. Stand in front of your table and greet people. Job seekers should always smile and be prepared to ask lots of questions about the company and what it is like to work there.

Having a the best possible idea of what you will get at a job fair ahead of time, whether you are doing the hiring or looking for employment, will help make any job fair better and more productive for you.

Monday, March 2, 2009

Free Job Training From the Emmaus Community of Pittsburgh for Direct Support Professionals Who Work w/ Persons with Intellectual Disabilities (MH/MR)

We received this notice from Facebook

Do you know someone who is looking for a new, more rewarding career or is currently unemployed? Please help us pass on the information below!

On March 30, the Emmaus Community of Pittsburgh, in conjunction with CCAC and other providers, will be commencing the second session of it's FREE 8-week training program, the Direct Support Professional Education Program.

As unemployment in our region climbs, the need for direct support professionals who work with persons with intellectual disabilities (mental retardation) in community residential settings (i.e., group homes) remains high! If you or someone you know is interested in exploring a new career helping others, please contact us for more information or for an application by calling 412-381-0277.

The class runs 8 weeks and is held at the CCAC-Northside campus. Participants receive training on the history and current state of the MR system and the job responsibilities of a direct support professional, as well as a hands-on practicum with a local provider and all of the certifications required for hire in the field (including CPR/First Aid and medication administration).

This is a FANTASTIC opportunity to get involved in a highly rewarding line of work. The course is provided FREE of charge, thanks to a generous grant from FISA Foundation. All graduates receive a Certificate from CCAC and are qualified to work as direct support professionals with potential for advancement in the field.For more info, please call Emmaus at 412-381-0277.

Friday, February 20, 2009

Pittsburgh YWCA Hosting MICROENTERPRISE SYMPOSIUM 2009 at CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY

A Micro-enterprise by definition is a business with five or fewer employees, small enough to require initial capital of $35,000 or less.

According to the Association for Enterprise Opportunity, one out of six U.S. private sector employees’ works for a microenterprise.

The YWCA Greater Pittsburgh supports Micro-enterprise through our Enterprising Women Program.


Cost is $35.00 that includes lunch.


Agenda:

February 28th, 2009 —- 8:30 AM—4:-00 PM
Carnegie Mellon University —- University Center,
5000 forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213

Opening Keynote Address by Dr. Carl Knoblock,
District Director of Small Business Administration
Pittsburgh District Office

Technology: Inexpensive Impact of the Internet
The Power of Blogging, Donna Baxter will present the impact and affordability of blogging to market the small business. She is the webmaster of The Soul Pitt.com

Face book – Twitter – MySpace Internet Advertising, Google Analytics
How does a small business market to the masses on the internet social networks? Work shop presenters are Students in Free Enterprise from Carnegie Mellon University

Marketing: Generate “Buzz” About Your Company
Smart Reader
Chris Engler, Pittsburgh Business Times
Branding a Business for the Marketplace, Dr. Evelyn Pierce
Tepper School of Business, Carnegie Mellon University
Sharpening the Elevator Pitch,
Vernard Alexander, Marketing-Networking Exchange
Social Entrepreneurship, Dr. Milton Cofield,
Tepper School of Business, Carnegie Mellon University
Entrepreneurship in the Current Economy, Lyzona Marshall, ABD
Assistant Professor of Business, Seton Hill University;
OnaMar Associates, LLC

Regulations: Legal is Beneficial
IRS Laws and Regulations for the Microenterprise, Jim Merante
Why Register as a Business-Becoming Certified, Elizabeth Bowers, Western Region of the State of Pennsylvania, Department of General Services
Finance: Creatively Financing the Microenterprise
Financing the Smallest Business, Carl Knoblock, SBA and Bridgeway Capital
Raising Venture Capital, Dr. Thomas J. Hajduk, Tepper School of Business, Carnegie Mellon University


For more information, please contact Alice Williams, Business Support Specialist, YWCA
412-255-6743 • awilliams@ywcapgh.org


Friday, January 30, 2009

A Super Bowl Time Out from Job News

Brian O’Neill of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette has written what we consider to be the ultimate definition of the relationship between southwestern Pennsylvania its team, the Pittsburgh Steelers.

How this relationship transcends geography, social and even our work lives is described in a way that any non-citizen of Steelers Nation may finally understand.

To quote a small portion:

“The real Pittsburgh, the Pittsburgh of the mind, extends beyond our city's freakishly small 56 square miles and into the suburbs of neighboring counties. You could even say, as E.J. Montini suggests, that Pittsburgh extends into all those Steelers bars dotting the country, the legacy of the great Diaspora caused by the implosion of the steel industry in the 1970s and '80s”.

“There is almost no social situation where a Steelers jersey is frowned upon. Work. Church. School. Prom. The local desire to wear the names of other people on their black-and-gold backs can confuse newcomers. One reader called me earlier this month to say she'd just moved to Pittsburgh last summer and was working in a day care center where "every baby in the zero-to-3 group" wore Steelers paraphernalia on Fridays”.

Read Brian O’Neill’s full article here.

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Pittsburgh Job Market on a Slippery Slope

As the recession begins to deepen in the Pittsburgh region we are seeing an inability of local employers to make decisions about their recruitment plans. We continue to speak with hundreds of Pittsburgh area recruiters each week and are hearing from many of them that they have open positions they need to fill but either are not allowed, at least for the short term, to spend money in the effort, or are fearful of filling a position only to be told within weeks or months that they have to lay the new employee off.

Pittsburgh recruiters are currently just holding their breath. Many of our postings have communicated how we in Pittsburgh are fairing better than most areas around the country. The next month or two should really set the tone of how hard we are ultimately hit for all of 2009.

Most of the layoff announcements that have been publically made over the past month or two that affect Pittsburgh workers have been primarily companies with a national presence (Target, Ericsson, Home Depot, Circuit City) or large financial institutions (PNC Bank, BNY Mellon).

Healthcare and education continue to be the strength of our current job market condition. By keeping, and even continuing to increase, overall jobs in these areas of strength, other area support industries (retail, hospitality and other service industries) have been able to maintain more strength (jobs) than they would otherwise. This is different than in 2001-2002 when we lost 10,000 jobs from US Air.

The most optimistic forecasts predict the recession will continue to deepen until at least June. We will continue to report on strengths and weaknesses for our local job market as we see them.


To try and leave with at least one piece of good news, Single Source Roofing will be adding 50 jobs soon as they move into their new corporate headquarters in the Southpoint Business Park (see announcement from the Pittsburgh Business Times) and Yellow cab will be expanding as they add new service to the south hills area (see Pittsburgh Post gazette article).

Monday, January 19, 2009

When is Hot Cold?

Over the past two weeks both Forbes magazine and the Monster Employment Index showed Pittsburgh to be one of the best job markets in the country. As good as that sounds it does not mean the job market in Pittsburgh is currently great. It is just better than most other areas of the U.S. The Monster Employment Index names Pittsburgh a top 5 market while the Forbes article includes Pittsburgh as one of the 10 Best job markets as of December.

The Monster index at the same time showed a dramatic decline for Pittsburgh during December and based on what we are seeing currently this trend will continue into January. Without question the best job categories continue to be Healthcare and Education. We are also seeing some strength in Protective Services and Drivers.

By far, here in Pittsburgh as with most of the country, the weakest demand is in Retail and Sales. We continue to monitor closely the local environment and will report changes as we se them.

Truly a 'Burgh Thing!

Truly a 'Burgh Thing!
by Randy Bish, Pittsburgh Tribune Review

Job News and Information for Job Seekers and Recruiters

Job News and Information for Job Seekers and Recruiters