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EMPLOYMENT, WORKPLACE & PROFESSIONAL NEWSTWO YEAR DEGREES BRING MORE JOBS THAN FOUR YEAR New employment figures suggest that a two year degree is a ticket to the fastest growing segment of the workforce. In a recent six month period there were 578,000 more jobs in this category resulting in a total of 35.2 million in the workforce according to USA Today. This category represents jobs such as X-ray technicians, medical records specialists, factory computer operators and repair people in fields such as air conditioning. There are still more four year degree workers. According to the Labor Department they represent 37 percent of the labor force. There were 214,000 more jobs in that category during the same six month period adding up to to 46.5 million jobs total according to Labor Department figures.
Fortune magazine interviewed 21 visionaries from all professions including finance, law, tech, the military and beyond, to ask what one piece of wisdom got them to where they are today. Chef, author, and host of Travel Channel programs, Anthony Bourdain, said that in the late 1980s he was a recovering drug addict and had wrecked the first half of his career and any professional reputation that he had. He got a job as a lunch cook, the same job he had at the beginning of his career. In his book, Kitchen Confidential, Bourdain calls the boss Bigfoot whose orders went like this: "If you're going to work for me the most important thing is that you show up on time." To him, that meant 15 minutes before your shift started. Bourdain said showing up on time every day not only disciplined him but caused him to respect every other person in the organization. It's a rule he has lived with. Now, a top chef again, Bourdain is his own Bigfoot pounding into every new employee that getting there, on time, every day is the first thing they have to do. The skills necessary to do the job can be taught to people who show up. For his TV shows, he says it's unthinkable that anyone will be late. Bourdain says his behavior sets a tone. Because he's there on time every day his people show up on time too.
In today's economy, consumers are more likely to put off expensive vacations, but they don't mind going out for dinner and drinks. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics this means the hospitality industry is still growing. Each month since 2010 there has been an average of 21,000 new jobs created in the sector. Executive recruiters at food services management company Sodexo are looking for executive chefs, catering managers, concessions managers and more. Career directors at the International School of Hospitality and Tourism Management in New Jersey say hotels are reaching out for management candidates. It hasn't happened since 2008.
Workers with basic skills are scarce. In an era of unemployment, American manufacturing companies are having a hard time finding workers. The hard truths: Candidates can't pass the drug test, won't show up for work and lack other basic skills. In Manpower's 2012 Talent Shortage Survey, nearly 20 percent of employers said applicants don't get along with other employees and aren't motivated to get their work done. According to consultants at Deloitte, more than 600,000 jobs in manufacturing went unfilled in 2011. The problem was less about high tech skills and more about simple employability: In offices, employees must have an elementary command of the English language, but many do not. They lack basic skills like grammar and spelling. Absence of work ethic is another problem. In New York, The Empire Manufacturing Survey of 2012 shows that it's harder to find people who will come to work on time and who can be depended upon to be at work every day. This could be one reason why the state's unemployment rate is four points higher than it was in the 2007 survey. Experts quoted in The Wall Street Journal say the causes of these problems include inadequate education at the K-12 level and the collapse of families.
Absenteeism is becoming a worldwide problem, and illness and injuries are only a small part of it. Two of the top reasons for unscheduled absences in the United States are stress and the need to care for a sick child. Personal needs and family issues are significant reasons for absences. A poll by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) showed that 92 percent of Americans don't believe they have enough flexibility to take care of family issues. Many companies don't tabulate the actual costs of an unscheduled absence such as overtime, pay for a temporary worker, business disruption, lags in product delivery or decrease in customer satisfaction. But many now realize that reducing absences starts with education for both the workers and their managers. Supervisors need to sit down with their employees to discuss scheduling challenges and work together to find solutions for frequent absence. The supervisor employee relationship is critical because the supervisor is the one analyzing the problem. We have to make sure supervisors have the skills to address absences with employees. Mark McAvoy, executive director of the Houston Permitting Center, says it's equally important to educate employees on the consequences of missing work. Houston distributes newsletters with health tips as well as reminders about Companies are also searching for ways to get employees who are injured or ill back to work faster. They offer strategies that allow the employee to do a different job or to have reduced work hours. A survey by Prudential shows 66
The good news is that if you made more money in the slow economy of 2012 you'll have more tax bracket wiggle room. Bad news: It's thanks to inflation. Personal exemptions and standard deductions are higher for 2012 tax returns. Almost every return will be affected by the new exemptions, which, by law, must keep pace with inflation. About two out of three taxpayers do not itemize and take the standard deductions which are higher for 2012:
10 MOST TAX FRIENDLY STATES FOR RETIREES Here are 10 states that impose some of the lowest taxes on retirees in the United States according to Kiplinger's Personal Finance analysis of state tax rules. In each of these states, social security benefits are exempted from taxation and some impose no state income tax at all. Even military and private pensions may be exempted in these states. A few offer exclusions on part of distributed income from IRAs or 401Ks. Review all of your sources of income before you decide which state may be the best fit for your retirement home. The most tax friendly states are:
The least tax friendly states are:
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