Employment, Jobs, Places, and Waiting Lines

By Rich Albright

Job Vacancy Indonesia, Employee, Vacancy

The unemployed know the statistics. Their next job may eight to fourteen months away; meanwhile, their financial situation steadily deteriorates. They dip into meager savings, keeping a constant watch on spending. They may even get to the point where they face foreclosure and have to fight those proceedings. Unemployment is an ugly place to visit.

There aren't any rosy predictions for a recovery. Unemployment rates still hover around 9.6 percent with areas of the country at 12 percent and higher. So, where are the jobs?

Despite passing a watered down health care bill, the government reports that employment in the health care sector rose, adding about 20,000 jobs per month. The next highest employment sector was professional and business services adding about 17,000 jobs monthly. Manufacturing lost 27,000 jobs a month offsetting a majority of the gains in employment and aided by a loss government jobs due to the Census workers completing their short-term employment tasks.

The states with the highest unemployment rates were led by Nevada with an unemployment rate of 14% as of August, so you might want erase any thoughts of heading to the "All For Our Country" state. The other states above the 10% unemployment threshold were MI, yes, that's where the Big Three car makers reside, CA, FL, RI, SC, OH, OR, IL, IN, and GA. It's ugly out there.

Looking for employment? Statistics might indicate the best prospects are in states with the highest employment rates. These states, led by the Dakotas, all have unemployment rates below seven percent and include: North Dakota at 3.7% and South Dakota at 4.5%, followed by NE, NH, VT, WY, KS, HI, and IA.

So a move to any of the high prospect states, providing you can sell or walk away from your current location might be your best option. Or is it? Most state governments are trimming budgets and jobs. Standing in line without inside connections might not reap any benefits. On the other hand, education employment in these states might prove to be a viable option as education spending is up slightly. It makes sense as more people are opting to return to college or take certificate courses in order to land that next position.

Another option is self-employment; however, for those struggling to stay afloat, this option isn't likely. Start-up businesses require cash and usually aren't in the black for extended periods. They require a cash reserve and nerve to go it alone. Franchised businesses are also an option for the self-employed, but they add fees to any start-up venture and usually have recurring fees based on gross sales.

Part time work should be a consideration if you have been unemployed for any length of time and these opportunities might lead to full time employment. Overall, keep sending out resumes, continue building your network, and don't forget to follow up on those promising prospects with a phone call to the hiring manager.