What you get from a $14/hour overseas worker

What you get from a $14/hour overseas worker

By Marcia Turner, contributing writerAugust 23, 2010: 9:21 AM ET

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- I have always had trouble delegating. Even as a manager in corporate America, I had a tendency to do all my work myself -- everything from scheduling meetings, to reserving conference rooms, to ordering lunch for guests and sending faxes. I was convinced I was the best person to complete these tasks.
That tendency continued when I started my own marketing agency and hired a couple of interns. Rarely could they get the work done as quickly or as thoroughly as I could, so, too often, I kept it for myself.


As you might expect with only one person working at capacity -- me -- my firm quickly hit a revenue ceiling. Everything I was able to do myself, I did. It was only when I encountered a need for a website, which I had no idea how to design and create, that I was forced hand over a key task.
And after witnessing how much could be done by someone else, I did a complete about-face. I began looking for opportunities to delegate and outsource.

Buoyed by Tim Ferriss' recommendation of low-cost help in his bestselling The 4-Hour Workweek, I turned to Brickwork India, in Bangalore, for some market research. I wanted to know how large a particular industry was to help me determine if it was worth targeting. But since this was a not yet a revenue-generating concern, I also wanted to keep my costs as low as possible. Hiring Bain or the Boston Consulting Group was not an option.

I have a virtual assistant in Texas (I'm in New York) who handles much of my Web work, at $50 an hour, but this project required a different skill-set. I had already spent a few hours of my time conducting my own top-line investigation and came up short. So when Ferriss indicated that Brickwork charges as little as $15 an hour, I decided to test them out.

I went to the company's website and completed an initial Request for Information form identifying myself and the specific tasks I needed a Brickwork analyst to perform. Based on that input, I received a quote for a block of 10 hours of work in the next 30 days. The cost was $140. Total. I was more than willing to risk $14 an hour on this experiment.

The next step was setting up my Brickwork account, which took a matter of minutes, and paying the $140 via credit card. I received an introductory e-mail from my senior executive assistant the next afternoon, the start of their work day. I would have liked to have been able to request a particular worker, since a colleague had recommended a talented researcher there, but there was no opportunity to request anyone specific during the sign-up.

Unsure of whether I should immediately hand off this important research project, I started with a softball task -- compile a list of associations and organizations for writers in the U.S. Within a matter of hours, I had a spreadsheet listing 15 such organizations, their corresponding locations and number of members. Given that I could rattle off close to a dozen writers' associations off the top of my head, I was a bit disappointed it took my executive assistant two hours to come up with 15. I was fairly certain there were more, but the information I received was well-organized.

So I forged ahead and with eight hours remaining on my credit I asked for help in finding the size of the ghostwriting industry. Mindful that more than eight hours could be spent with little to show for it, I set a cap of two hours. Those two hours were quickly gone and, in exchange, I received a list of four small companies that compete in that market. Not exactly what I was after. And then there were six hours left.

We spent some time going back and forth, as I tried to clarify exactly what I needed while also trying to assess whether there was any chance I would actually get it. Looking back, I should have picked up the phone and spent five minute making sure my assistant truly understood what I wanted, but e-mail was so much more convenient; I had her phone number but didn't use it.

From the tasks I assigned and the deliverables I received, it slowly became clear that Brickwork was awesome at tracking down information with a single known value. For example, if you wanted to know how many babies were born last year worldwide, I'm sure my executive assistant could have found that fact. But ask for information that requires some primary research or deductive reasoning and you'll burn through several hours just explaining what you're after, information-wise. Alas, my industry research task falls into the latter category.

At such a low hourly rate and with the flexibility to hire a Brickworker on a whim, I will certainly turn to them for administrative help in the future. But only when the data I need is well-defined and finite. 

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I have learned that outsourcing is surely an effective and efficient option for many corporations. When outsourcing, companies can lower the cost but increase the efficiency and quality of the process by leaving the work to expert companies.

The author talks about research and administrative work by Brickwork India. Brickwork is an outsourcing company for individuals and small to mid-sized companies that look for business assistance at an affordable price. The company is very proud of their work and having thousands of clients "across industries and across geography", referring from Brickwork India web. It is amazing to see how people and business act fast by utilizing the internet. The internet has allowed companies to find better business solutions and connect with partners in other side of the earth.




On the other hand, it takes job opportunities away from domestic labors. Even though companies have every reason to hire outsourcing companies in countries having lower labor cost, it contributes to decrease jobs domestically. 

Should a company choose low cost and efficiency? Or does it have to take a responsibility for domestic economy and provide more jobs? It remains debatable.

Gov’t faces U.S.-Iran conundrum - INSIDE JoongAng Daily

Gov’t faces U.S.-Iran conundrum - INSIDE JoongAng Daily

August 21, 2010

The Korean government will soon start talks with the United States and Iran over sanctions against the Middle Eastern nation, as Seoul finds itself torn between its obligation to its ally and its energy interests and large business contracts in Iran.

After a cabinet meeting at the Blue House, the government concluded there is a need for close talks with the two countries before participating in U.S.-led sanctions, a senior government official said yesterday.

“We’ve discussed a range of alternatives on how to approach the Iran issue and decided to talk to the U.S. and Iran in the near future,” he said.

The U.S. government announced late last week the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions Act, a list of disciplinary actions banning foreign multinationals from trading with Iran.

The government is considering sending delegations or formal letters to the U.S. and Iran. The timing of the moves, he said, hasn’t been decided.

He also said nothing has been decided over what kinds of sanctions Korea would apply to Iran. The Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) reviewed potential irregularities at the Seoul branch of Bank Mellat but the official tried to avoid speaking in detail about the level of sanctions Korea would accept.

An official at the FSS said the issue will likely be discussed in a regular meeting next month. Bank Mellat has reportedly traded with other Iranian banks and companies blacklisted by the U.S. government without getting an approval from the Bank of Korea, which is in violation of foreign exchange laws.

As to potential damage the sanctions could deal to local companies, the official said, “The damages are mostly related to financial transactions and we are in talks over how we can help them.”

Local exporters and oil importers are having trouble making banking transactions as local banks already stopped trades with Iranian banks. Korea relied on Iran for 9.5 percent of its annual oil consumption as of last year. Around 20 local companies exported $4 billion worth of goods to Iran last year.

“We will express our concerns while in talks with the U.S. and try to minimize damages to Korean companies,” the official said.

International sanctions are being strengthened against Iran. The Swiss government has frozen 1.5 million Swiss Franc ($1.4 million) in Iran-related accounts in Swiss banks.

By Limb Jae-un [jbiz91@joongang.co.kr]

Five 'new normals' that really will stick

 
By Nin-Hai Tseng, reporterAugust 20, 2010: 1:13 PM ET

FORTUNE -- Whenever we go through a major change in our culture, it seems we have to adjust to 'the new normal.' And today is no exception -- as the U.S. economy struggles to recover from the financial crisis, Americans are being forced to reckon with more 'new normals' than we'd like.
Of course, we adapted to 'new normals' long before the phrase became cliché. According to a Factiva search, one of the earliest references came in a Newsday article in 1988, in which 'the new normal' referred to the realities of single parent households and the need for more government-funded childcare. After September 11, 2001, the 'new normal' referred to the vulnerability of a nation changed.


Today it's everywhere. A search for the phrase on the New York Times web site yielded 11 results in just the past five days.
It's not easy to change Americans' financial habits permanently, and 'new normals' don't always last. Fortune found five that just might stick, at least for a while.

Long-term unemployment
With the jobless rate standing stubbornly close to 10%, it's tough not to wonder if high unemployment could be a long-term fixture of the American economy. With little to no hiring in the private sector, it almost seems like the only new jobs out there are -- well, devoting the day to finding a job. The Obama administration has been speaking out against joblessness as the 'new normal,' saying the problem is cyclical.
Economists predict that unemployment will drop to 8.7% by end of next year, and by 2013, it will fall to 6.8%. Even if the predictions pan out, that's no easy target. A University of Maryland business professor this month told The New York Times that the economy would have to add 300,000 more workers a month over the next three years to get the jobless rate to fall to the administration's 2013 target. Earlier this year, when the economy made a brief comeback by growing at a healthy 3%, it added fewer than 100,000 jobs a month. When the jobless rate will return to pre-recession levels of about 4.6% (as it was January 2007) remains to be seen.

Renting over owning
Buying a home may never be the promising investment it was before the crisis hit. Gone are the days of looking at a lovely Cape Cod and seeing an instant piggy bank.
Between 2006 and 2009, home prices fell more than 32%, according to the S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Index. And just when it looks like the gravely weak housing market is beginning to stabilize, we hear more bad news. In its latest monthly report released July 27, Case-Shiller warned that a broader look at home prices over the past year haven't shown sustained recovery, even though the index surprisingly bumped 5% compared with May 2009.
Meanwhile, it appears keeping up with the Jones' no longer means having a mortgage. The idea of renting is okay, and in many cases, preferred. Between 2004 and 2009, the number of renter households rose nearly 10% or by 3.4 million, according to a 2010 study of the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. The rise of the renting class might be here to stay.

Saving over spending
If paying down debt and saving more is the 'new normal,' this might not be such a bad thing, at least in the long-term. Americans overspent for too long, and that's largely what got us into this financial mess.
In June, credit card balances fell by $4.5 billion, or 6%, according to the Federal Reserve, marking the 21st consecutive month of declining balances. Meanwhile, personal savings have risen to 6.4% of after-tax incomes, about three times higher than it was in 2007.
Of course, all this saving isn't exactly helping our economy in the near term. But if we're more responsible spenders after we emerge from this economic malaise, we'll save ourselves some more pain in the future.

Staycations over vacations
With high unemployment and a preference for saving more as possible mainstays of the U.S. economy, more of us are also likely to vacation closer to home. Though some consumers are expected to travel more this summer than last year, when the staycation officially became a trend, many are driving instead of flying and they're also spending less on whatever trips they do take. But more are opting to stay home entirely. In a USA Today/Gallup Poll released in May, 27% say they plan to travel less this summer than last, compared with 18% who say they'll travel more. More than one-third do not see much change in their travel plans.

Higher taxes for 'the rich'
Depending on whether or not President Obama has his way, the nation's top earners (what some might call 'richest') could see higher taxes as the 'new normal.' In an effort to reverse the huge tax breaks enacted under the George W. Bush administration, Obama's plan would mean people making more than $195,550 in taxable income and joint filers with taxable income of more than $237,300 would be pushed up into higher tax brackets, from the current 33% and 35% brackets to 36% and 36.9% brackets next year.
While some argue this could further hamper an already weak economy, others say this new normal could also help reduce the country's huge budget deficit. Perhaps this new normal isn't so much about higher costs for the so-called rich but rather an equalization of the nation's tax structure. 

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I had a chance to attend in Harvard Projects for Asian and International Relations in 2009. Even though it was difficult to predict how the economic crisis will turn out at the time, some scholars expected that the world economy including US will recover by 2011 to 2013. It was rather positive compared to what people are given now, "New Normals."

After HPAIR in 2009, many things have affected the world economy such as 2010 European sovereign debt crisis. As not many people expected that European crisis was about to happen, even a year before it hit the world, I am not positive that one can give a concrete image regarding society and economy of next five years.

Interview Byungryul Lee

[향긋한 북살롱]이병률 "제 책 읽고 프러포즈한 여자 있지만..."

 - 이병률

게재일 : 2010-08-18 조회수 : 2,640

글 / 민정규, 사진 / YES24 제공editor@bookcosmos.com

[link: 인터뷰 기사 읽기]

“사랑해라. 시간이 없다. 사랑해라. 정각에 도착한 그 사랑에 늦으면 안 된다.”

이병률 저자가 도착한 그 장소에는 이미 40명 넘는 팬들이 정각 전에 도착해 그와 마음 열고 사랑할 준비를 하고 있었다. 상상마당에서 열린 7월의 향긋한 북살롱에는 여행을 사랑하는 매력남 이병률 저자가 주인공. 여행자의 하늘을 옮겨온 듯 구름을 표현한 공간과 모두에게 건네준 붉은 와인 한잔이 제법 근사한 분위기를 예감해준다.

“아무것도 가진 게 없다고 생각하지 말자. 문밖에 길들이 다 당신 것이다.”

재벌은 아니지만 그는 여행을 통해 부자의 마음을 느끼는 듯하다. 길가의 돌멩이도, 느리게 벤치에서 쉼을 취하는 노인들도 그에겐 다 보물과 같은 존재이기 때문이다. 시인으로도 불리는 그는 세상에 존재하는 모든 것에 관심이 많다. 특히 사람을 좋아하는 저자는 여행은 사람을 만나고 이별하는 과정이라고 여겨질 정도로 사람과의 인연을 소중히 새긴다.

“당신은 실온의 사람이었다. 냉장고에 넣었다가 나온 것 같은 차가운 사람도, 급하게 전자레인지로 돌려져 따뜻해진 사람도 아니었다. 당신은 마음의 키가 큰 사람이었다.”

이병률 저자의 마음이 커진 것도 여행 때문이다. 그것도 혼자 다니는 여행 동안 마음의 키가 커졌다. 특히 사람을 알아가는 것은 그에게 큰 행복이다. 여행자인 그를 경계하면서도 속내 다 풀어 보이는 할아버지 할머니와 사람과 사람으로 소통되기까지 걸리는 시간이 길지라도 그에겐 마냥 즐거운 여행의 순간들이다.

“뭔가를 먼 여행지에 두고 왔다면 도저히 포기할 수 없을지라도 물건일 경우 도로 가지 않을 것이라는 결론에 이르렀다. 하지만 사람인 경우 소중한 누군가를 그곳에 두고 왔다든가 내가 좋아하는 누군가가 그곳에 남아 있다면 언제건 다시 그곳을 찾게 될지도 모른다.”

이야기 서른다섯. 그가 「뭔가를 그곳에 두고 왔다」를 부드러운 음성으로 읽어주는 동안 같은 공간 안의 그들은 금세 이병률 작가에게 스며들었다. 언젠가 한번은 제일 좋아하는 옷을 두고 온 그가 느낀 것은 사람은 물건과 달리 두고 왔다고 그냥 포기해버리기엔 힘든 존재라는 것. 여행이란 많이 떠나는 자가 하는 것이기에 이별의 선수가 될 수밖에 없지만 사람 문제만큼은 그러지 못하는 그의 면면이 사람 냄새 가득한 이 책을 쓴 원천인 듯하다.

“이 책은 5년 전에 작은 글들을 어느 지면에 올리면서 책으로 처음 만들어졌었다. 좋은 시를 써서 유명해지고 싶은 작가의 입장에서는 시에 대한 순정이 흐려지는 듯해서 오히려 많이 안 팔렸으면 하는 책이었고, 사람들에게 충분히 무시 받을 수도 있는 책이라고 생각했고, 극소수의 끼를 가진 이들에게만 눈에 띄길 바라던 책이었는데, 참 많은 이들의 사랑을 받은 것을 보니 아무래도 엉뚱한 사람, 끼 많은 사람이 많은 시대인 모양이다.”

처음의 『끌림』책보다 35~40%를 새로이 덧입힌 이 책에선 한마디로 조금 구린 듯했던 것은 치웠다. 문장력보다는 공감과 소통에 초점을 둔 책이라고도 할 수 있다. 미니북도 만들었고, 소니뮤직의 제안으로 <길 위에서 사랑한 사람과 인연 그리고 음악 이야기>라는 이름의 끌림 음반도 만들어 놨다. 좋아서 하는 여행인데 여행으로 인한 흔적이 계속 생긴다.

“저는 이기적인 피를 가지고 있는지 여행가고 싶을 때 못 가면 많은 이들을 괴롭힌다. 짜증내고 술만 먹는 편이다.”

떠나지 않으면 욕구불만과 유아적 모습을 보이기 때문에 여행을 가야만 한다는 것인가? 지인에게 “너 지금 여행간 지 한 달 되어서 그러냐?”라는 말을 들을 정도이니 재벌도 아니지만 여행자로 사는 그의 방랑벽은 유목민의 피를 입증해준다. 텐트만 봐도 가슴이 뛰는 자신을 발견하며 텐트 들고 다니면서 산 속에서 자는 게 장래희망이 되어버렸단다.

하지 않았던 것을 한다는 것 자체가 그에겐 활력이 되는 것일까. 춤을 추면서 와인을 마신다는 그에게서 정말 자유롭게 미쳐서 살고 싶은 소망이 느껴진다. 다행히도 항공사에 다니는 친누나를 비롯하여 그의 떠남을 돕는 지원군이 있다는 것을 들으니 더 부러워진다. 혼자 떠날 수밖에 없는 상황에 익숙해지다 보니 이제는 누구랑 같이 가는 게 무서워졌다는 그는 과연 어떻게 여행할까?

“여행 가면 할아버지나 할머니 옆으로 간다. 모든 것을 포용해주고, 닮고 싶어지는 분들이다. 한번은 예멘에 갔었는데 20분씩 서로 가만히 앉아있다가, 흡연자일 땐 담배도 권하고, 반지도 빼서 껴보고, 이름도 물어보고(물론 3명 중의 한 명은 무하마드이다), 쌀 파는 할아버지가 끓여주는 차도 마시고, 찻잔도 설거지했다. 이 싱거운 일들이 나는 참 좋고 행복하다. 최소한의 상황에서 나눠지는 기분이 참 좋다.”

혼자 떠나서 좋은 것은 사람들이 현지 언어로 말을 건다는 것이다. 이 사람이 나에게 무슨 말을 하는지 알아가는 것은 그에게 즐거운 상황이라고 한다. 물론 낯선 곳에서 이 커다란 트렁크를 누군가 딱 5분만 맡아준다면 더 좋은 숙소를 싸게 구할 수 있을 것도 같고 화장실에 트렁크 들고 들어가는 게 곤욕이지만 말이다.

한때 돈 쓰는 것이 아까워서 기차에서 잤던 경험도 있고, 2년 동안 떠돌아다닌 적도 있었는데, 그러면서 느낀 건 이왕이면 사람이 귀한 곳으로 가라고 말해준다. 뉴욕에선 거지 아니면 내게 말을 거는 사람이 없을 것이지만 그런 곳에선 친구를 원하기 때문이다. 물론 지갑을 노릴 수도 있고, 호의를 베풀면 일단 의심부터 드는 게 맞지만, 의심하는 것이 곧 잃는 느낌일 수도 있으므로 인연 쌓는 것을 두려워하지 말라고 그는 말한다.

“꿈에도 나오는 티벳, 네팔, 인도는 다시 가지 않겠어.”

아름다운 첫사랑을 마음으로만 품듯이 그에게 최고의 여행지로 남아 있는 티벳, 네팔, 인도는 꿈속에서도 볼 정도라고 한다. 그곳에 다시 가게 되면 첫마음과 환상과 기억 속의 장면이 사라질까봐 다시 가지 못하는 곳이기도 하다. 그리고 지구핵을 찔러 정반대에 있는 브라질도 좋았고, 아시아이지만 아랍은 우리의 생각을 환기시켜준다고.

“여행은 혼자 해도 사랑은 혼자 할 수 없잖아.”

이 책을 밤새 읽고 이 남자랑 결혼해야겠다고 생각한 팬이 이 자리에 와 있었다. 한번은 어떤 잡지에 이혼을 3번 한 사람으로 인터뷰가 잘못 나간 적이 있었는데, 시인인 만큼 그 기사를 사랑의 경험으로 해석할 수도 있을 것 같다고 말한다. 요즘도 때때로 이메일로 “어느 공원 3시에서 흰 셔츠와 청바지를 입고 나와라. 사진과 같으면 말을 걸고, 아니면 그냥 지나치겠다”는 프러포즈 비슷한 것을 받곤 한다지만 어느 날부터 어떤 청혼도 받아들이지 않겠다는 묘한 결심을 했다고 하는 그에게 더 이상 사랑경험을 물어보는 사람은 없었다.

“떨리는 지점이 있는 그 순간을 포착하라.”

그가 항상 여행지에서 보는 것은 사람이다. 나에게 마음이 열려 있는지, 시간을 내줄 수 있는지를 보고 대화를 한다. 그 다음에는 물가를 보고, 마지막으로 단골 삼을 만한 편한 공간이 있는지를 살펴본다. 그곳에서 느낀 짤막한 메모들이 때때로 방송 원고로 사용되기도 했고, 누군가 읽어준다는 것에 대한 신뢰가 생기니 지속적인 습관으로 자리를 잡았다. 그리고 사진을 찍을 때도 여러 종류의 사람이 있다. 쫓아다니면서 찍어달라고 하는 사람, 카메라를 의식 못 하는 사람, 의식하지만 포토제닉이 되어주는 사람 등이다. 하지만 가장 좋은 것은 의식하지 못했을 때의 장면이다.

좋은 사진을 만들려면 먼저 몇 롤을 찍는 척하면서 인간적으로 다가가고 속도감 있게 카메라를 꺼내는 게 중요하단다. 일상을 벗어난 여행지에서 메모와 카메라가 오히려 부담으로 작용하거나 걸림돌이 되지는 않을까 싶었지만 그는 철이 없을 때와 달리 지금은 사진에 대한 욕심은 사라지고 점점 더 현지인처럼 다니거나, 어디에든 편하게 앉아서 사람들을 멍하니 구경하는 시간이 많아졌다고 한다. 그렇다고 사진을 아예 안 찍으면 그것도 최상의 여행은 아니라며, 그 현장에서만 볼 수 있는 것을 놓치지 않길 권한다.

“말보다 글이 쉽다는 이 남자, 그는 시인”

그는 카메라는 빼앗겨도 시를 못 쓰게 하면 못 견딜 것만 같다고 한다. 시를 쓰는 동안 유일하게 살아있다는 느낌이 들 정도이다. 그에게 파리는 어둡던 자아를 여실히 통과해낸 터널이었다. 그래서 사람들이 “또 가?”라고 말해도 1년에 한 번 이상 꼭 파리에 가서 자극받았던 첫마음을 끄집어내서 예전의 그와 오늘의 그를 비교하곤 한다. 그만의 충전방식인 셈이다.

시인의 마음이어서 도덕성에 결벽이 느껴진다. 요즘 한창 유행하는 블로그와 트위터 등의 소통장소도 상업적으로 쓰이는 것을 원치 않고 가슴이 아파서 늘 균형감각을 잃지 않으려고 노력한다. 이병률 저자를 시인으로서 더 좋아하는 한 팬은 짧은 인연이었지만, 자신의 늦장 때문에 저자와 같은 엘리베이터를 타게 되었고, 자꾸 『끌림』을 『떨림』으로 읽게 된다고 했다. 작은 소통에도 감격하는 팬을 보니, 저자와 닮았다는 생각이 든다. 혼자 여행하고, 시에 대한 단상이 담긴, 그의 시 ‘동유럽 종단열차’를 낭독하며, 저자에게 번져드는 시간을 마무리했다.

저자사인회 줄이 유독 길어진다. 한 명 한 명 듣고 싶은 것을 관심 있게 물어보고 사인과 함께 가치 있는 글귀를 적어주었기 때문이었다. 이날 참여한 김영원(33세, 직장인) 씨는 “이병률 작가를 직접 만나니까 정말 느리게 사시는 분 같다며 책만큼이나 자유인의 느낌을 받았다”라고 소감을 전했고, 이동신(31세, 직장인) 씨는 책으로만 봤을 땐 남성적이고 고독한 느낌이었는데 실제로 보니 여성스러운 느낌, 수다쟁이의 느낌도 받는다면서 이분이 결혼 생각은 없어도 사랑은 할 거 아니냐며 궁금해했다. 여행과 사진의 프레임 안에서 사람과 사랑으로 점철된 그에게 직접 사랑에 관해 물었더니 와인을 닮은 필체로 답변한다.

“사랑은 술이다. 스며들고 번져든다.”

'Just a bad trend' - 500,000 jobless claims

'Just a bad trend' - 500,000 jobless claims

 

By Julianne Pepitone, staff reporterAugust 19, 2010: 11:08 AM ET

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- A government report Thursday brought bad news for workers and the economy: The number of unemployed Americans seeking a financial lifeline has reached its highest level in nine months.
Last week, the number of first-time filers for unemployment insurance rose for the third time in a row, to 500,000, according to a Labor Department report released Thursday.

There were 488,000 claims filed the previous week.
"This 500,000 level is very difficult, on both a psychological and semi-technical level," said Tim Quinlan, an economist at Wells Fargo.
Initial claims had been hovering in the mid- to upper-400,000s since November.
"You can sometimes dismiss a big number and say , 'Oh, it's just one week,'" Quinlan added. "But with the four-week moving average continuing higher, you can see this is just a bad trend."
The 4-week moving average of initial claims -- a number that tries to smooth out week-to-week volatility -- was 482,500, up 8,000 from the previous week. (Read 'Tired of living paycheck to paycheck')

Can the economy recover without jobs? During the last downturn around 2001, Quinlan notes, companies' finances were in bad shape -- but consumers were weathering it well.

Don't blame the consumer

"In this recession, we have the opposite," Quinlan said. "Companies are flush with cash, but economic data on the consumer side have been so weak."
But all that cash on corporate balance sheets means nothing to consumers unless companies start hiring,

Quinlan said.
"Everyone's in this mode of wait and see for a sustainable recovery," Quinlan said. "But that concern will be a self-fulfilling prophecy if we don't create jobs."

0:00 /4:00Surviving a long-term job search

Continuing claims: The government also said 4.48 million people filed continuing claims in the week ended Aug. 7, the most recent data available. That's down 13,000 from the preceding week.
Continuing claims reflect people who file each week after their initial claim until the end of their standard benefits, which usually last 26 weeks. The figures do not include those who have moved to state or federal extensions, nor people who have exhausted their benefits but are still out of a job.
The 4-week moving average for ongoing claims fell by 1,500 to 4.53 million. 

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People have been told that the economic recession now is more or less same as Great Depression in 1929. According to the data regarding economic trend in Eastern states published by Korean Consulate on July, unemployment rate hit low during July, not because people were hired, but people have given up looking for jobs.

The economic recession has been frustrating to me who is one of college graduates. I did not expect this level of difficulty until I became a senior. Big chunk percentage of graduating students in my university were continuing their education in graduate school. Ironically, motivation did not come from their passion of learning. Many students in survey of career center were shown that they go to graduate school, because they could not receive job-offer at the time of graduation. After getting Master's degree, students often find themselves in a huge pile of debt, student loans.

This is such a series of nightmare; education, graduation, debt with no job, going back to school, higher degree, but still no job and debt. I do not want to complain about the situation. However, we need to see the problem with objective as well as future-oriented views.

Entry Level Jobs - Start Here

Entry Level Jobs - Start Here

June 9th, 2010


Author Website: Career Alley

“A successful life is one that is lived through understanding and pursuing one’s own path, not chasing after the dreams of others.” - Chin-Ning Chu

“Launching a career”, sounds kind of melodramatic and it is in a way. The age old question - “What do you want to be when you grow up?” has to be answered to really launch a career. Most of us don’t actually know where we want the journey to take us other than we want it to be challenging, rewarding and enjoyable. And, contrary to what some may say, these are not always mutually exclusive, but they can be elusive. So maybe you just got out of college, are starting your first job, don’t like the job you’re in or decided to change your life. It doesn’t really matter, the best place to start is always the beginning (whether or not it is a re-do).

Launching Your Career:

•Essentials For Launching Your Career - Do you know the essentials for launching your career? Monster.com provides some advice and a number of links for the essentials - Choosing a Career Path, Getting in the Door, Surviving and Thriving and Prepare for the Interview. There is also a link to a four step process if you are simply interested in everything. Each of the links provide comprehensive information and many provide additional links to relevant material.

•The 30 Best Careers for 2009 - By now you know that there is a list for everything, and knowing the best careers is no exception. US News & World Report offers this article, which is not only for those first starting out but will also help those “re-starting” (whatever the reason). There are links for a number of related articles as well as some embedded links throughout the article. The list starts at the bottom of the article, and each career listed has a link to a comprehensive article on that career (like Ghostwriter, which is not to be confused with writing about ghosts). While you are here, also take a look at the link for “11 Best Kept Secret Careers”.

•How To Find Your Dream Career - It should be so easy (and the writer is quick to point that out). A good article with some tips (5 to be exact) on finding the career for you. Some are basic (like “know what you want”) and some are not, but all are good advice from Career Success for Newbies. There are embedded links within the article as well as a long list of links on the left hand side of the page.

Sounds Good, but who is hiring?: A few companies with college grad or entry level sites.

•Verizon Wireless - I’ve reviewed Verizon recently, but have not focused on their College Site. There are links at the top for “Why Verizon”, careers/profiles, internships and campus events. The Careers/Profiles (once clicked) provides background on a number of career choices, while clicking internships provides an overview of that program. You can submit a resume or click “search jobs” at the top of the page.

•Ernst & Young - E&Y has an excellent site for college students. There is an overview to start, followed by a number of links for additional information (like working at E&Y and applying for a job). The best one is the link to their Student programs, which include Internships and their Summer Leadership Program.

•Top Entry Level Employers - This is the list you really need to leverage. An amazing amount of work went into this site by Collegegrad.com. There are 100’s of companies listed, with links to their college sites and key statistics which will help you in your search. If you only have time for one site, this is the one to leverage.

Fun Stuff: A bit of a diversion, but worth the read.

•Top Twelve Things To Do While Unemployed - First, thanks to Steven for letting me know about this post. This is a great read with an interesting view on some good ideas (unemployed or not). Sell junk on Ebay is my favorite, but I do like the

•Worst Companies To Work For: Glassdoor.com’s List - Okay, we’ve listed the best, why not the worst? Take a look and make your own decision.

Good luck in your search.

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

Who’s Hiring from the Fortune 500 - Vol 16

Who’s Hiring from the Fortune 500 - Vol 16

May 26th, 2010

Author Byline: CareerAlley

“Success breeds complacency. Complacency breeds failure. Only the paranoid survive.” - Andrew Grove

This statement is so true when it comes to business. If you look at some of the Fortune 500 companies that have stumbled big time in recent years (like GM) and compare them to those companies that continue to be successful through the ups and downs of the economic cycles (like GE) you can see where complacency comes in to play. Even the most successful companies slip from time to time (like GE’s issues with its financing arm), but those that continue to thrive are the ones that are at least somewhat paranoid (plan for the worst, hope for the best).

So where am I going with this? Picking the most successful companies in your job search research will help improve your career success factor as well. The Fortune 500 is a great start (but sometimes you need to look deeper than just the rankings).

•Motorola - 78 on the list, network communications is what Motorola is known for. Their careers page is very interesting, with a map of the world leading off at the top. Use your mouse to select your region and then click (or you can select countries/regions from this list which is directly below the map). You can also select Global Career Search from the left hand side of the screen. There were 359 career opportunities when I checked the site.

•Plains All American Pipeline - Ranked at number 79, and, according to their website, is “engaged in the transportation, storage, terminalling and marketing of crude oil, refined products and liquefied petroleum gas and other natural gas related petroleum products”. Their careers page is fairly simple, with a brief overview about working at Plains All American on the left hand side of the page along with embedded links to reviewing job openings as well as information for “snail mail” submissions. The right hand side of the page has a link for recruiting events. There were 15 career opportunities when I checked the site.

•Abbott Laboratories - Ranked 80 on this year’s list, Abbott’s career site is very well done. At the top of the page are links for Internships, Benefits, Professional Development and more. This is followed by a brief overview and then links to “why you should work there” and then information on locations. The left hand side of the page has additional links Search Jobs world wide. The right hand side of the page has links for featured jobs, Meet Our People and Recruiting Events. You must search for jobs by country (which you can select from the Jobs World Wide link).

•Allstate - Known for insurance, Allstate’s career site offers extensive information on the company as well as detailed explanations about career choices (such as Actuaries, Auditing, Claims, Information Technology, etc.). You can start your search by selecting Job Search (for generic positions) or “Become an Agent” as well as a few more choices. Selecting Job Search takes you to a standard job search screen (with an advanced option) as well as “submit your profile” at the bottom of the screen. Allstate seems to have a broader range of jobs as there are Insurance Industry specific positions as well as the “traditional” (Finance, HR, Operations, etc.).

•TIAA-CREF - Financial Products and Services is what TIAA-CREF does. Ranked at # 82, their careers page is fairly straight forward. They have links for Benefits, Career Development, Corporate Culture and Diversity. The right hand side of the page has a link for Search Our Job List. There were 83 career opportunities when I checked the site.

Good luck in your search.

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

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