eLearnPortal Blog

If you are looking for work, here are the top 13 companies that are hiring RIGHT NOW.

1. 7-Eleven – Convenience retailer with 7,600 stores in North America alone
   • Hiring for operations, accounting, information systems, merchandising, and marketing
2. Banfield – Largest pet veterinary practice in the world, with headquarters in Portland, Oregon
   • Hiring veterinarians, nurses, office managers, and client service coordinators
3. Farmers Insurance – The third largest property and casualty insurance group
   • Franchising options available
4. Gentiva Health Services – Offers in-home care services, including nursing, therapy, pharmacy, and senior health
   • Hiring nurses, physical therapists, sales associates, managers, and administrative support professionals
5. HealthMarkets – Individual health insurance provider
   • Hiring insurance agents
6. ITT Corporation – provides leading-edge product development, technology, engineering, research and project management services to government, industrial and commercial customers
   • Hiring engineers, information technology personnel, and former military
7. M.A.R.S. International – Offers mobile cosmetic repair and reconditioning services to industries including hotels, motorcycles, boats, automobiles, and RV’s
   • Hiring technicians and managers
8. PricewaterhouseCoopers – Provides industry-focused assurance, tax, and advisory services
   • Hiring in audit, tax, advisory, marketing, sales, human resources, and information technology
9. ServiceMaster – Provides lawn care, pest control, home warranties, house cleaning and home inspection
   • Hiring landscapers, exterminators, inspectors, etc.
10. State Farm – Large insurance company that insures more cars and homes than any other company in the country
    • Hiring for positions in claims, underwriting, systems, and information technology
11. Sutter Health – Health care service provider
    • Hiring in information technology, administration, health care
12. The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company/Scotts LawnService – Supplier and marketer of lawn and garden care products
    • Hiring territory service representatives, sales representatives, and customer service representatives
13. URS Corporation – Provider of engineering, construction, and technical services for public and private companies
    • Hiring for positions is engineering, construction management, program management, power, environmental, health and safety, homeland security, logistics, operations, and maintenance

With the economy tanking, there are millions of people who are out of work and can’t find a decent job in their area. Fortunately for the people who live in the cities listed below, they have the best chances of finding a job in the near future. The following list includes the top 20 cities for job growth in 2009.

1. Odessa, TX
   • Unemployment Rate: 5.3%
   • Average Annual Salary: $34,380
2. Grand Junction, CO
   • Unemployment Rate: 7.2%
   • Average Annual Salary: $36,550
3. Longview, TX
   • Unemployment Rate: 6.0%
   • Average Annual Salary: $32,060
4. Houma-Bayou Cane –Thibodaux, LA
   • Unemployment Rate: 3.5%
   • Average Annual Salary: $34,480
5. Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood, TX
   • Unemployment Rate: 3.5%
   • Average Annual Salary: $32,100
6. Austin-Round Rock, TX
   • Unemployment Rate: 3.5%
   • Average Annual Salary: $41,330
7. McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX
   • Unemployment Rate: 9.6%
   • Average Annual Salary: $27,750
8. Laredo, TX
   • Unemployment Rate: 7.4%
   • Average Annual Salary: $29,680
9. Houston-Sugarland-Baytown, TX
   • Unemployment Rate: 6.4%
   • Average Annual Salary: $41,020
10. Tulsa, OK
    • Unemployment Rate: 6.2%
    • Average Annual Salary: $35,720
11. Athens-Clarke County, GA
    • Unemployment Rate: 7.3%
    • Average Annual Salary: $35,170
12. Kennewick-Pasco-Richland, WA
    • Unemployment Rate: 8.5%
    • Average Annual Salary: $43,480
13. Morgantown, WV
    • Unemployment Rate: 4.6%
    • Average Annual Salary: $34,010
14. Lafayette, LA
    • Unemployment Rate: 3.9%
    • Average Annual Salary: $34,490
15. Fargo, ND-MN
    • Unemployment Rate: 4.9%
    • Average Annual Salary: $34,940
16. College Station-Bryan, TX
    • Unemployment Rate: 4.8%
    • Average Annual Salary: $39,390
17. Coeur d’Alene, ID
    • Unemployment Rate: 9.4%
    • Average Annual Salary: $34,610
18. Bismarck, ND
    • Unemployment Rate: 5.4%
    • Average Annual Salary: $34,370
19. Durham-Chapel Hill, NC
    • Unemployment Rate: 8.0%
    • Average Annual Salary: $46,540
20. San Antonio, TX
    • Unemployment Rate: 6.0%
    • Average Annual Salary: $34,610

References

2009 New Geography Best Cities for Job Growth. http://www.newgeography.com/content/00741-all-cities-rankings-2009-new-geography-best-cities-job-growth

United States Bureau of Labor Statistics. http://www.bls.gov/eag/eag.us.htm

Translating the quality and legitimacy of your online degree to the job market can be a difficult task for many up-and-coming professionals. Within the business world, distance learning is still working to establish its reputation as an accepted form of higher education.  After all, the online education explosion is a relatively new phenomenon.  Therefore, online graduates may have to go the extra mile in order to prove the quality of their degrees.

Your prospective employer may not be aware of the numerous skills online education and the work environment have in common.  To get a better picture of what you can take away from your e-Learning experience, check out the benefits below.

• Managing One’s Time: Use your time wisely. It is not just a phrase anymore; it is a skill.  Online instruction gives students an incredible amount of academic freedom when it comes to schedule and pace.  Graduates of distance learning programs can easily transfer their ability to effectively manage assignments and class session into the corporate world of deadlines and board meetings.

• Confidence in One’s Technical Abilities: In business, you cannot hide from technology, as it permeates every aspect of the corporate environment.  For online learners, this job requirement would not even cause them to break a sweat. Online degree graduates have the benefit of familiarity and hands-on experience with numerous types of technology.  Virtual experience teaches one the proper protocol expected when using each medium of technology. With all this insider knowledge, how can you not stand out from the rest?

• Self-Will and Personal Drive: Finding the right program, keeping pace with the accelerated format, scheduling time to study and meeting course deadlines are all part of the virtual academic experience, and all of which can prove to be quite a challenge.  Make sure your potential employer knows of the personal dedication you have to accuracy, efficiency and success.

• First-rate Communication Skills: Between the different people and technologies encountered in the online classroom, students are exposed to all types of ways to communicate, and each requires its own form of etiquette.  Explain how your experiences online have built an excellent foundation of communication skills.

• Leadership Skills: In order to compensate for face-to-face interaction, online courses utilize group projects.  Group projects allow students to set and assume different functions in the overall learning process.  Team leaders are able to highlight their leadership skills by coordinating schedules, setting goals, evaluating work and guiding a product to completion.  Be sure to emphasize your ability to effectively lead a team and produce a successful project to possible employers.

• High-level Functioning within a Team Environment: Part of the distance learning experience is interacting with and learning from a variety of people. e-Learners encounter opinions, skill levels and work efficiency levels that often vary from their own. Therefore, the ability to adapt and highlight individual strengths is a major asset students can take away from online education.

• Current Awareness of Industry’s Tends: Distance education has the unique advantage of offering not only the latest technology, but the most up-to-date information within a field.  Being so connected to the Web, students always have a plethora of useful and reputable resources at their fingertips

They say “it takes a village to raise a child” but actually, it takes a good teacher to sow the seed, to inspire and to model knowledge, passion, will to grow and will to become. Every one of us reading this article can think of one or more teachers that made a substantial difference in our lives. It is your turn now to make your life count and be one of those teachers that are part of someone’s good memories.

How To Use Social Media to Find a Job

If you’re one of the millions of people who are out of work today, then you know that finding a job in this economy seems next to impossible. Searching job sites like CareerBuilder and Monster for a job takes up a lot of time, plus for every job you apply to, there are hundreds of other applicants who applied as well. Fortunately there is a better way to conduct a job search on the internet. Using social media sites is a better way to connect with job recruiters and land the job of your dreams.

You’re probably wondering which social media sites are the best to use for this purpose. The truth is that all of them provide some valuable connections that can help you in your job search. These include Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Twitter
Twitter allows you to connect with people who have shared interests without having to know them personally. This provides a distinct advantage over other sites because you can start following people in your target industry without requesting their permission. You can then start a conversation with the people you follow and build up a rapport. Then use the site to tell people you are looking for a job. Many of your contacts on Twitter can help you get in touch with the right person.

Twitter also provides a unique opportunity to search for jobs. In Twitter Search, type in a few key words (i.e. engineering jobs) and all conversations with these words will show up. You can also subscribe to the RSS feed for this search and check it a few times a day.

Facebook
Facebook is one of the most popular social networks today. Millions of people are on this site, which is an advantage for you, the job seeker. Search for people you know in your industry to add as friends, and make sure to show your skills on your profile. You can participate in discussions and let people know you are an expert in your field, which will get the attention of the hiring manager browsing the site looking for potential job applicants.

LinkedIn
LinkedIn has the unique designation of being a social network for working professionals. This can help you immensely in your job search. You can connect with former co-workers and colleagues around the world, and let them know you are searching for a new job. You can also get recommendations from people in your network, which will stand out to a hiring manager looking at your profile. You can also utilize LinkedIn’s search engine to look for a job, as well as browse company profiles to see what they value in their employees.

Regardless of which social network you choose, there are a few tips you should follow to maximize your chances of finding a job using social media.

Make Connections
More so now than ever, it’s more about WHO you know than what you know. Making connections with people in your industry can prove to be invaluable in tough times. A lot of jobs get filled before anyone knows about them, because recruiters recommend people they know in the industry. To build a network of contacts, you need to get in touch with colleagues, former classmates, former co-workers and supervisors, and alumni. It also helps to find contacts in other industries to broaden your reach.

Ask for Help
Once you have made connections with a few people, let them know you are looking for a job and ask for their help. They can help you find a job that is a good match for your skills, and provide valuable advice on how to get your foot in the door. You can also leverage your contacts by reaching out to their contacts to broaden your network.

Promotion is Key
To get yourself out there for recruiters to see, you need to promote your skills. Tailor your profile to showcase your skills and experience, and leave out any questionable details or facts that could turn off a potential employer. Some job seekers find it helpful to create a website that includes a portfolio and resume, and then link to it from your social network profile. Most recruiters will look at a website if it is listed in your profile, which could prove to be invaluable and provide more relevant information about your skills than your profile is able to.

Join the Discussion
Start participating in discussions and showcase your expertise. This can help you make connections and help you leverage your skills. It is important to be seen as a trustworthy and knowledgeable source that others can turn to for answers and advice. Once you establish your credibility, others will be willing to help you in your job search.

References
Guy Kawasaki. “Ten Ways to Use LinkedIn to Find a Job.” http://blog.guykawasaki.com/2009/02/10-ways-to-use.html

Louise Fletcher. “Using Twitter for Job Search.” http://blueskyresumes.com/blog/using-twitter-for-job-search

John Boyd. “Using Social Media to Find a Job in a Down Economy.” http://blogs.zdnet.com/feeds/?p=374

The Green-Collar Jobs Revolution

While more and more people find themselves unemployed, the green industry is expanding their workforce and turning a profit. President Obama wants to spend $150 billion over the next ten years to promote renewable energy resources, including providing tax credits and loans to clean-energy companies. The result: the creation of 5 million new jobs.

A recent report from Duke University provided a detailed look at how manufacturing in the U.S. will grow with the implementation of clean-energy industry. Researchers at Duke’s Center on Globalization, Governance & Competitiveness found that five carbon-reducing technologies will produce the most green jobs in the next decade: LED lighting, high-performance windows, auxiliary power units for trucks, solar power, and new methods for treating livestock waste. These technologies will produce the most jobs in states hit hard by the recession, like Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, the Carolinas, and the Southwest.

The recent stimulus package provides $20 billion for green industries, $500 million specifically for providing more training opportunities for new green collar workers. Because of this, many community colleges are now offering programs to re-train displaced workers to become wind turbine mechanics, solar panel installers, and fuel-cell engineers. Green jobs pay an average of 10 to 20 percent more than similar work outside the field, which is an exciting prospect to many people who are considering re-training for these jobs. In Texas, a group of community colleges that provide green jobs training had almost 100 percent of their graduates find jobs.

The hardest-hit states are already seeing the benefits of this “green revolution.” Michigan, which has the highest unemployment rate in the country at 9.6%, is home to Hemlock Semiconductor Corp. Hemlock produces solar energy panels that turn sunlight into electricity. While Michigan’s auto industry is in the midst of a potential collapse, Hemlock is spending $3 billion on an expansion that will create hundreds of jobs.

California has the biggest market for solar energy because of its tougher state mandates to cut carbon emissions. This means that solar energy installers are continuing to hire workers while the rest of California’s industries are laying off their staff. New Mexico is also grooming new workers for the green industry. Mesalands Community College has one of the only wind power technician programs in the country, and a major solar company from Germany is building a $100 million plant in Albuquerque.

With unemployment at an all-time high around the country, the green industry could provide growth and stabilization in this era of uncertainty while saving our environment.

References

“Why Obama’s Green Jobs Plan Might Work.” LA Times.

“What Exactly Are These Green Jobs We Keep Hearing About?” Environmental Defense Fund.

“Growing Excitement, Expectations for Green Jobs Corps.” CNN

Lost Your Job? Go Back to School!

The recession has cost millions of people their jobs, causing the job market to be flooded with new applicants. This lowers everyone’s chance of getting a new job, and many industries have implemented a hiring freeze. So instead of sitting around hoping you’ll find a new job, why not spend your time wisely and go back to school?

Retraining can be essential to finding a career in this economy. The stimulus package recently passed by the federal government includes $1 billion in state aid for training and re-employment services to dislocated workers. This means that there will be money available for people who have lost their jobs to go back to school. It’s an investment in your future that you can’t pass up.

Now is the perfect time to enroll in an online degree program. You can complete the coursework on your own time, which gives you the time to search for a job. Plus, there are many degree programs available in industries that are still growing regardless of the recession, such as healthcare and technology. Continuing your education will allow you to retrain for a better job and network with new people who can help you in your search for a new career.

Colleges offering online degree programs have seen a significant increase in enrollments in the last year because of the recession. Major online colleges have seen enrollments increase as much as 18 percent. The cost of an online degree can be significantly lower than a traditional degree as well. There are no commute costs, and some schools charge less for their online degree programs.

There are a few steps you can take to maximize the benefits of retraining and minimize the effect a lay off can have on your life.

1. Be Prepared. A layoff can occur at any time, so make sure that you contact your state unemployment agency about unemployment benefits. Visit the Department of Labor website for state contact information.
2. Do Your Research. Spend some time researching online degree programs in your area of interest. Make sure you meet all of the requirements for enrollment and complete financial aid requests.
3. Make a Plan. Contact your state’s agency that handles state-approved training. You can receive aid to pay for your education while you are unemployed, which will significantly decrease the financial burden.

By going back to school, you will be investing in your future and gaining the expertise necessary to gain employment once you complete your training. Even if you haven’t been laid off, going back to school can be beneficial. By keeping up with current trends and issues in your field, your employer will value you more and keep you around. Continuing your education is definitely worth the time and effort in this economy.

References

“Going Back to School to Get a Job.” http://money.cnn.com/2009/01/27/news/economy/job_retraining/

“Laid Off and Learning.” http://learning.monster.com/learning/resources/article/103869?id=5f83f5e4af61e98b75b790ce4edc73f8

“University of Phoenix, Grand Canyon University Prosper in Recession.” http://www.gcu.edu/index.php?mact=News,cntnt01,print,0&cntnt01articleid=25&cntnt01showtemplate=false&cntnt01returnid=69