Uncategorized, US News

Facebook looking for creative designers

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It has been difficult to find employment in the creative market
because high competition and few job openings have made the field
one of the most competitive. Facebook is currently looking to pick
four elite candidates from the pool of graphic design and coding
hopefuls to elevate the site’s online function and appearance.

Fast CoDesign wrote that Facebook has been struggling to find
its footing as a marketing and revenue-generating firm since it
went public on Wall Street in 2012. Since then, the company’s stock
has fallen while the rest of the business has stayed lucrative. The
problem, according to product design director Margaret Stewart, is
that there’s no conversion between user data and marketing
income.

In response, the source wrote that Facebook will be building its
first dedicated design team in New York at the start of 2013.

The company will have a broad pool to pick from, but that
doesn’t mean it will find the people it wants immediately. A study
by The Creative Group showed that more than one-third of executives
said finding good people for this field during the interview
process was a challenge, with a similar percentage actively trying
to fill these kinds of positions at the start of 2013. With so many
companies trying to pull the best design and marketing personnel at
once job hopefuls might find a lush employment market in this field
for once.

Monthly BLS Report

BLS Employment Situation Report November 2012

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According to the Labor Department, 146,000 jobs were created in
November and the U.S. unemployment rate fell from 7.9 to 7.7
percent. While the number of jobs added exceeded the consensus
economist estimate of 86,000, the decline in unemployment was
largely triggered by a decreased participation rate rather than the
growth of employment. The participation rate fell 0.2 percent with
the number of discouraged workers growing by 166,000.

While job growth is still modest, there are indications that the
quality of those jobs is improving. The number of people working
part time for economic reasons fell by 168,000, presumably as those
people began working full time.

The decline in the participation rate dampens the positive news
of a falling unemployment rate, yet the report doesn’t show any
signs of the employment market sliding back. Almost across the
board, most industries saw some growth and very few saw declines.
Where there were declines, like construction (-20,000) and food
manufacturing (-12,300), there is reason to suspect they were
affected more by fallout from Hurricane Sandy, which devastated
much of the East Coast in late October, rather than economic
factors.

While there was a decline in the participation rate on the whole
in the U.S., among those with a bachelor’s degree, the
participation rate in November actually increased by 0.2 percent as
119,000 such workers found employment during the month. Because of
the rise in participation, the unemployment rate of those with a
bachelor’s degree, 3.8 percent, was unchanged in November but was
down from 4.4 percent a year ago. The participation rate fell by
0.6 percent for those with less than four years of college, and 0.7
percent for those with no college, but a high school degree.

The management, professional and related occupations
unemployment rate is currently down to 3.6 percent from 4.2 percent
a year earlier. The sales and office occupations unemployment rate
is down from 8.2 percent a year ago to 7.2 percent in November.

The holidays tend to muddle unemployment statistics with high
retail hiring and would-be job seekers easily discouraged from job
hunting during the holiday season. But with strong headwinds-both
literally and figuratively-November’s employment seemed to hold its
own. Yet, while we have grown used to seeing strong year-end
numbers, labor market observers will be holding their breath going
into January to see if the rate of employment gains can continue,
or even grow during the first quarter of 2013.

Insurance, Uncategorized

Concerns about climate change help insurance industry grow

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Insurance companies across North America have seen their profits increase for various reasons, including an increasing focus on climate change. Ars Technica reports that climate change could cost the world economy roughly $1.2 trillion annually, and insurance firms may benefit by providing weather-related coverage. In fact, insurance currently constitutes about 7 percent of the global economy and could grow based on climate-change concerns.

Recent data shows that insurance companies have steadily increased their profits over the past several decades. The news outlet notes that insurance claims have doubled in every decade since the 1980s. Additionally, paid insurance claims now average about $50 billion per year worldwide.

Innovative technologies may help insurance firms increase their revenues. Some insurers are using science to study climate- and weather-related losses for both big and small crises, and the models may enable these businesses to expand their options.

Lloyds of London, a leading insurance brand that uses a variety of risk assessment tools, recognizes the dangers posed by climate change. Company officials said that climate change is currently the number one issue for the insurance industry and could significantly impact insurance professionals for years to come.

 

Placement Annoucements

Bruce Peacock & TRG Manufacturing Complete Successful Manufacturing Engineer Search

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RICHMOND, December 17 – Bruce Peacock & The Manufacturing Search Team of The Richmond Group USA (TRG) are pleased to announce the successful conclusion of a Manufacturing Engineer search for an industry leading commercial equipment manufacturer.

Our client company’s competitive advantage comes from producing value-added engineered products which has allowed them to experience significant growth & profitability over the last few years. They have seen increased sales of their core products, and launched a number of new products which has further solidified their position as the technological lead in their industry. We worked closely with the Manufacturing Engineer Manager to organize and execute a detailed plan of attack to identify and attract the top talent for this role. This position required us to find someone who had a strong hands-on mechanical fixture design background and the skills to develop and recommend new manufacturing processes and machinery, including specking out equipment and working with vendors from design to installation.

The new Manufacturing Engineer is well suited to the team and company’s vision to grow and develop best practices. Adding this resource to their team will help our client to reach their 2013 objectives.

Uncategorized

The Fiscal Cliff is coming, or not…

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The “fiscal cliff” is the big worry for everybody right now. Manufacturing has seen a mixed bag of results in the last couple of months. Many people agree that it will be hard to look toward any type of expansion until we see how this is addressed. The concern is that if the program that is put in place includes more taxes and big spending cuts, then we could be pushed back toward another recession.

The long-term results of Super Storm Sandy are still playing out. November numbers were definitely impacted by power outages, property loss, and transportation interruptions. At the same time, overall unemployment numbers are at their lowest levels since the end of 2008. Many people are anticipating the possibility of a positive bounce in sales as companies that have been holding off ordering in the 4th quarter make up for lost time in the 1st quarter. Assuming we avoid the “fiscal cliff”.

Manufacturing, Southeast US

Tech jobs on the table in North Carolina

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As the IT industry continues to strengthen, manufacturers of hardware and software utilities are seeing increases in revenue and success. Even those who may stumble on the road to economic recovery are showing signs of strength, as hiring and employment in the sector continue to go up.

RF Micro, a manufacturer of RF and wireless communications devices, announced that it is seeking 50 people to become members of its assembly and testing team. The Business Journal wrote that the company needs to add personnel to its chip factory in Greensboro, North Carolina, as it is trying to recover from a disappointing third quarter. The business is also hiring 40 workers to its network division in response to its recent acquisition of Amalfi, the source stated.

A report from RF Micro announced that, while its income dropped somewhat in the last few months, its stock shares and other financial indicators continue to lean toward the positive. Adding a new business to its fold and more staff to its workforce could be the boost it needs to start seeing even better returns.