The Dog Days of Summer...

We have to always be on our toes, looking for the next opportunity, keeping your resume updated.  It doesn't do to just "keep my eyes open;" you MUST proactively look for jobs in your field.  Not only does this keep you learning what jobs are open, but it will also help you keep abreast of changes in your field.  Can't find jobs for you by the title you're used to searching?  Could be that it's been  renamed/rebranded.

I describe myself as a corporate trainer, as most people have some idea of what that kind of person does.   Of course, I can also go by the following monikers:  Trainer, Facilitator, Talent Manager, Organizational Development professional, L&D (learning and development), Performance Consultant, and so on.   When I started in the "training world," you were a "trainer," which usually meant you taught classes.   It's true that I teach classes occasionally (and still enjoy it), but the field has changed so much in the last 20 years, and I have adapted along with it, not only picking up new titles, but the skills needed to compete in the marketplace should my current company decide to reorg, rightsize, downsize, or I think the newest term I've heard is "align talent."  All the same thing--someone is likely to have to move on.  Of course, we all hope it's the other guy.

I recently worked with a woman who'd been in her job for almost 12 years, and she was looking to update her resume, as she was concerned about a coming layoff.  I asked her about her resume, and she asked for my help.  When I looked at it, it was very appropriate for a new college grad, which she was 12 years ago.    Knowing her as I do, I asked, "so, basically, you are looking to catch up all these years, right?"   Her field, "engineering," has taken almost as many twists and turns as mine in learning and development.   To keep yourself employable, I can't stress enough that you have to keep your skills current (find out what the industry trends are), keep networking, and plan for having to search for a job sooner than you think.  These are important skills regardless of what your next job title will be.

"Survivor" for the Class of 2010

The Wall St. Journal has an superb article on the reality of the job market today specifically directed at the new college graduates...more information below.

I can still remember "way back when" I was newly starting out, believing what I referred to as "the lie" --- "if you go to college, you'll get a good job."  Of course, when you graduate and encounter reality, you're incensed!  It isn't really a "lie" that you can get a good job with a college education, it's just that reality wasn't explained more clearly to you.  As my father explained to me once, education provides you with an OPPORTUNITY for success, not a guarantee.  I can guarantee that if you don't have a college education in 2010, your opportunities will be very limited.

An illustration of the harshness of reality may be helpful here.  I knew a young man who in 1990 who was about to graduate and confidently stated, "I think my degree will be worth about $30,000 a year."  I was listening to him along with another man who had worked hard to build his roofing company, and at this announcement, me and the roofer instinctively turned to look at each other and just started laughing out loud.  The soon-to-be college graduate was somewhat insulted.   I told him that, in effect, the world didn't care about his education and surely wouldn't pay him for having gone to school.   Now, I didn't want to hurt his confidence, but I did want to convey what I had learned (the hard way)---that most young college graduates have what Robert Ringer (Looking Out for Number One) calls "The World Owes Me a Living Disease."  No one owes anyone anything (Someone should let our current government leaders know this.).   The fact that you were disciplined enough to finish a college degree says a lot of positive things about you as a person, and in some fields, there is a body of knowledge with which you have become familiar in getting your degree, but in reality, rather than shake your hand, the world is more likely to kick you in the butt, punting you to the curb.   Now is the time for you to kick your parents in the butt if they ever told you life is fair.  They lied.

Another sad truth is that most young college graduates have no training in job searching in 2010, which is a full-body contact sport with a lot of veteran players on the field.   A relative recently graduated from college, and he seemed somewhat aware of the tough road ahead.  Of course, having spent his last 7 years in college (!), he has no real idea of the tsunami of reality about to hit him. 

Perhaps this Wall St. Journal article can be the kick in the pants for you or a young college grad you know.  It's part of life's body of knowledge that you most likely never learned in college, but is every bit as critical as the subjects you studied to earn your degree.  Your toughness and tenacity is what you will need to survive in the workforce....and I would add your faith, your patience, and your persistence.  "Wax on; wax off."


 ------------------------------EXCERPTS FROM THE ARTICLE:

"Over the next few weeks, hundreds of thousands of Millennials will graduate from institutions of higher learning. They will celebrate for several days, perhaps several weeks. Then they will enter a labor force that neither wants nor needs them. They will enter an economy where roughly 17% of people aged 20 through 24 do not have a job, and where two million college graduates are unemployed. They will enter a world where they will compete tooth and nail for jobs as waitresses, pizza delivery men, file clerks, bouncers, trainee busboys, assistant baristas, interns at bodegas."

"Young people can be forgiven for thinking that the portrayal of the working world in comedies like "The Office" and "Office Space" is completely over the top. Now they're going to find out otherwise. Reality is a mean trick that grown-ups play on the young."

"It's brutal out there, all right. Blogs and instant messaging and social networking systems don't help much because everyone is using the same cutting-edge tools to compete for the same low-tech jobs. The easiest way to get a job is still the oldest way: To know somebody who can get you a job or give you a job."


Read this article in it's entirety!  It'll be worth every minute.   The full article is at http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704250104575238692439240552.html.  It's a must read for everyone, not just college students.

Employment Situation Information for Those in Texas

The Texas Workforce Commission provides detailed information on Texas economics as related to jobs (http://www.twc.state.tx.us/customers/jsemp/jsemp.html).   If you need to get some data on Texas and your area in Texas, this is a good place to get it.  If you are from another state, check with your state government/unemployment office for these figures.

A key indicator of employment trends in Texas is the statement, "The Texas seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for March remained unchanged at 8.2 percent for the fifth consecutive month, and continues to trend well below the March U.S. seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 9.7 percent. At more than 12.1 million workers, the Texas Civilian Labor Force grew by nearly 29,000 workers in March." 

The unemployment rate in Texas is significantly lower that the rest of the United States:  8.2 vs. 10.2 (see partial chart below).  It is important to note, however, that for Texas and the US in general, the unemployment rate has risen over the past year by 1.2%, and if you're out there job hunting, you know how much of a challenge finding a job is.

Click image for larger view.

The point of all of the statistical information is to help us all understand state and national trends affecting our job searches.   Yeah, I know, "so what?"  Well, since economics and hiring is based on perception -- either "gut feeling" ("We think we're doing better, so let's hire people.") or by numbers ("These stats show some improvement in economic conditions, so let's hire people."), it is enlightening to know if you have a better chance at getting a new job.   Feeling more confident about success in finding a job will also improve your attitude, and potential employers can pick up your attitude in your correspondence, your phone screens, and definitely in your face-to-face interviews.  Hey, if nothing else, your family and friends will appreciate your better attitude.  Come on, you know you haven't been fun to be around when you are in a nasty state of mind.

"The Labor Market & Career Information Department (LMCI) of the Texas Workforce Commission provides statistics and analyses on the dynamics of the Texas labor market and informational products designed to support informed educational and career decisions. In addition, LMCI provides a wide array of career and occupational information through software programs and printed publications. Visit the LMCI website at http://www.lmci.state.tx.us for additional products and services.  For more information or questions about our data, please contact labor market analysts by phone at 1-866-938-4444, or by email at lmci@twc.state.tx.us."

Job Tip # 48: You are not a Failure

Another networking group in DFW that caught my eye, as they hit the nail on the head....you are not a failure.  Job loss or unemployment can be especially hard on men psychologically, as many men get their self-worth and self-image from their jobs.  A job is indeed a career that you throw yourself into, but it is not WHO YOU ARE.   Easy to say; sometimes hard to remember, right guys?


Job Tip # 48: You are not a Failure
Of course you are not a failure, but this Tip title did get your attention. Here's some suggestions from pro Head Hunter, Nick Corcodilos……If your job search is failing, it's for one of two reasons. First, you may be scared because you believe you're not good at your work. If this is happens to be true, admit it to yourself and do something about it. If you don't, your work will never make you happy or successful. Second, you have been brainwashed like most Americans by the media and by America's Employment System to follow antiquated rules of job hunting. Realize that if this System worked, you wouldn't have to mail out 200 resumes or go on 20 interviews before finding a job.

There is only one rule for success in a job search, and almost no one follows it: you must prove, to the manager for whom you want to work, that you can do the job he needs to have done and that you can do it profitably. This is the single most important rule headhunters live by when they prepare a candidate to interview for a job. http://www.askthehe adhunter. com/habyoh. htm




For those in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex:

The Watermark job support group meets every Tuesday morning, 8am on the 3rd floor of the church tower building, 7540 LBJ at Park Central, free admission, no pre-registration. Here is a video introducing the group. http://cbs11tv. com/video/ ?id=51937@ ktvt.dayport. com

You can sign-up and your resume will be circulated to potential employers in our group.
http://www.watermar k.org/ministries /care/jobs- ministry- careers-in- motion/

James Reed
reed.james@yahoo. com

Contracting: Reality in the Current State of Things

I remember reading some years back that "in the 21st century, many people would be free agents, contractors," but I didn't really believe it.  There are so many reasons for hiring a person, none the least of which is ownership and productivity.  However, after being a contractor for just about a year, I'm not dismissing that as an option anymore.....but then again, I wonder if I can make a living with multiple income streams, some of which involve gardening and woodworking.

I've spent most of this past year in a focused, informed, network-savvy job search.  I've done some presentations at professional groups, had some interviews, even 2nd and 3rd interviews, but no offers.  In the past, I've averaged a couple of calls a week, and on a good week, I would have two interviews with two separate companies.  Not so at the present time.

It's not that I don't like my present contracting situation--it honestly doesn't pay too badly.  It's just that there are no benefits--especially health insurance--and that puts a damper on things. (Disclaimer:  I do not support the socialized medicine that our current administration is pushing.  When a high-ranking Canadian official comes to the US for surgery that he could get "free" in Canada, that says a lot about the highly-touted Canadian system and others like it.)  So, a major concern is health insurance, and if you've had to buy insurance privately, you know why that is an issue.  If you haven't, pray that you never have to, and have an AED nearby when they tell you the rates.


The other thing about contracting is that no matter how involved you get in the business, no matter how great your co-workers are about making you feel at home, you will always be a NON-EMPLOYEE.  I'm not saying that my current contracting company treats me badly; they don't.  It's just that as a contractor, you do not share in any of the "company" things, and there are some issues you have to steer clear of, as no one wants a co-employment issue to crop up. 

Companies like contractors because they aren't as difficult to get rid of (pretty much a phone call will take care of it), and companies want to bring in just the right skills for just the right job.  Of course, that only happens in the bizarro world.  Though a contractor does bring established skills that are useful to a company they contract for, he or she must also get a lay of the land and understand the issues surrounding the work they are contracted to do.   Perhaps some contract positions/temp employees may be able to "drop in" and perform a job adequately, but others need time to assimilate to the work environment, learn what has been done, and understand the political situation to be effective.  

I wonder if when regular employees see contractors filling positions that could be and would be better be served by a regular employee, they may become less engaged (a hot topic these days), as they may be concerned that their position may be given to a contractor or that they are always preparing for the eventual departure of the short-term contractor.

Companies like to tout contracting as being cheaper, but in reality, after the fees by the contracting company (the contractor's employer of record) are taken into account, the cost is about the same.  The only difference is that you have a worker who does not have the same investment in the company's success as a regular employee and who is looking for his or her next contract from almost the start of the job. 

Rebecca Metschke has done it again.....see the article that sparked my comments on contracting.

Are You the Boss of You?

from The Interview Edge by Rebecca Metschke

 

Earlier this week, The Wall Street Journal ran an interesting piece about the “age of going solo” – working for yourself. While it focused on the ins and outs of how to succeed as a consultant, I was struck by the snapshot of today’s workforce in the article’s setup.

With unemployment stuck on “high” and millions of people in the “long term unemployed” bucket, seismic shifts are taking place in the composition of the workforce.

According to author Richard Greenwald, 20% to 23% of U.S workers are “operating as consultants, freelancers, free agents, contractors, or rmicropreneurs.”

Think about that. Close to one quarter of working Americans are employed on a contingent basis.
Goodbye, defined career paths and benefits – hello, project-to-project work.
With the employment picture looking gloomy for literally years to come, contracting may be in your future, too (if you haven’t gotten there already).

I know many folks who were forced out of traditional jobs during the last recession – and quite a few are still working for themselves today.

Contracting/freelancing/consulting isn’t easy, especially if all you’ve ever known is the 9-to-5 world…but it can be rewarding. Many independent employees will tell you they don’t ever want to go back.
Bottom line: given the lackluster employment outlook, you may very well end up being the boss of you, whether or not that’s what you were planning.

The Interview Edge- a comprehensive guide for people who are serious about their careers. Available in instantly downloadable format.

Reasons to Invest in Your Career NOW

Found a new job hunting site that appears to be targeted at new college grads and 20-somethings http://www.careerealism.com.

This site looks like a 2 x 4 across the forehead for a generation that grew up on the relative affluence of the late 1980's and 1990's, but I know that those of us who are out of our 20s need to hear the same message...don't sit around and just answer Internet job openings all day.  According to CNN, there are 6 people seeking work for every job opening.  While I would challenge that 6:1 is true of every career field, it surely is in some, and as those of us actively hunting for a new job, we know it's tough right now; but then again, so is sitting around doing nothing and whining.  Don't let these numbers bum you out; let it be a challenge to meet head on.  Like I was once told, "You're looking for a job and not many openings. Thing is, you only need 1 job."

15 Reasons Professionals (Ages 18-25) MUST Invest in Their Careers NOW

December 10, 2009 by sparktalk   By CAREEREALISM Founder, J.T. O’Donnell

I saw this video on CNNMoney.com of college seniors being interviewed about their future plans after graduation this spring: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2009/12/04/n_cmr_class_2010-jobs.cnnmoney/.
YIKES!


Students are on their own when it comes to finding a job – and it’s not pretty. I think the worst part is to see most of them believe the answer is to just stay in school and spend even more money on an advanced degree. I wish they could talk with all the unemployed MBAs out there right now who are knee-deep in loan debt.

Reality-check for College Students & Recent Grads
How you look for work, as well as how you find work you love has changed deeply in the last 20 years. And yet, college teaches you everything EXCEPT how to get the job. That being said, there are two ways you can attempt to learn what you need to in order to take control of your future.
1)   You can try figuring it out for yourself. Unfortunately, most students opt for this, get too busy at school, and end up putting it off until they graduate. They return home, unemployed and hundreds of miles from their campus career center.
2)   You can invest in a program that can help you get organized and focus on the right things to do to identify a career path and land a job. [Note:  This is the site's sales pitch.]

Let’s face it, the latter option is going to help you more and is much faster.

And still, if that doesn’t convince you…
Here are 15 reasons why you should invest in your career early:

• 23%. How much a college education has gone up in the last 10 years.
• 11%. How much the starting salaries of college grads have gone down in the last 10 years. (FYI – In 1985, the average starting salary for a college grad was $40,300. In 2008, the average starting salary was only $39,000 and it continues to drop in this recession.)
• Less than 50%. The number of students who ever see the financial return on their investment in an advanced degree (i.e. Masters, MBA).
• 70M+. The number of Baby Boomers (people in their 50s-60’s) in America who are ‘retirement-ready, but under-funded’ and thus will stay in the job market, holding back the entry of new grads to the workplace.
• 90%+. The number of young people today who plan to go to college because they feel they have to in order to get a job. Most DON’T know why they should go or what they should study!
• $100K+. The minimum you can plan to spend on a college education from top private or state university.
• Less than 30%. The number of students who actually work in a professional setting while they are in high school or college in order to gain professional skills they can use when they graduate.
• 25 years old. The average age before a college grad can finally afford to move out of their parent’s house and live on their own. (They are called Boomerang Kids and K.I.P.P.E.R.S – Kids In Parents Pockets Eating Retirement Savings.)
• 80%+. The percentage of jobs people get by networking. Most people don’t know A) how to create and leverage a network effectively, and B) feel uncomfortable doing it.
• Less than 20%. That’s how many 2009 college grads had jobs when they graduated last year.
• 6:1 ratio. There are 6 job seekers for every job out there right now.
• 18 months. The average time a young person spends in a job in America . The reality is EVERY job is temporary for young professionals.
• 9 careers with an average of 3 jobs in each one. That’s what today’s college grad can expect over the lifetime of their career. Can you imagine looking for a job 27 times!?
• 5 years. The amount of time it’s going to take for us to recoup the jobs we’ve lost from this recession. This does NOT include the additional number of jobs we need for all the college grads in that time.
• 10 years. That’s how long it’s going to take for us to fully recover from this recession: 

http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2009/12/07/n_cmr_slow_recovery.cnnmoney/.

Could There Be Even a Slight Improvement in the Job Market?

I tend to believe that we haven't seen the worst of the economic debacle, but I will say that I am seeing more activity in my ongoing job search, as I have been contacted by 3 companies in the past few weeks.  I will also tell you that all 3 came through networking contacts, including one of a person I have only met once or twice while interviewing at a company she worked for!

Whether or not there is good news regarding the economy, I do not know.   I do know that in once instance, the advent of the new year (read new BUDGET year) has created the opportunity.   For those of you who may be getting discouraged in your job hunt as the holidays draw closer, please do not "quit" for the holidays!   Many companies are finalizing budgets for 2010 and are making plans to bring new people on to start in January.  As some companies have had a decent 3rd quarter, they may be optimistic and making plans to try to expand in January.

Press on even harder in your job search now, making contact with your connections, letting them know that you are still in search mode, providing them with a fresh resume and description of your key "selling points."   This may sound like a dumb suggestion, but rename your resume....from "SStein Sept09.doc" to "SStein Nov2009.doc."   You may have some updates you've made, and second, your document will look current to someone who hasn't heard from you lately.  Either way, it might just keep your contacts from overlooking you.

Job Hunting Presentation in Second Life

Just finished a live presentation in Second Life on job hunting and the use of social media in a job hunt.   Was a very fast hour, and had about 16 avatars/people in attendance.  I got some very nice comments on the presentation, and I sincerely hope that everyone will use what they have learned. 

Job hunting is and isn't the same as in "the past."   I talked a lot about the use of electronic media and how to aggregate job listings to save time looking for openings, but as usual, I came back to something that has never changed in job searching since the beginning--- networking.

Despite all of the wonderful tools and electronic gizmos, finding a job comes down to getting in front of a human and selling yourself.  Bottom line.   Electronic networking tools, fancy resumes, hours spent searching job openings will NOT net you a job.   They can only get you in front of another human....and then, the fun begins.

If I were to list what I consider the second most important thing in job searching (behind networking), it would be to practice, practice, practice your 30-2 min commercials (elevator speeches) until you were mumbling them in your sleep.   This is part of being able to interview well, which is where you win or lose a job offer.  If you know who you are and what you have to offer, and you couch it in "sales" terms ("here's what I can do for you"), you'll have a tremendous advantage over 90% of the rest of the population.

Being prepared for an interview is a book in itself, but being emotional prepared will help you even more.   Frankly, if you go into an interview so worried about getting the job that you can't function, you will fulfill your own prophecy.   Now I have been in some tight spots in my time---had no job/income and was interviewing---and those are tough.   I am blessed with not having debt, and that relieves a lot of pressure.  Of course, picturing my family scraping by because I'm out of work adds a tad more pressure.   I have had to learn the hard way that if I really trust that God will take care of me, I will relax in an interview and my thoughts will flow much better.   It's a test, or should I say like a test that we've all had in school (remind your kids of the kinds of tests adults take and the stakes of performing poorly on THOSE tests).   If you are prepared for the test, your stress level is much lower than if you know you're winging it.  Of course there could be a test that asks questions poorly (bad test design) or something you totally forgot, but that's where part 2 of preparedness comes into play---trust God.

No test, no interview is life ending.  Though we don't believe that we'll ever find another job as our last good job, honestly, we will.   I have often counseled job seekers with two words:  patience and persistence.  You must be patient, and you must never give up.   Since I like Star Trek, the analogy I offer is that of the Borg.  For those unfamiliar with Star Trek:  The Next Generation, the Borg are a race of cyborgs who are notorious for taking over and assimilating other races in the galaxy, and they are incredibly persistent.  Nothing seems to phase them...they just keep coming and coming.   Like the Borg, we must all keep pressing on to find the next job, and most of us need to work on our patience while we do that.

Cyborgs and virtual worlds like Second Life aside, the reality is that job hunting will continue to be the bane of our existence, at least until we land that next job. : )

So, I'm NOT Imagining Things...

Rebecca is spot on, again .... I just thought it was my imagination, seriously.

Job Search Seem Like It’s Getting Tougher? You’re Not Imagining Things

from The Interview Edge by Rebecca Metschke http://blog.theinterviewedge.com/the_interview_edge/2009/09/job-search-seem-like-its-getting-tougher-youre-not-imagining-things.html

It’s challenging trying to land a job right now – and getting more difficult. If you’ve been feeling the pinch and wondering if “it’s just you” rest assured…the phenomenon is real.

Two things are happening concurrently to create a perfect storm of sorts on the employment front.

First, the Labor Department reported last week that the number of available jobs has fallen by a staggering 50 percent-plus over the past two years; in July there were six unemployed people for every job opening. To put that into context, consider that at the beginning of the recession (December 2007) the ratio was 1.72 to 1.

For further comparison, during the height of the last recession’s lengthy jobless recovery the ratio was roughly 3 to 1. Because that was a much narrower downturn, you may not have felt the impact; ask the folks in the telecom industry, though – which was ravaged – and they will tell you the ratio seemed much worse than that.)

Then we have the fact that we’re in the midst of a buyer’s market, which only exacerbates the competition. Many employers with jobs to fill opt to bypass the unemployed and instead choose to set their sights on those who are still working.

This concept isn’t something new. There's almost always a preference on the part of hiring managers for passive candidates – people who are employed and not currently searching. Those folks are considered more desirable.

Various reports, however, indicate that the penchant for hiring companies to target only those who are employed elsewhere is on the rise. The belief is that if a person has made it through this extended downturn unscathed, there’s a good chance he or she could be a top-notch candidate. When you can afford to be choosey, candidates who've been laid off may not even get a first look. (This preference is extending across the board, from line workers to senior managers.)

This means unemployed job seekers are in waters that are only getting choppier.

I point this out not to discourage you – actually, just the opposite. Sometimes when the obstacles appear overwhelming, you can begin to doubt yourself. You might wonder what you’re doing wrong, or figure that surely you are contributing to the situation…when that may not be true at all.

Of course you should step back and objectively review your search strategy periodically to see what you can do differently or how you can be more effective. But the fact that you’re not making headway at the moment may not have anything to do with you. Sometimes circumstances simply are what they are, and the competition is extremely challenging.

Keep at it. Search smart, be creative, roll up your sleeves, understand it’s probably going to some time – but don’t give up.

The Interview Edge - required reading for people who are serious about their careers.

Presenting at Fort Worth American Society for Quality!

This Thursday, Sept 4, I will be presenting an overview of job hunting in 2009 called "Dynamic Job-Search Skills" and briefing ASQ members on "Social Networking Skills" for the Fort Worth Chapter of the American Society for Quality (http://www.asqfortworth.org/) . The sad part is that I only have 1.5 hours total to squeeze in 15 years' worth of experiences and knowledge.....but I love sharing with people about ways they can improve their job-search skills.

If you're in the neighborhood, drop in!

Retooling Yourself for the Future

by Rebecca Metschke

Rebecca Metschke is the author of The Interview Edge, a comprehensive guide for those who are serious about their careers. Visit http://blog.TheInterviewEdge.com for free tips and strategies to gain a professional advantage.

How marketable are you right now? What will you need to do to make sure you’re still relevant five years from now? 

When the economy is in recession, workers focus on their marketability. They’re either trying to hang on to their jobs or attempting to land new ones. Nobody wants to be deemed redundant, or expendable, or a weak candidate. Those are labels no one can afford to be tagged with. People spend time thinking about how they can shore up weaknesses and increase perceived value.

Unfortunately, though, when the job market finally rights itself, a lot of those same people will just as suddenly put thoughts about how to stay relevant on the back burner. And that will be a mistake.

Even when the economy begins expanding again, we’re still going to be looking at a dynamic job market. Remember back just a few short years ago when the market was red hot? People were still facing layoffs. Companies were still merging – or outsourcing – or streamlining operations – resulting in head count reductions. Of course jobs weren’t being lost at the pace they are now, but the point is…you’d better make sure you’re marketable.  

If you don’t keep up with the pace of change, you will always be vulnerable. (Emphasis mine.)

Your skill set needs to be broad and relevant. You need to be sure you’re making a meaningful contribution to the organization. You need to identify future trends early and understand what you need to do to adapt and thrive. 

This will require initiative on your part. Nobody’s going to do this for you; it’s your responsibility to make sure you’re as marketable as possible.

Just had to share some good job news from a fellow blogger!

Job Opportunities: Where are They?

Rebecca Metschke is the author of The Interview Edge, a comprehensive guide for those who are serious about their careers. Visit http://blog.TheInterviewEdge.com for free tips and strategies to gain a professional advantage.

Even in the midst of severe recession, there are always pockets of growth…some of which are substantial.   

First, a snapshot of two states (and one of these may be a surprise) – North Dakota and Texas:

North Dakota

Unemployment rate is 4.4% - 5 points lower than the national average and tied with Nebraska for the lowest in the nation. (That 4.4% is nearly 10 points lower than Michigan, which has the dubious distinction of leading all states in the numbers of unemployed.) 

Virtually all sectors are growing – from oil, mining and construction to health care and transportation. 

The state’s finances are in excellent shape; it’s one of the few posting a budget surplus. Property and income tax cuts (you read that correctly...tax CUTS) were approved this spring. 

Texas 

Boasts multiple metropolitan areas on the list of the nation’s top 20 for job growth (according to Forbes). 

Home to more Fortune 500 companies than any other state. 

Central Texas in particular is a good place to look. For example: Austin, home of the University of Texas, is adding jobs across multiple sectors, including (but not limited to) two that have stood up well generally throughout the recession: health services and education. Unemployment is creeping up, but education and tech companies are still in good shape. 

Now for the top three cities for job stability and growth (as compiled by Kiplinger):

Huntsville, AL – highlights include aerospace, life sciences, and businesses supporting the large military population at Redstone Arsenal.

Albuquerque, NM – highlights include high-tech, renewable energy, defense, and a burgeoning film industry.

Washington, DC – can you say public sector? Like it or not, Uncle Sam is growing at a seemingly uncontrollable rate – between the jobs themselves and the businesses supporting those government jobs, count on opportunities.