http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2009/10/20/MNS71A5LUL.DTL

http://www.amazingsuperpowers.com/2009/10/ghost-of-collegiate-past/

http://curiouscapitalist.blogs.time.com/2009/07/02/job-losses-in-the-great-recession-vs-in-the-great-depression/

The measure of job losses in this chart is an attempt to adjust for the fact that the only good payroll employment numbers we have are for non-farm jobs, and in the 1930s a much higher percentage of Americans were still working on the farm.

To quote from an earlier post:

http://www.joblessandless.com/2009/09/the-recession-is-over-but-high-unemployment-remains/

The Great Recession is over. At least that’s what everyone keeps telling me. The S&P 500 gained 15.2% from April to June for its best quarter since the fourth quarter of 1998. Retail sales rose 2.7% in August. Existing home sales rose 7.2% in July from a year earlier, to a two-year high. Happy days are here again. Uncork the champagne, plate up the caviar and break out the credit cards. The spending party is about to resume? I’ll be at the As Seen On TV store if any employers want to talk to me. There’s a purple snuggie with my name on it, and the Dentist-in-a-Box will save me a little money.
Unfortunately, hiring doesn’t move lockstep with the economy; it historically lags three to six months behind. Some companies wait to see revenues return before bringing on additional staff. Others wait to know exactly what gaps in their depleted workforce need filling the most. National unemployment – currently 9.7% – is forecast to hit 10% by year’s end. There’s one thing I don’t remember from all those economics classes long ago. If consumer spending accounts for the bulk of all spending and consumers are unemployed or scared to spend, how exactly is the economy pulling out of the recession? Anybody care to explain that to me? Uncle Milty… Papa Kruggy… Zeidy Bernanke… anyone?
I’m not even convinced that the job market will be back in any significant way. Worker productivity rose by 6.6% in the second quarter of 2009, the biggest jump since the summer of 2003. Wages remained stagnant, as they have for years. People are doing more work for the same money, and companies are reaping the benefits. Corporate profits are expected to surge; bullish estimates see 12% growth in both 2010 and 2011. That jump in productivity can be viewed as a loss of jobs. Why hire or re-hire someone to perform a task that’s already getting done? Just turn up the heat on the minions. Future innovation may lead to new types of jobs, though no one can say exactly what those jobs will be and to what extent they’ll offset recession job losses.
While things get back to normal (whatever normal will be), I have to deal with the likelihood that my unemployment will continue for some time. There are a few more jobs out there, but companies still receive hundreds of resumes for each position; the ratio of unemployed to openings is 6:1. They interview the best of the best which, given that I haven’t had an interview in a couple months, doesn’t seem to include me. I beg (as well as plead, beseech, entreat and supplicate) to differ, of course. I think I would be an invaluable employee for any company that hired me. So to date, I haven’t been willing to settle for less than I deserve. My previous salary was already on the low end for MBAs with work experience. Compromising seemed unnecessary.
That is about to change. The clock on my unemployment insurance is running down, and the end-of-the-year deadline looms large. This week I began actively seeking jobs that would be a step down. I don’t mean a big, digging in trashcans for recyclables-kind of step. The illegal aliens that roam the Jackson Heights streets with shopping carts collecting cans have that lucrative business locked up. This is a smaller step. I’m now applying for positions beneath my pay grade and skill level, even entry-level if the company is in a strong growth field. I’d be hard-pressed to turn down an offer – any offer – in online marketing, for example. The MBA will likely come off of my resume, at least one version of it. I’ve also started looking for work outside of marketing. Proofreading – one of my fallback skills – is one option. Sales is another, though I’d really prefer it not to be. We’ll see what kind of results I get in the next few weeks. As the time ticks away, I will widen my scope. That’s how desperation works.

http://mashable.com/2009/10/19/cia-social-media-monitoring/

If someone told you that the CIA was spying on you by way of your Twitter updates, Facebook posts, YouTube videos, or Amazon reviews, you’d probably chalk it up to a conspiracy theory.
But today we’re learning from Wired that the CIA’s technology arm In-Q-Tel has invested an undisclosed sum in Visible Technologies, a firm that provides software to companies like Microsoft for social media monitoring.

According to Wired, the investment is “part of a larger movement within the spy services to get better at using “open source intelligence” – information that’s publicly available, but often hidden.” The current plan is for the CIA to use the technology to monitor International intelligence shared in public channels to get an early edge on what’s being shared and communicated by influential voices. In addition, funds from the deal apparently will be allocated towards enhancing the foreign language monitoring capabilities of Visible Technologies .
From the report:

“Of course, such a tool can also be pointed inward, at domestic bloggers or tweeters. Visible already keeps tabs on web 2.0 sites for Dell, AT&T and Verizon. For Microsoft, the company is monitoring the buzz on its Windows 7 rollout. For Spam-maker Hormel, Visible is tracking animal-right activists’ online campaigns against the company.
“Anything that is out in the open is fair game for collection,” says Steven Aftergood, who tracks intelligence issues at the Federation of American Scientists. But “even if information is openly gathered by intelligence agencies it would still be problematic if it were used for unauthorized domestic investigations or operations. Intelligence agencies or employees might be tempted to use the tools at their disposal to compile information on political figures, critics, journalists or others, and to exploit such information for political advantage. That is not permissible even if all of the information in question is technically ‘open source.’”

While we’re not exactly thrilled by the idea of the CIA paying attention to our every tweet, we do think that it is a rather obvious next step for the intelligence agency. We can only hope they’ll use their eye on the social sphere for good.

http://theoatmeal.com/comics/twitter_stop

http://blogs.wsj.com/laidoff/2009/10/28/after-an-interview-being-prepared-for-all-outcomes/?mod=rss_wsjblog

I am writing this on the morning of the day my life may change. I am off to work for a couple of hours at my part-time contract job, and then to an interview. Two things may happen today that would have a profound effect on my life: I may find out that my contract position will become full-time and I will join the team with whom I’ve been working for the past five months. I may also be offered the position for which I am interviewing and I would have the opportunity to do something completely different from anything I’ve ever done before. Or, neither of these things will happen and nothing will change. I am becoming accustomed to this kind of uncertainty.
I am excited about the interview, but recent experience has taught me to temper that with cautious skepticism. It’s not the type of position that I would have imagined for myself. Honestly, I wouldn’t have applied for it had I seen it online, but a friend of mine just started working for the organization and has great things to say about it. It’s in a different field than my previous work, but threads of my experience weave together to point in this new direction.
Most of my bottom line requirements are there: decent salary, a company showing some growth, no recent layoffs, and a positive, energetic company culture. In this challenging economic climate, my focus has drifted to basic needs. Of course I’d love to find something with opportunities for self-actualization and changing the world, but honestly I’d be grateful right now to pay the bills and know I have a consistent place to go each morning. In the moments before the interview, this position is starting to sound really, really good.

Reality check: reserve judgment and don’t get too invested. I have to walk a fine line between my naturally high level of enthusiasm and the reality that this may not happen. I am yearning for that moment when someone finally tells me “welcome, you’re in,” but I have to protect myself from the bitter disappointment of another rejection.
And in my back pocket is the possibility with my current contract position. I have been spending several months doing this work, hoping for a permanent home.
I am not happy about this constant state of uncertainty, but have accepted it for now. It may actually make me a stronger candidate, with a more realistic perspective on the market and a higher tolerance for risk. Today, though, I settle into the safe expectation that nothing will happen and nothing will change…but secretly have high hopes.
Readers, how do you prepare for the outcome of an interview? Share your stories in the comments section.

http://www.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2009/10/21/5-ways-volunteering-can-save-your-job-search.html

You know, of course, that volunteering is good for your community. You may even know that it’s good for you personally. Research has shown that people who volunteer tend to live longer, have lower rates of depression, enjoy better physical health, have more friends, and are more self-confident.
What you may not know is that volunteering can help you get a job, too. Here are five reasons you should carve some time out of your job-hunting schedule to “work for free," along with a bonus tip:
[See 10 things to do while you're out of work.]
1. Volunteering is great for your morale. Let’s face it, a long fruitless job hunt can start to make you feel like a loser. What’s worse, potential employers can smell desperation and anger a mile away, and they are put off by it. This is why it can help to put your focus on others. Volunteering rejuvenates you and renews your sense of self-worth. Volunteering fills you up with positive feelings of accomplishment, feelings that will spread over into your job hunt.
2. Volunteering grows your network. A job hunter’s contact list can never be too long. If you’re targeting your job search to a particular company or companies (and you should be), go a step further and volunteer where employees of those companies also volunteer. Find out which foundations your target industry supports and get active in them. Or, try volunteering directly for your target company. Working together for a common goal is a great way to build strong, useful relationships with new people.
[See which resume format is best.]
3. Volunteering looks good on your résumé. Particularly if your jobless period has stretched out, it’s nice to be able to put something in that empty space. Volunteering tells potential employers that you are an energetic, compassionate person who—even when faced with problems of your own—found the wherewithal to help others. Also, consider taking on some greater responsibility in your volunteer role. Managing a fundraiser or serving on a board demonstrates leadership and puts you in a position to make higher-level contacts. (Note: If you are a new college grad, volunteering is an excellent way to beef up what might otherwise be a thin résumé.)
4. Volunteering can be a way to learn new skills, or improve the ones you already have. Whether you’re seeking to change industries or careers, or you want to move up in your field, volunteering is a great way to acquire the necessary skills. For example, if you’re a graphic designer who wants to move into PR, volunteer to not only design the logo for a local charity group but to write the copy for their brochure. Voilà, a new skill to put on your résumé.
[See how to stay positive during a long job search.]
5. Volunteering can help you choose a career. Can’t decide what you want to do? Wouldn’t it be smart to test drive a possible new career first? If you’re interested in healthcare, say, you could volunteer at a hospital or nursing home. You would find out pretty fast if this is a world where you want to spend your working life. In addition, volunteering puts you in a wonderful position to meet potential mentors and to learn about opportunities or job openings in your desired field.
A final bonus tip: While you’re volunteering (while you’re doing anything, actually!), consider the impression you're making on others. Sure, you may be “only” dishing up free meals for the homeless, but the server standing next to you may just be the CEO of a company you’d love to work for. So treat your volunteer work like a job—display a great work ethic, a good attitude, and stellar leadership skills. Do this always, and your philanthropy may just lead to a paying gig.

Want to know an American generation better suited for the term "lost?"   We have iPhones with GPS, google Maps and Earth to get us to places we're not even supposed to go, and facebook status and twitter updates so that our friends can know exactly where to meet us for lunch ten minutes before. And you're telling us that we're lost? Why not create an iPHONE application that brings up menus from trendy restaurants all over America? Yes we can! Remember America? Or have we already forgotten.

"Only 46% of people aged 16-24 had jobs in September, the lowest since the government began counting in 1948. The crisis is even hitting recent college graduates. "I've applied for a whole lot of restaurant jobs, but even those, nobody calls me back," says Dan Schmitz, 25, a University of Wisconsin graduate with a bachelor's degree in English who lives in Brooklyn, N.Y. "Every morning I wake up thinking today's going to be the day I get a job. I've not had a job for months, and it's getting really frustrating."

The most redeeming part of the article is the explanation of how we've dug our own graves,

"Free-market economists favor removing obstacles to employment of the young, such as high minimum wages. ‘The government in some ways is contributing to this problem,’ says Kristen Lopez Eastlick, senior research analyst for the employer-backed Employment Policies Institute. She points out that the 40% hike in the federal minimum wage over the past two years made it less appealing to hire young workers. One possibility: Some U.S. states and European countries have enacted subminimum wages just for young people or people enrolled in apprenticeships."

Wasn't raising the minimum wage one of the first things you voted for if you did ever vote on a state-wide ballot? True and terrible. It should also mention our almost genetic predisposition towards procrastination. That's also helped us to destroy ourselves. College taught us to wait the night before to write a paper. It works well when "reality" lasts approximately sixteen weeks. In real life it sorts of just keeps going. Procrastination leads to burial and bones.

We can't just "get a job" anymore. You have to get an internship first. Which means you have to work free for six months--or more. Employers are able to dangle the mere possibility of real employment to add to our Facebook and Linked In profiles: another trophy next to the "top twenty school."

The article ends with a beam of sunshine blasting through the despairing clouds placed above our heads,

"The unemployment crisis among the young is not as dramatic as the financial crisis of a year ago. But it may turn out to have longer-lasting effects." Nevermind, the light of hope was the second to last sentence. The last sentence warns us of the hot coals soon to pour.

Now the unemployment crisis can be the best thing that ever happened to the "Lost Generation” because it forces us out of the spoiled complacency that we were brought up with in the 1990's: Pokemon cards and tamagatchis are a thing of the past. It makes us talk to our friends about website ideas rather than about the last "The Hills" episode; it brings us closer to our families and ourselves when we realize that no one is going to help us but ourselves and--maybe-- those who we sprung from, because we're definitely moving back in; it makes us realize that the four years of college were not worth all of the time and money we invested--it helped us socially conform, how to take advantage and ignore the availability of excessive resources, coddling support, and a wealth of other brilliant, creative thinkers who want to be known for doing something for this world just as much as you do. The only thing that makes us lost is that damn addictive J.J. Abrams' show.

Luckily there are social networking sites. So here's the deal: stop emailing whip-holders at two-hundred year old companies that see you as a piece of veal-meat: start to get back into contact with your friends from college and high school. Round them up and start a website, at least a blog; get a group of friends together who want to teach English in China, Japan, India, Turkey, Brazil, or any other country that seems appealing; and don't just get a job that you're going to hate until you can successfully pay off your student loans: figure out what you love and then figure out how to do it for the rest of your life. Don't start later, start now. Use one another! There has never been a greater time than now to work outside of the box--the lid has been blown right off. Now crawl out of your dark, obsolete expectations of success, blink at the light of day, and step out into a brave new day.