http://staugustine.com/news/local-news/2010-11-14/profit-schools-face-new-challenge
For-profit schools face new challenge
State looking into consumer complaints
The hits keep coming for Florida's embattled for-profit education industry.
After months of undercover investigations, lawsuits and scrutiny from congressional committees, the formerly fastest growing sector of higher education is facing yet another speed bump.
Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum last month launched a full-scale investigation into a handful of for-profit schools with regional outposts in Northeast Florida.
The probe started with five schools -- the University of Phoenix, Argosy University, Everest University. Kaplan Inc., and MedVance Institute -- but was expanded this month to eight. Added were Keiser University, Sanford Brown College and Concorde Career College.
Spokeswoman Sandi Copes said the investigation was spurred on by a host of consumer allegations of deception and potentially fraudulent activity at some of the schools.
The ongoing national scrutiny of proprietary education also was a driving factor, Copes said.
"The federal climate definitely played a big part in the investigation," she said.
An August study by the Government Accountability Office exposed sketchy dealings by admissions officers at 15 national for-profit schools, including a number of those listed in the Attorney General's Office probe.
"The decision was made to take a look at this after seeing the GAO report and considering all the money that's coming into these schools," she said.
For-profits enroll about 9 percent of the country's college students but account for close to half of student loan defaults. The national percentage of for-profit students who pay the principal on their loans also lags far behind the rate at public schools, according to federal data.
A breakdown of the number of consumer complaints for each of the schools wasn't available Friday, and Copes declined to estimate how many complaints were filed in total.
Subpoenas were issued to each school requesting internal documents related to the enrollment of students, hiring of teachers and staff and college accreditation.
Attorneys general in other states have taken a case-by-case approach to investigating for-profits in their regions. This appears to be the largest investigation into proprietary education by a state attorney general.
The future of the investigation, however, remains unclear.
Attorney General-elect Pam Bondi, who takes office in January, has declined to say where she stands on the issue of for-profit education. The director of her transition team, Carlos Muniz, also declined to comment on the investigation.
"Given our distance from the investigation and the relevant facts, we really don't think it would be appropriate to comment at this time," Muniz said via e-mail.
For their parts, most of the schools have adopted a wait-and-see stance for dealing with the probe.
Keiser University, a Fort Lauderdale-based for-profit that was recently embroiled in a tense legal battle with Florida State College at Jacksonville, issued a statement Friday saying school administrators were made aware of their inclusion in the probe through the media and the attorney general's website before they received a subpoena.
A university spokeswoman declined to say how the school was handling the late addition. She also wouldn't speculate on whether she felt the lawsuit against FSCJ, which was dropped Wednesday, might have led to the college's inclusion in the probe.
Kent Jenkins, a spokesman for Corinthian Colleges Inc., the parent company of Everest College in Jacksonville, said there isn't much the schools can do other than comply.
"We'll cooperate with everyone," he said. "We don't have anything to hide. Anytime someone wants to come and look at our records, we'll open them up."
The Florida investigation comes shortly after the U.S. Department of Education rolled out a series of proposed regulations that use loan repayment data and debt-to-income ratios to determine if for-profit colleges should qualify for federal financial aid.
Some schools are already dealing with the repercussions.
The Apollo Group, parent company of the University of Phoenix, announced last month that new enrollments could fall off by about 40 percent in the latest quarter due to the school changing its enrollment procedures based on the new federal regulations.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Monday, November 8, 2010
Deutsche Bank's Thoughts on Gainful Employment and For-Profit Education Stocks (ESI, EDMC, CECO)
Deutsche Bank's Thoughts on Gainful Employment and For-Profit Education Stocks (ESI, EDMC, CECO)
Read more: http://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/10/11/589188/deutsche-banks-thoughts-on-gainful-employment-and-for-pro#ixzz14iEdp9Jo
Deutsche Bank is out with a research note this morning, where it reviews the Department of Education's hearing on Gainful Employment (GE [FREE Stock Trend Analysis]).
The analysts said that, despite expectations, Thursday and Friday's public hearings on Gainful Employment (GE) did not involve any exchange between DoE officials and speakers. The purpose of the hearings, as confirmed by a DoE official, was to not exclude anyone from the discussion on GE, and reinforces the relative unimportance of the hearings vs. the DoE's private meetings.
The analysts remarked that one of the most often raised issues about GE was its retroactive nature; many feel that introducing a rule that holds schools responsible for past student cohorts is unconstitutional. If the DoE accepts this argument, it would have to delay implementation three years to 7/1/2015 or change the look back period for the repayment rate.
The analyst said, “While most of the public For Profits participated in private meetings with the DoE, a handful of schools also had representatives speak at the hearing including ITT Educational Services, Inc. (NYSE: ESI), Education Management Corporation (NASDAQ: EDMC), and Career Education Corporation (NASDAQ: CECO) [via] Le Cordon Bleu.”
Read more: http://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/10/11/589188/deutsche-banks-thoughts-on-gainful-employment-and-for-pro#ixzz14iEuUPPv
Read more: http://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/10/11/589188/deutsche-banks-thoughts-on-gainful-employment-and-for-pro#ixzz14iEdp9Jo
Deutsche Bank is out with a research note this morning, where it reviews the Department of Education's hearing on Gainful Employment (GE [FREE Stock Trend Analysis]).
The analysts said that, despite expectations, Thursday and Friday's public hearings on Gainful Employment (GE) did not involve any exchange between DoE officials and speakers. The purpose of the hearings, as confirmed by a DoE official, was to not exclude anyone from the discussion on GE, and reinforces the relative unimportance of the hearings vs. the DoE's private meetings.
The analysts remarked that one of the most often raised issues about GE was its retroactive nature; many feel that introducing a rule that holds schools responsible for past student cohorts is unconstitutional. If the DoE accepts this argument, it would have to delay implementation three years to 7/1/2015 or change the look back period for the repayment rate.
The analyst said, “While most of the public For Profits participated in private meetings with the DoE, a handful of schools also had representatives speak at the hearing including ITT Educational Services, Inc. (NYSE: ESI), Education Management Corporation (NASDAQ: EDMC), and Career Education Corporation (NASDAQ: CECO) [via] Le Cordon Bleu.”
Read more: http://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/10/11/589188/deutsche-banks-thoughts-on-gainful-employment-and-for-pro#ixzz14iEuUPPv
Monday, September 27, 2010
Regulation on for-profit schools could be delayed
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100923/us_nm/us_education
Thu Sep 23, 2:57 pm ET
BANGALORE/WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Education Department's schedule for implementing proposed regulations on for-profit schools is not final, according to a media report that caused share prices in the sector to rise.
"We are keeping our options open," Education Secretary Arne Duncan was quoted as saying when asked about a possible delay in finalizing the regulations. His comments appeared in a blog run by Washington publication The Hill.
The remark pushed up share prices for the schools, which have been volatile on news that the Education Department may declare some programs ineligible for financial aid.
Shares of Corinthian Colleges were up 10.53 percent at midafternoon at $6.80. Apollo Group was up 2.91 percent at $51.91. DeVry Inc was up 3.7 percent at $45.96 and Career Education Corp was up 6.22 percent at $22.01.
The share prices rose on hope that the Education Department would push back plans to implement the rules.
"There has been a hearing scheduled for next week in the senate. ... I think there is a continued optimism perhaps that the gainful employment rules maybe delayed or perhaps modified. And I think that is what is driving the group up a little bit," said ThinkEquity LLC analyst James Maher.
The Education Department declined to comment on the scheduling. "Tomorrow we will announce our timeline for moving forward with gainful employment," said spokesman Justin Hamilton in an email.
The scrutiny follows criticism that the schools produce poorly prepared students with big debts, often financed with federal aid.
The department's proposed rules said for-profit schools would have to prove that their former students were either paying off loans or were capable of doing so in order for the schools' current students to receive federal loans. Duncan has predicted that 5 percent of programs would lose those funds.
Under the proposed rules, the federal government would no longer lend to programs if more than 65 percent of former students failed to pay the principal on federal loans, and if their graduates' debt was more than 30 percent of discretionary income and 12 percent of total income, the department said.
The department is also tightening rules against deceptive advertising and would close loopholes on paying recruiters in hopes of removing incentives for them to enroll unqualified pupils or deceive prospective students.
The institutions would be required to ensure that their students have a valid high school diploma or otherwise show that they are ready for college.
For-profit schools enroll around 12 percent of all U.S. post-secondary students, but receive 23 percent of all federal student aid.
(Reporting by Megha Mandavia in Bangalore and Diane Bartz in Washington; Editing by Saumyadeb Chakrabarty, Vyas Mohan and Robert MacMillan)
Thu Sep 23, 2:57 pm ET
BANGALORE/WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Education Department's schedule for implementing proposed regulations on for-profit schools is not final, according to a media report that caused share prices in the sector to rise.
"We are keeping our options open," Education Secretary Arne Duncan was quoted as saying when asked about a possible delay in finalizing the regulations. His comments appeared in a blog run by Washington publication The Hill.
The remark pushed up share prices for the schools, which have been volatile on news that the Education Department may declare some programs ineligible for financial aid.
Shares of Corinthian Colleges were up 10.53 percent at midafternoon at $6.80. Apollo Group was up 2.91 percent at $51.91. DeVry Inc was up 3.7 percent at $45.96 and Career Education Corp was up 6.22 percent at $22.01.
The share prices rose on hope that the Education Department would push back plans to implement the rules.
"There has been a hearing scheduled for next week in the senate. ... I think there is a continued optimism perhaps that the gainful employment rules maybe delayed or perhaps modified. And I think that is what is driving the group up a little bit," said ThinkEquity LLC analyst James Maher.
The Education Department declined to comment on the scheduling. "Tomorrow we will announce our timeline for moving forward with gainful employment," said spokesman Justin Hamilton in an email.
The scrutiny follows criticism that the schools produce poorly prepared students with big debts, often financed with federal aid.
The department's proposed rules said for-profit schools would have to prove that their former students were either paying off loans or were capable of doing so in order for the schools' current students to receive federal loans. Duncan has predicted that 5 percent of programs would lose those funds.
Under the proposed rules, the federal government would no longer lend to programs if more than 65 percent of former students failed to pay the principal on federal loans, and if their graduates' debt was more than 30 percent of discretionary income and 12 percent of total income, the department said.
The department is also tightening rules against deceptive advertising and would close loopholes on paying recruiters in hopes of removing incentives for them to enroll unqualified pupils or deceive prospective students.
The institutions would be required to ensure that their students have a valid high school diploma or otherwise show that they are ready for college.
For-profit schools enroll around 12 percent of all U.S. post-secondary students, but receive 23 percent of all federal student aid.
(Reporting by Megha Mandavia in Bangalore and Diane Bartz in Washington; Editing by Saumyadeb Chakrabarty, Vyas Mohan and Robert MacMillan)
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
New For-profit Education Loan Rule Brought About Party Conflict
New For-profit Education Loan Rule Brought About Party Conflict
The Government's drive to mediate student loan defaults and for-profit schools has brought about contradicting stands from the Democrats and spawn a new list of clientele for Washington's top firms.
An unusual mix of Liberals, Blue Dogs, members of the Congressional Black Caucus and committee chairmen, all critics of the new rule are now urging the Obama administration to postpone changes to give way to further studies. They postulated that changes with the ruling would affect college enrollment among low-income students attending for-profit institutions.
The issue at hand is the new rule that would entail for-profit schools show their graduates’ annual loan payments to be less than 8% of their starting salaries. The reason behind this is the ballooning loan debts of for-profit graduates. Also, this is to ensure that students enter a well paying job for them to be able to pay their off their loans.
For-profit school programs who fail to meet the standards is at the risk of losing the financial aid they receive from the government. This is a colossal hit to for-profit schools since they were receiving billions of dollars from government aid- $24 billion federal tuition subsidies to be exact was given to them last year.
The Podesta Group, Heather Podesta + Partners and Brian Moran, former gubernatorial candidate of Virginia and brother of Representative Jim Moran (D-Va.) are working hand in hand with for-profit institutions to lobby the delay of the new ruling.
Meanwhile, former special counsel to President Bill Clinton (and columnist for The Hill), Lanny Davis, is advising the Coalition for Educational Success, which represents for –profit institutions.
Industry schools like the University of Phoenix, Kaplan Inc. and the Career College Association (CCA), the main industry organization have exhausted a rough estimate of $2.25 million in order to lobby for the first half of the year. Other investors and industries are also turning to K Street for back up.
Anne Duncan, DOE Secretary said that the purpose of this ruling is to prevent schools from burdening students with debts they can’t pay in exchange for a degree and some certificates they cannot purely utilize. But many Democrats are not in favor of this, warning that instead of helping students, this “would dramatically limit the programs available to minority and other at-risk students.” 47 other Democrats agreed to similar conclusions including Sen. Bill Nelson and Rep. John Spart and Debbie Wasserman Schultz.
“These programs are vital to educational achievement of students who would otherwise consider postsecondary education out of reach,” wrote one group of lawmakers, led by Rep. Edolphus Towns (D-N.Y.), chairman of the House Oversight Committee.
Change “could end up closing down hundreds of programs and leave hundreds of thousands of students without options” said Harris Miller, CEO and President of CCA.
Stirring the debate, a series of recent reports have suggested that the industry is plagued by aggressive recruiting and even fraud, which puts taxpayers on the hook when students can’t pay back their federal loans.
Last month, for instance, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) detailed cases where for-profit recruiters obscured the true costs to attend institutions; exaggerated post-graduation salaries and employability in the fields students were entering; and encouraged applicants to lie on submission forms to tap federal loans for which they weren’t eligible.
Top Senate Democrats including Dick Durbin and Tom Harkin, who chairs the Education Committee, recommended that the Government adopt the new gainful employment rule as written
“High student loan debt coupled with low repayment rates signal a questionable investment for students and taxpayers,” the senators wrote. “We encourage swift implementation of the gainful employment regulation and would be concerned with any efforts to weaken the proposal.”
Harris argued Wednesday that many of the industry criticisms — particularly the charge of fraud — target practices that are already illegal.
“You don’t need new rules for that,” he said. “That’s just plain-old against the law.”
Meanwhile, some of the Democratic strategists lobbying against the reforms are defending their break from the White House.
“If you’re a well-connected person or well-connected Democrat and you don’t have a client, you might want to rethink your line of work,” said one such lobbyist.
By the start of November, the Department of Education is expected to finalize the rules. They did not return requests for comment.
SOLARIA SUN
Sources:
Solaria Sun
The Government's drive to mediate student loan defaults and for-profit schools has brought about contradicting stands from the Democrats and spawn a new list of clientele for Washington's top firms.
An unusual mix of Liberals, Blue Dogs, members of the Congressional Black Caucus and committee chairmen, all critics of the new rule are now urging the Obama administration to postpone changes to give way to further studies. They postulated that changes with the ruling would affect college enrollment among low-income students attending for-profit institutions.
The issue at hand is the new rule that would entail for-profit schools show their graduates’ annual loan payments to be less than 8% of their starting salaries. The reason behind this is the ballooning loan debts of for-profit graduates. Also, this is to ensure that students enter a well paying job for them to be able to pay their off their loans.
For-profit school programs who fail to meet the standards is at the risk of losing the financial aid they receive from the government. This is a colossal hit to for-profit schools since they were receiving billions of dollars from government aid- $24 billion federal tuition subsidies to be exact was given to them last year.
The Podesta Group, Heather Podesta + Partners and Brian Moran, former gubernatorial candidate of Virginia and brother of Representative Jim Moran (D-Va.) are working hand in hand with for-profit institutions to lobby the delay of the new ruling.
Meanwhile, former special counsel to President Bill Clinton (and columnist for The Hill), Lanny Davis, is advising the Coalition for Educational Success, which represents for –profit institutions.
Industry schools like the University of Phoenix, Kaplan Inc. and the Career College Association (CCA), the main industry organization have exhausted a rough estimate of $2.25 million in order to lobby for the first half of the year. Other investors and industries are also turning to K Street for back up.
Anne Duncan, DOE Secretary said that the purpose of this ruling is to prevent schools from burdening students with debts they can’t pay in exchange for a degree and some certificates they cannot purely utilize. But many Democrats are not in favor of this, warning that instead of helping students, this “would dramatically limit the programs available to minority and other at-risk students.” 47 other Democrats agreed to similar conclusions including Sen. Bill Nelson and Rep. John Spart and Debbie Wasserman Schultz.
“These programs are vital to educational achievement of students who would otherwise consider postsecondary education out of reach,” wrote one group of lawmakers, led by Rep. Edolphus Towns (D-N.Y.), chairman of the House Oversight Committee.
Change “could end up closing down hundreds of programs and leave hundreds of thousands of students without options” said Harris Miller, CEO and President of CCA.
Stirring the debate, a series of recent reports have suggested that the industry is plagued by aggressive recruiting and even fraud, which puts taxpayers on the hook when students can’t pay back their federal loans.
Last month, for instance, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) detailed cases where for-profit recruiters obscured the true costs to attend institutions; exaggerated post-graduation salaries and employability in the fields students were entering; and encouraged applicants to lie on submission forms to tap federal loans for which they weren’t eligible.
Top Senate Democrats including Dick Durbin and Tom Harkin, who chairs the Education Committee, recommended that the Government adopt the new gainful employment rule as written
“High student loan debt coupled with low repayment rates signal a questionable investment for students and taxpayers,” the senators wrote. “We encourage swift implementation of the gainful employment regulation and would be concerned with any efforts to weaken the proposal.”
Harris argued Wednesday that many of the industry criticisms — particularly the charge of fraud — target practices that are already illegal.
“You don’t need new rules for that,” he said. “That’s just plain-old against the law.”
Meanwhile, some of the Democratic strategists lobbying against the reforms are defending their break from the White House.
“If you’re a well-connected person or well-connected Democrat and you don’t have a client, you might want to rethink your line of work,” said one such lobbyist.
By the start of November, the Department of Education is expected to finalize the rules. They did not return requests for comment.
SOLARIA SUN
Sources:
Solaria Sun
Enzi Blasts 'Gainful Employment' Proposal on For-profit Schools
http://www.careercollegecentral.com/news/enzi_blasts_gainful_employment
Enzi Blasts 'Gainful Employment' Proposal on For-profit Schools
Sen. Mike Enzi (Wyo.), senior Republican on the Senate education committee, is slamming a White House proposal designed to prevent students at for-profit career colleges from defaulting on their loans.
The proposal, Enzi said in comments submitted this month to the Department of Education (DOE), would not only disadvantage for-profit schools relative to their nonprofit competitors, but also limit access for many low-income and minority students, who tend to enroll in for-profits disproportionately.
"Admissions at for-profit institutions may become more selective, and otherwise academically qualified students may be denied admittance," Enzi wrote. "This outcome is contrary to nearly 50 years of Congressional efforts to make postsecondary education accessible to all Americans."
The comments echo those of scores of other lawmakers — many of them Democrats — who are pushing the administration to delay the rule until the issue can be studied further.
The issue is of great importance for the health sector because an enormous number of the nation's health professionals — from nurses to medical technicians — get their training at for-profits.
Under the proposed rule, for-profit programs would have to demonstrate that annual loan payments among recent graduates are less than 8 percent of their starting salaries. The idea is to ensure that graduates will be earning enough to pay off their debts after graduation.
The penalty for non-compliance is steep: Programs that fail to meet the standards could lose access to federal financial aid — of which 23 percent ($24 billion) went to for-profit schools last year.
Enzi said applying the new standards only to for-profit schools "will be sending the message that the Federal government is not concerned with the outcomes for over 75 percent of the Federal investment in student financial assistance."
Moreover, Enzi argued, it's not the government's role to ensure that students' educational choices "pay off."
"Federal student financial assistance has historically been provided to increase access and help make postsecondary education more affordable," Enzi wrote. "It does not remove the responsibility of students and their families to make informed choices and to understand the financial consequences of those decisions."
The comments put Enzi at sharp odds with Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), the chairman of the Senate education committee who's urging the White House to adopt the so-called "gainful employment" rule as quickly as possible.
“High student loan debt coupled with low repayment rates signal a questionable investment for students and taxpayers,” Harkin wrote to the DOE on Sept. 9. “[W]e encourage swift implementation of the gainful employment regulation and would be concerned with any efforts to weaken the proposal.”
Bolstering Harkin's argument, the Education Department this month issued new figures showing that the student-loan default rate at for-profits rose from 11 percent in 2007 to 11.6 percent in 2008 — much higher than default rates at nonprofit schools.
"While for-profit schools have profited and prospered thanks to federal dollars, some of their students have not," DOE Secretary Arne Duncan said in a statement announcing the figures.
Still, not all liberals are supporting the rule. Jesse Jackson, head of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, is on Enzi's side, arguing that the change, while well intended, would hurt minority students.
"The amount of debt a student incurs and the student’s ability to repay that debt are not reflections of the quality of an institution," Jackson wrote in his own comments submitted to DOE. "To apply a standard that looks at debt and repayment as a measure of quality misses a greater opportunity to hold all institutions to a higher standard of student outcomes, namely, graduation rates and successful post-graduation careers."
The DOE is hoping to finalize its rule by Nov. 1.
THE HILL
Sources:
The Hill
Enzi Blasts 'Gainful Employment' Proposal on For-profit Schools
Sen. Mike Enzi (Wyo.), senior Republican on the Senate education committee, is slamming a White House proposal designed to prevent students at for-profit career colleges from defaulting on their loans.
The proposal, Enzi said in comments submitted this month to the Department of Education (DOE), would not only disadvantage for-profit schools relative to their nonprofit competitors, but also limit access for many low-income and minority students, who tend to enroll in for-profits disproportionately.
"Admissions at for-profit institutions may become more selective, and otherwise academically qualified students may be denied admittance," Enzi wrote. "This outcome is contrary to nearly 50 years of Congressional efforts to make postsecondary education accessible to all Americans."
The comments echo those of scores of other lawmakers — many of them Democrats — who are pushing the administration to delay the rule until the issue can be studied further.
The issue is of great importance for the health sector because an enormous number of the nation's health professionals — from nurses to medical technicians — get their training at for-profits.
Under the proposed rule, for-profit programs would have to demonstrate that annual loan payments among recent graduates are less than 8 percent of their starting salaries. The idea is to ensure that graduates will be earning enough to pay off their debts after graduation.
The penalty for non-compliance is steep: Programs that fail to meet the standards could lose access to federal financial aid — of which 23 percent ($24 billion) went to for-profit schools last year.
Enzi said applying the new standards only to for-profit schools "will be sending the message that the Federal government is not concerned with the outcomes for over 75 percent of the Federal investment in student financial assistance."
Moreover, Enzi argued, it's not the government's role to ensure that students' educational choices "pay off."
"Federal student financial assistance has historically been provided to increase access and help make postsecondary education more affordable," Enzi wrote. "It does not remove the responsibility of students and their families to make informed choices and to understand the financial consequences of those decisions."
The comments put Enzi at sharp odds with Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), the chairman of the Senate education committee who's urging the White House to adopt the so-called "gainful employment" rule as quickly as possible.
“High student loan debt coupled with low repayment rates signal a questionable investment for students and taxpayers,” Harkin wrote to the DOE on Sept. 9. “[W]e encourage swift implementation of the gainful employment regulation and would be concerned with any efforts to weaken the proposal.”
Bolstering Harkin's argument, the Education Department this month issued new figures showing that the student-loan default rate at for-profits rose from 11 percent in 2007 to 11.6 percent in 2008 — much higher than default rates at nonprofit schools.
"While for-profit schools have profited and prospered thanks to federal dollars, some of their students have not," DOE Secretary Arne Duncan said in a statement announcing the figures.
Still, not all liberals are supporting the rule. Jesse Jackson, head of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, is on Enzi's side, arguing that the change, while well intended, would hurt minority students.
"The amount of debt a student incurs and the student’s ability to repay that debt are not reflections of the quality of an institution," Jackson wrote in his own comments submitted to DOE. "To apply a standard that looks at debt and repayment as a measure of quality misses a greater opportunity to hold all institutions to a higher standard of student outcomes, namely, graduation rates and successful post-graduation careers."
The DOE is hoping to finalize its rule by Nov. 1.
THE HILL
Sources:
The Hill
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Hiring and raises are starting to perk up but only modestly
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/11/AR2010091100013.html
By Anne Kates Smith
Sunday, September 12, 2010
In a welcome change for recession-weary workers, employers are hiring again. What's more, instead of the non-cash rewards that companies have been doling out to prized employees (or at least the ones still standing), the little something extra next year might actually be money. "Salary increases are back," says Mercer compensation consultant Loree Griffith.
Hiring is starting to perk up. A recent survey by Mercer found that 27 percent of companies are expanding their overall workforce, and only 3 percent are in the midst of broad-based staff reductions. A year earlier, just 12 percent of firms surveyed were expanding and 15 percent were cutting back. Caution prevails, however, as 45 percent of companies are hiring just enough newcomers to replace workers who have left, and 25 percent are hiring only in critical areas.
Most workers will receive raises in 2011: 98 percent of organizations surveyed by Mercer are planning increases. But few employees will consider their pay bump generous. Surveys show that employers are projecting median salary increases of about 3 percent or a little less for 2011, up from about 2.5 percent this year. Employees with the highest performance ratings will do better. Mercer projects that average pay increases for the highest-rated employees will be 4.5 percent in 2011, compared with 2.7 percent for workers receiving an average rating and just 1.5 percent for those deemed to be less competent.
In 2010 bosses have been most generous in the oil-and-gas and pharmaceutical industries, where raises have averaged 3.2 percent and 2.7 percent, respectively. At the bottom of the scale, health-care and education employees are seeing 2.1 percent pay increases. Companies are once again focusing on money as the best way to retain workers and keep them happy. Over the past 18 months, limited budgets for raises have meant more perks, such as flexible work schedules, more time off, training and career development, and opportunities to participate in special projects. Career training is still big, but so is cold, hard cash.
How can you get your fair share? Don't be afraid to ask, ask at the right time and frame your request in the right way. Most raises are awarded in the spring, after an annual review. But you should plant the idea with your supervisor when you see the health of the company starting to rebound. A good time to make the request is just after you've won accolades for a significant accomplishment.
Remember that performance is measured in terms of quantity, quality, cost and timeliness, says executive coach Robert Lorber, of Lorber Kamai Consulting Group, in El Macero, Calif. Have you pitched in to cover for laid-off colleagues or helped to increase your company's market share? Reduced errors or improved production? Gotten customers to pay more quickly or shaved your division's budget through cost savings? Have you continued to meet or beat deadlines despite staff reductions?
Document each success. Now more than ever, companies emphasize variable pay models based on contributions to the bottom line. Show that you're moving the needle in the right direction, and your boss just might show you the money.
-- Kiplinger's Personal Finance
By Anne Kates Smith
Sunday, September 12, 2010
In a welcome change for recession-weary workers, employers are hiring again. What's more, instead of the non-cash rewards that companies have been doling out to prized employees (or at least the ones still standing), the little something extra next year might actually be money. "Salary increases are back," says Mercer compensation consultant Loree Griffith.
Hiring is starting to perk up. A recent survey by Mercer found that 27 percent of companies are expanding their overall workforce, and only 3 percent are in the midst of broad-based staff reductions. A year earlier, just 12 percent of firms surveyed were expanding and 15 percent were cutting back. Caution prevails, however, as 45 percent of companies are hiring just enough newcomers to replace workers who have left, and 25 percent are hiring only in critical areas.
Most workers will receive raises in 2011: 98 percent of organizations surveyed by Mercer are planning increases. But few employees will consider their pay bump generous. Surveys show that employers are projecting median salary increases of about 3 percent or a little less for 2011, up from about 2.5 percent this year. Employees with the highest performance ratings will do better. Mercer projects that average pay increases for the highest-rated employees will be 4.5 percent in 2011, compared with 2.7 percent for workers receiving an average rating and just 1.5 percent for those deemed to be less competent.
In 2010 bosses have been most generous in the oil-and-gas and pharmaceutical industries, where raises have averaged 3.2 percent and 2.7 percent, respectively. At the bottom of the scale, health-care and education employees are seeing 2.1 percent pay increases. Companies are once again focusing on money as the best way to retain workers and keep them happy. Over the past 18 months, limited budgets for raises have meant more perks, such as flexible work schedules, more time off, training and career development, and opportunities to participate in special projects. Career training is still big, but so is cold, hard cash.
How can you get your fair share? Don't be afraid to ask, ask at the right time and frame your request in the right way. Most raises are awarded in the spring, after an annual review. But you should plant the idea with your supervisor when you see the health of the company starting to rebound. A good time to make the request is just after you've won accolades for a significant accomplishment.
Remember that performance is measured in terms of quantity, quality, cost and timeliness, says executive coach Robert Lorber, of Lorber Kamai Consulting Group, in El Macero, Calif. Have you pitched in to cover for laid-off colleagues or helped to increase your company's market share? Reduced errors or improved production? Gotten customers to pay more quickly or shaved your division's budget through cost savings? Have you continued to meet or beat deadlines despite staff reductions?
Document each success. Now more than ever, companies emphasize variable pay models based on contributions to the bottom line. Show that you're moving the needle in the right direction, and your boss just might show you the money.
-- Kiplinger's Personal Finance
Friday, September 10, 2010
PHP backdoor security surprise uncovered
PHP backdoor security surprise uncovered
by Davey Winder on Sep 10th, 2010, 5:54 am
Everyone loves PHP these days it seems, and that includes the bad guys. So it should come as no surprise to learn that yet another remote access Trojan written using PHP has appeared. However, the fact that this particular bit of PHP backdoor code comes complete with a second, hidden, backdoor within it certainly was surprising to the security researcher who found it. DaniWeb has been talking to that researcher to find out more...
"Is there no honor among thieves anymore?" asks Andrew Brandt, the Lead Threat Analyst for security specialists Webroot, when disclosing the details of his PHP double backdoor discovery. It's a good question, albeit one that just begs an answer of 'was there ever?' to be fair. Being a threat analyst for a leading security vendor, Brandt spends a lot of time picking through exploit code. So it was not unusual for him to find himself examining the internal workings of a PHP remote access Trojan that loads into memory on a target computer when the victim strays upon the iframe which points to the PHP script sitting embedded in a web page. "The code is nicely appointed with such desirable features as the ability to execute shell commands on the host server, send a flood of data packets at another computer, and scan remote computers" Brandt reveals.
In fact, it's fairly standard bad guy stuff, albeit well written bad guy stuff. Until you start to dig a little deeper into the code, as Brandt found himself compelled to do, and find another backdoor embedded within the backdoor itself. "Someone’s bugged this bug with another bug" Brandt says, adding that the second chunk of code looks like a blob of base64-encoded garbage but decoding the base64-encoded text, set into the $dc_source variable, reveals that the bot writes out the commands into a Perl script to execute them. Invoked during the PHP bot's loading routine this commands the original bot to connect to a different control server, operated by another criminal enterprise to the ones that coded the original Trojan. No honor among thieves indeed, using someone else's code and distribution network to spread your own exploit around. You've got to admire the chutzpah of these guys. The 'Data Cha0s Connect Back Backdoor' is not exactly new, it has to be said, as a Google search reveals it first being seen as far back as 2005. The fact that it is still appearing in remote access Trojans being coded and distributed today is, however, rather worrying and suggests the gang behind it are still going strong.
DaniWeb spoke to Andrew Brandt and asked just how dangerous PHP is in the overall security threat landscape scheme of things?
"Many very useful websites or content management systems are built on a PHP framework. That said, PHP can and has been used as a tool for malicious activity, just like Javascript. PHP backdoors, bots, and download code has been part of the threat landscape for some time. There are hundreds of different bots, backdoors, and other malicious server-side PHP code floating around. But this isn't a problem with PHP, inherently, just as Windows malware isn't a C++ or Delphi problem. Malicious people will use whatever tools are at their disposal to engage in malicious activity. PHP happens to be a particularly powerful and useful tool, but whether one uses it for good or evil depends on the human doing the coding at the keyboard" Brandt says.
So what advice does Andrew have for DaniWeb members looking to mitigate the risk?
"There are two people who face risks from this kind of malware: The owners/operators of websites or web hosting companies, and the hapless web surfers who stumble upon these pages" Brandt replies, continuing "Website owners or hosting companies need to enact strict password policies that require users to create passwords of adequate complexity, and to change those passwords regularly. Passwords shouldn't be allowed to persist for longer than 90 days, to mitigate the damage that can be caused when, for example, the admin who normally uploads content to the server finds their computer compromised by the Zbot, Spyeye, or Koobface phishing Trojans. Anyone who uses an FTP client application on Windows needs to be aware of the special level of risks and threats posed by password stealing Trojans. Computers which are used for the purpose of maintaining websites or web content need to be protected with extra care, and not used for casual surfing, checking personal email, logging in to Facebook, or "letting the kids play games."
What about the web surfers? "Web surfers should protect themselves by using current, up-to-date antivirus, as well as some sort of scripting controls on their browser" Brandt insists, concluding "businesses can use filtering solutions to protect company computers from various attack scripts employees might stumble upon. Firefox has a great third-party add-on called NoScript which, by default, prevents scripts from running in a web page unless the user has selectively chosen to enable a particular site's scripts to run. This can, for example, prevent a rogue script hosted on an advertising server from running, while permitting you to use your favorite news or information website the way you normally would."
by Davey Winder on Sep 10th, 2010, 5:54 am
Everyone loves PHP these days it seems, and that includes the bad guys. So it should come as no surprise to learn that yet another remote access Trojan written using PHP has appeared. However, the fact that this particular bit of PHP backdoor code comes complete with a second, hidden, backdoor within it certainly was surprising to the security researcher who found it. DaniWeb has been talking to that researcher to find out more...
"Is there no honor among thieves anymore?" asks Andrew Brandt, the Lead Threat Analyst for security specialists Webroot, when disclosing the details of his PHP double backdoor discovery. It's a good question, albeit one that just begs an answer of 'was there ever?' to be fair. Being a threat analyst for a leading security vendor, Brandt spends a lot of time picking through exploit code. So it was not unusual for him to find himself examining the internal workings of a PHP remote access Trojan that loads into memory on a target computer when the victim strays upon the iframe which points to the PHP script sitting embedded in a web page. "The code is nicely appointed with such desirable features as the ability to execute shell commands on the host server, send a flood of data packets at another computer, and scan remote computers" Brandt reveals.
In fact, it's fairly standard bad guy stuff, albeit well written bad guy stuff. Until you start to dig a little deeper into the code, as Brandt found himself compelled to do, and find another backdoor embedded within the backdoor itself. "Someone’s bugged this bug with another bug" Brandt says, adding that the second chunk of code looks like a blob of base64-encoded garbage but decoding the base64-encoded text, set into the $dc_source variable, reveals that the bot writes out the commands into a Perl script to execute them. Invoked during the PHP bot's loading routine this commands the original bot to connect to a different control server, operated by another criminal enterprise to the ones that coded the original Trojan. No honor among thieves indeed, using someone else's code and distribution network to spread your own exploit around. You've got to admire the chutzpah of these guys. The 'Data Cha0s Connect Back Backdoor' is not exactly new, it has to be said, as a Google search reveals it first being seen as far back as 2005. The fact that it is still appearing in remote access Trojans being coded and distributed today is, however, rather worrying and suggests the gang behind it are still going strong.
DaniWeb spoke to Andrew Brandt and asked just how dangerous PHP is in the overall security threat landscape scheme of things?
"Many very useful websites or content management systems are built on a PHP framework. That said, PHP can and has been used as a tool for malicious activity, just like Javascript. PHP backdoors, bots, and download code has been part of the threat landscape for some time. There are hundreds of different bots, backdoors, and other malicious server-side PHP code floating around. But this isn't a problem with PHP, inherently, just as Windows malware isn't a C++ or Delphi problem. Malicious people will use whatever tools are at their disposal to engage in malicious activity. PHP happens to be a particularly powerful and useful tool, but whether one uses it for good or evil depends on the human doing the coding at the keyboard" Brandt says.
So what advice does Andrew have for DaniWeb members looking to mitigate the risk?
"There are two people who face risks from this kind of malware: The owners/operators of websites or web hosting companies, and the hapless web surfers who stumble upon these pages" Brandt replies, continuing "Website owners or hosting companies need to enact strict password policies that require users to create passwords of adequate complexity, and to change those passwords regularly. Passwords shouldn't be allowed to persist for longer than 90 days, to mitigate the damage that can be caused when, for example, the admin who normally uploads content to the server finds their computer compromised by the Zbot, Spyeye, or Koobface phishing Trojans. Anyone who uses an FTP client application on Windows needs to be aware of the special level of risks and threats posed by password stealing Trojans. Computers which are used for the purpose of maintaining websites or web content need to be protected with extra care, and not used for casual surfing, checking personal email, logging in to Facebook, or "letting the kids play games."
What about the web surfers? "Web surfers should protect themselves by using current, up-to-date antivirus, as well as some sort of scripting controls on their browser" Brandt insists, concluding "businesses can use filtering solutions to protect company computers from various attack scripts employees might stumble upon. Firefox has a great third-party add-on called NoScript which, by default, prevents scripts from running in a web page unless the user has selectively chosen to enable a particular site's scripts to run. This can, for example, prevent a rogue script hosted on an advertising server from running, while permitting you to use your favorite news or information website the way you normally would."
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Slower U.S. Capital Investment May Reach Job Market
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-08-26/business-spending-drop-in-u-s-may-hit-job-market-undermining-recovery.html
Slower U.S. Capital Investment May Reach Job Market
A slowdown in U.S. business investment may soon hit the job market, further hindering a recovery in the world’s largest economy.
Capital spending, one of the few bright spots in the recovery, declined in July, according to Commerce Department figures released yesterday in Washington. Sales of new homes fell to the lowest level since data began in 1963, another report from the same agency showed, indicating a lack of jobs is crippling housing.
Employers are reluctant to take on more staff until they see more evidence of durable growth, keeping unemployment near a 26-year high and holding back the consumer spending that makes up 70 percent of the economy. A Labor Department report next week may show that private payrolls failed to grow in August for the first time in eight months, said Michael Feroli, chief U.S. economist at JPMorgan Chase & Co. in New York.
“If capital spending does weaken further, then that raises some concerns about labor demand and whether firms want to increase hires,” said Feroli, who reckons the odds of a recession have increased in the past two weeks to about one-in- three. A decline in private payrolls “would raise some concern about whether the recovery is proceeding or not. If you see a couple of months of decline you’d be more confident that we actually were in a recession.”
Jobless Claims
Applications for unemployment benefits dropped by 31,000 last week to 473,000, the Labor Department said today. The weekly average over the past month climbed to the highest level since November even as the latest reading provided some relief that the job market isn’t rapidly deteriorating as the economy slows.
Claims were forecast to fall to 490,000, according to the median estimate of 48 economists surveyed by Bloomberg News. Projections ranged from 475,000 to 510,000.
Yesterday’s Commerce Department report showed bookings in July for goods made to last at least three years rose 0.3 percent, compared with the 3 percent median gain forecast in a Bloomberg survey. Excluding transportation equipment, demand fell by the most in more than a year.
Orders for non-defense capital goods excluding aircraft, a proxy for future business investment, dropped 8 percent after climbing 3.6 percent in June. Over the past three months, these orders climbed at a 20 percent annual pace, down from a 31 percent gain in the three months to June, signaling companies will rein in investment.
Equipment Shipments
Shipments of those items, used in calculating gross domestic product, decreased 1.5 percent after rising 1 percent in June. A report from the Commerce Department tomorrow may show the economy expanded at a 1.4 percent rate in the second quarter, down from the 2.4 percent pace previously estimated.
“The manufacturing sector that has played a leading role in the economic recovery to date is beginning to ebb,” said John Lonski, chief economist at Moody’s Capital Markets Group in New York, who also put the odds of another economic slump at about one-in-three, twice as high as earlier this year. “That warns of a softening in economic growth in the months ahead.”
Yesterday’s reports put pressure on the Federal Reserve to take additional steps to sustain the recovery from the worst downturn since the 1930s. Policy makers led by Chairman Ben S. Bernanke on Aug. 10 decided to keep the Fed’s holdings of securities stable at $2.05 trillion to prevent money from being drained from the financial system.
Goldman Sachs
Economists at Goldman Sachs Group Inc. yesterday said in a note to clients that further action from the Fed “will be forthcoming later this year or early next year, as slow growth and rising unemployment raise concerns about a potential double dip,” or a relapse into a recession.
With little more than two months remaining before the midterm elections in which Republicans hope to claim a majority in Congress, some lawmakers are stepping up attacks on Democrats. House Republican leader John Boehner this week called on President Barack Obama to fire Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and the other remaining members of the president’s economic team, saying the stimulus policies are failing to create jobs.
Stocks rallied yesterday, erasing earlier losses, and Treasuries dropped on speculation the retreat in riskier assets was overdone given the economic outlook. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index rose 0.3 percent to 1,055.33 at the 4 p.m. close in New York. The yield on the benchmark 10-year note increased to 2.54 percent from 2.49 percent.
Shares of Manufacturers
Shares of manufacturers are still outperforming the broader market. The Standard & Poor’s Supercomposite Machinery Index is up 5.8 percent so far this year through yesterday, while the S&P 500 is down 5.4 percent.
Cisco Systems Inc., the world’s largest maker of networking equipment, this month forecast first-quarter sales that missed analysts’ estimates. Chief Executive Officer John Chambers said the San Jose, California-based company was seeing “unusual uncertainty” and getting “mixed signals” about the health of the economy.
Michael Hilton, chief executive officer of Nordson Corp., said the company’s customers, while “a little more cautious,” are still placing orders at a robust pace. Bookings at the Westlake, Ohio-based maker of machines that apply adhesives rose 30 percent in the three months ended Aug. 15 from a year earlier.
Recovery ‘Uncertain’
“The shape of global recovery continues to remain uncertain,” Hilton said on an Aug. 20 conference call with analysts. “Most economists expect slower growth in the second half of the calendar year given the lack of an inventory build and fiscal stimulus, and with China attempting to rein in growth, yet they still project growth and not a double-dip.”
Private payrolls that exclude government agencies rose by 71,000 in July after gaining 31,000 the previous month. Companies added workers at a faster pace earlier this year, boosting payrolls by 158,000 in March and 241,000 in April, according to Labor Department figures.
A survey of economists by Bloomberg this month forecast unemployment will end the year at 9.5 percent, unchanged from the rate in June and July.
Slower U.S. Capital Investment May Reach Job Market
A slowdown in U.S. business investment may soon hit the job market, further hindering a recovery in the world’s largest economy.
Capital spending, one of the few bright spots in the recovery, declined in July, according to Commerce Department figures released yesterday in Washington. Sales of new homes fell to the lowest level since data began in 1963, another report from the same agency showed, indicating a lack of jobs is crippling housing.
Employers are reluctant to take on more staff until they see more evidence of durable growth, keeping unemployment near a 26-year high and holding back the consumer spending that makes up 70 percent of the economy. A Labor Department report next week may show that private payrolls failed to grow in August for the first time in eight months, said Michael Feroli, chief U.S. economist at JPMorgan Chase & Co. in New York.
“If capital spending does weaken further, then that raises some concerns about labor demand and whether firms want to increase hires,” said Feroli, who reckons the odds of a recession have increased in the past two weeks to about one-in- three. A decline in private payrolls “would raise some concern about whether the recovery is proceeding or not. If you see a couple of months of decline you’d be more confident that we actually were in a recession.”
Jobless Claims
Applications for unemployment benefits dropped by 31,000 last week to 473,000, the Labor Department said today. The weekly average over the past month climbed to the highest level since November even as the latest reading provided some relief that the job market isn’t rapidly deteriorating as the economy slows.
Claims were forecast to fall to 490,000, according to the median estimate of 48 economists surveyed by Bloomberg News. Projections ranged from 475,000 to 510,000.
Yesterday’s Commerce Department report showed bookings in July for goods made to last at least three years rose 0.3 percent, compared with the 3 percent median gain forecast in a Bloomberg survey. Excluding transportation equipment, demand fell by the most in more than a year.
Orders for non-defense capital goods excluding aircraft, a proxy for future business investment, dropped 8 percent after climbing 3.6 percent in June. Over the past three months, these orders climbed at a 20 percent annual pace, down from a 31 percent gain in the three months to June, signaling companies will rein in investment.
Equipment Shipments
Shipments of those items, used in calculating gross domestic product, decreased 1.5 percent after rising 1 percent in June. A report from the Commerce Department tomorrow may show the economy expanded at a 1.4 percent rate in the second quarter, down from the 2.4 percent pace previously estimated.
“The manufacturing sector that has played a leading role in the economic recovery to date is beginning to ebb,” said John Lonski, chief economist at Moody’s Capital Markets Group in New York, who also put the odds of another economic slump at about one-in-three, twice as high as earlier this year. “That warns of a softening in economic growth in the months ahead.”
Yesterday’s reports put pressure on the Federal Reserve to take additional steps to sustain the recovery from the worst downturn since the 1930s. Policy makers led by Chairman Ben S. Bernanke on Aug. 10 decided to keep the Fed’s holdings of securities stable at $2.05 trillion to prevent money from being drained from the financial system.
Goldman Sachs
Economists at Goldman Sachs Group Inc. yesterday said in a note to clients that further action from the Fed “will be forthcoming later this year or early next year, as slow growth and rising unemployment raise concerns about a potential double dip,” or a relapse into a recession.
With little more than two months remaining before the midterm elections in which Republicans hope to claim a majority in Congress, some lawmakers are stepping up attacks on Democrats. House Republican leader John Boehner this week called on President Barack Obama to fire Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and the other remaining members of the president’s economic team, saying the stimulus policies are failing to create jobs.
Stocks rallied yesterday, erasing earlier losses, and Treasuries dropped on speculation the retreat in riskier assets was overdone given the economic outlook. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index rose 0.3 percent to 1,055.33 at the 4 p.m. close in New York. The yield on the benchmark 10-year note increased to 2.54 percent from 2.49 percent.
Shares of Manufacturers
Shares of manufacturers are still outperforming the broader market. The Standard & Poor’s Supercomposite Machinery Index is up 5.8 percent so far this year through yesterday, while the S&P 500 is down 5.4 percent.
Cisco Systems Inc., the world’s largest maker of networking equipment, this month forecast first-quarter sales that missed analysts’ estimates. Chief Executive Officer John Chambers said the San Jose, California-based company was seeing “unusual uncertainty” and getting “mixed signals” about the health of the economy.
Michael Hilton, chief executive officer of Nordson Corp., said the company’s customers, while “a little more cautious,” are still placing orders at a robust pace. Bookings at the Westlake, Ohio-based maker of machines that apply adhesives rose 30 percent in the three months ended Aug. 15 from a year earlier.
Recovery ‘Uncertain’
“The shape of global recovery continues to remain uncertain,” Hilton said on an Aug. 20 conference call with analysts. “Most economists expect slower growth in the second half of the calendar year given the lack of an inventory build and fiscal stimulus, and with China attempting to rein in growth, yet they still project growth and not a double-dip.”
Private payrolls that exclude government agencies rose by 71,000 in July after gaining 31,000 the previous month. Companies added workers at a faster pace earlier this year, boosting payrolls by 158,000 in March and 241,000 in April, according to Labor Department figures.
A survey of economists by Bloomberg this month forecast unemployment will end the year at 9.5 percent, unchanged from the rate in June and July.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Economic Trends Index Rises, But S-L-O-W-L-Y
Economic Trends Index Rises, But S-L-O-W-L-Y
by John Zappe Aug 9, 2010, 2:37 pm ET
http://www.ere.net/2010/08/09/economic-trends-index-rises-but-s-l-o-w-l-y/
Another sign of the weak U.S. recovery: The Conference Board’s Employment Trends Index, released this morning, added three-tenths of a point in July, and now stands at 97.0.
To put this into perspective, the ETI stood at 100 in 1996, shortly after the economy began its Internet-fueled meteoric rise. By 2000 it was past 120 on its way (but not quite reaching) 130.
Though the ETI is now 9.8 percent higher than it was a year ago, its growth has slowed significantly in the last three months. In May, the index was 96.1. In April it was 95.2 and in March it was 93.9. June’s index was 96.7.
“The growth rate of the Employment Trends Index slowed sharply in the past three months, suggesting that employment growth will remain too weak to keep up with the increase in the working-age population,” said Gad Levanon, associate director, Macroeconomic Research at The Conference Board. “The disappointing employment numbers may indicate that the low levels of household spending and confidence are making businesses more cautious when it comes to hiring.”
Though there are several indices of economic health and trends compiled by The Conference Board, its Economic Trends Index is unique in that it is a composite of multiple measures. Among other things, it takes into account initial unemployment claims filed, the number of temp workers hired as reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Federal Reserve’s Industrial Production Index, and the percentage reporting they find “Jobs Hard to Get” from The Conference Board’s own Consumer Confidence Survey.
According to The Conference Board, “The main benefit of looking at a composite index is that individual indicators sometimes show erratic movements from month to month that do not necessarily reflect underlying trends.”
The Economic Trends Index reinforces what the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday: the unemployment rate was unchanged, while new, private sector jobs created in July was a mere 71,000, less than half what economists estimate is needed to keep pace with workforce growth.
tags: economicdata, trends
by John Zappe Aug 9, 2010, 2:37 pm ET
http://www.ere.net/2010/08/09/economic-trends-index-rises-but-s-l-o-w-l-y/
Another sign of the weak U.S. recovery: The Conference Board’s Employment Trends Index, released this morning, added three-tenths of a point in July, and now stands at 97.0.
To put this into perspective, the ETI stood at 100 in 1996, shortly after the economy began its Internet-fueled meteoric rise. By 2000 it was past 120 on its way (but not quite reaching) 130.
Though the ETI is now 9.8 percent higher than it was a year ago, its growth has slowed significantly in the last three months. In May, the index was 96.1. In April it was 95.2 and in March it was 93.9. June’s index was 96.7.
“The growth rate of the Employment Trends Index slowed sharply in the past three months, suggesting that employment growth will remain too weak to keep up with the increase in the working-age population,” said Gad Levanon, associate director, Macroeconomic Research at The Conference Board. “The disappointing employment numbers may indicate that the low levels of household spending and confidence are making businesses more cautious when it comes to hiring.”
Though there are several indices of economic health and trends compiled by The Conference Board, its Economic Trends Index is unique in that it is a composite of multiple measures. Among other things, it takes into account initial unemployment claims filed, the number of temp workers hired as reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Federal Reserve’s Industrial Production Index, and the percentage reporting they find “Jobs Hard to Get” from The Conference Board’s own Consumer Confidence Survey.
According to The Conference Board, “The main benefit of looking at a composite index is that individual indicators sometimes show erratic movements from month to month that do not necessarily reflect underlying trends.”
The Economic Trends Index reinforces what the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday: the unemployment rate was unchanged, while new, private sector jobs created in July was a mere 71,000, less than half what economists estimate is needed to keep pace with workforce growth.
tags: economicdata, trends
The Sad Existence of the Active Candidate
The Sad Existence of the Active Candidate
by Howard Adamsky Aug 9, 2010, 2:09 pm ET
http://www.ere.net/2010/08/09/the-sad-existence-of-the-active-candidate/#more-14259
“To see the right and not do it is cowardice.”
–Author Unknown
A recent article by John Zappe entitled Should We Be Telling the Unemployed Not to Apply? was excellent. Furthermore, judging by the varied, contentious, and well-thought-out comments, John’s work clearly struck a nerve with a cross section of ERE readership, this writer included.
Tell the unemployed not to apply? Why not? Welcome to the ugly underbelly of capitalism, artificially induced fairness, and employment rage of the masses. Welcome to the new world order that simply does not have enough to go around, combined with the enabling technology’s required to outsource as many possible jobs to the most dirt-poor places on this planet. Think of how Ralph Lauren lives and think of how those who make his clothing live. Beyond despicable.
Welcome to the sad realization that capitalism tends to work far better when there is a surplus as opposed to a shortage; when there is an oily excess that tends to hide the evil of discrimination and of inequity and of monstrous corruption. Welcome to the post-surplus economy of underemployment and lost careers, of investments vaporized and the numbing fury that accompanies learned helpless. Welcome the myopic CEO who views employees as an expense to cut as opposed to an investment to nurture. Welcome my fiends, to the new normal.
Not hire the unemployed? Horrifying, of course, but let’s be honest here. Discrimination of the unemployed has been going on for as long as I have been recruiting. (Also among the short, gay, old, obese, and assorted others but later for that.) Unspeakably evil in its intent as well as its outcome, but let’s be realistic: most companies do not want to hire the unemployed. After all, if they were any good, they would have a job right?
If, as a recruiter, if you do not see this as an almost everyday reality, then you fall into one of four categories:
You work for one of the small handful of organizations that try to do what is right.
You recruit for some type of a job that is so hard to fill that no one really cares about anything if the person is qualified to do the job. Two heads? No problem here.
You push like hell to influence decisions that allow you to sleep at night.
You are living under a rock.
Not hiring the unemployed used to be a dark little secret, but not anymore. Care to know what gave it a sense of being OK? The passive candidate movement, of course. See The Myth of the Passive Candidate and read the comments; your comments. Passive recruiting, although not necessarily evil in its intent, was the beginning of the legitimization of discrimination against active candidates, as it preached the wonders of going to the “deepest, darkest corners of the web” to identify candidates. Quite frankly, passive recruiting lined the pockets of many, and told us that those looking for a job are losers. Honestly, if this is not a felonious embarrassment to the world of recruiting, what is? Want passive candidates? Go and get them after the active ones have been ruled out because they are unqualified, not before. (I am always on the hunt for work so that makes me an active candidate. Think I‘m an incompetent?)
How to fix it?
Do we need “smarter, more-business-savvy recruiters with backbones” as per Steve Levy’s suggestion? Of course.
Do we need more government in our business to help us to go from inefficient to less efficient? God no.
Do we need self-policing and internal audits to secure the elusive fairness for which we claim to struggle? Nope.
We need what has been lost in our society: a sense of fairness, decency, and community. A belief that we need to do what makes us right as opposed to what makes us rich. Even in this age of bad behavior and gushing oil, trips to rehab and corporate looters, it is important to manage this situation and remember that if we fail in the effort to achieve decency, no small gains form any company profit will help us come to any good. To tell anyone that active candidates are of poor quality solely because they are active in the midst of the worst economic times since the great depression is unconscionable.
by Howard Adamsky Aug 9, 2010, 2:09 pm ET
http://www.ere.net/2010/08/09/the-sad-existence-of-the-active-candidate/#more-14259
“To see the right and not do it is cowardice.”
–Author Unknown
A recent article by John Zappe entitled Should We Be Telling the Unemployed Not to Apply? was excellent. Furthermore, judging by the varied, contentious, and well-thought-out comments, John’s work clearly struck a nerve with a cross section of ERE readership, this writer included.
Tell the unemployed not to apply? Why not? Welcome to the ugly underbelly of capitalism, artificially induced fairness, and employment rage of the masses. Welcome to the new world order that simply does not have enough to go around, combined with the enabling technology’s required to outsource as many possible jobs to the most dirt-poor places on this planet. Think of how Ralph Lauren lives and think of how those who make his clothing live. Beyond despicable.
Welcome to the sad realization that capitalism tends to work far better when there is a surplus as opposed to a shortage; when there is an oily excess that tends to hide the evil of discrimination and of inequity and of monstrous corruption. Welcome to the post-surplus economy of underemployment and lost careers, of investments vaporized and the numbing fury that accompanies learned helpless. Welcome the myopic CEO who views employees as an expense to cut as opposed to an investment to nurture. Welcome my fiends, to the new normal.
Not hire the unemployed? Horrifying, of course, but let’s be honest here. Discrimination of the unemployed has been going on for as long as I have been recruiting. (Also among the short, gay, old, obese, and assorted others but later for that.) Unspeakably evil in its intent as well as its outcome, but let’s be realistic: most companies do not want to hire the unemployed. After all, if they were any good, they would have a job right?
If, as a recruiter, if you do not see this as an almost everyday reality, then you fall into one of four categories:
You work for one of the small handful of organizations that try to do what is right.
You recruit for some type of a job that is so hard to fill that no one really cares about anything if the person is qualified to do the job. Two heads? No problem here.
You push like hell to influence decisions that allow you to sleep at night.
You are living under a rock.
Not hiring the unemployed used to be a dark little secret, but not anymore. Care to know what gave it a sense of being OK? The passive candidate movement, of course. See The Myth of the Passive Candidate and read the comments; your comments. Passive recruiting, although not necessarily evil in its intent, was the beginning of the legitimization of discrimination against active candidates, as it preached the wonders of going to the “deepest, darkest corners of the web” to identify candidates. Quite frankly, passive recruiting lined the pockets of many, and told us that those looking for a job are losers. Honestly, if this is not a felonious embarrassment to the world of recruiting, what is? Want passive candidates? Go and get them after the active ones have been ruled out because they are unqualified, not before. (I am always on the hunt for work so that makes me an active candidate. Think I‘m an incompetent?)
How to fix it?
Do we need “smarter, more-business-savvy recruiters with backbones” as per Steve Levy’s suggestion? Of course.
Do we need more government in our business to help us to go from inefficient to less efficient? God no.
Do we need self-policing and internal audits to secure the elusive fairness for which we claim to struggle? Nope.
We need what has been lost in our society: a sense of fairness, decency, and community. A belief that we need to do what makes us right as opposed to what makes us rich. Even in this age of bad behavior and gushing oil, trips to rehab and corporate looters, it is important to manage this situation and remember that if we fail in the effort to achieve decency, no small gains form any company profit will help us come to any good. To tell anyone that active candidates are of poor quality solely because they are active in the midst of the worst economic times since the great depression is unconscionable.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
9 Tips For Building, Branding and Maximizing Your Profile And Exposure on LinkedIn
http://socialmediatoday.com/stephanie-frasco/159321/9-tips-building-branding-and-maximizing-your-profile-and-exposure-linkedin
While LinkedIn might be the old dog in the Social Media race, it still remains as one of the most powerful tools in Business Building and Connecting online.
Where Facebook might be getting all of the press, LinkedIn offers something that Facebook cannot – a “Business-Only” platform for building your brand, product, and personal profile.
Just one look at the statistics and it is apparent that LinkedIn must not be ignored, but should be embraced.
• LinkedIn has over 70 million members in over 200 countries.
• A little over half of them are from outside the US
• A new member joins LinkedIn approximately every second
• 85% of them are online everyday
• Over 7 million are Business Decision Makers
• There were more than a billion people-searches through the site last year
• 50% of Fortune 100 companies hire through LinkedIn
4 Types of LinkedIn users
According to a great report by Anderson Analytics there are 4 types of LinkedIn users all with their own personalities and way of using the site.
1. “Savvy Networkers” (est. 9 million) are likely to have started using social networking earlier than others, are more tech savvy, and more likely to be active on other SNS sites like Facebook. Savvy Networkers have the most connections (61 on average) and are more likely than other segments to use LinkedIn for a wide variety of purposes other than job searching. Savvy Networkers have the second highest average personal income ($93,500) and may often have the word “Consultant” in their job description.
2. “Senior Executives” (est. 8.4 million) are somewhat less tech savvy and is using LinkedIn to connect to their existing corporate networks. They have power jobs which they are quite content with, and are likely to have been invited by a colleague and then realized how many key contacts were on the site and started building connections (32 on average). Senior Executives have the highest average personal income ($104,000) and have titles such as Owner, Partner, Executive, or Associate.
3. “Late Adopters” (est. 6.6 million) are likely to have received numerous requests from friends and co-workers before deciding to join. They are somewhat less tech savvy and are careful in how they use LinkedIn, tending to connect only to close friends and colleagues and have the fewest number of connections (23 on average). Late Adopters have the lowest average personal income ($88,000) and have titles such as Teacher, Medical Professional, Lawyer, or the word “Account” or “Assistant” in their job description.
4. “Exploring Options” (est. 6.1 million) may be working, but are open and looking for other job options often on CareerBuilder.com, perhaps in part because they have the lowest average personal income ($87,500). They are fairly tech savvy and use SNS for both corporate and personal interests.
With 70 million people on LinkedIn and tons of people actively using LinkedIn your profile needs to stand out.
9 Tips To Maximizing Your Exposure on LinkedIn:
1. HAVE AN SEO KEYWORD HEAVY PROFILE
There are over a billion people searches a year on LinkedIn. This means that most likely they are searching for keywords, different types of people, positions, and brands. Your profile should be rich in the keywords that relate to you. These keywords should be the ones that people want to find you by. They should range from broad to highly specific and targeted. A good place to put these besides your bio is in the “Specialties” category.
Think in terms of SEO here, content is King. The more keywords you have the better chances you have of being found. This goes for an internet search as well as a LinkedIn search. Beyond getting you more visibility on LinkedIN it will also get more click through traffic from the internet.
2. MAKE YOUR HEADLINE POP!
Your headline is the first thing that people may read so you want it to be catchy. For example, Social Media Guru, doesn’t really do the job because there are millions of people out there claiming to be one. Mini-Social Media Mogul on the other hand might grab the attention of more people. Lure them in with your headline and wow them with your expertise. Remember you only have 120 characters to lure them in…so think about it and make it standout!
Another tip – if you want to open yourself up to new ventures and opportunities is to add your email to your headline. As many people do not have the upgraded feature and thus won’t be able to email you through the LinkedIn service. I have seen many profiles do this, and when it comes to outreach on my side, it made my life much easier!
3. BE A BLOGGER!
Now you might be saying, what does a blog have to do with LinkedIn, and I will get to that in the next tip. But for now read on and see why blogging is so important.
Blogging is the key component to building and branding yourself as an expert. It also adds trust. The more information you give, the more likely someone is to trust you. I think everyone should have a blog or at the very least own their own domain with their name in it. – StephanieFrasco.com – for example. (That’s me).
Now you might be saying, blogging, ugh how am I supposed to find the time for that. While it might be time consuming, it is very important for your overall success and branding of your name. This could be a microblog or even blog clippings from other blogs relating to your industry and the news around it.
If you absolutely don’t have time to blog, buy your domain name and hire SEOARTICLEWRITINGPROS.com, They are an amazing company that produces great quality, keyword heavy work for very low prices. Like I said before, the blog is crucial.
4. OPTIMIZE THAT BLOG
So here is why that blog is important on LinkedIn. Once you have the blog set up, you can connect it to LinkedIn. Just as NetworkedBlogs autopublishes to facebook, LinkedIn has a similar application that allows you to autopublish to your profile. Everytime you publish a new blog it will be published into Linkedin. (To set it up go here.)
5. ADD OTHER APPLICATIONS TO YOUR BLOG
Like all Social Tools these days LinkedIn has added a lot of new applications to enhance your profile. They are there for a reason…USE THEM! Some of my favorites are:
A. Twitter Connection to LinkedIn
If you have looked at your LinkedIn homepage recently you will see the most recent updates from your connection’s twitter account. They have set this up by using the Twitter App. This is important to do because it means your name will be shown more often on news feeds and if the information is relevant new people will follow you and or the organization. This goes the same for Updating your status.
LinkedIn has recently added the Like & Comment feature Facebook uses as well, which will increase your visibility if people like and comment on your statuses. (Of course follow me on twitter.)
B. Creative Porfolio
This is essential for anyone in the creative arena of work. Whether you are a designer, photographer, fashion stylist, makeup artist, costume designer, artist, or anyone who has a portfolio to share. Now this application is a joint venture with the Behance network, which if you are a designer or artist you are most likely already on this network, thus you can pull your work directly from there. If you are not already on the Behance network – sign up now!
This will allow people to browse your work and hopefully hire you! It saves time and lost opportunity as LinkedIn users can browse all the necessary aspects of who you are straight from your profile without getting lost in the sea of information out there.
C. My Travel (powered by TripIt.com)
This is a great application for business travelers and public speakers. Often times we have many contacts abroad and this application allows you show your trips planned. Perhaps if it works out you can meet up with contacts and actually build a relationship face to face!
This is also an application based on an online site called TripIt – if you have an account you can easily add your trips from your account or directly from the application on LinkedIn.
D. Google or Slideshare Presentation
Google and Slideshare presentations are a professional way to introduce yourself and your work. Add a presentation to your LinkedIn profile to showcase a recent talk or presentation, display a visual portfolio of your professional accomplishments, introduce yourself to recruiters and professional contacts viewing your profile.
E. Real Estate Pro
This is essential for Real Estate Agents and Brokers in both the commercial and residential spaces.
Real Estate Pro is the easiest way to stay informed about your local real estate and office space marketplace. Use it to find office space listings for lease and property for sale. Follow and connect with active brokers and professionals, track new property listings and see the latest deals in your market.
Real estate professionals: Use Real Estate Pro to feature property listings and promote client transactions on your Linkedin profile. Easily share your work and completed deals with your business connections, track your market, create a following, promote your expertise and develop new business.
Family Shoutout - If you are looking for commercial real estate in the Greater Los Angeles Area, do contact the one and only Bruce Frasco. He is my dad and a life long real estate professional. Tell him I sent you and he will hook you up! Frasco – style! You can also reach him on LinkedIn.
6. BECOME A GROUP LEADER AND ENCOURAGE CONVERSATION
Make an interesting group that is relevant to your industry and invite your contacts. That is the easy part. Encouraging conversation, now that is the harder part. Talk about relevant news, introduce yourself and your company and keep the conversation flowing. By doing this, you and your profile will pop up all over the place. It will pop up in the group, in the email digest, and throughout the site. So even if you aren’t connected to certain group members personally, you are branding their name by sending out messages and discussions in the group.
6a. Join Other Groups that are related to your industry
SIMPLE ENOUGH! But you will also want to contribute relevant and interesting content. Post news, articles, share your blog, etc. Any conversation starting is a good thing!
7. ANSWER QUESTIONS IN THE Q&A SECTION
Being and expert is everything! Answering questions can help you achieve that status. Search for and answer relevant questions that will brand you as an expert. These will be seen by everyone and can be searched by anyone so this is a very important aspect.
TIP: Set up an RSS Feed for LinkedIN Questions, so that you can be notified of the related questions that interest the business or industry you are branding yourself in. This way you don’t have to waste time.
For more on Questions for Facebook See Here
8. TRANSLATE YOUR PROFILE INTO DIFFERENT LANGUAGES
LinkedIn now has the option to translate your profile into different languages. This will help you get found by those in different countries. It might be a good idea to translate to a language of the country you do a lot of business in to build your presence there. It is simple to use and will expose you to a whole new audience!
9. USE A VANITY URL
If you haven’t done so already, claim your own LinkedIn vanity URL, to solidify your own professional brand. In a world where everything is searchable…You need to own YOUR search.
You can get your vanity url here
Of course don’t forget to connect with me on LinkedIn here!
While LinkedIn might be the old dog in the Social Media race, it still remains as one of the most powerful tools in Business Building and Connecting online.
Where Facebook might be getting all of the press, LinkedIn offers something that Facebook cannot – a “Business-Only” platform for building your brand, product, and personal profile.
Just one look at the statistics and it is apparent that LinkedIn must not be ignored, but should be embraced.
• LinkedIn has over 70 million members in over 200 countries.
• A little over half of them are from outside the US
• A new member joins LinkedIn approximately every second
• 85% of them are online everyday
• Over 7 million are Business Decision Makers
• There were more than a billion people-searches through the site last year
• 50% of Fortune 100 companies hire through LinkedIn
4 Types of LinkedIn users
According to a great report by Anderson Analytics there are 4 types of LinkedIn users all with their own personalities and way of using the site.
1. “Savvy Networkers” (est. 9 million) are likely to have started using social networking earlier than others, are more tech savvy, and more likely to be active on other SNS sites like Facebook. Savvy Networkers have the most connections (61 on average) and are more likely than other segments to use LinkedIn for a wide variety of purposes other than job searching. Savvy Networkers have the second highest average personal income ($93,500) and may often have the word “Consultant” in their job description.
2. “Senior Executives” (est. 8.4 million) are somewhat less tech savvy and is using LinkedIn to connect to their existing corporate networks. They have power jobs which they are quite content with, and are likely to have been invited by a colleague and then realized how many key contacts were on the site and started building connections (32 on average). Senior Executives have the highest average personal income ($104,000) and have titles such as Owner, Partner, Executive, or Associate.
3. “Late Adopters” (est. 6.6 million) are likely to have received numerous requests from friends and co-workers before deciding to join. They are somewhat less tech savvy and are careful in how they use LinkedIn, tending to connect only to close friends and colleagues and have the fewest number of connections (23 on average). Late Adopters have the lowest average personal income ($88,000) and have titles such as Teacher, Medical Professional, Lawyer, or the word “Account” or “Assistant” in their job description.
4. “Exploring Options” (est. 6.1 million) may be working, but are open and looking for other job options often on CareerBuilder.com, perhaps in part because they have the lowest average personal income ($87,500). They are fairly tech savvy and use SNS for both corporate and personal interests.
With 70 million people on LinkedIn and tons of people actively using LinkedIn your profile needs to stand out.
9 Tips To Maximizing Your Exposure on LinkedIn:
1. HAVE AN SEO KEYWORD HEAVY PROFILE
There are over a billion people searches a year on LinkedIn. This means that most likely they are searching for keywords, different types of people, positions, and brands. Your profile should be rich in the keywords that relate to you. These keywords should be the ones that people want to find you by. They should range from broad to highly specific and targeted. A good place to put these besides your bio is in the “Specialties” category.
Think in terms of SEO here, content is King. The more keywords you have the better chances you have of being found. This goes for an internet search as well as a LinkedIn search. Beyond getting you more visibility on LinkedIN it will also get more click through traffic from the internet.
2. MAKE YOUR HEADLINE POP!
Your headline is the first thing that people may read so you want it to be catchy. For example, Social Media Guru, doesn’t really do the job because there are millions of people out there claiming to be one. Mini-Social Media Mogul on the other hand might grab the attention of more people. Lure them in with your headline and wow them with your expertise. Remember you only have 120 characters to lure them in…so think about it and make it standout!
Another tip – if you want to open yourself up to new ventures and opportunities is to add your email to your headline. As many people do not have the upgraded feature and thus won’t be able to email you through the LinkedIn service. I have seen many profiles do this, and when it comes to outreach on my side, it made my life much easier!
3. BE A BLOGGER!
Now you might be saying, what does a blog have to do with LinkedIn, and I will get to that in the next tip. But for now read on and see why blogging is so important.
Blogging is the key component to building and branding yourself as an expert. It also adds trust. The more information you give, the more likely someone is to trust you. I think everyone should have a blog or at the very least own their own domain with their name in it. – StephanieFrasco.com – for example. (That’s me).
Now you might be saying, blogging, ugh how am I supposed to find the time for that. While it might be time consuming, it is very important for your overall success and branding of your name. This could be a microblog or even blog clippings from other blogs relating to your industry and the news around it.
If you absolutely don’t have time to blog, buy your domain name and hire SEOARTICLEWRITINGPROS.com, They are an amazing company that produces great quality, keyword heavy work for very low prices. Like I said before, the blog is crucial.
4. OPTIMIZE THAT BLOG
So here is why that blog is important on LinkedIn. Once you have the blog set up, you can connect it to LinkedIn. Just as NetworkedBlogs autopublishes to facebook, LinkedIn has a similar application that allows you to autopublish to your profile. Everytime you publish a new blog it will be published into Linkedin. (To set it up go here.)
5. ADD OTHER APPLICATIONS TO YOUR BLOG
Like all Social Tools these days LinkedIn has added a lot of new applications to enhance your profile. They are there for a reason…USE THEM! Some of my favorites are:
A. Twitter Connection to LinkedIn
If you have looked at your LinkedIn homepage recently you will see the most recent updates from your connection’s twitter account. They have set this up by using the Twitter App. This is important to do because it means your name will be shown more often on news feeds and if the information is relevant new people will follow you and or the organization. This goes the same for Updating your status.
LinkedIn has recently added the Like & Comment feature Facebook uses as well, which will increase your visibility if people like and comment on your statuses. (Of course follow me on twitter.)
B. Creative Porfolio
This is essential for anyone in the creative arena of work. Whether you are a designer, photographer, fashion stylist, makeup artist, costume designer, artist, or anyone who has a portfolio to share. Now this application is a joint venture with the Behance network, which if you are a designer or artist you are most likely already on this network, thus you can pull your work directly from there. If you are not already on the Behance network – sign up now!
This will allow people to browse your work and hopefully hire you! It saves time and lost opportunity as LinkedIn users can browse all the necessary aspects of who you are straight from your profile without getting lost in the sea of information out there.
C. My Travel (powered by TripIt.com)
This is a great application for business travelers and public speakers. Often times we have many contacts abroad and this application allows you show your trips planned. Perhaps if it works out you can meet up with contacts and actually build a relationship face to face!
This is also an application based on an online site called TripIt – if you have an account you can easily add your trips from your account or directly from the application on LinkedIn.
D. Google or Slideshare Presentation
Google and Slideshare presentations are a professional way to introduce yourself and your work. Add a presentation to your LinkedIn profile to showcase a recent talk or presentation, display a visual portfolio of your professional accomplishments, introduce yourself to recruiters and professional contacts viewing your profile.
E. Real Estate Pro
This is essential for Real Estate Agents and Brokers in both the commercial and residential spaces.
Real Estate Pro is the easiest way to stay informed about your local real estate and office space marketplace. Use it to find office space listings for lease and property for sale. Follow and connect with active brokers and professionals, track new property listings and see the latest deals in your market.
Real estate professionals: Use Real Estate Pro to feature property listings and promote client transactions on your Linkedin profile. Easily share your work and completed deals with your business connections, track your market, create a following, promote your expertise and develop new business.
Family Shoutout - If you are looking for commercial real estate in the Greater Los Angeles Area, do contact the one and only Bruce Frasco. He is my dad and a life long real estate professional. Tell him I sent you and he will hook you up! Frasco – style! You can also reach him on LinkedIn.
6. BECOME A GROUP LEADER AND ENCOURAGE CONVERSATION
Make an interesting group that is relevant to your industry and invite your contacts. That is the easy part. Encouraging conversation, now that is the harder part. Talk about relevant news, introduce yourself and your company and keep the conversation flowing. By doing this, you and your profile will pop up all over the place. It will pop up in the group, in the email digest, and throughout the site. So even if you aren’t connected to certain group members personally, you are branding their name by sending out messages and discussions in the group.
6a. Join Other Groups that are related to your industry
SIMPLE ENOUGH! But you will also want to contribute relevant and interesting content. Post news, articles, share your blog, etc. Any conversation starting is a good thing!
7. ANSWER QUESTIONS IN THE Q&A SECTION
Being and expert is everything! Answering questions can help you achieve that status. Search for and answer relevant questions that will brand you as an expert. These will be seen by everyone and can be searched by anyone so this is a very important aspect.
TIP: Set up an RSS Feed for LinkedIN Questions, so that you can be notified of the related questions that interest the business or industry you are branding yourself in. This way you don’t have to waste time.
For more on Questions for Facebook See Here
8. TRANSLATE YOUR PROFILE INTO DIFFERENT LANGUAGES
LinkedIn now has the option to translate your profile into different languages. This will help you get found by those in different countries. It might be a good idea to translate to a language of the country you do a lot of business in to build your presence there. It is simple to use and will expose you to a whole new audience!
9. USE A VANITY URL
If you haven’t done so already, claim your own LinkedIn vanity URL, to solidify your own professional brand. In a world where everything is searchable…You need to own YOUR search.
You can get your vanity url here
Of course don’t forget to connect with me on LinkedIn here!
Monday, August 9, 2010
Some Good News for Job Seekers
While the abundance of bad news is undeniable, there are also glimmers of hope to be found: http://money.usnews.com/money/careers/articles/2010/08/03/some-good-news-for-job-seekers.html
There aren't many betting on a strong July jobs report, which will be released Friday. Hiring is still so sluggish that Congress again extended unemployment benefits for the long-term unemployed. But while the abundance of bad news is undeniable, there are also glimmers of hope to be found. The Conference Board reports that online postings for job openings jumped by 139,200 in July. The total openings last month were nearly 4.3 million, up from 4.15 million in June and less than 3.3 million a year ago.
[See 21 things hiring managers wish you knew.]
July's rise in online postings followed a much smaller jump in June. "After rising sharply in December and January, online job demand for the nation as a whole has settled into a more modest pattern over the last six months, with increases that have averaged about 43,000 per month," says June Shelp, vice president at the Conference Board. These may not be sufficient job opportunities to erase recessionary losses anytime soon, but they are pointing up rather than down (toward, say, a double dip).
The biggest growth in opportunities last month was in the West. Job vacancies advertised online last month in California rose 34,800, driven by higher demand in computing and mathematical positions as well as office and administrative support jobs. Demand increased in both Colorado and Arizona in July, after two consecutive months of falling demand.
The future isn't entirely doom and gloom either. The Society for Human Resource Management reported that half of human resources managers are somewhat optimistic about job growth in the third quarter, and 7 percent are very optimistic. At this time last year, just 37 percent reported some level of optimism.
[See what America's worst job market looks like.]
More than half of managers replying to the SHRM survey indicated that their companies would likely maintain current staffing levels in the third quarter, while 36 percent of professionals in small organizations reported they're likely to hire. A little less than a third of professionals at large organizations said their companies were likely to hire through September.
An interesting note: The strongest hiring outlook came from the nonprofit sector, where 42 percent of professionals plan to hire in the third quarter. The government had the smallest expectations for growth, with just 22 percent of professionals expecting to add staff.
Labor Department data for May and June showed the private sector struggling to create jobs, adding just 33,000 in May and 83,000 in June. Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner said on "Good Morning America" Monday that private sector jobs were returning at a pace, if not as fast as the Administration would like, "in some ways it's stronger than we expected."
Others have found that job growth in the most recent months hasn't matched their hopes or expectations. "Things were accelerating nicely. We had a pretty healthy job gain in April," says Stephen Stanley, chief economist at Pierpont Securities in Stamford, Conn. "This slowdown we've seen in recent months, to me, has been very disappointing." Stanley expects July's private sector job growth to be about 90,000, or "more of the same," he says. The headline figure—or total jobs lost or gained in private and public sectors—will likely be a negative figure, as temporary census jobs come to an end.
There aren't many betting on a strong July jobs report, which will be released Friday. Hiring is still so sluggish that Congress again extended unemployment benefits for the long-term unemployed. But while the abundance of bad news is undeniable, there are also glimmers of hope to be found. The Conference Board reports that online postings for job openings jumped by 139,200 in July. The total openings last month were nearly 4.3 million, up from 4.15 million in June and less than 3.3 million a year ago.
[See 21 things hiring managers wish you knew.]
July's rise in online postings followed a much smaller jump in June. "After rising sharply in December and January, online job demand for the nation as a whole has settled into a more modest pattern over the last six months, with increases that have averaged about 43,000 per month," says June Shelp, vice president at the Conference Board. These may not be sufficient job opportunities to erase recessionary losses anytime soon, but they are pointing up rather than down (toward, say, a double dip).
The biggest growth in opportunities last month was in the West. Job vacancies advertised online last month in California rose 34,800, driven by higher demand in computing and mathematical positions as well as office and administrative support jobs. Demand increased in both Colorado and Arizona in July, after two consecutive months of falling demand.
The future isn't entirely doom and gloom either. The Society for Human Resource Management reported that half of human resources managers are somewhat optimistic about job growth in the third quarter, and 7 percent are very optimistic. At this time last year, just 37 percent reported some level of optimism.
[See what America's worst job market looks like.]
More than half of managers replying to the SHRM survey indicated that their companies would likely maintain current staffing levels in the third quarter, while 36 percent of professionals in small organizations reported they're likely to hire. A little less than a third of professionals at large organizations said their companies were likely to hire through September.
An interesting note: The strongest hiring outlook came from the nonprofit sector, where 42 percent of professionals plan to hire in the third quarter. The government had the smallest expectations for growth, with just 22 percent of professionals expecting to add staff.
Labor Department data for May and June showed the private sector struggling to create jobs, adding just 33,000 in May and 83,000 in June. Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner said on "Good Morning America" Monday that private sector jobs were returning at a pace, if not as fast as the Administration would like, "in some ways it's stronger than we expected."
Others have found that job growth in the most recent months hasn't matched their hopes or expectations. "Things were accelerating nicely. We had a pretty healthy job gain in April," says Stephen Stanley, chief economist at Pierpont Securities in Stamford, Conn. "This slowdown we've seen in recent months, to me, has been very disappointing." Stanley expects July's private sector job growth to be about 90,000, or "more of the same," he says. The headline figure—or total jobs lost or gained in private and public sectors—will likely be a negative figure, as temporary census jobs come to an end.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
2 CEO’s needed for growing, for-profit, multi-site institution
2 CEO’s needed for growing, for-profit, multi-site institution
CEO – K thru 8 or Alternative High Schools
Send resumes in a Word doc attachment to hshepard@talentfusion.com
Bay Area or SoCal
$200 - $400K + Equity and options potential
No less than 5 years with Full operations and start up experience
-CEO of a growing, for-profit, multi-site institution focused on one or more of the following:
*Niche post-secondary (cosmetology and/or allied health)
*Alternative high schools (individualized learning)
*PK-12
CEO – K thru 8 or Alternative High Schools
Send resumes in a Word doc attachment to hshepard@talentfusion.com
Bay Area or SoCal
$200 - $400K + Equity and options potential
No less than 5 years with Full operations and start up experience
-CEO of a growing, for-profit, multi-site institution focused on one or more of the following:
*Niche post-secondary (cosmetology and/or allied health)
*Alternative high schools (individualized learning)
*PK-12
Facing Tough Job Market, New Grads Accepting More Offers, Lower Salaries
News and Features
Facing Tough Job Market, New Grads Accepting More Offers, Lower Salaries
by John Zappe Jun 2, 2010, 2:55 pm ET
As the last strains of Pomp and Circumstance played out over college quads and athletic fields these last few weeks, more than a few of the new graduates had to be wondering: What next?
A survey of graduating seniors found only a quarter of those in the Class of 2010 who applied for a job had one waiting. Conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, this year’s results, certainly discouraging if you’re one of the grads or a parent, are an improvement over 2009, when only 19.7 percent had jobs waiting.
The ever-so-slowly improving economy is one reason for the better numbers. Another is savvier job hunting. “A greater number of Class of 2010 graduates accepted the jobs they were offered,” says Marilyn Mackes, NACE executive director. Last year, 45 percent of the students offered jobs accepted them; this year the acceptance rate rose to 59 percent.
Since the survey was conducted a couple months ago the numbers no doubt have improved. Still, the demand for recent college graduates mirrors the national economic picture. While the unemployment rate for those with bachelor degrees of all ages was 4.9 percent in April, the rate for those under 25 was 8 percent. Better than the national 9.9 percent, the unemployment rate for young degreed workers has been steadily rising. In April 2009 it was 6.8 percent and in April 2008 it was 3.1 percent.
Even the most prestigious schools report their graduates are having a difficult time finding work. Harvard, last year, said only 33 percent of its 2009 seniors had a job at graduation, down from 51 percent the year before. While this year’s numbers aren’t yet available, one sign of the times is the university’s launch in March of a jobs mailing list. In two days 1,000 students had signed up.
The NACE Job Outlook 2010 Spring Update projected college graduate hiring to be up 5.3 percent over 2009. Not a huge improvement, but better than last fall’s prediction by the Michigan State University 2009-2010 Recruiting Trends survey, which had recruiting flat for the college year.
Data like this, and the monthly U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports showing that among all 20-24 year-olds the unemployment rate was 17.2 percent in April, has promoted concern from both industry and government.
The U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee inventoried the plight of younger workers, saying that the 19.6 percent unemployment rate for workers 16-24 is the highest ever in the 63 years the data has been tracked. For those without a high school diploma, the unemployment rate is 33 percent.
Those who are working tend to be in industries hardest hit by the recession. The committee report notes that young workers make up 34 percent of the leisure and hospitality workforce and 20 percent of the wholesale and retail trades workforce. Nationally, workers under 25 comprise 13 percent of the entire labor force.
The biggest share of those workers are teenagers. Nevertheless, those 20-24 — where the young, college educated fall — still account for almost 20 percent of the workers in each of those two groups and close to that percentage in education and health services.
Northeastern University economics Professor Andrew Sum found that 51 percent of young graduates were working in jobs requiring a college degree. That’s a 13.6 percent decrease since 2000.
When they do find jobs in their field, it’s often at a reduced salary. A NACE survey found the average salary offer for grads with a B.A. is $47,673, a 1.7 percent decline from last year. Liberal arts majors took the biggest hit, with salary offers averaging $33,540, an 8.9 percent decline over last year. Grads with computer science degrees saw a 5.8 percent increase to $58,746.
The tough job market and declining first-year salaries are no doubt behind the increasing number of recent graduates moving back home. A survey by CollegeGrad.com found that 80 percent of the 2009 grads moved back. In 2006, only 67 percent did.
Several months ago Intel announced an Invest in America Alliance to funnel $3.5 billion to U.S. tech companies in all fields, including information and biotech, over the next two years. That will help spur hiring, especially for new college graduates in emerging fields and sciences. But in addition, the 17 partner firms in the alliance pledged to increase their hiring of graduating seniors to an estimated 10,500 this year alone.
The implications of the recession for newly minted graduates will extend into the future. Yale economist Lisa Kahn who has been following the impact of recessions on the careers of young workers found that for every one point increase in the national unemployment rate, starting salaries for new, white male graduates declined 7-8 percent. The effect persisted for years, she found. After 18 years of employment, those who graduated at the height of the recession in the 1980s earned, on average, 2 percent less than those who graduated into a more robust economy.
tags: college, economy
Facing Tough Job Market, New Grads Accepting More Offers, Lower Salaries
by John Zappe Jun 2, 2010, 2:55 pm ET
As the last strains of Pomp and Circumstance played out over college quads and athletic fields these last few weeks, more than a few of the new graduates had to be wondering: What next?
A survey of graduating seniors found only a quarter of those in the Class of 2010 who applied for a job had one waiting. Conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, this year’s results, certainly discouraging if you’re one of the grads or a parent, are an improvement over 2009, when only 19.7 percent had jobs waiting.
The ever-so-slowly improving economy is one reason for the better numbers. Another is savvier job hunting. “A greater number of Class of 2010 graduates accepted the jobs they were offered,” says Marilyn Mackes, NACE executive director. Last year, 45 percent of the students offered jobs accepted them; this year the acceptance rate rose to 59 percent.
Since the survey was conducted a couple months ago the numbers no doubt have improved. Still, the demand for recent college graduates mirrors the national economic picture. While the unemployment rate for those with bachelor degrees of all ages was 4.9 percent in April, the rate for those under 25 was 8 percent. Better than the national 9.9 percent, the unemployment rate for young degreed workers has been steadily rising. In April 2009 it was 6.8 percent and in April 2008 it was 3.1 percent.
Even the most prestigious schools report their graduates are having a difficult time finding work. Harvard, last year, said only 33 percent of its 2009 seniors had a job at graduation, down from 51 percent the year before. While this year’s numbers aren’t yet available, one sign of the times is the university’s launch in March of a jobs mailing list. In two days 1,000 students had signed up.
The NACE Job Outlook 2010 Spring Update projected college graduate hiring to be up 5.3 percent over 2009. Not a huge improvement, but better than last fall’s prediction by the Michigan State University 2009-2010 Recruiting Trends survey, which had recruiting flat for the college year.
Data like this, and the monthly U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports showing that among all 20-24 year-olds the unemployment rate was 17.2 percent in April, has promoted concern from both industry and government.
The U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee inventoried the plight of younger workers, saying that the 19.6 percent unemployment rate for workers 16-24 is the highest ever in the 63 years the data has been tracked. For those without a high school diploma, the unemployment rate is 33 percent.
Those who are working tend to be in industries hardest hit by the recession. The committee report notes that young workers make up 34 percent of the leisure and hospitality workforce and 20 percent of the wholesale and retail trades workforce. Nationally, workers under 25 comprise 13 percent of the entire labor force.
The biggest share of those workers are teenagers. Nevertheless, those 20-24 — where the young, college educated fall — still account for almost 20 percent of the workers in each of those two groups and close to that percentage in education and health services.
Northeastern University economics Professor Andrew Sum found that 51 percent of young graduates were working in jobs requiring a college degree. That’s a 13.6 percent decrease since 2000.
When they do find jobs in their field, it’s often at a reduced salary. A NACE survey found the average salary offer for grads with a B.A. is $47,673, a 1.7 percent decline from last year. Liberal arts majors took the biggest hit, with salary offers averaging $33,540, an 8.9 percent decline over last year. Grads with computer science degrees saw a 5.8 percent increase to $58,746.
The tough job market and declining first-year salaries are no doubt behind the increasing number of recent graduates moving back home. A survey by CollegeGrad.com found that 80 percent of the 2009 grads moved back. In 2006, only 67 percent did.
Several months ago Intel announced an Invest in America Alliance to funnel $3.5 billion to U.S. tech companies in all fields, including information and biotech, over the next two years. That will help spur hiring, especially for new college graduates in emerging fields and sciences. But in addition, the 17 partner firms in the alliance pledged to increase their hiring of graduating seniors to an estimated 10,500 this year alone.
The implications of the recession for newly minted graduates will extend into the future. Yale economist Lisa Kahn who has been following the impact of recessions on the careers of young workers found that for every one point increase in the national unemployment rate, starting salaries for new, white male graduates declined 7-8 percent. The effect persisted for years, she found. After 18 years of employment, those who graduated at the height of the recession in the 1980s earned, on average, 2 percent less than those who graduated into a more robust economy.
tags: college, economy
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
News: Company layoffs/closings
H&R Block, Inc. | Accounting
H&R Block, the leading tax return preparer in the U.S., will cut 400 jobs and realign its business. The company, which had a disappointing tax season, has also closed approximately 400 underperforming tax offices.
Candidates: 400
Reuters, May 19, 2010
Top
Diageo plc | Alcoholic Beverages
Diageo, maker of Smirnoff, Johnnie Walker, and Guinness, will eliminate 90 jobs in its U.S. wine division. The company is scaling back the business to cut costs.
Candidates: 90
Bloomberg Businessweek, May 12, 2010
Top
JVC Kenwood Holdings, Inc. | Audio Equipment
JVC Kenwood Holdings, a company formed by the merger of two audio powerhouses, will eliminate 1,000 jobs or approximately 20 percent of its workforce. Layoffs are expected to occur by the end of October.
Candidates: 1,000
Bloomberg.com, May 14, 2010
Top
The Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc | Banking
The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) will cut an additional 2,600 jobs, mostly in its insurance division. The new layoffs bring the total number of job cuts at RBS to approximately 20,000.
Candidates: 2,600
MarketWatch, May 10, 2010
Top
Dean Foods Company | Dairy Products
Dean Foods, a leading producer of dairy products, will cut as many as 400 jobs on top of 150 positions it eliminated earlier this year. The job cuts are part of a major restructuring aimed at saving the company $25 million annually. Dean Foods is headquartered in Dallas and operates four facilities in Wisconsin.
Candidates: 400
The Business Journal of Milwaukee, May 11, 2010
Top
Legg Mason, Inc. | Financial Services
Investment management firm Legg Mason will eliminate 250 jobs in the Baltimore area. The majority of cuts will come when the company shuts down its Owings Mills offices over the next six to 18 months. Investment operations, billing, accounting, and other back office jobs will be affected.
Candidates: 250
The Baltimore Sun, May 10, 2010
Top
Stanley Furniture Company, Inc. | Furniture Manufacturing
Stanley Furniture, which posted a wider than expected quarterly loss, will cut about 530 jobs at Virginia locations. The job cuts are part of a restructuring plan that includes shifting a majority of the manufacturing of its adult product line to offshore vendors.
Candidates: 530
Reuters, May 12, 2010
Top
Pfizer Inc. | Pharmaceuticals
Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, which purchased rival Wyeth last year for $68 billion, plans to lay off or relocate 1,400 New York City employees. The company has also put its Manhattan office tower at 685 Third Avenue up for sale as part of a plan to consolidate operations.
Candidates: 1,400
The New York Times, May 10, 2010
Top
Pfizer Inc. | Pharmaceuticals
Separately, Pfizer has announced plans to eliminate a total of 6,000 jobs at its 78 manufacturing plants over the next five years. As part of its efforts to consolidate and streamline operations following the purchase of Wyeth last year, Pfizer will close eight plants.
Candidates: 6,000
The New York Times, May 18, 2010
H&R Block, the leading tax return preparer in the U.S., will cut 400 jobs and realign its business. The company, which had a disappointing tax season, has also closed approximately 400 underperforming tax offices.
Candidates: 400
Reuters, May 19, 2010
Top
Diageo plc | Alcoholic Beverages
Diageo, maker of Smirnoff, Johnnie Walker, and Guinness, will eliminate 90 jobs in its U.S. wine division. The company is scaling back the business to cut costs.
Candidates: 90
Bloomberg Businessweek, May 12, 2010
Top
JVC Kenwood Holdings, Inc. | Audio Equipment
JVC Kenwood Holdings, a company formed by the merger of two audio powerhouses, will eliminate 1,000 jobs or approximately 20 percent of its workforce. Layoffs are expected to occur by the end of October.
Candidates: 1,000
Bloomberg.com, May 14, 2010
Top
The Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc | Banking
The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) will cut an additional 2,600 jobs, mostly in its insurance division. The new layoffs bring the total number of job cuts at RBS to approximately 20,000.
Candidates: 2,600
MarketWatch, May 10, 2010
Top
Dean Foods Company | Dairy Products
Dean Foods, a leading producer of dairy products, will cut as many as 400 jobs on top of 150 positions it eliminated earlier this year. The job cuts are part of a major restructuring aimed at saving the company $25 million annually. Dean Foods is headquartered in Dallas and operates four facilities in Wisconsin.
Candidates: 400
The Business Journal of Milwaukee, May 11, 2010
Top
Legg Mason, Inc. | Financial Services
Investment management firm Legg Mason will eliminate 250 jobs in the Baltimore area. The majority of cuts will come when the company shuts down its Owings Mills offices over the next six to 18 months. Investment operations, billing, accounting, and other back office jobs will be affected.
Candidates: 250
The Baltimore Sun, May 10, 2010
Top
Stanley Furniture Company, Inc. | Furniture Manufacturing
Stanley Furniture, which posted a wider than expected quarterly loss, will cut about 530 jobs at Virginia locations. The job cuts are part of a restructuring plan that includes shifting a majority of the manufacturing of its adult product line to offshore vendors.
Candidates: 530
Reuters, May 12, 2010
Top
Pfizer Inc. | Pharmaceuticals
Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, which purchased rival Wyeth last year for $68 billion, plans to lay off or relocate 1,400 New York City employees. The company has also put its Manhattan office tower at 685 Third Avenue up for sale as part of a plan to consolidate operations.
Candidates: 1,400
The New York Times, May 10, 2010
Top
Pfizer Inc. | Pharmaceuticals
Separately, Pfizer has announced plans to eliminate a total of 6,000 jobs at its 78 manufacturing plants over the next five years. As part of its efforts to consolidate and streamline operations following the purchase of Wyeth last year, Pfizer will close eight plants.
Candidates: 6,000
The New York Times, May 18, 2010
Monday, May 17, 2010
Fundraising Event Friday May 21st
Hi All!
I just wanted to send out a friendly reminder for the upcoming fundraiser event on Friday, May 21st from 6:00pm – 9:00pm at the Scottsdale Resort & Athletic Club. This is a free event.
This event will be themed “The Triple Crown Derby Party – Hats off to Horses” to help thoroughbred horses (like the one we recently rescued that was beaten and neglected – see Ch. 15 news coverage here:http://www.abc15.com/content/news/westvalley/laveen/story/Farrier-blamed-for-abusing-horse-speaks-out/KEBdvhgNH02cSlyrpCzX1A.cspx ).
About the Event:
Our “Triple Crown” event will feature a fun evening starting at 6:00PM at the Scottsdale Resort & Athletic Club including mouthwatering food & refreshing drinks & Mint Juleps, a silent auction, a raffle and a variety of vendors too! This event is the perfect benefit for The Luv Shack Ranch which is holding their Thoroughbred adoption. Adoptable horses will be shown on video at the event as well as the highlights of the Triple Crown Races. http://www.scottsdaleresortandathleticclub.com
Ladies wear your best hat for the "Hat's off to Horses" hat contest!
About Us:
The Luv Shack Ranch (LSR) Horse Rescue is a non-profit, 100% volunteer run organization dedicated to the rescue and rehabilitation of abused, neglected and slaughter bound horses with the ultimate goal of finding each animal a loving, forever home. Additionally, we are committed to creating therapeutic programs for at risk children to help them heal from similar circumstances. Our goal is to serve the community by providing the opportunity for the horse and children to heal one another physically, mentally and emotionally.
I just wanted to send out a friendly reminder for the upcoming fundraiser event on Friday, May 21st from 6:00pm – 9:00pm at the Scottsdale Resort & Athletic Club. This is a free event.
This event will be themed “The Triple Crown Derby Party – Hats off to Horses” to help thoroughbred horses (like the one we recently rescued that was beaten and neglected – see Ch. 15 news coverage here:http://www.abc15.com/content/news/westvalley/laveen/story/Farrier-blamed-for-abusing-horse-speaks-out/KEBdvhgNH02cSlyrpCzX1A.cspx ).
About the Event:
Our “Triple Crown” event will feature a fun evening starting at 6:00PM at the Scottsdale Resort & Athletic Club including mouthwatering food & refreshing drinks & Mint Juleps, a silent auction, a raffle and a variety of vendors too! This event is the perfect benefit for The Luv Shack Ranch which is holding their Thoroughbred adoption. Adoptable horses will be shown on video at the event as well as the highlights of the Triple Crown Races. http://www.scottsdaleresortandathleticclub.com
Ladies wear your best hat for the "Hat's off to Horses" hat contest!
About Us:
The Luv Shack Ranch (LSR) Horse Rescue is a non-profit, 100% volunteer run organization dedicated to the rescue and rehabilitation of abused, neglected and slaughter bound horses with the ultimate goal of finding each animal a loving, forever home. Additionally, we are committed to creating therapeutic programs for at risk children to help them heal from similar circumstances. Our goal is to serve the community by providing the opportunity for the horse and children to heal one another physically, mentally and emotionally.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Little-Known Reasons You're Not Getting Hired
Karen Burns, On Wednesday May 12, 2010, 11:08 am EDT
If you're job hunting you're surely aware of the most egregious and common no-nos: showing up for the interview ten minutes late; answering your phone during the interview; handing over a resume riddled with typos; using a silly-sounding E-mail address; failing to demonstrate you've researched the employer; bad-mouthing your last boss; neglecting to follow up. You're not doing any of that, are you? Of course not.
But you may not have considered some of the less-discussed, under-the-radar issues. Give this list a look and ask yourself, "Do any of these sound like me?"
1. You have unreasonable expectations. Everybody wants the perfect job. But if your criteria are too high, if you're being too demanding, you may well remain unemployed. Nobody wants to be told to compromise, but the fact is that much of life involves just that, at least temporarily. Analyze your wants and needs. Which are must haves? Which are negotiable? Which can be put on hold?
2. You're relying too much on one search technique. Maybe you are only applying online, or only networking, or only using employment agencies, or only approaching companies that you know are hiring. Don't limit yourself to just one job-search method. Try them all. Cast a wide net, continue to build your connections, get creative.
[See 10 new rules for today's job hunt.]
3. You use the word "I" too often in your cover letter. The most effective way to endear yourself to potential employers is to put the focus more on them than on you. Show you've done your homework and understand what your target companies are seeking. Then tell them how you can fill those needs.
4. You are not demonstrating long-term potential. We get caught up in the moment. We need a job now. But employers, the good ones at least, tend to think long term. They want to know not only how you will contribute today but in the future, too. That "Where do you see yourself in five years?" question is not just for drill. They really want to know.
5. You are unknowingly repeating mistakes. After interviews, are you taking the time to review and analyze them? Many times the reason you don't get a job is beyond your control, and, in fact, has nothing to do with you, but not always. Trying to understand why the answer was "No" may help you to fine tune your approach.
[See the topics you can't discuss at work.]
6. You have not rehearsed. You may hesitate to rehearse answers to the most common questions. You don't want to sound canned. You want to be yourself. But consider the benefits of creating great answers to those questions you hear the most--short, vivid, three-sentence answers brimming with examples and facts--and practicing them until you can speak with conviction and confidence.
7. You put your job search on hold while waiting to hear back. Don't we all fall into this trap at one time or another? You've had a super couple of interviews with your dream employer. You just know you're going to get "the call" any day now. You think, I'm going to hold off until I hear back; after all, I deserve a little break. Well, no doubt you do deserve a little break--but don't. Keep on networking, applying, interviewing, and researching until you have a firm job offer in hand.
Looking for work is an enormous project. In many ways it's more difficult, and takes more energy, than even the most demanding job. So, in the midst of it all, find a way to nurture yourself. Keep on fine tuning and strengthening your approach. And hang in there.
Karen Burns is the author of the illustrated career advice book The Amazing Adventures of Working Girl: Real-Life Career Advice You Can Actually Use, recently released by Running Press. She blogs at www.karenburnsworkinggirl.com.
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/7-LittleKnown-Reasons-Youre-usnews-863973864.html?x=0
If you're job hunting you're surely aware of the most egregious and common no-nos: showing up for the interview ten minutes late; answering your phone during the interview; handing over a resume riddled with typos; using a silly-sounding E-mail address; failing to demonstrate you've researched the employer; bad-mouthing your last boss; neglecting to follow up. You're not doing any of that, are you? Of course not.
But you may not have considered some of the less-discussed, under-the-radar issues. Give this list a look and ask yourself, "Do any of these sound like me?"
1. You have unreasonable expectations. Everybody wants the perfect job. But if your criteria are too high, if you're being too demanding, you may well remain unemployed. Nobody wants to be told to compromise, but the fact is that much of life involves just that, at least temporarily. Analyze your wants and needs. Which are must haves? Which are negotiable? Which can be put on hold?
2. You're relying too much on one search technique. Maybe you are only applying online, or only networking, or only using employment agencies, or only approaching companies that you know are hiring. Don't limit yourself to just one job-search method. Try them all. Cast a wide net, continue to build your connections, get creative.
[See 10 new rules for today's job hunt.]
3. You use the word "I" too often in your cover letter. The most effective way to endear yourself to potential employers is to put the focus more on them than on you. Show you've done your homework and understand what your target companies are seeking. Then tell them how you can fill those needs.
4. You are not demonstrating long-term potential. We get caught up in the moment. We need a job now. But employers, the good ones at least, tend to think long term. They want to know not only how you will contribute today but in the future, too. That "Where do you see yourself in five years?" question is not just for drill. They really want to know.
5. You are unknowingly repeating mistakes. After interviews, are you taking the time to review and analyze them? Many times the reason you don't get a job is beyond your control, and, in fact, has nothing to do with you, but not always. Trying to understand why the answer was "No" may help you to fine tune your approach.
[See the topics you can't discuss at work.]
6. You have not rehearsed. You may hesitate to rehearse answers to the most common questions. You don't want to sound canned. You want to be yourself. But consider the benefits of creating great answers to those questions you hear the most--short, vivid, three-sentence answers brimming with examples and facts--and practicing them until you can speak with conviction and confidence.
7. You put your job search on hold while waiting to hear back. Don't we all fall into this trap at one time or another? You've had a super couple of interviews with your dream employer. You just know you're going to get "the call" any day now. You think, I'm going to hold off until I hear back; after all, I deserve a little break. Well, no doubt you do deserve a little break--but don't. Keep on networking, applying, interviewing, and researching until you have a firm job offer in hand.
Looking for work is an enormous project. In many ways it's more difficult, and takes more energy, than even the most demanding job. So, in the midst of it all, find a way to nurture yourself. Keep on fine tuning and strengthening your approach. And hang in there.
Karen Burns is the author of the illustrated career advice book The Amazing Adventures of Working Girl: Real-Life Career Advice You Can Actually Use, recently released by Running Press. She blogs at www.karenburnsworkinggirl.com.
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/7-LittleKnown-Reasons-Youre-usnews-863973864.html?x=0
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Shiny and New: 10 Things to Anticipate in 2010
Shiny and New: 10 Things to Anticipate in 2010
by ALONSO DOMINGUEZ SANCHEZ TERUEL
Published: Mon Mar 29, 2010
Let's face it, we live for novelty. The faint hint of new gets us off like nothing else. Be it world phenomena, fashion, architecture or a quirky gadget, we crave the forthcoming and the expectation kills us. Here are 10 anxiously anticipated gadgets, places and events arriving in 2010. We can't wait. Can you?
The Apple iPad
What: A 9.7 inch personal computer tablet, operated entirely by a touch screen
Who: Apple
When: The first generation goes on sale April 3rd
Where: www.apple.com
Why: As with all Apple products, resistance is futile.
Soho House Berlin
What: six floors, 40 rooms, three restaurants and a rooftop pool in a pre-war architectural paragon in East Berlin
Who: Soho House, www.sohohouseberlin.com
When: May 4th (announced)
Where: Torstrasse 1, Berlin
Why: A tan looks better from atop a former GDR official building.
Takashi Murakami Takes Versailles
What: An exhibit by the famed "Japanese Andy Warhol." This will be his first large-scale retrospective in France, which will be in the Hall of Mirrors and the apartments of the King and the Queen.
Who: Artist Takashi Murakami
When: 12 September - 12 December 2010
Where: Versailles, France
Why: Jeff Koons' controversial exhibit at the palace left us wanting more.
Kenmare Lands in Nolita
What: NY's restaurant du jour gives the displaced, grungy denizens of Beatrice a place to call home.
Who: Nur Khan (Rose Bar), Paul Sevigny (Beatrice Inn) and Joey Campanaro (Little Owl) are behind the counter and every A-lister in town on the tables.
When: Now
Where: 98 Kenmare Street, New York, NY
Why: Olivier Zahm, Chloe Sevigny and Anouk Lepere need a new hang out spot in New York.
Alexander McQueen's New Creative Director
What: The eagerly awaited announcement of the fashion genius successor
Who: Officially, no name yet, but unofficially, Gareth Pugh's future is looking bright indeed.
When: Soon, very soon
Where: Keep checking insider blogs
Why: Lady Gaga needs a new oufit, pronto!
Wireless Electricity
What: Exactly that, no more wires
Who: Eric Giler , CEO of WiTricity. Check out his demostration at the TED conference last year, www.ted.com.
When: Rumour has it, we should see the first hint of commercial use by the end of the year.
Where: Eventually every household in the world
Why: Wires are just ugly.
3D TV
What: 3D television, plus 3D glasses, Avatar in 3D BluRay, the works
Who: At the moment, Phillips seems to be at the head of the pack.
When: The first fully commercially 3D TVs should be available by May.
Where: China and Japan have released their own 3D TVs and the West will follow shortly.
Why: Why should geeky 3D glasses be limited to theatres alone?
Masdar City
What: The world’s first carbon neutral city
Who: The Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (ADFEC) and Brit firm Foster & Partners
When: Possibly the end of the year. Though the completion date has been changed several times, so there are strong doubts the project will be completed as scheduled.
Where: UAE
Why: Why not?
Shanghai Comes Out
What: Shanghai’s 2010 Expo will explore the potential of urban life in the 21st century.
Who: 200 countries from around the world
When: 1 May - 31 October 2010
Where: Shanghai, China
Why: According to Shanghai's 2010 Expo website, China owes its successful bid to “the expectations the world's people place on China's future development.“
Seven Billion People
What: World population to hit seven billion
Who: You, me and billions more
When: It's predicted to happen in November, but the US will provide more accurate data after the census in April.
Where: Earth
Why: The 2012 end-of-the-world theorists need more arguments to favour their predictions.
by ALONSO DOMINGUEZ SANCHEZ TERUEL
Published: Mon Mar 29, 2010
Let's face it, we live for novelty. The faint hint of new gets us off like nothing else. Be it world phenomena, fashion, architecture or a quirky gadget, we crave the forthcoming and the expectation kills us. Here are 10 anxiously anticipated gadgets, places and events arriving in 2010. We can't wait. Can you?
The Apple iPad
What: A 9.7 inch personal computer tablet, operated entirely by a touch screen
Who: Apple
When: The first generation goes on sale April 3rd
Where: www.apple.com
Why: As with all Apple products, resistance is futile.
Soho House Berlin
What: six floors, 40 rooms, three restaurants and a rooftop pool in a pre-war architectural paragon in East Berlin
Who: Soho House, www.sohohouseberlin.com
When: May 4th (announced)
Where: Torstrasse 1, Berlin
Why: A tan looks better from atop a former GDR official building.
Takashi Murakami Takes Versailles
What: An exhibit by the famed "Japanese Andy Warhol." This will be his first large-scale retrospective in France, which will be in the Hall of Mirrors and the apartments of the King and the Queen.
Who: Artist Takashi Murakami
When: 12 September - 12 December 2010
Where: Versailles, France
Why: Jeff Koons' controversial exhibit at the palace left us wanting more.
Kenmare Lands in Nolita
What: NY's restaurant du jour gives the displaced, grungy denizens of Beatrice a place to call home.
Who: Nur Khan (Rose Bar), Paul Sevigny (Beatrice Inn) and Joey Campanaro (Little Owl) are behind the counter and every A-lister in town on the tables.
When: Now
Where: 98 Kenmare Street, New York, NY
Why: Olivier Zahm, Chloe Sevigny and Anouk Lepere need a new hang out spot in New York.
Alexander McQueen's New Creative Director
What: The eagerly awaited announcement of the fashion genius successor
Who: Officially, no name yet, but unofficially, Gareth Pugh's future is looking bright indeed.
When: Soon, very soon
Where: Keep checking insider blogs
Why: Lady Gaga needs a new oufit, pronto!
Wireless Electricity
What: Exactly that, no more wires
Who: Eric Giler , CEO of WiTricity. Check out his demostration at the TED conference last year, www.ted.com.
When: Rumour has it, we should see the first hint of commercial use by the end of the year.
Where: Eventually every household in the world
Why: Wires are just ugly.
3D TV
What: 3D television, plus 3D glasses, Avatar in 3D BluRay, the works
Who: At the moment, Phillips seems to be at the head of the pack.
When: The first fully commercially 3D TVs should be available by May.
Where: China and Japan have released their own 3D TVs and the West will follow shortly.
Why: Why should geeky 3D glasses be limited to theatres alone?
Masdar City
What: The world’s first carbon neutral city
Who: The Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (ADFEC) and Brit firm Foster & Partners
When: Possibly the end of the year. Though the completion date has been changed several times, so there are strong doubts the project will be completed as scheduled.
Where: UAE
Why: Why not?
Shanghai Comes Out
What: Shanghai’s 2010 Expo will explore the potential of urban life in the 21st century.
Who: 200 countries from around the world
When: 1 May - 31 October 2010
Where: Shanghai, China
Why: According to Shanghai's 2010 Expo website, China owes its successful bid to “the expectations the world's people place on China's future development.“
Seven Billion People
What: World population to hit seven billion
Who: You, me and billions more
When: It's predicted to happen in November, but the US will provide more accurate data after the census in April.
Where: Earth
Why: The 2012 end-of-the-world theorists need more arguments to favour their predictions.
Monday, May 3, 2010
College Investors Bank On Gainful Employment Rule Easing Read more: http://www.nasdaq.com/aspx/company-news-story.aspx?storyid=201003241201dowjonesdj
ollege Investors Bank On Gainful Employment Rule Easing
By Melissa Korn, Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
NEW YORK -(Dow Jones)- Stocks of for-profit college operators have soared in the past two months as concerns about the federal government implementing harsh regulations on the sector begin to ebb.
Whether that sense of relief is merited, however, is up for debate.
Recent comments from members of Congress, and even from the Department of Education itself, are giving investors hope that the government may soften its proposal to penalize schools whose students graduate with large loans and low- paying jobs. The issue comes under the guise of "gainful employment," which fundamentally questions how well schools prepare their students to get jobs that can cover their educational debt.
The stocks of companies such as Bridgepoint Education Inc. (BPI), Career Education Corp. (CECO) and Corinthian Colleges Inc. (COCO) initially dipped after the proposal was announced in late January. It recommended that programs whose graduates have a debt-to-income ratio above 8%, or who don't meet certain other criteria, lose access to Title IV federal financial aid - the main revenue source for the for-profit schools. Opponents say the rule could force schools to lower their prices.
The schools' stocks started rising in mid-February as short-sellers, believing no more negative news would come for months, started covering their positions. The Education Department likely will release an official proposal in June, open for public comment, and a final rule in November. Any changes won't go into effect until July 2011.
Shares have been on a tear since. Bridgepoint is up 63.8% since the rule was proposed, while Career Education has gained 42.3% and Corinthian is up 41.1%. American Public Education Inc. (APEI), Grand Canyon Education Inc. (LOPE) and others have also outpaced the market. The Russell 2000 Index is up 12.1% in that time.
Some saw a boost when Education Secretary Arne Duncan testified in front of the House Education and Labor Committee March 3 that the department is "by no means wedded to any one direction" on the rule. "We don't want to be overly heavy-handed," he said.
Four committee members, including two Democrats, expressed concerns about the proposal during the question-and-answer period.
On March 11, the Congressional Black Caucus circulated a letter for members to sign and send to Duncan noting their distaste for the rule.
But congressional disappointment might not have much impact.
"While certainly a positive step, a letter is only a letter," said Ariel Sokol, an analyst with Wedbush Securities, regarding the Congressional Black Caucus's missive. "This is not a legislative process," he added, as Congress ultimately has no say in what rule the department adopts.
Congress does have a say on the upcoming reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, though, which some believe could put Duncan in a tight- enough spot to make concessions to ensure passage of that bill.
"The department easing up would be a small price to pay to accommodate everyone," said Trace Urdan, a research analyst and managing director at Signal Hill Capital Group.
Harris Miller, head of the Career College Association, an industry trade group, says he has had talks with the department about the gainful-employment language. "I know from various conversations that the Department is increasingly aware of these concerns," he wrote in an email. "But whether this increased attention will divert them from their path remains to be seen."
Jeffrey M. Silber, managing director at BMO Capital Markets, agrees. He wrote in a note to investors Wednesday, "We believe nobody outside of the Department of Education has true insight into how the language has changed." He expects that the initial proposal will be watered down "a bit," but some type of debt ceiling will still be implemented.
An Education Department official said the office is working on the language and couldn't comment further.
Even if the ultimate rule is softened, some fear the schools most affected - those whose students default on their debt or who graduate into low-paying jobs - may not disclose the potential impact on their bottom line early enough. That could force the industry into another cloud of uncertainty like the one under which it hovered for much of last year as investors waited for the government to introduce the list of regulations it would seek to revise in the first place.
"Investors would be ill-informed to think that we're out of the woods, by a long shot," Sokol said.
- By Melissa Korn, Dow Jones Newswires; 212-416-2271; melissa.korn@ dowjones.com
Read more: http://www.nasdaq.com/aspx/company-news-story.aspx?storyid=201003241201dowjonesdjonline000435&title=college-investors-bank-on-gainful-employment-rule-easing#ixzz0muVcFGRi
By Melissa Korn, Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
NEW YORK -(Dow Jones)- Stocks of for-profit college operators have soared in the past two months as concerns about the federal government implementing harsh regulations on the sector begin to ebb.
Whether that sense of relief is merited, however, is up for debate.
Recent comments from members of Congress, and even from the Department of Education itself, are giving investors hope that the government may soften its proposal to penalize schools whose students graduate with large loans and low- paying jobs. The issue comes under the guise of "gainful employment," which fundamentally questions how well schools prepare their students to get jobs that can cover their educational debt.
The stocks of companies such as Bridgepoint Education Inc. (BPI), Career Education Corp. (CECO) and Corinthian Colleges Inc. (COCO) initially dipped after the proposal was announced in late January. It recommended that programs whose graduates have a debt-to-income ratio above 8%, or who don't meet certain other criteria, lose access to Title IV federal financial aid - the main revenue source for the for-profit schools. Opponents say the rule could force schools to lower their prices.
The schools' stocks started rising in mid-February as short-sellers, believing no more negative news would come for months, started covering their positions. The Education Department likely will release an official proposal in June, open for public comment, and a final rule in November. Any changes won't go into effect until July 2011.
Shares have been on a tear since. Bridgepoint is up 63.8% since the rule was proposed, while Career Education has gained 42.3% and Corinthian is up 41.1%. American Public Education Inc. (APEI), Grand Canyon Education Inc. (LOPE) and others have also outpaced the market. The Russell 2000 Index is up 12.1% in that time.
Some saw a boost when Education Secretary Arne Duncan testified in front of the House Education and Labor Committee March 3 that the department is "by no means wedded to any one direction" on the rule. "We don't want to be overly heavy-handed," he said.
Four committee members, including two Democrats, expressed concerns about the proposal during the question-and-answer period.
On March 11, the Congressional Black Caucus circulated a letter for members to sign and send to Duncan noting their distaste for the rule.
But congressional disappointment might not have much impact.
"While certainly a positive step, a letter is only a letter," said Ariel Sokol, an analyst with Wedbush Securities, regarding the Congressional Black Caucus's missive. "This is not a legislative process," he added, as Congress ultimately has no say in what rule the department adopts.
Congress does have a say on the upcoming reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, though, which some believe could put Duncan in a tight- enough spot to make concessions to ensure passage of that bill.
"The department easing up would be a small price to pay to accommodate everyone," said Trace Urdan, a research analyst and managing director at Signal Hill Capital Group.
Harris Miller, head of the Career College Association, an industry trade group, says he has had talks with the department about the gainful-employment language. "I know from various conversations that the Department is increasingly aware of these concerns," he wrote in an email. "But whether this increased attention will divert them from their path remains to be seen."
Jeffrey M. Silber, managing director at BMO Capital Markets, agrees. He wrote in a note to investors Wednesday, "We believe nobody outside of the Department of Education has true insight into how the language has changed." He expects that the initial proposal will be watered down "a bit," but some type of debt ceiling will still be implemented.
An Education Department official said the office is working on the language and couldn't comment further.
Even if the ultimate rule is softened, some fear the schools most affected - those whose students default on their debt or who graduate into low-paying jobs - may not disclose the potential impact on their bottom line early enough. That could force the industry into another cloud of uncertainty like the one under which it hovered for much of last year as investors waited for the government to introduce the list of regulations it would seek to revise in the first place.
"Investors would be ill-informed to think that we're out of the woods, by a long shot," Sokol said.
- By Melissa Korn, Dow Jones Newswires; 212-416-2271; melissa.korn@ dowjones.com
Read more: http://www.nasdaq.com/aspx/company-news-story.aspx?storyid=201003241201dowjonesdjonline000435&title=college-investors-bank-on-gainful-employment-rule-easing#ixzz0muVcFGRi
VP Marketing/Business Development - Southwest OPEN salary + equity
Have you taken a school public? Send your qualifications and resume to hshepard@dshefrin.com
Must have a Masters Degree & experience in the Online Education Marketing & New Business Development arena.
Experience: 10+ years
Salary is OPEN - may be potential for equity.
This is in the Southwest for a Reg Accredited online institution
Must have a Masters Degree & experience in the Online Education Marketing & New Business Development arena.
Experience: 10+ years
Salary is OPEN - may be potential for equity.
This is in the Southwest for a Reg Accredited online institution
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Candidate Care in a Down Economy
Candidate Care in a Down Economy
Are you recruiting ‘Passive’ Candidates as if they were ‘Active’?
I had a recent conversation with a very frustrated hiring executive: The conversation resurfaced some ‘best practices’ around recruiting quality talent.
He was frustrated with the current recruitment efforts on critical to fill positions in his department. While they had gone through great lengths to deploy a sourcing strategy to drive quality, passive talent into the recruitment process, the vast majority of candidates they were interested in were “bailing” out of the process.
Pondering the situation, I asked a few simple questions to try and identify the root cause of the defects
1.How are you engaging candidates into the process?
2.How quickly are you engaging candidates into the process?
3.Who are they meeting with on their first visit?
4.Where are they meeting?
5.Does the candidate fully understand the next steps after their first meeting?
The answers I received from the recruiter/hiring manager might not surprise you:
1.“Well we have them go through the normal process. If they are interested, we ask them to go online to register in our system”.
2.“Once they hit the system, the recruiter is calling them within 24 hours – - hopefully – - to do a pre-screen with them.”
3.“We like to have them come into the office and meet with the recruiter first – - then meet with the hiring manager. Ideally, we like to get a slate of candidates to come in and interview all the same day/afternoon. It is much more convenient for the hiring managers.”
4.“Ideally – the office. It makes it easier for us.”
5.“We let them know that we are interviewing several candidates and will have feedback within 3-5 business days.”
I think you know were I am going with this!
So after listening to his answers, I reflected and responded:
“So your managers are requesting the recruitment team to find the highest quality (often passive) talent possible but . . . you want the passive candidates to engage on your TERMS?
•Fill out paperwork before I will talk to you
•Come to my office
•Sit in lobby with other candidates
•Wait for a response
I don’t know about you folks, but if the University of Alabama used these technique to ‘recruit’ the most talented football players – - I bet they would not have won the national title last year!
While I don’t want to make light of this situation, I find this dilemma within hundreds of companies throughout the country. Simply put:
They are trying to recruit quality, ‘Passive’ candidates with their ‘Active’ candidate process.
Organizations that excel in recruiting top talent, take a holistically different approach to the passive candidate recruitment efforts.
Some Best Practices
1. How are you engaging candidates into the process?
Once the recruiter makes contact with a top prospect and does a preliminary pre-qualification (hopefully on the same call), they immediately seek to set up a “cup of coffee” meeting with a dynamic hiring manager. No initial paper work. We can take care of that later. No resume? No problem, lets just meet and have an exploratory conversation.
2. How quickly are you engaging candidates into the process?
Immediately (as outlined above)! I have worked with hiring managers that literally say – - if you get a top notch person on the phone, I will meet anywhere, anytime.
3. Who are they meeting with on their first visit?
While I am not saying they shouldn’t meet with a recruiter on the first visit, the quicker you get them connected with a dynamic hiring manager the better. From experience, it is much easier to engage a talented professional to have a “confidential, exploratory discussion over a cup of coffee” if for nothing else – - to network VERSUS – getting them to come for an interview with a recruiter!
4. Where are they meeting?
When you are not looking for a job, the last thing you would want is people to THINK you are looking. Coming to a competitors office for a visit – - in this day and age of LinkedIn, Facebook, etc. – - is very risky at best. And to ask them to sit in the lobby with other “candidates” is disrespectful in my book.
5. Does the candidate fully understand the next steps after the first meeting?
If you meet someone and like them, you should recruit that person. What is wrong with showing your excitement for taking the next steps – ask them their availability to meet with a key executive – - BEFORE you leave that first meeting? I am not implying an offer? I am just showing sincere excitement about moving forward and keeping the positive momentum during our courtship!
These are simple best practices I have seen successfully deployed by organizations that don’t fall into the trap of trying to recruit quality, ‘Passive’ candidates with their ‘Active’ candidate process.
If you find yourself in this dilemma, please share this with your hiring managers )
http://www.leanhumancapital.com/blog/2010/02/10/are-you-recruiting-passive-candidates-as-if-they-were-active/
Are you recruiting ‘Passive’ Candidates as if they were ‘Active’?
I had a recent conversation with a very frustrated hiring executive: The conversation resurfaced some ‘best practices’ around recruiting quality talent.
He was frustrated with the current recruitment efforts on critical to fill positions in his department. While they had gone through great lengths to deploy a sourcing strategy to drive quality, passive talent into the recruitment process, the vast majority of candidates they were interested in were “bailing” out of the process.
Pondering the situation, I asked a few simple questions to try and identify the root cause of the defects
1.How are you engaging candidates into the process?
2.How quickly are you engaging candidates into the process?
3.Who are they meeting with on their first visit?
4.Where are they meeting?
5.Does the candidate fully understand the next steps after their first meeting?
The answers I received from the recruiter/hiring manager might not surprise you:
1.“Well we have them go through the normal process. If they are interested, we ask them to go online to register in our system”.
2.“Once they hit the system, the recruiter is calling them within 24 hours – - hopefully – - to do a pre-screen with them.”
3.“We like to have them come into the office and meet with the recruiter first – - then meet with the hiring manager. Ideally, we like to get a slate of candidates to come in and interview all the same day/afternoon. It is much more convenient for the hiring managers.”
4.“Ideally – the office. It makes it easier for us.”
5.“We let them know that we are interviewing several candidates and will have feedback within 3-5 business days.”
I think you know were I am going with this!
So after listening to his answers, I reflected and responded:
“So your managers are requesting the recruitment team to find the highest quality (often passive) talent possible but . . . you want the passive candidates to engage on your TERMS?
•Fill out paperwork before I will talk to you
•Come to my office
•Sit in lobby with other candidates
•Wait for a response
I don’t know about you folks, but if the University of Alabama used these technique to ‘recruit’ the most talented football players – - I bet they would not have won the national title last year!
While I don’t want to make light of this situation, I find this dilemma within hundreds of companies throughout the country. Simply put:
They are trying to recruit quality, ‘Passive’ candidates with their ‘Active’ candidate process.
Organizations that excel in recruiting top talent, take a holistically different approach to the passive candidate recruitment efforts.
Some Best Practices
1. How are you engaging candidates into the process?
Once the recruiter makes contact with a top prospect and does a preliminary pre-qualification (hopefully on the same call), they immediately seek to set up a “cup of coffee” meeting with a dynamic hiring manager. No initial paper work. We can take care of that later. No resume? No problem, lets just meet and have an exploratory conversation.
2. How quickly are you engaging candidates into the process?
Immediately (as outlined above)! I have worked with hiring managers that literally say – - if you get a top notch person on the phone, I will meet anywhere, anytime.
3. Who are they meeting with on their first visit?
While I am not saying they shouldn’t meet with a recruiter on the first visit, the quicker you get them connected with a dynamic hiring manager the better. From experience, it is much easier to engage a talented professional to have a “confidential, exploratory discussion over a cup of coffee” if for nothing else – - to network VERSUS – getting them to come for an interview with a recruiter!
4. Where are they meeting?
When you are not looking for a job, the last thing you would want is people to THINK you are looking. Coming to a competitors office for a visit – - in this day and age of LinkedIn, Facebook, etc. – - is very risky at best. And to ask them to sit in the lobby with other “candidates” is disrespectful in my book.
5. Does the candidate fully understand the next steps after the first meeting?
If you meet someone and like them, you should recruit that person. What is wrong with showing your excitement for taking the next steps – ask them their availability to meet with a key executive – - BEFORE you leave that first meeting? I am not implying an offer? I am just showing sincere excitement about moving forward and keeping the positive momentum during our courtship!
These are simple best practices I have seen successfully deployed by organizations that don’t fall into the trap of trying to recruit quality, ‘Passive’ candidates with their ‘Active’ candidate process.
If you find yourself in this dilemma, please share this with your hiring managers )
http://www.leanhumancapital.com/blog/2010/02/10/are-you-recruiting-passive-candidates-as-if-they-were-active/
For-Profit Education Stocks Slide Even As Enrollment Gains
For-Profit Education Stocks Slide Even As Enrollment Gains
By Caitlin Nish
Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
NEW YORK (Dow Jones)--Shares of for-profit education companies tumbled Friday even as quarterly results have shown enrollment continues to be strong.
Educators have seen earnings soar during the recession as high unemployment has pushed people to seek new skills and education. DeVry Inc. (DV) late Thursday said its fiscal third-quarter profit surged 60% on a 26% rise in total student enrollment, while ITT Educational Services Inc.'s (ESI) first-quarter profit rose by nearly half as total enrollment climbed 29%. But investors are wary about growth slowing as employment numbers improve.
Shares in the sector were also lower Thursday on a third-party study released by the Career College Association showing for-profit schools would be hit hard by the "gainful employment" recommendation that's part of proposed regulatory reform. Education stocks have been volatile over the past several months as the federal government continues to discuss new regulations for the higher education industry.
ITT's shares were recently down 1.7% to $110.83, while DeVry's were off 7.4% to $68.78.
As for the latest quarterly results, Signal Hill analysts said in a note, "We could not have scripted a better quarter for ITT. But signs of the advancing deceleration are creeping in as well."
The firm added that it was encouraged by ITT management's candid acknowledgement of the pressure it will face from an improving job market and its belief that it can achieve a "soft landing, decelerating gradually to high single-digit enrollment growth."
While noting that DeVry had a "fantastic" third-quarter, Wedbush said in a note Friday that the stock is likely trading lower due to execution snafus but more importantly, comments about the negative impact of an improving economy.
Also pressured were Corinthian Colleges Inc. (COCO), down 5% to $17.79, and Apollo Group Inc. (APOL), 2.9% lower at $62.98. Career Education Corp. (CECO) was off 2.2% to $34.13.
Still, Wedbush added that the key near-term driver for DeVry's stock "remains the outcome of the regulatory process."
The U.S. Department of Education is working on a "gainful employment" measure to make schools more accountable for graduating students with high debt-to-income ratios.
The study released by Career College Association said the proposal would displace hundreds of thousands of students as their programs close and could block more than 5 million students from the schools by 2020.
The department is expected to release a version of the proposals for public comment by mid-June.
-By Caitlin Nish, Dow Jones Newswires; 212-416-2076; caitlin.nish@dowjones.com
By Caitlin Nish
Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
NEW YORK (Dow Jones)--Shares of for-profit education companies tumbled Friday even as quarterly results have shown enrollment continues to be strong.
Educators have seen earnings soar during the recession as high unemployment has pushed people to seek new skills and education. DeVry Inc. (DV) late Thursday said its fiscal third-quarter profit surged 60% on a 26% rise in total student enrollment, while ITT Educational Services Inc.'s (ESI) first-quarter profit rose by nearly half as total enrollment climbed 29%. But investors are wary about growth slowing as employment numbers improve.
Shares in the sector were also lower Thursday on a third-party study released by the Career College Association showing for-profit schools would be hit hard by the "gainful employment" recommendation that's part of proposed regulatory reform. Education stocks have been volatile over the past several months as the federal government continues to discuss new regulations for the higher education industry.
ITT's shares were recently down 1.7% to $110.83, while DeVry's were off 7.4% to $68.78.
As for the latest quarterly results, Signal Hill analysts said in a note, "We could not have scripted a better quarter for ITT. But signs of the advancing deceleration are creeping in as well."
The firm added that it was encouraged by ITT management's candid acknowledgement of the pressure it will face from an improving job market and its belief that it can achieve a "soft landing, decelerating gradually to high single-digit enrollment growth."
While noting that DeVry had a "fantastic" third-quarter, Wedbush said in a note Friday that the stock is likely trading lower due to execution snafus but more importantly, comments about the negative impact of an improving economy.
Also pressured were Corinthian Colleges Inc. (COCO), down 5% to $17.79, and Apollo Group Inc. (APOL), 2.9% lower at $62.98. Career Education Corp. (CECO) was off 2.2% to $34.13.
Still, Wedbush added that the key near-term driver for DeVry's stock "remains the outcome of the regulatory process."
The U.S. Department of Education is working on a "gainful employment" measure to make schools more accountable for graduating students with high debt-to-income ratios.
The study released by Career College Association said the proposal would displace hundreds of thousands of students as their programs close and could block more than 5 million students from the schools by 2020.
The department is expected to release a version of the proposals for public comment by mid-June.
-By Caitlin Nish, Dow Jones Newswires; 212-416-2076; caitlin.nish@dowjones.com
Capella Education 1Q profit rises 83 percent
Capella Education 1Q profit rises 83 percent
MINNEAPOLIS
For-profit school Capella Education Co. said Tuesday that its earnings rose 83 percent during the first quarter as more students enrolled, and the company boosted its outlook for 2010.
For-profit schools have had huge increases in revenue and earnings throughout the recession as students look to beef up resumes and learn new skills to compete in a weak job market.
For the three months ended March 31, the Minneapolis company earned $15.2 million, or 89 cents per share, compared with $8.3 million, or 49 cents per share, during the same period a year ago.
Revenue increased 32 percent to $101.2 million as total enrollment grew 32 percent to 37,178 students.
Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters had expected profit of 79 cents per share on revenue of $98.8 million.
Capella said it expects revenue to increase 26.5 percent to 28.5 percent in 2010, compared with a a prior forecast of 24.5 percent to 26.5 percent. That implies revenue of $423.3 million to $430 million, above Wall Street expectations of $421.8 million.
Baird analyst Amy Junker said Capella, with its emphasis on post-bachelor's degree programs, should not suffer a hit to earnings from regulatory changes proposed by the Department of Education. She raised her share price target to $125 from $114.
The Department of Education has proposed limiting graduates' student aid repayment costs to 8 percent of income. The proposal aims to ensure schools are not taking unqualified students or charging students for classes that will not help them land better-paying jobs.
Capella shares fell $58 cents to $93.87 in afternoon trading after earlier hitting a 52-week high of $95.58. The stock has ranged from $46.37 to $94.59 over the past year.
http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9FBJJ9G0.htm
MINNEAPOLIS
For-profit school Capella Education Co. said Tuesday that its earnings rose 83 percent during the first quarter as more students enrolled, and the company boosted its outlook for 2010.
For-profit schools have had huge increases in revenue and earnings throughout the recession as students look to beef up resumes and learn new skills to compete in a weak job market.
For the three months ended March 31, the Minneapolis company earned $15.2 million, or 89 cents per share, compared with $8.3 million, or 49 cents per share, during the same period a year ago.
Revenue increased 32 percent to $101.2 million as total enrollment grew 32 percent to 37,178 students.
Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters had expected profit of 79 cents per share on revenue of $98.8 million.
Capella said it expects revenue to increase 26.5 percent to 28.5 percent in 2010, compared with a a prior forecast of 24.5 percent to 26.5 percent. That implies revenue of $423.3 million to $430 million, above Wall Street expectations of $421.8 million.
Baird analyst Amy Junker said Capella, with its emphasis on post-bachelor's degree programs, should not suffer a hit to earnings from regulatory changes proposed by the Department of Education. She raised her share price target to $125 from $114.
The Department of Education has proposed limiting graduates' student aid repayment costs to 8 percent of income. The proposal aims to ensure schools are not taking unqualified students or charging students for classes that will not help them land better-paying jobs.
Capella shares fell $58 cents to $93.87 in afternoon trading after earlier hitting a 52-week high of $95.58. The stock has ranged from $46.37 to $94.59 over the past year.
http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9FBJJ9G0.htm
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Regulatory Compliance & Gov’t Affairs Director $150K Phoenix Must be ACCSC accredited
PM for more details @hshepard@dshefrin.com
Position Summary
Provides leadership and manages Regulatory Compliance and Government Affairs functions.
Principle Accountabilities & Deliverables
• Manages the Corporate Compliance and Ethics program, including:
Counsel on issues relating to federal and state regulations and laws regarding corporate compliance programs.
Participation in and/or leadership of the Risk Assessment Team including Senior Team/Board reports related to various assessments.
Management of Code of Conduct compliance efforts and related updates
Publication of compliance brochures.
Delivery of compliance education programs required to meet Federal Sentencing Guidelines for SOX compliance.
Participates in compliance investigations and related Employee Hotline calls.
Provides training programs on various topics, including FERPA, GLBA and HIPPA, etc.
• Functions as primary Governmental Affairs liaison
Evaluates pending legislation, develops compliance strategy, and leads compliance process
Stays up to date on changing political landscape relating to post-secondary for-profit education.
Develops and maintains strong relationships on behalf of UTI with elected and appointed officials such as legislators, regulators and agency officials.
Informs and counsels Senior Leadership team regarding federal, state and legislative activity, regulatory initiatives, for profit education issues and emerging issues that could have an impact on the company.
Participates in the drafting and updating of the SEC 10K (Annual Report).
Others duties and projects as assigned.
Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities
Education / Experience
• Bachelor’s degree required
• JD preferred.
• 7-10 years direct experience in regulatory compliance, accreditation and licensing in higher education or in a highly regulated industry preferred.
Position Summary
Provides leadership and manages Regulatory Compliance and Government Affairs functions.
Principle Accountabilities & Deliverables
• Manages the Corporate Compliance and Ethics program, including:
Counsel on issues relating to federal and state regulations and laws regarding corporate compliance programs.
Participation in and/or leadership of the Risk Assessment Team including Senior Team/Board reports related to various assessments.
Management of Code of Conduct compliance efforts and related updates
Publication of compliance brochures.
Delivery of compliance education programs required to meet Federal Sentencing Guidelines for SOX compliance.
Participates in compliance investigations and related Employee Hotline calls.
Provides training programs on various topics, including FERPA, GLBA and HIPPA, etc.
• Functions as primary Governmental Affairs liaison
Evaluates pending legislation, develops compliance strategy, and leads compliance process
Stays up to date on changing political landscape relating to post-secondary for-profit education.
Develops and maintains strong relationships on behalf of UTI with elected and appointed officials such as legislators, regulators and agency officials.
Informs and counsels Senior Leadership team regarding federal, state and legislative activity, regulatory initiatives, for profit education issues and emerging issues that could have an impact on the company.
Participates in the drafting and updating of the SEC 10K (Annual Report).
Others duties and projects as assigned.
Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities
Education / Experience
• Bachelor’s degree required
• JD preferred.
• 7-10 years direct experience in regulatory compliance, accreditation and licensing in higher education or in a highly regulated industry preferred.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
DeVry-Owned Vet School Stops Killing but Animal Suffering Continues
http://www.rushprnews.com/2009/06/10/devry-owned-vet-school-stops-killing-but-animal-suffering-continues
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Campus Director – Ohio, $135K + up to $50k bonus
Campus Director – Ohio, $135K + up to $50k bonus
Send resume to hshepard@dshefrin.com
Salary: $135k + bonus up to $50K
Benefits: Yes
Relo: Yes
Degree: Bachelor’s Degree required, Master’s preferred
Must have FIVE years experience as a president from a Proprietary College with full P&L responsibility. Solid marketing knowledge, Strong customer service orientation. Provide overall leadership to the organization, its staff and programs in order to meet and/or exceed growth expectations set forth by the Corporation. Manage full P&L/budget for the school operations to meet or exceed budgeted revenue and net income while holding costs to within budgeted levels.
PM me for more details.
Send resume to hshepard@dshefrin.com
Salary: $135k + bonus up to $50K
Benefits: Yes
Relo: Yes
Degree: Bachelor’s Degree required, Master’s preferred
Must have FIVE years experience as a president from a Proprietary College with full P&L responsibility. Solid marketing knowledge, Strong customer service orientation. Provide overall leadership to the organization, its staff and programs in order to meet and/or exceed growth expectations set forth by the Corporation. Manage full P&L/budget for the school operations to meet or exceed budgeted revenue and net income while holding costs to within budgeted levels.
PM me for more details.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Director of Education $60k Alabama
Email resume to hshepard@dshefrin.com
Director of Education $60k Alabama
Salary: $60K
Benefits: Yes
Relo: Yes
Degree: Masters
Must have 3 plus years as DoE with a for-profit school. The successful candidate will have experience developing and implementing both diploma and associate degree academic programs in a post-secondary education setting. The candidate will also demonstrate leadership and management skills at the senior level; will possess 3+ years experience leading a diverse, post-secondary school.
Director of Education $60k Alabama
Salary: $60K
Benefits: Yes
Relo: Yes
Degree: Masters
Must have 3 plus years as DoE with a for-profit school. The successful candidate will have experience developing and implementing both diploma and associate degree academic programs in a post-secondary education setting. The candidate will also demonstrate leadership and management skills at the senior level; will possess 3+ years experience leading a diverse, post-secondary school.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Seattle Game Design - Program Chair -$65K
Seattle Game Design - Program Chair -$65K
Where: Seattle
Salary; $65K
Benefits: Yes
Relo: Yes
The chair will be responsible for leading the Game Production program. The program prepares students for the game design industries. The chair is responsible for leadership and management of the department including faculty recruitment and development, student management, all areas of curriculum and instruction, and maintaining a close alliance with professional organizations and the industry.
Bachelors Degree in Art or Design required; Masters Degree in education, design or a closely related discipline
3 years teaching experience at the university level and demonstrated record of practice in the field
2-3 years experience in curriculum development and implementation
Management experience
Accreditation experience
Assist, Recruit, interview and recommend new faculty
Coordinate faculty development process
Monitor faculty development needs and provide documentation of faculty development plan and outcomes
Development of new curriculum and course content and maintenance of existing curriculum
Facilitation of curriculum revisions
Where: Seattle
Salary; $65K
Benefits: Yes
Relo: Yes
The chair will be responsible for leading the Game Production program. The program prepares students for the game design industries. The chair is responsible for leadership and management of the department including faculty recruitment and development, student management, all areas of curriculum and instruction, and maintaining a close alliance with professional organizations and the industry.
Bachelors Degree in Art or Design required; Masters Degree in education, design or a closely related discipline
3 years teaching experience at the university level and demonstrated record of practice in the field
2-3 years experience in curriculum development and implementation
Management experience
Accreditation experience
Assist, Recruit, interview and recommend new faculty
Coordinate faculty development process
Monitor faculty development needs and provide documentation of faculty development plan and outcomes
Development of new curriculum and course content and maintenance of existing curriculum
Facilitation of curriculum revisions
Director of Financial Services $75K
Director of Financial Services $75K
Email resume to hshepard@dshefrin.com
Director of Financial Services
Where: WI
Salary: $75K
Benefits: Yes
Relo: Yes
Degree: Bachelor preferred and Title IV administration experience
5+ Years experience in For-Profit College Financial Services field. Online exp a plus
This position is open due to a promotion and growth of the school. The DFS will oversee 3 associate Directors and a total staff of 30+. Manage the Financial Aid Dept. assist students with FAFSA, repackages student aid when necessary, etc. Manages Fiscal Dept, performs withdrawal & R2T4 calculations. Adhere to college rules and regulations, Dept of Ed, FERPA, etc.
Email resume to hshepard@dshefrin.com
Director of Financial Services
Where: WI
Salary: $75K
Benefits: Yes
Relo: Yes
Degree: Bachelor preferred and Title IV administration experience
5+ Years experience in For-Profit College Financial Services field. Online exp a plus
This position is open due to a promotion and growth of the school. The DFS will oversee 3 associate Directors and a total staff of 30+. Manage the Financial Aid Dept. assist students with FAFSA, repackages student aid when necessary, etc. Manages Fiscal Dept, performs withdrawal & R2T4 calculations. Adhere to college rules and regulations, Dept of Ed, FERPA, etc.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Director of Financial & Student Services - $90K
Director of Financial & Student Services
Where: WI
Salary: $90K
Benefits: Yes
Relo: Yes
Position reports to: Online President
Position manages:
Director of Financial Services (and student accounts)
Director of Student Services
Director of Registration
Director of Career Services
>50 staff
Experience: desired 5+ years experience in field, online experience preferred. Key duties are to ensure high quality student experiences, maintain best-in-class operations, and ensure campus adherence to compliance practices. Manage operations of Financial Services Department: FASFA process FA Repackage, MPN processes and FISPA gov. reporting. Operations of Student Accounts Dept, Operations of Student Services Dept., evaluate all Operations for efficiency. Perform key metrics by department: total enrollment, retention, expense controls, profitability, AR/Collections, and regulatory compliance.
Education: Masters degree required, MBA preferred
Vacancy due to position creation related to growth.
Where: WI
Salary: $90K
Benefits: Yes
Relo: Yes
Position reports to: Online President
Position manages:
Director of Financial Services (and student accounts)
Director of Student Services
Director of Registration
Director of Career Services
>50 staff
Experience: desired 5+ years experience in field, online experience preferred. Key duties are to ensure high quality student experiences, maintain best-in-class operations, and ensure campus adherence to compliance practices. Manage operations of Financial Services Department: FASFA process FA Repackage, MPN processes and FISPA gov. reporting. Operations of Student Accounts Dept, Operations of Student Services Dept., evaluate all Operations for efficiency. Perform key metrics by department: total enrollment, retention, expense controls, profitability, AR/Collections, and regulatory compliance.
Education: Masters degree required, MBA preferred
Vacancy due to position creation related to growth.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
VP Operations $225k Phoenix
Vice President of Operations
Where: Phoenix
Salary: $200-225k
Benefits: Yes
Relo: Yes
Send resume to: Hshepard@dshefrin.com
Responsible for managing $75-100M in Revenue and being a part of that growth.
Responsible for the overall administration and management of total operations. Responsible for maintaining compliance with all home office policies and all regulatory agencies. Responsible for growing schools to the levels prescribed by the company’s Executive Management Team, for achieving/exceeding the approved monthly/quarterly/annual budget and for maintaining an appropriate school environment for student success.
Where: Phoenix
Salary: $200-225k
Benefits: Yes
Relo: Yes
Send resume to: Hshepard@dshefrin.com
Responsible for managing $75-100M in Revenue and being a part of that growth.
Responsible for the overall administration and management of total operations. Responsible for maintaining compliance with all home office policies and all regulatory agencies. Responsible for growing schools to the levels prescribed by the company’s Executive Management Team, for achieving/exceeding the approved monthly/quarterly/annual budget and for maintaining an appropriate school environment for student success.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Director Financial Aid $65k Amarillo, TX
DFA
Where: Amarillo, TX
Salary: $60-65k
Benefits: Yes
Relo: Yes
Oversee the operation of the Financial Aid Department, grant processing, file maintenance, loan processing, electronic processing, Code C verification, master promissory notes, etc.
Send resume to hshepard@dshefrin.com
Where: Amarillo, TX
Salary: $60-65k
Benefits: Yes
Relo: Yes
Oversee the operation of the Financial Aid Department, grant processing, file maintenance, loan processing, electronic processing, Code C verification, master promissory notes, etc.
Send resume to hshepard@dshefrin.com
Director Financial Aid TX
DFA
Where: TX
Salary: $70k
Benefits: Yes
Relo: Yes
Oversee the operation of the Financial Aid Department. Plan, direct, implement, and monitor the timely processing of Financial Aid in accordance with federal and/or state regulations and Company policy. Train, develop, and evaluate staff to ensure work is performed accurately and efficiently. Evaluate and resolve student inquiries, issues, and problems, and ensure appropriate action is taken to the satisfaction of the student, Company, and/or regulatory agencies in compliance with policy, procedure and legal requirements. Ensure confidentiality among all Financial Aid staff.
Where: TX
Salary: $70k
Benefits: Yes
Relo: Yes
Oversee the operation of the Financial Aid Department. Plan, direct, implement, and monitor the timely processing of Financial Aid in accordance with federal and/or state regulations and Company policy. Train, develop, and evaluate staff to ensure work is performed accurately and efficiently. Evaluate and resolve student inquiries, issues, and problems, and ensure appropriate action is taken to the satisfaction of the student, Company, and/or regulatory agencies in compliance with policy, procedure and legal requirements. Ensure confidentiality among all Financial Aid staff.
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