According to the most recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Maryland’s unemployment rate rose once again during the month of June. The state’s jobless rate increased by 0.1 percent from May’s 7.2 percent to 7.3 percent. Although this is still below the national average of 9.5 percent, it is significantly higher than Maryland’s unemployment during the same month in 2008. In June of last year only 4.3 percent of people could not find jobs in Maryland.

“While Maryland’s unemployment rate remains considerably below the national average, all too many Marylanders are still being affected by this economic crisis,” said the Secretary of the state Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation Thomas E. Perez. “We will continue to assist in any way possible to help return to the workforce.”

During June, employers in the state did away with approximately 1,100 jobs. The largest declines reported during the month were done so by businesses that provide administrative and support services. This area of employment did away with a total of 3,000 jobs in June. Other sectors help to make up for the losses experienced in this sector. The largest job gains occurred in the retail industry, professional and business services and the leisure and hospitality sector.

Other areas near Maryland also posted a rise in unemployment during the month of June. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Virginia saw a 0.1 percent increase in jobless from May’s 7.1 percent to 7.2 percent. This is significantly higher than the state’s unemployment rate in the same month last year. In June of 2008 only 3.9 percent of Virginia residents were unable to find work.

The national capital also reported an increase in unemployment during June. D.C.’s jobless rate rose 0.2 percent, going from May’s 10.7 percent to 10.9 percent. In June of 2008 the district’s jobless rate was 6.8 percent.

Currently North Dakota has the lowest jobless rate in the country, with only 4.2 percent of residents unable to find work. Across the nation there are 15 states that have an unemployment rate over 10 percent including: Alabama (10.1 percent), Georgia (10.1 percent), Illinois (10.3 percent), Florida (10.6 percent), Indiana (10.7 percent), Tennessee (10.8 percent), Kentucky (10.9 percent), North Carolina (11 percent), Ohio (11.1 percent), California (11.6 percent), Nevada (12 percent), South Carolina (12.1 percent), Oregon (12.2 percent), Rhode Island (12.4 percent) and Michigan (15.2 percent.)

Looking for a job at any age can be difficult, but for those older members of the workforce there are specific issues. The recent economic struggle has caused many of these workers to lose jobs that they have held for a long time. According to a recent press release, this area of the population has been hit particularly hard by the rising job losses.

A recent survey conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of job search engine Careerbuilder.com found that only 28 percent of workers age 55 and older who were laid off during the last 12 months have found new jobs. This is the lowest percentage of all age groups. For example, 71 percent of people between the ages of 25 and 34 that have lost their jobs have been able to find new ones.

Because of the problems of finding new jobs, the survey found that many of these older workers have expanded their job search efforts to include entry level positions and internships. On top of this, many are considering relocating for work and other options that would help them find work. Thankfully, the survey found that many employers are open to the idea.

According to the recent poll, 63 percent of people 55 or older that have been laid off have applied for jobs that below the level they are used to. Another 44 percent reported that they have been informed by employers that they are overqualified for positions that they have applied for.

Since some employers are open to hiring older workers for these positions, this now means that recent college graduates and younger workers are now having to compete with more experienced job seekers.

By polling employers Careerbuilder.com found that 26 percent have had workers who are 50 or older apply for entry level positions. Another 11 percent said that they have been receiving applications for these positions from retirees.

The good news for these workers is that 65 percent of employers reported that they would consider hiring overqualified workers for entry level jobs.

In hopes of landing long term employment, some older workers have begun to apply for internship programs. The survey found that 7 percent of employers have received applications for these often non-paid positions from mature workers. Another 4 percent reported that they have hired older applicants for internships.

The percentage of older workers who reported that they are willing to relocate for a job is somewhat surprising. According to the survey, of the mature workers who have been laid off and are still unemployed, 41 percent said that they would consider moving to another city for work.

When conducting a job search during a time of economic struggle, there are a lot of things to consider. In many cases, finding work in one particular area is not likely. At the same time, another city may have plenty of opportunities. Because of this, being willing to relocate for work increases a person’s chances of finding employment. Knowing this, more would-be workers are now willing to move for a jobs, according to a recent press release.

WorkTree.com, one of the largest paid membership job search websites, just announced the results of their job search trends report for the month of May. The website takes the data from such things as typical careers searched, desired salaries and level of education to determine what job seekers are hoping for. According to the report, May’s data showed an increase in the number of people willing to relocate for employment.

“We continue to see large numbers of highly qualified individuals actively seeking employment,” said WorkTree.com’s Board of Managers Chairman Allan Martin in the recently press release. “One particularly interesting statistic – the willingness of people to relocate for work – is on the rise. It is the first time in many months we have seen that the number of new members willing to relocate is actually greater than the number of people unwilling to relocate for a job.”

According to the release, WorkTree.com also found out that the most popular careers job seekers searched for in May were in the fields of information technology, human resources, accounting/ finance , engineering and manufacturing/ operations. In April sales made the list, but the data shows that it is no longer at the top of the list. These top five fields represented 43 percent of all the career fields searched for during the month.

With unemployment on the rise, it is no surprise that the salary expectations of job seekers fell in May. According to WorkTree.com, over half of those using the site are now looking for anywhere between $40,000 and $80,000 a year. In April 21 percent of those searching for jobs were focusing on positions that paid between $90,000 and $120,000. This salary range now represents only 10 percent of the searches yielded.

There was also a small decline in the level of education held by the job seekers in May. The data shows that 71 percent of WorkTree.com’s users held either a bachelor’s or masters degree. During the previous month 76 percent of users had this level of education.

Trying to conduct a job search when you’re unemployed can be nerve racking, but a large percent of people at least have the knowledge brought on by experience that they will eventually find work. Recent college graduates often don’t have this surety to fall back on when they find employment within a short period of time after receiving their diplomas.

The problem is, during a time of economic recession, finding jobs online or through other methods usually takes much longer. According to a recent survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, currently less than 20 percent of those who graduates this year that have applied for jobs already have one.

The Student Survey, which was conducted from February 19th to April 30th, and the report that followed showed that this is a large change from previous years. By the time of graduation over half of those that had applied for jobs in 2007 had already secured a position. In 2008 this statistic fell to 26 percent.

Since many don’t expect the country to fully recover from the nationally experienced economic recession until sometime in 2011, this means that next year’s percentage could be much lower. Because of this, those who expect to finish college next May should consider starting that job search earlier than they would if the job market was better.

Interestingly enough, the survey found that the decrease may not be completely the fault of a suffering job market. According to the NACE, fewer students had applied for work before graduate this year than in previous years. This year only 59 percent of graduates had started their job search, where as, in 2008 66 percent of these individuals had begun to look for employment. One year prior 64 percent of individuals had started looking for work before graduation.

NACE’s survey also found that of the students that have already found jobs from this years graduates, 73 percent of them had participated in an internship program during some point in their time in college. This is a good indicator that those who hope to have an easy time finding work after graduation should intern before they receive their diploma.

With unemployment rising, fewer people can afford to spend money on such things as new cars and other consumer goods. Because of this automakers are no having to struggle to stay afloat, which has meant an increase in the number of manufacturing jobs cut at the plants responsible for creating these new vehicles.

According to a recent press release, automaker General Motors Corp. (GM), which was already struggling, is now in the process of cutting approximately 1,600 jobs in North America. Over the next few days, the company is expected to slice away these positions from its white-collar workforce.

Over the last few months, GM has been doing everything it can to qualify for part of the government’s automaker bail out. In order to do this, the company has had to change its infrastructure. The job cuts are just the most recent part of the company’s attempt to fit the government’s criteria.

Troy Clarke, who is President of GM North America, sent out a mass e-mail to the employees who will be affected by the layoffs. His note referred to the cuts as unfortunate but necessary.

“In these unprecedented times, GM is reinventing every aspect of our business, including our organizational size and structure, to create a lean and agile company,” Clarke wrote in the e-mail.

He went on to refer to the remainder of this week as “a very trying time for the entire GM team, but especially for those employees directly impacted by these actions.”

At this time, GM is operating exclusively on approximately $13.4 billion in government issues loans. Coming up on June 1st is a deadline for the company to decrease their expenses and gain concessions from stakeholders if the company hopes to receive increased funding from the federal government.

Although the 1,600 job cuts should help to make this possible, there is no telling if they will be enough. GM may have to layoff more employees in the near future in order to ensure the government money.

“There is no question, as we look at our revised plan to go deeper and go faster in our operational restructuring, there will be further reductions in manpower, people, that are going to affect communities, affect plants and people, both on hourly and the salaried side of the business,” said GM’s CEO Fritz Henderson in recent statement.

The exact locations that will be affecting by GM’s decision to cut workers is not known at this time.

GM isn’t the only automaker struggling. Ford recently announced that it will be temporarily laying off 1,400 workers at its Chicago manufacturing plant.

“If there is not an actual demand for our products, then our plants will see down time,” David Schoenecker, Chicago UAW Local 551 member and Ford employee, told ABC Channel 7 News. “In the past, we did business in a sense of well, we’ll always sell the type of situation.”

With the economy suffering as it, such a situation no longer exists, making it harder for automakers to continue to produce vehicles and employee workers at rates they have been familiar with.

Conducting a job search can be a difficult thing right now, given the current condition of the economy. With the national unemployment rate on the rise, and several state’s experiencing a jobless percentage over 10 percent, competition for many positions is high at the moment. Knowing this several recruiters and HR executives have come together to create Project- No More Layoffs.

According to a recent press release, this collaboration has been designed to offer career consultations, resume writing strategies, prep and job search training. The latter includes advanced tips for the searching the Internet for work.

“Simply put, this is an organization of people helping other people find jobs,” said Project- No More Layoffs CEO Zena Contreras in a recent press release. “All of our executives have risen from the ranks to succeed in today’s tough economic times. From homelessness to struggling to keep our jobs, we can truly offer real-life examples and insider tips to ensure that you succeed where others have failed.”

Through Project – No More Layoffs job seekers will be able to view webinars, teleconferences and participate in workshops so that they will able to get the best of available jobs. The HR executives and recruiters that have come together to create the project plan to provide would-be workers with what they consider to be “insider secrets”, job search techniques, advice on how to get their feet in the door, and information on how to find those easily missed positions listed on the web.

“Typically, people pay hundreds of dollars for this type of job training, but with our exclusive webinars, participants will learn the do’s and don’t of today’s job search market without breaking the bank,” Contreras said.

Those in charge of the Project have also partnered up with several community agencies in hopes of being able to give back altruistically. Some of the charities that proceeds from the Project will go to include StandUp For Kids and United Food Bank.

“In order to really help our communities succeed we will be donating a portion of all proceeds to local charities,” concluded Contreras in the release. “Not only must w ensure that people keep their jobs, but it is also important that the local economy prosper as well. During these trying times, local charities are really feeling the brunt of economic hardship and need help just like the rest of us.”

Thos interested in utilizing the Project’s services can find out more about it on their webpage: www.project-nomorelayoffs.com

Some FedEx employees will, unfortunately, soon be back on a job search. Due to the deterioration in the global economy, the shipping giant will implement additional cost-reduction initiatives, both in the U.S. and internationally. These measures include the following:

• Network capacity reductions at FedEx Express and FedEx Freight
• Further reduction of personnel and work hours
• Expansion of previously announced pay actions to include non-U.S. employees, where permitted
• Streamlining of information technology systems and other internal processes
• Additional reductions in other spending categories
• Increased economies in the acquisition of goods and services

These cost-reduction actions are expected to result in fourth quarter charges of approximately $100 million, excluding any potential asset impairment charges. For fiscal 2010, these actions are targeted to reduce expenses by approximately $1.0 billion.

“Our goal when we implemented compensation reductions in January for U.S. salaried personnel was to both protect our business and minimize the loss of jobs,” said Smith. “With industrial production and global trade trends worsening since last quarter, we are applying these additional measures to continue to secure as many of our jobs as possible during this downturn. We remain focused on providing outstanding service, and will ensure that our actions do not impede our industry-leading customer experience.”

With unemployment rising, many people who are used to making $100,000 a year or more are without work. Because of this, executive level job search engine TheLadders.com has created two new commercial geared at attracting those looking for employment opportunities to their Website, according to a recent press release.

“There’s an unprecedented number of $100k+ job seekers in the job hunt and these new commercials clearly demonstrate the reasons why TheLadders.com is the best way to find $100k+ jobs,” said Founder and CEO TheLadders.com Marc Cenedella. “There are tens of thousands of $100k+ jobs on the site right now waiting to be filled and thousands of new jobs are being added every week.”

The job search engine’s first spot has been entitled “Little Creatures”. Using the classic Japanese monster movie format, little creatures try unsuccessfully to complete the job of wrecking havoc on a city that they are much to tiny to effect. In the end, a much larger monster, representing the executive level job seeker, shows up and finishes the task at hand.

The second commercial shows “a vast landscape and a thundering herd of ‘office chairs” in order to illustrate that TheLadders.com is unlike other job search engines because they are only interested in “big” jobs that offer salaries of $100,000 a year or more. Hunters then run across the expanse, trying to catch the largest of chairs, without paying attention to the smaller “jobs”. An announcer then makes the point by saying “We only want the big jobs.”

“The job market is crowded with millions of job seekers, the Internet is crowded with countless job search websites, and $100k+ job seekers are desperately searching for the right resource that will help them find a senior level job,” said TheLadders.com’s Chief Marketing Officer Robert Turtledove. “This new advertising campaign clearly differentiates TheLadders.com from other job search websites as the leading website that caters exclusively to the needs of $100k+ job seekers.”

“Together, the two spots are the perfect complement to TheLadders.com business model,” said Al Kelly, who is the Executive Creative Director for Fallon Minneapolis, which handled the creation of the company’s commercials. “Built exclusively for the $100K+ market, TheLadders.com only works with qualified $100K+ talent and only posts pre-qualified $100K+ jobs.”

The job search engine was founded in 2003 and has become the largest employment website geared toward executive level positions. TheLadders.com is based out of New York and has offices in London.

J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. announced the Company has been named to G.I. Jobs magazine’s annual list of the “Top 50 Military-Friendly Employers” for the second consecutive year. J.B. Hunt was ranked 14th overall and is the only Arkansas-based company to make the prestigious listing. J.B. Hunt consistently lists job listings on its website in three departments: truck, shop, and office.

“You can never underestimate the value of military leadership training,” said Rick McCormack, publisher of G.I. Jobs. “This type of classroom training mixed with real-world application, often times performed under stressful conditions, prepares veterans for corporate leadership roles far better than can ever be replicated in a business school or traditional educational setting.”

The Top 50 Military-Friendly Employers list recognizes companies which have demonstrated strong military recruiting efforts, high percentage of new military hires, and instituted policies for National Guard and Reservists. Approximately 2,500 firms with annual revenues in excess of $1 billion were surveyed. Only two percent made the final list.

“The sacrifice and dedication our military personnel put forth each day to defend our country and our freedom is nothing short of extraordinary,” said Kirk Thompson, president and CEO for J.B. Hunt. “It brings us great pride to have these same focused and driven individuals as part of our employee family. We are honored to have our commitment to these individuals recognized as part of the G.I. Jobs Top 50 list for the second year in a row.”

With the unstable state of the economy and the prices of nearly everything rising, many older workers are on a job search.

Many people wishing to retire are looking for work to help make ends meet or to save up more money when retirement is finally a possibility. Luckily, despite the current financial crisis, older workers have one valuable resource: the Internet.

According to an article by the Associated Press, older workers generally stay away from mainstream job-search Web sites such as HotJobs and Monster because they think their chances of getting hired are better when their maturity is specifically targeted. Because of this, some job search Web sites are springing up targeted specifically to retirees or anyone at least 50-years old looking for full-or part-time work.

• RetirementJobs.com has more than 30,000 listings from companies specifically seeking candidates older than 50. The company also partners with AARP.
• RetireeWorkforce.com also focuses on the 50-plus job candidate. The Web site gets about 200,000 visitors a month, twice as many as last year and increasing even more as of late.
• RetiredBrains.com is a resource for seniors, retirees and those about to retire who are looking for work, volunteer opportunities, educational resources and retirement information.
• Retirement-Jobs-Online.com offers advice about online retirement jobs, helping retirees evaluate ways to use the Internet to find work.
• AARP offers a job search engine and a National Employer Team, which lists employers that are recruiting older workers. Most are corporations, but the Web site also cites three government agencies: the Internal Revenue Service, Peace Corps and the Small Business Administration’s Office of Disaster Relief.
• Aging Workforce News is not a job board, but provides a useful collection of work-related links.
• BoomerCareer.com is a collection of career articles and resources targeting baby boomers. Visitors can search job listings and post their resumes.
• Encore.org provides news, resources and connections for individuals and organizations establishing “encore careers,” designed to combine social contribution, personal meaning and financial security. Many of the jobs posted are in education, healthcare and human services.
• ExperienceWorks.org helps low-income seniors get training to find jobs in their communities.
• QuintessentialCareers.com has a comprehensive listing of job and career resources for older job seekers.
• SeniorHelpers.com, which has offices in 230 cities throughout the country, hires many older workers to provide in-home personal and companion care for seniors. Caregivers’ services include help with housework, meal preparation, errands, transportation, medication reminders and Alzheimer’s care. The pay is $8 to $12 per hour, and most employees work an average of about 20 hours per week.
• SeniorJobBank.org is a site where older job seekers can search by category, industry or location, post resumes and register for a job-search agent.
• Seniors4Hire.org is another online career center and job bank with openings posted by businesses actively recruiting the 50-and-older population. The Web site also includes career resources and articles for older workers.
• WiserWorker.com enables baby boomers and older workers to search for job listings by keyword or location and provides career articles and resources, as well as listings of job fairs across the nation.
• YourEncore.com seeks to match retired engineers and scientists with companies looking to meet a capacity surge or fill a short-term need. Clients include Fortune 500 firms such as Boeing Co., Eli Lilly & Co. and Procter & Gamble Co., and the retirees sometimes are brought in as temporary mentors for new hires.