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Re-election Rhetoric or the real deal? You decide...

WASHINGTON -- Gearing up for the November election, the Bush administration sharpened its focus on the economy Tuesday — and raised the political stakes by insisting dramatic job gains are on the way.  While President Bush was meeting at the White House with business leaders, his top economic advisers were presenting Congress with their annual outlook, which projects U.S. employers will create 2.6 million jobs this year. That would be enough to erase the loss of 2.2 million jobs since Bush was sworn into office in January 2001. Opinion polls show voters consider the economy the top issue facing the nation.

MORE: http://tinyurl.com/2stgy

He said WHAT?! On second thought… Don’t read this.
http://tinyurl.com/2whru

Couple breathe life into Salvation Army jobs
http://tinyurl.com/2ndv7

Behold the power of Krispy Kreme donuts!
http://tinyurl.com/35xco

Top 10 jobs in Mississippi
http://tinyurl.com/2g47f

Green acres is the place for me. (Remember that TV show?)
http://tinyurl.com/yqaw7

How much is your college degree worth these days?

(Answer: Worth more than it was last year if you work in the fields of: Computer Science, Elementary School Teacher, Psychology, Nursing and Liberal Arts)

The job market may not be booming. But for many in the college class of 2004, it won't be quite as dismal as it was for last year's grads. That's the preliminary conclusion of the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), which released its latest quarterly starting-salary survey on Thursday. It's still early days for most college seniors on the hunt for a job. Only a small number of students typically have full-time job offers in hand halfway through their senior year. And the number of offers covered in NACE's winter survey is a small percentage of the offers covered in its fall survey, which reflects hiring through the previous August.

Still, NACE thinks there's reason for cautious optimism.

SOURCE: http://tinyurl.com/2whej

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MORE HEADLINES

Oh that's right! This is an election year!
http://tinyurl.com/2958s

This is why recruiters do reference checks
http://tinyurl.com/2ysz3

In appreciation of experience
http://tinyurl.com/yv767

Googling for dollars (For when you start your own business – The ultimate jobseeker revenge)
http://tinyurl.com/3bkxz

Washington Could Be First State to Ban Offshoring
WashTech News

Lawmakers Debate Price vs. Cost to the State

By D. David Beckman

OLYMPIA, Wash. — Two proposals now being considered before the Washington state House Commerce and Labor Committee would ban all state business from being sent offshore. If passed into law, they would be the first of their kind in the United States.

The controversial measures face an uphill battle against legislative opponents in both the House and Senate and powerful pro-business interests in the state. But they also have a powerful ally: Committee Chair Steve Conway.

"I'm going continue to repeat this because I know if I repeat it enough, people start thinking," the House Democrat from Tacoma says. "The offshoring of American work, to my mind, is an economic virus impacting our country."

If passed into law, the measures would be the first of their kind in the nation. House Bill 2405 would prohibit state government services from being performed outside of the United States. A similar measure, House Bill 2768, would prohibit state agencies from sending work to foreign companies or to U.S. companies that would then subcontract state work offshore.

Do Superbowls bring Super jobs?

The 2006 Super Bowl at Detroit’s Ford Field is projected to pump $302 million into the region’s economy, but that windfall could be limited by inclement weather, public safety costs or even what pro football teams are playing.

Source: http://tinyurl.com/2ddw8

Other headlines...

Seek and ye shall find...
Source: http://tinyurl.com/2m2rf

Are we there yet? (5)
Source: http://tinyurl.com/33m8w

Guns or Jobs? You decide...
Source: http://tinyurl.com/2tcz7

Oh, shut up!
Source: http://tinyurl.com/2po6b

Offshoring on the way out?

In a survey conducted by DiamondCluster, a Chicago consulting firm, 78 percent reported having prematurely ended at least one outsourcing contract. Because it's a hot political topic, those failures tend to attract particular attention when they involve offshoring; investment bank Lehman Brothers and Dell Inc. have been in headlines after moving call-center work back to the United States.

"It's amazing under economic pressures how many folks will jump and look for the silver bullet, and later it doesn't turn out to be what they thought it was going to be," said Chris Disher, a vice president at Booz Allen Hamilton, a management consulting firm.

Source: http://tinyurl.com/22p9u

And...

Exporting jobs shows poor judgment

"Shipping jobs offshore is shortsighted. I had two recent experiences that point out the potential problems with shipping some jobs offshore." (Interesting commentary)

Source: http://tinyurl.com/26dlq

And...

Critics cite the cost of 'offshoring'

Executives from Silicon Valley to Wall Street are adamant that shifting white-collar jobs from the United States to developing countries is good business, but a backlash is brewing. Indiana canceled a $15 million contract with an Indian consulting firm in November. And Indiana and seven other states voted on bills last year that would ban the use of taxpayer money on contracts with foreign workers. Though none of those measures passed, the states and several others are expected to consider similar bills this year.

Source: http://tinyurl.com/2f2hx

Jobs! Which presidential hopeful can really deliver?

Vote for me and I’ll bring the jobs back. (1)
http://tinyurl.com/2f26b

Vote for me and I’ll bring the jobs back (2)
http://tinyurl.com/3esov

Jobs? Montanna says, “Stop selling the sizzle and show me the beef!”
This is a good rant and I think it reflects the mindset of a lot of unemployed people these days when it comes to politics. Worth a peek. http://tinyurl.com/2vf4g

Maybe its not politics at all. Maybe technology is the economy's salvation?
http://tinyurl.com/yrwhn

Yet, with rhetoric abounding, there is good news to be found in Colorado.
http://tinyurl.com/yt9q3

Bush: What recession? I just gave you 250K jobs!
http://tinyurl.com/yu8p4

The figures for third quarter of 2003 showed that the economy grew at the fastest rate in nearly 20 years. Productivity is high, business investment is rising, housing construction is expanding, manufacturing activity is increasing, we've added over a quarter million new jobs -- the tax relief we passed is working. (Applause.) -Remarks by the President at Bush-Cheney 2004 Reception.

Jobseeker's Revenge - Preparing the discouraged jobseeker for the market's inevitable return.

LEAD STORY

Revenge of the nerds!
http://tinyurl.com/38xru

Laid-off programmers have filed a lawsuit accusing the US Department of Labor of illegally denying them job-training benefits available to workers in industries where jobs have moved overseas. The suit, which seeks class-action status, was filed Jan. 2 in the US Court of International Trade in New York, said Michael G. Smith, attorney for the plaintiffs. The suit wants a judge to order the Labor Department to make laid-off software workers eligible for weekly cash payments and other benefits under the Trade Adjustment Assistance program. (Thanks KenRadio for this tip!)

More Headlines

Hot career tip! Learn Spanish! (Read it to the end)
http://tinyurl.com/2ok7f

10 surefire ways to tick off your co-workers
http://tinyurl.com/2axpv

I think they're McTicked... (Old news, but still funny)
http://tinyurl.com/2s8jb

Who to vote for when you know what to vote for
http://tinyurl.com/2k7o3

If you can't beat 'em, join 'em.
http://tinyurl.com/2mbxy

Are we there yet?
http://tinyurl.com/3x92m

All aboard! Woo-woo!
http://tinyurl.com/yrw9v

I am woman, hear me roar (all the way to the bank)!
http://tinyurl.com/35okg

Please support our sponsor:

I Love You Too - A whole lot of flirting going on!
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LEAD STORY

IBM IS HIRING
http://tinyurl.com/2n2ch

Fresh from a profitable quarter, IBM has announced plans to hire 15,000 additional employees worldwide. The hiring plans come just days after the company reported a 9.4% increase in fourth-quarter revenue, to $25.9 billion (see story), and predicted that 2004 would herald the return of the IT industry growth cycle. A representative for the company declined to say today where the jobs would be added. IBM currently has 315,889 employees worldwide, according to its Web site, and the new hires will bump it to almost 331,000.

Good thing they quit these day jobs...
http://tinyurl.com/3bvhq

New gadgets = New jobs
http://tinyurl.com/38a5u

A safe bet for job growth?
http://tinyurl.com/26lp2

Are we there yet? (1)
http://tinyurl.com/3he2k

I want my MTV! And the jobs that come with it.
http://tinyurl.com/2pj46

Are we there yet? (2)
http://tinyurl.com/2wsrv

Sigh... When I gave an apple to my teacher, I got a whole lot less.
http://tinyurl.com/2nov8

When necessity meets frustration
http://tinyurl.com/yv7e3

Are we there yet? (3)
http://tinyurl.com/3boxz

Is He really on the mainline? (Not job related, but I could not resist.)
http://tinyurl.com/24kyt

Funny, but true interview stories...
http://tinyurl.com/2omy7

There is still gold in them dar hills
http://tinyurl.com/22psv

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Click The Cartoon

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JobSeeker's Revenge is published by Jim Stroud, the author of "How Do I Find A Job When The Economy Sucks? (And even when it doesn’t!)," a collection of innovative job-hunting techniques for people who need to work now! Jim Stroud is also a recruiter for a Fortune 100 company. Drop him an email at: jimstroud@jimstroud.com.

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"Value-Train provides value-priced certification training in Six Sigma and Lean for professionals wishing to enhance their job or career prospects." Visit them online at: www.value-train.com

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LEAD STORY

Jobs for Life: but pay cuts for all
http://tinyurl.com/2qnar

In these times of economic rationalism, Nucor Steel is a dinosaur. This giant American company still refuses to lay-off or sack staff when times turn tough. Instead everyone from chairman down to cleaner takes pay cuts and waits for the good times to roll again. Richard Carleton visits a Nucor plant to see how this steel company thrives while the likes of BHP and Telstra take the other route and lay off staff in the thousands. He finds it's all part of a philosophy that starts with a management team who earn a relative pittance and flows onto the factory floor where productivity is God.

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MORE HEADLINES

Herman's Optimism - 2004 Workforce and Workplace Forecasts
http://tinyurl.com/24r5z

Was it something I said? Maybe it was my outfit. Or, did my right guard go left?
http://tinyurl.com/2p5ae

My boss is a no-good, stinking, son of a... Umm... nevermind!
http://tinyurl.com/2hsjm

I do not recommend this as an interviewing strategy!
http://tinyurl.com/ywkq9

A 13 week interview?
http://tinyurl.com/2ss2s

Can you hear me now? Good. Can you see me now? Bad...
http://tinyurl.com/2ak9f

Remember that $400 check many of you received late last summer? Well...
http://tinyurl.com/2wgeo

Tempin' to the top!
http://tinyurl.com/34vwz

Why people volunteer for low-level campaign jobs
http://tinyurl.com/2cefd

These are the most stressful jobs in the US, according to DOL
http://tinyurl.com/ys3ow

Who's hiring in '04?
http://tinyurl.com/22dfo

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TIP: The best networkers are...

It does not matter when you start networking for your job. What matters is that you never stop networking! And may I suggest who the better networkers are? Those who GIVE more than they expect to receive. Usually I see this among the more savvy business developers, but some senior management types do this as well. They send me tips on who is hiring, who is firing, who just got funded or whom is on the edge of funding and most importantly, they steer me in the direction of someone I can assist. (I love those guys!) Sure its a backscratch fest and it may not pay off immediately, but it eventually it will. As long as you are helping people, people will feel obliged to help you. Its all Karma!

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RED HOT CAREER MOVE!

Broadcast captioning (the words you see scrolling across the bottom of the TV screen for the deaf and hard of hearing) will be required by the federal government on all new programming by January 1, 2006. Today, there are about 500 people doing this kind of work, typing the words in real-time as they listen to a broadcast from their homes. But with the federal mandate, this workforce is going to expand incredibly by 2006. Who are these workers and where will they be coming from? They are almost all former court reporters that know how to use steno machines, and are certified by the National Court Reporters Association at up to 260 words per minute. The creation of new jobs in broadcast captioning is leaving a void in the courts, however. Twenty-five schools are currently offering two-year programs for what is called communication access real-time translation (CART), and the jobs can pay up to $100,000 per year.

http://tinyurl.com/39hed

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Last one...

Your Rights When You Leave a Job (or, when it leaves you!)
http://tinyurl.com/2mxdj

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JobSeeker's Revenge is published by Jim Stroud, the author of "How Do I Find A Job When The Economy Sucks? (And even when it doesn't!)," a collection of innovative job-hunting techniques for people who need to work now! Jim Stroud is also a recruiter for a Fortune 100 company. Drop him an email at: jimstroud@jimstroud.com.