The Conference Board, a Washington D.C. research group just recently released some very alarming data on job satisfaction in the U.S. The survey reveals that only 45% of Americans are satisfied with their work, down from 49% in 2008.

One would automatically jump to the conclusion that job dissatisfaction is directly related to the recession and current economic climate. This economy certainly contributes to unhappiness at work, but the survey points to bigger issues:

§  Workers do not consider their work interesting.

§  Incomes have not kept up with inflation.

§  Rising costs of health insurance eat into take home pay.

So is this a bad thing, if workers are unhappy? Well actually it is for corporations.

Unhappy workers are less creative and they stifle innovation. They are also less likely to foster a team environment at work and mentor younger works, who really need their support and guidance.

To read the complete article, go to:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34691428/ns/business-careers/

January’s Recruiter Confidence Index from Execunet shows that a growing number of companies are adding executive jobs and that fewer firms are eliminating them The monthly study confirms that the economic recovery is beginning to take hold. In January, 64% of companies said they are “confident” or “very confident” that the executive job market will improve in the next six months.

This Index, which is published monthly by Execunet, survey’s executive search firms and is a key indicator in the executive job market.

To learn more about Exeunet or to read about the survey, go to www.execunet.com

Sunny Outlook for Solar Market

If you are looking for a job that might have some staying power, you might want to consider something in the U.S. solar market. According to a recent report by GTM Research, the U.S. is set to challenge Germany for world dominance in the solar market.

GTM Research estimates a 50 percent increase in the next two years in solar-related projects in this country that could create 50,000 new jobs. These projects would generate new solar power resources for 1.5 million homes.

Despite the downturn in the economy, solar projects increased to a record level in 2009, increasing predictions that this sector is a growth market. Both home- and commercial-site projects are sparking this growth.

Not surprisingly, California is the leading state in generating new solar-project businesses and jobs. But, Massachusetts is not that far behind. Massachusetts, along with Arizona, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, and Nevada, make up a strong second tier of states that have emerged in this field.

If you are interested in reading more about the GTM Research report, visit http://ow.ly/M2M1.

Cleantech Industry Predictions

The cleantech industry is definitely the wave of the future. More business, more investment, and more jobs are likely to sprout from this industry as the country and the world look toward a more environmentally conscious way to do business in the future.

While the economy is still bumpy, and gains in 2010 are expected to be slow, the cleantech industry has some high hopes. Chief among them are investment opportunities. Recently, I read an article by Nicholas Parker, executive chairman of Cleantech Group, about what to expect from this sector in the coming year.

Among his predictions, Parker suggests that global investments, including venture capital funding, will continue to increase in 2010, and top the levels of 2009, which was a good year in this area. He sees the number of investors, nationally and globally, to continue to increase.

The building of clean economies is expected to be the next “space race,” as countless companies begin to compete for the investments in this field. Continued political support for cleantech industries also is expected to help increase business and create new jobs.

Of course, nothing is ever perfect. And, there are predictions of expansion in the cleantech industries creating an increased demand in metals, oil, and food, causing price hikes in these areas. Also, an increase in proposals for land- and ocean-based wind and solar farms might generate public and political opposition from local residents, and even environmentalists, that could slow or kill these projects.

For the complete report, visit http://ow.ly/KJmn.

Where are the jobs going to be in 2010?

Last year was a really difficult year as so many individuals lost their jobs and as industries retrenched. I saw the economy start to shift in November with more and more of my clients getting interviews in November and December.

So what does 2010 look like for employment growth? Some early signs suggest that companies are hiring again. Boston Business Journal did a great job of covering this topic in a recent issue. I have summarized some of the key points here from their articles.

Sectors that show growth in 2009 and that will most likely continue in 2010 include:

§  Health Care

§  Education

§  Accommodation and Food Services

§  Information Technology

§  Professional, Scientific, and Business Services

Sectors that are still in decline include:

§  Leisure and Hospitality

§  Arts and Entertainment

§  Financial Services

§  Government

§  Real Estate, Rental, and Leasing

It appears that the IT sector is really driving the growth in Massachusetts as companies can no longer afford to delay spending and they will have to replace systems that are outdated.  An uptake in semiconductor sales back up this prediction.

Sources: 

Boston Business Journal January 1-7

Executive Office of Workforce Development

Are you thinking about reinventing due to changes in your industry or the general economic situation? If so, you might want to consider looking at the Federal Government.

The Federal Government is seeking to fill about 275,000 positions in the next three years.

If you are interested in learning more about the areas that have the largest growth potential, go to:

http://govcentral.monster.com/careers/articles/17529-10-government-careers-that-earn-70k?utm_source=nlet&utm_content=gc_r1_20090924_70k

Businesses stop slashing IT budgets-Finally some good news

After many months of horrible economic news, we are starting to see some light at the end of the tunnel.  The WSJ reported late last week that many businesses across the US have stopping slashing their IT budgets, which is certainly going to have an positive impact on firms such as IBM, HP and CISCO.

Does this mean a big uptake in spending and hiring? Probably not, but it does mean that the “cutting” has stopped and perhaps we are turning the corner. The WSJ article states that firms probably won’t boost their budgets again until 2010.

To read the entire article, go to:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124225721337517263.html