Nonprofit That Helps The Jobless In Danger

A nonprofit organization created to help the jobless get back to work is in danger of closing because of budget issues.

Stltoday.com reported today that the Go! Network is running short on money and might not survive the summer.  The organization, which is run by executive director Roni Chambers, was created during the midst of the Great Recession and is designed to help unemployed mid-level executives.  4,000 executives have made their way to the Go! Network since February 2009, and 68 percent of them found new employment.  Chambers assumed co-leadership of the nonprofit after her own lay-off from Anheuser-Busch in 2010.

The Go! Network relies solely on private donations, and Chambers sees the nonprofit running out of cash if things don't change soon.  Its co-leader, David Greenwalt, recently left for a full-time paid position leaving all the responsibility for the organization in Chambers' hands.  The Network has already outlasted its original expected life-span of 12 months when it was founded in early 2009.

Chambers has solicited help from donors but has been told that their priorities rest with helping the homeless, not the jobless.  Ironically, the Go! Network was founded in part to prevent members of the middle-class from slipping into homelessness.

You can read more about this story on Stlouistoday.com.

L.A. Nonprofit Gets Money To Cut Unemployment

Unemployment benefit claims are down, but that doesn't mean unemployment is no longer a problem.  And one Los Angeles-based nonprofit just got some help to get people back to work.

The Los Angeles Times reported yesterday that Chrysalis, a nonprofit that helps L.A. residents with job training, will get $200,000 over the next two years from a coalition of businesses to enhance the nonprofit's programs.  These enhancements will come in the form of a new nonprofit called Downtown Works, which will expand Chrysalis's one-day training courses into more intensive classes.  The courses for Downtown Works will be run by Chrysalis, but the organization itself will be run by The Central City Association of Los Angeles, a downtown L.A.-based business advocacy group. 

Chrysalis has predicted that of the 450 clients expected to go through the program over the next two years, at least 60 percent, or 270, will find new jobs within the next six months.  The organization has already helped many people in L.A. such as Greg Price, who after spending 31 years in prison for murder, was able to get training in technology.  That experience helped him get work in the Old Bank District.  The hope is that the new planned employment services will further cut unemployment and homelessness.

You can learn more about Downtown Works in The Los Angeles Times.

Unemployment Benefit Claims Plummet

The job market picked up some more good news today, as a series of new reports by the Labor Department indicated the economy may be experiencing an uptick in job creation.

One reason for the increased optimism is that the number of people seeking unemployment benefits has drastically fallen.  According to information from USA Today, that number fell to 352,000, the lowest it has been since April 2008.  That was around the time the Great Recession began.  This news was the latest in a series of positive developments for the economy.

A spokesperson for the Labor Department cautioned that it is normal to see volatility in unemployment numbers during this time of year.  For example, the numbers jumped two weeks ago when companies laid off thousands of holiday workers.  Still, when weekly applications fall below 375,000, it is usually a sign that hiring is strong enough to push down the unemployment rate.  Unemployment currently stands at 8.5 percent.

You can read more about this news in USA Today.

A Look At The December Jobs Report

It's the first Friday of the month.  Do you know what that means?  It means that the US Labor Department has released the employment numbers for the previous month.  What does the December jobs report have to offer?

Thankfully, it's mostly good news.  CNN Money reports that the economy added 200,000 jobs in December, closing the year with 1.6 million jobs gained.  That's compared to only 940,000 jobs added in 2010.  Unemployment fell to 8.5 percent, the lowest it has been since February 2009.  It was also the fourth consecutive month that unemployment fell, coming off the 8.6 percent level in the November jobs report.  Overall, the private sector added 212,000 jobs while the public sector slashed another 12,000.

So what does all this mean for job seekers?  The increased hiring bodes well for them, though it will also likely mean even stiffer competition as inactive job hunters get back into the search.  Yet despite this good news, the economy still has a long way to go.  According to CNN Money, the economy needs to add roughly 6 million more jobs to get back to pre-recession levels.  And despite the decreasing unemployment, there are still 13 million Americans out of work, many of whom have been unemployed for six months or more.  But there's no doubt that the job market is headed in the right direction.

Report: Unemployment Benefit Applications Fall

In a sign that layoffs are declining, the number of people applying for unemployment benefits fell to 366,000 according to a report in The Washington Post.  This marks the lowest it has been since May 2008. But will this good news translate into stronger hiring numbers?

There is no question that there have been some improvement in hiring, as the November Jobs Report showed, but it remains to be seen whether this latest news will bring an even greater boost to the job market.  We certainly hope that will happen in the coming weeks.  In the mean time, you can look at these recent nonprofit jobs to speed up your job search:

• Aministrative Analyst II at East Bay Regional Park District: East Bay Regional Park District seeks candidate with knowledge of non-profit accounting activities, grant proposals, budget monitoring & administration, along with contract management to work with our Regional Parks Foundation. The candidate will routinely perform financial analysis, preparing written reports and recommendations to management. Strong analytical, writing and editing skills are desirable.
• Service Manager at Values Into Action: A start up organization supporting people with intellectual disabilities is seeking competent and confident leaders with proven track records in providing exceptional customer service through the effective supervision of staff and the comprehensive coordination of resources designed to help people live safely and happily in their own homes and communities.
• Fund Development Director at Prima Civitas Foundation: The Prima Civitas Foundation (PCF) based in East Lansing, Michigan seeks an experienced, highly motivated Fund Development Director to create, lead, and implement a comprehensive relationship-based funding sustainability program. A successful candidate will use innovative, nontraditional methods of increasing the organization’s financial portfolio while expanding its programming and ensuring all foundation efforts are aligned with its mission.

The November Jobs Report

The economy got some unexpected good news today with the release of the Labor Department's November jobs report.  Here are some highlights:

• The unemployment rate fell to 8.6%, the lowest since March 2009.
• Employers added 120,000 jobs in November.
• An additional 72,000 jobs were added during September and October, more than was originally thought.

This is all great news but there are some things to keep in mind.  One of the reasons the unemployment rate declined is because a lot of people gave up the job search all together.  A closer look at the report shows that roughly 315,000 Americans dropped out of the labor market.  So while the drop in unemployment does reflect more Americans getting work, it's not the only reason.

Economists had expected the unemployment rate to remain unchanged from the previous month, so this is a welcome surprise.  And we have to take the good news when it comes.  We just have to remember that the job market still has a long way to go before it is fully recovered.  But this is definitely a step in the right direction. 

In the mean time, use this news as a way to re-energize your job hunt.

Explaining Gaps In Employment

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that unemployment is a serious problem in this country.  The unemployment rate has been hovering at around 9 percent for a while now, and Americans are looking everywhere for work.  If you graduated during the height of the recession, or lost your job around that time, there will probably be large gaps in employment in your resume.  You have to find a way to cover up these gaps if you want your resume to be seen by employers.

Did you know that you don't have to list the specific months you worked at a job?  All you have to do is put the years.  If you were unemployed for 6 months after your last job, you can cover up that gap by just listing the years you worked:

Company A: 2004-2007
Company B: 2007-2010

That 6 month gap is now completely gone from your resume.  If you do feel the need to put the specific dates you worked at a company, make sure you list any relevant volunteer work you were involved in during your unemployed period.  This will prove to the nonprofit that you were doing valuable things with your time.

The most important thing to keep in mind during this process is to tell the truth.  If you put information in your resume that is not factual, I can guarantee the recruiter will find out.  Once you are exposed as being untruthful, that reputation will live with you forever.  There is a big difference between covering up gaps and making things up.

Coping With Last Month's Terrible Jobs Report

If you have been following the news even a little bit, you probably know about the terrible jobs report for June.  The economy created only 18,000 jobs last month, far less than was expected, and the unemployment rate rose to 9.2%.  These were by far the worst numbers for the economy in months, throwing a bucket of cold water on hopes that the job market would start to recover.  Although the Great Recession officially ended in 2009, it seems we are still dealing with its aftermath. 

What is a job seeker supposed to do during these trying times?

Although the numbers are certainly grim, there are jobs out there.  You just need to know where look.  Kerry Hannon of Forbes wrote a pretty good blog on this a couple of days ago.  She suggested you investigate areas of work that are hiring the most.  These include fields like healthcare, and there are certainly plenty of nonprofits that do that kind of work.  You can check our job board for the most common industries that are applying.

As Hannon says, you don't need to completely reinvent yourself to get into some of these industries.  If you are proficient in marketing, for instance, you could still get work in healthcare or any other field.  You just need to redefine your skill set to make it appealing for the organization you apply to.

Make no mistake: It's still going to be hard to find work in this climate.  By focusing your sights on industries that are actively hiring, however, you will find you will have a lot more success.

Nonprofit Career Round-Up: 5/24/2011

Yesterday was a sad day in the world of philanthropy.  Robert L. Payton, one of the founders of The Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University, died at the age of 84.  I didn't know him personally, but from all reports he was an outstanding human being, and he is going to be sorely missed.

• 'Healing Tips for the Broken-Hearted Job Seeker'-Rejected from your dream job?  Don't let that get you down.  Read these tips from Careeralism.com, and go down the path of recovery!  Oh, and don't forget the grieving process!
• 'How to Look for a Job When You're Employed'-You don't just have to look for work when you're unemployed, you know.  Even if you are really enjoying your current job, there's no harm in seeing what else is out there.  This article gives you tips on how to manage both your current your career and a potential future one.
• '3 of 5 of Newly Laid Off Find Jobs'-File this one under "reasons for optimism."  There is no doubt that the job market has experienced a boost in the last month, and this article from The Orange County Register provides even more data to back up the good feelings in the air.  So even if you were just laid off, don't give up hope!

Career Round-Up: 5/5/2011

Nonprofit job links for today:

• 'Shedding the Stain of Joblessness'-This is an insightful article from The Guardian, a British newspaper, that talks about how many companies have the propensity to not hire people who have been unemployed long term, even if they have the same skills as somebody who has a better job record.
• 'Part-Time Jobs That Pay Well and Teach You a Skill'-This post from Lifehacker.com, gets rid of the myth that part-time jobs are not worth your time.  While you are searching for the perfect non profit job, you should  try your hand at some part-time work.  Remember, some work looks better on your resume than no work.
• 'How to Market Yourself in the Nonprofit Sector'-From Bridgestar, this is a good article on how to best sell yourself when you apply for nonprofit jobs.  This is an important skill to have; after all, someone with the same skills as you can ultimately land the job you want because that person might have presented themselves better than you.