We’ve all seen the media reports: employers are hiring. Then why are the unemployment numbers refusing to budge? A. Harrison Barnes, career coach and Hound.com founder says it’s often what’s going on behind the scenes that determine the numbers we see splashed across the evening news.

For instance, in August, 67,000 jobs were added to payrolls across the country; even as the August unemployment rate rose to 9.6%. This, says the Hound.com founder, is because more jobs were lost in the meantime than there were new jobs added. And, Barnes adds, the national unemployment rate has, for the past year and a half, been above 9%. Some say there’s no end in sight, while others, of course, adamantly disagree.

This top heavy hiring trend might change sooner rather than later according to the Obama Administration. President Obama is feeling the heat, especially since mid-term elections are drawing near. In a pre-emptive strike, it was announced that President Obama will be unveiling many new proposals geared to break the stronghold the unemployment numbers have maintained for so long. Among those, many industry experts, including A. Harrison Barnes, believe these proposals will include, at a minimum, tax cuts.

So where must the numbers be before we really begin to see a shift in employment trends? “Currently, we’re looking at around 78 or 79,000 jobs being added on a monthly basis”, says Barnes, “and there must be twice that many – and likely up to 200,000 new jobs added before we see those changes”. Even as some economists say the current trends will continue into the new year, the Hound.com founder says it could very well be early on during the new year.

Unfortunately, the changes, regardless of when they occur, won’t be in time for the upcoming elections; in fact, many predict the majority is sure to lose its stronghold once again to the Republicans. We’ll see in November.

Meanwhile, in a Labor Day speech, President Obama said, “…rewarding greed, recklessness, special interests won’t fix the economy”. Many say it’s too little, too late. Construction hiring has yet to reclaim its place in the top ten and other positions, such as those found in the medical sector, require college level educations. So what does Barnes recommend for those who are still hearing, “Sorry, not hiring”?

“The key”, says Barnes, “is to broaden your own horizons. Step outside your comfort zone. Take a look at your resume and hone in on those areas in past positions that you most enjoyed. Also, if there was a certain aspect of any job that you were especially drawn to, now’s a great time to polish those skills and maybe focus your shift on those areas. You never know where it might lead”. Be sure to visit Hound.com to stay current on jobs available across the country. While you’re there, be sure to browse the extensive article database as well as polish your resume, too.

Resources
Post Your Resume to 65+ Job Sites
Resume Service

Tweet This Post