Job Search News

When buying HR software it comes in handy to have plenty of information available to consult. With so many companies offering a variety of different systems, it can be difficult to navigate the buying process without reference material.

Knowing this, CompareHRIS.com has compiled one of the largest libraries of HR and Payroll software articles on the web. Many employers turn to the site in order to gather information before making a decision as to what will benefit their company the most.

The Web site recently announced in a press release that it has combed through its archives and gathered together a list of the most popular articles on the topic according to data from the last six months of traffic. Ten different articles made the list. They are:

HR and Payroll Software Buyers Guide. This article, which was written by an industry veteran, outlines the ten steps that should be taken to when buying an HRIS or HRMS software application.

HR and Payroll Software Prices, which explains why quick quotes may not be the best thing for an HR department interested in purchasing this type of software.

Payroll HRMS Interface Defined, where the author explains how HR and Payroll software interfaces and integration works. In addition to this, the article tells why it is important to know the difference between the two.

HRIS Systems and VAR’s, which explains the pros and cons of purchasing software through a Value Added Reseller. A VAR is an independent company that resells vendors’ applications.
Employee Management software. For this article data was collected from CompareHRIS.com’s selection tool in order to present readers with the features that HR professionals are most interested in.

The final five articles included on the top ten list were; HRIS Systems Implementation Tools, How Human Resource Departments Can Leverage HRMS and HRIS Technology to Become a Strategic Profit Center, “IT” is from Mars & “HR” is from Venus, What Type of HRIS Application Training Works Best and Understand Your HRIS Input Requirements.

All of these articles and 92 others can be found on the Website mentioned above.

With many applicants falsifying information on job applications, background checks have become a necessary expense when hiring new employees. The problem is that, with many businesses struggling to make ends meet at the moment, the cost of on-boarding workers can be straining. Despite this, the negatives of conducting these investigations are far outweighed by their positives.

Because of the number of companies that provide this service and the need for employers to save money, the background check business has become highly competitive. Hoping to be more capable of retaining past users and attracting new ones, A-Check America, Inc. recently introduced its newest version of the company’s employment screening platform. The company, which provides background checks and drug screening services to employers throughout the globe, has maintained its web-based format, which will make it easier for those who were familial with the older edition to master.

Representatives from the company have said that the new A-Check Direct (TM) 3.0 will help to reduce the cost employers spend on hiring new workers and the amount of time and resources it takes, a feature which likely be very popular with HR managers. This part of the platform helps to eliminate the amount of energy and time spent on ineligible job applicants. This speeds up the overall process significantly.

Another way that the program is able to increase the overall efficiency of the process is that it offers a Progressive Ordering feature that enables employers to enter a minimal amount of the applicant’s information. Then the platform goes ahead and identifies “red flags” that would make an applicant ineligible for hire, without having to go through typing in all of the data. This and other features are not available through other background check providers.

“The new system makes the background check and drug testing process easier, faster and less costly,” said Carlos Lacambra, President of A-Check. “We set out to leverage our development expertise to provide maximum benefits for employers and to solidly affirm A-Check’s position as a technology leader in the employment screening industry. We have achieved those goals with A-Check Direct(TM) 3.0.”

According to A-Ceck’s Director of Operations, Kathi Parlapiano, the changes made to the company’s latest model are the result of carefully studying what their clients need.

“We listened to our clients and worked to eliminate their pain points,” said Parlapiano in a recent press release . “Clients expect us to help them control background screening costs without compromising quality. They want speed, efficiency and flexibility. They want innovative products. They want compliance. A-Check Direct(TM) 3.0 delivers on all fronts.

“A-Check focused on creating the best employment screening platform and now we want to share it with the world,” said Lacambra. “A-Check Direct(TM) 3.0 is truly in a class by itself. Employers now have a screening platform that delivers all employment screening services through one access point, in a clear, cohesive manner.”

Finding a job in Nevada got harder in November, according to the State Department of Employment. During the course of the month unemployment rose to 8 percent, which is the highest it’s been since February of 1984. At the same time the national jobless rate was only 6.7 percent.

DOE statistics show that approximately 111,700 residents in the city were unable to find employment in November. SInce many employers in the leisure and hospitality and retailer industries usually increase the number of Nevada jobs they provide during this season, the rising unemployment rate sows that the state’s economy is definitely suffering from the effects of the national recession. Employers in the state did away with approximately 2,700 jobs for the month.

To make matters worse, economist predict that the job market it Nevada will continue to decline this year. The director of UNLV’s Center for Business and Economic Research Keith Schwer said recently that he expects that the unemployment rate will reach 10 percent before the economy begins to recover.
The State’s chief economist Bill Anderson is in agreement with Schwer, saying that he fully expects to recession to continue to worsen throughout the course of this year. Both of these experts believe that the latter part of this year will be slightly better than the first half.

According to Anderson and Schwer area’s like Reno and Las Vegas will take the longest to recover from this slump. The reason for this is fairly simple. Both areas rely heavily on the construction industry, which has been hit drastically by the troubled credit market and the real estate crisis.

Other experts have said that the recession could last in to 2010, meaning that many cities throughout the nation won’t recover until the latter part of 2011. At this time, these thoughts are simply theories. In the end, the trouble an area has bouncing back will be determined by how far down its economy slipped and whether or not local politicians pass legislation that is friendly to new businesses.

One of the things that drives up the cost of doing business is having a high turnover rate. Whenever a company loses an employ before they have been with the business for six months, money is lost on the training the individual received. Because of things like this, HR software has become extremely important to keeping profit margins up.

That this into consideration, it is interpreting to learn that, according to a recent survey conducted at the 2008 Taleo World User’s Conference, 72 percent of applicant tracking systems users are unaware of the costs of on-boarding for their highest-turnover positions.

In addition to this, 43 percent said that they are not in the practice of tracking or reporting on 120-day turnover rates. Since this is the time period where losing an employ will cost the company the most money, employers are obviously not using their applicant tracking systems to the best of their abilities.

According to Shaker Consulting Group, most businesses spend $10,000 to $15,000 for each new employee they hire for an entry-level position. If the company in question losses 10 new workers in 4 months time, then it has lost approximately $100,000.

Another 86 percent of participants reported that they are not asking applicants about the experience they had while applying to their company through the Internet. This means that very few businesses have an idea of how effective their online recruiting methods are working.

Those who participated in the survey were asked to only respond in regards to their applicant tracking and 120-day turnover rates. Of these individuals 94 percent said that they do not currently include a multi-media job preview as part of the experience they create for job seekers.

All of these things considered, it is not shocking that 43 percent of respondents said that their online recruitment efforts have yet to generate a candidate experience positive enough to create referrals for them to draw from.

This survey goes to prove that, through accurately utilizing HR software company’s stand to save a great deal of money and learn better hiring techniques. Both of these things can benefit any business, especially during a time when the economy is unstable and budgets are somewhat smaller than usual.

Virginia Governor Timothy M. Kaine announced that fitness company Nautilus, Inc. will invest $1.7 million to expand in Grayson County. The company, which will expand its manufacturing operation to add a cardio exercise equipment line, will create 60 jobs.Virginia successfully competed with Oregon and China for the project.
“Nautilus has been a major employer in Grayson County for 33 years,” Governor Kaine said. “The success of Virginia’s existing businesses is more crucial than ever in these times of economic downturn and I am thrilled to bring good news of jobs and investment.”

Headquartered in Vancouver, Washington, Nautilus, Inc. is a global fitness products company providing innovative, quality solutions to help people achieve a fit and healthy lifestyle. With a brand portfolio including Nautilus(R), Bowflex(R), Schwinn(R)Fitness, StairMaster(R) and Universal(R), Nautilus manufactures and markets innovative fitness products through global direct, commercial and retail channels. Formed in 1986, the company had 2007 sales of $502 million. It has 1,100 employees and operations in Washington, Oregon, Virginia, Canada, Switzerland, Germany, United Kingdom, Italy, China and other locations around the world.

“Nautilus has had manufacturing operations in Virginia since 1975. We are pleased to be able to partner with the state and local agencies to expand our presence in Grayson County and bring even more jobs to Virginia,” said Tim Joyce, Senior Vice President and General Manager at Nautilus.

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with Grayson County and Virginia’s aCorridor to secure the project for Virginia. Governor Kaine approved $50,000 from the Governor’s Opportunity Fund to assist Grayson County with the project. The Virginia Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Commission approved $100,000 in Tobacco Region Opportunity Funds for the project. The Virginia Department of Business Assistance will provide training assistance through the Virginia Jobs Investment Program.

“In these difficult economic times, it’s critical to have a workforce that employers have confidence in, and the employees of Nautilus in Grayson County more than meet the high standards required,” said Mike Maynard, Chairman of the Grayson County Board of Supervisors. “It’s their work and commitment that have made this decision possible.”

William Wampler, member of the Virginia Tobacco Commission and Virginia StateSenator said, “Of the many investments made by the Tobacco Commission, none are more meaningful than those made in companies like Nautilus which bring jobs and capital tosouthwestern Virginia communities. The Commission is pleased to make $100,000 available to ensure the success of this valuable corporate citizen.”

Many People had trouble finding jobs in Washington, D.C during the month of November, according to the most recent statistics from the U.S. Department of Labor. Data shows that unemployment rose from 7.3 percent in October to 7.3 percent in November.

This is a drastic increase from the same month in 2007, when only 5.7 percent of the city’s population was without work. Aside from showing the effects the recession is having on the area, the rise in unemployment has also caused the city to have the highest joblessness rate that it has had since

Things are expected to get better for some time now, if the city’s Chief Financial Officer Natwar M. Gandhi is to be believed. According to him, unemployment will likely hit 9.8 percent some time in 2010. Many experts believe that the recession won’t be fully over until 2011, so this is possible.

Over the course of the last 12 months the industry that has seen the largest decrease in Washington, D.C. jobs is the manufacturing industry, where employment has fallen by 11.8 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Throughout the nation this sector has been practically bleeding jobs for some time now.

Other industries that have lost jobs are information, where employment has fallen by 1.9 percent, financial activities, with a decline of 1.7 percent, and the government sector, where there are now 0.5 percent less jobs than there were last year.

The biggest increase in Washington, D.C jobs since last year occurred in the catch-all category of “other services”, which saw a 3.3 percent growth rate. Another sector that saw significant growth was education and health services, which posted a 2.6 percent increase. This industry has remained a bright spot in employment throughout the country, mostly because many of the services it provides are necessary for life.

It’s always a good idea for entry level job seekers to do as much interviewing preparation as possible before meeting with a potential employer. A new website, Interviewing-101, has launched to help job hunters manage the often demanding and stressful task of preparing for a job interview and securing a job offer. Developed by executive search and recruiting experts, Interviewing-101.com provides a wealth of job hunting resources including easy-to-read tips for navigating every stage of the interview process. Written in clear, concise terms from an executive recruiter’s point of view, each tip can be read, understood and committed to action in 5 minutes - or less.

“In searching for that winning edge, executive, middle management and entry level job candidates need a thoughtful approach and real-world answers to the tough questions interviewers will ask,” said Nicholas Cianciola, co-founder of Interviewing-101. “While there are numerous self-help books to pore through and expensive personal coaches to hire, what we provide is an easily accessible and affordable roadmap job seekers can follow to help eliminate the time, cost and frustration so often associated with candidates’ preparation efforts for performing well in an interview and landing a job offer.

For a $20.00 annual subscription fee, members of Interviewing-101.com gain access to:

• an inventory of continually updated top tips that span a range of key topics - from the first thing you must do to be successful in landing your next position to how best to answer the 10 dumbest questions an interviewer will ask to how to successfully approach the first face-to-face interview;
• a range of job search and information tools for pursuing and staying current with your job search including downloadable self-evaluation worksheets, access to industry research databases on the Fortune 500 and business news from more than 35 media outlets;
• categorized links to 62 major job boards; and
• a member forum for gathering with other job seekers to share best practices and job search feedback.

Candidate competition for all jobs is rapidly increasing,” said Cianciola. “With Interviewing-101, job seekers will find in one location actionable intelligence they can quickly assimilate to best prepare for any job interview.

Online recruitment has become particularly important to employers in recent years. Since many people now search for new jobs through the Internet, this has become a big concern for those who have a desire to attract the best workers.

Hoping to help businesses who specialize in the life sciences industry, Beaker, a well known community dedicated to the sector, announced the release of its newest online recruitment platform earlier this month. According to a recent press release, the company’s next generation technology now provides job seekers with free access to industry-specific multimedia content, company profiles and new jobs.

Through Beaker’s new online recruitment platform, employers get their staff vacancies out to professionals who are both those who are actively seeking work and more passive job seekers. This processes is aided by the use of multimedia employment branding and other online recruitment services.

“Beaker’s new recruiting platform merges the traditional online job board with a multimedia career management and social networking platform, tailored specifically for the life sciences industry,” said Beaker’s CEO Jeffrey Clark in a recent press release. “Simply put, we can provide an efficient recruiting process by telling a company’s story very effectively and to a highly relevant user base through a compelling online platform.”

Before the newest update, many of Beaker’s clients already had great things to say about the services they provided.

“Beaker has provided our company access to a rich talent pool and we’re seeing positive results from our employment branding and online recruiting through the Beaker platform,” said Angela Peters of Life Technologies. “Because of its obvious value proposition and its focus on our industry, an early partnership with Beaker makes sense for our organization.”

Driven largely by the housing market crisis, Florida’s unemployment continued to worsen during the month of November. In the same month last year, only 4.3 percent of the population was without work. Now 7.3 percent of residents are having trouble finding a job in Florida.

According to the state’s Agency for Workforce Innovation, unemployment in Florida hit the highest it had been in the last 15 years in October. This means it is now the highest it has been since June of 1993.

One of the area’s where the job market is now marked by the highest competition is in the Palm Beach. In October only 7.5 percent of residents were without work. According to the most recent statistics, 7.6 percent of the city’s population is unemployed. A year ago all but 4.6 percent of residents were holding down steady jobs.

As has been going on during the course of this year, the largest job losses continued to be in construction and other industries related to trade. With fewer people buying new property and the foreclosure rate in Florida being one of the highest in the nation, there is little need for new construction projects. Because of this construction jobs have been greatly effected.

Despite this, other areas of employment are now being hurt by the wide spread recession. Employers in retail, manufacturing and telecommunications are now laying off many of their workers.

Another industry that has taken a sever hit in the area is tourism, hospitality and leisure. With money as tight as it is, many people can no longer afford to travel. This effects many jobs in Florida.

During the month of November, only two areas of employed continued to create new jobs in the state. Due the necessity of the services they provide, healthcare and education both added a significant number of positions.

Hopefully, help may soon be on the way.

“‘Obtaining additional federal funds to enhance employment services for Florida’s jobseekers is one of the Agency’s top priorities, and we continue to focus our efforts on communicating Florida’s needs to our federal partners,” said the Director of the Agency for Workforce Innovation, Monesia T. Brown, in a recent statement. “We are also achieving success in working with our economic development and workforce partners to create employment opportunities for Floridians.’”

According to a company press release, Motorola, Inc. announced additional actions to further reduce costs amid continuing global economic challenges. These measures include changes to employee compensation and benefit programs as well as changes to executive compensation. Illinois jobs will be affected, as the company is based in the Schaumburg, a suburb of Chicago.

As part of the overall cost reduction program, Motorola is revising its employee compensation and benefit programs across the company. Effective March 1, 2009, to better align with industry norms, Motorola will permanently freeze its U.S. pension plans, preserving vested benefits accrued by employees and retirees but eliminating future benefit accruals. Motorola intends to continue to provide funding to meet its pension obligations to present and future retirees.

Effective January 1, 2009, Motorola also will temporarily suspend all company matching contributions to the Motorola 401(k) Plan. U.S. employees may continue to contribute to the 401(k) plan but will not receive matching contributions from Motorola.

The company also announced today that employees in many of the markets in which it operates will not receive a salary increase in 2009. In addition, Motorola co-chief executive officers, Greg Brown and Sanjay Jha will voluntarily take a 25 percent decrease in base salary in 2009.

Greg Brown will voluntarily forgo any 2008 cash bonus earned under the Motorola incentive plan. Sanjay Jha’s employment contract provides for a guaranteed cash bonus for 2008. His bonus will also be voluntarily reduced by an amount equal to Greg Brown’s forfeited bonus and the remainder will be taken in the form of restricted stock units.

These actions are expected to lead to cost savings in addition to the $800 million that was previously announced on October 30, 2008.

“The sustained downturn in the global economy requires that we take these difficult but necessary steps,” said Greg Brown and Sanjay Jha, co-chief executive officers of Motorola. “While serving our customers remains a top priority, we are equally focused on our cost structure, and we will continue to implement appropriate measures to conserve cash and reduce expenses.”