So Where are the Jobs?

So Where are the Jobs? For The U.S. Economy, Bouncing Back Is Hard To Do
Construction, Finance, State/Local Government Holding Recovery Back

PR Newswire

NEW YORK, May 5, 2011

NEW YORK, May 5, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- When it comes to recessions, the U.S. economy doesn't bounce back like it used to, The Conference Board reports in an analysis released today.

By March 2011, the number of people employed in the U.S. was only 0.2 percent higher than in June 2009, when the recession ended, notes the report, entitled So Where are the Jobs?

The current recovery is the second slowest on record since 1961 – continuing a trend that began in 1991 of weak growth in both jobs and GDP. In the last three recoveries, neither GDP nor employment "roared back" as was typical after earlier downturns.

In the current recovery, some industries are doing better, others worse. "When looking across industries, the current recovery is showing some unique trends," says Gad Levanon, Associate Director of Macroeconomic Research at The Conference Board, and author of the report. "For example, employment in construction, finance and state/local government is not only declining, but declining much faster than in any other recovery since 1960. The decline in these industries is a result of forces that go beyond the ups and downs we see in typical recessions, and a strong bounce back is unlikely in the near future." Since the end of recession, total employment in construction, finance and state/local government declined by 1.06 million jobs, while the rest of the economy added only 1.3 million jobs.

The Conference Board report includes a breakdown by industry, including a listing of job recovery rates by sector and over time. For example:

* Hardest Hit : The number of jobs in construction (-8.1 percent), finance (-1.8 percent), and state and local government (-1.0 and -2.6 percent respectively) continued to decline in the 21 months after the end of the recession.
* Disappointing : Healthcare and leisure and hospitality jobs have recovered, but at a rate slower than any since 1960.
* Doing OK : Manufacturing suffered less job loss than in recent recessions, and in the last 12 months, manufacturing employment has grown at the highest rate since the 1990s.
* Shrinking Government : The growth in federal government jobs during the recovery has been historically high (38,000), but not enough to offset the unprecedented losses in state and local government jobs (-429,000).


Employment Outlook

In the near-term, employment growth will continue to be slow. The housing downturn, high oil and commodity prices, government austerity measures and limited consumer spending will prevent GDP growth from being more robust. Unemployment is likely to remain above 8 percent through 2012. The Conference Board forecasts GDP to grow at about 2.5 percent in 2011 and 2012, much lower than the rate of 3.5 to 4 percent typically reached during expansions.

Adds Levanon: "Longer-term prospects are more promising, however. In the last six months, employment outside of construction, finance and state and local government has already been growing faster than nearly any other six-month period in the last decade. Once constraints in these hard-hit sectors loosen, overall job recovery is likely to pick up pace."

Source: So Where are the Jobs? For the U.S. Economy, Bouncing Back is Hard to Do

Executive Action No. 349

The Conference Board

About The Conference Board

The Conference Board is a global, independent business membership and research association working in the public interest. Our mission is unique: To provide the world's leading organizations with the practical knowledge they need to improve their performance and better serve society. The Conference Board is a non-advocacy, not-for-profit entity holding 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status in the United States. www.conference-board.org

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SOURCE The Conference Board

CONTACT: Carol Courter, +1-212-339-0232, carol.courter@conference-board.org, or Jonathan Liu, +1-212-339-0257, jonathan.liu@conference-board.org

Web Site: http://www.conference-board.org

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Ohakim’s Empowerment Application Form (Per Ward): A Real or False Bait?

Governor of Imo State, Chief Ikedi Ohakim


Ohakim’s Empowerment Application Form (Per Ward): A Real or False Bait?


Written By Njamanze Fidel


As the count down to the Imo state governorship and State House of Assembly elections draw close some political parties have come forward with mouth-watering promises so as to gain overwhelmingly the votes of the electorates. This move is to reelect the incumbent governor, state house assembly members or to vote them out and usher in a new governor, house assembly members from opposition political parties in Imo State.


One of such political campaign promise is the Empowerment Application Form (per ward) that is being circulated across the 27 local government Areas in Imo state which is given to prospective electorates by the People's Democratic Party’s house to house campaigners with the aim of getting their votes on the 26 of April 2011.


I do know that Imo people have not forgotten so soon what transpired when the Ikedi Ohakim’s administration advertised to provide 10,000 jobs to Imo indigenes. The question now is has the governor fulfilled that promise forthrightly not minding that majority of those who applied for the job with their hard earned money to by scratch card are yet to be employed? Is there any similarity from this Empowerment Application Form per Ward and the vehemently criticized 10,000 jobs?


The form has the following outlines under its biodata, date of birth, sex, marital status, occupation, address, Local Government Area (LGA), phone number and email address. Under its empowerment category, you will see farmers loan; 100 persons, widows loan; 50 widows, students scholarship; 20 students, youth empowerment; 10 keke/tricycles and government employment; 10 graduates, 20 non-graduates and 10 women. When you add the above figures and multiply it by the total number of wards in Imo State what will you get? No doubt, the total number of people to benefit from this empowerment scheme will exceed the 10,000 jobs which Ohakim said his administration will provide. What does this tell you? Are we not about to be hoodwinked by the political deceivers of Imo state kleptomaniac politics?


If one may ask, why the PDP led administration in Imo State did not introduce or share this form when it assumed the administration of affairs in 2007? Why is it now that the Governorship and State House of Assembly elections are very close that they remembered to distribute it among prospective and non prospective electorates whom they have faith and hope that would vote for the Peoples Democratic Party? Whether this latest political game plan of the PDP in Imo State will fly, remains only a matter of conjecture. But what I am sure of is that most Imo people are not naïve. Our governor Governor Ikedi Ohakim seems to have made enough money within a period of four years and that is why he said university education is not for the poor or everybody. What an insensitivity to the plight of the averagely rich and poor! He has as a matter of fact; increased the financial burden of majority of our parents who have their ward in Imo State University. Will you vote for him (Ohakim) if you are in the position of such parents whom the former has made their burden heavier?


The People of Imo State should vote wisely at this crucial election which will make or mar commendable governance.


Njamanze Fidel a political activist and commentator write from Ihite, Imo State

Hiring Managers love Thank-You Note after Job Interviews

More Than One-in-Five Hiring Managers Say They Are Less Likely to Hire a Candidate Who Didn't Send a Thank-You Note, Finds New CareerBuilder Survey

-- Hiring managers share what catches their eye on a resume--

CHICAGO, April 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Job seekers who are not following proper etiquette are hurting their chances of landing a job, even if they may be a good fit for the position. More than one-in-five (22 percent) hiring managers say they are less likely to hire a candidate if they don't send a thank-you note after an interview, according to new data released by CareerBuilder. Of those who would dismiss a candidate for the faux pas, 86 percent say it shows a lack of follow-through and an additional 56 percent say it sends the message that they aren't really serious about the opportunity. This national survey was conducted among more than 2,800 U.S. employers between February 21 and March 10, 2011.

View the infographic here: http://bit.ly/g9I4U2

What's best, regular mail or email? The majority (89 percent) of hiring managers say it is okay to send a thank-you note in the form of an email, with half saying it is actually the way they prefer to receive them. When it comes to industries, the bulk of IT hiring managers say they prefer to receive email thank-you notes more than any other industry surveyed, while the majority of those in the financial services say it's not preferred, but still okay.

"While the job market has begun to move in the right direction, competition continues to remain high for open positions and job seekers need to stay on their toes," said Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources for CareerBuilder. "Employers not only expect thank-you notes, but cover letters as well. Approximately one-third of hiring managers say a lack of cover letter will likely result in them not considering a candidate for their open position."

Once they have read a candidate's cover letter, seven-in-ten hiring managers say they prefer to see a career summary at the top of a resume instead of an objective and, more than half (57 percent) think a resume should be two pages long. When asked what catches their eye the most on a resume, hiring managers said:

Bulleted list of accomplishments (51 percent)
Career summary at the top (40 percent)
Relevant key words (39 percent)
Resume that is customized to the open position (36 percent)

"One-in-five hiring managers say they spend 30 seconds or less looking at a resume, so all your communications need to be professional and to the point," added Haefner. Other job search correspondence tips include:

Cover Letter

Your cover letter is your golden opportunity to make a strong first impression that will entice employers to want to know you better. Make sure it paints a more thorough picture of your educational and work-related background; the cover letter is where you can bring your specific experiences to life.

Resume

Always assume your resume will be scanned by a computer. Companies both large and small are using keyword-search software in their hiring processes these days, so it's important to make sure you always send out a search-ready resume.

Prove it! Don't just explain what you did at your last job, but how you did it and what impact it had on the company's bottom line. The more quantifiable results you can highlight, the better.

Thank-you note

Repeat, repeat, repeat. While a lot of what you include in your thank-you note may seem repetitive, restate your enthusiasm about the job and your qualifications for the position. Include any interesting topic that may have come up during the interview.

Cover all your bases. If you interviewed with more than one hiring manager, send a thank-you note to each person.

Survey Methodology

These surveys were conducted online within the U.S. by Harris Interactive© on behalf of CareerBuilder.com among 2,878 U.S. hiring managers (employed full-time; not self-employed; non-government) ages 18 and over between February 21 and March 10, 2011 (percentages for some questions are based on a subset, based on their responses to certain questions) and among 2,482 U.S. employers (employed full-time; not self-employed; non-government) ages 18 and over between November 15 and December 2, 2010 (percentages for some questions are based on a subset, based on their responses to certain questions). With pure probability samples of 2,878 and 2,482 one could say with a 95 percent probability that the overall results have a sampling error of +/- 1.83 and +/-1.97 percentage points, respectively. Sampling error for data from sub-samples is higher and varies.

About CareerBuilder®

CareerBuilder is the global leader in human capital solutions, helping companies target and attract their most important asset – their people. Its online career site, CareerBuilder.com®, is the largest in the United States with more than 23 million unique visitors, 1 million jobs and 32 million resumes. CareerBuilder works with the world's top employers, providing resources for everything from employment branding and data analysis. More than 9,000 websites, including 140 newspapers and broadband portals such as MSN and AOL, feature CareerBuilder's proprietary job search technology on their career sites. Owned by Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI), Tribune Company, and The McClatchy Company (NYSE: MNI). CareerBuilder and its subsidiaries operate in the United States, Europe, Canada and Asia. For more information, visit www.careerbuilder.com.

Media Contact:
CareerBuilder
Michael Erwin
773-527-3637
michael.erwin@careerbuilder.com
http://www.twitter.com/CareerBuilderPR

SOURCE CareerBuilder


Web Site: http://www.careerbuilder.com

Google makes Top 10 Places to work in the world

Happy Google staff in Africa

The world's leader in online search and major stakeholder in online solutions and other gadgets Google makes Top 10 of the best places to work in the world according FORTUNE.

And the winners are...

Fat paychecks, sweet perks, fun colleagues, and over 150,000 jobs ready to be filled -- these employers offer dream workplaces. Meet this year's top 100, network with the winners on LinkedIn, and more. More

SAS
Boston Consulting Group
Wegmans Food Markets
Google
NetApp

See the top 100

Zappos.com

Camden Property Trust

Nugget Market

REI

Dreamworks

Nokia Supports Social Innovation Camp Nigeria

Nokia Supports Social Innovation Camp Nigeria

In line with its established reputation for Innovation, Nokia is partnering with a social enterprise venture, Co-Creation Hub to provide a platform for young Nigerians to come up with business ideas that also address some of Nigeria’s social issues. Co-Creation Hub had sought entries from Nigerians on how they can use mobile technology to set up businesses that address issues like the quality of Education, Health, combating corruption, and deepening democracy. The entries were pruned to 6 out of which three winners have emerge after a 48-hour camping at the Pan-Africa University, Lagos. Nokia along with other organizations like TBWA/Concepts will allow the winners use their platforms to transform the ideas into thriving businesses.

Segun Fodeke, a software developer won the first prize with her idea on how mobile devices can be used to track the performance of elected government officials against the promises they make when seeking elections. The second position was won by Olusegun V. Sangowawa for her idea on using mobile technology to improve people’s access to health information. Tosin Agboola’s entry emerged third position. The idea seeks to use mobile phones are platforms to alert Nigerians about wanted criminals rather the current use of newspapers, whose reach is quite limited due to poor literacy level and poverty.

Nokia is particularly availing any of the winners who develops a mobile application, an opportunity to upload such on Ovi Store. Ovi store is Nokia’s proprietary platform from which millions of Nokia faithfuls can download applications, games, maps and music. Globally, there are at least 3 million downloads on Ovi store everyday. Nokia’s Head of Marketing for West Africa, Reuben Onwubiko said the Ovi Store platform provides the winners a life-time opportunity to make money from the revenue from downloads all over the world. He said the onus is therefore on those who have entered for the competition to ensure that they come up with solutions that would be acceptable even beyond the shores of Nigeria.

Founded in 2008 in the UK, Social Innovation camp runs as process/event to create innovative applications of the web and mobile technology to solve social problems. Social innovation camps have been run London, Edinburgh, Slovakia, Australia, South Korea, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Czech Republic. The Nigerian initiative is the first of its kind on the African continent.

For Enquiries, Contact:

Osagie Ogunbor
Head of Communications
Nokia West Africa
+234-706-418-6685

About Nokia
At Nokia, we are committed to connecting people. We combine advanced technology with personalized services that enable people to stay close to what matters to them. Every day, more than 1.2 billion people connect to one another with a Nokia device – from mobile phones to advanced smartphones and high-performance mobile computers. Today, Nokia is integrating its devices with innovative services through Ovi (www.ovi.com), including music, maps, apps, email and more. Nokia's NAVTEQ is a leader in comprehensive digital mapping and navigation services, while Nokia Siemens Networks provides equipment, services and solutions for communications networks globally.

11 Hot Jobs for 2011

Jan 18, 2011 03:55 ET



Eleven Hot Jobs for 2011

LONDON, January 18, 2011/PRNewswire/ --
- New Robert Half Salary Guides Identify Finance, Accounting and Financial Services Roles Poised for Growth

The New Year brings new hopes of continued economic recovery and job creation and new research may provide clues as to the positions in demand within the finance, accounting and financial services industries. According to the 2011 Robert Half Salary Guides, many roles show promise for the coming year with salaries returning to pre-recessionary levels.

"With companies focused on growth initiatives, accounting and finance continues to remain at the forefront as a means to manage expenditures, improve efficiencies and favourably position organisations for the upswing," said Phil Sheridan, managing director for Robert Half UK. "Despite high unemployment figures, companies report difficulties sourcing highly skilled professionals, particularly in regulatory compliance, audit and general accounting. Job candidates who bring multiple skill sets, a track record of success and a strong sense of accountability will see compensation gains in the year ahead."

Following is an overview of 11 top finance and accounting jobs for 2011:
Commerce & Industry:


1) Financial Accountant - The downturn provided the finance function a seat at the decision-making table, with companies turning to sound financial processes to weather the unstable economic environment. As we emerge, businesses continue to seek candidates who can perform fundamental duties, such as maintaining the general ledger, compiling financial reports and managing cash flow. A qualified financial accountant with 6-9 years of experience in a small or medium sized enterprise (SME) in London can expect to see a salary range between GBP50,000 and GBP55,000.

2) Financial Analyst - As companies are increasingly seeking professionals with strong commerciality and business savvy, financial analysts who can assess borrowing structures to ensure competitive funding costs will be in demand. Individuals with expertise in evaluating financial plans, forecasts and budgets while also displaying exceptional communication skills will be in greatest demand. A financial analyst with 3-5 years of experience at a large company in the Midlands can expect to earn between GBP35,000 and GBP45,000.

3) Credit Controller - Companies need professionals who can contribute to the bottom line by reducing inefficiencies and enhancing profitability. As a result, credit specialists who can assist in the evaluation of credit risk, manage delinquent payments and help improve cash flow are seeing increased opportunity. Base compensation for credit controllers with 3-5 years of experience working at an SME in South Wales will average between GBP14,000 and GBP18,000.

4) Assistant Accountant - With hiring freezes lifting and organisations adding headcount to over-stretched accounting teams, companies are recognising employees by promoting from within. The result is additional opportunity for entry-level roles for individuals displaying exceptional data entry skills and an attention to detail. Assistant accountants are required to match invoices to purchase orders and assist with accounts payable and receivable. Those looking to enter the field with an SME on the South Coast can expect remuneration between GBP17,000 and GBP19,000.

5) Financial Controller - Commerciality and a greater understanding of how the finance function fits within the strategic decision-making process has prompted the need for financial controllers who can plan and direct operational accounting functions, improve efficiencies, evaluate controls and develop business performance metrics while also moving the business forward. A financial controller with 6-9 years of experience at a large company in Northern England will see a base salary between GBP47,000 and GBP55,000.

6) Purchase Ledger Clerk - Challenges in managing cash flow has prompted companies to increasingly rely on credit to ensure business processes remain on track. Purchase ledger clerks have seen increased demand as organisations carefully monitor business records and ensure that they do not default on payments. London-based purchase ledger clerks with 6-9 years of experience at an SME can expect basic compensation in the GBP26,000-GBP27,000 range.

Financial Services & Banking (London City)

7) Regulatory Accountant - A more stringent regulatory environment and greater need for operational transparency has prompted the adoption of consolidated and harmonised compliance controls. While demand for regulatory accountants has increased, supply remains scarce - 16% of UK CFOs report challenges securing compliance skills, well above the global average. Regulatory accountants with 4-7 years of experience should expect to earn between GBP70,000 and GBP90,000 in 2011.

8) Internal Auditors - Audit continues to be in strong demand in the post-recessionary environment, however a shortage of skilled talent exists - one in four UK CFOs report challenges finding audit professionals who can prepare reports, evaluate business processes, improve procedures and perform project management of audit teams. Internal auditors with 1-3 years of post qualification industry experience can expect remuneration in the range of GBP55,000 - GBP65,000.

9) Financial Planning Analyst - With a focus on maximising profitability and identifying emerging trends, financial planning analysts are required to analyse product lines and organisational costs, prepare profit and loss models and perform budget variance and forecasting analysis. Nearly four in 10 (37%) financial services CFOs are challenged in finding qualified accounting and finance staff and a competitive job market means that managers can expect to see base salary in the range of GBP80,000 to GBP90,000.

10) Assistant Management Accountant - The financial services sector is also looking for assistant management accountants with industry experience to help analyse budgets and forecasts as well as provide detailed information and reporting to allow management to make informed business decisions. The role is often held by part-qualified ACCA and CIMA candidates, and with 3-5 years experience, professionals should expect to earn between GBP30,000 and GBP40,000.

11) Client Services - Throughout the banking crisis, the need to provide exceptional client service was never more apparent. As organisations now turn their attention to growth initiatives and revenue generation, client onboarding is increasingly important and demand exists for professionals with exceptional communication and relationship-building skills. Professionals with 4-6 years of experience will be compensated with a base salary between GBP40,000 and GBP55,000.

About the Robert Half 2011 Salary Guides
The Robert Half salary surveys include the 2011 Robert Half Salary Guide for accounting and finance and the 2011 Robert Half Financial Services Group Salary Guide for the banking and capital markets sector. Together, the guides contain salary data for more than 300 positions segmented by company size, geography and level of experience. Since 1950, companies have consulted the yearly guides from Robert Half to determine starting compensation levels for their employees. To download the guides, visit http://www.roberthalf.co.uk/salary-guide.

About Robert Half
Robert Half pioneered specialised staffing services and today is the world's leader in the field. Founded in 1948, the company is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (symbol: RHI) and operates five separate divisions in the UK, each serving distinct markets. They include: Robert Half Finance & Accounting and Robert Half Management Resources, for temporary, full-time and project professionals, respectively, in the fields of accounting and finance; OfficeTeam, for administrative support, Robert Half Financial Services Group, for finance and banking professionals and Robert Half Technology, for IT professionals.

There are more than 350 Robert Half locations in North America, South America, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. For more information about Robert Half please visit: http://www.roberthalf.co.uk
http://www.roberthalf.co.uk
http://www.twitter.com/roberthalfuk
Source: Robert Half

Phil Sheridan, Managing Director of Robert Half UK, is available for further comment. In order to arrange an interview, please contact Kristie Perrotte on +44(0)20-7331-2222 or email kristie.perrotte@rhi.net

Immigration Hostility Widespread in U.S. and 5 Largest European Countries

10 Sep 2010 11:35 Africa/Lagos


Immigration Hostility Widespread in U.S. and 5 Largest European Countries

Many people in all six countries see negative impact on economy, jobs and public services

NEW YORK, Sept. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- A new Financial Times/Harris Poll finds that immigration is widely unpopular in the United States and in all of the five largest countries in Europe. The survey asked about immigration generally and not about illegal immigration. Majorities in four of the countries and pluralities in the other two believe that immigration makes it harder to find new jobs. Majorities in three countries and over 40% in the other three believe it has a bad effect on education. Majorities in four of the countries and 40% or more in the other two think it has a bad effect on health care services. Americans, even though they live in what has been described as a nation of immigrants are not, in general, any less hostile to immigration than Europeans.


(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100517/NY06256LOGO )
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100517/NY06256LOGO )


These are some of the findings of a Financial Times/Harris Poll conducted online by Harris Interactive® among 6,098 adults aged 16-64 within France (1,004), Germany (1,036), Great Britain (1,099), Spain (1,032), U.S. (989) and adults aged 18-64 in Italy (948) between August 18 and 25, 2010.


The main findings of this new poll include:

-- Majorities in Britain and Spain, and large minorities in the U.S.,
France, Italy , and Germany think that immigration has a bad impact on
the economy;
-- Majorities in the U.S., Britain, Italy, and Spain believe that
immigration makes it harder to find a new job, as do 45% in France and
46% in Germany;
-- While most people who are working do not believe that immigration has
had any effect on their pay, those who think they are paid less
greatly outnumber those who say they are paid more;
-- Only minorities, between 13% in France and 40% in Italy, believe that
immigration has made it more affordable to hire services such as
cleaners, builders or plumbers;
-- Majorities in the U.S., Britain, France and Spain and over 40% in
Italy and Germany believe that immigration makes the level of health
care services worse; and,
-- Majorities in the U.S., Britain and Germany believe that immigration
has made public education worse, as do over 40% in France, Italy and
Spain.


Overall, many people in all six countries believe that the current level of immigration makes their countries worse places to live in , varying from 64% in Britain, 60% in Spain, and 57% in Italy to 49% in the U.S., 44% in Germany, and 43% in France.


So What?


This survey underlines the political problems that confront governments and politicians when they are addressing issues of immigration, and the easy opportunities for populist leaders to win votes by advocating anti-immigration policies. And of course the issue of illegal immigration, that was not addressed in this survey, is much more difficult.


TABLE 1
IMPACT OF IMMIGRATION ON SALARY
"Thinking about your current salary and immigration, do you think you
are paid any less, more or no differently as a result of current
immigration into Europe/the U.S.?"



Click here for the complete report

Re: The Minimum Wage Of N17, 000 Is Nonsense

Re: The Minimum Wage Of N17, 000 Is Nonsense

Do you know that thousands of secondary school leavers who cannot gain admission into higher institutions need jobs and many of them are paid as little as N5,000 monthly salaries in Lagos and other places? My friend pays his receptionist N8, 000 monthly and thank God her residence is not far from the office.

Majority of the civil servants in Nigeria are going to depend on the minimum wage and those with families will have no choice but to use their children and other dependants to hawk goods on the street.
Monday night on the way home from work at about 10.33 pm, I saw children still hawking at the Maryland bus near Ikeja and I told an elderly woman hawking with them to go home and sleep. She looked at me and continued with her work.

Today I went to the Tejuoso market in Yaba and I saw hundreds of boys and girls selling petty goods and the Igbo boys engaged in their rag trade of second hand clothes and other goods. I was heartbroken, because many of them have better dreams than petty trading.
I saw depression written on the faces of hundreds of traders and shoppers. I saw pretty girls and handsome boys struggling for survival and JAMB reported today that there is no space for 340, 000 successful UTME candidates and lest we forget hundreds of thousands of graduates and millions of secondary school leavers are jobless.

I returned to the office feeling depressed, because of the bleak future of the poor masses and their children.

If we sack the ruling megalomaniac party and set up a government without a National Assembly, we are going to save trillions of naira to invest in human capital development and develop a 21st century economy to provide better living wages for majority of Nigerians.
It is possible.

This New Minimum Wage of N17, 000 is Nonsense

Nigerian low income earners deserve more pay

Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has been negotiating for N52000 minimum wage which is reasonable and realistic in view of the present state of the economy. But what the Federal Government of Nigeria decided to pay is a paltry N17, 000.

This new minimum wage of N17, 000 IS NONSENSE.

N17, 000 is not even up to a living wage for any adult low income worker anywhere in Nigeria.
The cost of living in Lagos for the poorest of the poor is about N1, 000 daily and that is only for a single adult without any family.

How can families working in low-wage jobs earning only N17, 000 monthly make ends meet?

N17, 000 is not even enough to feed one Alsatian Dog in a Nigerian senator's residence.

I support the demands of the Nigerian Labour Congress.


~ Orikinla Osinachi

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President Obama at Lowest Job Performance Ratings Since Taking Office

25 Jun 2010 10:05 Africa/Lagos

Recommended: Pelosi: 'This is the Strongest Iran Sanctions Legislation Ever Passed by the Congress'


President Obama at Lowest Job Performance Ratings Since Taking Office

39% of Americans give him positive ratings; 34% think country heading in right direction

NEW YORK, June 25 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As most Americans think about summer vacations, barbecues and the beach, President Obama has other things on his mind, including the oil spill in the Gulf, a shift of military leaders in Afghanistan, the economic summit in Canada and, as since taking office, jobs and the economy. And perhaps, because of all this, the President is now at his worst job ratings with only 39% of Americans giving him positive ratings on the overall job he is doing and 61% giving him negative marks. This is down from May when 42% gave him positive ratings and 58% negative ones.


(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100517/NY06256LOGO )
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100517/NY06256LOGO )


These are some of the results of The Harris Poll of 2,227 adults surveyed online between June 14 and 21, 2010 by Harris Interactive.


One problem for President Obama is that he is losing support from his base. Three in ten Democrats (29%) and Liberals (30%) give him negative ratings for the overall job he is doing. While it is not surprising that large numbers of Republicans (92%) and Conservatives (86%) give him negative ratings, two-thirds of Independents (68%) and almost three in five Moderates (58%) do so, as well.


There are also regional differences in how Americans view President Obama's job performance. Those in the East and West are more likely to give him positive ratings (43% and 41% respectively) while those in the South are more likely to give the president negative ratings (65%). The more education one has, the more likely they are to think President Obama is doing a good job. Just three in ten of those with a high school degree or less (31%) give the president positive ratings compared to 47% of college graduates and over half of those with a post-graduate education (53%).


Going hand in hand with the president's job numbers is how people think the country overall is doing. Just one-third of Americans (34%) believe the country is heading in the right direction while 66% say it is going off on the wrong track. This is down from last month when 36% said the country was heading in the right direction and 64% believed it was off on the right track.


In looking at the most important issues for the government to address, it is not surprising that economic issues rise to the top as almost three in ten Americans each say the most important issue for the government to address is the economy (28%) and employment/jobs (28%). Even though a reform bill has been signed into law, almost one-quarter (23%) say health care should be addressed. And, new to the list one in five Americans (20%) say the oil spill in the Gulf needs to be addressed.


So What?


It is a tough situation for any president to deal with, when faced with so many competing problems and being pulled in so many directions at once. For this president, one of the issues is that even when it appears he has a win, such as with health care reform, the battle was so costly that the win falls hollow. Now he and the White House are faced with congressional elections in just a few months, an angry electorate, and dwindling support among his own partisans. If the summer does not go well for President Obama and this continues to trickle down to Democrats across the country, there very well may be a new party in control of Congress in January.

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UK Company Wants Sales Representatives in Nigeria

AB Informatics Limited, a United Kingdom registered company, is seeking to recruit high calibre, business oriented individuals as Sales Representatives in Nigeria.

We are introducing our range or products: Maternity Manager, Bed Manager, Electronic Patient Manager, Drug Prescription Manager, Theatre Manager etc into the Nigerian Health sector.

We therefore seek individuals with passion for a change in the healthcare sector to join us in a rewarding job.

As a Sales Representative you will:

--Sell our products in a prescribed manner to hospitals and other members of the health care industry.

--Develop local business plan to increase market share by outlining tactics, activities and resources.

--Demonstrate thorough knowledge of the healthcare sector, competitor products and product objectives.

--Utilize customer-focused selling techniques, continually assessing the knowledge of the customer and strategy to maintain high customer intimacy and customer knowledge of products.

--Maintain current, approved protocol and promotional materials to be included in sales presentation.

--Actively seek and display knowledge of key customers in territory.

--Develop and deliver informative sales presentations based on customer needs.

--Develop creative sales strategies to reach 'hard-to-see' doctors/'hard-to-work' accounts.

--Work collectively with other consultants in arranging speakers, displays and special programs.

--Positively impact sales in territory.

--Be a Team Player


Job Requirements:

--1+ years of relevant outside sales experience

-- Educated

--Strong communication and negotiation skills

--Candidate should have moderate knowledge of the healthcare sector.

-- Be able to work with minimal supervision.


If you fit the above, send your CV to careers@abinformatics.com

For more information, visit, http://www.abinformatics.com