Job Hunting? A career change may be in order

With unemployment figures skyrocketing and businesses biting the dust, the picture painted is of a long-term crisis and much hardship if not anxiety for many of us. The promise of at least a partial recovery with the incoming administration notwithstanding, there are even today bright patches in the darkened sky.

A closely watched media reveals that optimism, as reports emerge on careers and industries where jobs are largely available or even go begging. Securing them will likely require a change of career, maybe even some training, but there is no question that, yes indeed, there are growth industries today.

We've posted on our career page a helpful article published last week in the Wall Street Journal. And I recommend that you find WNYC's Brian Lehrer show of the 23rd, Dec., or the podcast (Where the Jobs Are).

One of Brian's guests, Dennis Demp, author of Health Care Job Explosion, reports informatively and optimistically on those specific industries that can't help but grow. Health care, insurance and working for the feds (especially in the areas of IT, public health, the census) are examples that he expands on. Demp also gives us the useful website: Federaljobs.net.

Check it out. Happy hunting! And may 2009 be brighter for us all.

You go, girls!

In the midst of financial scandal and meltdown, it has been two women regulators--are they but voices in the wilderness?--pressing to do the right thing. Dean Baker of TruthOut asks the thorny question, "...Are Women Regulators Different?" Now, wouldn't we like to think so!

For Women, It's Not Easy Getting Recognized at the Office

Here's a good piece from Alter Net's Tan Ganeva supporting Catalyst's findings (see below), exploring further the nagging lag in pay and advancement women face in the business world as well as the greater tendency for women's contributions on the job to go unrecognized.

Women Gained Little Ground Advancing to Business Leadership Positions

PRESS RELEASE

Blogger's note: is anyone surprised?

Women’s overall representation in senior leadership roles continues to stagnate at a time when shareholders and decision-makers demand innovative thinking to address the current business crisis

New York (December 10, 2008) – Women’s advancement in corporate leadership continues to stagnate, with virtually no growth seen in women’s share of top positions, according to the 2008 Catalyst Census of Women Board Directors of the Fortune 500 and the 2008 Catalyst Census of Corporate Officers and Top Earners of the Fortune 500. “Exceptional circumstances require exceptional leaders. Now more than ever, as companies examine how best to weather an economy in crisis, we need talented business leaders, and many of these leaders, yet untapped, are women,” said Ilene H. Lang, President and Chief Executive Officer of Catalyst.

The reports show little change in the number of women in the upper echelons of major corporations. Specifically among women’s share of board director positions in the F500:

· Women held 15.1 percent of board director positions, compared to 14.8 percent in 2007.
· Women of color held 3.2 percent of all board director positions.
· Little change occurred in the number of companies having zero, one, two, or three or more women directors, and the slight increase in companies with three or more women was offset by the slight increase in companies with zero women.
· The number of women audit and compensation committee chairs continued to lag behind the overall representation of women board directors, even as women’s share of nominating/governance committee chairs continued to keep pace with their share of all directorships.

Overall representation of women corporate officers and top earners in the F500 continued to stagnate as well:

· Women held 15.7 percent of corporate officer positions, compared to 15.4 percent in 2007.
· Women held 6.2 percent of top earner positions, compared to 6.7 percent in 2007.
· Little change occurred in the number of companies having zero, one, two, or three or more women corporate officers.

Catalyst continues its commitment to studying women of color in business, and this year’s Catalyst Census contains additional data on women of color board directors. The findings include:

· Black women comprised 63.4 percent, Latinas 24.4 percent, and Asian women 11.6 percent of all women of color board director positions.
· More than one woman of color serving on a board was rare, with only 4.0 percent of companies having two women of color directors serving together.

“No change in a year of change is unacceptable - for business, for investors, for policy makers and for the public which looks to business leadership for innovative solutions and accountability,” said Ms. Lang. “Smart organizations will seize this opportunity to create credible, 21st century leadership that looks like the future, and bring women, including women of color, front and center into their leadership – on boards and in senior management.”

Ernst & Young is the sponsor of the 2008 Catalyst Census of Women Board Directors of the Fortune 500 and the 2008 Catalyst Census of Women Corporate Officers and Top Earners of the Fortune 500. Appendices to the reports are available at www.catalyst.org. For media inquiries please contact Serena Fong, at 646-388-7757, sfong@catalyst.org, or Jeff Barth at 646-388-7725, jbarth@catalyst.org.