Archive: December, 2009

President Obama has come up with a new proposal to provide stimulus to the economy and create jobs for the economy. Basically an extension of existing stimulus program the new plan would be financed by the $200 billion which was saved in the TARP. Below is a broad outline of what Mr Obama plans to do. Small Business: There are plenty of proposed sops for small businesses. The final blueprint is not yet ready but overall Obama plans to suspend for one year capital gains taxes on new investments for the stock of small businesses which is more or less an extension of the current Recovery Act tax break. The tax breaks would also be extended in 2010 to certain capital investments in small business upto a limit of $250,000. Tax breaks would also be provided to small businesses for recruiting new employees. There would also be waiver of fees for loans made to small business through the Small Business  [...]

There are no estimates as to how many new jobs this program would create. But overall for $1 billion spent on infrastructure approximately 28,500 direct and indirect jobs are created. The proposed cash for claukers program is estimated to be approximately for $10 billion and hence can create as many as a quarter million jobs. Also the program is expected to be conducted from state offices, at least in New York and the 27 other states that have similar programs running. This will ensure that the money is distributed properly and jobs are created as these agencies already have protocols and distribution channels for such programs in place. However there is no incentive expected in the cash for claunkers program for do-it-yourselfers segment also called the DIY segment. Even in the New York plan homeowners were required to hire a contractor to qualify for the reimbursement which in a way  [...]

After the success of cash for clunkers program President Obama has now come up with Cash for Caulkers proposal to revive the economy. The proposal has almost all homeowners thinking as to what the program is all about. So here is a small preview of the program and what to expect from it. As of now the program is still being drafted and hence nothing definite can be said about the same. However experts feel that the program is more or less like the New York State’s home energy efficiency program. The program plans to incentivise homeowners to get new energy-efficient appliances, windows and other such items. New York Energy Efficiency program Since the program is more or less modelled on the New York energy Efficiency program lets see how the New York program worked. The first step in the New York program was to get an energy audit done by a licensed contractor. You can find the contractor  [...]

Mathematician Mathematicians find jobs in many fields ranging from risk management in banks and financial firms, in engineering firms and in budget analysis. Majority of mathematicians however take up teaching which as discussed in the earlier sector is considered to be one of the best jobs in terms of job security, benefits and work/life balance.  This skill set is in great demand and there are abundant openings. Also the profession ranks high in terms of low stress and good salary (median annual pay is $62,804). Demand for this skill set is there in almost all industries. Mathematicians can also find openings in many industries like video-game development and health care or fit in the role of statistical analysts for companies. Almost all sorts of government agencies and the military need mathematicians. Also this is one skill set where the supply is not enough to meet the demand  [...]

Nutritionist This is another profession which is in focus thanks to an aging population and the increasing attention being given to obesity and other diseases resulting from poor diet and no exercise. There are a wide variety of employment options in this field. One can work full time at a hospital, school or community centre or just do private practice. This is also one of the least stressful profession. The pay packet typically starts with $50,000 a year and up. First timers to health-care field will need a formal four-year degree in nutrition to get a decent job. Though it is a fairly new field most universities with a health-care curriculum offer such a degree. For people who have been in the health care industry for some time say a nurse or a technician can find work as a nutritionist with very little amount of coursework. Physical Therapist Again a profession which will only  [...]

Police and related departments Recession does not mean that there is a recession for crime which continues to be quite high. Yes there has been decline in hiring however hiring is expected to pick up soon. There are plenty of opportunities for candidates particularly for those with a four-year degree. At state and federal level the competition is a little tough. No doubt the job is dangerous but then the enforcement is in your hand. The job has no competition in terms of job security and benefits. A police officer in San Francisco can start with a salary of between $78,000 and $104,000 a year and is eligible to retire at age of 50 with a pension equal to 90% of a final year's pay. Add to this are benefits like  health insurance and retirement plans which are definitely top notch in comparison to other jobs. For people who have served in the military, there are additional benefits, like  [...]

Accountant May not be a glamorous option but this job definitely ranks high in terms of job security, pay and mobility. Also this is one skill set which is growing in demand as can be seen from data. Between March and April 2009 around 3500 new accounting jobs were created. The demand for accountants is estimated to increase by 15% annually over the next decade. Also the current demographics are bound to increase demand for accountants. As per estimates around 75% of current practitioners are expected to retire by 2020. Hence job opportunities are abundant in this line. The growth potential is also quite good in this field. One can start off as an accountant and climb up the management ladder. Also with an accounting background you can open a small consultancy or do contract work from home. Also this job segment is extremely mobile and accountants can move to any industry or region where  [...]

The job dynamics has changed big time in the last few years. Job surveys clearly show that it no longer just pay checks that determines job satisfaction. Other factors like autonomy, mobility, low stress, flexible hours, job security, health coverage, paid time off and other benefits are taking more importance when it comes to job satisfaction. This is not to say that pay does not matter. I guess with the gain of economic power by China and other emerging markets, American workers have more or less come to terms with the fact that they have to live with a standard of living that is slipping relative to other nations, and generous and automatic pay raises across industries are things of past now. The recession has only added to this trend. Workers are just happy with the fact that they have a job in hand and are not complaining about money. Also currently a huge section of America’s population  [...]

On Wednesday stock market moved upward thanks to the optimism provided by falling dollar and an improvement in wholesale inventories data. The Dow Jones industrial average increased by 51 points( 0.5%) to close at 10,337.05 points. The S&P 500 index increased by 4 points (0.4%) to close at 1,095.95 points while the Nasdaq composite increased by 11 points (0.5%) to close at 2,183.73 points. Sector wise except for consumer discretionary which registered a decline of 0.2%, all other sectors were either unchanged or showed an increase. The advancing sectors for the day were materials (increased by 1.3%), technology (increased by 0.9%), Health Care (increased by 0.6%), Financials (increased by 0.4%), Utilities (increased by 0.4%) and Energy (increased by 0.1%). The sectors which were unchanged include Consumer Staples, Industrials and Telecom. Like before dollar and stock markets continued  [...]