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Stimulus adds help for jobless

The (mostly) bad news keeps coming this week about unemployment. The Labor Department reported that first-time applicants for unemployment benefits rose to 667,000 last week, up from 631,000.

The number of people collecting unemployment benefits is just over 5 million, according to the Department of Labor. (Although there were fewer mass layoffs in January than December.)

I say “mostly” bad news because the stimulus plan has some items in it that can help people who are unemployed. You can get the full scoop from Kathleen Pender’s column in today’s San Francisco Chronicle.

I’ll call out some highlights:

1. You can qualify for extended unemployment benefits if you run out of your current benefits before Dec. 31, 2009.
2. Everyone receiving unemployment benefits gets a $25 per week raise.
3. You don’t have to claim on your federal income taxes the first $2,400 you receive in unemployment compensation.
4. People who lost jobs after Sept. 1, 2008 can get COBRA from their previous employer without paying the full monthly premium. If you qualify, you only pay 35%, while the government pays 65% for nine months.

That last item about COBRA is huge, because paying for health insurance takes a huge bite out of any unemployed person’s budget. People who’ve been laid off recently should check into this!

In related news from AP, Nielsen Online is reporting today that job sites saw a 20% increase in January (49.5M vs. 41.5M in 2008) in terms of unique visitors. The top two sites were CareerBuilder and Yahoo! HotJobs.

What jobs will the stimulus plan create?

The newly enacted stimulus plan — formally known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act — has been all the talk in the last week. But the sheer size of the effort ($787 billion) has made it a little overwhelming to figure out how exactly workers may benefit.

More than a week after the bill was signed, the actual employment benefits are still unclear, and probably will be for a while.

The Likely Winners

A new article on Yahoo! HotJobs, “6 Fields That Stand to Gain from the Stimulus Plan,” sheds some light on what we might be able to expect. Broadly speaking, these six fields will likely see job creation: construction, the “green” sector (devoted to reducing dependence on oil), medical information technology, education, energy and utilities, and the federal government.

To delve into further job-creation details, check out the report “Job Impact of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act” from the Council of Economic Advisers.

All this could mean good news for surveyors, construction workers and managers, medical transcriptionists, conservationists, electrical and mechanical engineers, accountants, civil drafters, and software developers, among others.

Better yet, some of the jobs listed above do not require college degrees; an associate degree or certification could be your ticket.

What Next?

If the news has you thinking about a possible career change, you’re not alone. Hunger for such a change usually rises during a recession. But do some homework and reflection first, as recommended in the article, “Will a Career Change Work for You?”

Ultimately the stimulus plan is a gamble, but many experts believe it’s the right one.  With the administration’s emphasis on transparency, I would love to see a “thermometer” tracking actual job creation from this plan. Maybe recovery.org — or a very clever blogger or media outlet — already has this in the works?

Hmm. I might have just given a good idea to producers of Anderson Cooper’s CNN show, since he likes to “keep ‘em honest.” Go for it!

Love the job you have

The downward slide of the recession is not only changing the job market but also people’s attitudes about their jobs. You can summarize the shift in thinking  with the song title of the Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young hit, “Love the One You’re With.”

You may not have your dream job; but if you’ve got a job right now, make the most of it.

Satisfaction Gets a Boost

Job satisfaction actually rose during the first year of the recession, according to an annual Yahoo! HotJobs survey. In December 38% of respondents said they were “very satisfied” with their jobs, compared with 28% in December 2007.

“For many people, the deepening recession and ever-present threat of losing their jobs means modified expectations and requirements for job satisfaction,” says Liz Bywater, executive coach and president of Bywater Consulting Group. “Most people are just glad to have a job. They may be working longer hours, they may be picking up additional responsibilities as other jobs are cut, or they may not care for their coworkers or boss. Still, they’re employed. In today’s environment, that’s a huge plus.”

Author and career coach Hallie Crawford agrees, saying that workers are looking on the bright side. “Because it’s not a good time to look for another job, they are forced to be more positive and optimistic about theirs in order to maintain their sanity in a way. If they’re unhappy there but have to stay, they might as well make the best of it.”

Making the Most of Your Lot

If you’re one of those workers and need help seeing the bright side, I recommend the article “How to Love the Job You Have,” by Roberta Chinsky Matuson.

Of her many great tips, I’ll cite this one:

“Right now it may feel like you have no choice but to keep this job forever. However, this won’t be the case if you play your cards right. Use this recession as an opportunity to increase your options. Enroll in evening or online classes, volunteer to work on projects with high visibility and gain the experience you will need to move to a new place in your career. Who knows, this may just be the spark you need to reignite the flames of love again in the job you have.”

Which reminds me of the wisdom in another song, “For Now,” from the musical Avenue Q. The show’s closing song reminds us: “Everything thing in life is only for now.” From the mouths of puppets.

What will you wear to the layoff?

I just had to post a link to this article, based on the catchy headline: “You’re Fired! But Your Outfit’s Great.”

The fascinating little piece is in the New York Times, and it explores the idea of making a fashion statement on the day you’re terminated. But who really thinks about that?!

I would love to know your thoughts, if you want to leave a comment.

Video: Two recent TV clips about job market

I am testing to see if I can embed this clip here…