Nearly half a million jobs added at the start of 2017

Nearly half a 1000000 jobs added at the start of 2017Nearly half a million jobs added at the start of 2017Nearly half a million jobs added at the start of 2017On Friday, March 10, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released its monthly employment situation report for February, which is a widely used indicator for the health of the labor market. The second employment report of the New Year continued to surprise with better than expected job growth as the unemployment rate remained near an eight-year low.Key InsightsU.S. adds 235,000 new jobs in February signaling steady growth aheadThe unemployment rate dipped slightly to 4.7% mostly because more people were looking for work and fewer people gave up looking for workThe labor force participation rate ticked up slightly to 63.0%The size of the labor force was increased by 340,000 people4th-quarter GDP slowed to an annual rate of 1.9%, primarily due to a wider trade deficitAverage wages rose 0.2% to $26.09 an hour last month as companies pay more to attract or maintain talentThe three-month average rose from a revised 186,000 to 209,000 in February while the trailing twelve-month average was little changed at 195,000. This report marks the 77th straight month of continuous job growth.Construction employment increased by 58,000, with gains in specialty trade contractors (+36,000) and in heavy and civil engineering construction (+15,000). Construction has added 177,000 jobs over the past 6 months.Employment in private educational services rose by 29,000 in February, following little change in the prior month (-5,000). Over the year, employment in the industry has grown by 105,000.Manufacturing added 28,000 jobs in February. Employment rose in food manufacturing (+9,000) and machinery (+7,000) but fell in transportation equipment (-6,000). Over the past 3 months, manufacturing has added 57,000 jobs.Health care employment rose by 27,000 in February, with a job gain in ambulatory health care services (+18,000). Over the yea r, health care has added an average of 30,000 jobs per month.Employment in mining increased by 8,000 in February, with most of the gain occurring in support activities for mining (+6,000). Mining employment has risen by 20,000 since reaching a recent low in October 2016.Employment in professional and business services continued to trend up in February (+37,000). The industry has added 597,000 jobs over the year.Retail trade employment edged down in February (-26,000), following a gain of 40,000 in the prior month. Over the month, job losses occurred in general merchandise stores (-19,000) sporting goods, hobby, book, and music stores (-9,000) and electronics and appliance stores (-8,000).Employment in other major industries, including wholesale trade, transportation and warehousing, information, financial activities, leisure and hospitality, and government, showed little or no change over the month.Want to know more about the top trends in the job market? Check out the US Labor Mark et Update from Intelligence.

4 Ways to Stop Seeking Out Approval at Work - The Muse

4 Ways to Stop Seeking Out Approval at Work - The Muse4 Ways to Stop Seeking Out Approval at WorkHumans share an innate drive to connect with others. Were evolutionarily wired to crave inclusion. Eons ago, this was linked with our survival in pre-historic times, rejection triggered fear. If someone became isolated or was ousted from the group, his or her life would be at risk. Because the consequences of being rejected were so extreme, our brains and behavior adapted to avoid disapproval from others. In fact, research has shown that social rejection activates many of the same brain regions involved in physical pain, which helps explains why disapproval stings. Today, were no longer cave people running around trying to spear dinner and dodge predators. But our aversion to rejection still runs deep. Sometimes, we have trouble thinking were successful or good enough unless we receive validation from others- and thats especially true at work.However, constantly seeking approval in the of fice can seriously derail your professional development in the long run. But trying to please your anfhrer, clients, or co-workers- by working long hours or striving for nonstop perfection- can lead to burnout and unhappiness at work and in your personal life. How do you know if your desire to be a productive, agreeable team player has gone too far and moved into approval-seeking territory? Do you Change or downplay your point of view to appease your boss or agree with the rest of the team in meetings?Compliment colleagues work- even if you dont mean it- so theyll like you?Always say yes to requests for your time, even if it means compromising your professional boundaries?Fail to speak up if youve been treated unfairly by a co-worker or boss?Become upset or insulted when someone disagrees with you or heavily edits your work?If any of these tendencies resonate with you, its time to take responsibility and shed your approval-seeking ways. Here are a few steps you can take to get there .Step 1 Ask Where Your Need for Approval Comes FromIn many cases, a tendency to seek approval at work stems from something in your past. For example, were you taught to respect authority growing up? If so, you may feel uncomfortable expressing disagreement in work contexts. Did you struggle to make friends in school and develop a fear of being rejected? This may now be driving you to do whatever if takes to feel included and liked by your co-workers. Reflect on how your childhood or early development may be contributing to your current approval-seeking behavior. Step 2 Make Friends With RejectionThink back to a time when you failed to meet expectations or disappointed someone. Maybe your boss asked you to completely re-do a project, or perhaps you forgot an important deadline. How did you recover from that slip-up? What did you learn as a result? In most cases, you were probably able to turn the situation around- and it likely helped you grow as a professional.When you break it down , disapproval is a form of feedback- information you can use to improve and make your next performance even stronger. It also helps to also re-frame rejection as something positive. It means youre moving forward and pushing limits, rather than just staying in your comfort zone. Step 3. Embrace a Growth MindsetWhen you prioritize learning and constant improvement, you free yourself from needing approval from others. Psychologist Carol Dweck found that individuals who viewed skill and ability as something to be developed over time, rather than innate and unchangeable, were most likely to achieve their full potential. Those with this growth mindset were mora likely to challenge themselves than those with fixed mindsets, who took feedback as a sign of disapproval and failure. By understanding that there is abundant room for growth, improvement, and success, you can wean yourself from the constant need for validation.Step 4 Focus on the Process, Not OutcomesIf youre prone to approval-see king, focus on improving processes, rather than achieving a particular outcome. When you focus too narrowly on one singular result, such as getting a promotion or raise, you attach your self-worth to external standards- which may be outside of your control. For example, even if youre performing well and hitting all your benchmarks, your company might not be doing as well and decide to put a salary freeze into effect. While this is completely outside of your control and doesnt reflect on your value as an employee, if youve been banking on that raise, youre bound to be disappointed. However, if you instead concentrate on a process that you can control, you can reduce the power that approval has over you. For example, maybe you strive to become more organized, so youre seen as more effective- and therefore, more deserving of a promotion. At the end of the day, the only person you need to answer to is yourself. Your own self-approval is a crucial aspect of your integrity and will keep y ou happy and fulfilled in the long run. By working to free yourself from approval-seeking behaviors at work, youre honoring yourself and your needs- and setting yourself up for long-term happiness.

3 Simple Steps to Help Transition Careers

3 Simple Steps to Help Transition Careers 3 Simple Steps to Help Transition Careers She is currently in culinary school and works part-time at a local restaurant. Although her income today isnt even one-third of what she earned practicing law, she is quite happy and hopes to become successful in her new career.Perhaps some would call this a mid-life crisis? I simply see it as a career change.fruchtwein people will have two or more careers (not just jobs) in their lives. For many, like the woman above, this means radically new fields, but for others it is a small shift in the same general field. No matter what kind of career you plan on pursuing as your second, there are things to take into consideration first. Jumping from one steady career into another is often a risky move and not one to be done lightly. Yet, with a few simple pointers in mind, it shouldnt be too hard to go from being a professional in one area to a professional in another.Decide what it is you want to do. This s eems obvious, but for many the general malaise that comes with the itch to quit is accompanied by genuine wonder as to what exactly they want to do now. If you dont know what it is you want to do, keep your job where you are and start researching things that interest you. Find your talents. Take classes at community colleges to see if you have proficiency for something that you have an interest in. If you do, then that is where you need to focus yourself. Dont jump into your new career without knowing exactly what it is you want to accomplish first.Save money. Going from whatever level you are now in your current career to square one in a new one is likely to cause some financial stress. Make aya you are prepared for this in the way of savings. Have enough on hand to pay the bills for six months to a year if needed so you can begin working and not worry about if you are making your former salary or not. If your new career is to start a business, make sure you know what the profit ex pectations are before diving in and save the difference between the lowest possible profit and where your bills are.Start networking early. The beauty of social media is that networking possibilities are endless. By making sure you get to know industry professionals in the career you wish to move to, you are surrounding yourself with people who can help you when you need it. Even if its something as simple as friend requesting a local chef if you are moving into the restaurant business, being able to ask someone questions about the business without it seeming like one of you is applying for a job is invaluable. Have business cards made up and leave them at businesses in your field, let people know you exist and are ready to begin. This will mark you as a professional even if you have limited or no experience.Making the transition from one career to the next is often perilous, but worthwhile. Many people who have had two careers only had their first so they could have their second, s o make sure you are jumping into something you really want to do. Building relationships and respect takes time, and you may only get one shot at switching careers. Make sure you are prepared and ready for the challenges it presents.