U.S. Work World News Briefs - October  2018
Top Ten for Job Seekers in 2018
 
Indeed.com, an internet job board, published a list of the 10 Hottest Companies for Job Seekers in 2018. Today, many companies are searching for job seekers as the unemployment rate drops.  Big and small companies need to fight to win the attention of job seekers with skills and talents.  Based on clicks through to jobs posted, here is a snapshot of companies winning the battle for job seeker searches in 2018.
 
First place by far attracting most job seekers is Telsa, a company that leads in electric vehicles, solar panels, and lithium-ion batteries for energy storage.  Telsa attracts 47% more interest from job seekers than average.  Telsa holds the lead by far despite founder Elon Musk's recent controversies.  
 
Second place is PepsiCo - food, snack, and drink company - with 27% more interest from job seekers than average.  PepsiCo is known for good pay, benefits, and work environment with opportunity to advance.
 
Third place is Enterprise Holdings, largest rental car service in the U.S. with Enterprise, National, and Alamo.  The company is now exploring the self-driving industry.
 
Fourth place is Microsoft, also known for its great salary, benefits, diversity in work tasks, opporrtunity to make a difference in technology, and supportive management.
 
Fifth place is Facebook, a company with plans to expand to compete with Netflix and online dating.
 
Sixth place is Honeywell, a company involved in technology from security systems to thermostats to aerospace - aircraft engines and flight safety systems - and self-driving cars.
 
Seventh place is Sysco with excellent benefits - but workers may use this company as a stepping stone to other high-tech companies.
 
Eighth place is Apple with good pay, benefits, training, opportunity for innovation, and unique working environment.
 
Ninth place is Morgan Stanley, international investment bank and financial services company, that is known to employ the top financial advisors in the industry. Morgan Stanley is excellent training ground for recent graduates seeking financial careers.
 
Tenth place is Cisco, international technology conglomerate based in San Jose, California.  Cisco develops, manufactures, and sells networking hardware, telecommunications equipment, and other high-tech products.

Natonal Community College Survey of Student Engagement 2018

Research shows that the more actively engaged students are - with college faculty and staff, with other students, and with the subject matter - the more likely they are to learn and achieve their academic goals.  Here are results from a survey of community college students across the U.S. (Survey is published by the Center for Community College Student Engagement, University of Texas at Austin)
 
Have you used e-mail to communicate with an instructor?
  • 5.5%    Never
  • 27.4%  Sometimes
  • 31.5%  Often
  • 35.6%  Very often
Have you talked about career plans with an instructor?
  • 23.3%  Never
  • 42.0%  Sometimes
  • 22.1%  Often
  • 12.6%  Very often 
Have you participated in community-based project (service learning) as part of a regular course?
  • 73.2%  Never
  • 17.7%  Sometimes
  • 6.0%    Often
  • 3.1%    Very often
How many hours do you spend in a typical 7-day week doing the following --
Preparing for class (study, read, write, rehearse, homework)?
  • 1.6%    None
  • 39.9%  1-5 hours
  • 30.0%  6-10 hours
  • 18.3%  11-20 hours
  • 6.6%    12-30 hours
  • 3.6%    More than 30 hours
How often have you used the following service:  Peer or other tutoring?
  • 63.0%  Never
  • 11.6%  1 time
  • 14.4%  2-4 times
  • 10.9%  5 or more times
How much has your coursework at college emphasized --  Forming a new idea or understanding from various pieces of information?
  • 5.2%    Very little
  • 27.2%  Some
  • 41.3%  Quite a bit
  • 26.3%  Very much 
How much has your coursework at college emphasized --   Making judgments about the value or soundness of information, arguments, methods?
  • 10.8%  Very little
  • 33.1%  Some
  • 35.4%  Quite a bit
  • 20.7%  Very much 
How often have you worked harder than you thought you could to meet an instructor's expectations?
  • 9.4%    Never
  • 36.4%  Sometimes
  • 35.3%  Often
  • 18.9%  Very often
Does this college provide support you need to help you succeed?
  • 4.2%    Very little
  • 20.4%  Some
  • 40.5%  Quite a bit
  • 34.9%  Very much
Does this college provide support you need to cope with your non-academic responsibilities (work, family)?
  • 35.5%  Very little
  • 34.2%  Some
  • 19.3%  Quite a bit
  • 11.1%  Very much
How often have you used following services during current academic year?
Academic advising and planning?
  • 16.1%  Never
  • 24.1%  One time
  • 46.5%  Two to four times
  • 13.4%  Five or more times
Career counseling?
  • 62.9%  Never
  • 17.5%  One time
  • 15.7%  Two to four times
  • 3.9%    Five or more times
Conclusions:
Community college students are not fully using resources to help their future career goals.  Students are not talking to their instructors about careers related to the subject - and students are not using career counseling services.  And, few students are using the community college free or low-cost tutoring services. Community college dropout rate is high. Perhaps efforts to help students connect with their instructors, career counseling, and tutoring services will provide success experiences that prevent dropping out of community college?

Teens & Social Media 2018

Pew Research survey discovered that Facebook no longer dominates social media among teens. Also, 95% of teens either have a smartphone or access to smartphone. Teens view social media as 31% mostly positive, 24% mostly negative, and 45% neutral. Here are the popular online platforms for teens:
  • 85% -- YouTube 
  • 72% -- Instagram 
  • 69% -- Snapchat 
  • 51% -- Facebook 
  • 32% -- Twitter 
  • 9% -- Tumblr
  • 7% -- Reddit  
Positive things about social media use include:
  • 40% -- Connecting with friends and family
  • 16% -- Easier to find news/information
  • 15% -- Meeting others with same interests
  • 9% -- Keeps you entertained and upbeat
  • 7% -- Self expression
  • 5% -- Getting support from others
  • 4% -- Learning things
Negative things about social media use include:
  • 27% -- Bullying and rumor spreading
  • 17% -- Harms relationships and lack of in-person contact
  • 15% -- Unrealistic views of others' lives
  • 14% -- Causes distractions and addictions
  • 12% -- Peer pressure
  • 4% -- Causes mental health issues
  • 3% -- Drama in general
New Lessons in U.S. Work World
  • Sexual Harassment
  • Paycheck Stubs
  • Poems: Quitting a Job & Job Interview
  • New Job Checklist
  • Listening Skills
  • Work Ethic Skills
  • Late Again - Causes & Fixes
  • Pyramid Business Plans
  • Work's Dangerous Ground - Gossip, Complain, Socialize
To download newest lessons, go to usworkworld.com.  Click Career Lessons or Thoughts & Quotes for poems.

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