Cell Phones May Play a Much Bigger Role in Helping Americans Get Work
KANSAS CITY (PRNewswire), April 1, 2008 - Cell phones play a much bigger role in helping Americans get work, make money and respond in emergency situations than previously was thought to be the case, according to a first-of-its-kind study by Nicholas P. Sullivan, author of You Can Hear Me Now: How Microloans and Cell Phones Are Connecting the World's Poor to the Global Economy and a visiting scholar at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Released recently by the independent New Millennium Research Council (NMRC) think tank, the Sullivan report concludes that providing cell phones to the 38 percent of America's 45 million poorest households now without them -- including millions of seniors, Hispanics, African-Americans and rural residents -- could help them get work or make money worth $2.9 billion-$11 billion.
Entitled "Cell Phones Provide Significant Economic Gains for Low-Income American Households," the groundbreaking Sullivan study is based on two surveys: a scientific poll by Opinion Research Corporation (ORC) of 1,005 Americans and a statistically large online sampling of 110,000 prepaid cell phone users.
The study is the first in the U.S. to zero in on potential economic and public safety benefits to those in the bottom two quintiles of household income (less than $35,000), who are much less likely to own cell phones. According to the Sullivan report, those who do not now own a cell phone tend to be older (37 percent are retired), less educated (29 percent have a high school education or less), low income (38 percent make less than $35,000 a year) or unemployed (30 percent).
In addition to the striking potential for more employment and wealth accumulation among low-income Americans, the Sullivan study finds a much stronger "safety blanket" effect from cell phones than commonly is assumed to be true. Majorities from every major demographic segment in the U.S. say the
cell phone is "extremely important" for "emergency use," and prefer a cell phone to a landline phone in emergency/crime situations.
About half of Americans (48 percent) have used their phone to call or text during an emergency situation, a fifth (20 percent) have received an emergency call or text on their cell phone, and nearly a third (32 percent) have bought a cell phone for a relative to use in emergency situations, according to the ORC survey. Two telling signs that the rapidly growing "safety blanket" effect of cell phones: Nearly three out of five Americans (58 percent) say if they had to choose only one phone, it would be a cell phone rather than a landline phone; and, when asked to choose the most important phone in an emergency situation, Americans now favor cell phones over landlines by a more than three-to-one margin.
Study author Nicholas P. Sullivan said: "Millions of Americans who are most in need are missing out today on the economic gains that other Americans attribute to their cell phones. The overall conclusion in this study is that the cell phone is extremely important to Americans for personal safety, and a huge boon to an individual's potential economic productivity and earning power. The cell phone is particularly important to blue collar, minority, less educated and low-income segments of Americans, even though those groups are far less likely to own cell phones."
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Tips for Workers Returning to the Workforce After Extended Absence
KANSAS CITY (kansascityfrontpage.com), March 31, 2008 - Returning to the workforce after an extended absence doesn't necessarily put you at a disadvantage, a recent survey from CareerBuilder.com indicates. Forty-five percent of workers who returned to the workforce in the last 12 months after taking at least one year off said they found a job in less than one month. One-third (33 percent) said they found a job in one to six months while only 14 percent said their job hunt lasted more than a year.
"This goes back to the labor shortage factor in the job market today," said Rosemary Haefner, Vice President of Human Resources at CareerBuilder.com. "Employers are struggling to find skilled labor and are recruiting qualified employees before the competition has a chance to do so. Even in a tighter job market, skilled workers re-entering the workforce after a leave of absence can find good opportunities and competitive compensation packages."
When asked about the primary motivator for taking an extended period of time off from work, workers reported:
-- Medical reasons (17%)
-- To raise a family (15%)
-- To relax and enjoy life (13%)
-- To continue education (9%)
-- To move to a new location (9%)
When asked to identify the main challenge in finding a job when they returned to the workforce, 37 percent of workers reported having to prove themselves all over again while 24 percent said it was difficult to explain the gap in employment. Twenty percent pointed to a lack of required skills or education as the main obstacle in finding a job while 18 percent cited the competition with younger workers. Nine percent said they perceived a concern amongst employers that they would once again leave the workforce.
Haefner recommends the following tips to help in the transition back into the workforce:
1) Cover your bases. Cover letters not only help to highlight skills and
accomplishments and bring more personality to your application, they
are also useful for explaining an extended absence.
2) Reach out. Chances are you know someone who knows someone who can get
your foot in the door. Talk to family, friends, neighbors, former
colleagues, etc and ask them to keep you in mind for potential
opportunities.
3) Take a refresher. Sign up for seminars and events and online programs
to brush up on new technologies, current trends and developments in
your desired field.
4) Stay active. The majority of employers consider volunteer work to
qualify as relevant experience. Volunteering in your local community
can help to build up your resume, show your continued drive and
establish networking contacts.
5) Make no apologies. Keep the conversation positive. Don't dwell on how
long you've been out of the workforce. Focus the discussion on your
strengths and contributions and enthusiasm for the position at hand.
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Job Opportunities You Can Count on Right Now Include Accounting
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