In case you missed it: Jan. 8

Posted by: Doug Lubin

Happy New Year! We were having an internal debate yesterday about how long you can continue to wish people a happy new year before it becomes irrelevant or just plain odd. Some of my colleagues think we’re already starting to push the limits, with next week being the absolute maximum, but in my opinion, the phrase doesn’t get old until February.

It’s perfectly acceptable to bestow holiday wishes to your friends, family, and colleagues up until, and including, Jan. 31, since it’s in the same month during which the holiday falls. Don’t ya think?

Regardless, I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season, and aren’t struggling too much to get back into the work routine. Here’s a brief look at some of the interesting stories we’ve seen since the start of 2010.
BusinessWeek: Job Market Turnaround for New College Graduates? The National Association of Colleges and Employers’ (NACE) most recent survey of employers found that a third expected to increase college hiring in the first quarter of 2010. Only 26.7 percent expect a decrease. This marks the first time since August 2008 that the number expecting an increase outweighs those expecting to cut back.

Associated Press: Americans’ job satisfaction falls to record low. A new survey by the Conference Board research group found that only 45 percent of Americans are satisfied with their work, the lowest level ever recorded. This stat continues a more than two decade employee satisfaction downward trend. Another key finding of the survey indicates that 43 percent of workers feel secure in their jobs. This is down from 47 percent in 2008, and 59 percent in 1987.

The Wall Street Journal: Best and Worst Jobs 2010. CareerCast.com ranked the best and worst jobs in the U.S. in 2009 based on five criteria: environment, income, employment outlook, physical demands, and stress.

The Wall Street Journal: Rewards for Extra Work Come Cheap in Lean Times. With the economy only slowly showing signs of recovery, employers are seeking ways to boost growth without hiring. As we’ve seen throughout the past year, this means less workers putting in more hours for no (or little) compensation. Consulting firm Towers Watson reports that employers are planning only 2.8 percent raises in 2010, following 2 percent increases last year. The article highlights low-cost ways managers are rewarding and recognizing their employees for their additional effort, including gift cards and introductions to hard-to-access company executives.

And for a recap of today’s BLS Unemployment Report, check out my colleague Joel Capperella’s latest post.