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US economy adds 145,000 new hires; unemployment stays at 3.5%

Seth Sandronsky Business Management, Services & Risk Management

In December, U.S. nonfarm payrolls grew by 145,000 after November's gain of 266,000, while the rate of unemployment remained at 3.5%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The total number of unemployed persons stayed at 5.8 million versus 6.3 million and a jobless rate of 3.9% a year ago. Meanwhile, hourly pay increases are tepid. "Year-over-year nominal wage growth was 2.9% — the lowest it's been in 18 months," according to Elise Gould, an economist with the Economic Policy Institute in Washington, D.C., in a statement.

Surveys: Travel industry apps, sites lag behind speed of new possibilities

Lark Gould Travel, Hospitality & Event Management

As the sophistication of technology available to us through our personal devices continues to develop and morph at lightning speed, it is not surprising that, according to recently released surveys by J.D. Power, many of the legacy travel apps we use are simply lagging behind their more agile, upstart counterparts. The 2019 J.D. Power U.S. Travel App Satisfaction Study and the 2019 U.S. Travel Website Satisfaction Study show that all travel industry websites — even those operated by digital natives — score substantially lower in customer satisfaction compared to high-scoring websites in other industries.

How long-form content can help boost your digital marketing profits

Lisa Mulcahy Marketing

When it comes to content marketing campaigns for 2020, the length of your copy, blog posts and content matters like never before. Long-form content — generally defined as 1,000 words or more — is a great way to engage your potential and existing customers. The benefits are great: Pew Research Center reported that online readers spend more time on 1,000-word pieces than on shorter ones. What's more is that, according to a study from BuzzSumo and Backlinko, long-form content yielded 77% more backlinks than shorter copy or posts.

Project management essentials for project success

William D. Pawlucy Association Management

A project is an activity with a specific goal in mind and a clear beginning and end. Unlike ongoing services and operations, a project will end, ideally, with the accomplishment of the stated goal. Identifying clear goals and establishing a project plan are critical to effective utilization of resources. It is important that the following questions are asked for every project by the staff team, led by the executive director.

Report: US manufacturing slowdown continues

Seth Sandronsky Manufacturing

The U.S. manufacturing sector shrank in December, said the nation's supply executives in the Manufacturing ISM Report On Business. "The December PMI registered 47.2 percent, a decrease of 0.9 percentage point from the November reading of 48.1 percent," said Timothy R. Fiore, chair of the Institute for Supply Management's (ISM) Manufacturing Business Survey Committee. "This is the PMI's lowest reading since June 2009, when it registered 46.3 percent." December was the fifth straight month of PMI contraction.

What designers should know about buying habits for home furnishings

Michael J. Berens Interior Design, Furnishings & Fixtures

What people put in their homes says a lot about who they are and what their homes mean to them. And how people shop for what they put in their homes says a lot about what they value and how they decide what will go into their homes. For designers seeking to market their services to homeowners, understanding their buying habits can provide insights into how they are likely to go about choosing an interior designer.

3 tools to help limit or stop your anxiety

Simma Lieberman Mental Healthcare

I know how debilitating anxiety can be. I've experienced the discomfort of anxiety at different times in my life. Even now, I've found myself feeling anxious about the future, making the right decisions about business and where I want to live. After getting help for extreme anxiety years ago, and learning how common it was, I decided I wanted to help other people. I got trained as a stress management consultant and began working with leaders in organizations to manage their stress and anxieties and support their employees. To this day, I continue to use the techniques I learned and have taught others. I'm sharing three of them with you.

4 ways to grow your audience as a startup

Angelica Nwandu Marketing

Gaining traction as a startup is a true challenge. How can you attract a loyal audience when you’ve only just entered the market? It's tough work, but it is by no means impossible. By carefully selecting the right platforms, being consistent, staying active with your current audience, and more, you can reel in a strong audience in no time. Even for a startup, this challenge can be tackled easily. In this article, I will detail four actionable ways to grow your audience in the startup stage.

6 cybersecurity resolutions worth sticking to in 2020

Daniel Markuson Science & Technology

Everyone is familiar with the desire to change for the better as the New Year comes. And although about 80% of New Year's resolutions fail by mid-February, some are worth keeping. In the digital age, those are the ones related to cybersecurity and online lives. We have no control over when the next company or even government institution is hacked. But even if we can't prevent all cyber threats, there are things we can do to make our digital life safer. Promise to stay safe during 2020 and make these resolutions that will stick.

Do applicant tracking systems work?

Terri Williams Business Management, Services & Risk Management

Applicant tracking systems (ATS) automate the recruitment, interview, and hiring process. They provide a tremendous benefit to companies, but at what cost? Do they improve the process for job seekers or actually make it more cumbersome? And to what degree could an ATS hinder companies from finding the best applicants? Gene Mal, CTO at Static Jobs, has been on both sides of the table, and he’s not a fan of using an ATS. "Employers are starting to realize that applicant tracking systems don't work," he says.

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