Twelve percent of executives interviewed for the Robert Half Professional Employment Report say they are planning to hire professional-level staff in the fourth quarter of 2011, while 5 percent foresee making cutbacks. The resulting net 7 percent increase in hiring activity is up four points from the third-quarter forecast. The portion (82 percent) of hiring executives saying they anticipate no change in staff levels is down from 90 percent three months ago.
Meanwhile, 59 percent of executives interviewed for the report said it is challenging to find skilled professionals today, up 17 points from the third quarter.
Fourth-quarter hiring projections were higher than the third-quarter forecast in nearly all professional segments.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/roberthalf/50680/
The Toyota Prius v is the only midsize car out of 31 evaluated to earn a good rating in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s first-ever headlight ratings.
The best available headlights on 11 cars earn an acceptable rating, while nine only reach a marginal rating. Ten of the vehicles can’t be purchased with anything other than poor-rated headlights.
A vehicle’s price tag is no guarantee of decent headlights. Many of the poor-rated headlights belong to luxury vehicles.
The ability to see the road ahead, along with any pedestrians, bicyclists or obstacles, is an obvious essential for drivers. However, government standards for headlights, based on laboratory tests, allow huge variation in the amount of illumination that headlights provide in actual on-road driving. With about half of traffic deaths occurring either in the dark or in dawn or dusk conditions, improved headlights have the potential to bring about substantial reductions in fatalities.
Call it a homecoming.
When Toyota introduced Lexus to the U.S. market in 1989, the Georgetown, Ky., plant – its first stand-alone vehicle manufacturing facility in America – was just in its second year of producing the Camry.
Fast forward 26 years and that same plant is celebrating the start of U.S. Lexus production. Today at a ceremony fit for a luxury brand king, the first-ever U.S.-produced ES 350 was unveiled before several thousand proud team members in Georgetown. And, just like a newborn foal at the nearby horse farms in Central Kentucky, the newcomer was brought into the world with plenty of TLC and hope for a bright future.
“This is really a proud moment for us and brings us full circle,” said Wil James, president, Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky, Inc. “To be the first wholly owned plant, building the number one best-selling car in America, the Camry, for 13 years in a row, and then to be selected to build the first Lexus is truly a tribute to our team members.”
For the past two and a half years, the Kentucky plant – Toyota’s largest in North America – has been gearing up to make the ES 350, Lexus’ best-selling sedan in the U.S. In all, $360 million was invested toward a new dedicated assembly line, adding 750 new jobs. Total capacity for the new line will be 50,000 vehicles.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7655351-lexus-kentucky-plant-es-350/
Carol Platt was caught in the middle of the economic downturn with no backup plan. Searching for a stable job in an unstable economy proved to be difficult without a college degree. Her work history and past successes were overlooked. It had always been a dream of hers to complete her degree; after a failed first attempt, she was unsure of her ability to follow through. She began researching online education options and felt that Kaplan University stood out; she decided to complete her college degree online. Carol enrolled in Kaplan University’s School of Business and Management and earned her bachelor’s degree online, focusing on business with an emphasis in human resources.
The adult continuing education program at Kaplan University is designed for working professionals who seek to further their career or, like Carol, want to earn their university degree online.* Students can complete assignments on a schedule that fits their lives. It’s this type of flexibility that helps prepare Kaplan University online students for success. Even if you already have an established career, it’s never too late to consider online business school to further your knowledge and update your skills. Increase your marketability with one of Kaplan University’s online bachelor degree programs without taking time off of work to attend class.
* Kaplan University's programs are designed to prepare graduates to pursue employment in their field of study, or in related fields. However, the University does not guarantee that graduates will be placed in any particular job, eligible for job advancement opportunities, or employed at all. Additional training or certification may be required.
“I grew up in Graham, North Carolina. My parents both worked for the textile mills, both had fourth grade educations and my mom always wanted me to get an education. When I graduated from high school it was my dream to go to college. I failed the first class of my life which was my chemistry class. I was just overwhelmed so I left after about a year and half, got a job and kept trying to go back to school. For me it was personally devastating. It really bothered me. I felt like I was failing. I had one shot and I blew it.
When Jenna left for boarding school I couldn’t even open the door and go in the room and I was almost 52. All of that coincided with the downturn of the market. I had almost $6 million dollars in contracts waiting to close and they all fell through—every single one of them. I thought, ‘now what? I don’t have a degree, there are no jobs.’ It doesn’t matter what I had done or how much success I had, the requirements are to have a degree. Not only that, I had to walk back in the door competing with people half my age and many of them had MBAs.
It was just a matter of figuring out how to do it—so that’s when I started to check into what were the institutions, what was the cost, how were they respected. Kaplan [University] had a degree in business with a specialty in human resources. As I started narrowing the options down, it made it into about the final three. I took those three finalists to my traditional education friends and I said, ‘I want to know what the most respected online degree would be if someone was coming into your office looking for a job.’
The IT Dean, the Computer Science Dean, felt like Kaplan [University] had the best online delivery program that was out there. The Academic Dean’s advice was that this is a respected degree that you’re not going to have people questioning whether you were competent when you came out. Everything that you take there will be accepted if you go on to a master’s [program] anywhere so that was a very good recommendation. When I sat down at graduation, 31 years later, and I’m looking up at the podium and it says, ‘Kaplan University: a Different School of Thought’ that was probably more me because I do think a little differently. I’m willing to work on things that innovate and I think that’s more of an opportunity for me and many students like me.~N
Do you feel financially prepared for the future? If you’re not completely confident in your response, you’re not alone. In fact, a recent survey conducted by Research Now Group, Inc. and commissioned by Fifth Third Private Bank (NASDAQ: FITB) found that nearly half of those surveyed have serious concerns that they may outlive their money in retirement.
The Bank launched the survey to understand families’ financial planning pain points and gain insight into how the process could be simplified through its new platform, Life360.
“The study confirmed the anxiety that clients have shared with our advisors is reflective of similar concerns nationally,” said Phil McHugh, executive vice president and head of Wealth and Asset Management at Fifth Third. “Much of that anxiety stems from a lack of clearly articulated financial goals and alignment around achieving them. Our Life360 platform works to help simplify, focus and holistically address these critical aspects of the financial planning process.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/7723854-fifth-third-bank-life360
The average price of a hotel room around the world rose by 3% during 2012, compared with the previous year, according to the latest Hotels.com Hotel Price Index (HPI). The rate of increase has moderated when judged against the 4% rise in 2011 as the Eurozone’s problems pulled down the global average and slowed growth in the second half of the year.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/58707-eurozone-crisis-slows-hotel-price-growth
In the days when “tweets” were bird sounds and a “text” was a book, workplace blunders had a limited audience. Now, however, these missteps can receive broad exposure -- with unhappy consequences: Three out of four (76 percent) human resources (HR) managers polled by Robert Half said technology etiquette breaches can affect a person’s career prospects.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/roberthalf/46961/
Eighty-five percent of building owners and operators globally depend on energy management to drive operational efficiency, according to a survey released today by Johnson Controls, global leader in delivering solutions that increase energy efficiency in buildings. This represents a 34-point increase in the last two years. Energy cost savings and financial incentives are leading this shift, but more than half say they are also looking to improve their public image and increase the value of their buildings. The 2012 Johnson Controls Energy Efficiency Indicator, a global survey of 3,500 building owners and operators, was released at the 23rd Annual North American Energy Efficiency Forum in Washington D.C.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/players/English/55309-johnson-controls-2012-energy-efficiency-indicator-global-survey/
Violet Eden thought she was finally getting things under control. Then all hell breaks loose—literally. And to make matters worse, dark exile Phoenix is still messing with her head and her heart, and her attraction to fellow half-angel Lincoln has gotten downright dangerous. When Hell unleashes its worst, Violet must embrace every facet of her angel self to save the people she cares about and the world as she knows it. But death is not the worst thing she will face… Learn more about this book and author at http://www.embracetheseries.com YA
According to the Edelman American Well-Being Study released today by Edelman Wellness 360 in partnership with Edelman Berland, consumers prioritize emotional health over physical, yet 63 percent lack clarity on how to achieve emotional well-being, like relieving stress and increasing self-esteem. While consumers say they need more support to reach both their physical and emotional health goals, the study also revealed that nearly half don’t turn to others for help and 89 percent say they are solely responsible for their well-being. This leaves consumers facing a dilemma: The well-being measures people need the most simply can’t be achieved alone.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to: http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7494951-edelman-american-well-being-study/
In support of American Diabetes Month®, Colgate Total® is working with the American Diabetes Association to educate patients about diabetes and gum disease and to empower them to help take charge of their diabetes.
A recent survey conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of Colgate Total® about oral health reveals a lack of awareness about the various health issues associated with diabetes. More than one third of all respondents (36%) are not aware of the link between diabetes and oral health and are less likely to associate oral health issues with diabetes than almost all other health conditions related to diabetes. More than half (54%) report one or more symptoms of gum disease – yet 67% do not discuss their oral health with their doctor.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/58614-colgate-total-american-diabetes-association-oral-health-and-diabetes
