Arizona Nursing Jobs See Significant Growth

Arizona nursing jobs once again outperformed every other industry in terms of employment last month.

During October, Arizona's unemployment rate dropped from 9.1 percent to 9 percent, which is on par with the national rate we saw that month. The state's rate has decreased for the last three months in a row.

Arizona employed a total of 2,420,200 workers during October, which is a slight drop from 2,420,800 workers during September, but a 1.9 percent increase from last year.

The education and health services industry saw the biggest employment growth over the month and year, which is great news for anyone considering the nursing jobs Arizona has to offer among their future career plans.

The industry employed a total of 365,300 workers during October, which is an addition of 2,300 workers over the month, and a 4.9 percent increase over the year.

Here's a look at how each industry fared over the month and year:

• Education and health services: +2,300
• Construction: +1,400
• Government +300
• Mining and logging: +200
• Manufacturing: +100
• Information: No change
• Financial activities: -500
• Other services: -500
• Trade, transportation, and utilities: -1,300
• Professional and business services: -1,300
• Leisure and hospitality: -1,300

Here's a look at how each industry fared over the year:

• Education and health services: +4.9 percent
• Leisure and hospitality: +4.2 percent
• Construction: +4.1 percent 
• Manufacturing: +3.3 percent
• Mining and logging: +2.8 percent
• Information: +2.5 percent
• Trade, transportation, and utilities: +1.4 percent
• Government: +1 percent
• Financial activities: +.2 percent
• Professional and business services: -.2 percent
• Other services: -3.6 percent

Occupational Therapy Jobs Arizona Benefit from Increasing Mental Health Budget

While those with occupational therapy jobs Arizona (http://rehabjob.abrazohealth.com) are seeing more job security as the state's mental health budget increases, those in other states aren't so lucky.

"State Mental Health Cuts: The Continuing Crisis," a new report from the National Alliance on Mental Illness, found that states have cut a total of $1.6 billion from mental health funding between 2009 and 2012.

However, Arizona is one of only 22 states that saw their mental health budgets grow over the last few years, while 28 states saw declining budgets. Arizona's budget increased by 5.6 percent to $520.5 million, with only 11 other states reporting larger increases.

The 10 states that saw the largest mental health care cuts between 2009 and 2012 are:

1. South Carolina - 39.3 percent
2. Alabama - 36 percent
3. Alaska - 32.6 percent
4. Illinois - 31.7 percent
5. Nevada - 28.1 percent
6. District of Columbia - 23.9 percent
7. California - 21.2 percent
8. Idaho - 17.9 percent
9. Kansas - 12.4 percent
10. Mississippi - 10.4 percent

"The mental health crisis is not just about state budget cuts," NAMI Executive Director Mike Fitzpatrick, said in a statement. "People with life-threatening mental illness are being abandoned. The more that mental health care is provided through Medicaid, the greater the risk exists that uninsured or underinsured individuals won't receive the help they need. It is important to meet the needs of Medicaid enrollees, but not at the expense of uninsured or underinsured individuals living with serious mental illness."

Sales Jobs in Phoenix with Top Insurance Company

Those looking for sales jobs in Phoenix may soon have the opportunity to work with an up-and-coming insurance company.

Esurance recently announced its plans to hire about 30 new sales agents, sales managers, and trainers in Phoenix. The company already held two on-site career fairs for these positions, but interested candidates can still apply online.

Esurance provides personal auto insurance direct to customers online and through sales agents. The company is dedicated to constantly improving the way people shop for, buy, and manage their auto insurance.

Average employees earn about $50,000 per year, including competitive base pay and the opportunity for incentive bonuses. Top performers can earn up to $75,000 per year. Employees are able to participate in paid training, an insurance licensing program, and ongoing training to help reach their sales goals. They also receive a 401(k), full benefits, and flexible scheduling options.

Candidates should have: at least one year of successful sales or customer service experience, experience using a phone in a sales center environment, and previous experience working in the insurance industry or a related industry.

Esurance is now the third-largest provider of auto insurance quotes online. The company currently employs about 1,7000 people in 14 different offices throughout the nation. Esurance is part of Allstate, the largest publicly-held personal insurance company in the U.S.

Technology Jobs Tempe Go Solar

Those looking for technology jobs Tempe may want to consider a position in the solar industry.

The "National Solar Jobs Census 2011: A Review of the U.S. Solar Workforce," a new report from The Solar foundation, found that solar industry hiring is on the rise as hundreds of thousands of Americans currently work in the industry.

The report ranked Arizona third in terms of solar industry employment, as the state currently has about 4,786 solar-related jobs. Only California and Colorado have more solar industry jobs than Arizona.

"Arizona continues its ascension as a national and global leader in the solar industry," Gov. Jan Brewer said in a statement. "Driven by its abundant sunshine, highly-trained workforce and renewable-energy tax credits, Arizona is the place to be when it comes to solar energy location and expansion. This report is further evidence that Arizona is on the right track when it comes to fostering job growth in the solar industry."

Since Arizona's Renewable Energy Tax Incentive Program became effective in 2010, nine renewable energy companies have located or expanded operations in the state, creating more than 2,100 jobs and injecting more than $1 billion into the local economy.

There are currently three large-scale renewable energy utility projects under construction in Arizona that will result in a thousands of new jobs and a total investment of more than $2.7 billion. Those projects include: Abengoa Solar, Inc.; Agua Caliente; and Mesquite Solar 1 LLC.

Nationwide, there are currently more than 17,198 solar employment sites that are responsible for 100,237 jobs throughout all 50 states. Over the next year, employers plan to increase hiring in the solar industry by 24 percent, creating 24,000 new jobs.

"The solar industry has grown into a major economic force with more than 100,000 employees in the United States," Andrea Luecke, executive director of The Solar Foundation, said. "We expect even greater growth in the foreseeable future. But policymakers, workforce training providers, and the industry must work together to continue creating good jobs for skilled workers."

Dallas Restaurant Jobs Could Benefit from New Campaign

A national organization is pushing the importance of the restaurant industry, a move that may create many Dallas restaurant jobs (Click here) and positions throughout the country.

The National Restaurant Association recently unveiled the America Works Here campaign in an effort to draw attention to the nation's restaurant industry, which is the second-largest private-sector employer and an important player when it comes to economic growth.

The campaign will highlight a number of important details about the restaurant industry, including everything from how to learn job skills appropriate for the industry, to how to own a restaurant, to the positive impact that restaurants can have in their communities.

"Everyone can agree that America's restaurants play an important role in people's lives, whether as a place to celebrate a special occasion, a spot to grab an early morning cup of coffee, or a place to meet with colleagues over a business lunch or dinner," the NRA notes.

"The 'America Works Here' slogan highlights not just the fact that nearly half of all Americans have worked in the industry, but that the nation's nearly 1 million restaurants are the place where business deals are made, where people can rise from the dishroom to the board room, and where organizations go for the philanthropic support that helps them do great work in local communities across the country," the association adds.

Here are some interesting facts about the restaurant industry:

• Restaurant sales have almost doubled over the last 11 years, reaching $604.2 billion during 2011, nearly 4 percent of the nation's GDP.     
• With 12.8 million employees, almost one in 10 Americans work in the restaurant industry.
• A number of proposed policies could add another 1.3 million jobs to the industry over the next 10 years. 
• Almost half of all adults have worked in the restaurant industry and more than one in four had their first job experience in the industry.
• 80 percent of restaurant owners say their first job was an entry-level position in the restaurant industry.
• 94 percent of restaurant employees think the industry is a good place for your first job and to learn basic working skills.
• 88 percent of employees think restaurants provide the opportunity to start at the bottom and work your way up to management.
• 81 percent of employees think people of all backgrounds and experience levels can open their own restaurant.
• 46 percent of employees would like to eventually own a restaurant.

Nursing Jobs in Arizona Help Support Local Economy

Those with nursing jobs in Arizona (http://azjobs.cancercenter.com) play a significant role in supporting the local economy.

After climbing for the previous two months, Arizona's unemployment rate dropped from 9.4 percent to 9.3 percent during August. Despite that decrease, however, the state's unemployment rate was still higher than the national average at the time of 9.1 percent.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Arizona employed a total of 2,408,400 workers during August, which is up from 2,393,000 workers during July and a 1.7 percent increase from last year.

The healthcare industry continues to be a strong point for the local and national economy. Arizona's education and health services industry employed 360,400 workers during August, and although that number is a slight decrease from the previous month, it's a 4.6 percent increase from last year.

The national healthcare industry added a total of 43,800 jobs between August and September, with every sector except nursing care facilities seeing an influx of workers.

Here's a look at how the sectors of the national healthcare industry fared during September:

• Ambulatory healthcare services - +26,000 jobs
• Offices of physicians - +12,200 jobs
• Outpatient care centers - +3,800 jobs
• Home healthcare services - +5,000 jobs
• Hospitals - +13,300 jobs
• Nursing and residential care facilities - +4,500 jobs
• Nursing care facilities - +/- 0 jobs

Phoenix Sales Jobs See Significant Yearly Growth

Phoenix sales jobs (Click here) and sales jobs throughout the nation saw little movement last month as sales remained virtually unchanged, but the industry continues to flourish when compared to last year.

According to a recent report from the National Retail Federation, retail industry sales increased by .1 percent during July and by 6 percent over the last year. This shows that consumers are still hesitant to spend money, but are becoming more confident over time.

"Consumer spending in August was tempered by a continued lack of confidence in the strength of our economy," Matthew Shay, president and CEO of NRF, said in a statement. "Having carried the brunt of the economic recovery so far, consumers may be waiting for good news in terms of employment and market stability, cautiously spending on things they need and thinking twice about things they want."

A separate report from the U.S. Department of Commerce found that total retail sales - including such items as gas, automobiles, and restaurants - increased by .1 percent in July and by 9 percent over the year.

The following types of stores saw sales growth over the month:

• Sporting goods, hobby, book, and music stores - +2.4 percent
• Electronic and appliance stores - +.5 percent
• Health and personal care stores - +.2 percent
• Building material and supplies stores - +.2 percent

"August retail sales mirror August employment figures – zero growth," said NRF Chief Economist Jack Kleinhenz said. "Consumer spending has stalled, and it will be important for consumers to see positive changes in the economic outlook going into the fourth quarter. While we're not expecting a complete pull back in spending, the outlook remains modest in terms of growth."

IT Jobs Phoenix Recognized for Partnership with Panasonic

Those with IT jobs Phoenix (http://jobs.insight.com) were recently recognized for their partnership efforts.

Insight Enterprises, Inc. recently received two two Panasonic Reseller of the Year awards at the Panasonic Solutions' Partner Summit in Scottsdale. The company's operating division was honored with Partner of the Year and Top Partner for Toughbook Computers awards.

Panasonic evaluated companies on three major criteria, including revenue performance and growth, strength of partnership, and level of proactive business development.

"We are honored to be named as Panasonic's Partner of the Year and Top Partner, Toughbook Computers," Brian Davis, senior vice president of product marketing for Insight, said in a statement. "This recognition demonstrates Insight's technical capabilities for delivering a range of solutions that combine our partners' innovative technologies with technical skills and capabilities that support client needs across the IT environment - from the mobile solutions in the field to the cloud."

Insight is a leading technology provider of hardware, software, an service solutions to business and government clients. The company has operations in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia-Pacific.

Non Profit Jobs Continuing to Flourish

Many organizations are continuing to add non profit jobs (http://jobs.heart.org) as the rest of the nation strives to recover from the recession.

The most recent report from the Johns Hopkins Nonprofit Economic Data Project found that nonprofit organizations were able to hold their own throughout the economic recession and are continuing to flourish during the recovery.

Nonprofits saw employment growth of 1 percent between 2009 and 2010, pushing the sector's labor force up by 5 percent between 2007 and 2010, the years during which the recession was in full swing.

At the same time, for-profit employment dropped by 1.1 percent in 2008, by 6.2 percent in 2009 and by .9 percent in 2010 - resulting in a total decline of more than 8 percent between 2007 and 2010.

On the downside, the rate of nonprofit job growth has slowed in recent years, dropping from 2.6 percent in 2008 to 1.2 percent in 2009, and then to .8 percent in 2010.

The nonprofit employment growth and for-profit employment decline was consistent in almost all of the 45 states included in the report. Employment increased in five of the six nonprofit sectors, with ciic organizations seeing the only decline.

Some other key findings of the report include:

• Nonprofit organizations employ 10.5 million workers, which accounts for close to 10 percent of the nation's workforce.
• The nonprofit workforce is the third-largest in the nation, behind only manufacturing and retail trade.
• Nonprofit employment varies from state to state, ranging from 2.6 percent in Nevada to more than 18 percent in New York and Rhode Island.
• About 50 percent of nonprofit jobs are in healthcare, while 13 percent are in education, and 11 percent are in social services.

Hotel Corporate Jobs Phoenix Among High-Paying Hospitality Careers

The hotel corporate jobs Phoenix (Click here) has to offer are among the top-paying hospitality jobs available.

There are plenty of hospitality jobs that pay high salaries - some in the six-figure range - and offer great job security. These jobs include everything from hotel manager or chef to housekeeping manager or even professional wine taster.

In order to embark on any of these career paths, you should first have a good education, plenty of experience, and great leadership skills. Once you have those three qualifications, the possibilities are endless.

According to Monster, these are some of the best hospitality jobs you can get, based on median salary:

1. Casino property general manager - $218,300
2. Regional chef - $124,800
3. Hotel manager - $112,400
4. Regional restaurant manager - $95,800
5. Head of housekeeping - $77,000
6. Executive pastry chef - $60,200
7. Sommelier - $50,400

Sales Jobs Phoenix in Danger from Cisco Cuts

Some technical sales jobs Phoenix could be negatively affected as a prominent company braces for thousands of layoffs.

Several news sources are reporting that Cisco Systems Inc. is planning to layoff thousands of employees and move thousands of other positions in the coming months in an effort to cut $1 billion in costs.

The company plans to layoff about 6,500 employees, including 2,100 workers who volunteered for early retirement and a 15-percent reduction of executive-level employees.

"(These are) painful steps in the right direction," Shaw Wu of Sterne Agee told MarketWatch. "This should help lower overhead and allow the company to be more competitive in the marketplace."

Cisco also is planning to move another 5,000 jobs to Foxconn Technology Group, which recently bought the company's manufacturing facility in Mexico..

"(The sale is a pleasant surprise) I would add, because it's always tough to see people lose their jobs," Wu added. "At least now they will be at Foxconn. Cisco really shouldn't be in the business of manufacturing, as they are a designer and marketer of products."

Nursing Jobs Arizona Supported by New Collaborative Imaging Lab

A new collaborative imaging lab will not only advance the nursing jobs Arizona already has to offer, but will bring many new positions to the Valley.

Cardinal Health recently opened The Center for the Advancement of Molecular Imaging in Phoenix. The one-of-a-kind collaboration lab, which will bring about 20 new jobs to the area, is aimed at developing imaging technology to treat complex diseases.

In addition to making many nursing jobs in Arizona (Click here) easier, the lab will be hiring new employees to fill a number of high-tech positions. Current openings are for radio-chemists, engineers, scientists, product development managers, project managers, and quality regulatory personnel.

Employees at the lab will use state-of-the-art technology to help pharmaceutical companies and academic research institutions develop, test, and commercialize radiopharmaceuticals and Positron Emission Tomography imaging devices.

"The launch of The Center for the Advancement of Molecular Imaging is a strategic investment in the future of the molecular imaging and pharmaceutical industries," John Rademacher, president of Nuclear and Pharmacy Services for Cardinal Health, said in a statement.

"By helping pharmaceutical companies and academic research institutions accelerate innovation and reduce the time it takes to get new imaging agents to market, we can more accurately diagnose diseases earlier in their onset," he continued. "Ultimately, our goal is also to drive better patient outcomes by helping physicians track how well patients are responding to treatments."

The new center also will feature:

• Collaboration laboratory
• Fully functional, confidential, private guest laboratories
• State-of-the-art PET manufacturing facility
• Global PET Production Control Center

Dallas Hotel Jobs will Flourish as Industry Recovers

Now is a great time to find Dallas hotel jobs, as the industry continues to improve and reach for a full recovery.

The hotel industry throughout Texas experienced growth in all of the important indicators at the beginning of this year, according to the Texas Hotel Performance Report for Q1 2011 from the Governor's Office of Economic Development and Tourism.

In fact, the numbers are so impressive that experts think the local hotel industry will reach a full recovery by 2013. That means the industry will be in full swing in the coming years, both locally in Dallas and statewide.

The Dallas-Ft. Worth-Arlington area accounts for the majority (29.3 percent) of the state's hotel market share. The area saw its total hotel revenue increase by 19.3 percent to $520.7 million between Q1 2010 and Q1 2011.

Some other interesting facts about the Texas hotel industry during Q1 include:

• Room revenues increased by 15.5 percent to $1.778 billion.
• The majority of revenue gain is from consumers paying more for rooms.
• The number of nights sold grew by 10.8 percent.
• Occupancy rose by 7.2 percent, while the price of a room grew by 4.2 percent, and the revenue per available room increased by 11.6 percent.
• Room supply grew by 3.5 percent.
• Mid to upscale, limited service, and mini suites hotels accounted for the majority of room supply growth.
• About 40,535 hotel rooms closed in the last year, the highest level in the past seven years.

Houston Engineering Jobs for the Green-Minded

When you're in the midst of a employment search, since countless Americans currently are, there could possibly be a job suitable for you amidst the conservational collar industry, where you can find Houston engineering jobs, among other positions.

There has been a lots of focus around the green collar industry throughout the last few years, and that's not expected to switch any stage shortly, since additional ecologically aware jobs are being created and added local, state and federal support is being slated to becoming further environmentally favorable.

An eco-friendly vocation is basically any position that instantly contributes to minimizing our environmental foot print, whether it's by creating tech solutions or giving ideas. Although loads of environmentally friendly jobs demand out-of-door work, which isn't excessively unexpected because of the category of the job, there too are numerous indoors jobs that are also considered to be green.

Now is a good point in time to get hold of green occupations, as the financing for employment in the ecologically aware collar industry keeps wheeling in. Most outstandingly, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act provided $750 million toward programs to prepare and set workers among emerging, vigorously-rising industries.

The conundrum for scores of employment seekers looking for a ecologically aware occupation seems to be that the idea of conservational occupations is even pretty unfamiliar, and although there are a variety of occupations that have been created specifically for being ecologically aware, a number of of them are so innovative that there isn't a heap of figures on them and their longevity is yet to be seen.

Nevertheless, there are several traditional positions that are now considered to be ecologically aware, all of which compensate advantageously and should develop in the future years, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Hence if you're interested in the conservational collar industry, although don't know where to start out, take a gaze at our listing of the top 5 traditional conservational careers:

1. Construction laborers
2. Farmer
3. Environmental scientists
4. Environmental engineers
5. Foresters and conservation scientists

Many of the occupations listed above have been around for a long time, but as the environmentally-friendly collar industry maintains to arise, so do the variety and mass of brand new positions that are alone aimed on going green.

A variety of these not-existing careers include: sun electricity installation workers who make and put in electric models that function off the sunshine; designers who plan and manufacture parts for wind turbines; start-ups who create and work for ecologically aware employers; recycling professionals who labor to further and enforce the interest of recyclable materials; and city planners who work to drop their metropolis's carbon footprint.

IT Jobs Phoenix with Insight Continue Growth

One company that supports many of the IT jobs Phoenix (Click here) has to offer is continuing to grow.

Insight Enterprises saw tremendous company-wide growth during Q1 2011. The company's net sales increased by 18 percent to $1.2 billion, while gross profits grew by 12 percent to $162.5 million, earnings increased by 32 percent to $22.9 million, and net earnings grew by 43 percent to $13.1 million.

Insight is a leading technology company that provides hardware, software, and service solutions to business and government clients throughout North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia-Pacific. The company currently employs about 5,100 people worldwide, including many jobs in Tempe (Click here).

"Our financial results in the first quarter reflect solid sales execution and continued strength in demand for IT products globally," Ken Lamneck, president and CEO of Insight, said in a statement. "As we move through the balance of 2011, we will be highly focused on organic growth in our portfolio while continuing our disciplined cost management efforts."

In North America alone, Insight saw its gross profit increase by 11 percent between Q1 2010 and Q1 2011, reaching $109.5 million. Net sales throughout the country increased by 23 percent over the year to $847 million.

A 33 percent increase in software sales accounted for the majority of Insight's net sales growth, followed by a 22 percent increase in sales of services, and a 19 percent increase in hardware sales. Selling and administrative expenses increased by 9 percent to $7.7 million over the year.

Furniture Sales Jobs Florida Grow Alongside Retail Sales

The local retail industry, which supports many of the furniture sales jobs Florida (Click here) has to offer, is continuing to grow.

The March District Retail Survey from the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta found that sales tax revenues throughout the sixth district increased by 6 percent over the year. Each state in the district - which includes Alabama, Florida, Georgia Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee - saw sales increase over the year.

Florida saw the third-largest increase in sales revenues, growing by 5.9 percent over the year. This is great news for anyone seeking Tampa jobs FL or jobs Fort Lauderdale (http://broward.jobing.com) in the furniture industry or any other retail sector.

Louisiana saw the largest increase in sales revenues, at 15.1 percent, followed by Georgia at 8.1 percent, Tennessee at 4.1 percent, Alabama at 2.9 percent, and Mississippi by 2.2 percent.

Here's a look at how four important areas of the retail industry are stacking up:

• Employment - The majority of retailers in the sixth district said they had no trouble filling job openings during March, marking the sixth consecutive month that there was an overabundance of job seekers. Nationwide, employment in the retail industry increased by 17,700 workers.
• Sales and expectations - About 56 percent of retailers saw more sales than last year, while about 55 percent of retailers saw more traffic. A total of 72 percent of retailers expect that sales will continue growing during the next three months.
• Inventories - Most retailers in the sixth district saw inventories remain steady or slightly increase during March. Throughout the nation, retailers have seen a slowdown in inventory growth during the last year.
• Prices - The majority of retailers in the district saw their selling prices remain stagnant or slightly increase during March, with many reporting that input and labor prices have continued to climb.

San Diego Government Jobs, Others Criticized on Finances

Those with San Diego government jobs (http://sandiego.jobing.com/jobs/government) and other state positions are being criticized for their lack of financial responsibility.

The California State Controller's Office recently released several audits showing that there are a number of state agencies that failed to collect salary and travel advances from employees. That led Gov. Jerry Brown to order all state departments to recover taxpayer money and improve their internal accounting practices.

Current state law allows state agencies to advance an employee's salary when checks are delayed, an employee travels, a hardship request is made, a vendor requires immediate payment, or an employee quits and needs their final check.

One audit from 2009 found that most state agencies either took too long to collect salary advances or failed to collect them at all. In particular, 11 agencies failed to collect a total of $13.3 million in advances, including $500,000 that had been outstanding for three years.

However, Brown is now requiring all state agencies to clear salary and travel expense advances within 30 days, after which time the agency will be required to deduct the advance from the employee's next paycheck. In addition, agencies are being asked to improve their record keeping, oversight, training, and collection practices.

"It's shocking that the state has apparently failed to collect millions of dollars in salary and travel advances owed by state employees," Brown said in a statement. "This situation reinforces the worst stereotype of ineffective and inefficient government, and I have ordered state agencies to immediately investigate the backlog of uncollected debts and find every penny owed to taxpayers. State agencies must regain control of this program."

And the audits aren't over yet, as Controller John Chiang plans to continue examining the practices in place at many other state agencies. Those future audits could result in millions of other dollars that have yet to be collected.

"The state's poor debt collection and accounting practices are fleecing public coffers at a time when vital public programs are being decimated by unprecedented budget cuts," Chiang said. "I applaud Governor Brown's commitment to making every dollar count."

Nonprofit Fundraising Jobs See Donations Grow

Those with nonprofit fundraising jobs are starting to see an influx of donations. Visit http://jobs.heart.org to learn more.

A recent report from the Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund found that more people are donating money this year. Incoming donations to the organization increased by 25 percent between Q1 2010 and Q1 2011, marking the highest first quarter contribution level in the organization's history.

Fidelity is an independent public charity that helps donors support more than 140,000 nonprofit organizations with more than $11 billion in grants. The organization is the largest donor-advised charity and one of the largest public charities in the nation.
The report further found that:

• New charitable donations came in at $269 million during Q1 2011.
• Outgoing grants reached $293 million, an 8 percent increase from Q1 of last year.
• Incoming donations accounted for $1.6 billion during 2010, a 42 percent increase from 2009.
• 2011 marks the sixth year in a row that Fidelity has received more than $1 billion in donations.

"We are seeing a significant increase in donors leveraging a broader spectrum of their assets, such as restricted stock and privately held securities, for charitable purposes," Sarah Libbey, president of the Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund, said. "This reflects continued strength in the mergers and acquisitions market, and also is a sign of more strategic charitable planning on the part of donors and their advisors.

"This is an exciting trend, as these types of assets have powerful tax advantages and donating them to a donor-advised fund like the Gift Fund makes the process easy and typically more financially advantageous for the receiving charities," she added.

Volunteer Mesa Arizona Jobs Recognized Nationally

Those with volunteer Mesa Arizona jobs are being recognized for their hard work. Visit http://phoenix.jobing.com/tag/mesa to see current openings.

The City of Mesa was recently awarded $10,000 and featured in USA Weekend for its 2010 Make a Difference Day. The city is one of three - along with Trenton, Ohio, and Wheaton, Illinois - that were recognized  for their volunteer projects and events.

More than 325 volunteers participated in last year's Make a Difference Day, which focused on the Casa Mesa neighborhood as part of the Building Strong Neighborhoods Initiative, as well as other neighborhoods throughout the city.

"This is a tremendous honor for Mesa and a very fitting national recognition of our staff and, especially, our hundreds of volunteers who care so much about our city and work hard to make a difference," Mayor Scott Smith said in a statement.

Volunteers who participated in the event:

• Removed 39 tons of trash from alleyways.
• Picked up trash along roadways .
• Used 50 gallons of paint to remove graffiti.
• Cleaned playground equipment at a neighborhood park.
• Delivered fire safety awareness information to 800 homes.
• Painted 469 address numbers on curbs in an effort to decrease emergency response times.
• Registered 100 people to receive important financial information.

City officials selected Casa Mesa for the Building Strong Neighborhoods Initiative, which provides training, education, and resources to specific neighborhoods and works to inform residents about services and programs that can enhance their quality of life.

Mesa plans to grow its volunteer efforts even more by joining the Cities of Service coalition, a bipartisan group of mayors who work together over several years to expand community service and volunteer activities throughout the nation.

Top 10 Schools for Arizona Pharmacy Jobs

There are a number of great schools to consider if you're considering Arizona pharmacy jobs. Visit http://azjobs.cancercenter.com for more information.

Attending the right pharmacy school can help you prepare for one of the many pharmacy jobs available to students, including pharmacy aides, pharmacy technicians, and pharmacists. All of these employees play an important role in helping people get their prescription drugs.

The majority of pharmacy employees, about 65 percent, work in a retail setting. Some other employees work for hospitals, mail order and Internet pharmacies, pharmaceutical wholesalers, physicians' offices, and the federal government.

According to Education-Portal.com, the University of Arizona is one of the top 10 schools in the nation for pharmacy majors. The university offers a variety of great pharmacy programs that prepare students for their future careers.

The top 10 pharmacy schools, as well as the pharmacy programs they offer, include:

• Ohio State University - Bachelor of Science in the Pharmaceutical Sciences; Doctor of Pharmacy; Ph.D. in Pharmacology; Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry; Ph.D. in Pharmaceuticals; Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Administration; PhD in Translational Science; MS in Health-System Pharmacy Administration.
• Purdue University - Pre-Pharmacy; BS in Pharmaceutical Sciences; Doctor of Pharmacy; Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology. ; Ph.D. and MS in Industrial and Physical Pharmacy or Pharmacy Practice.
• University of Michigan-Ann Arbor - BS in Pharmaceutical Sciences; Doctor of Pharmacy; Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry; Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences; Ph.D. in Social and Administrative Sciences; and Master of Engineering in Pharmaceutical Engineering.
• University of Arizona - Pre-Pharmacy; Doctor of Pharmacy; and Ph.D. and MS in Drug Discovery and Development; Pharmaceuticals and Pharmacokinetics; Pharmacology and Toxicology; Pharmaceutical economics, Policy, and Outcome; and Clinical Research.
• University of Southern California - Pre-Pharmacy program; Pharmacy Explorers Program; Doctor of Pharmacy; Ph.D. in Clinical and Experimental Therapeutics; Ph.D. or MS in Molecular Pharmacology and Toxicology, Pharmaceutical Sciences, or Pharmaceutical Economics and Policy; and Certificate, Doctor, or MS in Regulatory Science.
• University of Iowa - Doctor of pharmacy; Ph.D. in Clinical Pharmaceutical Sciences; Ph.D. in Medicinal and Natural Products Chemistry; Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Socioeconomics; Ph.D. in Pharmaceutics.
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill - Doctor of Pharmacy; Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences; Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry and Natural Products; Ph.D. in Molecular Pharmaceutics; Ph.D. in Pharmacotherapy and Experimental Therapeutics; Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy; and MS in Health System Pharmacy.
• University of Kentucky - Pre-Pharmacy; Doctor of Pharmacy; Ph.D. and MS in Traditional Pharmaceutical Sciences, Clinical and Experimental Therapeutics, or Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy.
• University of Illinois-Chicago - Doctor of Pharmacy; Ph.D. in Biopharmaceutical sciences; Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry; Ph.D. in Pharmacognosy; Ph.D. in Pharmacy Administration; and MS in Forensic Science.
• University of California-San Francisco - Doctor of Pharmacy; Ph.D. in Biological and Medical Informatics; Ph.D. in Biophysics; Ph.D. in Chemistry and Chemical Biology; and Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences and Pharmacogeconomics.

King Soopers Jobs, Others Wait on Beer Battle Outcome

The continuing beer battles in Colorado could ultimately effect King Soopers jobs. Check out http://grocery.coloradojobs.com to see some openings.

Last week, the Senate Business, Labor and Technology Committee passed a bill that would allow convenience stores of 5,000 square feet or less to sell full-strength beer. According to the Denver Business Journal, that bill is just one of many attempts to change Colorado's existing alcohol laws.

Colorado's existing alcohol law - which was recently overturned by Roxy Huber, executive director of the Colorado Department of Revenue - allows restaurants and bars to sell full-strength beer, while allowing convenience and grocery stores to sell only low-strength beer.

Nearly two weeks ago, the House Committee on Economic and Business Development passed a similar bill that would allow both convenience and grocery stores to sell full-strength beer. However, many experts think this bill is less plausible because it would support more out-of-state grocery chains, such as City Market and King Soopers.

Those in favor of such a bill claim that allowing convenience and grocery stores to sell full-strength would create thousands of new jobs throughout the state. Those who oppose the bill, which are mainly liquor stores and craft breweries, claim such a bill would cause them to cut Denver job numbers and even close.

A recent study from Summit Economics found the law allowing both convenience and grocery stores to sell full-strength beer would cause 700 of the state’s 1,653 liquor stores to close within three years, leading to the loss of 4,830 jobs and $700 million in revenues.

Miami Nursing Jobs, Others Improve

The local economy has been kind to those looking for everything from Miami nursing jobs to hospitality positions to finance roles.

During February, the Miami area's unemployment rate dropped from 12.1 percent to 11.8 percent, after declining from 13.1 percent during January. Despite that most recent decrease, the area's rate was still higher than the national average at the time of 8.9 percent.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Miami-Miami beach-Kendall area employed about 988,000 workers during February, which is up from 980,000 workers during January and a 1 percent increase from last year.

Here's a look at how each industry stacked up over the month and year:

• Mining and logging - Remained steady over the month and year with 300 employees.
• Construction - Added 900 jobs over the month, but decreased by 3.4 percent over the year, for a total of 31,200 workers.
• Manufacturing - Added 100 jobs over the month, but dropped by 3.1 percent over the year to 34,400 employees.
• Trade, transportation, and utilities - Added 600 jobs over the month and increased by 1.4 percent over the year to 248,800 workers.
• Information - Added 100 jobs over the month, but declined by 2.8 percent over the year, for a total of 17,400 jobs.
• Financial activities - Added 600 jobs over the month and grew by .3 percent over the year to 63,100 workers.
• Professional and business services - Added 1,900 jobs over the month and increased by .5 percent over the year to 130,800 employees.
• Education and health services - Added 1,900 jobs over the month and grew by 2 percent over the year to 161,500 jobs.
• Leisure and hospitality - Added 1,100 jobs over the month and increased by 2.9 percent over the year for a total of 108,400 workers.
• Other services - Added 400 jobs over the month and grew by 1.8 percent over the year to 39,900 employees.
• Government - Added 400 jobs over the month and increased by .7 percent over the year for a total of 152,200 jobs.

Prepping for Speech Therapy Jobs Phoenix

Looking for speech therapy jobs Phoenix? It's important to get a proper education before you begin looking for work.

Speech therapists work with patients to diagnose and treat a variety of speech and speech-related problems. Their patients may include everyone from people who stutter to those who have problems understanding language to people who have trouble swallowing.

Working as a speech therapist is very lucrative. Not only is there plenty of stability, with jobs expected to grow by 19 percent through 2018, but you also can expect to be paid well, with the median salary coming in at $62,930 during 2008.

In order to become a speech therapist, however, you must first obtain the proper education. The minimum requirement is typically a Bachelor of Science in Speech Pathology, although many employers prefer to hire those with a Master of Science in Speech Pathology.

Here's a look at some of the classes you can expect to take while earning your degree, as compiled by Education-Portal.com:

• Speech and language acquisition - An introductory-level class that teaches students about the normal progression of language, from infancy to adolescence. Students also learn about theories surrounding language, social factors related to speech, the development of dialects, and potential problems of speech development.
• Speech anatomy and physiology - Teaches students about the mechanisms behind breathing and articulating and receiving sounds, as well as anatomical abnormalities that can cause speech problems.
• Speech therapy and phonetics - Looks at speech from a physiological, descriptive, and acoustic perspective. Students learn how to identify, describe, classify, and transcribe difference types of speech.
  
• Voice and language disorders - Students learn how to identify and treat physiological speech problems that are caused by paralysis, ulcers, cleft palette, damaged vocal nodules, motor speech disorders, or neurological speech problems.
• Speech problems in children - Students learn how to identify and treat speech problems that are often found in young children, such as stuttering lisps, or developmental delays. They also learn about the physiological, psychological, and social causes of these problems.
• Speech problems in the elderly - Teaches students about the various causes and treatments of speech loss in the elderly, such as dementia, brain trauma, and deafness.

Sales Careers Phoenix Bolstered by Improving Retail Industry

The retail industry is providing some encouraging news for those pursuing sales careers Phoenix (Click here).

A recent report from the Arizona Department of Revenue found that annual retail sales throughout the state increased by 4 percent to $5 billion during December 2010, marking the second consecutive month of retail sales growth and the best sales in three years.

However, that increase will not help the state emerge from its current budget deficit, according to The Arizona Republic. During the first six months of the current fiscal year, the state spent $5.9 billion and took in only $4.9 billion, leaving a $1 billion shortfall.

Here's a look at how each retail sector fared during December:

• Motor vehicle sales - Increased by 21.5 percent over the year to a total of $462.3 million.
• Restaurants and bars - Increased by 11 percent over the year.
• Clothing stores - Increased by 6.6 percent over the year.
• Furniture and home furnishing stores - Increased by 5.5 percent over the year. 
• Miscellaneous retail - Increased by 5 percent over the year.
• General merchandise stores - Declined by 2.6 percent over the year.
• Building material, lawn and garden stores - Declined by 15.4 percent over the year.

While the retail industry is usually a good indicator of how the overall economy is performing, Phoenix jobs don't seem to be recovering as quickly, as the area continues to see a declining workforce and a growing unemployment rate.

During January, the Phoenix-Mesa-Glendale area's unemployment rate increased from 8.4 percent to 9.3 percent, after dropping from 8.5 percent during December. That latest increase keeps the area's rate above the national average at the time of 9 percent.

The Phoenix area employed about 1,681,700 workers during January, which is down from 1,713,900 workers during December and only a .4 percent increase from last year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Nursing Jobs Phoenix at New Long-Term Care Center

The number of nursing jobs Phoenix has to offer is increasing, thanks to the relocation of a long-term care center.

Promise Hospital of Phoenix recently relocated to a new long-term acute care center at the Arizona Regional Medical Center campus in Mesa. The new facility will create 150 high-skilled Mesa jobs and have a large economic impact on the local community.

All employees are ACLS certified and use a primary registered nursing model when taking care of patients. The hospital is equipped to provide everything from MRI services and CT scans to interventional radiology and catheter placement.

The company chose to relocate to Mesa in order to: provide more long-term services to East Valley residents, increase available diagnostic and treatment services, better align with physicians, and continue growing and supporting the area's healthcare consortium.

"We're extremely happy to have Promise Hospital in downtown Mesa," Mayor Scott Smith said in a statement. "Bringing high-quality jobs to Mesa is an integral part of our H.E.A.T. initiative and to make that happen you need quality organizations with quality people like Promise Hospital."

Promise provides high-quality, long-term care for patients suffering from complex medical conditions, with most patients staying an average of at least 25 days. The hospital's "quality" scores consistently outperform the national average.

The company specializes in treating acute respiratory and pulmonary care, infectious disease management, advanced wound management, complex medical management, and treatment for multi-organ failure and post-surgical complications.

The new 30,000-square-foot treatment center will cater to patients from Mesa, Chandler, Gilbert, Tempe, Scottsdale, Glendale, Avondale, Sun City, Peoria, Paradise Valley, and Queen Creek.

The hospital features:

• 48 beds
• 24 private rooms
• 12 semi-private rooms
• 23 telemetry beds
• 15 medical and surgical beds
• Six-bed Intensive Care Unit
• Dialysis suite
• Wound care suite
• Rehab and physical therapy gym
• Pharmacy
• Conference and break room
• Administrative offices

Top 10 Dallas Jobs Part Time That Offer Employee Benefits

Although it's not the norm, there are a number of Dallas jobs part time that offer employee benefits.

Part time jobs are a great option for many people, whether your need to work more to earn some extra money, are looking for some additional experience, or simply want to fill more of your free time. However, working a part time job can often be hard, because they don't always provide the same benefits as full-time positions.

Luckily, there are a number of companies that offer benefits to part-time employees, and many of those benefits are just as good as those for full-time counterparts. Each company sets its own requirements for receiving these benefits, such as working a minimum number of hours per week or staying with the company for a specific length of time.

Here are the top 10 companies - most of which have locations in Dallas - where part-time employees can receive benefits, as compiled by AOL Jobs:

1. REI - All employees receive healthcare insurance, while some are offered merchandise discounts, incentive pay, retirement and profit sharing, and discounted travel.
2. Whole Foods - Part-time employees receive health, dental, and vision insurance after working for 400 hours, and all employees have access to a retirement plan, paid time off, and a 20-percent discount.
3. Nordstrom - Employees working part-time receive health, life, disability, and accidental death insurance; retirement plan, paid time off; and adoption assistance.
4. Starbucks - Any employee who works at least 20 hours per week receives health insurance, retirement plan, stock options, and a free pound of coffee or box of tea each week.
5. UPS - Part-time employees receive medical, dental, vision, life, and long-term care insurance, retirement plan, discounted stock options, tuition reimbursement, and an income protection plan.
6. Lowe's - Employees here receive a limited health insurance plan; vision, dental, and disability insurance; retirement plan; and can earn 40 hours of vacation after 180 days of work.
7. JCPenney - Any employee who works less than 35 hours per week can participate in the Additional Benefits Choices program, which offers medical, dental, vision, life, critical illness, and accident insurance.
8. Lands' End - Part-time employees here receive dental and vision insurance, retirement plans, discounts on merchandise at Lands' End and Sears stores, and special discounts at local attractions.
9. JP Morgan Chase - After working for 90 days, those who work at least 20 hours per week can receive medical, dental and vision insurance; retirement options; stock purchase plans; paid time off; tuition and adoption assistance; and banking-related perks.
10. Barnes & Noble - Part-time employees receive medical, dental, and life insurance; a flex spending account; retirement plan; discount book prices; access to a book loan program; and discounts on other useful services.

Fort Worth Sales Jobs Supported By Industrial Investments

Industrial investments are supporting many Fort Worth sales jobs. Check out http://dignity.texasjobs.com to see some current job openings.

A new report from Cushman & Wakefield of Texas Inc. found that industrial investment sales in the Dallas-Fort Worth area topped those in the rest of the nation during 2010, as the area sold about 16 million square feet of industrial space last year.

This is good news for anyone seeking sales employment opportunities in the area. The sales made last year should attract other companies to the area, which will in turn spike sales even further, while at the same time creating jobs and bettering the overall economy.

The top five cities for industrial investment sales during 2010 include:

1. Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas - 16 million square feet
2. Inland Empire, Calif. - 13 million square feet
3. Chicago, Ill. - 9 million square feet
4. Los Angeles, Calif. - 6 million square feet
5. Atlanta, Ga. - 6 million square feet

The Dallas-Fort Worth area ranked second in the nation for office building sales, with more than 5 million square feet of space sold last year. That was followed by 7 million square feet in Northern Virginia, 4 million square feet in Chicago, and 4 million square feet in Boston.

This is all good news for the Fort Worth area, which has seen pretty good employment figures in recent months. During December, the area's unemployment rate dropped from 8.2 percent to 7.9 percent, which was below the national average at the time of 9.4 percent.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Fort Worth-Arlington area employed a total of 858,300 workers during December, which is up from 857,600 workers during November and a 1 percent increase from the previous year.

Education for Office Assistant Jobs

Although not always necessary, getting an education can help you better prepare for office assistant jobs (Click here).

Although most positions for office assistants are considered to be entry-level, some candidates choose to earn an office assistant certificate, which can help you learn more about the job and give you an edge over the competition when it comes to getting hired.

Students pursuing an office assistant certificate - whether in an online education or traditional format - will better develop the typing, communication, and computer skills needed to succeed in this type of job. Some programs may require you to have certain skills before beginning your education.

According to an article by Education-Portal.com, some popular courses you can expect to take include:

• Keyboarding - Learn how to type with speed and accuracy, how to use key-touch techniques, and how to format various documents.
• Office procedures - Teaches you how to file, plan meetings, order supplies, use basic office technology, and deal with customers.
• Business communications - Learn fundamental and advanced writing skills, including punctuation, spelling, grammar, and business vocabulary.

Once you obtain an office assistant certificate, you can begin applying for a variety of office-related jobs, such as receptionist, secretary, or office assistant. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of secretaries will grow by 11 percent by 2018.

Houston Tech Jobs Could Suffer from State Budget Cuts

A number of Houston tech jobs could be negatively affected by cuts to a statewide funding program. Visit http://houston.jobing.com/cat/tech to find available jobs.

The Texas Emerging Technology Fund could lose up to 85 percent of its funding under the proposed state budget. The five-year old, $155 million program is aimed at encouraging research and development of new technologies throughout the state.

Officials are looking to cut several programs as the state is currently facing a budget shortfall between $15 billion and $27 billion. However, cuts the TETF alone would only make up a small segment of the $13.7 billion officials hope to cut, according to the Houston Business Journal.

Unfortunately, any cuts to the program would be felt throughout the local and state economy. According to the Gulf Coast Regional Center for Innovation and Commercialization, about 39 companies in the Houston area alone have received a total of $45.5 million since the program was founded.

"In Texas, we understand that high-tech companies don't just happen overnight but are a product of forethought, sound vision and planning, and strategic investments by both the public and private sectors," Gov. Rick Perry said on the TETF website. "Through our Emerging Technology Fund, we are bringing the best scientists and researchers to Texas, attracting high-tech jobs and helping start-up companies get off the ground faster."

The TETF initially received $200 million from the state to invest in new technologies, and during the last few years, the program has given about $300 million to start-up companies and university research projects. The Texas Legislature usually refunds the program every two years.

Cashier Jobs: What Degrees are Available?

Although the majority of cashier jobs don't require an extended education, getting a college degree may make it easier for you to find work.

Becoming a cashier can be a very lucrative career choice. Although you may start out with low pay and inconvenient hours, you'll have plenty of growth opportunity, as nearly every type of business has a need for cashiers. Click here to see a cashier job description.

Most entry-level cashier jobs only require a high school diploma, if that, but there are a couple degrees you can pursue if you're looking at cashiering as a longtime career. While not always required, having a degree can make it easier for you to earn a higher salary and get the job over your competition.

When considering whether or not you should pursue a degree, it's important to take into account what you ultimately want to accomplish in your career. However, there are several benefits of obtaining a degree, according to an article by Education-Portal.com.

If you solely want to be an entry-level cashier then a degree may not be necessary, but if you want to become a manager or other high-level employee, obtaining a degree may be the right choice.

If you want to deal with money directly, particularly in the retail industry, you may want to consider obtaining an Associate of Applied Science in Accounting. This program will teach you about inventory appraisal, pricing strategies, and the process cycle of transactions - all of which can be applied to cashiering.

If you're more interested in moving up the career ladder, you may want to pursue an Associate of Applied Science in Business Administration. This program will teach you how to create a business plan, how to market products, and how to manage employees.

SkySong Supports Hundreds of Jobs in Scottsdale

A local business collaboration venture is supporting hundreds of jobs in Scottsdale.

A recent report from the Greater Phoenix Economic Council found that SkySong has supported 733 jobs and generated $113 million for the local economy since 2009. The local venture supports everything from start-ups to established companies.

SkySong is a collaboration among the City of Scottsdale, Arizona State University Foundation, Plaza Companies, and USAA Realty Company. The goal is to provide an innovative place where local businesses can work both independently and together.

"This study by GPEC really demonstrates how successful SkySong has been despite the challenging economic conditions," Sharon Harper, president and CEO of the Plaza Companies, told the Phoenix Business Journal. "We're seeing some significant economic impact taking place because of the companies SkySong has brought together, and we're excited to see how that impact grows as we move into the future."

GPEC predicts that SkySong will create 5,361 direct and indirect jobs and have a regional economic impact of $9.2 billion during the next 30 years. The companies already involved in the venture, as well as those yet to come, will help fuel the facility itself as well as the local economy.

"The companies at SkySong are a diverse, growing mix of organizations that are positioning themselves well in the global economy," Rosen said. "It's no wonder the economic impact of the project has been so strong to date, and it bodes well for the kind of impact GPEC is projecting in the future."

Customer Service Jobs Phoenix Benefit from AII

Those with customer service jobs Phoenix are among some of the employees who will benefit from a new organization.

The Arizona Technology Council Foundation recently launched the revamped Arizona Innovation Institute. The program, which was previously only available to major organizations and is now accessible to companies of all sizes, provides local businesses with training in creativity and decision-making methods.

The new institute is a collaborative effort between the ATCF and the FarSight Group, Inc., a local firm that helps companies innovate and stay ahead of the competition. Its methods have been used by such notable entities as NASA, The Pentagon, Harvard University, and the Phoenix Business Journal.

"We are facing changes that cannot be addressed with traditional methods, because change itself has changed," George Land, co-founder of FarSight and the AII, said. "We no longer face incremental, predictable changes, but massive unprecedented shifts. Many solutions that worked in the past now simply cause more problems. A whole new perspective is needed to successfully approach this new era."

The AII offers a variety of classes and on-site sessions where businesses can learn about new and emerging customer needs, processes for creating business strategy, and methods for creating innovative solutions to existing business challenges.

The methods taught by the AII can be applied to:

• Customer service
• New market identification
• Manufacturing
• New product development
• Product delivery
• Organizational design
• Sales and marketing
• IT and process alignment

Any employee who can contribute to their company's innovation - including executive leaders, business unit and product line leaders, profit and loss responsibility,business owners, and research and development - will benefit from taking courses with the AII.

kgb Creating Jobs for San Antonio

One company with a strong local presence is creating more jobs for San Antonio.

Information services company kgb USA recently announced its plans to hire 150 additional employees at the company's Directory Assistance Call Center in San Antonio.

The majority of the new employees will work as agents to provide tech support for fiber optic TV, Internet, and phone services. There also will be positions available for management support staff. All of these new jobs will allow kgb to offer technical customer care.

Candidates for agent positions should understand:

• Broadband Internet
• Client and server software technologies
• Computer hardware
• Network and operating systems
• Home networking
• E-mail and client setup
• Networking components

About 400 people currently work at kgb USA's call center. The new job openings will not only provide opportunities for job seekers throughout the community, but also will provide more career development opportunities for current employees.

Anyone interested in applying for agent or management support jobs can apply in-person at kgb USA's office or can fill out an application online. Applications will be accepted through the end of January. Those hired can expect to receive comprehensive benefits, competitive wages, and a bonus plan.

kgb USA provides directory assistance and enhanced information services to the telecommunications, customer care, and enhanced information services industries.

The company chose San Antonio for the location of its call center - which opened in 1999 - because of the area's strong and diverse labor market and abundance of technical schools, colleges, and universities.

Jobs in Dallas TX Have Promising Future

The future looks good for those seeking jobs in Dallas TX.

A recent report from the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas is predicting that employers throughout Texas will add at least 250,000 jobs - an increase of 2.5 percent - during 2011. That's higher than the 2.3 percent increase anticipated by Economist Ray Perryman and the 2.1 percent growth expected by the Texas Comptroller's Office.

If employment numbers from the end of 2010 are any indication, then Texas is on the right track. Although the state's unemployment rate increased from 8.1 percent to 8.2 percent during November, employers still continued to add jobs on a monthly and yearly basis.

Texas employed a total of 10,432,200 workers during November, which is up from 10,413,100 workers during October and a 1.9 percent increase from last year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

In Dallas, the unemployment rate rose from 8 percent to 8.3 percent, but employment numbers also grew. The area employed 2,045,600 workers during November, which is up from 2,038,600 workers during October and a 1.6 percent increase from last year.

Several industries are contributing to the local and statewide employment growth, including everything from manufacturing and sales (Click here to take a look at some available Texas sales jobs) to healthcare and education.

"Growth in total nonfarm jobs and manufacturing and energy production has recently increased, although the construction sector continues to be a drag," the Fed report notes. "Leading indicators have generally been increasing over the past three months."