Robert L. Johnson via Twitter

This week, 30 executives  led by Robert L. Johnson, founder of BET and current chairman of The RLJ Companies, met at the W Hotel in Washington to discuss a plan that, if effective, would close the employment gap separating white from black and Hispanic workers, particularly at the upper levels of business. According to a report by The Washington Post, this plan would “encourage U.S. businesses to interview at least two qualified black or Hispanic candidates for every job at the vice president level or higher.” Johnson also calls for corporations to interview minority-owned firms for manufacturing purposes.

This blueprint was brought to the White House’s attention before and has President Obama’s attention now. But while the President liked the proposal, no actions have been made to put it into motion thus far. Because of this, Johnson and other ambitious business leaders have sent letters of request to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Business Roundtable.

Those behind the projected course of action wish to see racial inclusion and the opportunity for minorities to share their wealth of knowledge within firms that could highly benefit from it. For Johnson and his associates in this endeavor, they refuse to give up, even without the backing of the President and government. As Luis Ramirez, president and chief executive of Global Power eloquently declares, “We need people who have diverse backgrounds and experiences to add to the populations of executives and corporate board members.”

We’ll stay tuned to see how far this goes with the government.

Shutterstock

Finding a good job can often become a waiting game sprinkled with a bit of faith. As the economy continues to stabilize, there has been a decline in unemployment which is promising to say the least. And while this is a good start, it does not quite solve the scarcity of jobs in certain areas across the country.

When it comes to employment, how does your town or city rank? Has there been a recent surge in new opportunities, or do things just look dead and gone?

If you are seriously trying to begin or continue a career, it’s best you know which cities look the most promising. You never know — your chance for professional advancement may come with a leap of faith and a move. Here are the best cities for employment.

Shutterstock

You answered an ad for what seems to be the perfect job. You go on the interview and nail it. The company has made you an offer.  So now, after months of hunting for work, you’ve got a great new job. But you don’t just want to jump into something and end up back on the hunt in a few months. How do you know this will be the right position for you? Here are a few questions to ask to figure it all out.

Shutterstock

The job hunt is frustrating enough. The last thing you need are hard-to-decipher help wanted ads on job boards. But as Brazen Life reports, the classifieds  “are as vague as ever. You might get a run-down of the position, but good luck finding any details about salary or, in some cases, even hours or location.” The are are just trying to luring you in without giving away any of the details.

Many of these are not actually jobs and in some cases might  be scams or ads placed by agencies or consultants. But there is a way to read between the lines on that online help wanted ad.

Google the company. This will tell you if this is an agency acting as an intermediary or a direct-hire position. “If you click on a position posted on one of these job boards, a legitimate direct-hire position should take you directly to the careers section of the company’s website,” says Brazen Life. Google “Name of Company Scam” and see what comes up, the site also suggests.

Check the fine print of the ad. It should state that it is an ad for an agency that’s doing pre-screening interviews for companies. Some of these agencies might also be expecting a placement and career consulting fee from you if you land the position.

Does the ad have a little dollar sign next to it? “This lets you know the job may require an investment on your part. It’s also a dead giveaway that the job is a scam,” reports the website. Legitimate  career counselors will not seek upfront payments. Don’t respond to these ads and, if you have by mistake, do not provide any personal information.

Also keep an eye out for non-salaried, commission-only jobs. Those ads will typically list the salary as “Not Applicable.”

Finally, there are the postings for temporary or contract jobs. “You might actually need to go through the application process, or at least get in touch with the company or agency to verify whether the job is permanent,” says the website. So be prepared for a little legwork and possibly a little disappointment if it’s not what you’re looking for.

Happy job hunting.

Image: Ron Chapple Studios

The “traditions” of the standard interview are going far past the original suit-and-tie, firm handshake in-person meeting. With more jobs becoming available on other coasts across the country and around the world, many applicants are being considered and interviewed in various ways, from over-the-phone conversations to teleconferences dedicated to evaluating candidacy for a position.

If you are unfamiliar with the phone interview, don’t let this hiring technique cost you your dream job. Leave the baby with the grandparents for the day, get prepared accordingly, dress your best and ace your phone interview easily with these 10 tips.

Shutterstock

Things are not looking up for older African-American workers, says the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP). The January federal unemployment statistics are the proof.

According to the data, African-American workers between 45 and 74 years old had an unemployment rate of 9.9 percent, compared with 6.1 percent for whites of the same age. The jobless rate for African-American workers of all ages, was a 13.8 percent, compared with an overall rate of 7.9 percent.

New AARP research shows that a large number of older African-Americans are anxious about the state of the economy and the effect on the small businesses in which they are involved.“For many years, older African-Americans have faced an extremely difficult job market,” said AARP VP for Multicultural Engagement, Edna Kane-Williams, in a press release. “Others have confronted major problems as well, but the situation has been – and continues to be – especially acute for diverse communities.”

The full report, “Multicultural Work and Career Study,” will be released later this year.  The survey polled those ages 45 to 74 who were either employed or actively looking for work. It was conducted last November and December.

Older African-Americans – 39 percent – said that it was either “very likely” or “somewhat likely” that they will either lose their job or have to give up working for themselves in the next year. Fifteen percent of self-employed blacks said they planned to quit because “business is slow,” 12 percent cited the “weak economy,” and 11 percent mentioned “my health.”

Twenty five percent of all African Americans in the sample that they expected to to take a leave from their job to “care for an adult family member in the next five years.” Nineteen percent had already taken a leave to care for an older relative in the last five years.

The AARP recently launched Work Reimagined, a social network-based jobs program that connects employers seeking experienced workers with qualified professionals searching for new or more satisfying careers and leverages LinkedIn. The nonprofit organization has also developed an alliance with the Small Business Administration to offer resources and advice to encourage older entrepreneurs.

Shutterstock

The answer to this question is no. I’d dare to say you don’t need a college degree to wait tables, deliver pizzas, mop floors or answer phones. However, according to CNN and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, college graduates of various backgrounds are finding themselves working all sorts of gigs just to make ends meet.

Underemployment has plagued the US over the past few years and although the unemployment rate is getting better the underemployment rate seems to be getting worse. We hear about the US unemployment rate of around eight percent (for the end of 2012), and don’t highlight the number of underemployed working jobs that in no way relate to what they have studied in college and have racked up debt for.

To put things in perspective, BLS data says about 15 percent or more taxi drivers have a college degree compared to one percent in the 1970s. They have also documented that 1 in 6 bartenders, 1 in 5 telemarketers, and 1 in 4 retail workers have a college degree in their back pocket.

A study released by The Center for College Affordability and Productivity says that about 37 percent of employed U.S. college graduates are working jobs that require no more than a high school diploma. Yes, you read that correctly!

After, going through undergraduate school and/or graduate school we all walk across the stage on commencement day with thoughts of a bright future and a great job. But given this economy, it might take a little longer to get to the higher rungs on that ladder.

We discussed the issue of colleges meeting the needs of an evolved student body and the modern day jobs landscape. Students should also take time to think about the career path they’d like to take and how best to craft an educational experience that will get them there.

Shutterstock

Some people will find a fatter paycheck for 2013. At the start of the year, 10 states raised their minimum wage: Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Missouri, Montana, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington. The states raised wages between 10 and 35 cents, which will result in an extra $190 to $510 per year into the pocket of the average minimum-wage worker, according to Reuters.

A recent National Employment Law Project study found that the wage increase for the ten states will affect pay for 995,000 American workers.  African-Americans make up about 15.1 percent of the 73.9 million minimum-wage earners in the U.S., reports The Grio.

But according to some, the minimum wage increase may not be good news for African Americans. Past data has shown that with minimum wages increases, employment drops, reports The Grio in a separate story. And African Americans have a higher unemployment rate than others.

A research study by David Neumark of the Employment Policies Institute, found that even “a 10 percent increase in the minimum wage will decrease minority employment by 3.9 percent, with the majority of the burden falling on minority teenagers by 6.6 percent,” the story says. The study also found that for “every 10 percent increase in the minimum wage, African-American or Hispanic males aged 16 to 24 and 20 to 24 experienced a decrease in employment by 6.3 percent and 5.5 percent respectively.”

Shutterstock

Think your job is stressful? CareerCast has taken its annual look at the most and least stressful jobs out there. And, as should be expected, the jobs occupied by those who are risking life and limb are the most stressful — members of the military, military generals, and firefighters are in the top three spots.

But you don’t have to go too much farther down the list to come to jobs that you might otherwise think are pretty sweet. At number five is PR executive, a job that stays on the most stressful list year after year.

“Their job is completely in the public eye, trying to manage awareness and branding for various products and services. It doesn’t matter if you’re in charge of toothpaste or a small nonprofit, you’re still under stress to make sure the word gets out in a positive way,” Tony Lee, publisher of CareerCast.com tells NBC News. Also on the list are reporters, photojournalists, and cab drivers. The full list is available here.

And what about the least stressful jobs? University professor, tailor, and medical records technician.

The scale isn’t all about danger and cash. Numbers two and three on the least stressful list aren’t big money makers and relatively low-paying jobs appear on both lists. Job prospects are also taken into consideration. Also stressful — when you work with psychopaths. AOL Jobs says that the areas attracting the most psychos are CEOs, lawyer, the media, and salespeople. We probably could’ve guessed that.

Of course, ultimately, what stresses people out is unique to each person. What do you find stressful about a job?

Shutterstock.com

Planning on looking for a new job in 2013? You are not alone. According to recent surveys, more than over 80 percent of workers said they planned to look for a new job in the New Year, reports Forbes. And 60 percent said they wanted to change career paths. And it appears more women will be making career shifts. “For the last few years, more women than men have pursued MBAs in order to make a mid-career switch,” states the magazine.

So what fields should you look into? Forbes has the answer. They just released the “The 10 Best Jobs For Women In 2013” list. The magazine based the ranking on jobs satisfaction, salary, projected growth as well as annual openings. The data was analyzed by jobs expert Laurence Shatkin, Ph.D., author of Best Jobs For The 21st Century.

Topping the list were jobs in health care, which is one of the fastest-growing sectors of the U.S. economy and dominated by women. What was surprising, writes Forbes is that most of the jobs on the roundup “are high-level professional jobs requiring a major education and time commitment. For example, lawyers and judges and top-level managers and executives — jobs known for long hours and a lot of stress — have some of the highest satisfaction levels among women.”

Also, some of the best jobs for women are ones where women are in the minority of workers, such as actuaries (only 29 percent are women) and petroleum engineers (five percent).

There are more women in the professional ranks these days; they now earn the majority of professional and doctoral degrees, up from just 10 percent in 1961, writes Forbes.  The number of women in law school too has increased from four percent in 1963 to 44 percent today. Women in medical school jumped from six percent to 49 percent. But as Forbes points out, women still face significant leadership and wage gaps, earning just 82 percent of what their male counterparts earn with just one year out of college.

Here are the top five best jobs for women in 2013:

No. 1: Diagnosing Doctors (e.g. Dentists, Optometrists, Physicians)

Percentage reporting high satisfaction levels: 60%
Median salary: $121,000
Forecasted growth through 2020: 27%
Average annual openings: 79,000

No. 2: Health Professionals (e.g. Registered Nurses, Pharmacists, Dieticians)

Percentage reporting high satisfaction levels: 52%
Median salary: $70,000
Forecasted growth through 2020: 26%
Average annual openings: 141,000

No. 3: Medical Scientists*

Percentage reporting high satisfaction levels: 56%
Median salary: $76,000
Forecasted growth through 2020: 36%
Average annual openings: 4,000
*Excluding practitioners

No. 4: Lawyers and Judges

Percentage reporting high satisfaction levels: 55%
Median salary: $112,000
Forecasted growth through 2020: 10%
Average annual openings: 23,000

No. 5: Actuaries

Percentage reporting high satisfaction levels: 56%
Median salary: $91,000
Forecasted growth through 2020: 27%
Average annual openings: 2,000