All Entries in the "Employment" Category

Small Business Administration Accepting Applicants for 2018 Emerging Leaders Program

Providence, R.I. – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is seeking applicants for the 2018 Emerging Leaders Program.  The program is free of charge and will run from March through September, 2018. This executive-level, intensive education series includes approximately 100 hours of training per participant and provides the opportunity for small business owners to work with experienced professionals and develop connections with their peers, city leaders, and financial communities.  Participants are established businesses owners who have been in business for three years or more, have at least one employee, and minimum annual revenue of $400,000.

“The Emerging Leaders initiative has been an incredible success and our past graduates can attest to the many benefits of this program,” states Rhode Island District Director, Mark S. Hayward. “This will be our fourth year of hosting the program here in Rhode Island and it is evident that the businesses that participate in these courses are elevated to new heights.” Hayward added.

Entrepreneurs will be in class for 40 hours of instruction time, taught by Interise, divided over 13 class sessions. Participants will also spend roughly 14 hours in “CEO Mentoring Groups”.  The curriculum consists of five modules that will be covered in class; Module 1: Business and Strategy Assessment, Module 2: Financials, Module 3: Marketing and Sales, Module 4: Resources- People, Accessing Capital, Government Contracting, and Module 5: Putting it all together- Strategic Growth Plan Presentations.  The average time out-of-class time commitment is three hours for each class, though some sessions demand up to six hours of preparation time.  All the instructional approaches – classes, “CEO Mentoring Groups”, and self-paced learning are interconnected and of equal importance.

If you would like to apply for the program, click on the registration link http://www.interise.org/sbaemergingleaders.  If you have any questions about the program, contact Joan L. Moran, Deputy District Director at 401-528-4580 or joan.moran@sba.gov

Unemployment Rate Drops to 5.3 Percent: Rhode Island-Based Jobs Down 1,500 from March

PROVIDENCE, RI – The RI Department of Labor and Training announced today that the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for April 2016 was 5.3 percent, down one-tenth of a percentage point from the March rate of 5.4 percent. Over the year, the unemployment rate is down one percentage point from the April 2015 rate. This is the lowest rate since August 2007.

The U.S. unemployment rate was 5.0 percent in April 2016, unchanged from the previous month and down four-tenths of a percentage point over the year.

The number of unemployed RI residents—those residents classified as available for and actively seeking employment— was 29,600, down 300 from the March figure of 29,900. Over the year, the number of unemployed dropped by 5,200. A total of 11,974 individuals collected Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits in April 2016,* down from 12,898 a year ago. This month, UI claimants accounted for 45.1 percent of the total unemployed.

The number of employed RI residents was 523,300, up 500 from the March figure of 522,800. This is the highest employment level since August 2008. Over the year, the number of employed RI residents was up 2,000 from April 2015. The RI labor force totaled 552,800 in April 2016, unchanged from March 2016 but down 3,200 from April 2015.

Jobs Based In Rhode Island
Estimated nonfarm payroll in Rhode Island totaled 489,100 in April, reflecting a loss of 1,500 jobs from the revised March estimate of 490,600. Through 2016, a total of 600 jobs have been added to the local economy. The total number of jobs is up 5,100 from a year ago. The Professional & Businesses Services sector lost 1,200 jobs in April, due, in part, to less hiring within the sector which typically occurs during this time of year. Despite this steep loss, the number of jobs in Professional & Business Services is up 900 since the start of the year and is up 2,000 over the year.

Employment in the Construction sector fell by 700 in April, marking two consecutive months of job declines totaling 900 jobs. In all, there are 1,200 more jobs in the Construction sector than in April 2015.

Three employment sectors, Arts, Entertainment & Recreation; Educational Services and Financial Activities, each reported a loss of 300 jobs in April. Of these three sectors, employment in both Arts, Entertainment & Recreation and Financial Activities is up 100 over the year, while employment in Educational Services is down 1,000 from April 2015. The Other Services sector was the only remaining sector to experience a job loss in April, shedding 100 jobs.

In April, the Manufacturing employment level was 42,200, reflecting a gain of 400 jobs from March. The number of jobs within this sector is up 1,000 over the year. Employment in both the Accommodation & Food Services and Government sectors was up 300 in April. Employment in Accommodation & Food Services is up 2,000 since April 2015, while Government employment is down 300. A gain of 200 jobs was reported in both the Retail Trade and the Wholesale Trade sectors, while employment remained unchanged in the Information, Health Care & Social Assistance, Mining & Logging and Transportation & Utilities sectors.

Manufacturing
In April 2016, production workers in the Manufacturing sector earned $18.27 per hour, up twelve cents from March 2016 and up fifty-three cents from April 2015. Manufacturing employees worked an average of 38.5 hours per week in April, up three-tenths of an hour from March but down an hour and three-tenths over the year.

7 qualities employers look for in an administrative assistant.

I’ve worked with many business owners and many of them are looking for great support staff. They are looking for people who are organized, efficient and can effectively handle multiple facets of a business. If you prove yourself, there are incentives and bonus opportunities available in these positions and there is also room for growth in these companies. These business owners may have some disorganization issues, but they are looking for an assistant who can handle the day to day operations in an organized and efficient manner that will take the pressure off of them so they can focus on their workload.

Instead of talking to the business owners today, I want to talk to all of the support staff out there or anybody that is looking for a position as a support person. There are definitely job opportunities in Rhode Island if you are looking for administrative positions.

“When you are in an administrative position and really any position for that matter, time management skills are very important.”

Here are 7 qualities employers look for in an administrative assistant:

Goes above and beyond.  Sometimes you will be asked to follow through with tasks that you might not think are in your job description as a support person. Maybe your employer wants you to make dinner reservations, or purchase tickets online, or they give you an easy task that you think they could do themselves. Make it your job to assist your employer in any way that will make their job easier. You are there to support them. Go above and beyond, go the extra mile and do what it takes to assist your employer.

Treats the business as if it were their own. Take pride in your work. If this were your own business, how would you work? Why would you work any less for your employer?  Give this job 150% and you will be noticed for your hard work and dedication.

Impeccable time management skills.  When you are in an administrative position and really any position for that matter, time management skills are very important. If you must, keep a time management grid until you get acclimated to this new skill set. Don’t bounce around from task to task. If you have a project you are working on, set a time limit and don’t check your emails during that time. Let others know you are working on a project and not to disturb you. Limit the social conversations in the office if you are crunched for time. Take the time to evaluate how you function and how you utilize your time.

Streamlines processes and procedures. Once you start working in the office, if you notice that the office is disorganized, or there isn’t a flow to the office, take the initiative and think about how you can make the office more efficient and productive. Sometimes there are disorganized people in the office who can’t vision how an office could have a better flow. If you are organized and have the drive, take it upon yourself to make changes.  Any situation I find myself in, I always ask myself if there is a simpler, more efficient way to tackle a task. Start developing ways to streamline procedures. Don’t make a task more complicated than it has to be.

Streamlines work spaces. Keep office desks streamlined and organized. Physical disorganization is a distraction and causes unwanted stress. When a workspace is disorganized, information gets lost and efficiency is hampered. When management is looking for a file, you should be able to place your hand on it immediately, pass it off and go about your day.  When clients visit your office, they don’t want to see a disorganized workspace. It doesn’t present well.  Opinions will be formed about how you function as a company.

Expands their skill set. Challenge yourself and grow within your position. Depending on the type of office you are in, are you able to jump into somebody’s seat if they are on leave or out sick for the day? Make yourself expendable and flexible to be able to jump in if somebody needs coverage.

Offers superior customer service. In the majority of offices, the administrative assistant is the first person you deal with in an office setting. Whether it’s on the phone or in person, the administrative assistant sets the tone of how the office functions on a whole. You don’t want the customer to have a bad experience on their first visit or phone call. Make it an experience that they will never forget.

An organized, efficient, and hard-working assistant is a valuable asset in any company. Take pride in your work and brush up on the skills above and you’ll find yourself in a very rewarding position. You’ll also develop skills that you can take with you throughout your career.

Kristin MacRae

Organizing & Efficiency Expert

Owner, Organizing In RI, LLC

Encouraging Girls To Dream Big

A Message from Governor Gina M. Raimondo 

Women and girls are our nation’s most under-utilized resource. As our state’s first woman governor, I find myself saying that a lot. You know the statistics- women make up approximately half of the population, yet far more than half of our leaders are men. The Washington Post noted last year that only 24 of Fortune’s 500 most influential companies in the nation are led by women. And according to The Atlantic, only about 30 percent of small business owners across the country are women.

In government, the numbers are no more encouraging. In Rhode Island’s General Assembly, only 31 women are currently serving out of 113 total seats.

I’m proud to be one of six female governors currently serving across the country, but only six women acting as statewide executives across all fifty states is far too few.

When I became Governor, I pledged to make Rhode Island a place of opportunity for all. There are certainly a number of very talented women doing amazing things in our state. But when half of the population doesn’t see enough people like them represented in business or government, it’s a sign that we still have work to do.

So how do we get more women in leadership roles? We start young. Girls need role models in order to succeed. That’s why I created the Governor for a Day essay contest in honor of Women’s History Month last year. I invited middle school girls from all over the state to write in, telling me what they would do in my shoes, for a chance to come visit me at the State House and meet with women leaders. The response was overwhelming; the submissions were incredibly mature and passionate. We received almost 600 essays, focusing on everything from the foster care system to climate change.

Michaela from Scituate wrote about making all schools handicap-accessible, saying, “all kids should have the ability to attend their local school with their neighborhood friends.” Riley from Chariho proposed starting an anti-bullying campaign, writing, “Wouldn’t it be really amazing if every school in Rhode Island had a day when not a single hateful or hurtful word was uttered?” And Ibiolatiwa from Pawtucket wrote about helping single parents, saying, “We should never forget women who are in tough situations involving violence or neglect.”

My staff and I were so impressed by the issues that Rhode Island girls chose to tackle in their essays. We had so many talented essayists that it was a challenge to choose a winner. But in the end, we decided to invite Khatima Bulmer from Newport to become Governor for a Day.

Khatima visited the State House on Earth Day last year. She met with many women in leadership roles, including Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea, Senators Erin Lynch and Gayle Goldin and Representatives Anastasia Williams and Deborah Fellela. We planted a tree at her school, attended a groundbreaking ceremony and helped to announce Water Quality Protection and Restoration Grants at an event in Roger Williams Park. I had so much fun with Khatima last year, and I know she’ll go on to do great things. And, I’m happy to report that my office is now accepting submissions for this year’s Governor for a Day contest. I can’t wait to meet this year’s contest winner and spend another eventful day together.

For more information on this year’s Governor for a Day contest and how to enter, please visit http://www.governor.ri.gov/newsroom/essay/.