Employing America 2011

When Allison Manderino graduated in 2008 with a degree in lab-based animal sciences and a specialization in biotechnology she was chock-full of hope. She had a college degree, in the sciences no less. She would be an in-demand property, riding through the recession on her stellar credentials.

Mitchell Graska didn't start his working life wanting be a recreational vehicle technician. In fact, he likely didn't even know that the profession existed when he left Indiana nearly 30 years ago to become a pipeline welder in Texas. By the time Graska arrived in Houston in 1983, however, the oil boom of...

"Just make something cool." That's what Victoria Brown remembers her teacher saying. Brown was a sophomore in high school and had never tried graphic design before. The teacher had never taught it. That freedom helped Brown discover her own style, which has been evolving ever since. Brown is now one of the...

By Michael B. Sauter Since textile workers in England were replaced by mechanized looms in the 19th century new technologies have been continuously taking the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of laborers. In the 20th century -- the age of machinery, robotics, and computers -- the United States has seen...

If you've read our resume tips, you might think every resume consists of one white piece of paper, with 10-point Times New Roman as the font of choice and a carefully-selected smattering of numbers, statistics and accomplishments. We set out to find examples of resumes that broke the norm in one way or...

It all starts with the suit Since the suit is the foundation for your entire wardrobe, it's important to make sure you have a range of looks- not just for around the office, but for power lunches, off-site meetings, and special presentations where all eyes are upon you. When considering a new suit,...

The skilled labor force in the United States has set our nation apart with its skills, productivity and ingenuity. However, our skilled labor force is currently under siege; and being ravished by a punishing economy. The question for many of those workers is "When will I find my next job?"

In honor of Jobs Week on AOL Jobs, I want to speak up in praise of an entity that has taken a beating this year – the labor union. Anti-union sentiment has spread from state to state, and union busting has become popular under the banner of money savings. Before your billionaire CEO convinces you that...

Of the many modern luxuries we take for granted – and there are many – few are as underappreciated as electricity. Think about how often you flip on a light switch, charge your phone, or turn on the TV. Heck, the computer you're using to read this likely is plugged into an outlet (and if not, your...

Laina Hall graduated college before she finished high school. As a child growing up in the outskirts of Salt Lake City, Hall knew she wanted to be a hairdresser. So she enrolled in community college to get herself trained, while studying the civil war and calculus during the day.

Earlier this year, AOL Jobs solicited resumes from our readers as part of our "Employing America" Jobs Week Resume contest and we splashed the winning resumes, as voted by our readers, on AOL.com for millions of prospective employers to see. This Jobs Week, we caught up with a few of the winners to see how...

In an economy wracked by layoffs and downsizing, finding a new job often means changing career paths. Despite the financial strain and emotional turbulence that comes with job changes, there is good news. Let's roll up our sleeves and get to work.

Not all careers require years of schooling; some jobs allow you to learn as you work. With almost no previous time investment, on-the-job training can be a great way to jump into a new career. Training can be anything from informal training sessions with your supervisor to regimented modules about how to...

The unemployment rate is holding firm; companies continue their refusal to hire the unemployed. We wonder what more a nation of desperate job seekers can endure. They are terrified and we can all become a member of that class of people, the unemployed.

By Susan Johnston Oct 6th 2011 @ 9:24AM

Although the construction industry suffered a major blow from the recession, Payscale.com uncovered twenty places across the country that offer higher than average pay and high demand for skilled trade workers like carpenters, diesel engine repair technicians, and plumbers.

Earlier this year, AOL Jobs solicited resumes from our readers as part of our "Employing America" Jobs Week Resume contest and we splashed the winning resumes, as voted by our readers, on AOL.com for millions of prospective employers to see. This Jobs Week, we caught up with a few of the winners to see how...

There is perhaps nothing so politically fraught in this country as taxes. The size of government, the purpose of society, human freedom -- taxation brings up some heavy stuff. Our country was founded thanks to taxes, after all. So naturally, in the political debate over our jobs crisis, taxes has become a...

"Talking to you right now," says Daniel Lehmkuhl (pictured with Aneesh Chopra, chief technology officer of the United States). "I never thought this would happen." When Lehmkuhl decided as a child that he wanted to go into automotive technology, he never expected to one day get the attention of the national...

America has a self-image problem when it comes to the kinds of jobs we do. Travel to nearly any corner of the nation and you'll likely encounter people who believe Americans don't make anything anymore. That's not true, of course, but in daily life it's often difficult to prove that we still do. Aside from a...

Machining helps drive industry in America. Without precision-made parts, many of the products that people rely on day in and day out wouldn't function properly for very long -- if at all. The process involves the use of a wide variety of machine tools to cut or form material, usually metal, to precise shapes...