Well HIllary Clinton didn't do bad with her appointment to Secretary of State. But now that the election is over here's a comment from someone who would like to see more of her:
Sunday, December 7, 2008
And Have We Commented on the Election?
First, let us comment on the stunning and decisive victory of President Barack Obama. Not only has he made history as the first African-American President of the United States, not only is he an inspiration and a generational change for our time, but he has uplifted the country in the Kennedy spirit like no one has since, well, the Kennedys.
And now, it's good I didn't comment (see my blog CNSaw where I speak of Obama and the then-ongoing election extensively), because one of my wishes appears might come true: Carolyn Kennedy Schlossberg is now throwing her hat (or pillbox) in the ring for the New York seat in the U.S. Senate, with strong backing from New York's first African-American governor David Patterson (who has eyes on his continued legacy as well). If she is elected, she will bring instant credibility and honor to perhaps the most important office in Congress.
In addition, please note the other important development in what is perhaps the second most important office in Congress: the Illinois senate seat. The seed of two of America's most prominent Presidents, as well as a host of powerful political leaders in our history, this seat is poised to go (with the backing of the mayor of Chicago and the governor of Illinois) to Jesse Jackson, Jr., one of the upstart leaders of a new American government for the 21st century. As well a son of one of the icons of the 20th century, Mr. Jackson like his hopeful counterpart in New York brings Obama's change message to the floor in a meaningful and respected way, but with new ideas from their fathers that promises to transform America for the new century. We can only wish them all so well!
So my comment on the election? Goddammit America, Yes We Did!!!
A Hottest Contest to the Finish....
And now for the contest of who has the hottest newshoneys in the world: Germany or America. Or France or India. Hard to guess, I guess we'll have to have a beauty contest...
Just so you know, the contest was actually between Annika Kipp of DW News and Kiran Chetry of CNN. But as you can see, at the top, Julie Chen Melissa Theuriau can give them both one helluva run for their money...
Smokin' Housewives
Now this is a smoker: the hottest newswomen in the world. A blog all about them. We have some here, but just hit the title above to link to the site. Melissa Thuriau, Jackie Meretsky, Julie Chen, the list goes on. Oh well....enjoy
By the way, these are the most beautiful newswoman in the world. Hard to disagree....
By the way, these are the most beautiful newswoman in the world. Hard to disagree....
Tips for Those In A Tough Economy
Look to the Insurance Industry for Job Stability
by Dona DeZubeMonster Finance Careers Expert
In tough times, we all need tips to get, stay or hump ahead. From time to time I hope to bring those who may be seeking work ideas, and that they will share theirs with me. One area that has come to my attention is the insurance industry. Not one everyone thinks about when they go to college, but one so many of us work for when we get out. Here are some tips.
People may not think of insurance as the most glamorous industry in America, but it does offer stability, challenge and growth to those who choose the profession. “You don’t have a lot of college students graduating and saying, ‘I want to work in insurance,’” says Eric Schulting, enterprise recruiting and retention manager for State Farm Insurance in Bloomington, Illinois. “But there are a lot of benefits and advantages in insurance that you don’t have in other industries.”
For instance, insurance is fairly recession-proof, because insurance companies tend to be fiscally conservative and Americans need insurance whether the economy is up or down. And since insurance firms are often mutual companies (meaning they answer to policy holders rather than Wall Street), they can launch sophisticated and aggressive information technology strategies, routinely support safety education and tend to have close ties to their local communities, Schulting adds.
The industry is not without challenges. If gas prices rise too high, consumers may decide to own (and insure) fewer cars, and fewer home sales mean fewer homeowners’ policies sold. When unemployment rises, so do theft and arson, and, therefore, hazard insurance claims.
Industry job growth is also limited by corporate downsizing, improved productivity due to new underwriting technology and a trend toward marketing by mail, telephone and Internet. At the same time, the industry is expanding into the sales of other financial-services products, such as securities, retirement plans and mutual funds. That trend is balanced by competition from banks that have entered the insurance market.
Retirement is also driving a strong hiring climate for the young: With so many of their employees rapidly reaching retirement age, insurance companies are on the lookout for all types of employees. “The biggest trend influencing hiring and employment in the insurance industry is the generational shift the talent market is going to experience,” says Sharon Rues Pettid, manager of human resources for a large national insurance company.
But there is hope for the old: Some insurance firms look beyond recent college graduates and also recruit mid-career professionals from the health, financial-services and call-center industries. “We hire doctors and nurses for underwriting,” says Clarissa Gilliam, corporate vice president of talent acquisition for another insurance organization. “We open our search to investment houses for our accounting positions and look for sales and marketing people who want to move over and learn insurance.”
At State Farm, call-center jobs are plentiful since the company does not offshore its customer-service representative (CSR) positions. However, competition for those jobs can be keen, because the pay is decent, the benefits are generous and job security is good, Schulting says. And multilingual CSRs are particularly in demand.
Actuaries and underwriters continue to be very much in demand, according to Pettid. “This unique skill set is challenging to find and provides a unique and defined career path,” she says. “Also niche product line expertise, such as group disability insurance, tends to be very hot and lucrative for candidates.”
The medical service and health insurance segments are the fastest-growing parts of the insurance industry, thanks to aging Baby Boomers buying health and long-term- care insurance, as well as annuities and other pension products. Growth may be slower in the auto insurance segment, where competition has resulted in rate declines in virtually every state, says a spokesperson for the Insurance Information Institute.
While some areas of insurance are projected to grow more than others, companies in all lines will continue to need support personnel in the years ahead, Gilliam says. “We don’t get to be successful at life insurance without having good accounting, corporate, compliance, public relations, underwriting, risk and tax people,” she says. “Life insurance is our brand and our product, but we’re a major, stable, successful, diverse employee-friendly company.”
Additional Articles on this subject:
Insurance Careers Home
Insider Tips for a Powerful Insurance Sales Resume
Sample Resume for an Insurance Sales Professional
Tips to Prepare for Your Insurance Sales Interview
Get Ready for Your Insurance Industry Interview
Insurance Industry Fueled by Finance, Accounting Professionals
IT Pros Can Find Variety of Jobs in Insurance Industry
Lawyers, Paralegals Work at the Center of Insurance
Job Q&A: Claim Team Manager
Opportunities Knock at State Farm Insurance
by Dona DeZubeMonster Finance Careers Expert
In tough times, we all need tips to get, stay or hump ahead. From time to time I hope to bring those who may be seeking work ideas, and that they will share theirs with me. One area that has come to my attention is the insurance industry. Not one everyone thinks about when they go to college, but one so many of us work for when we get out. Here are some tips.
People may not think of insurance as the most glamorous industry in America, but it does offer stability, challenge and growth to those who choose the profession. “You don’t have a lot of college students graduating and saying, ‘I want to work in insurance,’” says Eric Schulting, enterprise recruiting and retention manager for State Farm Insurance in Bloomington, Illinois. “But there are a lot of benefits and advantages in insurance that you don’t have in other industries.”
For instance, insurance is fairly recession-proof, because insurance companies tend to be fiscally conservative and Americans need insurance whether the economy is up or down. And since insurance firms are often mutual companies (meaning they answer to policy holders rather than Wall Street), they can launch sophisticated and aggressive information technology strategies, routinely support safety education and tend to have close ties to their local communities, Schulting adds.
The industry is not without challenges. If gas prices rise too high, consumers may decide to own (and insure) fewer cars, and fewer home sales mean fewer homeowners’ policies sold. When unemployment rises, so do theft and arson, and, therefore, hazard insurance claims.
Industry job growth is also limited by corporate downsizing, improved productivity due to new underwriting technology and a trend toward marketing by mail, telephone and Internet. At the same time, the industry is expanding into the sales of other financial-services products, such as securities, retirement plans and mutual funds. That trend is balanced by competition from banks that have entered the insurance market.
Retirement is also driving a strong hiring climate for the young: With so many of their employees rapidly reaching retirement age, insurance companies are on the lookout for all types of employees. “The biggest trend influencing hiring and employment in the insurance industry is the generational shift the talent market is going to experience,” says Sharon Rues Pettid, manager of human resources for a large national insurance company.
But there is hope for the old: Some insurance firms look beyond recent college graduates and also recruit mid-career professionals from the health, financial-services and call-center industries. “We hire doctors and nurses for underwriting,” says Clarissa Gilliam, corporate vice president of talent acquisition for another insurance organization. “We open our search to investment houses for our accounting positions and look for sales and marketing people who want to move over and learn insurance.”
At State Farm, call-center jobs are plentiful since the company does not offshore its customer-service representative (CSR) positions. However, competition for those jobs can be keen, because the pay is decent, the benefits are generous and job security is good, Schulting says. And multilingual CSRs are particularly in demand.
Actuaries and underwriters continue to be very much in demand, according to Pettid. “This unique skill set is challenging to find and provides a unique and defined career path,” she says. “Also niche product line expertise, such as group disability insurance, tends to be very hot and lucrative for candidates.”
The medical service and health insurance segments are the fastest-growing parts of the insurance industry, thanks to aging Baby Boomers buying health and long-term- care insurance, as well as annuities and other pension products. Growth may be slower in the auto insurance segment, where competition has resulted in rate declines in virtually every state, says a spokesperson for the Insurance Information Institute.
While some areas of insurance are projected to grow more than others, companies in all lines will continue to need support personnel in the years ahead, Gilliam says. “We don’t get to be successful at life insurance without having good accounting, corporate, compliance, public relations, underwriting, risk and tax people,” she says. “Life insurance is our brand and our product, but we’re a major, stable, successful, diverse employee-friendly company.”
Additional Articles on this subject:
Insurance Careers Home
Insider Tips for a Powerful Insurance Sales Resume
Sample Resume for an Insurance Sales Professional
Tips to Prepare for Your Insurance Sales Interview
Get Ready for Your Insurance Industry Interview
Insurance Industry Fueled by Finance, Accounting Professionals
IT Pros Can Find Variety of Jobs in Insurance Industry
Lawyers, Paralegals Work at the Center of Insurance
Job Q&A: Claim Team Manager
Opportunities Knock at State Farm Insurance
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