Private Sector Employment Increased 158,000 in March

Mark Zandi, chief economist of Moody’s Analytics

Another good month of employment reports, this time from ADP and Moody’s Analytics. The report, which is derived from ADP’s actual payroll data, measures the change in total nonfarm private employment each month on a seasonally-adjusted basis. Revisions to job gains in the two prior months were offsetting; February’s gain of 198,000 jobs was revised up by 39,000 to 237,000, and January’s 215,000 gain was revised down by 38,000 to 177,000.

Goods-producing employment rose by 7,000 jobs in March, its slowest pace of growth in six months. Construction added no net jobs over the month; this follows average monthly gains of 29,000 in the three months prior. Meanwhile, manufacturers added 6,000 jobs.  Continue Reading

Good Job Report News: Private Sector Added 158,000 Jobs in October

Mark Zandi, chief economist of Moody’s Analytics

Private sector employment increased by 158,000 jobs from September to October, according to the October ADP National Employment Report, which is produced by Automatic Data Processing, Inc. (ADP) in collaboration with Moody’s Analytics. The report, which is derived from ADP’s actual payroll data, measures the change in total nonfarm private employment each month on a seasonally-adjusted basis. Continue Reading

Excellent News: Private Sector Jobs Rocket Up by 201,000 in August

Employment in the U.S. nonfarm private business sector increased by 201,000 from July to August, on a seasonally adjusted basis. The estimated gain from June to July was revised up from the initial estimate of 163,000 to 173,000. Continue Reading

Private Sector Employment Up 176,000 in June

Although the U.S. Department of Labor Statistics reported today that only 80,000 jobs were created in June, employment in the U.S. nonfarm private business sector actually increased by 176,000 from May to June, on a seasonally adjusted basis. The estimated gain from April to May was revised up slightly, from the initial estimate of 133,000 to a revised estimate of 136,000. So why the difference? Government agencies — especially state and local — are shedding employees almost as fast as private sector employers are hiring them.

Employment in the private, service-providing sector rose 160,000 in June, after rising a revised 137,000 in May. Employment in the private, goods-producing sector added 16,000 jobs in June. Manufacturing employment added 4,000, reversing May’s decline. Continue Reading

Economy Added 216,000 More Jobs in February

Employment in the U.S. nonfarm private business sector increased by 216,000 from January to February on a seasonally adjusted basis. The estimated advance in employment from December to January was revised slightly upwards to 173,000 from the initially reported 170,000. Employment in the private, service-providing sector rose 170,000 in February, and employment in the private, goods-producing sector increased 46,000 in February. Manufacturing employment increased 21,000.

Employment on large payrolls — those with 500 or more workers — increased 20,000, and employment on medium payrolls — those with 50 to 499 workers—rose 88,000 in February. Employment on small payrolls — those with up to 49 workers — rose 108,000 that same period. Of the 108,000 jobs created by small businesses, 18,000 jobs were created by the goods producing sector and 90,000 jobs were created by the service-producing sector. Continue Reading

24 Real, Oddball Interview Questions

It may still be winter, but many companies will soon begin looking for college students and graduates to fill summer internship positions and entry-level jobs. Finding a job and applying for it may be the first step to securing a position, but it’s the interview that can often be the most difficult. That’s why candidates need to be prepared to answer all interview questions – from the most common to the most bizarre.

To help get a leg up, Glassdoor, a jobs and career community, dug into the thousands of interview questions shared by job candidates throughout the past year to shine a light on 25 of the most oddball interview questions.

The lesson here?  Expect the unexpected.

1. “How many people are using Facebook in San Francisco at 2:30pm on a Friday?” – view answers

Asked at Google.  More Google interview questions.

2. “Just entertain me for five minutes, I’m not going to talk.” – view answers

Asked at Acosta. More Acosta interview questions.

3. “If Germans were the tallest people in the world, how would you prove it?” – view answers

Asked at Hewlett-Packard. More Hewlett-Packard interview questions.

4. “What do you think of garden gnomes?” – view answers

Asked at Trader Joe’s. More Trader Joe’s interview questions.

5. “Is your college GPA reflective of your potential?” – view answers

Asked at the Advisory Board. More Advisory Board interview questions.

6. “Would Mahatma Gandhi have made a good software engineer?” – view answers

Asked at Deloitte. More Deloitte interview questions.

7. “If you could be #1 employee but have all your coworkers dislike you or you could be #15 employee and have all your coworkers like you, which would you choose?” – view answers

Asked at ADP. More ADP interview questions.

8. “How would you cure world hunger?” – view answers

Asked at Amazon.com.  More Amazon.com interview questions.

9. “Room, desk and car – which do you clean first?” – view answers

Asked at Pinkberry.  More Pinkberry interview questions.

10. “Does life fascinate you?” – view answers

Asked at Ernst & Young. More Ernst & Young interview questions.

11. “Given 20 ‘destructible’ light bulbs (which breaks at certain height), and a building with 100 floors, how do you determine the height that the light bulb breaks?” – view answers

Asked at QUALCOMM. QUALCOMM interview questions.

12. “Please spell ‘diverticulitis’.” – view answers

Asked at EMSI Engineering. More EMSI Engineering interview questions.

13. “Name 5 uses of a stapler without staple pins.” – view answers

Asked at EvaluServe. More EvaluServe interview questions.

14. “How much money did residents of Dallas/Ft. Worth spend on gasoline in 2008?” – view answers

Asked at American Airlines.  More American Airlines interview questions.

15. “How would you get an elephant into a refrigerator?” – view answers

Asked at Horizon Group Properties. More Horizon Group Properties interview questions.

16. “You have a bouquet of flowers. All but two are roses, all but two are daisies, and all but two are tulips. How many flowers do you have?” – view answers

Asked at Epic Systems. More Epic Systems interview questions.

17. “How many planes are currently flying over Kansas?” – view answers

Asked at Best Buy. More Best Buy interview questions.

18. “How many different ways can you get water from a lake at the foot of a mountain, up to the top of the mountain?” –view answers

Asked at Disney Parks & Resorts. More Disney Parks & Resorts interview questions.

19. “What is 37 times 37?” – view answers

Asked at Jane Street Capital.  More Jane Street Capital interview questions.

20. “If you could be a superhero, what power would you possess?” – view answers

Asked at Rain and Hail Insurance. More Rain and Hail Insurance interview questions.

21. “If you were a Microsoft Office program, which one would you be?” – view answers

Asked at Summit Racing Equipment.  More Summit Racing Equipment interview questions.

22. “Pepsi or Coke?” – view answers

Asked at United Health Group.  More United Health Group interview questions.

23. “Are you exhaling warm air?” – view answers

Asked at Walker Marketing.  More Walker Marketing interview questions.

24. “You’re in a row boat, which is in a large tank filled with water. You have an anchor on board, which you throw overboard (the chain is long enough so the anchor rests completely on the bottom of the tank). Does the water level in the tank rise or fall?” – view answers

Asked at Tesla Motors.  More  Tesla Motors interview questions.

25. “How do you feel about those jokers at Congress?” – view answers

Asked at Consolidated Electrical.  More Consolidated Electrical interview questions.

Think you could handle these questions during an interview?

Private Sector Employment Up 325,000 in December – Largest Gain Since May 2011

ADP today reported that employment in the U.S. nonfarm private business sector increased by 325,000 from November to December on a seasonally adjusted basis. The estimated advance in employment from October to November was revised down slightly to 204,000 from the initially reported 206,000.

The increase in December was the largest monthly gain since last December 2010 and nearly twice the average monthly gain since May when employment decelerated sharply. Continue Reading

U.S. Economy Gains Whopping 206,000 Jobs in November

ADP today reported that employment in the U.S. nonfarm private business sector increased by 206,000 from October to November on a seasonally adjusted basis. The estimated advance in employment from September to October was revised up to 130,000 from the initially reported 110,000.

The increase in November was the largest monthly gain since last December and nearly twice the average monthly gain since May when employment decelerated sharply. Continue Reading

Quarter of a Million Jobs Added in September and October

Employment in the U.S. nonfarm private business sector increased by 110,000 from September to October on a seasonally adjusted basis, according to the latest ADP National Employment Report® released today. The estimated advance in employment from August to September was revised up to 116,000 from the initially reported 91,000.

Today’s ADP National Employment Report suggests that the recent trend in private employment remains moderate, and probably is below a pace consistent with a stable unemployment rate. This rate of moderate job creation reflects the sluggish pace of GDP growth exhibited earlier this year. Continue Reading

Private-Sector Employment Up By 91,000 Jobs in September 2011

Private-sector employment increased by 91,000 from August to September on a seasonally adjusted basis, according to the latest ADP National Employment Report® released today. The ADP National Employment Report, created by Automatic Data Processing, Inc. (ADP®), in partnership with Macroeconomic Advisers, LLC, is derived from actual payroll data and measures the change in total nonfarm private employment each month. The estimated advance in employment from July to August was revised down only slightly to 89,000 from the initially reported 91,000. Continue Reading