New Orleans area gained 900 jobs in February, according to Louisiana Workforce Commission data

Every metropolitan area in Louisiana -- including New Orleans -- posted job gains in February, according to data released Friday by the Louisiana Workforce Commission.

"I think this is showing a good trend for 2010," said Patty Lopez Granier, research analyst for the commission. "The positive movement spread through every parish. It was really good news."

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New Orleans ties with D.C. for lowest unemployment rate

The New Orleans metropolitan area and the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area were tied for the lowest unemployment rate among the nation’s largest metropolitan areas in November.

The unemployment rate for the New Orleans metro area, which includes Metairie and Kenner, was 6.1 percent, according to a report released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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New Orleans area gains 700 jobs in August

The New Orleans area gained 700 jobs last month, even as the state’s unemployment rolls continued to swell, according to data released Friday by the Louisiana Workforce Commission.

By Jen DeGregorio at Nola.com

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Using Social Media to Land a Job: What We Learned (From WorkNOLA)

Have you “Google’d” yourself lately? If you haven’t, your potential boss may have. Not every employer needs to know of your reign as the 2001 Beer Pong Championship of your fraternity, or those pics from your wild weekend in Vegas. The internet is going to divulge your dirty little secrets, unless you take control.

Once you have submitted your resume for a position, odds are that someone is going to research you. Many HR directors (1 in 5) are turning to social media sites to find out more about candidates. So how do YOU brand? Social sites allow you to protect elements of what you have posted for a reason. Facebook allows you to differentiate your friends into groups that you control the level of access they have to information, and more importantly pictures. But don’t just block the bad, enhance the good. Increase your own visibility by using tools made specifically for professional networking like LinkedIn. Focus your efforts on increasing your rank in Google and other engines by adding value to your profile and expanding your network.

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Startup car company to locate in Monroe, creating 1,400 jobs

A startup automobile company plans to assemble a new fuel-efficient vehicle in Louisiana, creating 1,400 jobs, state and company officials announced Wednesday.

San Diego-based V-Vehicle Co. will take over the vacant Guide Corp. plant in Monroe, Gov. Bobby Jindal said at a news conference. The state put up an incentive package of $67 million to fund improvements and expansion of the plant, while Monroe-area local governments put up another $15 million.
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Lockheed Martin is implementing a loaned labor program that will keep employees working until business rebuilds

Go Lockheed, keep our people employed!

Lockheed Martin Space Systems' New Orleans facility will implement a loaned labor program to keep workers employed as NASA begins to shut down its space shuttle program.

Lockheed Martin, which has just over 2,000 employees at its eastern New Orleans facility, has built external fuel tanks for the space shuttles for 36 years, but will halt production of the tanks completely when the shuttle program ends in 2010. By loaning its employees out as the space shuttle program winds down, Lockheed Martin hopes to hang on to its highly trained workers until they are needed again when work on future space projects ramps up.
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