WaterCooler

The site Paper Cuts, which tracks newspaper industry job layoffs and buyouts, is reporting that the first five months of 2009 resulted in approximately 10,000 losses in the industry. The reported 2008 total was 15,974. This site has expanded its mapping to include a map of newspapers that have converted to an online-only format.

For those affected by the cuts, the SOC Exchange offers five tips for marketing yourself, which boil down to building a network, building a Web page, engaging that network, pursuing opportunities to continue education and utilize recommendations. The full article can be found here.

Accountemps does highlight the silver lining of the recession, though, in noting that "seven out of 10 workers surveyed say recession has had some positive career impact." The article, found here, surveyed 457 workers and found that over half had taken on new projects, gained more responsibility or taken on more challenging work. Additionally, 12% had been promoted.

For those in the market to relocate for the sake of their careers, WomenCo.com announced the top 25 cities for careers based on average commute, unemployment (both base figure and change since 2008), city growth rates, average salaries and cost of living. The top five were Austin, Texas; San Antonio, Texas; Salt Lake City, Utah; Oklahoma City, Okla.; and Raleigh-Cary metropolitan area, N.C.

A variety of niche job sites continue to spring up. Nine sites highlighted recently in the curiously-named article "Job Search: 10 Specialized Sites" on MainStreet.com include Dice.com (technology), GovernmentJobs.com, eFinancialCareers.com, Medzilla.com (healthcare), SchoolSpring.com, HCareers.com (hotels/tourism), MarketingJobs.com, MediaBistro.com (creative/advertising services) and Guru.com (freelance project facilitation).

According to the Washington Post, McClatchy announced in May that one part of its strategy to handle its debt would be to adjust its classified ad strategy, pushing ads through CareerBuilder rather than through print and emphasizing online over print in general while adding sales commissions for agencies and rate incentives for advertisers working with the Yahoo! Newspaper Consortium.

EDIT: In the "spoke too soon" department, forgot the May 2009 unemployment figures came out today. The official verdict was 9.4% unemployment in the United States, a figure last seen in the summer of 1983. Americans at the time were relieved the rate had fallen from a record 10.8% at the end of 1982.