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Beyond.Com has an interesting report on stats related to “online jobs, resume postings, and salary information.” Here are some key nuggets:

• -13% decrease in number of jobs posted in November vs. October 2008
• -2 to -14% decrease in salary expectations in November 2008 vs. Q3 2008

Michelle Goodman over at the Nine to Thrive blog put together an excellent post on what she thinks will be the 7 biggest work/life balance stories for 2009.  

SEE ALSO: Salary Negotiation Letter Sample: A Magical One-Minute Script

“What is your biggest weakness?” is one of the most common interview questions a candidate will get. Talking about one’s shortcomings is never fun.  But look at this as an opportunity to demonstrate self-awareness as well as self-confidence in one’s flaws.

If you have a readily apparent weakness, discuss how you’ve addressed it and why it won’t be an issue in the job.  For example, if you’re a non-native English speaker, you might want to mention your accent as a weakness.  Hopefully you’ve already demonstrated that an accent hasn’t prevented you from communicating effectively and getting your point across during the interview.  And let’s say you participate in your local Toastmasters Club, a worldwide, nonprofit organization committed to helping over 200,000 people to improve their public speaking, then mention it!  The interviewer will be impressed by your commitment to improving your weakness.

I’m a big Los Angeles Lakers fan, and Kobe Bryant is one of my favorite players.  Mike Bresnahan and Broderick Turner  of the Los Angeles Times published an insightful, behind-the-scenes article on Bryant’s pre-game preparation.  The article describes how Kobe spends every precious moment reviewing video clips of opponents he’ll be guarding — whether he’s at home, in the car, in front of the locker, or stretching before a game.  And I love the ending quote, which summarizes Kobe’s work ethic, “[Bryant’s] like a straight-A student who still goes to all the extra study sessions.”

New York Magazine recently published an article that profiles seven individuals who recently lost their jobs.  It’s hard to imagine how it must feel to be laid off.  This piece captures those emotions.  I hope New York Magazine re-profiles these individuals six months from now and see how they are doing.

Another Wall Street Journal article, this time highlighting the top jobs in a challenging 2009 job search environment.  It calls out health care, education, insurance, and engineeering as top careers.

The Wall Street Journal has an excellent article offering tips on how employers should handle a layoff.  Out of the three tips, “Say the right things,” is the most important.  All too often, managers are vague about the circumstances. Sometimes, the managers find it awkward to discuss a sensitive topic; other times, many assume it is not necessary to divulge this information.

First the Seattle Times’ reports that JP Morgan Chase is laying off 3,400 employees.  Now Mini-Microsoft reports rumors that Microsoft is considering job cuts as well.

In a recent Wall Street Journal article, it talks about how to explain a layoff to a recruiter. It got me thinking about what one should do after a layoff. Here are my top three tips:

• Don’t be bitter about what happened. I can’t imagine how tough it is to be laid off. Do take time to recoup and rejuvenate. But once you’re back on the job hunt, try to put that behind you. When you interview, don’t be bitter. Don’t speak poorly of your old employer or your old boss. Besides, you have limited time in the interview. Use that valuable time to promote you, your work, and your experience.
• Be confident. If you lose your job, your self-esteem might go with it. Don’t sell yourself short. Think about all the wonderful things you can offer, from your skills to your experience. You are valuable, and companies will pay top dollar for your services.
• Relax and enjoy the interview. With bills to pay and mouths to feed, it’s hard not to crave a little cash flow. But don’t be desperate. The job will come! Desperate job seekers tend to be nervous during an interview. Just relax. Imagine the interviewer is a friendly new acquaintance. The more relaxed you are, the better you will perform.