What you need to know today to survive and thrive in the recession.

Coupon use has risen every quarter since the end of 2008, making 2009 the first year of rising coupon use since 1992. Last year, 3.5 billion coupons were redeemed, according to Inmar, a coupon processor that handles about half of the market and publishes figures extrapolated from its own volume. (New York Times)

When you’ve flooded the economy with trillions of dollars, mopping up is no easy task. That’s the reality the Federal Reserve is confronting as it starts to explain how it will undo the aggressive growth-supporting steps that were put in place when the economy was in its deep dive — and begins to be clearer about when that may happen. (Washington Post)

When 22 recently unemployed workers agreed to be filmed baring their souls about what it was like to lose his job, they didn’t expect millions to see their confessions in the George Clooney film Up in the Air. A year later, many of these recession victims have new jobs. (Reuters)

Employers are getting hit with a massive tax hike at a time when they can least afford it. Companies in at least 35 states will have to fork over more in unemployment insurance taxes this year, according to the National Association of State Workforce Agencies. (CNN/Money)

Some experts believe a European bailout of Greece may be needed to prevent a continental conflagration. A growing chorus of voices is predicting a less dramatic, but potentially more corrosive, outcome: a years-long grind of fiscal pain that neither plunges Greece into default nor restores its finances to health. (Associated Press)

The nearly 80 million Baby Boomers phasing into retirement will set in motion a dynamic that — if not addressed by Congress — could result in the next generation getting fewer benefits. (CNBC)

The recession is proving to be a boom for one sector: scams. You might think the scamsters would have fewer tempting targets, what with potential victims having less money due to lay-offs, pared work hours and falling home values. But authorities report an upsurge in reports of ploys targeting those who are least able to cope. (Forbes)

A new report authored by the ABA Presidential Initiative Commission on Diversity found that some unfortunate realities in the legal industry were exacerbated by the financial downturn. The recession is drying up monies for diversity initiatives at firms and creating downsizing and cutbacks that may disproportionately and negatively affect lawyer diversity. (Business Insider Law Review)

Senate Democrats missed their self-imposed deadline for bringing a jobs bill to the floor Monday, and they’re hoping that the weekend’s epic snowstorm will give them some cover. Senate votes were pushed back to today on account of the storm, but it seems unlikely that Democrats would have been ready to proceed Monday, anyway. (Politico)

“While there is now, finally, a great deal of talk among the politicians and in the news media about unemployment, there is still almost a willful refusal to focus on just who is suffering the most from joblessness and underemployment,” writes Bob Herbert. (New York Times)

If you come across a good article or blog post about the recession pass it on. To receive Recession Briefing in your inbox, subscribe to our daily email.

A daily review of the employment fallout around the country and the world.

Today’s  Total: 701

After announcing a layoff of 1,800 administrative positions, UPS may furlough as many as 300 pilots starting in May…in St. Louis, Trans States Airlines will lay off 150 service representatives and baggage handlers by April…In Tennessee, Mapa Spontex plans to eliminate 132 jobs from March 19 until sometime in June…Non-profit Adelphoi Village is closing a facility in Pennsylvania and laying off 70 workers by April…In New York, the Katonah-Lewisboro School District may lay off about 25-30 public school teachers this week, and 55 teachers in total, due to budgetary concerns about future mandatory raises resulting from teacher’s union contracts…Yesterday, Rite-Aid gave pink slips to 19 workers in the company’s Poca Distribution Center in their second round of layoffs.

Are you one of the Screwed? Check out Recessionwire’s Laid Off 101. Read more about layoffs at the sites compiled on our layoff tracker page.

You know the score. It’s all about personal branding these days. You know what to do: the blog, the Twitter account, the Facebook page, the … you know, the branding stuff. You need a job, and to get it, or that fat yet elusive raise and promotion, you have to distinguish yourself. With branding.

Hold the phone, there, sweet pea. Before you go all Seth Godin on us, take a moment’s pause. Just a moment – well, OK, I lied, more like several moments. And get clear on just what kind of brand you’re communicating to those prospective and current Powers That Be.

What the Heck Is a Personal Brand Anyway?

A lot of folks are writing about personal branding without a clear understanding of what that is. So let’s clarify our terms first.

A personal brand is not just the way you present yourself. It’s not merely your self-image. It’s that, and a promise you make to others – a promise that you’ll deliver on that image. That you’ve got the goods to back it up. In short, your personal brand is an assurance that your ego isn’t writing checks your skill level and experience can’t cash.

Merely saying (or writing) “this is my brand: _________” won’t work, either. You have to show your brand.

That’s why all the best advice out there centers on avenues of communication such as blogs and social networking; they’re perfect for succinctly demonstrating your expertise, whatever that might be.

There’s a catch, though: in order to show your brand, you first have to get absolutely and completely clear on what it is about you that’s capital-S “Special.”

Answering the Hard Questions Leads to a Clear and Memorable Personal Brand

To get the crystalline-clarity that leads to a sparkling and memorable personal brand, you first have to ask yourself some hard questions. Here are a handful to get you started. I suggest you write the answers to these questions longhand in a journal or notebook – something about the act of handwriting in this kind of self-exploration gives us a nice little kick of authenticity, and that’s a very good thing for branding.

So, carve out some “me time” and turn the cell off. Get quiet and centered, and then literally ask yourself the following questions:

What is it that I want to do, more than anything else? If I were hiring someone to do that job – if my life depended on hiring the absolute best person for that job I could find – what would I look for in a candidate? (Start with skills and knowledge, but then go deeper into personal characteristics and work habits.)

Where’s the nexus between me and that idealized (and hence mythical) perfection? Where do I come close?
Where do I fall short? What don’t I know? Can I learn what I don’t know? Is there a way to fill the gaps? (Hint: There’s your plan for the immediate future, right there. Fill that gap!)

Putting all that aside for a minute, what is it about me that’s so damned special? (And don’t kid yourself: there’s something. Probably a lot of somethings. Now? Is NOT the time to be shy. List them all.)

Yes, this is all a lot of tedious, “woo-woo” work. Except, not really. Getting straight on what you bring to the table that no one else ever could isn’t just a good idea; it’s a prerequisite for any kind of advancement.
You’re selling yourself, after all. How can you do that, if you don’t know what’s so great about you?

Sheryl Sisk runs the website The Inspired Solo.

The American Dream is dead– and it ain’t a bad thing.

In a recent survey by Context-Based Research Group, a Baltimore consumer anthropology firm, 78 percent of respondents said they believed the AD was kaput. But they also agreed that it should be, because the dream has become defined by what you can buy, rather than by freedom and ideals.

If there’s one thing we learned in the past few years, it’s that lots of things are more important than money. So here’s some more good news: Those surveyed said they had taken steps to spend less (85 percent) and had de-cluttered their homes (61 percent). Well, now that all that stuff is gone, what’s taken its place? People. A startling 83 percent said they were going to spend more time with family and friends over the holidays than they had before.

“In out studies, we found people reaching this epiphany and then going through a ‘coming of age’ process that’s leading to new attitudes and new ways of interacting with the world,” said CBRG founder Robbie Blinkoff

Go figure–when you spend less time buying stuff at Wal-Mart, and then buying stuff to organize your stuff at the Container Store, you have more room to love.

Readers might remember our interview with Robbie in December, when he told us the forthcoming holiday would be the Best Ever because of the shift that the recession had caused in our values. We’d revel in togetherness rather than in spending.

Btw, he predicted that this Valentine’s Day would be the most meaningful, too. Get psyched.

What you need to know today to survive and thrive in the recession.

No industry has taken it more on the chin than construction. Nationally, unemployment fell to 9.7% in January, but in construction it jumped to 24.7% from 18.7% in October. In many regions, union officials report 30% of their members are unemployed or “riding the bench.” (Time)

For the first time in recorded history, women outnumber men on the nation’s payrolls. This benchmark is bittersweet, as it comes largely at men’s expense — because men have been losing their jobs faster than women. (New York Times)

More prosperous American shoppers seem to be defying continuing high unemployment levels and economic uncertainty to renew their spending on luxuries such as jewelery, fashion and cosmetics. (Financial Times)

Well before the federal government bailed out A.I.G. in September 2008, Goldman’s demands for billions of dollars from the insurer helped put it in a precarious financial position by bleeding much-needed cash. That ultimately provoked the government to step in. (New York Times)

For many investors, the market’s turbulence hasn’t just destroyed wealth. It has shattered their faith in the financial system itself. (Wall Street Journal)

Intensified fears over government debt in the eurozone are pushing the euro weaker against the dollar — and there may be direct effects on the US, as our banking system remains undercapitalized, writes Simon Johnson. (Huffington Post)

Untold thousands of Detroit’s teens and young adults are struggling to get by in a disastrous economy that has left their families without jobs or homes. And, making matters worse, the organizations that help them are grappling with tough financial issues of their own. (Chicago Tribune)

Rep. Jeb Hensarling, a top GOP member of the Budget committee and member of the Financial Services committee, said the recession would be over if not for policies put in place by Democrats. (The Hill)

Social Security’s annual surplus nearly evaporated in 2009 for the first time in 25 years as the recession led hundreds of thousands of workers to retire or claim disability. The impact of the recession is likely to hit the giant retirement system even harder this year and next. (USA Today)

As the economy stabilizes, some firms are taking the opportunity to nab stars from competitors whose best performers feel frustrated following months of recession, recruiters and employment lawyers say. (Wall Street Journal)

If you come across a good article or blog post about the recession pass it on. To receive Recession Briefing in your inbox, subscribe to our daily email.

A daily review of the employment fallout around the country and the world.

Today’s  Total: 2,311

The Chicago Transit Authority laid off 1,607 unionized workers intheir decision to cut nine express bus lines and provide less frequent bus service…GNAC plans to eliminate 554 employees and three offices due to loan losses…In Michigan, Consumers Energy will lay off 80 unionized workers by the end of this month…In Georgia, small business Fashion Star forecloses, causing a loss of 70 jobs.

Are you one of the Screwed? Check out Recessionwire’s Laid Off 101. Read more about layoffs at the sites compiled on our layoff tracker page.

Talk about upside potential.

In the recession, lots of entrepreneurs have had to bootstrap their startups. They’re dying for talent, but can’t pay salaries. Meawhile, there are lots of smart people willing to work for, um, “alternative” compensation (i.e., equity, low pay, or nothing), because they want to build their resume, take a shot at a startup or just do something with their unemployed selves.

Enter JobNob.

Our smart friends at JobNob bring  the two sides together. They have held eight successful mixers in Silicon Valley for job-seekers to connect with startups, and they’re brining the show to New York on Feb. 9.

WHEN: Tuesday, February 9, 2010, 4:30 pm
(Company pitches start at 5)

WHERE: Public House, 140 East 41st Street

REGISTER HERE

Attendance is free for everyone. If you want to make a one-minute pitch to the group about your company, it will run $50. Putting an ad on a job site could cost just as much, and you get access to some high-class, since Yale, Carnegie Mellon, and Columbia are among the partners.

As a kid, I always hated it when my parents spelled out words they didn’t want me to hear. Back then it was b-e-d-t-i-m-e, or g-r-u-m-p-y. Now it’s words you won’t even need to spell. B-e-r-n-a-n-k-e. C-r-i-p-p-l-i-n-g U-n-e-m-p-l-o-y-m-e-n-t.

Why bring little Timmy or Madeline out of their world of ice cream and action figures and into your world of calling that guy you played club soccer with in college to see if his management consulting firm has any entry-level positions to fill? How to explain, or not explain, the recession to your children:

Newborns to Two-Year-Olds

They shouldn’t even be speaking. Buy the store-brand baby food and don’t say a word.

Three-Year-Olds to Seven-Year-Olds

The best strategy may be to make your indefinite unemployment seem positive. Your Tonka truck-nibbling monster will certainly be lost in the swirl of terms anyway.

“Dow Jones.”

“401k.”

“Overqualified.”

These words might as well by synonyms for apple sauce.

Unlike Fred Flintstone, you explain, the Bedrock citizen who adorns the box of your child’s favorite cereal and who works as a Bronto Crane Operator, you don’t technically have a job. But this means you have more time to bounce the little critter on your knee as you welcome the day with Joy Behar and the cast of The View. Yabba-Dabba-Doo!

Eight-Year-Olds to Thirteen-Year-Olds

They are getting smarter, they are catching on to things. You can no longer hide your secret stash of Oreos in the same place. They’re starting to suspect Rover didn’t get shipped to Nebraska for the Omaha Puppies and Cats Festival of Cheer. And they finally realize that you don’t have their nose; it’s just your thumb between your pointer and middle fingers. Bummer: you can’t lie any longer. But you can divert. Divert, divert, divert.

Why aren’t we going to Martha’s Vineyard this year? That’s a funny question, Rachel. Uh oh, is that a pimple?
Go ask mom.

Wow Danny! You want to get some new kicks? That’s rad! Also. I hear Coach Mikutis is making some serious cuts this season, maybe you should take some swings in the garage. Let’s get that power up, champ!

Fourteen-Year-Olds to Seventeen-Year Olds

They shouldn’t even be speaking. Buy the store-brand hot pockets and don’t say a word.

The College Years

Yes, college in the sixties/seventies was wild, you tell your children. And yes, Animal House was an accurate portrayal of your time as an undergraduate. Watch the movie with your children and point out how much good-natured, low-budget fun the main characters seem to be having. Haha! Look at Bluto peeing outside! Or, Hehe! How funny is it that the horse died? Public urination is free, you explain. A horse dying brings no economic burden on the household, you make clear. Eating bland, colorless cafeteria food is about the experience. Give them a hug, a heartfelt bon voyage, and tearfully recommend various campus jobs.

The Post-Grad Years

Tell them if they don’t find a job soon, they can’t have any more of your Fruity Pebbles and you get remote control access until 3:00 p.m.

Twenty-Five-Year-Olds and Onward

Offspring are a surprisingly untapped resource for jobs. Sit down with your little grown up. Explain your qualifications, your dedication and your nose-to-the-grindstone work ethic. Offer Fruity Pebbles privileges back.

And then plea.

What you need to know today to survive and thrive in the recession.

It appears the scale of the Super Bowl party scene hasn’t fully recovered from the recession. Frank Supovitz, an NFL senior vice president, said there are more events this year than in 2009 but that celebratory spending likely won’t return to its peak of two or three years ago. (Dallas Morning News)

The U.S. unemployment rate unexpectedly declined in January, but the economy continued to shed jobs and revisions painted a bleaker picture for 2009, casting doubt over the labor market’s strength. The unemployment rate, calculated using a household survey, fell to 9.7% last month from an unrevised 10% in December. (Wall Street Journal)

Some homeowners who may well be eligible for the Federal loan modification program have been denied because their troubles were not deemed “permanent.” The cases all occurred before Treasury explicitly barred such denials in December. Despite the change in guidelines, however, those homeowners are still in limbo. (ProPublica)

The recession has battered the U.S. economy, but the lobbying industry is humming along in the nation’s capital, even for companies that have shed thousands of jobs in the past year. (USA Today)

Across England and Wales, 134,142 people went bankrupt, took out an Individual Voluntary Arrangement or Debt Relief Order in 2009. This dwarfs the previous record of 107,288 personal insolvencies from 2006. (Daily Mail)

One of Alberto Giacometti’s best-loved bronzes broke the world record price for a work of art at auction, selling for $104.3 million (with fees) on Wednesday night. Could this be a signifier of the end of the recession? (True/Slant)

Esther Cepeda  writes about how she adopted recession-orphaned chihuahuas. “There are literally thousands of ‘gently used’ pets out there looking for a safe, warm home in exchange for unconditional love.” (Huffington Post)

For most people, housing costs are the biggest monthly expense — and a particular drag when you’re unemployed. So where can you live in America for cheap today? According to Reis Inc., which tracks the rental market, the lowest average rent for an apartment can be found in Wichita, KS ($516), Oklahoma City ($543), Tulsa, OK ($577), Knoxville, TN ($587) and Chattanooga, TN ($619). (CNN/Money)

Green business activity did not go away amid the harsh economic environment. It survived — and even thrived. In some cases, such as with energy efficiency, the recession provided a stimulus, as the need to cut operating costs in order to maintain competitiveness became ever more valued by executives, their boards and their shareholders. (State of Green Business)

“We need to get beyond the amusing political theater of the recent Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission hearings,” write William Cohan. “We need to hear the nitty-gritty of what caused the crisis from the people who know why things happened the way they did but haven’t yet been asked to speak up by someone with subpoena power.” (New York Times/Opinionator)

If you come across a good article or blog post about the recession pass it on. To receive Recession Briefing in your inbox, subscribe to our daily email.

A daily review of the employment fallout around the country and the world.

Today’s  Total: 2,328

Lost Angeles Mayor Villaraigosa has ordered 1,000 municipal job cuts… Hartford, CT based insurance company Aetna Inc. has laid off 625 employees… 200 Wayne County employees are in danger of losing their jobs if the county’s temporary layoff plan isn’t implemented… Republic Airways Holdings Inc. will be transitioning to jet service, resulting in 175 employee layoffs this coming April… California’s Alvord School District is considering 128 staff layoffs… Wisconsin’s Bay Shipbuilding Co. is planning 116 job cuts due to begin in early April…General Motors will leave 64 Jacksonville warehouse workers jobless this March… Beverly Hills Unified School District is recommended to lay off 20 teachers to meat budget cuts.

Are you one of the Screwed? Check out Recessionwire’s Laid Off 101. Read more about layoffs at the sites compiled on our layoff tracker page.

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If Tom Joad were here today (and real), he might just sit tight in his home state of Oklahoma.

That’s because, despite record high unemployment and an unequal distribution of jobs across the fifty states, fewer unemployed Americans are hitting the road in search of work since World War II.

Worse: only 7.3% of job seekers relocated for work in the fourth quarter of 2009, according to Challenger, Gray & Christmas.

Relocating isn’t as mysterious or difficult as it used to be, thanks in part to the Internet.

Perhaps employers just aren’t hiring across state lines, but some people have it tough—saddled with debt, or a home that they can’t sell. Who’s got the cash for a big move into the unknown? Not only that, but, “They are likely to stay where they have an established support network,” said John A. Challenger, chief executive officer of Challenger, Gray & Christmas.

As it turns out, relocating isn’t as mysterious or difficult as it used to be, thanks in part to the Internet, and in part to the natural mobility of the American population. Translation: Through Facebook, you’ve reconnected with friends and colleagues near and far, and your geographical distance doesn’t seem all that strange. These connections, with the Internet’s help, can let you relocate anywhere without losing a dime. Here’s how to do it:

1. Visit virtually

Before you leave your hometown, ask everyone you meet: “Who do you know in [my new city]?” Get names, numbers, email addresses—and start introducing yourself before you get there. Reconnect with old friends and colleagues living there, too. Set times to meet for coffee so you can learn more about what they like about their city, or about the dynamic of your shared profession there.

2. Schedule appointments in advance

In addition to meetings with friends and new contacts, research activities and events in your new town and put them on your calendar before you get there. This way, you’ll arrive with plenty of things to do, personal and professional.

3. Identify key members of the industry you want to work in

Find these figures through media stories about the businesses there. Who’s showing strong quarterly results or rolling out new products? Who in particular is being quoted? Other indicators may include Twitter, which you can check to see who has the largest number of followers. These contacts are important because they will signify where the jobs are (in many cases) and the focal point for key networks.

4. Identify key industry events and groups and join them

These events will help you gather information on who’s hiring and who’s not, but more importantly, you can get the most out of these events by networking with other folks there and letting them know what you’re looking to do for work. Regular group meetings will add structure to your schedule.

5. Meet people

This isn’t the time to be shy – you have a job to get and friends to make. So don’t just go to these events, make sure you are also making connections. If you’re not a natural butterfly, set some easy goals for yourself, like introducing yourself to five new people at each event (and exchanging information so that you can stay connected).

6. Find – or create – an ex-pat group

Others may have gone before you, leaving your hometown and settling in your new spot. Use your network at home to seek them out, and learn from their experiences. Some cities have a natural ex-pat community, such as New Yorkers, for whom there’s a group called Is There Life After NYC. It was started by two ex-New Yorkers looking for like-minded folks.

7. Use your Internet hubs

You may not want every person you meet to become your Facebook friend, but perhaps you could follow one another on Twitter, or connect through your LinkedIn accounts. Establishing a relationship online will help to make them more regularly aware of your presence, and become integrated into their lives (and vice versa).

8. If you’re single, don’t live alone

One of the most efficient ways to meet a ton of people in a new town is to piggyback on someone else’s network of friends. Of course, you should probably like them, but if you like your roommate, and they like you, the same may be true of their friends.

9. If you’re not, let your kids do the work!

Lots of easy ways to connect with others while standing on the sidelines at soccer practice, or even just at the playground. Moms may also be able to find mommy groups to tap into.

10. Read the daily paper

One of the biggest ways to integrate into a new community is to just know what’s going on. The local rag may be just that, but it’s what everyone else is reading, you should be reading it, too.

11. Run your old life virtually

If you’re stuck with a home you can’t unload, you could consider renting it out, and use various software or even iPhone apps to monitor your home from afar. And don’t forget that Facebook or other social networking sites can help you stay up to date on the latest weather observations from friends back home.

Are there more secrets to an easy relocation? Probably. We’re all ears…

And if you still think it’s too much of a haul, you can always make your hometown feel new again.