Posted: 04 Aug 2010 07:26 AM PDT

By Kelli Wynn, Staff Writer Updated 10:27 AM Wednesday, August 4, 2010

DAYTON — Today, Kimberly Thomson gave her last weather forecast to WHIO-TV viewers.

Thomson, a meteorologist, is leaving the station to become a public relations manager for a company in Columbus. She has been with WHIO-TV for three years.

Besides being the weekend weather meteorologist, Thomson, 27, also did some reporting for the Cox-owned station.

"It's been such a whirlwind," Thomson said Wednesday, Aug. 4, of her experience here. "I have had a chance to do a little bit of everything, and I have grown through the years. I'm sad to leave and I am going to miss everyone here and all of the viewers, but I am ready for a new adventure."

Thomson, who is a Cleveland native, started her journalism career as a reporter, meteorologist, and anchoring the nightly radio newscasts for WHIZ television and radio station in Zanesville.

Thomson said she is glad that her new job will allow her to do what she did here – still be involved with the community and the media.

"I couldn't have gotten this job without all the experience I have had here at WHIO-TV," she said.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2414 or kwynn@DaytonDailyNews.com.

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Wall Street set to open higher after jobs data - Yahoo Finance

Posted: 04 Aug 2010 06:43 AM PDT

On Wednesday August 4, 2010, 10:11 am

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks extended gains on Wednesday after data showed the services sector expanded at a slightly faster rate than expected in July.

The Dow Jones industrial average (DJI:^DJI - News) added 54.65 points, or 0.51 percent, to 10,691.03. The Standard & Poor's 500 (^SPX - News) rose 5.81 points, or 0.52 percent, to 1,126.27. The Nasdaq Composite (Nasdaq:^IXIC - News) gained 14.97 points, or 0.66 percent, to 2,298.49.

Stocks had opened higher, lifted by better-than-expected private sector jobs data and a handful of positive earnings reports, including Priceline.com Inc (NasdaqGS:PCLN - News).

(Reporting by Rodrigo Campos; editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)

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Relax. A Job Is Not Forever. - Wall Street Journal

Posted: 04 Aug 2010 06:29 AM PDT

By Dan Finnigan

Do you feel like your job choice out of college is the most important decision you will ever make, and that blowing it will tank your career? Relax and get used to it. It is just the first of many job choices you will be making throughout your career.

Your job choices right now are important, but they're not forever. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average lifetime number of employers held has risen from four in the 1960s to 10.8 in 2006, and many say for Generation X it will be 14. Say you are 22 now, and that you will work for 40 years and retire at 62 (although many can expect to work longer than this as retirement benefit ages increase). During that time, you'll change employers an average of about once every three to four years. In the early years of your career, as you find out what you really want to do with that degree, it might even be even more often.

When I first got out of college, I was a young conference "coordinator" and fund-raiser in a university research center. Then, I completely switched gears and became a freelance newspaper reporter for the Philadelphia Inquirer. And after business school, I did a stint as a management consultant. Now I run an Internet software company. At 22, I certainly had no plan to become a CEO. Instead, I was trying on different roles, organizations and industries—and each gave me valuable skills, ideas and insights about my next step.

Young people often tell me they worry that changing jobs looks bad. In fact, years ago "job hopping" was seen as an inability to "hold down" a job and or a lack of patience to "work your way up the ladder." Now, changing jobs, done smartly and prudently, is considered proactive career management. Today, everyone should be scenario-planning their next assignment—inside or outside their current organization.

At the beginning of your working life, you have a world of opportunities to consider, and that can be exciting (if not sometimes overwhelming). When you're deciding what type of job and industry to pursue, think "four years, not forever."

Remember when you made your choice about where to spend two to four years in college? Many thought their college choice would determine their whole life's outcome. Most graduates now recognize the silliness of that freshman fear. Think of your job search in the same way. Whatever you choose, it won't last forever, but it will lead you to the next step.

While you're at that first job, pursue opportunities to learn, create your track record and build a professional network. You never know when a great new opportunity will come along. And if it doesn't, you can make your own with the right connections, attitude and elbow grease. Some tips on how to social network for jobs can be found on previous Hire Education posts: The Basics of Job Hunting Through Social Networks and A Resume Is Not Enough.

Now is the time to take a chance and explore your career options. Your biggest financial commitment is probably a monthly payment on student loans, not insignificant, but less weighty than a mortgage or family. If you're fresh out of student housing, you probably don't have a lot of furniture and other baggage to move. The only person you have to feed is yourself. If that is the case, frankly, you have far more freedom compared with a majority of job seekers, so take advantage of it!

If you haven't found the perfect first job yet, what should you do with the next four years (or less)?

Consider taking an internship (with or without pay) to build your marketable skills and get a foot in the door. These often can turn into full-time opportunities, and give you a chance to "try it before you buy it."
Accept a job that will leave you with a tight budget but make you happy. There is wisdom in following your bliss. As you get older, your responsibilities (and therefore your expenses) will necessarily increase. Take a job that's fun while you can, even if it means you have to live in an apartment that feels like a small closet for a while.
Give a new city a try. Pack light, keep your rent short-term or stay with a friend, and make the move. Do a bit of research first and see what cities are best for the field you want to work in. Apply for job openings before you move, but note that it is often harder to get one when you don't live there yet.
Volunteer. There are many great opportunities out there, often ones that will help with student loans and provide great life and work experience. Peace Corps helps with graduate school after you finish your engagement. Conservation Corps and AmeriCorps are other great options. There are so many organizations in need of a wide range of help where you can build valuable skills while you make a meaningful contribution.
Work your way up. If you can't land the position you want, get started on the ground floor in the industry or company that interests you. Ground-floor positions provide valuable working experience and an opportunity to prove yourself. Don't be afraid to get your hands dirty.
Look for companies where employees frequently change positions internally. These employers can provide opportunities for you to grow into new positions as your value to the company grows. (But remember not to focus on the next step in your interview; employers want to know you'll be focused on excelling at the task at hand rather than looking for your next job.)

Mr. Finnigan is the former head of Yahoo HotJobs and now runs Jobvite, a provider of software-as-a-service applications that help companies recruit talent. He is a regular contributor to Hire Education.

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