by doug on November 9, 2009
The Las Vegas recruiting community recently lost a friend and ally. D. Christopher Jenkins, owner of Harrington & Reed. Chris passed away on October 29, 2009 prior to the LasVegasSun.com Career Fair. Chris moved to Las Vegas from Atlanta, GA nearly ten years where he was the self-proclaimed godfather of the video resume and he continued to pursue his video resume efforts in Las Vegas with the IPO - Interview Power Online.
I first met Chris after he opened Harrington & Reed where he elevated the image and standards of career services firms. Chris was a perfectionist in all senses of the word and expected nothing less from those around him. He made an impact on everyone that crossed his path. I was proud to be associated with him.
Chris spread his gospel through his weekly column in the Las Vegas Review Journal and recently started the Chris Jenkins Show on KLAV where he counseled displaced professionals on how to advance their careers in Las Vegas. Chris always devoted a substantial amount of his time trying to ‘build a better jobseeker.’ This is why we got along so well.
Chris received his under graduate degree from the University of Georgia in 1968 and was later awarded an MBA from Georgia State University. He spent many years as an executive of Citibank and other financial service firms. Although I never met his wife and children, I felt as if I knew them. Chris was a devoted family man and often used his children in his concept of proof projects.
A memorable story that I like to share about Chris Jenkins was his unassuming presence at all of our career fairs (which he attended over the past four years). He would arrive, hang his banner, cross his arms and wait for jobseekers to approach him. This is not a normal practice, nor one that I would recommend. Each time I questioned him on it. And each time he would comment, “Doug, I don’t want to talk to every jobseeker here. I only need to talk to the best, brightest and most motivated. And those jobseekers are not afraid to approach a guy like me who is wearing my best suit and tie. Leaders attract leaders. That has been proven time over. Now get out of my space so people don’t think I am associating myself with you.” And he would crack one of those Chris Jenkins smiles that just made you laugh. And we would repeat this conversation each career fair.
Unfortunately, that conversation will not be had again. We’ll miss you Chris Jenkins. Rest in Peace my friend.
by doug on November 9, 2009
Congrats goes out to Zappos (again) and the Nevada newcomer to the list - Camden Properties. Thank you both for making Las Vegas a great place to live, work and play.
Unfortunately, missing from the list again this year….Station Casinos. We hope to see you back on it soon!!
by doug on November 5, 2009
The LasVegasSun.com Career Fair held last week attracted the highest quality jobseekers in the market as it consistently does. The demographics presented below speak for themselves. We set forth with a goal/mission over two years ago to produce the best career fair in Las Vegas and partner with the best employers in the marketplace. We have achieved that goal. Here is just one of many testimonials from our valued clients:
“Thank you for inviting Sunrise Health to participate in the LasVegasSun.com Career Fair at Green Valley Ranch Resort. It is rare that we are able to find registered nurses or allied health professionals at local Las Vegas job fairs. Your events are much different and we are able to speak with dozens of local and relocating health care professionals. At the last event, we hired three registered nurses and are talking with several others. This will save my company thousands of dollars in unnecessary travel expenses that come with attending out-of-market career fairs. Continue to keep up the good work. Recruiting Nevada makes a huge difference for Las Vegas.”
Ron Winkler
Market Director, Recruitment/Retention
Sunrise Health Market
Sunrise Hospital & Medical Center & Sunrise Children’s Hospital
Mountain View Hospital
Southern Hills Hospital
A lot of the success is due to our Seminar Series. After surveying our clients after each event, we were consistently asked, “Can you help deliver a better prepared applicant.” We accepted the challenge and developed a series of workshops, presenting over 10 topics. Each workshop is presented to hundreds of jobseekers attending the career fair by area human resource professionals. You will hear our mantra of “Building a Better Job Seeker” from time to time as we continue to grow and develop this initiative. For our 2010 schedule, we have even expanded the seminars to three rooms. And jobseekers will be able to attend various tracks prior to the doors opening to the career fair.
If you wish to participate in these workshops, please be sure to connect with Chelsey, Tamya or me at (702) 240-4100.
Below are the demographics from October’s Career Fair. You can also download and print them here.
Please note: The high concentration of health care jobseekers was intentional. With eighteen Nevada Hospitals attending the event, we aggressively marketed to this audience.
by doug on November 4, 2009
by doug on November 3, 2009
WASHINGTON — More than 5,000 Nevada jobs have been saved or created from the economic recovery act, according to data released today at recovery.gov.
Nevada saved or created 6 percent more jobs per capita than the nation as a whole, according to the White House Recovery Office.
The new data is sure to reignite the debate in Nevada over whether the state got its fair share of the stimulus and whether Carson City is spending the money fast enough.
Of the $987 million headed to Nevada, $314 million has been received. So far, 5,667 full-time jobs have been created or saved with the funding.
States were required to submit data to the recovery office for today’s release. The recovery.gov Web site also tracks spending in each state as reported by federal agencies.
Money was allocated to the states by historic formulas established by Congress over the years and states could compete for competitive grants in some spending categories, the White House said.
by Chelsey on November 2, 2009
CNNMoney.com reports that the Jobs Outlook will Brighten, and there is still hope for more Las Vegas jobs to be created. National Association for Business Economics says more U.S. firms are planning to hire and increase investment in the next six months.
For the first time since the recession began (December 2007) employers plan to hire more workers in the next six months than those expecting to eliminate jobs according to The National Association for Business Economics.
I am not quite certain we will see this in Las Vegas. Besides CityCenter, who will create 10,000 new casino jobs in Las Vegas in December, not a lot of job creation is being forecasted.
by Chelsey on October 23, 2009
By Amanda Finnegan
Despite Nevada’s tough economic climate and growing jobless rate, casino executives today said they are seeing the benefits of federal stimulus dollars flowing to Las Vegas.
In the wake of national media appearances by two high-profile Las Vegas casino executives, Harrah’s Entertainment, Station Casinos and Hilton International hosted a teleconference Thursday to chime in on the Obama administration and the effects of the federal stimulus on the industry.
Wynn Resorts executive Steve Wynn, who has been critical of the Obama administration for months, voiced his opinion again during a roundtable discussion on Fox News Channel on Oct. 10.
Then Tuesday, MGM Mirage Chief Executive Jim Murren spoke with Fox News. He was less critical of the president but said Obama needs more focus on job creation.
Harrah’s Entertainment Senior Vice President Jan Jones said today’s teleconference wasn’t just a response to Wynn and Murren, but a reaction to those who question the need for the federal stimulus and its role in protecting jobs.
“State government in Nevada would not be operating if it weren’t for the money that came into the state budget from the stimulus,” Jones said. “The number of jobs that have been protected because the government can still operate, that is a direct result of the stimulus.”
Aside from the money Nevada received from the stimulus, the cancellation of indebtedness provision and Travel Promotion Act were important additions that helped the gaming industry, Jones said. She credited Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid with both.
The cancellation of indebtedness provision allows companies to restructure their debt and delays tax payments tied to capital gains.
“For Harrah’s Entertainment, that allowed us to protect 31,000 jobs in Nevada alone. This piece of legislation allowed Harrah’s to work to restructure to make sure we kept our employees employed,” said Jones, a former Las Vegas mayor and current member of the governor’s Spending and Government Efficiency Commission.
Station Casinos Chief Development Officer Scott Neilson said his company hasn’t been able to take part in the debt cancellation provision since Station is currently in bankruptcy proceedings, but said the legislation will allow the company increased flexibility as it restructures.
“Even though a lot of the companies in the Nevada economy trying to work through this [bankruptcy] process right now might not have been able to take advantage of this provision yet, I think that they will and I think you’ll see a lot of companies benefit greatly,” he said.
Chris Najbicz, vice president of West Coast operations for Hilton Hotels, said he stands by Harrah’s and Station Casinos on the stimulus.
“We really do endorse the importance of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in saving a multitude of jobs throughout the state of Nevada and believe it’s been very helpful to the Las Vegas business community in general,” Najbicz said.
Jones said some Nevadans haven’t made the connection between the stimulus and Las Vegas job creation in the state. The state’s unemployment rate last month stood at 13.3 percent.
“When we have been so positively impacted, I felt it was wrong for it to be continually mischaracterized,” Jones said of the stimulus. “I think sometimes people forget what the reality is.”
by Chelsey on October 22, 2009
By Cy Ryan
CARSON CITY – For the second consecutive month, Nevada placed second in the nation for its unemployment rate, trailing only Michigan.
The U.S. Department of Labor said today Nevada’s rate of 13.3 percent was second to Michigan’s 15.3 percent in September.
The state reported Tuesday there were 190,700 workers who were jobless in September. And the 13.3 percent is a record for the state.
The labor department said the national rate was 9.8 percent. Rhode Island posted a 13 percent jobless rate and California reported a 12.2 percent unemployment rate. Lowest in the nation was South Dakota at 4.8 percent.
A year ago in September, Nevada’s rate was 7.3 percent.
William Anderson, chief economist for the state Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation, says the construction industry has been hit the hardest in Nevada in the downturn of the economy.
The gaming and hotel business added 77,300 Las Vegas jobs during the 10-year period ending in 2007. But in the last two years 30,000 of those jobs have been eliminated.
“The much-anticipated opening of the CityCenter project in Las Vegas should help ease job losses in the months ahead, but the industry as a whole, the negatives continue to outweigh the positives,” Anderson said.
The labor department said Nevada’s unemployment rate in 2007 was 4.7 percent. That was the 35th highest in the nation. The national average that year was 4.6 percent.
by Chelsey on October 21, 2009
A new Las Vegas job was announced by Harrah’s Entertainment Inc. when they hired former Walt Disney Co. executive Peter E. Murphy as a senior executive to help the company expand globally.
Murphy was named president-strategy and development, a newly created position.
Murphy was with Disney until 2007 in a variety of executive roles, including chief strategic officer and senior adviser to the chief executive officer.
From 1998 to 2005, he was Disney’s senior executive vice president, chief strategic officer and a member of the company’s executive management committee. During his tenure, Disney acquired Capital Cities/ABC, Fox Family Worldwide, 40 percent of E! Entertainment Television, the Miramax Film Corporation, Baby Einstein and The Muppets, among others. He was responsible for strategy and new business development, mergers and acquisitions, technology, brand management and long-term planning for the growth of Disney’s global business, Harrah’s said.
Murphy is also the founder of Wentworth Capital Management, a private investment and venture capital firm focused on media, technology and branded consumer businesses, and has served as a senior advisor to Apollo Management — one of the companies that controls Harrah’s.
“Peter is an accomplished, thoughtful and rigorous executive who will help us significantly as we continue to identify areas for future growth and to explore opportunities created by current economic conditions,” Gary Loveman, Harrah’s Entertainment’s chairman, president and chief executive officer, said in a statement.
“In this newly created position, Peter will help us envision and execute our plans for the future growth and development of the company,” Loveman said. “His work will include new domestic and international development, mergers and acquisitions and expansion of our third-party relationships with the entertainment, retail, airline, hospitality and other industries.”
What is even more concerning is that a jobseeker must provide their social security number to register. This is a no-no that was abandoned over a decade ago by most job boards with the risk of identity theft and privacy issues. 
