Ten Best Companies to Work For

1.      SAS

SAS is the leader in business analytics software and services, and the largest independent vendor in the business intelligence market.  Job growth: 3%,  no. of U.S. employees: 5,629.

2.      Boston Consulting Group

BCG is a global management consulting firm and the world's leading advisor on business strategy. We partner with clients in all sectors and regions to identify their highest-value opportunities, address their most critical challenges, and transform their businesses.  Job growth: 2%,  no. of U.S. employees: 1,713.

3.      Wegman’s Food Markets

Headquartered in Rochester, New York, Wegmans is a privately held, family-owned company, founded in 1916 by the Wegman family. Danny Wegman is CEO, and Colleen Wegman, his daughter, is president. Robert Wegman, Danny’s father, was chairman until his death in April 2006.  Wegmans operates 77 stores: 47 in New York State, 14 in Pennsylvania, 7 in New Jersey, 6 in Virginia and 2 in Maryland. Wegmans will open its first store in Massachusetts in 2011.  Job growth: 6%,  no. of U.S. employees: 41,000+.

4.      Google

Beginning in 1996, Stanford University graduate students Larry Page and Sergey Brin built a search engine called “BackRub” that used links to determine the importance of individual web pages. By 1998 they had formalized their work, creating the company you know today as Google.  Today the company employs thousands of people worldwide.  Last year Google reported a 20% revenue increase and raised employee pay by 10%.

5.      NetApp

NetApp creates innovative products—storage systems and software that help customers around the world store, manage, protect, and retain one of their most precious corporate assets: their data.  Job growth: 9%,  no. of U.S. employees: 5,455.

6.      Zappos.com

Zappos.com original idea was to create a web site that offered the absolute best selection in shoes in terms of brands, styles, colors, sizes, and widths. Over the past 9 years, the brand and aspirations have evolved, and in addition to offering the best selection, with the goal to be the company that provides the absolute best service online -- not just in shoes, but in any category.  Job growth: 37%,  no. of U.S. employees: 1,843.

7.      Camden Property Trust

Camden Property Trust is one of the largest publicly traded multifamily companies in the United States. Structured as a Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT), the company is engaged in the ownership, development, acquisition, management, and disposition of multifamily residential apartment communities.  Job growth: 3.7%,  no. of U.S. employees: 1,800+.

8.      Nugget Market

A family-owned business, for one, and it has been since 1926, when it was started in Woodland, California, by the Stille family. The Stilles are still running the place today, now with nine Nugget Market locations in the greater Sacramento area.  Job growth: -2%,  no. of U.S. employees: 1,204.

9.      Recreational Equipment Inc. – REI

The company designs award-winning REI brand gear and clothing and donates millions of dollars to support conservation efforts nationwide and sends dedicated teams of volunteers—members, customers and REI employees—to build trails, clean up beaches, restore local habitats and more.  Job growth: -1%,  no. of U.S. employees: 9,280.

10.  DreamWorks Animation SKG

DreamWorks Animation SKG produces high-quality family entertainment through the use of computer-generated (CG) animation seen in movies like Shrek and Madagascar.  Job growth: 10%,  no. of U.S. employees: 1,994.

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Intel Posts Profit That Beats Forecasts

By LAURIE J. FLYNN

Published: July 20, 2011   

Photo credit: Randy L. Rasmussen / The Oregonian

Hillsboro, Oregon -- Intel's new research facility in full swing. Expected to open in 2013.

SAN FRANCISCO — Intel said that the modernization of data centers — the engines behind cloud computing — were responsible for the strong worldwide sales the chip maker reported Wednesday.  Paul S. Otellini, chief executive, called the quarter strong across all of Intel's products.

 

“This was a very strong quarter across all our product lines and throughout the world,” said Paul S. Otellini, Intel’s chief executive, in a conference call with analysts. “Strong corporate demand for our most advanced technology, the surge of mobile devices and Internet traffic fueling data center growth, and the rapid rise of computing in emerging markets drove record results.”

Intel’s results were also lifted by strong demand from corporations and first-time purchases by customers in China and other emerging markets.

The company, the world’s largest maker of computer chips, said its net income after expenses rose 2 percent to $3 billion, or 54 cents a share, exceeding Wall Street estimates. Revenue increased 21 percent, to $13 billion.

Intel has for several quarters experienced a surge in demand for technology used in data centers, which store and process the huge amounts of information flowing across the Internet. The importance of that market was evident this week as Intel announced plans to acquire Fulcrum Microsystems, a privately held company that designs chips for data center networks. The terms of the deal were not disclosed. Revenue from data centers today accounts for roughly 20 percent of Intel’s sales.

“I fully believe that it is the data center — the cloud — that is driving Intel,” said Patrick Wang, an analyst with Evercore Partners.

Demand for cloud computing is created by the soaring popularity of smartphones and tablets, which provide consumers with continuous, on-the-fly access to the Internet. Mr. Otellini told analysts in May that the technology industry needs one data center server computer for every 600 smartphones in use and one server for every 122 tablets. “We believe we are very early in the cloud build-out and that Intel is well positioned to grow,” Mr. Otellini said. During the second quarter, revenue growth in Intel’s data center group accounted for $2.44 billion.

Wall Street analysts had said earnings would remain flat at 51 cents a share while revenue would increase 19 percent to $12.84 billion. In the same period last year, Intel earned 51 cents a share on revenue of $10.77 billion.

Mr. Otellini said he expected Intel’s revenue to grow in the mid-20 percent range for the year. Revenue will be about $14 billion, Intel said, compared with a forecast of $13.5 billion.
Intel’s gross margin, the percentage of sales excluding production costs, will be about 64 percent, up from 61 percent in the second quarter.

Intel reported that sales in its PC group rose 11 percent, in stark contrast to reports of sluggish PC shipments worldwide. The technology research firm Gartner said last week that shipments grew only 2.3 percent during the second quarter, to 85.2 million computers.

But while Intel has continually confounded skeptics forecasting gloom in the PC market, the company has come under intense criticism lately for stumbling in the market for smartphones, where some analysts worry that it may be too late for Intel to catch up.

Products based on a competing chip standard, known as ARM, have quickly dominated the market. Intel is not expected to have a viable alternative on the market for several months.
Stacy J. Smith, Intel’s chief financial officer, said on Wednesday that production of its mobile chip was on track.

The financial report was issued after the close of regular trading Wednesday. Shares of Intel closed at $22.99, then declined slightly in after-hours trading. The second quarter was the first full period that included the results of McAfee and Infineon Wireless, which Intel acquired in the first quarter. Those businesses contributed about $1 billion in revenue during the second quarter.

This article has been revised to reflect the following correction:
Correction: July 20, 2011

An earlier version of this article misstated the percentage increase in Intel's net income as 10 percent.

Portland unemployment dips to 8.9%

Portland Business Journal - by Suzanne Stevens, Web editor

Date: Wednesday, May 25, 2011, 7:33am PDT

 

The Portland metro area added 1,600 jobs in April, which helped bring the unemployment rate down to 8.9 percent. 

 

Portland's jobless rate was 9.3 percent in March and 10.7 percent a year ago, according to data from the Oregon Employment Department. The national average is 9 percent, and Oregon's unemployment rate in March stood at 10.2 percent.

The biggest gains were seen in construction, which added 1,000 jobs in April, and manufacturing, which gained 400 jobs.

While unemployment remained high in some of Oregon's rural counties — Crook County has the highest rate at 15.3 percent — all but three Oregon counties reported a decline in jobless rates.

@pdxbizjournal | sstevens@bizjournals.com | 502-219-3480

Read more: Portland unemployment dips to 8.9% | Portland Business Journal

New Job Hunting Skills for "Seasoned Professionals"

Been a while since you were last on the job hunt? No sweat. Here's a refresher course.

By Ellie Butler

Picture this: You have recently lost your job as an executive in a faltering company. After months of searching the Internet, you finally land an interview at a company. You dress up in your best, albeit older, suit and head to the interview, confident that you do not need to prepare anything because you are so well-qualified for the job. During the conversation you feel overdressed and uncomfortable with the casual nature of the interview. You leave feeling frustrated with the salary quoted and without a job offer. What went wrong?
In today's stumbling economy, many seasoned professionals are finding themselves jobless and unsure how to find a new career. Career coach J.T. O'Donnell (jtodonnell.com) and career expert Nicole Williams (nicolewilliams.com) offer five suggestions to help with today's job hunt.

1. Use your resources. While it is true that networking is still the No. 1 way to get a job, O'Donnell notes that many companies still need you to send an electronic résumé. So it is important that you know how to send and edit your résumé in the company's preferred format. Also, many companies now use computerized screening to look for keywords in your résumé. Be sure to tailor it to the specific job you are applying for, and make sure it is in a downloadable format. If they cannot read it, they certainly will not call you in for an interview.

2. Be prepared for behavioral-based interviews. The new trend in interviewing is all about behavioral-based interviewing, which uses past actions to determine future behavior. This type of interviewing relies heavily on personal stories and work-related anecdotes as a way to judge your character. Knowing this, go in ready to tell stories. Think of some of your past experiences that highlight your ability to problem-solve, mediate conflict or overcome obstacles. Don't go in blind hoping that a story will miraculously come to you midway through the interview.

3. Make sure to dress the part. Although it is still important to dress one level higher than the job you are applying for, O'Donnell cautions against dressing too formally. "Make sure that what you are wearing is current and job-appropriate," she says. Williams notes that it is important to wear something that makes you feel confident and comfortable, because if your outfit makes you feel powerful, then you will exude this confidence throughout the interview.

4. Come prepared with questions. The interview is winding down. You have answered all of the questions with relevant anecdotes that illustrate you as a person. You are feeling confident until the interviewer turns to you and asks, "Any questions for me?" This is your turn to shine and show that you did your research on the company. Ask specific questions about what your role will be rather than about the benefits package. Be sure to come up with some questions so that you look interested and engaged.

5. Do not come empty-handed. Make sure to bring copies of your résumé and your references and a pen and paper to take notes. Bring a list of questions you have already planned out, and take them out at the end of the interview so that your interviewer can see how prepared you are. For even more clout, prepare a folder full of information about the company and know all of its key people and clients.

How Stay-At-Home Moms Can Return To Work

‘Mommy Wars’ editor shares smart tips for getting back on the career track

By Leslie Morgan Steiner
Work and family columnist

Are you a stay-at-home mom looking to return to the office? Or are you considering taking time off to help raise your little ones? Before you leave the cubicle, plan ahead! Leslie Morgan Steiner, editor of the best-selling book "Mommy Wars: Stay-at-Home and Career Moms Face Off on Their Choices, Their Lives, Their Families," combined her research with input from headhunters and human resource managers to develop smart tips on how stay-at-home moms can get back on the career track — without getting discouraged:

Step one: Be determined
The hardest and most time-consuming: Get determined to go back. SAHMS often feel conflicted about returning to work. Women often leave work for good reasons — to be with children, frustrated by a less-than-family-friendly work schedule, to support their husband’s demanding career. Can they juggle work and motherhood? Will their kids suffer? Will their husband or partner be supportive? Are they still valued by the workplace? You cannot project ambivalence to potential employers or waste valuable interview time justifying your choices.

Step two: Ask for help
Get a buddy or paid coach or take a class to help you develop a compelling resume and job interview skills. Writing a resume based on skills — not chronological promotions and achievements — can be hard. Projecting confidence in an interview is also a big challenge to someone who has been home for years. But as in any job interview, confidence is key.

Step three: Be public
Be open and very public about your decision to go back to work. Enlist help and advice from friends, family, former colleagues, parents at your children’s schools. Tell everyone these top three messages:

1. You want to go back
2. What kind of job you are looking for
3. What your skills are

Be decisive and confident. Moms report this kind of informal networking leads to most promising opportunities.

Step four: Develop a thick skin
Be determined and realistic and your own most-enthusiastic cheerleader. Don’t take rejection personally — and don’t let it invalidate your time at home with your family. Develop a thick skin: We live in a capitalist country that naturally values hard work without time out, so there will be questions about why you left and why you want to return, but this is not a rejection of your or your decisions. Ignore myths and negative messages that women who’ve taken work breaks to care for kids cannot go back — millions of women do every year.

Remember — you have a lot to give, and with determination and help you can find the job that’s right for you and your family.

Dos And Don’ts For Stay-At-Home Moms Who Want To Return To Work

• Do invest in yourself before (and after) you leave the work force. The better your education and the more impressive your career achievements, the more options you will have when you return to work. For example, instead of over-volunteering at school or helicopter parenting, take a class in your field, or take a volunteer position in your area of expertise.
• Do decide to be realistic and determined Don't expect the job market to respect, validate or reward your decision to stay home with children.
• Do stay in the same city Returning to work is simpler if you remain in the same geographic area or in the same field and can leverage your prior contacts and professional reputation.
• Do show you’re decisive about returning to work No one wants to hire someone who projects ambivalence.
  
• Do go back full time Part-time and flex-time jobs unfortunately remain elusive for anyone at any stage in their careers.
• Do keep up your network This jaded advice holds true — but it doesn’t mean an awkward call to your old HR manager every January. Keep up with your friends from work and your industry. Maintain professional connections in ways that feel comfortable to you.
• Do stay (somewhat) current Be sure to stay current on major new technology trends in your field. Lawyers need to read up on Sarbanes-Oxley. Marketers need to keep tabs on Internet marketing. Certified professionals, keep your accreditations current.
• Do go back within 10 years Headhunters and human resource managers say a three- to five-year absence is now relatively easy to explain. Ten-plus years is a lot harder. Also, age-related bias (hardly on our radars in our 30s or 40s) becomes real for men and women as we move into our 50s and beyond.
  

Leslie Morgan Steiner is the best-selling editor of "Mommy Wars: Stay-at-Home and Career Moms Face Off on Their Choices, Their Lives, Their Families." For more great tips and information, visit mommywars.net.