Fear of new recession in France; When the youth are jobless; Rallying against too much democracy; Holiday gifts for job seekers

1 Fear of new recession in France (Andrew Walker on BBC) The eurozone's recovery is continuing, a survey of businesses has suggested, but it has also revealed a widening divergence in economic performance between France and Germany. The latest purchasing managers' index (PMI) from Markit rose to 52.1 in December from 51.7 last month. A figure above 50 indicates expansion. The eurozone as a whole has started to grow again after a long recession. 

But Markit's Chris Williamson said the recovery was "lopsided". Germany's solid PMI reading of 52.2 underlines the country's central role in driving the improvement across the region. France was a very different story, with its PMI reading falling to a seven-month low of 47.The figure suggests an accelerating contraction, and point to a decline in economic activity for the current three-month period. 

If that is confirmed by data for gross domestic product, GDP, that would be the second consecutive quarter of falling production of goods and services in France. In other words, a recession as the term is often used. It would be the second in rapid succession. The economy of France contracted in the final quarter of last year and the first three months of 2013. It grew for just one quarter before going back into decline. If this really is another recession that France is in now, it would make it what some call a triple dip. The first phase was the recession at the height of the global financial crisis. 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-25402881

2 When the youth are jobless (Nadeem M Qureshi in Khaleej Times) Youth unemployment rates in the eurozone countries are at historic highs. In Greece 60 per cent of young people under 25 are unemployed. The corresponding number in Spain is 55 per cent and in Italy 40 per cent. If there were reliable statistics in Pakistan, they would tell an even sorrier story than the European numbers. Pakistan is a country of young people. Some 60 per cent of the population is under 25. Wherever I travel in the country I find young college graduates desperately seeking employment. 

Why do we have this problem? The answer is in two parts. The first has to do with general economic mismanagement and issues related to security. Economic mismanagement has resulted in severe power and gas shortages. As a consequence factories have shut down. Markets are forced to close after dark. Trade and commerce are down. The real economy is shrinking rather than growing. Insecurity — bomb blasts, targeted killings, kidnappings, extortion — has scared away investors old and new. This double whammy of a shrinking economy and declining net investment is creating spiralling unemployment among the young.

The second reason for the predicament that our young people face is related to the way college education is structured. Young people who graduate from secondary school expect — as entitlement not privilege — that they will continue to university. And that a university degree will be their ticket to a white-collar job. But the real world does not work like this. Not everyone can be a doctor or engineer or lawyer. Successful economies need a whole array of technical skills — auto mechanics, electricians, plumbers and the likes. But most young people and their parents look askance at these blue collar professions. They are thought to be demeaning and socially unacceptable.

http://khaleejtimes.com/kt-article-display-1.asp?xfile=data/opinion/2013/December/opinion_December29.xml&section=opinion

3 Rallying against too much democracy (Thomas Fuller in The New York Times) In a world now accustomed to democratic upheavals, including the Arab Spring and the Saffron and Orange revolutions, the weeks of political upheaval in Thailand stand out for one main peculiarity. Protesters massing on the streets here are demanding less democracy, not more. The embattled prime minister, Yingluck Shinawatra, has proposed holding new elections as a solution to the turmoil. But that is exactly what the protesters do not want. 

“I am one of the people who will not allow this election to take place,” Suthep Thaugsuban, the main protest leader, told a group of business executives in Bangkok. Continued protests “might hurt businesses,” he said, “but just in the short term.” In today’s fractured Thailand, a majority wants more democracy, but a minority, including many rich and powerful people, are petrified by the thought of it.

That Thailand is being convulsed by an antidemocracy movement is somewhat surprising. The country was one of the earliest in Asia to adopt democracy, and both women and men were allowed to vote in local elections in 1897, more than two decades before the 19th Amendment in the US banned voting rights discrimination on the basis of sex. 

The antidemocracy protests, which have been some of the largest in Thai history, call into question the commonly held belief that a rising tide of wealth in a society will naturally be followed by greater demands for democracy. Thailand today is much richer than it was two decades ago, but it is also much more divided. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/17/world/asia/in-thailand-rallying-cry-is-against-too-much-democracy.html?hp&_r=0

4 Holiday gifts for job seekers (Kim Thompson in San Francisco Chronicle) The best gifts are thoughtfully chosen. One of the key elements in a career transition is the ability to research opportunities and stay current with market initiatives. The best way to stay informed is to stay connected with technologies as laptop and desktop computers; smartphones and tablet computers. Updated computer skills also are a necessity in today’s job market, and there are many classes designed to do just that that would make thoughtful gifts.

While job seekers need to do their research, they also need to get out and meet people by participating in professional associations or training programs. A professional association membership is a great way to encourage activity among those with the interests, and it helps a job seeker develop knowledge about the latest industry trends.

Training programs offer the opportunity to mingle with classmates while working toward a career goal, and the gift of education can be a great way to help someone move ahead in their career and build confidence as they develop new skills.  Technology and training can be big-ticket items, but those with a tighter budget still can give a supportive gift. Such things as personalized stationery for sending notes to keep in touch with networking contacts; networking or business cards; and portfolios, briefcases and good-quality totes add to the job-seekers professional image.

A career change is stressful, and one of the best ways to cope with a stressful situation is an exercise program, so consider the gift of a gym membership, which can provide the structure needed to start an exercise routine.

http://blog.sfgate.com/gettowork/2013/12/16/holiday-gifts-for-job-seekers/