Fear not; we’re on your side! We want you to find the right job. That’s why each week we’re featuring 10 companies that need qualified, skilled employees just like you. The following employers want you and your skills to help their businesses succeed. Right now.  So go, click, apply, succeed!

La Petite Academy
Industry: Education
Sample job titles: Child care/early childhood education center director, online marketing manager (SEO and social media)

CALIBRE
Industry: Management and technology services
Sample job titles: Junior IT analyst, personnel program analyst

Graco
Industry: Industrial machinery and equipment
Sample job titles: Third shift CNC machinist, associate electrical engineer

First Transit
Industry: Transportation
Sample job titles: ASE diesel technician, public transit maintenance manager

Verizon Wireless
Industry: Business strategy and telecommunications
Sample job titles: Account executive – small business sales, senior analyst – Commissions

New York University Langone Medical Center
Industry: Health care
Sample job titles: Medical coder, nurse practitioner

NESC
Industry: Engineering
Sample job titles: Facility engineer (mechanical), electrical engineer

Vaco Financial
Industry: Finance
Sample job titles: Director of pricing, project manager

PDI
Industry: Biotechnology and pharmacy (staffing)
Sample job titles: Part-time pharmaceutical primary care sales representative, Pharmaceutical sales training manager

Aaron Sales and Lease
Industry: Retail
Sample job titles: Manager trainee, store manager

Related posts:

1. Who’s Hiring This Week? For the past several months we’ve been highlighting available positions...
2. Who’s Hiring This Week Last week we brought you a list of 10 companies...
3. Who’s hiring right now? These companies are! To cut to the chase, you want a job. If...

“I am proud to announce the launching of WorkReady Houston, a comprehensive program I have worked hard to establish with Houston METRO since the referendum to expand the light rail system passed in 2003. This initiative will provide much needed job training and placement assistance for Houston’s workers who are seeking to acquire new construction-related jobs and expand on their existing skills. Today’s announcement will be followed by an opportunity for Houstonians to register for this program. I am committed to ensuring that this new training program plants the seeds of economic and professional mobility to Houston’s workforce.”

HOUSTON – Today, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, Chairwoman of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Transportation Security and Infrastructure Protection, announces the launch of WorkReady Houston, a comprehensive job training program, with Houston METRO.

Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee stated: “I have been a stalwart supporter of Houston METRO for decades. Due to the victorious results of the November 4, 2003, referendum regarding METRO Solutions, we were able to enact the METRO Solutions plan which included: 50% increase in METRO’s existing bus service; nine (9) new Transit Centers and nine (9) new Park & Ride lots, as well as expansion and upgrading existing facilities; expansion of the METRORail line and commuter line components to include 72.8 miles of rail; and initiating of the first 10 years of construction. I worked hard to ensure that an important component of METRO Solutions plan would be my vision for creating the comprehensive job training initiative I am announcing today. I wanted to make sure that any plan that sought to improve our city’s transportation challenges must include an opportunity for Houstonians to develop and improve their construction related skills and obtain the much needed jobs these construction projects would provide.”

“When this plan was passed in 2003, the country was actually facing a slight recession and the unemployment rate in Harris County was at 6.5%. Nearly seven years later, the unemployment rate is at 8.2% in Texas and 8.8% in the Houston metropolitan area. We are still continuing to face one of the worst recessions and housing crisis our Nation has faced since the Great Depression, and the jobs and job placement assistance that will be provided by WorkReady Houston is critical to alleviating the current plight of the underserved and underemployed in Houston.”

“I fought along with Members of the Texas Congressional delegation to ensure that Houston METRO received $150 million for the North and Southeast Corridor light-rail lines as part of the fiscal-year 2011 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill. This would be in addition to the $150 million secured in FY2010, bringing the total amount of federal funds allocated for the two light-rail projects to $300 million. I was also able to secure an initial $1 million for new buses and to begin improving bus facilities, which will serve us a down payment on future federal funding. In addition, I am unwavering in my commitment to ensuring that these federal dollars translate into real and lasting jobs for Houstonians. I am confident that WorkReady Houston will be the pathway for Houstonians to develop the skills they need to secure the jobs they want.”

“WorkReady Houston, by providing much needed job training and placement assistance for Houston’s workers, will plant the seeds of economic and professional mobility to Houston’s workforce. Today’s announcement will be followed by an opportunity for Houstonians to register for this worthwhile program. I thank Houston METRO, the religious and community leaders present, the professional associations here, and most of all, the people who have come here to apply for this program. With all of your dedication, I have no doubts whatsoever that Houstonians will survive the harrowing economic climate that our Nation is facing.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, incidences of workplace fatalities were 17 percent fewer in 2009 than in 2008. The 4,340 fatal workplace injuries reported for ’09 is the lowest number on record since the BLS started keeping track in 1992.

While a large part of that has to do with the fact that there were fewer jobs in general, the BLS reported that injuries per 100,000 workers declined from 3.7 in 2008, to 3.3 in 2009.  Bloomberg also reported that, according to the National Council of Compensation Insurance, workplace injuries have been on the decline for 10 years, reflecting an overall trend toward safer workplaces.

Transportation accidents, which account for almost two-fifths of all fatal workplace injuries also declined by 21 percent in 2009; though an overall loss of jobs in the construction industry plays a large part in the decline of these injuries.

As a response to the BLS numbers, Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis said in a statement: “A single worker hurt or killed on the job is one too many. While a decrease in the number of fatal work injuries is encouraging, we cannot and will not relent from our continued strong enforcement of workplace safety laws. As the economy regains strength and more people re-enter the workforce, the Department of Labor will remain vigilant to ensure America’s workers are kept safe while they earn a paycheck.”

We agree that even one accident is too many, so here are a few tips for staying safe on the job.

1. Pay attention to overtime hours - Staying late is bad for your health in more ways than one.  One recent study reported that employees who work more than 10 hours per day and 60 percent more likely to develop heart disease.  A long day also makes your commute more hazardous. You’re more likely to get in an accident when you’re tired — in fact, research has shown that drowsy drivers are seven times more likely to crash.

2.  Talk to your boss if your job is taking a physical toll on you - Jobs that are physically demanding may start to wear on workers after a while — especially those that involve repetitive motion, awkward body positioning or heavy lifting.  Companies are required by law to provide workers with a safe work environment, and your boss can help you figure out a safer or more comfortable situation.

3. The same goes for workplace injuries - If you are injured on the job, speak up. Your company will either have to provide you with time off to recuperate, or with a new set of job duties that will not exacerbate the injury.

4. Take breaks -If your job is physically demanding or requires you to operate heavy machinery, working while tired can also pose safety risks. Like driving while tired, doing physically demanding work, like construction, maintenance or manufacturing, can be seriously dangerous to tired workers. Take short, frequent breaks to keep your attention levels high and your drowsiness levels low.

For more on workplace issues, see:

Caution: Toxic Co-Workers Ahead

A Trying Economy Means Healthier Habits For Some Workers

Weight Gain at Work

Related posts:

1. Did the Economy Help Lower Workplace Fatalities? Call me morbid, call me crazy, but I’m a “glass...
2. Nearly 40 percent of workers have flirted with romance on the job When you think of TV’s most famous romantic duos —...
3. Which Halloween Character Is Your Boss Most Like? Two days until Halloween! I got the finishing touches to...

Vermont
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana – ETL developer
Verizon Wireless–Retail customer support representative

New York
American Express – Senior marketing manager
Paychex, Inc. – Receptionist

Pennsylvania
The Cheesecake Factory – Kitchen manager
ADT Security Services Inc. – Residential sales representative

New Jersey
Comcast Cable – Network operations engineer 1, switched digital video
OMEGA – General manager

Connecticut
PharmaCom Group Inc – Medical Writer
Praxair – Systems Engineer

Rhode Island
Swarovski North America Ltd – Visual merchandising manager
Lincoln Technical Institute – Computer network securities instructor

Massachusetts
Ecolab, Inc. – Corporate accounts manager
Stanley Black & Decker – National account manager

Maine
McKesson – Welder
Hostess Brands – Maintenance Mechanic

Related posts:

1. Companies Hiring: The Northeastern Edition Because we love you, dear readers, we’re continuing to highlight...
2. Companies Hiring: The Northeastern Edition We know that job hunts can be as tiresome as...
3. Companies Hiring: The Northeastern Edition Last week I explained that each Tuesday we’re going to be featuring hiring...

While some things in life may come tough for lefties — like finding a decent pair of scissors or a dinner companion who can keep their elbows to themselves — other things, like creativity and leadership ability, may come fairly easy, and help shape the career choices of those we affectionately call “goofy.” 

Though there are various theories for why this is, one of the most predominant has to do with which brain hemisphere controls what side of the body. “Handedness” is a function of the brain, and since the left hand is controlled by the right side of the brain, a dominant left hand means a dominant right brain.  Because the right side of the brain is responsible for non-verbal, random, holistic and fantasy-oriented processing, lefties are thought to naturally be more inclined toward creative careers. 

Whether you buy into this theory or not, the proof is in the pudding when it comes to left-handers and creativity. Take these famous left-handed creative types:

Actors/Comedians

• Tim Allen
• Matthew Broderick
• Tom Cruise
• Robert DeNiro
• Whoopi Goldberg
• Goldie Hawn
• Angeline Jolie
• Diane Keaton
• Nicole Kidman
• Jay Leno
• David Letterman
• Sarah Jessica Parker
• Julia Roberts
• Jerry Seinfeld
• Bruce Willis 

Musicians

• Paul McCartney
• Mozart
• Paul Simon
• Ringo Starr

Artists

• Leonardo DaVinci
• Michelangelo
• Raphael 

In addition to creativity, left-handed people may also be more inclined toward taking on leadership positions in their careers. It has been reported that 66 percent of U.S. presidents over the last 30 years have been left-handed, including three out of the last four: George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. 

Other leftie leaders throughout history include:

• Buzz Aldrin
• Steve Forbes
• Henry Ford
• Benjamin Franklin
• Al Gore
• Helen Keller
• John McCain
• Ronald Reagan
• Oprah Winfrey

So, while it may have taken you a while to overcome certain difficulties in your career — everything from health care exam rooms to cash registers and computer mice (mouses?) are designed for the right-handed — take comfort in knowing that your determination may one day make you a leader in your right-hand dominated field. Who’s goofy now?

Have any other famous lefties to add to our list? Include them in the comments section, below.

For more pop culture posts:

When Celebrities Decide to Un-retire

The 10 Worst Movie Jobs

10 Jobs for Harry Potter

Related posts:

1. Ask The Work Buzz! I’ve got a degree in education, but no job Courtney writes to us with a concern I’m sure many...
2. Like magenta and dislike yellow? You’re in good professional company At a glance, you can quickly see that our culture...
3. For an Honest Living, Bet on Sports Have you known all along that LeBron James would end...

On Tuesday we finished our spotlight of regions hiring in the country. Today I present a list of companies hiring employees right now throughout the country. Right now. Literally. Go on, find the right match for you.

Adventist Health System
Industry: Health care
Number of openings: 1,200
Sample job titles: Registered nurse, nursing, physical therapist, occupational therapist, pharmacist, speech language pathologist, physician, physician assistant, management, supply chain, nutrition services, human resources, information technology, accounting, marketing
Location: Florida, Texas, Illinois, Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kansas, Colorado, Kentucky, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Missouri

AT&T
Industry: Telecommunications
Number of openings: 2,000
Sample job titles: Retail sales consultants, retail store managers, call center customer service representatives, premises technicians
Location: Nationwide

Auto-Wares
Industry: Automotive parts/retail
Number of openings: 57
Sample job titles: Counter sales, parts delivery
Location: Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Ohio

CB Richard Ellis, Inc.
Industry: Corporate real estate
Number of openings: 187
Sample job titles: Service engineer, senior IT BSA, financial analyst
Location: New York, Los Angeles, Dallas, and more.

Comerica Bank
Industry: Banking/financial services
Number of openings: 50
Sample job titles: Customer service representatives, assistant banking center managers, banking center managers and commercial banking officers
Location: Texas, Arizona, California, Florida and Michigan

Enterprise Rent-A-Car
Industry: Travel/tourism
Number of openings: 500
Sample job titles: Sales/management trainee
Location: Nationwide

Freeport McMoRan
Industry: Mining
Number of openings: 450
Sample job titles: Architect, mechanical engineer, accountant, benefits analyst, truck driver, mechanic
Location: Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Texas, Connecticut

Gentex Corporation
Industry: Automotive electronics
Number of openings: 140
Sample job titles: Production team members, electrical design engineers, software development engineers, electrical project engineers, program managers, technical team leaders, manufacturing process technicians, software test engineers, product design engineers
Location: Zeeland, Mich.

Go Wireless
Industry: Retail
Number of openings: 75
Sample job titles: Store manager, sales associate
Location: New York, New Jersey, Florida

Guitar Center
Industry: Retail
Number of openings: 55
Sample job titles: CRM business architect, manager of user experience, senior marketing campaign analyst
Location: Westlake Village, Calif.

Harland Clarke
Industry: Marketing services and technology solutions
Number of openings: 50
Sample job titles: Senior programmer analyst, systems admin engineer, customer care specialists
Location: San Antonio, Glen Burnie, Md.

HealthPort
Industry: Electronic medical records
Number of openings: 60
Sample job titles: Medical record techs, IT
Location: Atlanta

Holland America
Industry: Leisure/entertainment
Number of openings: 65
Sample job titles: Reservation sales, oracle developer, maintenance engineer, marketing specialist
Location: Seattle

Intercontinental Capital Group
Industry: Mortgage
Number of openings: 100
Sample job titles: Loan consultants, team leaders
Location: New York, Phoenix, King of Prussia, Penn., Columbus, Boca Raton

LMS Intellibound
Industry: Industrial
Number of openings: 56
Sample job titles: Site manager, warehouse supervisor, unloader, administrative
Location: North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, South Carolina, New York, Maryland, Mississippi, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana

Marcus and Millichap
Industry: Commercial real estate
Number of openings: 90
Sample job titles: Commercial real estate agent, commercial real estate investment broker, executive assistant, brokerage administrator
Location: California, Texas, Arizona, Nevada, Minnesota, Illinois, Michigan, New York, Florida, and more

MetLife Home Loans
Industry: Mortgage Banking
Number of openings: 250
Sample job titles: Mortgage loan specialist, closer, funder, underwriter, underwriting manager, operations manager
Location: Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles, Hauppauge, N.Y.

Millennium Pharmacy Systems, Inc.
Industry: Health care (pharmacy services, long-term care)
Number of openings: 60
Sample job titles: Staff pharmacists, dispensing pharmacist, pharmacy techs, customer service representatives, customer service supervisors, customer advocate, staff accountant
Location: Rhode Island, North Carolina, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Florida, Maryland, Washington, D.C. and Illinois

National Agents Alliance
Industry: Insurance
Number of openings: 321
Sample job titles: Insurance sales representative (entry level and experienced), administrative assistant, recruiter
Location: Nationwide

Plymouth Auctioneering
Industry: Arts and entertainment/sales
Number of openings: 60
Sample job titles: Traveling art auction sales professional
Location: International travel (100 percent travel)

Saber Healthcare
Industry: Health care
Number of openings: 55
Sample job titles: Director of nursing, occupational therapist, physical therapist, administrators
Location: Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Florida and Missouri

Shared Technologies, Inc.
Industry: Telecommunications
Number of openings: 50
Sample job titles: Sales executive, sr. sales executive, technician
Location: California, Pennsylvania, Florida, Texas, New York, New Jersey, Nevada Arizona, Maryland

Shelter Development, LLC
Industry: Housing/health care
Number of openings: 50
Sample job titles: Property manager, dining services director, clinical, assistant controller, assistant property manager, service technician, senior living program director, staff accountant
Location: Baltimore

Sutter Health
Industry: Health care
Number of openings: 1,700
Sample job titles: RN, nurse managers, directors, physical therapist, occupational therapist, HIM, pharmacist, IT
Location: Northern California region, including Sacramento, Central Valley, Bay Area, Peninsula

Tetra Tech
Industry: Government contractor – engineering
Number of openings: 85
Sample job titles: UXO technicians, field technician, lead UNIX/Linux technician
Location: Nationwide

Related posts:

1. Who’s hiring right now? These companies are! To cut to the chase, you want a job. If...
2. Who’s hiring right now? We like to think you come to The Work Buzz...
3. Want to know who’s hiring in May? Here you go! Word has it that April showers bring May flowers. Frankly,...