Thursday, Jan. 26, Clipper Magazine laid off forty employees from their Mountville, Pa. location. The major positions affected were the art production and sales support departments. One of the reasons behind the layoffs was the availability of new technology which increased efficiency; therefore, the company could produce the same results with fewer workers.
According to Fast Company’s website, newspaper revenue has decreased by 8.3 percent from 2007 to 2009, while online advertising fluctuated from 2007 to 2008 by 18.8 percent, but decreased by 1.3 percent in 2009. Online subscriptions have been on the rise, Fast Company states. As of 2007, there were one million subscribers to the Wall Street Journal who paid $119 per year. That equals $119 million in revenue just off that market.
Due to an increase in computer technology, magazines are slowly shifting to an online format because digital tablets and smartphones are able to obtain the latest information in a matter of seconds. Companies are able to save money versus print and are able to distribute their magazine at a faster, more efficient rate. With Clipper magazine reaching 30 states from 500 markets, it does not seem to be slowing down in terms of distribution to various markets in the U.S.
Clipper Magazine, which was founded in 1983 by two Franklin & Marshall College juniors, is now testing a new concept in which they produce one copy per 100,000 to 150,000 households, rather than one per 50,000 households as it was previously distributed.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of December 2011 the unemployment rate in the United States was at 8.5 percent, which is the lowest it has been in nearly three years.
Alison Cochran, a senior international business major working in the Career Services department, will be graduating this May and is looking into the hotel management and hospitality field. Cochran is one of many who are nervous to enter the labor force to look for a job.
Cochran said, “I want to find a job that makes me happy. However, I understand that in this economy many people that are looking for jobs are settling for any job rather than the job they want, which is quite sad.” While a strong resume may be a factor in obtaining a decent job, Cochran also said that the most important part of the job hunting process was to keep trying, because as many people understand, patience is important to find a quality job. “Don’t give up,” Cochran said.
Stephanie Carroll, a 2011 Etown graduate who majored in mathematics, is working as a data specialist at 1&1 Internet. There, she runs reports for the sales department and helps with some programming as well. Carroll says it took her four months after graduation to find a job.
Similar to Cochran, one piece of advice that Carroll gives is to keep your head up and keep persevering through the job hunting process. Carroll said, “My advice is not to give up because the process becomes extremely frustrating…eventually all your hard work will pay off.”
Carroll also says broadening your search to various fields and networking are important to opening the doors to a job offer. Carroll advised, “Network and put yourself out there; don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it.” She added, “…don’t limit yourself to one field; any experience is good experience when it comes to working.”
