StartWire.com took a look at its website traffic and noticed that these top 10 companies are in the most demand by job seekers right now.  These top 10 companies hiring all across the country so it’s time to take a look at your options and apply now to these employers.

Are you looking for a position in restaurant or retail?   These are the 10 companies that are attracting a lot of candidates – so we suggest you check them out!  The links below go to recent job listings in your area.

Top 10 Companies Hiring Restaurant and Retail Positions 

1. CVS Caremark – check out CVS Caremark jobs
2. Chick-Fil-A – check out Chick-Fil-A jobs
3. Old Navy – check out Old Navy jobs
4. McDonald’s – check out McDonald’s jobs
5. American Eagle Outfitters – check out American Eagle jobs
6. Panera Bread Co – check out Panera jobs
7. Whole Foods – check out Whole Foods jobs
8. Taco Bell – check out Taco Bell jobs
9. Pizza Hut – check out Pizza Hut jobs
10. Wendy’s – check out Wendy’s jobs

Employee Benefits for Top Restaurant and Retail Companies

Taking a look at some of the perks of working at these top 10 companies hiring – we found great benefits for employees.

Whole Foods Benefits – access to healthcare, dental and vision insurance for both part-time and full time employees, along with many other outstanding benefits

McDonald’s Benefits – provides world-class training and McDs perks which are employee discounted food, and many more benefits

Chick-Fil-A Benefits – provides leadership training, ability to earn college scholarship, and no working on Sundays, and much more

Working Life in Restaurant and Retail

Working in a restaurant or in a retail store can be challenging and rewarding at the same time.  Here are some life lessons of working in restaurant industry.  More restaurant jobs.

Also, if you are considering the retail industry, there are also pros and cons to working a retail job.  Some of the perks are the employee discount, flexible hours and interesting career path opportunities. More retail jobs.

Consider these top 10 companies hiring and many of the other top companies on StartWire.com.

Salesforce is #1 for 2017 best places to work

Best Places to Work 2017

Job seekers spend a lot of time thinking about what employers would be willing to hire them, but it is important to consider both sides. Would you enjoy working for the companies you are applying to?

To help job seekers make that important decision, Indeed released its list of the Best Places to Work in 2017. They based their listing on employee reviews shared on Indeed. The biggest factor? Company culture. Employees respond to companies with a strong, positive company culture centered around a shared goal. Check out the top 10 below:

Top 10 Employers 2017

1. Salesforce (search salesforce jobs)
2. Southwest Airlines (search southwest jobs)
3. JetBlue Airways Corporation (search jet blue jobs)
4. Facebook (search facebook jobs)
5. Google (search google jobs)
6. CenterPoint Energy (search centerpoint jobs)
7. DTE Energy (search dte jobs)
8. NIKE* (search nike jobs)
8. Apple* (search apple jobs)
10. The Walt Disney Company (search disney jobs)
*indicates a tie

Read more about it this list on Indeed.

The gig economy is defining jobs today.

The gig economy–if you’ve had your ear to the ground s at any point in the past few years, you may have heard the term bandied about. Those in consulting or creative fields may be nodding your heads, but the concept is still new to many.

“Now,” say the non-musicians among you, “why would I be interested in gigs?”

In many cases, the gig economy is mediated by mobile technology, especially smartphone apps and intelligent websites that match you to gigs based on your preferences. Freelancing is the name of the game–for example, an Uber driver is an independent contractor using the app.

What Does it Mean for You?

Freelancers are nothing new, but the gig economy makes it easier than ever to be one yourself. The gig economy allows you to be flexible. Whether you want to supplement your income or tide yourself over while continuing your search for more stable employment, there’s something for everyone. A key feature of a gig job is the ability to define your own hours. An Uber driver picks up fares until they’re satisfied, which allows them to slot it in to any busy schedule.

Some people take so well to the gig economy that it ends up becoming their primary source of income. For self-starters and independent spirits, it’s a godsend. These people have diverse streams of income and have wide skill sets. Some apps, like the Bay Area-based Josephine, are for those with a passion about the gig. Josephine is for your inner chef, allowing you to share your passion with others.

For those who are between traditional employment, the gig economy presents a safety cushion that has not been available in the past. With the overall higher quality of the gigs, and the flexibility described above, it can make the time between jobs a little less stressful.

Still others add to their existing income with gigs, keeping their streams of income flowing from many different rivers. Even if you’re employed already, the opt-in nature of gigs can add to income from traditional sources. There’s no wrong way to take advantage of the gig economy!

Some noteworthy examples of the gig economy:

AirBnb

Caviar

Fiverr

Luxe

Lyft

Swifto

Uber

Upwork

What do a nurse, developer and truck driver have in common?

No, it’s not the setup to a corny punchline–they have the most in demand jobs of 2016.

According to a recent report by Fast Company, these three very different fields will be looking to hire in 2016. Healthcare workers, software developers, and truck drivers will be areas where industry trends could contribute to a hunger for more candidates.

Looking to make a career change in 2016? This new trend bodes well for those looking to change careers–a work history different than the requirements will make less of a difference.

This also is a positive development for job seekers new to the economy, who may find that the stringent requirements of job listings in recent memory will relax in their favor.

Read the full report for details, as well as the top 10 growing occupations for 2016.

Ready to organize your job search in 20016? Then we recommend checking out StartWire.

It’s a new year and whether you’re looking to start on your job search or improve your current search, today we’re sharing a helpful list of employers that can make your search better.

Are you tired of submitting an application for a job, only to hear nothing back? If you’re like me, I would rather find out that the company picked another candidate, rather than waiting in the dark. A simple, Thanks for applying, but we’ve decided to move on with another candidate, would help me move on to find other positions instead of waiting on a dead end.

StartWire, a company that gives status updates on your job applications from 8,000+ companies, took it a step further and found the Top 25 Most Responsive Employers:

Rank    Company
1            AT&T
2            Pepsi Beverages Company
3            Rochester General Health System
4            Boehringer Ingelheim
5            Spirit AeroSystems
6            Sears
7            Yale University
8            DeVry
9            Sodexo
10         Northrop Grumman
11         Adventist Health System
12         HCA
13         Amerigroup
14         Baker Hughes
15         JPMorgan Chase
16         Pearson
17         UnitedHealth Group
18         SAIC
19         Capital One
20         SunTrust
21         Staples
22         CROSSMARK
23         Sutter Health
24         Medtronic
25         Auction.com

These employers gave candidates detailed feedback on the status of their applications and show that they understand how important it is to respond to their applicants. How do you feel about employers who respond to their applicants?

“Find a new (or better) job.” If this is your New Year’s resolution, you will be in good company with one out of four Americans who set goals at the start of the year.

But what’s the best way to keep your resolution? Especially given that a majority of individuals who make promises to themselves in the form of resolutions don’t keep them.

Here are three ways to help yours stick:

1. Get Ready

Create your own inner circle of trusted friends and supporters. Tell them three things:

a. What interests you
b. What you do best — skills and interests
c. How you plan to conduct a search

Then make the big ask: Now that I’ve shared this with you, will you hold me to it? Will you ask me regularly how it’s going and encourage me to keep it up?

Why this works: Peer pressure. It is harder to give up when you’ve said what you want to do out loud. In addition, people who know you are looking can keep an eye out for jobs that might fit you — and put in a referral or a good word on your behalf. (Did we mention that referrals are one of employers’ favorite ways to find new employees?)

2. Get Set

There’s no need to rush out to the 50 percent off Calendar sales to get better organized…use StartWire’s  free tools to:

a. Find and apply for jobs (check out our Express Apply features under Application Connect)
b. Track where you’ve applied (you may be able to receive auto updates on your application status)
C. Download an electronic record of your job search activity (StartWire keeps your data confidential but allows you to generate a report you can use to update others on your search. If you are receiving unemployment, you may be able to use this for your Work Search record.

3. Go!

Even if you applied for a job in November and are waiting to hear back, follow up! Following up and making a habit of applying for jobs as soon as you see them listed is a good way to stay visible for employers — especially if you’ve asked contacts inside a company to put in a good word for you.

As always, we’ll continue to give you tips that you can use for your job search in 2013.

Regardless of whether we hit the fiscal cliff or not, we will be back next week with tips you can use to protect yourself from economic slowdowns and unemployment.

Let’s make it a great year!

Your resume is an important tool in your job search. Think of it as a marketing tool that markets your value to employers. Before employers get a chance to meet you face-to-face, your resume gives off the first impression…and first impressions can make or break it! Therefore, it’s important that you use your resume to increase your visibility to employers. StartWire emphasizes the importance of a resume because not only does it help your job search, but it’s also necessary to use some of StartWire’s best features:

1. Your resume unlocks Express Apply Jobs. Ever feel tired of filling out the same job applications when the details on your resume should be sufficient enough to fill in those blank fields? Express Apply Jobs eliminate the long application process, and once you’re interested in applying for a job, click “Apply” and we’ll send your resume straight to the employer. (We can only do this if a resume exists in your StartWire profile.)
2. Your resume in a resume database increases your visibility. 80% of employers search resume databases to look for new hires. StartWire offers free resume distribution so that your resume will land into the hands of employers seeking for employees like you. Employers prefer to search for candidates in resume databases because sometimes, unqualified candidates apply to posted positions. Finding candidates in a database helps them ensure they’re getting the right match. Increase your visibility and chances of being found by having your resume be a part of databases that employers are searching.
3. Your resume unlocks StartWire Mobile. Many people are searching for jobs on the go and through their phones (or wishing they could!). Therefore, StartWire now offers mobile job searches. Once you locate a job of interest, click apply and your resume will be sent to the employer. In order for StartWire Mobile to work, make sure that a resume is attached to your StartWire profile.

How do you upload a resume to your StartWire account? Option 1) You can actually upload a resume to your StartWire account by forwarding an email with your resume attached to resume@startwire.com. The system will automatically attach your resume to your StartWire account. Option 2) Log-in at www.startwire.com and click on your name at the top, right-hand corner to view your profile. From there, you can either choose to attach or copy & paste your resume. Let your resume increase your visibility to employers—Upload your resume today!

StartWire, America’s #1 job search organizer, today announced the results of a national, presidential election survey of active job seekers. The major findings from the survey revealed that presidential candidate Governor Mitt Romney is the favorite with 52 percent of likely voters as opposed to President Barack Obama with 48 percent of the vote.

Romney’s edge lay with those who identified themselves as unemployed or underemployed. Romney was also chosen as the candidate who would create more jobs, while President Obama had an edge on the question of which candidate will look out more for the unemployed.

The specific findings among likely voters included:

•     53 percent of unemployed and underemployed respondents are planning to vote for Mitt Romney versus 46 percent planning to vote for Barack Obama;
•     Barack Obama leads with job seekers who currently hold a full-time job with 58 percent of likely voters vs. 42 percent for Mitt Romney;
•     47 percent of respondents believe that Mitt Romney will create more jobs as President vs. 33 percent for Barack Obama;
•     46 percent believe Barack Obama will look out more for the unemployed as President vs. 39 percent for Mitt Romney; and
•     Of the 859 survey respondents – all of whom are actively looking for work – 37 percent identified as Republicans, 37 percent as Democrats and 25 percent as Independent.

“Jobs and the economy are front and center in this campaign and we wanted to make sure the voice of the active job seeker was added to the debate,” said Chris Forman, CEO and founder, StartWire. “While the StartWire survey shows a tight race, there is a clear correlation between employment and candidate preference. Our research indicates unemployed and underemployed Americans clearly want a change in the White House.”

Seeking to radically improve the job search process, StartWire closes the “résumé black hole” by providing more than 500,000 job seekers with automatic application status updates from thousands of employers. With a network of 7,000+ employers and growing, StartWire improves application visibility and hiring knowledge for job seekers and recruiters.

Editors Note: The StartWire survey was conducted October 16 – October 21, 2012 to the most recent active StartWire user base. 57 percent of respondents indicated that they have been looking for a job for six months or more. For more information regarding the survey, please contact jennifermq(at)yapr(dot)com.

About StartWire™
StartWire™ is a game-changing Internet job search organizer that launched in early 2011. StartWire closes the “résumé black hole” by providing job seekers with automatic application status updates from thousands of employers. Since its inception, StartWire has received rave reviews and write-ups in US News & World Report, The Wall Street Journal, About.com, AOL Jobs, CNN, ERE, and Human Resource Executive.

The other night, as I watched the Presidential Debate, I heard a lot of talk about jobs and job creation from both candidates. They each have their own take on how America can best get back on its feet and get people back to work. As I watched, I wanted to know…what do real job seekers think of these plans? Who do you, as an American searching for work, trust with your future?

So, if you’d like to take a minute to share your thoughts, I ask you to take this anonymous survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/9JCHXH9

It’s just a few questions, asking you to share your viewpoint as the American job seeker. It’s completely anonymous (I won’t see anyone’s identity or email address when they reply) and completely optional. Share if you’d like your view points out here. If not, thanks for taking the time to read this post!