In Santa Fe Springs and Covina, California, just outside Los Angeles, workers are in short supply.  "There is a severe shortage of workers at every level," said Anne Woods, owner of Express Employment Professionals franchise offices in both communities. "It is being felt most keenly at entry level, particularly in manufacturing and distribution." 

• If you're unemployed in America today, chances are you have either given up looking for work, or you're holding out, waiting for the perfect job to come along. Those are the findings of the fifth annual survey of the unemployed, commissioned by Express Employment Professionals. Despite the Bureau of Labor Statistics' reported 3.9 percent unemployment rate, the unemployed express greater levels of resignation compared to last year's survey.

Across the country, high school students are making their final decisions about which college to attend in the fall. And millions of college seniors wonder if they will be able to find a job after graduation. At the same time, Express Employment Professionals experts are reporting high demand for jobs that don't require a college degree-many of those jobs pay wages that rival or exceed those of four-year college graduates.

The job interview begins the moment a candidate walks in the door, long before the first question is asked-according to David Robb, marketing director in the Grand Rapids, Michigan, Express Employment Professionals office.

• This nonprofit guide is designed to be a resource for you and your family and our hope is that these national and local organizations can help you on your way to personal and professional success. The vision of Express is to help as many people as possible find good jobs by helping as many clients as possible find good people, and like a job, we believe these organizations can provide help and hope.