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US says China is aggressively recruiting spies on LinkedIn
Forget trying to recruit spies in clandestine meetings -- apparently, you just have to go to a job website. US National Counterintelligence and Security Center chief William Evanina told Reuters that Chinese intelligence agencies were conducting a "super aggressive" spy recruiting campaign through LinkedIn. China has reportedly been using fake accounts to flood government and business workers with recruiting messages in hopes they'll divulge secrets. Germany and the UK have warned about similar practices before, but this is the first time the US government has talked about the problem in earnest.
Google helps veterans find civilian jobs that match their skills
When you leave the US military, it's not always clear how your skills will translate to a civilian job. You may end up taking a position below your aptitude simply because you underestimated your experience. Google, at least, believes it can help. It just upgraded its job search feature with tools that help veterans find roles that match their talents. Type in "jobs for veterans" and you can enter your military job codes to look for corresponding roles. It works with any site that uses Talent Solution, including CareerBuilder, Getting Hired and FedEx Careers.
LinkedIn will tell you how far away your new job really is
Job-hunting can be a tedious process. Polishing your resume, collecting the right referees and attending interviews all take time. Aside from GIFs and Snapchatesque filters, LinkedIn has been enhancing its business-centric service with more practical things like smart replies and the ability to ask connections for referrals. Its newest feature, 'Your Commute', aims to hit another serious target: streamlining your employment search.
The US will help save ZTE even though it broke international laws
Last year the US imposed a trade ban on American companies supplying equipment to Chinese telecoms giant ZTE Corp. Now, it appears the two countries are trying to work things out. According to sources briefed on the confidential negotiations, there has been a "handshake deal" between US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Chinese Vice Premier Liu He which will lift the ban that effectively crippled ZTE's operations.
Amazon resumes HQ expansion after Seattle tax compromise
Amazon has graciously resumed construction work in Seattle after the City Council "compromised" on a controversial tax that will see the tech giant -- that turned over $51 billion in sales during the last quarter alone -- on the hook for $11 million annually. A sum that will be used to tackle the city's homelessness issue.
LinkedIn adds Snapchat-like video filters because of course it is
Even LinkedIn can't resist the urge to imitate Snapchat, it seems. The job-oriented social network is adding eerily familiar-looking filters to its video capture tools for Android and iOS, letting you brag about your "side hustle" and other updates as if you're one of the hip kids. It feels forced, to put it mildly, but it could be helpful for describing a big trade conference or work project when plain footage might put viewers to sleep. The feature should be available today, so it's worth a try if you'd rather not post Instagram videos in your LinkedIn feed just to seem relevant.
AR firm Avegant cuts half its workforce and picks new CEO
Avegant has drawn a lot of attention in the wearable world between its Glyph personal screen and its light-field augmented reality headset, but it's facing uncertain times. The Verge has learned that the startup cut more than half of its workforce (it's now down to "fewer than 20" workers) and has replaced CEO Joerg Tewes with co-founder Ed Tang. Most of those left are involved in research and technology partnership, according to the insiders.
Facebook's job listings are now available in over 40 countries
Facebook's job listings have been available in the US and Canada for a while, but now they're expanding in a big way. The feature will be available in over 40 countries in the next few weeks, including the UK, Italy, Spain, Argentina and Brazil. As before, the allure is finding and applying for positions from Facebook's mobile app or website, rather than having to visit a dedicated job service. Companies can even chat with you through Messenger if they're interested in your skills.
Apple plans to add 20,000 jobs, new campus in the US
Apple is determined to show that it's investing in the US economy despite its tax moves and foreign manufacturing. The company has announced a slew of investments it claims will pump a total of $350 billion into the US economy, highlighted by its focus on (what else) jobs. It expects to spend $30 billion in capital expenses that will create more than 20,000 new positions over the next 5 years, both at its existing buildings and a new location (to be unveiled later in 2018) that will initially focus on tech support.
GoPro cuts nearly 300 jobs as it quits making drones
GoPro still isn't in the best of health, and that's leading it to make some tough decisions about its future. The action camera maker has confirmed that it's cutting nearly 300 jobs (from 1,254 to "fewer than 1,000"), and is exiting the drone market entirely. The Karma drone was the second most popular drone in its price class, GoPro said, but it faced profit margin problems in an "extremely competitive aerial market. Combine that with a "hostile regulatory environment" in Europe and the US, and the market is expected to shrink to the point where it's "untenable" to compete.
Google adds salaries to its job search tool
Google already has some tools to help you find a job, but there's been a missing ingredient: salaries. How do you know whether or not it's worth pursuing a new role short of visiting another website? You shouldn't have to worry much longer. Google is adding a suite of new job search tools, most notably salary info. In many cases, Google will display estimated salary ranges plucked from multiple sources (including Glassdoor, LinkedIn and PayScale) whether or not the listing itself mentions pay. If a position represents a big raise, you'll know very quickly.
Tesla fired 'hundreds' of workers this week
Tonight The Mercury News reports that Tesla -- which is in the midst of ramping up production of the Model 3 -- fired hundreds of workers this week at its headquarters and factory. In a statement, the company cited performance reviews as a reason for departures from its workforce of more than 33,000 and said that it is continuing to grow. Workers the paper spoke to estimated some 400 - 700 workers have been fired, however, the company expects that overall attrition will be similar to last year, and that this won't impact Model 3 production. Currently, we're still anticipating updated Model 3 production numbers (it only made 260 in Q3) when Tesla reports its earnings in a few weeks, as well as the unveiling of its electric semi on November 16th.
Amazon wants US cities to bid for its second major HQ
Amazon is looking for a second company headquarters and wants cities around the US to convince the retail giant why it should take up residency with them. Amazon says it plans to invest more than $5 billion in the new site, called HQ2, while creating up to 50,000 new jobs, and claims the development will bring "tens of billions of dollars in additional investment" to whichever area wins the bid. The company points to its Seattle location as evidence of this, claiming that investments in the site from 2010 to 2016 brought in an "additional $38 billion to the city's economy -- every dollar invested by Amazon in Seattle generated an additional 1.4 dollars for the city's economy overall."
LinkedIn can’t block scrapers from monitoring user activity
Your LinkedIn activity could soon be used to keep tabs on you at work. On Monday, a US federal judge ruled that the Microsoft-owned social network cannot block a startup from accessing public data. The company in question, hiQ Labs, scrapes LinkedIn info to create algorithms that can predict whether employees are likely to quit their jobs. The case could also have a wider impact on the control social media sites wield over your info.
Google Search will help you find your next job
Finding a new job can be tough. With so many recruitment sites to keep track of, it can be difficult to know what's out there, never mind applying and getting through the interview process. Now, there's a new way to keep tabs on the work in your local area: Google. An update to Search on desktop and mobile allows you to, well, search for new employment with conversational queries like "jobs near me" and "teaching jobs." You'll then see a list of results from across the web, each of which includes the company's name, the role, the hours and when the job was posted.
Pittsburgh is falling out of love with Uber’s self-driving cars
Pittsburgh was the initial test city for Uber's self-driving car initiative. While our experience in one of the autonomous vehicles was thankfully pretty safe, it wasn't long before reports of accidents and wrong-way driving began to surface during the first month of the operation. Nine months later, the relationship continues to sour, according to a report in the New York Times. The things Uber promised in return for the city's support -- including free rides in driverless cars, backing the city's $50 million federal transportation grant and jobs for a neighborhood nearby Uber's testing track -- have not materialized. The situation was an issue during the mayoral primary, too, with critics calling out incumbent Bill Peduto for not getting these agreements in writing from the ride-sharing company.
AI-powered Google for Jobs has work for everybody
While the technology industry is a goldmine of employment, for anyone not developing an app or working on AI, finding a job can be tough. This is especially true for folks looking for entry-level positions. Craigslist decimated the classified section of newspapers and while sites like Monster, Linkedin and others are helpful if you have an established career, for entry-level jobs, it's tough to find work. According to Google, it's also hard for employers to find people to fill those positions.
Apple pledges $1 billion to support manufacturing jobs in the US
Apple probably won't start building iPhones and iPads in the United States any time soon, but CEO Tim Cook is happy to help other companies keep their manufacturing businesses stateside. Apple will pour $1 billion into a fund aimed at promoting advanced manufacturing jobs in the US, Cook announced on Mad Money today.
Meet the automated triage nurse of the future
If you think that the march of automation isn't going to affect jobs in the medical profession, then, uh, you better sit down. A Belgian company called BeWell is showing off WellPoint, a self-service kiosk that's designed for patients entering hospitals or clinics. The WellPoint is a touchscreen-enabled booth that operates as a first port of call for visitors, quickly checking your basic vitals before you see a medical professional.
The Engadget Podcast Ep 29: Re-Offender
Managing editor Dana Wollman and senior editor Nathan Ingraham join host Terrence O'Brien to talk about the biggest tech stories of the week. Of course, that means Uber and the growing controversy around its corporate culture -- including allegations of rampant sexism. They'll also address Samsung's plans to sell refurbished Note 7s, Bill Gate's endorsement of a robot tax and PewDiePie's most recent controversy. Then it's time to unwind a bit, and the group has some reading and listening suggestions. Plus, Dana wants your recipes.
