Career Advice & News Center

The national unemployment rate has been a hot-button issue for both government officials and the general public. While some economic analysts believe that the country is heading in the right direction, the road to recovery appears to be a long one, resulting in frustration about the limited amount of jobs among many Americans. The Obama administration has been working to boost career creation by offering financial incentives to companies as well as creating extra measures to support burgeoning industries.

President Obama recently announced his plans to double the amount of U.S. exports over the next five years, which will hopefully put people back to work, according to the Associated Press. Among his plans, Obama plans to create a cabinet of officials that will specifically focus on exports, seek financial backing for trade efforts, push for the completion of stalled trade deals and enforce the deals already in place.

"We shouldn't assume that our leadership is guaranteed," Obama said. "When other markets are growing, and other nations are competing, we've got to get even better. We need to secure our companies a level playing field. We need to guarantee American workers a fair shake. In other words, we need to up our game."

He added, "we've got to compete in the global marketplace. Because it's never been as important an opportunity for America."

The president backed his plans, saying that by doubling the amount of exports, more than 2 million jobs will be created over the next five years.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the national unemployment rate is 9.7 percent with approximately 14.9 million Americans out of work. It has been reported that Obama's $787 billion stimulus package created more than 2 million jobs since its creation last year.