Figuratively Speaking

Percentage of search firm consultants who believe age becomes a significant factor in a hiring decision when a candidate is over the age of 50, according to surveys conducted by ExecuNet: 91

Percentage who report that age is never a factor when candidates are evaluated for a new opportunity: 5

Percentage of business leaders (with an average age of 50) who believed their age was working against them in a job search: 41

Source: ExecuNet

Estimated amount of money collected by banks and credit unions in overdraft fees last year, according to a study by the Center for Responsible Lending: $24 billion

Percentage increase from just two years ago: 35

Source: Center for Responsible Lending.

Projected sales of costumes, scary makeup, wigs, Halloween decorations for inside and outside, and, of course, pumpkins and candy, for America's darkest holiday, (up 4.2 percent from the $5.77 billion generated last year), according to industry research firm IBISWorld: $6 billion

Amount the average person is estimated to spend on Halloween treats in 2009: $22.50

Source: IBISWorld

Percentage of workers who don't think their boss is honest, according to a survey by the Adecco Group: 53

Percentage of employees who even go so far as to say that they believe their boss is dishonest about their job security: 25

Percentage who would lay off/fire their boss if given the option: 28

Source: Adecco

Ranks of princess, witch and Spider-Man on the list of top costumes for kids this Halloween, according to a survey by the National Retail Federation: 1, 2, 3

Ranks of pumpkin, devil and fancy collars on the list of top costumes for pets this year: 1, 2, 3

Source: National Retail Federation

Percentage of moms who feel lonely and unsupported in their day-to-day lives and turn online to form new friendships based on shared interests, life events and parenting support, according to research from Mom Central Consulting: 60

Percentage of moms who feel they lack enough friends in their lives: 80

Source: Mom Central Inc.

Percentage of administrative professionals who said that the level of autonomy in making decisions has increased in the last five years, according to a survey from the International Association of Administrative Professionals: 72

Percentage who have increased responsibility at work: 73

Percentage who have seen their overall contribution to their organization increase: 85

Source: International Association of Administrative Professionals

Percentage of parents today who admit to using alcohol or other drugs to get drunk or high when they were teenagers, according to findings in the "Four Generations Overcoming Addiction" survey of teens and parents' attitudes toward parent-child communications about alcohol and drugs, commissioned by Minnesota-based addiction treatment center Hazelden: 50

Percentage of teens who say they've seen their parents high or drunk: 26

Source: Hazelden

Percentage of toilets in the U.S. that leak, according to the U.S. Census Bureau: 25

Estimated number of gallons of water that one leaking toilet can waste in a year: 70,000

Each day in the U.S., estimated number of gallons of water that is used for all purposes, including generating electricity and irrigation: 400 billion

Source: U.S. Census Bureau

With all the possible Halloween festivities, ranks of watching a scary movie (23 percent), costume parties (17 percent) and trick-or-treating (17 percent) on respondents' list of favorite Halloween activities, according to the Redbox "Halloween Thrillers" survey: 1, 2 (tie)

Ranks of "The Exorcist" (19 percent), "Halloween" (11 percent) and "A Nightmare on Elm Street" (11 percent) on the list of the best horror movies of all-time: 1, 2 (tie)

Rank of Hannibal Lecter from "The Silence of the Lambs" on the list of the most frightening movie villains: 1

Source: Redbox Automated Retail LLC.

Idle Thought

"A good leader can't get too far ahead of his followers." -- Franklin D. Roosevelt

(Readers can contact John MacIntyre at johnmacintyre(at)bwr.eastlink.ca.)

Percentage of Americans who reject the idea that women should return to their traditional roles in society, with most believing that both husband and wife should contribute to the family income, according to a survey by the Pew Research Center's Social and Demographic Trends Project: 75

Percentage of working mothers who say they always feel rushed, compared with a quarter of stay-at-home mothers or working fathers: 40

Source: Pewsocialtrends.org.

Ranks of self-esteem/self-confidence and work/life balance on the list of the top motivations for which people seek professional coaching services, according to a recent global study of coaching clients commissioned by the International Coach Federation: 1, 2

Source: International Coach Federation.

Percentage of consumers who are planning to celebrate Halloween this year, according to a survey released by the National Retail Federation: 62.1

Number of adults across the country who plan to dress up for Halloween this year: 47 million

Number of children who will dress up: 58 million

Source: National Retail Federation.

Percentage of business travelers who read personal books/magazines or listen to/view in-flight entertainment on the plane when traveling for work, according to an Egencia survey: 50

Percentage of respondents who sleep on the plane: 15

Percentage who spend their transit time working: 34

Source: Edelman.

Percentage of U.S. adults who would not change their personal definition of the perfect job once the economy improves, according to a Work Watch study released by Randstad: 83

Percentage of Americans who would be doing what they are currently doing or would be staying in the same field after the market improves: 61

Percentage of those surveyed who would want a sabbatical as a perk of their ideal job: 18

Source: Ranstad.

Percentage of all data breaches for small and medium-sized businesses that involved insider negligence, according to a Ponemon Institute LLC study released in April 2009: 88

Percentage that were the result of a malicious act: 12

Source: GFI Software.

Percentage of all U.S. dog owners who agree that spending time with their dog lifts their spirits, according to a survey conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs on behalf of Beneful: 95

Percentage who say that their dog helps them enjoy the simple pleasures in life: 92

Source: Ipsos Public Affairs.

Percentage of American homeowners who believe their own home lost value in the past 12 months, according to the Zillow Q2 Homeowner Confidence Survey: 60

In reality, percentage of homes that lost value during that time, according to Zillow's second-quarter Real Estate Market Reports: 83

Source: Zillow.

Percentage of U.S. workers who made a career change last year, according to survey by SnagAJob.com: 18

Of those who did, percentage who did so proactively because they were looking for a new opportunity: 33

Percentage who reported that they sought new employment because they had been laid off or dismissed from their previous job: 25

Source: SnagAJob.com.

Percentage of senior executives and managers who expect their overall number of employees to increase over the next 12 months, according to a global survey of business leaders conducted by NFI Research: 26

Percentage who believe that employment numbers will remain the same: 50

Source: NFI Research.

Idle Thought

"It is good to rub and polish your mind against that of others." -- Michel de Montaigne, essayist

(Readers can contact John MacIntyre at johnmacintyre(at)bwr.eastlink.ca.)

Percentage of workers who would be willing to tell a same-level co-worker that their zipper was undone, according to a survey from CareerBuilder: 67

Percentage who would tell a lower-level co-worker: 62

Percentage who would tell a higher-level co-worker: 50

Source: CareerBuilder.com.

Percentage of heating and cooling contractors who say the No. 1 thing they do to improve their home's energy efficiency is change air filters on a regular basis, according to an online survey conducted by Lennox Industries: 85

Percentage of contractors who say the most common misconception when shopping for a new heating or cooling system is that a bigger system is always better: 39

Source: Lennox Industries.

Percentage of employers who reported that they have received applications from workers over the age of 50 (but not retired) for entry-level jobs, according to a study from CareerBuilder: 26

Percentage who have received entry-level applications from retirees: 11

Percentage of employers who said they would consider experienced candidates who apply for jobs for which they're overqualified: 65

Source: CareerBuilder.com.

Of paternity tests conducted, percentage of men being tested who were not the biological father, according to findings of the American Association of Blood Banks: 30

Source: The American Association of Blood Banks.

When technology professionals were asked what companies can offer when salary increases aren't a viable option, percentage who said job security, according to a Dice survey: 35

Percentage who cited training and certification classes: 32

Percentage who said flexible work hours: 31

Source: Dice.

Percentage of parents who feel financial education should also be taught in school, according to a survey conducted for ING Direct: 96

Percentage who think it should happen before high school: 82

Source: ING Direct's Sharebuilder 401(k).

Percentage of people in the U.S., the U.K., France, Germany and Italy who view close relationships as their top priority in life, according to research reported by The Future Laboratory commissioned by Eastman Kodak Co.: 70

Percentage of respondents who see their colleagues every day: 36

Percentage who claim to never see their parents: 41

Percentage of respondents who said they prioritize spending time with family first: 86

Source: Kodak.

Rank of the Grand Canyon on the list of top destinations for family vacation packages, according to a poll conducted by the U.S. Tour Operators Association: 1

Source: United States Tour Operators Association.

Percentage of American adults age 30 and older who agree that the economic crisis has increased their desire to provide financial protection for their family, according to a survey on behalf of New York Life: 83

If something were to happen to the breadwinner in their family, percentage of adults over age 30 who say that they would primarily rely on life insurance: 32

Percentage who say that they would take an additional job: 22

Percentage who would buy a ticket and hope to win the lottery: 1

Source: Ipsos Public Affairs.

Ranks of limited advancement opportunities (11.2 percent), compensation (11 percent) and lack of challenge/personal growth (9.5 percent) on the list of top reasons cited by executives for being unhappy at work, according to a survey of employed executives with an average annual salary of $206,000 by ExecuNet: 1, 2, 3

Source: ExecuNet.

Idle Thought

"An unhurried sense of time is in itself a form of wealth." -- Bonnie Friedman, author

(Readers can contact John MacIntyre at johnmacintyre(at)bwr.eastlink.ca.)