Florida workers say economy has hurt career advancement

Half of workers surveyed in Florida and the U.S. say the economy has hurt their career advancement, according to a new survey by staffing firm Randstad. Of those surveyed, half also say they'll look for a new job as the economy picks up. Florida employees say they're not looking for bonuses and promotions as much as a "comfortable and stimulating work environment" and to have their opinions heard. More at the South Florida Sun-Sentinel and Randstad.

---

MindTree struggles to hire local workers

MindTree's bad timing was Tara Parkins' good fortune. The software development company started interviewing in June for its new national development center in Gainesville, but most computer science graduates from the University of Florida already had taken jobs with other companies. More at the Gainesville Sun.

---

Sarasota an "underrated hotbed of American innovation"

Business Profile Off I Go For most of her career, Rita Theodor-Martinez, 50, worked in the corporate world, in banks, telecommunications companies, restaurants, retail stores. But she wasn’t happy. Finally, she decided that what she really wanted to do was “help take care of someone.” In May, she took what she calls “a leap of faith” and started Off I Go, a personal assistant/concierge service. » Full story from the Florida Times-Union » Off I Go official site and Facebook Page Related Florida Trend Content » Florida Life: Concierges

Fast Company has released a list of 10 Underrated Hotbeds of American Innovation and Sarasota is the single Florida city to make the list. The magazine cites Sarasota's media companies, medical research and film industry. More at Fast Company.

---

Unfinished Florida town is left in limbo

Republicans convening in Tampa may visit Busch Gardens, hit the Dali Museum, even check out the Mons Venus strip club. They'll probably miss a sight north of the city, where one of Florida's officially designated "New Towns" looks, for the most part, like a ghost town. More at USA Today.

---

There's an art to making money in crafts

Most craftspeople launch their small businesses because they love what they design and make. Profits aren't their major motivation. But you need to make a profit if you want to keep making all that wonderful stuff. More at Florida Today.

Out of the Box Reel Young The Boca Raton Recreation Department is hoping to reel in a harvest of G-rated moviemaking from kids ages 6 to 17. The plan is to show their films at its annual Halloween celebration. They figure it's a ripe time to show off the talent that's been nurtured over the three years the rec department has been offering movie-making workshops and classes. » Full story from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel » Official entry form » Sugar Sand Park

---