Products July 31, 2008

MetLife Helps Non-ERISA 403(b)s Pick Funds

July 31, 2008 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - MetLife Resources has enhanced its suite of solutions for 403(b) plans not subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) with the launch of ExpertSelect , through which MetLife makes available the objective investment expertise of Morningstar Associates, LLC.
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According to a MetLife press release, ExpertSelect offers a pre-selected mutual fund lineup designed to help employers with the selection of products for their 403(b) plans. The product was created specifically for non-ERISA plans and leverages Morningstar Associates’ quantitative and qualitative evaluation to provide a list of screened, high-quality mutual funds representing a wide range of asset classes.

403(b) plan participants can choose from the ExpertSelect list or choose a fixed account option to diversify their 403(b) plan portfolio.

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“Offering ExpertSelect along with our variable annuity product – MetLife Financial Freedom Select   ( MFFS ) variable annuity – allows employees to choose which product better suits their needs. Those wanting to invest in mutual funds to save for retirement can choose ExpertSelect and those interested in a product that can generate guaranteed income during retirement can choose MFFS,” said Thomas G. Hogan, Jr., senior vice president and head of MetLife Resources, in the press release.

Benefits July 30, 2008

IT Hiring Outlook Still Healthy

July 30, 2008 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - Despite the economic slowdown, 60.5% of chief information officers (CIO) anticipate that IT hiring will remain steady, 20.9% anticipate an increase, and only 18.6% anticipate a decrease in 2008.
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According to a quarterly CIO survey by Bluewolf, an IT consulting firm, project managers topped the list of job categories that will experience the most hiring growth in 2008, mentioned by 38% of the CIOs surveyed. Other IT jobs in demand include: database managers (17.8%); architects (17.1%); and interactive designers (7.8%).

CIOs are facing many challenges, including reduced budgets, according to 57.4% of respondents. Other challenges cited by CIOs included finding qualified resources (52.7%), the ability to provide career advancement (46.5%), and employee retention (34.9%).

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“The economic slowdown is not having a negative affect on the IT market,” said Michael Kirven, cofounder and principal at Bluewolf, in a news release. “Technology innovation is exploding right now with Web-based apps and the demand for interactive projects. Technology continues to quickly evolve and companies know that to stay ahead of the game, they need competent IT managers, analysts and innovators.”

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