Job Search Tax Deductions

When you're job searching, it's important to keep track of your job search expenses, because these costs may be a tax deduction when you file your income taxes.

If you've been looking for a job in the same line of work you're currently in, many of your expenses like phone calls, the costs of preparing and copying your resume, and career counseling are deductible. You don't have to be out of work to have some of your costs qualify as a deductible expense, but only expenses that exceed 2% percent of your income count.

Be sure to include as income your severance and unemployment, they are taxable. See the complete article here.

Resume, elaborate: Problem, Solution, Results

Use the PSR – for “problem, solution, results” — methodology to punch up your experience bullets and provide a brief project summary.

So what is this magical PSR methodology? In a nutshell, it’s a classic writing technique that authors have been using for years. Instead of providing information in a vacuum, you lure in reviewers by defining the challenge you’ve faced, your course of action and the results you achieved.

• Define the Problem
• Describe the Solution
• Outline Your Impact

The final step is to edit all of this into powerful accomplishment bullets, project summaries and interview vignettes. For more detail and an example, see the complete article here.

Interviewing, a Comprehensive Discussion

Considering that your resume has been successful in getting a call to interview, you need to understand the interviewing process. In a labor market where there are many qualified candidates competing for the same position, how you do on the interview can often determine whether you get the job. 

Here are topics you might find enlightening in your interview preparation:

• Types of Interviews
• Interviewing Strategies
• Illegal Questions
• Who gets Hired?
• Negotiating Your Compensation Package
• More Information About The Interview

For the complete discussion see the complete article here.

Tech Skills, the Disconnect

There is a current Tech demand; tech unemploymently  low. The advertised job specifications broadcast an extensive 'Wish List' few candidates can satisfy.  It’s a continuing complaint: Employers who need skilled IT professionals say they can’t find people to fill their open jobs. But job seekers say it’s getting harder and harder to find a job. Why the disconnect?

Average U.S. tech salaries rose 2.6 percent during 2012, according to the latest Dice Salary Survey.  Employers are rewarding those with the needed experience and certifications at much higher rates.

With a ‘tight market’ on the Tech side, be sure to make the most of every applicable skill you have in your resume. Remember you are replying to a Wish List; you need be just good enough to get the interview invitation. The pendulum is on the candidate’s side — “if you have the right skills, of course.”  For the complete article, click here.

Reasons For and Against Improving Economy

Employment opportunities are directly related to the economy. There has been some improvement overall in the last year. The popular news figures released for the un-employed is down to 6.7 percent (BLS U-3); while the realistic U-6 statistic is at 13.1. With this level, one out of every seven working adults is challenged for employment. The U-6 includes those unemployed that have also used up their benefits and those who have given up looking for work.

USA Today presents an article reviewing four reasons the economy is improving and four reasons it might not improve. Having some basic understanding of the factors that influence the economy can help appreciating the dilemma of being un-employed. See the complete article here.

Eight Top Articles from 2013

There have been many articles presented on this blog over the last year. Here are the most popular 8 from the Beyond.com site, one of the sites watched for employment tips. 

1. 5 Ways to Tell if Your Interview Went Well
2. 5 Myths That Hurt a Job Search
3. Can You Lose a Job for Being Too Attractive?
4. Six Reasons Your Search Has Stalled
5. Getting the Job When You're Underqualified
6. Four Job Qualifications You Don't Really Need
7. Six Tips for a Solid Resume
8. The Top Four Career Lies

The full article at Beyond.com can be found here

Getting the Job When You're Underqualified

When you're changing careers, getting your foot in the door can often be the most difficult part. Even though you may have tons of experience in your industry, which could carry over to the new career, odds are good that you don't meet every requirement on the employer's list.

So, how can you get a job when you're underqualified?

First, it's important to know that when an employer advertises a job opening, most of their list of requirements is a wish list. They are qualifications that the employer would like to find, but they aren't set in stone. Even if you don't meet all of them, you can still apply for the job.

In order to land a job you aren't completely qualified for, you have to consider what your qualifications are. Do you meet at least 80 percent of their advertised requirements? If you were the hiring manager, why would you hire someone with your skills? The answer to these questions will help you determine how to market yourself.

To learn the "rest of the procedures" to follow, click here.