Well it's a beautiful day today. The sun is out with a nice breeze, so sitting here on the porch I figured I'd throw a little more of my experience your way if it helps any.
You know I've tried many avenues and I've always made change when needed. You have to be ready to change at any given moment. The world has changed, but understand something. I know you need an income and you must pay taxes, but do know if you have any sort of income that you're paying taxes on all your unemployed techniques can be tax deductible. Meaning by claiming all the things you do like, buying paper for your resume, ink for your printer, minutes used on cell phones, trips to interviews, and many more you can claim this on your income tax reducing your total taxes you're required to pay. Sure it's percentages that you're allowed but it might just get you back a few needed dollars to get you through. Many people don't take this to heart and claim it. They simply just let it go and not worry about it. That's your dollars that you're not claiming and possible dollars you won't get back because you don't claim it. Claim everything you possibly can. You automatically get a standard deduction, so undoubtedly you have to claim more than your standard deduction or you'll just lose it. That has happened to me before. But knowing my standard deduction, I know what I have to work toward. Whichever is the most is what my accountant will use. But I give him everything just in case. Here's some ideas to help you along.
Office Supplies- Ink, paper, pencils, pens, staples. In some cases and yes I let the accountant know that I purchased my last laptop and accessories for the sole purpose of job searching. One might say yea but you're using it for blogging in this instance. Yes I am, but because I blog and I have evidence to show that people read my blogs listed under stats, can easily grab a potential employers interest in hiring me for a specific need based on what I might be blogging about.
Home Office - if you're using a home office, spare bedroom you might inquire how much of this are you allowed to claim, since it is your office area and you're using it for business, (ie, job searching). Percentages of electricity used, your long distance carrier, or your web provider bill that you pay to stay online on particular job sites searching. Ask about it.
Vehicle charges- gas, tires, oil, repairs. I let the accountant know about it all. He'll determine what can and cannot be claimed. As for as gas you have really one of two ways to claim it keeping each receipt showing each time you filled up or claim the standard deduction for fuel and wear and tear the IRS allows you to claim and I'm not quite sure the exact, but somewhere I believe around .71 cents per mile. Note though going this route includes tires, fuel, repairs, etc.
Interviews face to face and telephone. If you have to do the call-in, make sure you are tracking the time frame spent on the call, whom you're speaking to, the company name, etc. If using your cellular phone log the minutes and times talking. Even if they are calling you and you're using your minutes to answer you're using minutes toward job related affairs. Landlines the same way, but you can get this information off your monthly bill such as the number called, the amount in minutes you've spoke, the date, etc. Keep those bills. Face to face if you have to stop and eat, hotel expenses, etc. those items are used solely for job related affairs. However if the company you're interviewing with pays your interview expenses, you can't double claim unless you use your money and you are not reimbursed.
Check with your accountant you may also be able to claim such things like dry cleaning expenses to have suits and dresses cleaned to go to interviews.
Be proactive when it comes to listing items to claim. Look around,ask your tax preparer and you may be surprises what you're allowed to claim toward job relations.
Just a few areas of thought to help you possible get a few bucks back that might help you over the hump. Nothing here implies or suggest that I know anything about the tax codes or laws. Your accountant or tax preparer can assist you in the proper direction you might need to go, but it's worth talking with them.
OK not I've covered some of the IRS possibilities. One area I've focused on is questions and answers. Ever get hit with behavioral interviewing questions. Yes the old days of sitting down and just talking and getting to know someone is all but gone. Now you have to answer questions to be judged against. Here's several.
1- Tell me about yourself... the infamous question. This is not a question to take lightly. They are not saying tell me about your score from your golf game or how involved you are with your daughters dance class or son's baseball training or how much you enjoy fishing. Stick to the question on a professional job related experience. Whom have you worked for, what was your job or how long did you work for them. Include the roles you had and how you save the company $150,000 dollars on a project you were involved in.
2- Tell me a time when you had an unhappy client and what was the problem and what did you do to relinquish the problem.
3- How do you handle anger?
4- Tell me a time where you had a dispute between two workers, how did you handle it?
These are just some questions. If you Google and ask for "interview questions" you can find many questions that are asked typically including the top 100 questions asked during an interview.
My point here is learn the type of questions by researching them and applying your answers to them and know your answers. Preparation is key here. You don't want to be caught with a bunch of "UM's" and "a's". If you're ever asked a question that you don't know the answer clearly state, "I'm sorry, but I have no answer for this question". Don't give a bunch of "UM's". I always had suspected questions and answers available next to my phone when doing a telephone interview
You have to put forth a lot of effort to get a little bit of success out from your job search. From printing business cards, some possible advertising and marketing, learning to sell yourself, sales pitches(elevator pitch), beating the streets, working the job boards, employer sites, mailing off resumes, following up etc.
One think I've learned, don't get lazy with the computer and do everything through it. It's a great source but again part of your arsenal of tools. When you are finished with an interview, do you simply email a thank you response when you get home, or do you still mail a hard copy saying thanks. I do both. An email captures the "in the now" and set's the stage for remembering you. When the hard copy thank you comes it's an added icing on the cake so to speak. Make sure you tell the potential employer how much you enjoyed the interview and reiterate what you have to offer, but never forget to again ASK for the job. You don't have to take it once you've been selected and you've gone through everything they're offering you if it doesn't sit well with you, but always ask for the job. You may never ever get a second chance to say, "I'm interested".
One last thing, you should always be making contacts and NETWORK, NETWORK, NETWORK. Take advantage of job fairs, networking events. Anything that will put you out in the forefront of potential buyers. Buyers being employers who will purchase your product.... YOU!!!
Well, I think I've come to a stopping point in my unemployed experience. If I happen to think of more avenues and areas I have left out and need to add, I'll just add them in a future response as a new segment. I hope many of the things I've brought to light that has helped me, helps you or someone who sometimes needs a different edge on things. I do wish everyone well with hopes of obtaining a job in the near future. If you ever want to bounce something off someone, drop me a line, I'll be happy to tell you what I've done and possibly give you some more ideas! Wishing my readers the best!!!!
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