Re-Employed? Pick up the pieces

One of the ugliest features of the Great Recession and its dreary aftermath has been the high rate of long-term unemployment, which the Labor Department defines as being jobless for 27 weeks or longer.  About 1.4 million people altogether were long-termers as of January 2014.

Today, the economy is improving and the jobless rate is falling, but that leaves lots of newly employed Americans picking up the pieces of their financial lives thrown off the rails by the recession.

What if you're 50?  You don't have as much time to make up for lost earnings and forfeited retirement contributions. But there are steps you can take to get your retirement plans, and your finances in general, back on track.

• Celebrate (in moderation).
• Assess the damage and set a new budget.
• Start saving and tackle debt.
• Get a checkup.
• Catch up on retirement.
• Plan on it happening again.

For the details of these steps see the complete article here.

Exact words for salary negotiations

You have the most power to negotiate a salary after you've impressed your future employer in interviews, but before you sign an official job offer. Most employees will informally offer you the job before they give you anything to sign, and this is a good time to talk about what you want.

Your new employer wants to hire you, and has no desire to keep interviewing. More than anything, they're anxious for you to start work. This is the time; ask for more money.

For pointers on strategy and language, see the full article here.

Strategies for job seekers over 40

The recent recession battered all segments of the U.S. economy, erasing 8 million private sector jobs in the process.  For every job opening, there are at least five out-of-work Americans.

Middle-aged professionals have been hit particularly hard.  There are inherent difficulties that older workers face when having to compete against younger applicants in the new economic environment.

If you are 40 or older and looking to re-join the workplace or move up in your career, there are several extra strategies that need to be part of your job-hunting process. That’s because age discrimination still exists in subtle forms.

You need to be aware of the stereotypes that pervade the marketplace concerning older workers and learn how to overcome the barriers that hiring managers may put in your way because of your age. See the complete article here.

Things Never to Say to Your Boss

“Think before you speak” is always a good policy  …

At work it's even more important. Saying the wrong thing to your boss can do serious damage to your career -- and some of the things bosses don't like to hear may surprise you. 

Checking with some managers came up with a list of nine phrases they strongly dislike.  To see the list of what not to say and what you should say instead, see the complete article here.

Baby Boomer Job Hunting

People in their 50s and 60s might have a lower overall unemployment rate than their younger counterparts. But when they lose a job, they have a harder time returning to the workforce. Midlife and older job hunters are concerned that their age will hurt their chances of landing work, especially if they’re looking while unemployed.

66 percent of people ages 55 to 64 who are unemployed have been out of work for more than six months, according to an analysis of 2012 census data. That’s more than twice the number of those under 25 who’ve been out of work six months or more.

Ageism is one reason it’s harder for older workers to find a job. Potential employers fear – justly or not – that older workers won’t be able to keep up, won’t know the latest technology or will put in a few years and then retire. To counter these fears and get strategies for success, see the entire article here.

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.