Simply Hired Blog

It's National Entrepreneurship Week!

In case you've noticed an increase of entrepreneurship classes and events popping up this past week, February 19-26, 2011 is Entrepreneurship Week! During this time, many organizations celebrate and educate others about entrepreneurship.

If you find yourself with a great passion that you find fulfilling and could become profitable, you might have the entrepreneurial spirit that drives people to start their own businesses!

According to Simply Hired polls, there are a lot of folks out there who would like to start their own business. Over a quarter (27%) of respondents on a recent SimplyHired.com poll said they would definitely start their own company, 17% said they already had, and another 36% would consider it.

It's not too late to jump in on some of the entrepreneurship events in your area! Check out your local newspaper or community college to find out more about entrepreneurship classes and events near you!

Interview Question: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Whether you're a new graduate or someone with a few years of experience under your belt, you might come across interview questions about where you'd like to go in your career during your job search. One of the more common versions of this question is, "Where do you see yourself in 5 years?". Although it may not be the most creative question, it's an important question to ask yourself anyway, and you should have a response prepared for the interview.

First, let's consider what the interviewer is really asking. They want to find out a few things: Have you given thought to your career? Are you ambitious or do you lack initiative? Do your goals fit with those of the company? Are you going to be a long-term employee or are you going to jump ship for the next big opportunity?

The interviewer doesn't want to hear that you don't plan to stay at their company for long, but instead plan to start your own business, go to grad school or live on a beach in Greece. What they want to hear is that you're looking to make a commitment to the company and that the role is not only exactly what you're looking for but also something you do well.

Don't be too rigid in your goals, such as, "I want to be promoted within a year, and be managing a team six months after that." This can automatically take you out of consideration if the position has little growth opportunity. And if you are applying for an entry-level position, this seems presumptuous and they may go with a different candidate that has more realistic goals.

A good answer to this question will show you've thought about your career and that you want to continue to learn and grow at their company, as well as shows off your strengths and accomplishments. If you have strong values about contributing to the team or working at a large corporation, include this in your answer.

For example, a good answer could be, "I'd like to continue progressing in the marketing field, and see myself in a more senior marketing role. Judging by our conversation so far, this position would give me the opportunity to gain new skills and techniques that would help me to advance. I'd like to continue taking on more responsibilities and am confident that I can make positive contributions to the team that will bring the company more success."

Keep in mind that the goal of the interview is to convince your interviewer that you are the best person for the job so that you will proceed to the next stage of the job search process: the offer. So, show the interviewer that you can contribute to the company's success!

Do you have other examples of how to answer (or how NOT to answer) questions about your goals and future? Please share them in the comments section below!

Tax Benefits for Job Seekers

Nobody likes preparing their taxes (and if you do, search for tax accountant jobs now!), but they're one of the many inevitable pains of life, like going to the dentist or paying road tolls. While we can't make the process disappear, we can help job seekers and anyone who dealt with job loss last year understand what can and can't be deducted as a job search expense on your tax return.

By now, you should have received your W-2 and other tax forms in the mail so it's time to get cracking. Before you begin, make sure you have all of your important documents together. This year, the IRS has partnered with a number of companies to provide free filing services to taxpayers who meet eligibility requirements, found at http://apps.irs.gov/app/freeFile/.

What you CAN deduct:
-    Employment and outplacement agency fees that you pay while looking for a job in your current occupation. Note that if an employer pays you back for those fees a year later, you must include that amount in your adjusted gross income up to the amount of your tax benefit for the previous year.
-    Any money spent preparing and mailing copies of your resume to prospective employers, as long as you're looking for a job in your present occupation.
-    Traveling expenses to and from an interview or area, but only if the trip is to look for a new job in your present occupation. You can use the standard business mileage rate of 50 cents per mile to figure your car expenses.
-    Long distance phone calls to potential employers while looking for a job in your current occupation.
-    Legal fees related to doing or keeping your job
-    Annual licensing or regulatory fees for your trade, business or profession

If you haven't caught it yet, you may only deduct job search expenses while looking for a job in your current occupation.

What you CAN'T deduct:
-    Any expenses related to looking for a job in a new occupation
-    Clothing or other grooming (hair cut, manicures, etc.) expenses to prepare for an interview
-    A home office used for your job search
-    Expenses and fees for classes taken to learn new skills outside of your current occupation
-    You may not deduct job search expenses if there was a substantial break between the end of your last job and the beginning of a job search
-    You can't deduct job search expenses if you're looking for a job for the first time

See the IRS Publication 529 for more information about what job search expenses can and can’t be deducted.

For those dealing with a job loss:
-    Severance pay, unemployment compensation are taxable, as well as payments for any accumulated vacation or sick time (See IRS Publication 17 for more info.)
-    Unemployment insurance benefits up to 26 weeks are taxable, as well as your extended benefits up to an additional 13 weeks (See IRS Publication 525 for more info.)
-    Withdrawals from your pension plan are taxable unless they are transferred to a qualified plan, such as an IRA (See IRS Publication 575 for more info.)
-    Moving costs from a change in your job location may be deductible, though it depends on certain criteria, such as the distance moved and timing of the move (See IRS Publication 521 for more info.)

True, taxes can be difficult, but there are benefits for job seekers who were actively looking for a new job in their occupation. Hopefully these tips can help you maximize your 2010 tax return.

DISCLAIMER: All information was found on the IRS website. If you have questions or are uncertain about any of the above points, please contact the Internal Revenue Service or a legal aid. This post is for guidance only.

Professional Email Address and Voicemail Message

Does your email address and voicemail message give the right impression to potential employers?

When applying to jobs, it's important to have a professional and appropriate email address and voicemail message for business use. It seems basic, but too often does the following occur: a job seeker applies to a job with an email address like babyguuurrrl3948@xyz.com or klingonking@xyz.com. Definitely a turn-off for potential employers.

Same goes for your voicemail message. If an employer calls you up and hears the message, "Reynolds Pizza, what's your order? KIDDING! It's Brett, leave it after the beep," chances are they'll hang up without leaving a message. An employer will consider a voicemail message like this unprofessional.

Instead, follow these rules for professional email addresses and voicemail messages:

Email address

• Create a new email address specifically for your job search. This is a good step regardless, so you don't mix up your personal and job search emails.
• If possible, include your name in your email address like firstname.lastname@xyz.com so the employer can find email correspondence from you easily.
• It’s acceptable to create an email address that corresponds to your industry or profession, such as SallySalesManager@xyz.com.
• Avoid unnecessarily complicated email addresses, especially those with long strings of numbers. Mistakes could easily be made while entering your email address, making it difficult for potential employers to contact you.

Voicemail message

• Include your name or phone number in the message, mention you’re unavailable to answer the phone. Then ask them to leave their name, number and message, and say you will get back to them as soon as possible.

Example: "Hi, this is Rachel. I’m unable to take your call now, but please leave your name, number and message after the tone and I’ll return your call as soon as possible. Thank you.”

• Speak clearly, and sound professional and polite when recording your greeting.
• Avoid background noise, musical or other “cute” messages, religious messages, joke messages, and profanity.

When you begin your job search, make sure your email address and voicemail message are simple and professional, rather than off the wall, inappropriate or bizarre. By doing so, you can ensure they will not harm your chances of being contacted by an employer. Paying attention to these small details can greatly improve your prospects of being hired.

Are you a recruiter or hiring manager who has come across an unprofessional email address or voicemail message? Do you have other tips for job seekers? Share in the comments below!

Simply Hired is a Finalist in Readers’ Choice Awards

Thanks to all of your support and nominations, SimplyHired.com has been named a finalist in the About.com Readers’ Choice Awards for best job search engine! After reviewing nominations, the About.com team selected five finalists in each category. Now, About.com has opened up voting to the public to select the winners.

Until March 8^th, you can vote for SimplyHired.com as the best job search engine – it only takes a second, we promise!

Thank you for your support of SimplyHired.com, we appreciate your help!