Managing Your Personal Finances While Job Searching

Guest PostsJob Search

Last year has shown us that we need to be prepared for everything, especially when looking for a new job even if you just found one, or received a promotion, because no one is secure from businesses closing during an economic decline. Sometimes, however, the reason for the job search is more positive, because you don’t want “a job”, you are looking for “the job”, a special place to reveal your potential and have the opportunity to work with industry leaders.

Regardless of the reason, along with updating your resume, you will need to think about finance management during your search, because no one canceled the rent bills or food expenses.

Assess your Current Financial Situation

First things first, know where you are now. Gather all the information about your financial situation to better plan your life while you are in the search. How much savings do you have? Do you have any debts or other obligations?  What valuable assets can you sell or lend to gain profit and live while there’s no active income? Check all the bank account details, including deposits and statement reviews to see how long you can live on the current amount you have, and what is the backup plan like moving back with parents, sharing the rent with friends, or selling some of your possessions if things are not going well with the job search.

Calculate your Budget

Check your utility bills and find out how much you spend on the rent, groceries, and other essentials per month. This information will help you to properly plan your budget and estimate how much you need to cover your living costs. This is required to realistically plan your expenses and stick to it after.  Don’t forget to include some extra for birthdays and an emergency fund, for cases like health issues or unplanned appliance repairs.

Think about Freelance Opportunities

Sometimes it may happen that your savings are not enough to make it through the search. For such cases, temporary engagement in freelance may be the option. There are a lot of freelance platforms, like Upwork or Fiverr where you can find a part-time job or a one-time gig.  Note though, that if you are engaged in regular freelance for additional income, it’s subject to taxes that may vary depending on the country, so you will need to figure out how to properly handle freelance taxes in order to avoid trouble.

Limit your Expenses

You will need to temporarily forget about some pleasant things like coffee to go every morning, nights out, and another digital subscription for fun, be more attentive to coupons, sales, and freebies, and last but not least, start to log the expenses. Luckily, now we have all means for doing so starting from web and mobile applications to any taste to monitor your spending and know if you are moving in accordance to your budget plan. This won’t last forever, but you need to embrace new circumstances.

Following these simple yet effective tips will help you to stay on top of your financial situation. The process of searching for a job sometimes is more time-consuming than you expect and poses a lot of limitations on your budget. That’s why it’s better to get prepared and start learning the basics of finance management even when you have a regular income. It may save you in times of uncertainty and give you more flexibility when you will be searching for better opportunities in the job market.

Ken Boyd
Accounting & Finance Expert; Content Manager at AIS-CPA
w: https://www.ais-cpa.com/

6 Benefits to Look for When Job Searching in 2021

Guest PostsJob Search

As you begin your 2021 job search, there are plenty of essential things on your mind:

  • “What are my career interests?”
  • “Which types of jobs am I qualified for?”
  • “What is my ideal work environment?”
  • “Am I a more independent worker or a more collaborative one?”
  • “Do I want to work part-time or full-time?”
  • “How much do I want/need to get paid?”

And so on, and so forth. But in addition to these crucial questions, you’ll also want to take a close look at benefit packages as you start applying for jobs, and even more importantly when you begin to compare job offers. Over the last year, due in part to the ongoing pandemic, a lot has changed in the job market, including benefit trends. While some companies are downsizing their benefit packages, others are shifting theirs to better reflect the modern workplace.

In this post, we’re discussing the importance of benefits packages and what you should look for as a job seeker in 2021; plus, how employers can keep up their recruiting and retention efforts in the new year.

1. Competitive pay

Competitive pay is probably one of the primary requirements on your wishlist for your next role, but it can be challenging to determine what’s competitive for your market and what isn’t. When it comes to identifying competitive pay, you have to consider the role itself, your professional expertise, industry standards, as well as the cost of living in your local area.

Check out the resources below to find accurate salary data for your industry and geographic location:

  • S. Employee Census
  • Bureau of Labor Statistics
  • SHRM Compensation Data Center
  • Job search platforms (i.e., Indeed, Glassdoor, Monster)

2. Retirement plans with immediate vesting and employer matching

Over the last 40 years, retirement funds, specifically 401(k) plans, have become a popular and practically standard perk of employee benefit packages. Employer-sponsored retirement plans offer team members the opportunity to invest a portion of their earnings into their eventual retirement, so, throughout the course of their career, employees can build up their retirement savings.

Because retirement plans are not mandated by law, it’s up to the employer whether or not they want to establish one and if they want to allow new employees to start vesting right away or not. Immediate vesting means that new employees can start saving toward their retirement as soon as their first paycheck is processed. This can be a huge perk for job seekers.

In addition to immediate vesting, many employers opt to match their employees’ retirement contributions, up to a certain percentage. As of 2019, the average matching contribution was 4.3% of an employee’s pay. Offering 401(k) matching not only helps employees accelerate their retirement savings, but it also improves employee retention rates. In fact, 401(k) matching ranks as one of the top 5 benefits employees value more than a pay raise.

3. Telehealth options

When you think about benefit packages, health care is probably the first thing that comes to mind. And as the COVID-19 pandemic carries on, health insurance is arguably more important to today’s workers than ever before. What’s unique about health care trends for 2021 is that more employers are adopting telehealth options as part of their benefit packages.

Telehealth options allow individuals to seek care over the phone or via video chat, rather than going into the clinic. In addition to keeping employees safe amid a global health crisis, telehealth also creates an opportunity for employers to provide medical access to their remote and rural employees.

4. Non-medical perks

A lot has changed over the last year, and in order to keep up with their competitors and shifts in work environment and culture, employers have had to rethink their benefit packages. One way companies are transforming their perks and staying on-trend is by offering non-medical perks that fit into the 2021 lifestyle.

Some examples of non-medical perks include:

  • Childcare services
  • Remote meal plans via delivery
  • Pet insurance
  • Life insurance
  • Wellness programs
  • Home office stipends
  • Short- and long-term disability insurance
  • Errand-running and concierge services
  • Household management services

5. Paid time off and holidays

Paid time off (PTO) is another popular ingredient in an employee benefit package, and with burnout and stress on the rise, we expect it to continue to be standard. According to a study by Zenefits, private sector companies offer 10 days of PTO for first-year employees, and between 3-4 extra days for every 5 years of service thereafter. PTO policies do not include paid holidays or sick days, so be sure to consider all three categories when calculating total time off.

6. Flexible work from home options

Although the end of the COVID-19 pandemic is nearly in sight, many employees will continue to work from home for the next several months, and maybe even longer. But as employees have adapted to the WFH lifestyle, we expect many employers to start offering more flexible remote work policies as we enter a post-pandemic world. Including a weekly, biweekly, or flexible work from home days can be a big draw for professionals in 2021.

Wrapping up

As we start off the new year, we’ll continue to face the positive and challenging changes inspired by 2020. If you’re researching benefit trends to improve your business’ onboarding packages, remember to consider what perks will be most valuable to your employees. This depends on their lifestyle, goals, industry standards, and your company culture.

As for job seekers in 2021, keep these 6 benefits on your wishlist to help you narrow down job offers, and ultimately, find the best fit for you. If a company does not include the benefits you’re looking for, remember that you may be able to negotiate your benefits package, just as you would a salary.

Which of these perks are at the top of your priority list? Share your thoughts with us in the comment section below — happy job hunting!

Sophie Sirois is a writer based in sunny San Diego, CA, currently writing content for 365businesstips.com. With her Bachelor’s of Art in Strategic Communication behind her, Sophie began working in the content marketing sphere and has been crafting unique, informative, and click-worthy content ever since. Sophie enjoys covering a variety of topics, including tech, finance, business, marketing, wellness, and culture.

 

The Ultimate Guide to Accepting a Job Offer

Guest PostsJob Search

If you have been in an active job search for a while, or even if you are just starting out, when you finally get that job offer, your tendency is to “jump” at it, sometimes without really giving it much thought. There are many reasons for this. You may think that another offer will never come, you don’t think you are really deserving of a job, or you really do think it is a great offer. Whatever your reason for grabbing at the offer, you need to give yourself a moment to pause, take a step back, and think through some things before accepting the offer. Here is a guide to follow when you have received that job offer to help you process whether this is the job to take or not.

The Ultimate Guide To Accepting A Job Offer

Rich Diaz is President of Advanced Resources, an office staffing agency headquartered in Chicago, IL. He has more than 20 years of experience in the industry and focuses on helping people in the consulting, staffing and direct hire space.

Top Tips and Techniques for A Successful Job Search

Guest PostsJob Search
c-level personal branding
c-level personal branding

Searching for a job is a crucial part of your professional career. It isn’t just about simply submitting a copy of your résumé to a recruiter and then waiting for a call. Because of the ever-growing influx of job seekers everywhere and the impact of the internet in our society, the process of job searching has changed a bit. Job searching nowadays is online and network-based. It’s a matter of using the resources you have at your disposal to get hired. And if you don’t have enough weapons on your arsenal, then you will have a tough time landing a job. If you’ve just hit another dead-end on your job search, then consider another plan of action. Here are some top tips and techniques for a successful job search to help you in crafting a job search strategy.

Take a Path to Self-discovery

First up, you must discover yourself. Do a detailed self-analysis to determine your skills, interests, achievements, ambitions, values, and potential. All of these are factors essential in finding the right job for you. Once you have found out what you really need and want, then it will be smooth-sailing from there. The next steps rely on what you find out in this process.

Adapt Your Résumé

Take as much time as you need to focus on writing a tailored résumé specifically targeting the job(s) you wish to apply for. Make sure that every important detail is mentioned clearly. Give the recruiter a chance to know why you are the best candidate for the job. Remember that most online job hiring posts can get pretty crowded, particularly a high paying job with good benefits, so the recruiter should be able to identify the skills you define at a glance on your résumé.

Find the Right Match

Find a shoe that fits. Since you have already discovered your needs and wants, it will be easy. Follow your interests, values, and skills to find the appropriate job to apply for. Do the necessary research and learn about the companies that you are interested in. See which ones have a suitable job offer that checks off the boxes on the list of your self-discoveries.

Be Proactive in your Approach

The normal thing to do after you’ve sent out your applications is to wait for a response from the recruiters. Do not do that. Although there is some truth to the saying “Good things come to those who wait,” you have to remember that we are living in a modern world. Instead of waiting, go out there and go after the things that you want.

Capitalize on Your Network

As cliché as it sounds, being able to “name drop” on your résumé or cover letter can elevate your application to the top of the pile or close to it. Make the best out of the network that you have to land a job. Reach out to former colleagues, team leaders, or supervisors to see if there is a job vacancy that they are aware of. If you just got out of school, you can ask your family members or friends if they can recommend you to a company.

Track Your Job Search Processemployment

The good thing about recruitment nowadays is that it’s done online. In the era of smartphones, it’s easier to keep track of your job search activity and applications. Keep tabs of all the applications you’ve sent. This way you’ll know which ones to follow-up one, what responses you’ve received, etc.

Set Your Goals

And last but not least, remember to set your goals, weekly or daily. This allows your mind to be an active participant in your job search. Make sure that you set attainable and measurable goals, which you can look back on in the future as a way to track your progress.

Author’s Bio: Rosette Monell works as a human resource personnel in an Asian firm. Aside from her job, she’s also a freelance writer who talks so passionately about public relations, different work ethics, and culture. On her free days, she likes to spend time alone with a good book about career building in one hand and a warm cup of tea in the other.

Job Mob's Top 40 Job Search articles

Job Search

you helped get us on the top 40+ list!
 
JobMob recently published their Top 40+ Job Search Blog Posts of 2013. This is a great list from distinguished career experts of what other job searchers have been reading and have found helpful, all over the globe. One of our latest posts is on that list: Unemployed? You Have Secret Powers!
Of course, it is an affirmation that we provide a service our readers are interested in, and that’s always a good feeling. But it also shows that you are not alone in your search for employment, and that has all kinds of feelings attached to it.

  • It’s intimidating to realize there are so many job seekers out there
  • It’s encouraging to know you are not alone and have support
  • It’s hopeful to anticipate the results of steps you are making in your career plans

Professional Resume Services has a mission: to craft powerful, exciting, and effective resumes for every job seeker on the planet. That’s a big goal, isn’t it? Maybe it won’t really happen all over the planet, but it sure will happen a lot this coming year because we will be doing it one job seeker at a time. Maybe it will be in the form of a resume critique, or coaching, or a resume package. Maybe it will be in the form of this blog, encouraging and guiding along the search. Maybe it will be on Facebook or some other social media.
See how many facets there are? Like the cuts on a diamond, each different facet of a job search is another angle that reflects the light a different way. It takes a lot of angles to make a diamond shine and sparkle, and it takes a lot of angles to make a career do the same thing. All the different things you do make up who you are and what you have to offer, and a good resume is like those lights at the jeweler’s shop causing the gems to sparkle with reflections: it illuminates what you have and makes it shine.
 

Time Management For Job Seekers

Job Search

time management for job search
Searching for a job takes a lot of effort. It can also take a lot of time, but it doesn’t have to take over all your time. You can still search for a job and find a job, without losing days at a time if you follow these tips to help you manage your time.

  • Use efficient methods of job searching: The most efficient job search method is to use the internet. The internet is fast, easy, and in some cases will do the work for you. Sign up for a job hosting site and opt in for email notifications when jobs that fit your profile show up on the site. This will give you time to work on other aspects of the job search like preparing a resume, cover letter, or practicing your interview attitude.
  • Set aside time that is for only job searching: It is more than likely that if you don’t have a specific time and purpose when you sit down at the computer you will end up doing nothing of value and wasting time. If you have set aside a couple hours for only job searching, then you will stay focused and get better results.
  • Take breaks: If you don’t take breaks every once in a while during your job search you will lose focus and your searching will be less effective. You will also start to dread the searching and not want to do it the next day or at all. This is not the attitude you want to have when searching for a job.

These tips will help keep you (and your job search) focused and will help you manage your time while searching for a job so you can move on to the next steps and get the job you want.



In spite of the demonstrated value of networking as a primary job search technique, many people have a very hard time grasping the concept. They may recognize its value for other people, yet they do not think that they have the personal characteristics to put it all together. If you consider yourself one of the “nervous networkers”, you also probably think of yourself as a shy person, or at least around people that you do not know well, but you could find yourself under one or more incorrect myths surrounding networking.
Myth – Networking only works for outgoing brown-nosers.
Fact – People who are more inclined to strike up a conversation may feel more comfortable using networking than their more introverted counterparts, but this doesn’t necessarily mean that they are any better. Introverted people typically have very valuable gifts at their disposal – such as the capacity to listen well, ask thorough questions and succeed at follow-ups. Plus, networking becomes much easier the more you work at it. Like many emotional or mental challenges, it takes some time before you’re completely comfortable. Most of the energy is spent at the beginning – making the first couple of phone calls and setting up your initial meetings. But, as you gather momentum, it becomes much easier. Your networking may start off as a snowball, but once it gets rolling, it turns into an avalanche. Before contacting anyone, remind yourself that networking is an essential part of finding a job in today’s America.
Myth – Only desperate and under-qualified people have to network. People who are good at their jobs can get them the traditional way, through only job boards or job listing ads.
Fact – Everyone has to look for employment throughout their careers. When you start off you did not immediately have a job, you had to look around and ask friends if they knew of anything. Many people go through this process several times. Smart and savvy jobseekers know that many of the best positions are not actively advertised and that highly qualified applicants put a lot more of their energy into networking than browsing the want ads. Networking is a smart way to find a job.
Myth – It’s embarrassing to go around asking people for a job.
Fact – Everyone has done it. It may be embarrassing at the moment, but it won’t be when you get that first pay check. The purpose of networking is not to beg. It’s not even to ask for a job. You don’t start networking expecting a job just to fall in your lap. You go in to learn about the position, the people and the company in your area.
Myth – Networkers are imposing on the people they ask.
Fact – If everyone was imposed on when they were asked for a job, no one would ever volunteer a position to their friends and colleagues. Many people that you will ask got their job through networking. They may have felt like they were imposing but they did what they had to do to find a job, just like you should.
Don’t count networking out as a viable job search technique. It may put you in the right spot at the right time.

Mid-Year Job Search Checkup–What's Working and What's Not?

Career CollectiveExecutive ResumesJob SearchProfessional ResumesResume WritingResumes

**I am a member of the Career Collective, a group of resume writers and career coaches. Each month, all members discuss a certain topic. This month, we are talking about what job seekers can do now at the half year mark.  Please follow our tweets on Twitter #careercollective. You can also view the other member’s interesting posts at the end of the article.


With summer in full swing and the first half of the year gone already, it’s time to do a little inventory of your job search.
What has worked for you and what hasn’t?
First and foremost take a good, long, honest look at your resume.
What message is it conveying? Is it portraying what you excel in? Is it telling the reader what you can do for them or is it just a laundry list of what you’ve done. Is it focused on the job advertised? Sometimes I get a resume and I think, “Soooo, what does this person want to do??” Be specific and clear. Let the reader know why you are the best choice for the job. Remember, you are your product. You have to sell yourself.
Beef up your networking (especially if you don’t have one).
Have you told everyone of your decision to job search? Friends, family and colleagues? Have you updated your LinkedIn profile? What about other social networking profiles? Time to start creating some. Have you gone to any networking functions? Met any new people? If you haven’t, it’s time to put yourself out there and ‘make some new friends’ as your mother would say. Putting your resume on Monster.com won’t help you land a job.
Consider staying in your existing position – making the most of it.
So, perhaps if you’ve been job searching while still employed, and not having much luck, your existing job is looking better and better. Analyze your current situation. What is it you don’t like about your job? More money? A better boss? Bigger challenges? What is it you want to change? Can you talk with your employer and see if you can work something out? Sometimes staying put has its advantages.
With only a month and a half until September, sit down and write yourself a new strategy for the second half of the year. Having a plan will help you feel more in control of your career and more positive about what is to come.
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4 Summer Strategies to Step Up Your Job Search, @DebraWheatman, #careercollective
Putting Your Job Search Up On The Rack For Inspection, @dawnrasmussen, #careercollective
Mid-Year Job Search Checkup: Are you wasting your time? @GayleHoward, #careercollective
What is your unique value proposition? @keppie_careers, #careercollective
It is Time for Your Check-up Ms/Mr Jobseeker, @careersherpa, #careercollective
Mid-Year Career Checkup: Are You “On Your Game?” @KatCareerGal, #careercollective
How to Perform a Mid-Year Job Search Checkup, @heatherhuhman, #careercollective
Reposition your job search for success, @LaurieBerenson, #careercollective
Mid-Year Job Search Checkup: What’s working and What’s not? @erinkennedycprw, #careercollective
Mid-Year Job Search Check-Up: Getting Un-Stuck, @JobHuntOrg, #careercollective
Mid-Year Check Up: The Full 360, @WalterAkana, #careercollective
5 Tips for Fighting Summer Job Search Blues, @KCCareerCoach, #CareerCollective
Are you positive about your job search? @DawnBugni, #CareerCollective
Where Are The Jobs? @MartinBuckland, @EliteResumes, #CareerCollective
Mid-Year Job-Search Checkup: Get Your Juices Flowing, @ValueIntoWords, #CareerCollective
When Was Your Last Career & Job Search Check Up? @expatcoachmegan, #CareerCollective
Is Summer A Job Search Momentum Killer? @TimsStrategy, #careercollective