The Global Challenges of Corona Virus.

The challenges posed by the raging corona virus across the global community is stretching far beyond the scope of healthcare. It's beginning to take its toll on the socioeconomic lives of people especially in the United States.

Just like the unfortunate aftermath of the 9-1-1 tragedy, several companies are now closing down and laying off their staff. Just yesterday, a company in Pennsylvania laid off a whopping 700 staff members. Yet, among the multiplying effects of this sad reality is the inability of those being laid off to pay their bills and even feed their families. Mortgage payments, rents, utilities and grocery-shopping are now becoming a herculean task for many families. The situation is really critical.

Today, Delmarva (electric company) announced that it has suspended all service disconnections and waiving late payment fees for those who can not afford to pay. This is a step in the right direction and we can only hope that other utility companies will take a cue from Delmarva while praying for them all to remain in service. God bless America.

Suzy Welch: 3 things you should always do in a job interview (and 1 mistake to avoid at all costs).

Regardless of how qualified you are for a job, saying or doing the wrong thing in an interview can easily hurt your chances.

Bestselling management author and CNBC contributor Suzy Welch says that to test you, employers "will try to get beyond the standard Q&A by using all sorts of 'techniques,'" in order to see if you're the perfect candidate.
Welch tells CNBC Make It that there are three things you should make sure to do before, during and after an interview — as well as one mistake you should make absolutely sure to avoid:

1. Dress appropriately for the environment:

While a suit and tie or high heels and a skirt may no longer be the traditional interview uniform, Welch says that doesn't mean you can totally relax your attire.
She suggests asking someone you know about the dress code at the company or doing a simple Google search to find images of current employees. Then, she says, you should pick out an appropriate outfit for the occasion that's comfortable, but not too flashy.

"At the end of the day, and interview, you want people talking about your ideas after you leave, not your outfit," says Welch. "Keep that front of mind, and you'll look just fine."

2. Be direct: Say you want the job

After you've discussed your background and accomplishments, Welch says you should end the meeting by telling the employer one thing: "I really want this job."
Doing this, she says, won't make you sound desperate. It will show hiring managers your sincerity, courage and humility.
"The person hearing it knows it's difficult to say," explains Welch. "They know it takes moxie, and they'll remember that."
She says that in the end, you must remember that your goal in an interview is to "make your case" and "give it your all."

3. Follow up promptly

Performing well during the interview is only half the battle. According to Welch, it's what you do after an interview that can "make or break your chances of getting an offer."
In addition to writing a personalized thank-you note that expands on at least one point of discussion from the interview, Welch says you should edit your social media accounts and connect with your interviewer on LinkedIn.
"After your interview, post intelligent tweets about your industry or the economy," she advises, "and please, avoid stupid Instagram pics."
She also warns that when sending a LinkedIn request you don't want to "just click a button." Instead, she says, "say something about how much you enjoyed meeting and discussing x, y or z." 

And one mistake to make sure you avoid

According to Welch, acting too casual or relaxed during a job interview is one of the biggest blunders you can make.
She recalls the time when she made this error as a recent Harvard University graduate who was interviewing for a reporting job with the Kansas City Times.
While riding to lunch with a group of editors from the paper she says she remembers asking, "So, what kinda food we getting?" as if they were old friends. She recalls meeting with the editor-in-chief later that day and asking him where he lived, as if she was scouting local real estate.
The next morning, she says, she got a call letting her know that she didn't get the job because she didn't "fit in." "The editor didn't have to explain himself," she says. "I was dumb, but not so dumb that I didn't know I had overstepped."
"Even if you think you're perfect for the job," she warns, you need to always remember, "they are the buyer, you are the seller."
"Do not," Welch says, "let down your guard."

This Is the Average American's Salary.

In an age of oversharing, many of us are remarkably tight-lipped when it comes to talking salary. But in reality, knowing where you stand can help you determine whether you're in a good place or whether you should be taking steps to boost your earnings.

The average U.S. worker today earns roughly $46,641 a year, according to data from the Social Security Administration. The median salary in the country, however, is only $30,533, which tells us that a greater number of people earn less than the average than more.

Of course, the best way to determine whether your salary is fair is to research your specific industry and see how others with your job title are doing. Better yet, see what local folks with your job title are being paid, as that'll give you an even more accurate point of comparison. But if you find that you're earning less than the average worker with your qualifications, you'll want to take steps to boost your income. Here are a few to start with.

1. Ask for a raise: Asking your boss for more money is a pretty daunting notion, but if you're serious about increasing your earnings, you'll need to get over it. Amazingly, 56% of workers have never asked for a raise, according to CareerBuilder, but of those who have, 66% were successful in getting some sort of boost. So do your research, figure out what you should be making, and present that data to your boss. Not only that, but go in with a list of ways you add specific value to your company to further drive home your argument. It may not be an easy conversation to have, but it's a necessary one nonetheless. 

2. Improve your skills: The more you know, the more critical an employee you'll be regarded as. If you're looking to earn more money, take steps to improve your skills. This doesn't necessarily mean obtaining an advanced degree. Rather, look into the various certifications you might manage to get, or seek out learning opportunities at conferences and seminars. A modest amount of effort on your part could translate into a nice bump in your income. 

3. Dust off your resume: We're often encouraged to be patient and work our way up at our respective companies. But if you're looking for a sizable salary boost, moving to another employer may be the fastest way to get there. And while too much job-hopping can make you look flighty, if you do it strategically, it can work to not only bump up your earnings, but help advance your career as well. 

4. When all else fails, get a second gig: In an ideal world, we'd all earn enough from our primary jobs to call it a day. But there's a reason a good 44 million Americans are holding down a side hustle: They're not making enough money from their main employers, and they need a means of compensating. The good news, however, is that 36% of workers with a side gig bring home more than $500 a month extra as a result, so if you're willing to put in some time, you can boost your income without having to be at the mercy of your boss. 

Whether you earn more or less money than the average American, it never hurts to try to grow your income. Follow these steps, and with any luck, you'll land a raise one way or another. 

By Maurie Backman,

Five Most Useless Job Skills Employers Don’t Want Anymore.

For millions of Americans, there’s nothing more frightening than waking up one day and discovering you’re redundant. You’ve suddenly become replaceable, and the world has moved on without you. What are you supposed to do? In all likelihood, you’ve invested many years in a specific career path. You’ve sunk tens of thousands into degrees and certificates. Perhaps you’ve even given up more lucrative jobs to chase a passion. 

Then, in one fell swoop, the rug has been pulled out from under you. It’s a scary thought. But for more and more people, it’s becoming a reality. The jobs of today are not the jobs of tomorrow. And the job skills you needed yesterday are not the job skills you need today — or tomorrow.

Unfortunately, there’s no easy way to tell which way the economic winds will shift. We have an idea, though. Truck drivers are probably going to be out of work in the near future, for example. And most factory work is being automated. This means a lot of people need to take stock of their experience, skills, and abilities to keep pace. 

The first step is to take a look at your resume and purge all of the unnecessary or redundant information. That starts with job skills that no longer apply. If you want the jobs of today or tomorrow, you need to frame yourself as an employee who’s ready for those jobs. There are many ways in which you’ll want to take special care in preparing your resume, but a good place to start is by focusing on the key skills that will get you the job. 

Regarding the following skills, unless an employer is specifically looking for them, it’s probably best to leave them off of your CV. Here are 13 job skills employers aren’t looking for anymore. 

1. Microsoft Office: At this point, Microsoft Office is so ubiquitous that it’s pretty much an expectation you’ll know the basics. At least some familiarity with Word and Excel are going to be expected by most employers. Depending on the job or industry, possibly other programs, such as Powerpoint or OneNote, will be expected, too. If you know these programs, that’s great. But leave it off your CV unless the posting specifically lists them.



2. Word processing: “Word processing” is really a term or phrase from a past generation. Essentially, it means typing. You’re able to use a keyboard and get thoughts out of your head and into a word processor, such as Word or Notepad. Again, it’s pretty much expected at this point that you know how to type. If you don’t, it should be one of the first things you work on to get up to speed. 

3. Administration: The ability to administer isn’t bad — in fact, it’s a good thing. But it’s not necessarily a skill you’ll want to, or even need to, include on your resume. An employer should be able to tell administration is in your wheelhouse by looking at your experience and background. If leadership is in your bones, your resume should speak for itself.



4. Customer service: Again, this isn’t a skill that’s bad to have or that’s even outdated. It’s just something you shouldn’t have to put on your CV. If you’ve worked in customer service positions, your resume will relay that. And if you were bad at it your resume will probably relay that, as well. But if you’re good at customer service, your past job experience will likely speak for itself.



5. Ability to work on a team or independently: This is a popular phrase that employers like to use. It’s also meaningless. You’re either going to work on a team or by yourself, right? If you can walk and breathe, you’re going to be able to do one of the two. Some people work better alone, while others thrive in a team atmosphere. But this isn’t necessarily something you should list as a skill. Employers want workers to be able to work in a variety of situations. Once again, your resume should reflect your ability to do so at a glance.

Four Actions to Take If You're Retiring in 2017.

But before you start planning your retirement party, make sure you do these four things if you're retiring in 2017.

1. Don't Leave Money on the Table: As part of your employment, you may be entitled to "matching" and/or "profit-sharing" contributions from your employer to your 401(k) or other retirement plan. Since you typically need to be actively employed on the date the payment occurs to receive these funds, make sure you understand these terms prior to setting your final work date. You don't want to miss out on "free" money!

For personal contributions, you may want to increase your contribution percentage to help you reach your annual maximum. Many employers cap the amount you can contribute to your plan from each paycheck. Since you may not be able to increase your contribution rate to 100% for your last couple of paychecks, you may need to instead increase your contribution percentage long before you retire to max out. 

Your pension benefits are calculated based upon your earnings history. Consequently, you will want to align your retirement date with the timing of your annual compensation adjustment, because retiring before that date could cause you to miss out on including another year of higher compensation in your pension calculation. 

On a similar note, it's important to understand the timing and eligibility requirements for any bonus payments you may receive. Most people are required to be gainfully employed at the time the bonus is paid in order to receive it. If you do happen to leave before this date, you may be able to negotiate benefits as part of your retirement agreement. 

Unused vacation days are typically paid out as part of your final paycheck. This can be a problem when you have an exceptionally large amount of time off, as the large lump sum could push you into a higher tax bracket. If you are planning to retire near the end of the year, take vacation time when you planned to retire, which may enable you to push a hunk of your remaining "vacation wages" into the next year and help minimize the ripple effect from a large, one-time payment.

2. Refresh Your Risk Profile: Retirement is a major turning point in your life. It's not just the transition from full-time work to either part-time or no work at all. It's also the transition from saver to spender, where you face the reality of spending down your retirement nest egg.

Given the run-up in the markets since 2009, your asset allocation may be more heavily weighted in stocks than you initially intended. Rebalancing your investments is a good idea during your working years, but it's even more critical to keep things in balance once you retire. Since you'll be drawing down your savings to finance your retirement, having too much of your portfolio in riskier assets like stocks leaves you vulnerable to a potential market downturn. 

Before you rebalance, keep in mind that you may incur tax liabilities and/or transaction costs, and rebalancing does not assure a profit or protect against a loss. 

3. Avoid Underpaying Your Taxes: When you're working, your employer automatically withholds taxes from your paycheck unless you opt out to reduce (or increase) this amount. In retirement, the opposite is true. By default, taxes are not withheld on your retirement income. Instead, you must opt in to have taxes withheld from your Social Security benefits, pension benefits and IRA/401(k) distributions. If you don't have taxes withheld, estimated tax payments (federal and state) will likely become a necessary part of your life. 

Imagine you and your spouse are planning on having $150K in retirement income ($50K of Social Security benefits, $25K of pension benefits and $75K of traditional IRA distributions). For federal taxes, you'll need to pay about $5,500 every quarter ($22K annually) in estimated tax payments. Failing to do so will leave you with approximately $500 in underpayment penalties. 

Opting in to have taxes withheld from your retirement income will help you dodge penalties from late payment on taxes and avoid the uncomfortable feeling of writing large checks to the IRS. 

4. Talk with Your Spouse: It's worthwhile to have a good idea of how you're going to spend your newfound free time in retirement. I've met with many clients who gave me a "deer in the headlights look" when I asked them what an ideal day in retirement looks like both today and a year from now (after the initial retirement buzz disappears). They were unprepared for the prospect of converting 40+ hours "in the office" into 40+ hours of meaningful activity. 

At the same time, they also lacked a plan for spending time with their spouse. After all, one or both of you have regularly worked for the past several decades. Retirement creates a brand new dynamic that removes the element of scheduled separation. Instead, you're going to be stuck (blissfully, I hope) with each other. How will you spend that time? Volunteering? Working around the home? Traveling abroad? 

Creating a plan for staying busy that both you and your spouse agree on will help ensure that your golden years are sweet, not bittersweet. 

The Bottom Line: Taking the plunge into retirement is a monumental milestone. It's important that you're ready for it. Ask yourself and/or your adviser the following questions to help you evaluate your retirement readiness:

Do I have a robust understanding of my employer's benefits plans?

What effective (non-marginal) tax rate should I use when setting up withholding on my retirement income payments? 

Navigating your retirement journey requires that you and/or your adviser have confident answers to these questions. If you lack clarity, I encourage you to seek better guidance that ensures you are on track with your financial plan and the pursuit of your long-term goals. 

Courtesy: Brian Vnak, CFP, CPA.

Can’t Get a Job? 4 Mistakes That Can Get You on the ‘No Hire List’.

Finding a good job is tough. You have to send out dozens of resumes, connect with your network, say the right things, spin around three times, and then pray really hard that the interviewer likes you enough to score an interview. But sometimes, no matter how hard you try, your interviews go nowhere. Weeks turn into months, and despite your best efforts, you’re still at square one. If your job hunt has been taking longer than usual and your search seems to be leading from one dead end to another, the sobering truth is you may be causing your own misfortune. Here are some the biggest mistakes that could result in you being placed on the “no hire list.”

1. Showing up in a bad mood: No matter what happened to you immediately before the interview, and no matter how tiring your job search has been, don’t come to the interview with a sour attitude. No one wants to work with someone who is always scowling and complaining. Your interviewer cares about your skills, but he or she also wants to work with someone who won’t negatively affect team morale.

Corporate trainer Chavaz Kingman said if you want the job, you’ll have to fix your attitude. “One thing people don’t often think of before a job interview is the mood they are in. If you have friends or relatives who are not your greatest cheerleaders, then don’t speak to them before the job interview. You want to be as uplifted and as focused as possible. Get rid of the negative voices before walking into the interview,” Kingman told The Cheat Sheet. 

 

2. Being unprepared: Before you go to your interview, make sure you take care of the basics. It’s not enough to wear a new suit and have perfect hair. At the very least, you should know some information about the company as well as a few things about your interviewer, such as his or her work experience. Life and career coach Maggie Reyes said preparation is as simple as doing an internet search. It only takes a few minutes to look this information up on the corporate web page. “Well-prepared candidates review the company website. If they know who they will be meeting, they look them up on LinkedIn or Google and learn about their interviewer. They prepare questions about the role and the company ahead of time and ask intelligent, relevant questions during the interview,” Reyes told The Cheat Sheet.

3. Disregarding the phone interview: Don’t take the phone interview lightly. Your success or failure could determine whether you are granted a face-to-face interview. Just because the interview is over the phone doesn’t mean you don’t have to prepare. Do your best to sound enthusiastic and do enough research so that you can ask and answer a variety of questions. “Candidates should never discount a phone interview as just a screening call. Today, many employers conduct a series of phone interviews before inviting candidates to meet in person. It’s important to prepare for a phone interview just as you would for an in-person meeting,” Annette Richmond, a former recruiter and founder of Career Intelligence Resume Writing and Career Services, told The Cheat Sheet. 

4. Not reading the job description: Applying blindly to every job you see won’t get you very far. Take time to thoroughly review the job description and think about how your skills match what the employer is requesting from candidates. Reyes said analyzing the description and reviewing how you can deliver on the employer’s request may help you not only sell yourself but also answer tough questions during the interview. “Prepared candidates review the job description and make notes about what portions of their experience are transferable to the role they are applying for. Those notes may or may not come up in the interview, but it helps to be prepared. If there is any part of your experience that isn’t immediately obvious in the resume, but is highly relevant, make a note of that so you can bring it up organically during the conversation,” advised Reyes.

Courtesy: The Cheat Sheet.