Reasons to Research Companies First of all, spending some time looking for and at employers will give you an idea of which companies are in your industries and fields of choice. You’ll also be able to determine which companies are hiring and what types of job openings they have available. If you’re applying for a position, you’ll want to find out everything you can about the company before you sit down for an interview....

Don’t get too excited about the prospect of finally being rid of this debt, though. Before you pay or even speak to anyone about the settlement (particularly a debt collector), you need to be sure the settlement offer is legitimate. Consider Important Debt Time Limits A settlement letter could be a debt collector ploy to get you to make one or more partial payments on a time-barred debt, that is one whose statute of limitations has expired....

If your cover letter doesn’t grab their attention right away, they may never even get as far as the second paragraph. What should these all-important first sentences say? Keep in mind that you’re hoping to differentiate yourself from the competition. Your goal is to explain to the reader who you are, why you’re writing, and how you can contribute to the employer’s success. Think about why the hiring manager should select you, above all other candidates, for an interview, and you’ll be on the right track....

Today, things are quite different. You can start investing with very little money upfront. Here’s how. Direct Stock-Purchase Plans If investing in individual companies is your goal, you might want to consider direct purchase plans or “DPPs” for short. As their name suggests, you purchase these stocks directly from the company. There’s no brokerage account and no middleman, and you work directly with the company that issues the stock. One drawback is that not every company offers a DPP, so you may be somewhat limited in your selection....

Once you retire, you can take the dividend payments to cover at least part of your living expenses. You’ll still own the stocks, which may keep paying dividends for the rest of your life. You can have the payments mailed to you in the form of checks, or you can set up direct deposits into your bank account. Dividends’ Contribution to Total Return In recent times, dividends have made up a large percentage of stocks’ total return to investors....

Find out more about the direct write-off method, how to use it, and compare the direct write-off method and the allowance method. Then make sure you understand the limitations of the direct write-off method What Is the Direct Write-Off Method? The direct write-off method is a way for businesses to record bad debt. When using this accounting method, a business will wait until a debt is deemed unable to be collected before identifying the transaction in the books as bad debt....

Fortunately, voiding a check is easy. How to Void a Check Write the word “VOID” across the front of the check-in large letters. Make the letters tall enough and wide enough to cover most of the check. But don’t cover the numbers at the bottom of your check—the recipient needs those numbers to establish the link with your bank account. Use a pen or a fine-tipped marker so that nobody can erase the word “VOID....

Your thank-you letter (or email) lets the employer know that you appreciate being considered for the job. It also reiterates your interest in the position and can be used to provide additional information on your qualifications. Learn why and when to send a thank-you note and get tips on what to include in your note along with examples. Why Send an Interview Thank-You Note In part, sending a thank-you note is simply a traditional post-interview courtesy....

Strong delegation skills enable a manager to know which work to delegate and who to task with the responsibilities to successfully achieve organizational goals. What is Delegation? In a work setting, delegation typically means the transfer of responsibility for a task from a manager to a subordinate. The decision to delegate is usually made by the manager. However, sometimes an employee will volunteer to take on an expanded role. Delegation can also happen when there is a less formal chain of authority....

Learn how inductive reasoning works, see examples, and compare it to deductive reasoning. What Is Inductive Reasoning? Inductive reasoning is an approach to logical thinking that involves making generalizations based on specific details. Inductive reasoning is an important critical thinking skill that many employers look for in their employees. Inductive reasoning is an example of an analytical soft skill. Unlike hard skills, which are job-specific and generally require technical training, soft skills relate to how you interact with people, social situations, and ideas....

It’s fine to take a few seconds before you answer. An interviewer isn’t expecting you to have a ready answer to every question they ask. However, by practicing possible responses ahead of time, you’ll find it easier to marshal your thoughts during the actual interview. Here are some sample job interview questions and answers about working on a team with co-workers and supervisors. What the Interviewer Wants to Know For the most part, questions about colleagues are asked to: Determine if you are a team player Ascertain whether you are coachable Gauge how well you function under stress...

Here are some reasons why you might want to think about passive index fund investing as a long-term strategy. What Is An Index Fund? Before you add an index fund (or any other investment) to your portfolio, you should know what it is and how it works. An index fund is a mutual fund or exchange-traded fund (ETF) designed to mirror the performance of a major index like the Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500, or Nasdaq....

The new services and credits are nice additions to the card, but you might be wondering if they are really worth the extra cost. Let’s sort out whether you can come out ahead with the new Amex Platinum. Earning American Express Membership Rewards Earning rewards points with the Platinum card is as straightforward as ever—and not especially lucrative. You’ll earn 1 Membership Reward point for every dollar you spend using the card....

The three bureaus sponsor a website called AnnualCreditReport.com for just that purpose. But is it safe to use? Impersonators used the site to obtain the reports of some celebrities in 2013, and there are several scam sites trying to imitate AnnualCreditReport.com. Here’s what you should know before you access your reports. Is AnnualCreditReport.com Safe? To understand the precautions AnnualCreditReport.com takes, it’s important to have an overview of how the site works....

To get this message across, you need to show that your most recent role prepared you for this job. Fortunately, the interviewer is likely to ask you about your job responsibilities, which will provide you with an opportunity to show that your experience has given you the skills and abilities to excel. When you are asked questions related to your current or previous positions, it’s important for your response to include a few detailed specifics about what you did in your previous role(s)....

Job shadowing allows a student, employee, or intern to gain comprehensive knowledge about what an employee who holds a particular job does every day. Job shadowing provides a far richer experience than reading a job description or doing an informational interview during which an employee describes their work. Job shadowing allows the observer to see and understand the nuances of a particular job. The job shadowing employee is able to observe how the employee does the job, the key deliverables expected from the job, and the employees with whom the job interacts....

The good news is there are many different channels young entrepreneurs can use to attract funds when starting a business. Technology has changed the way business is done on a massive scale. To be very specific, the internet is what individuals who have made it big in the world of business have used to achieve what they have. One of the ways an entrepreneur can use the internet to sell their idea to interested financiers is through crowdfunding....

The Fed The Federal Reserve (“Fed”) is America’s central bank. The Fed is technically an independently run entity charged with maintaining a stable economy and strong financial system. Its decisions do not have to be ratified by the President or anyone else in the executive branch of government, although the entire System is subject to oversight by the U.S. Congress. The Fed operates 12 Federal Reserve Bank branches around the country that serve as banks to commercial banks, providing a variety of services and ensuring a stable financial system....

Here’s how to write an investment policy statement. Talk to Your Financial Advisor or Banker First, sit down with a representative of the firm overseeing your assets and talk to them. Learn if they have any internal guides to their suggested investment decision-making process and ask them to walk you through their process. Take out a piece of paper, grab a pen, and get ready to jot down a few notes as they talk....

The formula that determines the taxation of benefits applies to everyone, regardless of age. If you look at a 1040 tax form, you will see two boxes; box 6a, for total Social Security benefits, and box 6b, for the taxable amount. Here’s how the taxable amount is determined. Step 1: Determine What Your Combined Income Will Be Do you have income in addition to Social Security? Additional sources of income that would show up on your tax return include items such as:...