Job Hunting: It’s All About Who You Know

Posted on February 18, 2010 by meghan_ntroduction

Though there will probably never some a time when job boards, newspaper want ads and employment agencies will ever become obsolete, the fact remains that in this day and age the true key to getting a job is who you know. Of course there has always been a lot of stock in that ideology since the beginning of time, but now who you know is really the name of the game when you’re playing the job hunt shuffle.

Research and studies are showing that not only are job seekers looking more at their online and real life network to find their next job, but employers are looking more to other employees or other personal referrals when looking to fill open positions.

Jeremiah Owyang of Web Strategy did a 5-part series based on a survey he took recently titled, “Jobs in a Recession.” In the first series of results Owyang found that of the all the respondents that had found work since September 2008 (when the recession started) 43% found those jobs through their immediate online network of friends, colleagues, alumni, or family. This is why many insiders and corporate insiders recommend devoting the majority of your job search time to networking.

The same can also be said for companies looking to hire, who trust a good referral more than a generic reference. This is why so many companies are either implementing new employee referral plans or building on plans that already exist.

A recent article on Martketwatch.com talked about just that. According to the article a good majority of positions are never even advertised because companies are choosing to rely on employee recommendations instead.

Companies such as Prudential and Vistaprint both offer lucrative employee referral programs. This benefits the company, who is hiring based on a trusted recommendation, the new hire, and of course the employee who made the recommendation who is not only helping the company succeed, but also making some quick cash in the process.

Prudential’s program offers $500 and $2,500 for each successful referral, depending on the job level. Vistaprint has the “Everyone Here is a Recruiter” program, which offers employees not only a home theater system for the employee with the most referrals hired, but also a $1,500 referral award for each successful hire. It’s no wonder that 48% of Vistaprint’s new hires in 2008 came from employee referrals.

This is a big part of the theory behind Ntroduction as well. With the majority of new hires coming from personal referrals, it’s important to know the right people. Be sure and check out our leads or list you own and see how YOUR network might work for you.

The 20 Most Overlooked Tax Deductions- Part One

Posted on January 12, 2010 by meghan_ntroduction

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It’s January again and you know what THAT means. It’s almost tax time again. Most people will probably agree that this has not been the most lucrative of years. People from all walks of life have suffered great financial losses this year while trying to survive beneath a crumbling economy. So it’s no surprise that taxes are the last thing anyone is interested in talking about now. But what if talking about taxes now could you some money in a couple months, or even help increases the size of your refund? You’d start talking.

How about talking about deductions? It’s always best to be aware of deductions you plan on taking through out the year, so that you can make sure you are keeping track of the necessary items to help you claim your deduction. Though you should have a CPA that is already aware of all the deductions that are available, they may not always be aware that some of those deductions might be available to you.

So it’s up to you to stay informed, and keep your tax person in the know. Here’s a list of twenty tax deductions that you may be overlooking.

The depreciation of your cell phone (or computer). That’s right if you use your cell phone for “the convenience of your job” you can deduct the depreciation value.
Medical Expenses. You can deduct the cost of most additional medical expenses you accrue during the year that aren’t covered by your insurance. That includes hearing devices, eye-care (glasses & contacts), contraceptives (by prescription), not to mention travel expenses related to medical care, and even childbirth classes. Special bonus if you’re self-employed, you can deduct 60% of your health insurance premium!
Childcare tax credit. If you have kids, chances are your tax person will get this in automatically, but you want to make sure. Now, even if you have a reimbursement account for child care services at work, you can still take advantage up to $6,000 (for two or more children). You could be talking about cutting your tax bill here, don’t miss it!
College tuition. You, yourself, or any dependant, are eligible to deduct up to $4,000 in college tuition fees.
Student loan interest paid by mom and dad. Until recently you could only deduct student loan interest if you were liable for the debt and actually paying it yourself. Now if mom and dad are paying back the loan, the IRS treats as if it’s a gift. So if your not claimed as a dependant you can go ahead and deduct up to $2500. Thanks mom!
State tax paid. Did you owe on your state tax last year? Well get it back! The IRS allows you to deduct what you paid to the state last year. Of course you can’t deduct the fees and penalties…
Home business expenses. The items that can be claimed for deduction here are numerous and depend exactly on the business. A daycare for instance can deduct portions of grocery, mortgage, rent, arts & craft supplies and utility bills. A freelance web designer on the other hand can deduct paper, toner, and computer software. The IRS has an extensive section on home-based business deductions, but you should always go over, in detail, with your tax person what it is you do for a living. The best rule of thumb, keep track of everything you use for business!
Job-hunting. Just because you found yourself unemployed this year, doesn’t mean the IRS doesn’t allow you a little something. Any expenses you accrue while searching for a job are fair game.
Moving expenses for a new job. If the job you find is more than 50 miles away, you can deduct the cost of moving your household there.
Alcohol and drug recovery. Amy Winehouse says No, No, No, but the IRS says yes, yes, yes, to deducting expenses related to rehab and recovery efforts.

We’ll give you a chance to digest this first batch of deductions before divulging the second set of ten. And of course by digest, we mean start collecting receipts and what not… Be sure and subscribe to the Ntroduction blog, become a fan on facebook, or follow us on twitter so that you catch part two of this series.

Making an Introduction on Ntroduction (Part 2 of a 2 Part Post)

Posted on December 17, 2009 by meghan_ntroduction

3388027881_afb4ee1103 You’ve done it! Congratulations, you’ve ut up your first listing on Ntroduction! You’ve already read the steps you should take leading up to craeting your first introfduction on Ntroduction, but now you’ve already got a repsonse. What next?

Well, that’s why we’re here. Read through these simple steps that will take you through how to make the most of your repsonse and real life introductions once they start rolling in.

After your Introduction proposal is listed:

As soon as you list the introduction proposal, matching introductions are shown – feel free to respond to them.
Respond to inquiries promptly with details for each and every question. For example: If the inquiry is about how many people are involved to make the decision, respond back to them clearly with ‘there will be 3 primary decision makers and 3 influencers – I will be providing an introduction to one of the key decision makers.”
If you are in or around the neighborhood of the matching Seeker or Provider, meet with them in person – you never know, they can probably help you in future (we will provide a separate blog on what to discuss when you meet the matching seeker or provider in person). At the very least, discuss how frequently you want to keep in touch.
Always make sure you exchange your contact information and follow up to find out more about the opportunity.
Remember, in order for the deal to close, introductions made (whether you are seeking or providing) can take a little time. Discussions between key players as well as putting heads together will have to happen first.
You should always respond to inquiries within 5-7 days. A delay in response to inquiries can be deemed as not serious or really interested in the introduction.

Now that you’re armed with the knowledge that you need to make the most of Ntroduction, get out there and do it! And always feel free to contact us or even leave a question here on the blog if you have any questions. Good luck!

Making an Introduction on Ntroduction (Part One of a Two Part Post)

Posted on December 16, 2009 by meghan_ntroduction

One of the great things about Ntroduction is how in can help you make the most of an otherwise bad situation, namely being laid off. Just because you’re no longer employed at a company doesn’t mean that you can’t turn your experience and the contacts you’ve made into something positive or even another opportunity.
That’s where Ntroduction steps in. Maybe it’s time you think about using the contacts you’ve made to help someone make an introduction and help you make a profit in the mean time.

This is part one of two posts that will help you through the steps you need to take before and after making an introduction through Ntroduction. Part one will list the steps you should follow before listing an introduction:

Make a list of friends in your own department and related departments. In this list, create a smaller list of very close friends.
Meet with them for lunch or call them and propose the idea of Ntroduction in this meeting and how you can help find suitable candidates for their business.
Make sure that you let them know that you are not getting paid from the company but from the candidate through Ntroduction.com if the candidate gets hired.
Keep in touch with them once every other week at least with a simple email “Hi, I am touching bases with you to see if you have any current needs. Simply reply back to this email with details about any positions you are in need of filling and I will try to find the candidate that is right for you – Thanks!”
You can probably do this with your close friends at other companies – after all you have the experience and skills.
Be clear when you place your listing with Ntroduction who you want to meet, what you need (Tax Director Job or Accepted Vendor at Fortune 500 company), when you want it and what is your differentiator from others preferably a strong opening statement that raises interest to respond back to you.
Keep the details about your or your companies accomplishments simple and detailed – preferably bullet points.
Clearly explain what you will do to them in future if the introduction is successful. For example “I know several finance auditors at Fortune 500 with financial service experience and can provide introductions as well as opinions when needed”
Clearly explain how you want to provide introduction or seek introduction – whether you want to meet people face-to-face or would an email or phone be sufficient.

Now you’re ready to list an introduction, so go for it! Be sure and subscribe to the Ntroduction blog so you can follow up with the second post in this series to find out what to do AFTER you’ve made your introduction.

Tips for Staying Stress Free During the Job Hunt

Posted on November 30, 2009 by meghan_ntroduction

Though reports show that unemployment may finally and slowly be starting to level out it is still well over 10%. Looking for a job under any conditions can be a stressful endeavor but in an uncertain economy while competing with obscene amounts of other job seekers many people can find themselves under enormous amounts of stress while looking for work.

Not only is this unhealthy but the effects of stress can easily hinder your ability to find the right job, or any job. Stress can lower your self-esteem, your energy level, your ability to focus and your attitude. And attitude is the key to any job search. Here are a few tips to managing your stress while looking for work. It could mean the difference between finding the job the job you want and finding your self still looking for work.

Meet people of your age who are also looking for work. Don’t look at people your own age as the competition, look at them as allies in the war against unemployment. Especially if you live in the same neighborhood, have kids that attend school, or intermingle in the same circles. They can give you a heads up to new opportunities, take turns watching kids during interviews, and just give you an understanding ear after a couple of hits in the job search.

Specifically meet people with positive attitude and are realistic. No matter what the age of the people you’re around, negative folks can do nothing but drag you down. Both negative and positive attitudes are like a yawn. Both are incredibly catchy and your take in what the people around you are putting out there. Hang back from the friends who can’t find anything positive to bring to the conversation and spend more time on friends who are putting out a good attitude.

Take long strolls everyday which will give you energy to speak better, write better and interact better with confidence. This will help keep you focused and keep your game sharp. It’s critical to take some reflective time to yourself every day.

Do a 10-minute meditation – Simply gaze at a tree and watch it move in the breeze for about 10 minutes – do not think of anything else – this will give your mind a bit of rest to gather energy and positive attitude. Nothing conquers a high stress level better then meditation each and every day.

Take your food in regular time everyday and do not waver from your regimen of taking food or doing exercise or meditation everyday. Remember that as your health decreases your stress level increases. So keep your diet healthy and exercise as much as possible. Whether it is at the gym or just a 15-minute yoga routine at home.

If you keep yourself focused and don’t let stress get the better of you, you will continue new ideas in your job search and new confidence. 2009 is almost over – may the New Year yield you that dream job your looking for.