THE PRIMARY TASKS YOU NEED TO ACCOMPLISH DURING WEEK ONE ARE: CHAPTER 1: Schedule all doctor appointments CHAPTER 2: Submit your expense report CHAPTER 3: Check out your health care spe
Trang 1Laid Off Now What?!?™
16 Critical Steps for the Unemployed
‘What do I do now?’ Quick Start Guide for those in-between adventures
By Laura Dawn Lewis
Copyright © 2003-2010 Laura Dawn Lewis
Published by Couples Company
All Rights Reserved
Laid Off Now What?!?
16 Critical Steps for the Unemployed
Smashwords Edition
ISBN: 978-1-4581-0898-2
Laid Off Now What: Thriving Financially through Unemployment
EAN-139781451548808, Paperback Edition
First Publishing July 21, 2003, ISBN 0-9671042-3-8
Re-released October 6, 2009
This publication is designed to provide competent and reliable information regarding the subject matter covered However, it is offered with the understanding that the author and publisher are not engaged in rendering legal, financial, or other professional advice Laws and practices vary from state to state and if legal or other expert assistance is required, the services of a
professional should be sought The author and publisher specifically disclaim any liability that is incurred from the use or application of the contents of this book Although based upon true stories, certain events in the book have been fictionalized for educational content and impact
Cover Design by Laura Dawn Lewis
www.LaidOffNowWhat.com
Trang 2
Social Networking Sites Directory
Do’s & Don’ts of Social Media
Trang 3Welcome and congratulations You’re being proactive This means you’ll make it through this transition in your life quickly and confidentially
What you’re reading is a free quick start guide that includes a summary of the critical steps you need to take when you lose your job I know not everyone can afford to spend $9.95 on a book so
I wanted to make sure this information is available to anyone who needs it The faster we as a nation get people back to work, the quicker we all benefit
This ebook is compiled from the first chapter of the book Laid Off Now What?!? The Great
Recession Edition, Thriving Financially through Unemployment The book goes into minute detail
about everything summarized herein and is designed to be used as a reference manual on how
to save money, make money, deal with creditors, find a job and bypass the gatekeepers
preventing you from achieving your next position whilst unemployed or under-employed You can acquire the full book where you got this download or in paperback through several booksellers If you have questions, contact me through LaidOffNowWhat.com or subscribe to my twitter feed
@laidoffnowwhat
Let’s get started
You may have expected to lose your job, or it may have come from out of the blue Regardless, when it comes, it seems you are never really prepared for it You’re laid off—now what? This book is all about the ‘what’
As you begin to take stock of your situation, it may seem insurmountable That’s normal and it’s normal to have anxiety, doubts and fears True, you may be carrying high credit card debt and other loans averaging 21% or more Your savings may be depleted or are less than the debts you owe The value of your home may be less than you owe Over the past year you’ve watched your stocks and retirement savings lose nearly thirty-percent of their value The cost of COBRA
(Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act) consumes a significant portion of
unemployment benefits leaving little else for food, shelter and transportation These are a few of the annoying little realities for the newly unemployed or what is facetiously referred to as the pink-slip party
Trang 4The timing couldn’t be worse, right? Honestly, is there ever a good time to lose your job? Of course not, especially if the only safety net you had, a steady paycheck is gone Now what do you do?
First and foremost, don’t dwell on what is wrong, why it happened or the obstacles before you Let’s get that out of the way now These challenges will be addressed and you will find tasks, tactics and actions you can take to mitigate their negative effect on you and your family in this series Worry never produces results It only produces anxiety and doubt, neither of which
supports success So why worry?
THE GOOD NEWS?
This is temporary and you will survive, thrive and get through it
THE BAD NEWS?
Nearly 20-million Americans and hundreds of millions of people world wide currently share your situation, which means you’ve got lots of company Henry David Thoreau wrote: “If misery loves company, misery has company enough.”
Vow now to leave the keeping of company with misery to others This little eBook is about getting you to a less crowded and far more productive place A place misery is not welcomed and where hope leads the way It’s part of the Laid Off Now What series, a series of manuals for the
unemployed dealing with the financial, psychological and job seeking strategies necessary to thrive through unemployment and get you back to work (and your life) quickly
This is an abridged version in a quick-start format designed to help you avoid the most common mistakes the newly unemployed and those seeking employment make These mistakes cost people hundreds of dollars a month in lost savings and months of unproductive time I created this free book to highlight the critical steps each person needs to take the minute they know they are going to lose their job or on the day they do
I’ve written this book in a familiar rather than technical or textbook style Each section is contained, meaning the information you need to deal with a specific challenge presented in whole without requiring the context of the previous or proximate section You do not need to read the steps in order or even the entire book to benefit Take what you need Don’t waste your time on what you don’t Each person is unique and arrives at this point in their life with different needs, experiences and skill sets
Trang 5self-With that said, let’s get started Welcome to your next adventure!
Laura Dawn Lewis,
Author, LAID OFF, Now What?!? Series
THE 16 CRITICAL STEPS FOR THE UNEMPLOYED
WHAT YOU NEED TO DO YOUR FIRST WEEK
A Quick Start Guide
You’ve got a lot to do this week and most of this will be preparation, which if done well, will save you a substantial amount of time, grief, stress, and energy in the weeks ahead Begin working on these tasks the day you’re given a lay off notice, or the day you realize it’s time to start looking for
a new job
THE PRIMARY TASKS YOU NEED TO ACCOMPLISH DURING WEEK ONE ARE:
CHAPTER 1: Schedule all doctor appointments
CHAPTER 2: Submit your expense report
CHAPTER 3: Check out your health care spending account
CHAPTER 4: Call your state’s unemployment office—or—visit their website
CHAPTER 5: Sign up for Sxipper, RobboForm, or another form-filling software
CHAPTER 6: Make a target list of the companies you want to work for
Trang 6CHAPTER 7: Make a list of your assets and liabilities
CHAPTER 8: Prepay as much as possible
CHAPTER 9: Hope for the best but plan for the worst
CHAPTER 10: Update your resume and cover letter
CHAPTER 11: Create your online networking profiles
CHAPTER 12: Begin collecting samples and testimonials for your Webfolio* (Professional-level careers and above)
CHAPTER 13: Cancel ALL Automatic Payments
CHAPTER 14: Get your oil changed in your car Deal with any basic maintenance, registration and smog test issues now
CHAPTER 15: Get a general e-mail address (yahoo, hotmail, gmail) to use for your job search
CHAPTER 16: Update your address book Send an e-mail out to everyone in your network
It may seem like a lot to do, but you can get it all done If you’re married, have teenage or older children at home, or are living with another adult, many of these tasks should be done together The loss of your job affects everyone in the household and if your children are old enough to understand this, going through this process with them will be invaluable to their future It will also teach them essential skills they will not learn in college while impressing upon them the
importance of economizing and being careful with any and all assets you have This includes unplugging appliances not in use and turning lights off when leaving the room to save on
electricity, (which is something you can start now)
With that said, let’s get to work
Trang 7CHAPTER 1: SCHEDULE ALL DOCTOR APPOINTMENTS
(Annual physicals, eye exams, and dental cleanings) before your benefits expire
Do this immediately and do not wait Ask your employer exactly when your coverage ends Then verify it with the insurance company Some insurance policies end the day you leave; others go through the end of the month You'll want to use the next week if your insurance is in place to get your annual physical, dental cleanings, and eye exams Schedule all appointments for your children as well If your children are in the middle of orthodontic care such as braces, ask your doctor how this treatment is handled if you no longer have insurance
Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) such as Kaiser or Pacificare can make this step difficult They tend to set routine appointments months in advance Do not take no for an answer and do not let them put you off If you have to, bypass the appointment setters and speak directly
to your doctor Insist on the next available opening and make sure he/she understands you cannot wait six-to-eight weeks because you will not have insurance then It could be a year or longer before you have insurance again Most companies have a 90-day waiting period before benefits go into effect once you are hired Do what you can now to get as much as you can from the coverage you have
During your final check-up, ask for copies of your family’s medical records Keep these in a protected place such as a relative’s home, safe or safety deposit box, or scan them into a
portable hard drive Several people we’ve interviewed have had a doctor disappear for various reasons, some legal and some not As the economy continues to crumble, even doctors are getting caught in the vise and with them, their medical records This is one problem you don’t need now Having a copy of your records prevents it You have a right to them Do not let the HMO or doctor tell you differently
CHAPTER 2: SUBMIT YOUR EXPENSE REPORT
Make sure you get in writing that your former employer will compensate you for any company expenses that have not been submitted and any promises they have made to you before leaving Most employers will require you tender your last expense report within five working days of your
Trang 8leaving This can include any approved expenses such as mileage, coffee, and sandwiches for meetings, parking fees, travel expenses, office supplies, pre-paid magazine or association dues, cell phone bills, and other miscellaneous expenses To be reimbursed you need receipts and itemized bills for phone or other reoccurring expenses If in doubt, submit it The worst that can happen is they’ll say no Make copies of everything before you submit it.
You may also get paid for any unused vacation time and/or sick time If you are in sales, you can generally negotiate two to four weeks out on collected revenues
CHAPTER 3: HEALTH CARE SPENDING ACCOUNT
You may have several thousand dollars more than you thought if you took out a tax-free spending account Typically you elect to have a certain sum pulled out of your paycheck every month to pay medical expenses This full amount is usually available to you by January 30th of each year, even though it will take you a full year to of contributions to fulfill the total Most plans provide a credit card for you to use Here’s how it works
medical-This is an actual example: Let’s say in October when you completed your benefits elections you designated the maximum amount of $4,000 to be set aside Perhaps you have kids who need braces or you are anticipating surgery or some other medical procedure Commencing January 1st, $153.00 is deducted from your paycheck every two weeks before taxes Suddenly in March, you find out your department has been laid off At this point you’ve contributed less than $1,000 but you can use the full $4,000 Check your contract immediately Most do not require that you pay back what you haven’t contributed, which means you have an extra $3,000 to spend on medical bills, you didn’t know you had And since these are medical expenses, you may not have
to pay taxes on that extra $3,000 either
What can you spend it on? Any medically approved expense: Lasik surgery, dental work, medical weight-loss programs including purchasing the food, drugs, surgery for deviated septum, and other health expenditures The bottom line is, if you don’t spend it you lose it
In the following case, a person used $3,500 for Lasik surgery and the remaining $500 for a weight loss program through a company called Lindora® At tax time in 2009, he reported it on his taxes but did not have to pay taxes on the sum Nor did he have to pay back the $3,000 he hadn’t contributed How can the medical benefits programs afford to do this? Because the terms require you spend the money on approved medical care and many people don’t use up their full amount
Trang 9because they don’t look in to all of the different things they can use it for If they don’t use it, the company keeps the money This offsets the small percentage of people who take out the full benefit amount early in the year and then lose or quit their jobs before the end of the year Yes, even if you quit your job, this is one benefit you take with you.
How long this advantage will stay in effect is yet to be seen If you have the funds, use them immediately There is always a chance the loophole will close You might as well get the benefits while you can It may be possible to use these funds to pay for medical insurance as well which could allow your family to maintain coverage, even if you’re unemployed Check the terms of your contract Every company and state is different The example above was in California during 2008
CHILD OR DEPENDENT CARE AND OTHER PRE-TAX DEDUCTIONS:
A similar scenario may be available for deductions you’ve elected for child care and other
services Read the contract to see if you’ve got money you didn’t know you had
CHAPTER 4: CALL YOUR STATE'S UNEMPLOYMENT OFFICE
or visit their site online Contact information for all 50 states is included further on in this chapter
Don't feel guilty about this You and your employers have been paying into this fund your entire working life You've earned the money you are going to receive through your hard work File the day you are terminated, unless it is in December or June The reason you may want to wait during these months has to do with fiscal years That is covered below Call your state's
unemployment office or visit their website Most states begin the benefit period from the day you call or file, not the day you were let go You will not get paid for the first week of unemployment in most states (although in some they count the day you call as the first week, i.e., let go Friday, call, become eligible the following Monday) It will take three-to-four weeks to get your first check, longer if you were fired because they must do an investigation In most cases you will still receive compensation even if you were fired The exceptions are termination for misconduct (lying, cheating, abusive language, etc.) or criminal acts
CONTACTING YOUR STATE UNEMPLOYMENT OFFICE:
Trang 10Some states are easy to work with Others are nearly impossible and make the process a
dehumanizing experience First try to do everything online Links to each state’s unemployment division are provided for you in this chapter You can also choose to call, but this is not
recommended The links later in this chapter will take you to your state’s phone numbers as well When calling your state’s unemployment department, set aside four to five hours one day to just continually redial the number until you get through Use a speakerphone if possible
You’ll need to listen to the five-minute instruction each time to see if you are lucky enough to actually be allowed to hold or you get the “I’m sorry but the maximum number of callers on hold has been reached Please call again later.”
On the website for this book, LaidOffNowWhat.com, we’ve assembled copies of the
Unemployment manual for each state if available
HINT: MAXIMIZING YOUR BENEFIT.
Most states’ fiscal years end June 30th If there is to be a boost in benefit payment amounts, generally these occur only for claims filed AFTER the start of the state’s new fiscal year
Occasionally states will raise benefits January 1st instead If you become unemployed close to June 30th or December 31st, find out if the benefits will rise in the next quarter BEFORE filing Claims filed before stay on the old rate Waiting up to a month, if you are coming up on
your state’s end of fiscal year, could mean hundreds of extra dollars per month for you It is in your best interests to determine if a rate increase will occur in the new fiscal year and if delaying your filing will benefit you financially
ABOUT EMERGENCY EXTENSIONS
Occasionally the federal government will extend unemployment benefits up to 26-weeks
During the spring and summer of 2008, most states received additional funds from the federal government to extend unemployment benefits Each state’s rules vary Some will allow you to apply funds retroactively Others require you open a new claim and others have various different methods of disqualifying people You’ll need to check out your state’s policies Even if you are disqualified, challenge it The worst that can happen is the state will say no
Trang 11If the money is there and you’re eligible, get it Don’t let pride get in your way You have earned this money and it is part of the cost employers carry when hiring staff But be aware, unlike the initial benefits, which are guaranteed by state law, extensions can disappear without warning
A similar downturn in the economy from 2001 through 2002 prompted the federal government to extend unemployment benefits due to the fallout from September 11th California finally put this into effect in April 2002 The extension was pulled in July 2002 without warning Many who were unemployed and living on the extension expected up to 26 additional weeks To their horror, they discovered the checks instead stopped at the end of the 11-to-13 week extension period, leaving thousands jobless and without any income
The reasoning for this in states like California was that a maximum amount is set aside per claimant This amount is the same for a minimum wage-earner or a corporate executive
Therefore, the higher your benefits and previous income, the quicker the extension ran out The irony of this system? The more money you make, the longer it takes to find a new job A person making at or near minimum wage can usually find employment, even in a down economy, within two months An executive or skilled professional often requires 12-to-24 months
UNDEREMPLOYMENT, THE NEW REALITY
Once upon a time completing a college degree provided security and the knowledge that once you paid your dues, you’d never have to endure another commodity job as long as you lived Once upon a time
The reality today is that many of the people serving you at retailers, restaurants, and in low-skill jobs, the kind generally held by persons with a high school diploma or less, have undergraduate degrees, MBAs and even PhDs Why would a highly skilled and highly educated person take such a job? Many of these people have tens of thousands of dollars in student loans to pay off, are still single and because of this debt coupled with a single income household, they haven’t been able to accumulate a nest egg Enter a job loss Without a paycheck they can’t afford food, housing or their car unless they act quickly Unemployment compensation is normally less than 30% of the normal take-home salary for union or degreed professionals If you took a 70% cut in pay, could you survive? Most people cannot
The second reason many degreed people take jobs below their skills and pay grade addresses professional growth and career management To work in your field of expertise at a substandard salary creates a salary history that limits advancement in the future For many it is also a matter
Trang 12of principle Professionals will work pro-bono before they’ll work for substandard pay Pro-bono is seen as an asset on a resume Earning $20 an hour for a position that usually pays $75 is seen
as desperate and unprofessional
One of the top advertising people in Los Angeles with a PhD in Marketing and 25-years
experience was out of work for two years between 2001 and 2003 She explained why she turned down many offers of employment, “To offer me $70,000 a year for my knowledge, contacts, and expertise is an insult I am not going to give any company seven months of my time for free If I take that salary, that is what I’m doing I’d rather work for $8.00 an hour at a Starbucks and freelance on the side at my usual rate Otherwise I prostitute myself to a company that doesn’t value me enough to pay me what I’m worth.”
Practical reasons also necessitate not working for less than you’re worth in your area of
expertise Companies will do salary checks and if they show you’re willing to work beneath your level or take a salary below the going rate, you’ve just lost an important edge in salary
negotiations Likewise, if you take a position lower than your skill level in your industry On paper
it appears you’re going backwards in your career, not forward This tells employers you may not
be privy to the latest trends or technology, an opportunity-killer in a competitive market The tighter the job market, the more important it is you look like a winner on paper By the way, you do not have to list every job you’ve had and you do not have to list current employers on your
resume Leave off fill-in and under-employment jobs on professional resumes, unless the
experience serves you If you normally work in technology but take a lower paying job in health care to make ends meet, you can position this on your resume as learning a new industry Should
an employer comment about holes on your resume, you can always state you are consulting or freelancing Bottom line, only place jobs on your resume that are relevant to the position applied for and serve to propel you forward in your career
SELF-EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE (SEA) PROGRAM
Delaware, Maine, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, and Pennsylvania offer
Self-Employment Assistance to qualified unemployed individuals seeking to becoming self-employed
or starting a business in their state Once an individual is approved for the program, the benefits
of the SEA program include:
Trang 13Weekly SEA compensation in place of unemployment benefits
A waiver of the work search requirement while actively engaged in the self-employment activities, such as attending a mandatory 60-hour business course over a four-to-six week period and devoting time to starting the business
Counseling and technical assistance in developing a business plan
To qualify for a SEA programs you must:
Be eligible for unemployment benefits
Be a dislocated worker and unlikely to return to your previous employment
Have been profiled by the state as likely to exhaust unemployment benefits
Have a viable business idea
Be willing to work full-time in developing the business
Have or be able to obtain the financial backing needed to start and sustain the business until it becomes self-supporting
Currently the seven states listed are the only states offering such programs Your state may have grants and other options available To find out, contact your state’s employment office or its Economic Development Authority, the Small Business Administration or SCORE
If you’re looking for loans or grants to start a new business or keep your current small business alive, Business.gov provides links to the most common programs available to help you determine what you need http://search.business.gov/startLoans.html
The following pages contain the contact information and the maximum unemployment
compensation available in each state as of this writing
Trang 14STATE EMPLOYMENT OFFICES
Amounts are based upon data available in January 2009 Minimum compensation can range from
$5 to $60, depending upon the state
This graph with active links is available on LaidOFFNowWHAT.com at:
Trang 15Maximum Weekly Benefit: $205-330*
*Maximum payment depends on the balance within the state’s trust fund.
Trang 16Dept of Employment Security
http://www.ides.state.il.us
Maximum Weekly Benefit: $385-$534*
*Depends on whether single, married or with children
Maximum Weekly Benefit: $361-$443*
*Depends on whether single, married or with children
Maximum Weekly Benefit:
$344 + $10/dependent per week
Trang 18Nebraska Dept of Labor
Maximum Weekly Benefit: $427
NEW JERSEY (By Far the Best State Site)
Work Force New Jersey
Maximum Weekly Benefit: $326 – 386*
*Depends on whether single or with children
Trang 19Maximum Weekly Benefit: $372 – 503*
*Depends on whether single, married or with children
Maximum Weekly Benefit: $528-578*
*Depends on whether single, married or with children
Trang 22The maximum allowable unemployment in California is $1,800 per month The average rent is
$1,400 per month and the average house costs $385,000 with house payments near $3,500 per month If you are unemployed in California and without savings, your chance of becoming
homeless within thirteen weeks is high Other states go as high as $2,490 with rents averaging
$1,200
Foreign residents with valid visas authorizing them to work in the United States can qualify for jobless benefits if they meet the requirements of the state in which they file These are the same whether you are working with a green card, work visa, or are a U.S citizen
Most states allow claims to go for four to six months, maximum Extensions can take these to months, but don’t count on it
11-CAN YOU GO TO ANOTHER STATE where the cost of living is lower and the unemployment
compensation is higher? You can go and live anywhere you want, but your compensation will be paid by the state in which you were laid off or fired Because unemployment insurance is
collected and distributed by each state, only the state you worked in will pay your benefits You can move to a less expensive state and still receive benefits from your old state as long as you can continue to prove you are actively looking for a job Check with your state’s requirements first and be sure to read the fine print The last thing you need right now is a loophole preventing you from receiving compensation
EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMS AND SERVICES Additional programs and options for the
unemployed seeking work and assistance continue to be offered Many of these target specific risk groups The federal government, through a program called Career One Stop has developed a searchable database for each of the 50 states It includes each of these programs, where they are, and how to work with them
at-The locator is at this URL: http://www.servicelocator.org/
SUMMARY OF ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
INDIAN AND NATIVE AMERICAN PROGRAM http://www.servicelocator.org/office_search.asp?officetype=8
Trang 23Employment and training services specific to Native American communities, administered with respect for the traditions, values, and cultural sensibilities of each tribe.
JOB CORPS CENTERS
OLDER WORKER PROGRAM - SCSEP http://www.servicelocator.org/office_search.asp?officetype=14
Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) assists with subsidized part-time employment and training in community service positions for eventual transition into private-sector employment specifically designed for older workers, (55+)
VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION AGENCIES http://www.servicelocator.org/office_search.asp?officetype=6
Designed for persons with mental or physical disabilities, these programs provide the career coaching and training necessary to compete in the interview process, get a job, and keep a job
WELFARE-TO-WORK OFFICES
http://www.servicelocator.org/office_search.asp?officetype=6
Trang 24For those who have had to survive on public assistance, Temporary Aid to Needy Families (TANF), formerly Welfare-to-Work, places people in jobs that will help them attain economic self-sufficiency.
EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, PROGRAMS, AND SERVICES
COMMUNITY COLLEGES
http://www.servicelocator.org/office_search.asp?officetype=4
Community colleges function as trade schools, university primers, and community education centers People looking to save money on the cost of college often attend for the first two years, then transfer to a four-year university Once you graduate from the university, nobody needs to know you went to a community college Your diploma shows the four-year university only This is
an integral part of the workforce development system, certifying people for specific trades Community colleges often provide excellent education in specific disciplines if the region is home
of a major employer or industry For example, Boeing and Microsoft heavily fund the college system in the Seattle area This has created a far superior math and science curriculum
community-at the community-college level than community-at most four-year universities
LITERACY PROGRAMS
http://www.servicelocator.org/office_search.asp?officetype=5
These programs provide local assistance with reading, writing, speaking, and listening
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
RURAL DEVELOPMENT LOCAL OFFICES http://www.servicelocator.org/office_search.asp?officetype=93
RURAL DEVELOPMENT STATE OFFICES http://www.servicelocator.org/office_search.asp?officetype=92
Trang 25The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has local Rural Development Offices in every state These local offices offer grants, loans, and loan guarantees for people in rural locations to start or maintain their own business
MILITARY AND VETERANS OFFICES AND SERVICES
MILITARY RECRUITING OFFICES http://www.servicelocator.org/office_search.asp?
VA REGIONAL OFFICES
http://www.servicelocator.org/office_search.asp?officetype=95
Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) provides benefits and services to the veteran population through 58 VA regional offices Some of the benefits and services provided by VBA to veterans and their dependents include compensation and pension, education, loan guaranty, and
Trang 26OTHER LOCAL OFFICES, PROGRAMS, AND SERVICES
HUD NEIGHBORHOOD NETWORKS CENTER http://www.servicelocator.org/office_search.asp?officetype=3
These sponsor a range of services and programs in housing units nationwide Nearly all centers offer job training and educational opportunities, and many also provide programs that include access to health care information and micro-enterprise development
SOCIAL SECURITY OFFICES
http://www.servicelocator.org/office_search.asp?officetype=90
Offices administered by the Social Security Administration (SSA) assist customers with
retirement, Medicare, disability and SSI, survivors benefits, name changes, etc
SENIOR CENTERS
http://www.servicelocator.org/office_search.asp?officetype=7
Community-based organizations that focus on providing socialization and leisure activities to independent elders who do not require assistance or supervision Services vary by site, but may include meals, transportation, health screening, and recreational activities These centers are usually funded by cities and counties, but may charge a small fee which is not reimbursed by insurance plans
CHAPTER 5: SIGN UP FOR SXIPPER, ROBBOFORM OR ANOTHER FILLING SOFTWARE
FORM-You want to save your wrists, fingers, and hands from repetitive inputting? If you use Mozilla Firefox as your browser, Sxipper is a free add-on service that remembers how you fill out forms online and does the work for you I absolutely love the service, especially when it comes to filling
Trang 27out online job applications over and over and over again One little click and your name, address, phone, user name, and password drop into place Sxipper keeps track of an unlimited number of usernames and passwords as well as the personal data you share every day over the web.
Your privacy is protected because Sxipper asks you first if you want it to remember the
information and then asks if you want it to release the information You can learn more about Sxipper here: http://www.sxipper.com/
ROBOFORM is another program that acts like Sxipper The company has a free and a paid
version of the software and it can work on most browsers and operating systems Information is available here: www.roboform.com
KEEPASS is yet another option from the open source project Information is available here: http://keepass.info
Any of these that you choose will save you a lot of time, mendacity, not to mention sore fingers and wrists They’re absolutely fabulous
CHAPTER 6: MAKE A TARGET LIST OF COMPANIES
Most experts on employment suggest that you make a list of 15-to-20 companies you would like
to work for This is your target list Once you’ve identified the key companies, you’ll want to do a complete dossier on each, including the division you want to work for Several online resources exist to assist you in researching a company Google, Bing, and other search engines are the obvious starting places, but they don’t always provide you with current information on who works there and who you might report to That’s where sites like ZoomInfo, (zoominfo.com), Dunn and Bradstreet, Edgar, Hoover, and if you have access (or know a journalist or attorney who does), Lexis/Nexis can assist
ZoomInfo is tied into the international social networking site Xing and has dossiers on over 35,000 executives and thousands of companies world wide Dunn and Bradstreet (dnb.com) is a service I have used to determine if a potential client had the ability and credit rating to pay for whatever I was selling, usually advertising and marketing services Edgar (sec.gov/edgar.shtml) and Hoovers (hoovers.com, which is part of Dunn and Bradstreet) are tools often used by