Finding a good job is hard. Even the most talented educated people are struggling to find meaningful work. The economy is in flux, and it has put job seekers between a rock and a hard place. Companies are looking for specific attributes, and they are more particular than ever. Tips and tricks that worked 10 years ago no longer get that “foot in the door.” It is not about what you know or who you know anymore, it is about how you present yourself as a value to the company.

The Resume

You need a resume that highlights your best attributes and the value that you bring. Value is not limited to hard skills and experience. Value also includes soft skills and talents.

1. Update your resume. If you use the same design you used even five years ago, scratch it and start over. Browse templates for inspiration, and create a new resume design that is uniquely yours. Keep it uncluttered, eye-catching, and informative.
2. Create different…

Based on a budgeting and forecasting drive, every individual business or large enterprise can carry a loss and highlight this in the audit to obtain refunds during the tax planning initiative. The process definitely requires the expertise of qualified chartered accountants who do not play about with money but offer legal and concrete solutions. Going the proper route is the basis of every good industry. There is nothing like having certified audits to showcase the actual financial statements for the authorities to take note of. These companies (the auditors) have to be empowered to tackle any untoward payout or income. If there are any discrepancies, it is best to either give back to society or pay the tax that is due.

There have been numerous stories in the press about innumerable people who have not followed the rules of the land they barter in. This invariably resonates negatively and they…

Now that you have a brilliant idea for a business, the next step is to choose a business structure! The structure of your future business has tremendous operational, tax, and legal implications so it must be chosen carefully.

Business structures can be changed in the future, but it can be  time-consuming and expensive, so choose wisely. Let’s review the most common business structures and explore advantages and disadvantages of each.

Sole Proprietorship

This is the most common and basic business structure. It is a business owned and operated by one person.

Advantages:

• No paperwork necessary to form the business.
• You have full control over every aspect of the business
• Simple taxes - Simply report your income on a schedule C and form 1040 when you file your taxes.

Disadvantages:

• You are subject to unlimited liability –scary!
• Banks and investors are hesitant to lend to sole…

The glass ceiling isn't about to break anytime soon. A study conducted by Biz2Credit focusing on 14,000 small-business loan applications during the last six months of 2012 found that women owned businesses have greater difficulty securing loans than men owned businesses.  Small business loan approval rates for women owned companies are 15-20 percent lower than they are for male owned companies. 

More statistics from Biz2Credit :

• Average Annual Revenue: Women-owned businesses averaged 15% lower annual revenue than male-owned companies.
• Average Operating Expenses: Women-owned businesses tended to have average operating expenses that were 21% higher than male-owned companies.
• Average Credit Score: On an average, the credit scores for women-owned businesses were 40 points lower than for male-owned…

A business plan is the plan for your future business. The document serves as the gateway to financing and serves as a handbook during the turbulent early stages of the business. Every business plan is different, but there are standards for what it must contain and how it is formatted. If you need financing to start your business, your attention to details will pay off in dividends.

Purpose

The purpose of the business plan is to map out the business by defining goals and objectives. It is a complex document that also defines products and/or services, how the business will make money, how it will operate, forecasts sales and expenses, estimates financing, lays out a plan for hiring, and maps the business’ future.

A well-written business plan explains to investors how you plan to get from a concept to a thriving business in 3 to 5 years.

Sections

While every business plan is…

Many of our veterans who are fortunate enough to make it home from fighting for our freedom find themselves in adverse financial situations because of the difficulties they face trying to find employment. I know this is short notice but it's real important to get the word out about this event which is aimed at helping our veterans and other military service members find employment.