Layoff Survival Guide: What’s This COBRA Thing?

from Brazen Careerist by Learning Graduate

Hopefully you found my last post in my newly minted Layoff Survival Guide useful.  And if not, here's another chance for some helpful advice!

So, like I said last time, a really good friend of mine lost her job, and is now dealing with all the issues I had to deal with a little over a year ago.  So I figured I'd help her out, and maybe help others out along the way.  Behold, the power of blogging!

Her question for me was about COBRA.  What is it, what does she need to do, what are her options?

Let's start with a simple definition.  COBRA stands for Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act.  Yeah, that doesn't mean a lot to me either.   But when you're handed a severance package with all sorts of information, one thing you're told about is COBRA (and if you didn't get any info for COBRA, I recommend you contact your former employer to find out what's up).

Basically, COBRA entitles you to continue your health coverage that you received through your employer.  Except you will be paying the premium (rather than your former employer).  However, recent legislation from The American Recovery And Reinvestment Act allows for assistance in your insurance premiums through COBRA.  As stated on this Department of Labor page:

"Eligible individuals pay only 35 percent of their COBRA premiums and the remaining 65 percent is reimbursed to the coverage provider through a tax credit. The premium reduction applies to periods of health coverage beginning on or after February 17, 2009 and lasts for up to nine months for those eligible for COBRA during the period beginning September 1, 2008 and ending December 31, 2009 due to an involuntary termination of employment that occurred during that period."

There also is an income threshold that you need to be under in order to fully benefit for this program.  For more information, you can check out their Fact Sheet for COBRA Premium Reduction here.

If you don't elect to continue your insurance from your previous job through COBRA, you still have options.  A friend forwarded me a link to a site that helps you pick out insurance options (in Massachusetts).  And the DOL has another good page telling you about how to attain health insurance.  You can search for a private insurance plan, or may be eligible for a government plan such as medicare.  Also, if you have a spouse with health insurance, you can get on his/her plan.  I'm not an expert on the different types of insurance, so you might have to do some searching on your own.  Also, there are apparently some tax implications with some health insurance premiums, that I'll let you check out on your own (mostly because I'm not as familiar with these tax rules).

What did I do?  Well, luckily, my severance package included a month of health insurance coverage, so I was able to depend on that while figuring everything else out.  I ended up paying the hefty premiums for COBRA coverage, continuing the coverage I enjoyed while at my old job.  It may not have been the best decision, financially, but it was the "easy" thing to do.  I found it difficult to sort through all my alternative options for health insurance.

Why is it important to have continued health coverage?  There are a few reasons.  As I learned firsthand a month into unemployment, you never know when you might need insurance.  My boyfriend hurt himself mountain biking, and I drove him to the hospital.  Since he had health insurance, he wasn't stuck with an enormous hospital bill.  Saving money by not paying for health insurance could end up losing you money if you end up requiring an expensive medical procedure.  Or you may have to decide if a procedure is financially worth it, even if it's medically important.

Another reason you don't want your insurance to lapse is because it might make it more difficult to prove that any condition you have down the road isn't a preexisting condition.  I know that's more of a worry/fear than an actual fact, so take that with a grain of salt.

So what do you need to do?  Decide whether or not you're going to continue your insurance plan through COBRA (talk to your former employer/fill out the forms they gave you).

So, like I've said before, I'm not a legal expert or anything, so this is merely friendly advice.  But if you see any errors or omissions here, or have specific questions, let me know in the comments or via email.  And if you have other layoff-related questions, you can ping me with those as well!

http://graduatedlearning.wordpress.com/2009/06/26/layoff-survival-guide-whats-th...

Twitter Social Networking: Does It Really Work?

Being a social media consultant I get asked just about every question you can imagine (and many I never would have imagined) by people I meet at events and speaking gigs. One of the top questions is "does twitter social networking actually work?" which is often followed by a version of "how?". Of course I have my success stories - how I typically get approached by one new client a week from my facebook/twitter/linkedIn marketing programs, how I now oversee two of the largest organizations for their respective industries in southern california - via LinkedIn… things like this - but what often seals the deal for people is learning what other companies both big and small are doing that works. As you read this, hopefully you can start to see what you might be doing that would work for you and your business…

What Dell's doing on Twitter is one of my favorite stories, and is explained best by a Stefanie N, a dell employee herself:

I started tweeting for the U.S. Dell Outlet in June of 2007 based on a suggestion from a colleague who learned about Twitter at the SXSW Interactive conference, and the response had been very positive. But I knew we could do more. So I started tweeting more regularly and doing more Twitter-exclusive offers, which created more buzz and helped us to grow our follower base (we're now over 600,000). Our followers responded by re-tweeting @DellOutlet messages to their followers, and our numbers rose even more. The chart below (click on it to see more options) shows our growth over the last 3 months—right around the time we began introducing more exclusive offers, when we were at about 11,000 followers. … we've actually eclipsed $3 million in overall sales.

Did you catch that? $3 million in overall sales since June of 2007… that's only 2 years!

How do they do this? There seems to be a few basics I find in common for many twitter success stories:

1. Connect with your audience - Import databases, publicize your twitter profile, follow the people who talk about you and/or your product… general stay-in-touch stuff.

2. Listen and Respond to what the community is saying about you - use twitter tracking tools like search.twitter.com to keep track of what the general public is saying about you - not just the people that are following you.

3. Give your followers what they want when they want it - which for companies like Dell is answers to service issues, help finding product, and the deals that apply to them.

Always keep in mind what you are trying to accomplish, and use whatever tool it is to accomplish your goal. For Dell it's keeping their customers satisfied in the products and making it easier for them to get the service they want. This thoughtfullness has generated over $3million in revenue for them. How could you be more thoughtful for your clients? Would twitter social networking be able to supplement this? These are the questions you need to ask, not just of yourself, but of your clients - conduct a survey, try out the software.. there are a myriad of ways to put your toe in the water and find if it's right for you

Original article here: http://www.rebizworks.com/2009/06/twitter-social-networking-does-it-really-work/

Do Thank You Notes Really Matter?

from Brazen Careerist by careerrocketeer

YES!

EVERYBODY sends a Thank You note after an interview… Right? Wrong!

Having been in the Employment Placement industry for 23 years, I've found that only around 10% to 20% of candidates actually send a Thank You note after an interview. And of those, fewer still send one after each interview at a company. Even though I coach all my candidates to send one after interviews I set up for them, only around half actually do it! Yet if you ask any of them if they think it's a good idea, they will almost always say it is!

But do they really make a difference as to who gets hired? It's the person that's the closest match to the job… isn't it?

No. It isn't.

Over the years, I have seen a number of times where it's not the most qualified, or closest match candidate that gets the offer, but rather the one that seems to want the job the most and expresses that enthusiasm professionally. That is often determined by the fact that one sent a Thank You note expressing their interest and the other did not. 

It shows that the person is thinking about the job, even after the interview is over. It shows that the person has follow through. It shows that the person is thoughtful, and is more likely to relate well to people at the company. Whether those things are actually true or not, it certainly creates that impression.

So here are some tips to do it successfully:

~ In today's job market, send a Thank You email the same day after your interview. Sending one by mail is nice, but speed is of the essence. You don't want them to make a decision on someone else before they see your note! Sending an email immediately, followed up by a 'snail mail' note is even better.

~ Keep it brief! If they open your note, and see a long letter, they're not likely to even read the first couple of lines. They are busy and don't have the time. If they see a couple of short paragraphs, they will likely read the whole thing.

~ Give one or two reasons you believe the position is a good match, based on their criteria discussed in the interview, and express your interest in pursuing the next steps. That's all that's necessary. Short and Sweet.

~ Be professional! No matter how well you got along with them in the interview, do not assume a personal or casual relationship in  your note. Getting hired for a job is a business transaction, treat it that way.

~ Be meticulous! Any points you may score by sending a note, will be diminished by poor grammar, mis-spelled words, or poor handwriting. Proofread it carefully several times, have someone else check it, and proofread it again before you send it.

A well written and timely Thank You note can make the difference between getting an offer and getting a "We chose someone else" letter. Send one every time. If you're not sure it's appropriate, send one anyway. I have never seen anyone get rejected because they sent too many Thank You's!

Author: 

Harry Urschel has over 20 years experience as a technology recruiter in Minnesota. He currently operates as e-Executives and writes a blog for Job Seekers called The Wise Job Search.

http://www.careerrocketeer.com/2009/06/do-thank-you-notes-really-matter.html

Twitter Tools: Decoding the Social Networking Hash Tag Mystery

June 13th, 2009 Posted in Viral Marketing

by Lee Hiller

Image via boblally.files.wordpress.com

Hidden in the million tweets 140 character universe of Twitter the tiny hash Tag aka Pound Symbol [#] is the difference between your messages being seen or being missed. Although not an official Twitter function the Hash/Pound it is a simple and effect tool to ensure your tweet will appear when others seek out similar data. Hash tagged words are the Twitter equivalent of internet keywords and phrases. Simply click on the hash tagged word or a search at search.twitter.com and you will find all the tagged tweets with matching words.

Your perfect place to start is by going to Twitter and following @hashtags then every time you tweet with a hash tag reference it will be displayed as a real-time posting at hashtags.org. It is easy to check trending topics at their site and see what might be relevant to your daily messages. Popular daily hash tags include #music, #quote, #jobs, #phone, #socialmedia and #news.

The hash tag is a twitter community builder allowing likeminded individuals to share information and ideas. Twitters social media follow Friday event is a good hash tag example and is represented by #followfriday or #ff these tags are used by a majority of Twitterers to spotlight individuals they consider worth following. Once you see a tweet with the #followfriday hash tag click in it and you will see volumes of recommendations which appear in a search format at search.twitter.com.

To create a hash tag is as simple as tweeting #meetmearchie Midvale Theater 7pm Sunday 18th this lets Archie know to where and when to meet you. The added Hash/Pound will allow anyone in your group to check see what you are up to with Archie. Are you watching 24 or #24? If you want your opinion about the show to be found it is an important difference. Have a favorite recipe or just ate at a new restaurant you can hash tag the name and leave a review.

The use of hash tags allows you to create groups, find others reading the same book and or supporting the same charities. As a business tool it can be used for tracking the trending topics of the twenty-five million plus daily visitors to Twitter. If you want your opinion of a favorite movie to reach the Twitterverse or you do not want to miss an important event the tiny hash will allow you to apprise others or stay current on selected topics.

About the Author:

Lee Hiller is Co-Founder and writer/designer for Pen and Ink Inc and she can be contacted on Twitter @thehillers Click here to get your own unique version of this article with free reprint rights.

Lessons from the Candidate from Hell

photo via realsoftwaredevelopment.com

Ever wonder what would happen if  you just went off in a job interview?

Below are some of the lessons learned from an experience like this. I especially like the last point. We are all connected. Once you've crossed the line, it will be difficult to explain away your inappropriate behavior to the employer, when you really, really want that job.

1. DO NOT  ever argue, lie, criticize or belittle anyone during your job search.

2. DO  learn to take criticism, constructive or not, with grace.

3. DO NOT underestimate the importance of details during the application process. While "on paper" the candidate for this job appeared qualified, it's small touches like enthusiasm for learning, proper e-mails, responsiveness and professionalism that make a memorable impression.

4. DO be justifiably confident. But just because you got A's in classes doesn't mean you are great. Learn enough about your business and study the leaders in your business, so that you can honestly set the bar for yourself.

5. For professors (and forgiveness, but this is one of my pet peeves): DO NOT grade too easily. Demand that students demonstrate clear understanding of concepts and how to apply them. Don't listen to obvious sob stories. Don't extend deadlines when students complain, unless there's a REALLY good reason (it's not fair to the kids who did get their work done on time). Lastly, don't feel mean for being a "tough" professor. You're not doing us any favors by taking it easy or guarding our notorious self-esteem. Our bosses, mentors and role models all will ask more of us…why shouldn't you?

6. Lastly, DO remember that everyone is connected, and the internet makes it even harder to live down our not-so-hot moments. As the blogger wrote, "Be wary of burning bridges at such an early stage." I'd say it another way: Unless you want to commit career suicide, show some integrity, no matter what the situation is. You'll regret it for a lot longer than you'll be angry about it.

Read the whole article here ... via [whygeny.wordpress.com]

Career Counseling: Myth or Magic?

from WebWorkerDaily by Georgina Laidlaw

Written by Georgina Laidlaw.

It doesn't take an economic downturn to make many people reconsider their careers, their jobs, and their lifestyles. All kinds of changes can make you reevaluate your priorities, but they can also leave you feeling bewildered.

When I found myself in just such a discombobulated state a few years ago, I decided to try career counseling. It wasn't disaster that prompted me to seek guidance; it was the fact that I had no ambition, no professional goals. A friend of a friend was a career counselor, so I thought I'd give it a try. The sessions were affordable and tax-deductible, so why not?

The Myth

Career counseling seemed intimidating to me — a bit like life coaching or personal training. Perhaps there'd be a whole lot of unnecessary pressure to perform. Perhaps I'd become obsessed with salaries and KPIs and moving ever "upwards." Perhaps I'd emerge from counseling a changed woman: a ruthless, power-dressing career gal willing to stop at nothing to get to the top…

The Reality

Of course, it wasn't like that at all. The nature and direction of career counseling depends on two people: you and the counselor. My counselor had a laid-back, considered, non-confrontational style, which worked perfectly for me. The first time we spoke (we conducted the counseling via phone) she asked me what I wanted to get out of counseling, then explained a procedure we'd use to explore my interests and experience, and develop goals from them.

It all sounds very simple now, but she had me undertake a range of tasks — reflective and proactive — that made me focus on the kinds of work issues most of us take for granted: thinking about where I wanted to be in a year's time, two years' time, and so on; assessing my interests as potential revenue streams; reviewing my perceptions of what comprised "working life," "career," "a profession" and similar constructs.

The counseling occurred over three hour-long sessions. I didn't have to lie on a couch and talk about my childhood dreams of being an astronaut. And the only "analysis" involved me poring over the job ads looking for anything — anything — that remotely piqued my fancy, then working out why an ad for a pastry chef or groundsman appealed to a marketing writer.

The Magic

At the end of the process, I actually had goals. They weren't goals I could achieve overnight, and they weren't particularly concrete (e.g. by the time I'm 40, I want to be earning $x), but they were my goals, and I had strategies for achieving each of them. At the time, they gave me a renewed sense of focus and passion for what I was doing. And now, years later, I still reconsider the longer-term goals every so often, to make sure they're still current, and that I'm still on track.

Among the more important things I learned from the process was how to look beyond the superficialities of life, and the constraints of what I know about a particular field or specialty, to work out what I want. And I think this is a great asset. Could I have done this on my own? If I'd known even where to start sorting this out, I wouldn't have bothered looking for help.

Of course, depending on your needs and your counselor, your outcomes might be wildly different from these. What do you think: could it help you get a grip on your future?

7 Questions to Ask at a Job Interview

photo from biojobblog.com

Paul Sloane has written a great article about the 7 questions to ask at a job interview. Having just completed this process and missing a few of these questions, it would have been nice to read this last week. But, hey, I got the job without it. (I start next Monday)

Here are his recommended questions:

1. What exactly would my day-to-day responsibilities be?

2. What are the opportunities for training and career advancement?

3. What is the biggest challenge facing the organization today?

4. When did you join?

5. What are the criteria that you are looking for in the successful candidate for this position?

6. How do you feel that I measure up to your requirements for this position?

7. Would you like to hear what I could do to really help your department?

In my worst interview ever, I waited until the end of the interview to ask the interviewers role. When they rolled off these big official and very precise titles, I realized that my casual approach to answering their questions was the exact wrong approach. Would you hire a laid back casual Project Manager in a uptight, rigid, very structured organization? They didn't either and I did not get that job.

If you need to, write down the questions on a 3x5 card, whip it out and ask them. The interviewer will most likely be impressed that you took the time to prepare for the interview and had prepared questions.

Read more here...