Monday, April 20, 2020

The Best Information Technology Professional Resume Writing Services

The Best Information Technology Professional Resume Writing ServicesThere are some critical components that one must keep in mind when looking for the best information technology professional resume writing servicesg. One must be extremely careful and disciplined when selecting the right resume service, as certain options are just not worth it. At times, a simple mistake can land you in the worst of it. I will try to provide the best ways to avoid these pitfalls.First of all, you should take time to think about the way in which the market works, before actually applying for any suitable resume writing services. There are hundreds of companies offering resume writing services in your local area. You will have to perform your research on the various companies to make sure that you select the right one.Also, make sure that the company offers both online and offline platforms to perform the job of writing the resume. An online company should be able to give you a list of resume writing w ebsites that can do the job in a snap. If the resume website requires the company to send a hard copy resume to its clients, then you should definitely opt for a company that does not require the hard copy as well.It is also vital that the company you choose has a good record of working with a variety of professionals. A good resume writing service provider should be able to provide you with some kind of sample resume that has been professionally crafted. There should be no mistake of the fact that you are hiring a writer.The above factors will make sure that your resume is perfectly crafted and kept in a safe place. The next step will be to evaluate the merits of the company. This is a vital step that every aspiring candidate must not skip out.Before you ever hand in your resume, you must make sure that the site of the service is well set up and user friendly. Also, there must be an option that allows you to ask the interviewers some basic questions to ensure that you have a positi ve interview. Having a resume written by a qualified company will ensure that you are provided with more job opportunities than you could ever dream of.The best resume writing services allow you to upload your resume online. With a little bit of hard work, you can find the best information technology professional resume writing services that provide top quality services at affordable rates.

Wednesday, April 15, 2020

The Courageous Conversation Women Can Have at Work

The Courageous Conversation Women Can Have at Work There is so much research out there showing that gender diversity leads to better business resultsâ€"and not by a little, but by a lot. Promoting women to powerful positions has been shown to improve corporate culture, company performance, the economy, and society. But that doesn’t mean we can count on our employers to hand us leadership positions, treat us well, or pay us what we’re worth just because it’s the right thing to do, or because the research shows it’s in their own best interest. Let’s face it: this has been an issue for years and years, and progress on gender diversity in corporate America is still occurring at a glacial pace. Anyone want to wait another 150 years for pay equity? I’ve probably worked with as many men in senior positions in business as anyone else out there. I’ve probably walked into as many conference rooms and interrupted as many guys deep in conversation as anyone else out there. And you know what I’ve never heard? “Hey, Sallie. Funny you should walk in now. We were just discussing the importance of gender diversity in driving corporate performance.” Never. Not once. So if we want these conversations to be hadâ€"and we doâ€"it’s up to us to start them. If we want change on our timelines and on our terms, we need to have what Ellyn Shook, the chief human resources officer of Accenture, recently called “courageous conversations” about gender inequality and sexism in the workplace. If we don’t, the guys may eventually get it, and things may eventually change. But I don’t want to sit around and wait for the guys to get with the program. Do you? Sheryl Sandberg initiated a “courageous conversation” with the publication of Lean In. (And the initial backlash demonstrated just how courageous she was.) Anne-Marie Slaughter initiated a “courageous conversation”â€"and, for a time, something of a firestormâ€"with her article in The Atlantic that basically said women couldn’t “have it all.” And Judith Williams certainly initiated a “courageous conversation” at the 2015 SXSW conference when she called out Eric Schmidt for repeatedly interrupting the CTO of the United States government, Megan Smith, on the subject of gender inequities in tech (of all things). Oh, and Williams runs Google’s Global Diversity and Talent Program, which makes Schmidt the chairman of her company, and her boss. Now those are some courageous conversations. You don’t have to write a book, or take the stage at SXSW, or be a CEO to initiate your own courageous conversation. We all have the power to bring about change, individually and collectively, and the way we do that is by starting conversations in our own workplaces. Courageous conversations don’t have to be just about the big stuff, either; they don’t have to address the systemic roots of sexism in society or tackle closing the gender pay gap. What I found worked best early in my career were quick, no-blame, emotionless, one-on-one conversations. The more facts and research I could bring to it, the better. “Hey, David, I’m not sure if you’re aware, but you spoke over me a few times in that meeting.” spoke over me a few times in that meeting.” Or: “I was reading recently that we’re more likely to dismiss women’s recommendations for other women. I know I have. I hope I can count on you to give Susie strong consideration.” You can initiate a courageous conversation about apparent gender inequities in the workplace, such as a woman not being offered a big assignment on the assumption she won’t want it because she’s pregnant. (You’d better believe I saw this happen.) Or a women getting dinged for being “aggressive” in her performance review while a man is celebrated for it. (I saw this, too.) Or a male co-worker condescending to or “man-terrupting” a female peer. The conversations canâ€"and I hope, willâ€"happen at all levels of an organization, and in the all the ways we are each comfortable having them. I’m comfortable discussing these topics even in a bigger groupâ€"not to shame people, but to coach and share with the group, usually using myself as the example of the person who learned the lesson. But that took a long, long time to get to. Not sure how to approach these? Get advice from your HR contact on how to engage; perhaps better yet from a more senior mentor; and perhaps even better from a more senior female mentor who has experience with this. Make no mistake: it’s worth it. Initiating these conversations can work. One time I saw a lone board member go against the rest of the board to ask to see the company’s pay rate by gender, and then convince the board to give the women raises to get rid of the gap. It was beautiful. And while I may have considered these “courageous conversations” to be risky in the past (worried that I’d upset someone, or goodness forbid come off as a hysterical and raging feminist), I now believe that it may be riskier not to have them. Amazon If we’re not having these conversations, those old gender expectations and beliefs that have in part kept us from moving forward professionally will continue on, unchallenged. Research shows that they work on a broader scale. As one example, research done by She Should Run, a group dedicated to getting women elected, has shown that when sexist comments are made about female candidatesâ€"either nasty ones, like “She’s an airhead,” or even seemingly complimentary ones, like “She’s got great legs”â€"the female candidate suffers in the polls. If, however, that female candidate calls out those comments as being sexist, her poll results improve. We have to pick our battles, of course. And timing can be everything. This may not be a conversation one necessarily wants to have on the first day in a new job. We are more likely to be effective once we have built up some political capital. But in general, having more courageous conversations over the course of our day-to-day work will keep the issue on the front burner and educate those around us. Ultimately, awareness and education are what lead to progress on any type of cultural issue like this. I firmly believe that owning these conversations can position each of us as true leaders, for taking a principled and educated stance on what is clearly the right side of history. Sallie Krawcheck is author of Own It: The Power of Women at Work. She is also the CEO and Co-Founder of Ellevest, an innovative digital investment platform for women. She is Chair of Ellevate Network, the global professional women’s network, and of the Pax Ellevate Global Women’s Index Fund.

Friday, April 10, 2020

Guide to Self-Employed 401(k) Plans (FAQ)

Guide to Self-Employed 401(k) Plans (FAQ) Kinga/Shutterstock Individual 401(k) plans allow you to start taking deductions after you turn 59.5 years old.   You cannot employ any full-time employees and have a solo 401(k). In 2019, an employee can contribute up to $19,000 in one year, assuming you're under 50 years old. Annual or maintenance fees for  solo 401(k) plans usually run between $20 and $200, and they are tax deductible.   The number of people who run their own business continues to trend up. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 9.6 million people worked for themselves in 2016, and that's projected to increase to 10.3 million by 2026. Working for yourself may give you the ability to make more money than you would working for someone else, but it also means you need to have your own retirement plan in place. One of the most popular retirement plans for independent workers is a self-employed 401(k). We spoke to two financial experts to find out how these retirement plans work. Logan Allec, CPA and owner of the personal finance site Money Done Right, and Adam Bergman, a trained tax attorney and president of IRA Financial Trust and IRA Financial Group, offered their insights about these plans, including the maximum contributions, taxes, investments and fees. Editor's note: Looking for an employee retirement plan for your business? Fill out the below questionnaire to have our vendor partners contact you with free information.   What is a self-employed 401(k) plan? Allec: This plan goes by many names, including solo, individual and single-k, but they all mean a 401(k) retirement savings plan for the self-employed person. You can contribute a large amount of money to this plan every year and then start taking distributions from the account after you turn 59.5 years of age. What is the best retirement plan for a self-employed person? Allec: I think that, for most businesses, the solo 401(k) is the best. Many small businesses can contribute more to a solo 401(k) than, say, a SEP at the same income level. With an IRA, you can only contribute $6,000 (50 years or under) or $7,000 (50 years or over) in 2019. With a SEP IRA, you can't contribute as both employer and employee, only as an employer. [Interested in employee retirement plans? Check out our reviews and best picks.] Who can have a solo 401(k) plan? Allec: 1. You're required to make self-employment income from your personal efforts; usually you generate a product or provide a service. You could also provide services as an independent contractor, like driving for Uber or working on a 1099 basis for a large company. 2. A sole proprietorship, limited liability company (LLC), S corporation, C corporation or limited partnership can all set up an individual 401(k). 3. Your business can't employ any full-time workers besides yourself. Can you have employees and open a single-k? Allec: You can't have any full-time employees, but you can contract with freelancers or employ part-time employees who don't work more than 1,000 hours a year in your business. Note that not all individual 401(k) plans allow for part-time employees, so be sure to check with your provider before hiring employees. How do you start one of these 401(k) plans? Bergman: You need to select a provider.  One of the most common ways to establish one of these plans is to go through a bank. You usually aren't charged a fee for these, but your investment options are limited to the financial products the bank or financial institution sells. You can also go through a brokerage. In addition, there are self-directed solo 401(k) plan document providers, which do not sell investments and will allow you to establish a self-directed solo 401(k) plan to make alternative asset investments, such as real estate, as well as gain access to all other available plan options, such as Roth contributions and a $50,000 loan option. When should I start a self-employed 401(k)? Bergman: Start early â€" the younger, the better â€" and be consistent. Whenever you can, you want to defer taxes instead of paying taxes. You also want to maximize the amount of money you'll have in retirement. To make plan contributions to a solo 401(k) for 2018, it needs to be set up by April 15, 2019. If you set it up after that date, all your contributions go towards 2019. How much can you contribute to an individual 401(k)? Allec: The contribution limits have both an employee and employer component. You fill both those roles. In 2019, an employee can contribute up to $19,000 if he is under 50. For those 50 or older, the maximum is $25,000. The $6,000 difference is a catch-up provision, meaning older individuals can save more for their retirement. As for the employer component, you can make a nonelective (tax-deductible) contribution to the 401(k) of 25% of your Form W-2 wages. For example, if you earn $100,000 in wages in 2019, you can contribute $19,000 as an employee and $25,000 (25%) as an employer for a total of $44,000. For a sole proprietorship, the employer component is 20% of your net income from self-employment, which is calculated as your self-employment income as reported on Schedule C, less your deduction for half of self-employment taxes paid. When you contribute as both an employee and an employer, the threshold amount is $56,000 if you're under 50 and $62,000 if you're 50 or older. These limits usually change every year, and typically they go up to adjust for inflation. The increase is usually a round number, not a percentage. If your spouse works for your business and is compensated, he or she can participate in your business's solo 401(k) at the same limits as above. Can you contribute a lump sum to a self-employed 401(k)? Bergman: In general, yes, a self-employed individual can make an employee deferral lump-sum contribution to a plan so long as he or she has sufficient earned income.   However, in the case of a W-2 owner/employee, the employee deferral contribution should not be more than the income earned for that income period. In the case of employer profit-sharing contributions, those can be made by the employer in a lump sum. How does the money grow in a self-employed 401(k)? Bergman: Depending on the provider you choose to house your plan, you can invest in almost anything. However, if you select a financial institution to oversee your plan, you must invest in their products. Otherwise, opportunities remain limitless. Go the traditional route with stocks or mutual funds, or turn to alternative investments like real estate, gold or cryptocurrencies. What fees are associated with a solo 401(k)? Allec: Annual or maintenance fees for these plans usually run between $20 and $200. You'll pay the least if your needs are simple â€" you don't have any employees besides yourself, there's no rollover, and you're OK with investing in a budget brokerage firm's products. If you have more interesting investment appetites, another provider can accommodate those. These providers usually charge higher fees to maintain your plan, but you also have more flexibility with your investment and plan options. Is a solo 401(k) tax-deductible? Bergman: Yes, by using your business funds to contribute to your 401(k), you're eligible to claim a deduction for the cost of the plan and its maintenance fees. This helps reduce your business's income tax obligation. Can I withdraw funds penalty-free from this plan? Bergman: You can borrow up to $50,000 or 50% of the account value, whichever is less, for any purpose at a low interest rate. As of March 1, 2019, the lowest interest rate was prime at 5.5%. To avoid taxes, this loan must be repaid within five years of the loan date, and payments must be made at least quarterly. How long do you have once a previous 401(k) is terminated to roll those funds into a new solo 401(k)? Bergman: In general, once the decision is made by the business to terminate the plan, the plan participant will generally have to move those funds during the course of the tax year, but it really should be done as soon as reasonably possible. What are the most common mistakes people make with their self-employed 401 (k) plans? Allec: Overcontributing is the largest mistake. When you discover you've put too much money into your plan, call your provider right away. They can help you withdraw the overcontributed amount so you won't have to pay taxes on it. Another common error is breaking one of the prohibited transaction rules. For example, your plan buys a house in Florida and rents it out as an investment. If you want to take a family trip to Disney World, you can't stay in that house. Once you've invested in alternative assets and break the rules, you will be subjected to taxes and penalties. Always make sure your provider goes over the prohibited rules with you when you open your individual 401(k). The last mistake many people make is not getting their solo 401(k) set up by the end of the year. Heather Larson Heather Larson spent way too many years working in different finance departments. Now she writes about money along with business solutions and technology. When she's not writing, she relishes reading a good thriller with her rescue dog in her lap. 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