Accumulating wealth and reaching financial satisfaction are common goals that any individual has.  Accessing the right opportunities to increase your regular financial gains demands sufficient research from your part, as well as attention to detail. One of the options you should consider is becoming a trader. However, when it comes to trades, there isn’t just one market that comes with appealing characteristics. Because your choices here can influence your future success and how much you will actually make as a trader, you should familiarize yourself with the topic, before going in one direction or another. Stocks and Forex might have both caught your interest, but which one of these two markets actually suits your objectives best, keeping in mind that you are in fact a novice? The following pointers will help you reach a conclusion, and decide what you should be trading in the near future:

 

Trading hours

Let’s start with the aspect that possibly stands as most appealing for those who are just starting out in the world of trades, and that is schedule availability. Because you are just discovering these markets, you probably want to combine trading with your current professional activities. Managing to pursue this path, without having your trades interfere with your current schedule isn’t always easy, at least not if you choose to explore the stock market. Trading stocks is possible during business hours only, which can come as an inconvenience, if you have to attend to other responsibilities during that time of day. Forex on the other hand, is open 24 hours a day, Monday through Friday. This means you can engage in trades whenever you have some spare time on your hands. This is possible because the market is not tied to a specific geographical area, meaning round the clock possibilities are always available. However, keep in mind that not all hours are ideal for trades, you’ll need to figure out when the market is most active.

Transaction fees and commissions

You don’t need to be an expert in stocks to know that you are usually subjected to transaction fees during your trading actions, and stock brokers require different commissions. Being obligated to share your gains is of course not appealing, but with Forex, this will not be something you need to worry about. Forex brokers do not charge any fees or commissions on transactions, their compensation being made through the bid/ask spread. This means the costs of trading currencies are usually kept to minimal, and the majority of the gains remain in your own pockets. Of course there are cases where you might deal with an unreliable broker that isn’t transparent in regards to spreads, so if you decide to actually enter the Forex market, you should first consult a list of forex brokers for US traders, and find out which brokers are the safest to use.

Liquidity

Statistics show that the volume of daily Forex trades can be even ten times larger than the combined volume of all stock markets in the world. This clearly illustrates that the Forex market benefits from high liquidity. The numbers mentioned in various global results make Forex the most liquid market in the world, aspect that cannot be neglected when you are trying to decide which trading direction to choose. Liquidity is also directly linked to low margins – in the stock market, it’s impossible to find margin rates as low as in Forex. The reason for that is that stock traders are obligated to have somewhere around half of their investment value in their trading account at all times, whereas Forex traders can have as little as one percent.

Volatility

Perhaps you are interested in the type of trade that can follow a fast pace approach, and Forex is the option that can provide you with exactly that. Because this market completes so many trades on a daily basis, you will have rapid access to a wide range of opportunities. Investors that are interested in short term investments, preferably with quick turnarounds, will always choose Forex over stocks, considering the volatility status of this market.

Leverage

You couldn’t possibly reach an optimal conclusion here without taking into account leverage. In the US, for example, traders usually have access to 2:1 on stocks, whereas within the Forex market, leverage can reach up to 50:1. The difference is a substantial one, and this aspect drives the interest of some traders in the first place. While high leverage isn’t always a positive thing, it provides you with the opportunity to build equity with a rather small investment. This means, if you want to open a Forex trading account with as little as 100 dollars, you have the possibility to do exactly that, something you can’t say about stocks trading.

Understanding how trades work

Last but not least, before you actually start trading, you need to be aware of the instruments available and how the exact process of trading needs to develop. Another powerful aspect that often gives Forex a leaping advantage over stocks is that the trading process involved can be easier to understand by beginners. Once you do a bit of research, learn the lingo and find yourself a trustworthy broker, you can immediately proceed with your first trade. As long as you have some knowledge on the currency pairs you are planning to trade, getting around the trading tools you need to use won’t be hard.

There are various details that need to be addressed, when you are trying to decide whether to trade Forex or stocks, but once you look into the subject, you won’t need much research to conclude that the Forex market does come with increased potential. With higher leverage, trading hours flexibility and being less complicated to learn, Forex trading should in fact be the option you consider first, especially as a beginner. Managing to reach success in this domain could take some time, but the profitability opportunities available are highly appealing, making your involvement worth it.

Certain tax situations may warrant adequate representation, while there are other situations where the cost of such representation simply isn’t necessary. Here are a few situations where you should definitely be represented, and a few where it won’t be necessary.

  1. If You’re Being Audited

A tax audit can be intimidating, especially since the taxation process is so complex and mostly a mystery to the average taxpayer. A qualified tax attorney, such as those at https://silvertaxgroup.com/, will assist you during the audit process and represent your interests during any tax negotiations. Most importantly, they’ll ensure your rights are respected and proper procedures are followed.

  1. If You’ve Incurred Any Criminal Tax Charges

Certain situations may require the IRS to file criminal charges against you (such as tax evasion). In which case, you will absolutely want representation, as with any criminal charges brought against you.

A qualified tax attorney will review not only the charges brought against you but also the information the IRS has provided to warrant those charges. They will ensure you are represented in a court of law and work with the prosecution to drop or lessen your charges.

  1. During Negotiations With The IRS

The IRS may attempt to negotiate your debt with you in an attempt to bring you into a repayment program. It’s a good idea to have representation during this process for a few reasons. For starters, if you’re unfamiliar with how the repayment processes work with the IRS, you could be persuaded into a program you’re not comfortable with.

Additionally, using an attorney will prevent the IRS from asking inappropriate questions or digging for information that is not relevant to your tax debt. A tax attorney is your expert in tax law, aware of how the process works and how to best serve your tax needs during negotiations.

  1. When Starting A Business

Getting your business taxes right in the beginning can save your newfound business a lot of trouble later on. Consider hiring a tax attorney when you decide to start your business to ensure you’re filing under the proper guidelines and that you are sure of what exactly you’ll be taxed on.

  1. When Buying or Selling A Business

Buying or selling a business can be an exciting endeavor, but to ensure you’re on the right side of the tax laws, you’ll want to hire a tax attorney for the process. The attorney will be able to advise you on the complicated buying (or selling) process. While a business attorney does have some knowledge in these areas, it’s best to involve a tax attorney to ensure adequate representation.

  1. If You’re Leaving Anything To Your Heir(s)

A tax attorney can assist you in figuring out whether or not any gifts left to your heirs are taxable, and how to plan accordingly for these taxes. Generally speaking, the IRS only requires you to file an estate tax if the amount left is over $11 million, but it’s best to speak to a professional anyway to avoid any posthumous surprises for your heirs.

  1. You Won’t Need An Attorney For Simple Filings

If you’re simply filing an extension, you can follow the provided instructions on the IRS website and should be able to navigate the process without the help of an attorney.  The IRS has several other forms that are simple to fill out and should not require tax services to do so.

  1. For Simple Negotiations, No Attorney Required

Not all negotiations require a tax attorney. For simple repayment plans or extensions, you should be able to negotiate with the IRS representative. Be sure to only provide information that’s asked for, and be wary of any suspicious or unnecessary questions.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, whether or not you decide to hire a tax attorney is completely at your discretion. You don’t technically need an attorney for any of the situations listed, but it is strongly recommended that you utilize the services of an expert when dealing with legal and financial issues or misunderstandings. These tax specialists will work to ensure you’re not falling prey to any malicious practices and that your rights are respected during any repayment processes.

At some point in life, everyone runs low on cash compelling them to look for alternatives to boost their financial situation. For anyone with a cash deficit, taking a loan from a bank is not the most appropriate option. Nowadays, there are many alternatives you can use to secure a loan. If you need to upgrade your business or finish up a project, you can get a $5000 loan at lend genius to help you in speeding up the process. However, regardless of the purpose or the lending institution, it is crucial to understand that you will have to repay the loan eventually. Here are some factors to consider before taking a loan.

Know your credit score

Your credit score plays a vital role in determining whether you qualify for a loan. Before inquiring for a loan, it is crucial to check your credit status and rectify any mistakes that need to be resolved. You can request a copy of your credit report to find out whether you qualify to secure a loan. If your report has an error, you should contact the credit bureau and the associated lending company to resolve the issue.

Interest rate

Regardless of the type of loan you need, you should focus on the current interest rates. The total interest accrued will determine the amount to repay. You can examine the ideal interest rates in the market to establish whether the targeted firm is offering competitive rates. Prioritize for a personal loan that offers the lowest interest rates so you can have a peaceful time while repaying the loan.

Determine how much you need

The desire to have money can blur the cost of repaying it. When taking a loan, you should first decide what you intend to do with it and how much to borrow. For instance, If you need a $5000 loan, there should have a definite plan on how to spend it. Always remember the higher the amount borrowed, the more interest accrued.

How to pay off the loan

Many borrowers concentrate on planning on how to spend a loan and determining how much they need to secure. While this is essential, it is equally important to plan on how you will repay a loan. You need to establish whether you will be paying on a weekly or monthly basis. These factors will help you in choosing a loan with favourable payment terms to avoid unplanned costs.

Understand the terms

The length of the loan determines the repayment amounts and the interest amount to be paid over the life of the loan. The longer the duration of paying the loan, the lower the monthly repayments.

Before signing or agreeing on any loan, ensure you understand the terms and conditions. You should read and understand the payment structure then compare with your plan on how to repay the loan. Many people have defaulted on paying loans because of neglecting the fine details of the agreement. For example, you should establish whether there are early repayment penalties or origination fees.

So, what are premarket movers? A pre market mover may in fact not be what you might have thought it was at first glance – it involves stocks on the stock markets, and the fluctuations that take place in them before the opening of the market for the day.

As a beginner, this may not make all the much sense to you. However, fear not! In this article, we will go through exactly what a pre market mover is, as well as details as to why it is worth having a look into and learning about!

What exactly, is a pre market mover then? A pre market mover, refers to a stock that is still moving in price after trading has closed for the trading day, and before it opens for the following trading day. As you have probably guessed, the “mover” part of the name refers to the stock, whilst the “pre market” is fairly obvious – the time before the market opens. These movements can take place as any time that exists between the market closing and opening, however, there are times that there are more movements in stocks than others. For example, a time that there may be more movements in stocks is when the stock prices can still be influenced by any trading that is taking places, such as during pre and post market trading hours. Pre and post market trading hours occur immediately before the stock market opens, and the latter immediately after the stock market closes.

Now that you have a rough idea of the pre market mover concept, let’s take a look at why it’s good to know exactly what pre-market movers are, and what they do! If you have a look at what movements in stocks are taking place prior to the commencement of the trading day, you may be able to place yourself at a considerable advantage over other traders. This logic is the same as that that you may apply to anything else that you do in your life. If you are up early to prepare for something, you will most likely be putting yourself at an advantage compared to those who are not up early and informing themselves further, as you will be more knowledgeable than them, and will be already in the correct mindset for starting whatever it is that you are preparing for. The same concept applies in the world of trading stocks and shares on the market. If you are up early and you have a look at those stocks and shares that are fluctuating, no matter what the direction, you will be more informed as to what is going on in the market and this will allow you the potential to make more informed predictions throughout the day based on this pre market information. If you see a stock that is changing in price (is a pre market mover) before the opening of the market, you will be in a position that you can research as to why this might be happening, and have  look into the company whose stock it is – you will be entering the trading day already informed and at advantage. You might also have more of an idea as to the stocks that you would like to invest in on that day based on this prior knowledge.

By making sure that you are there and are examining the pre market movers early in the day, you will be able to generate a plan of trading for the approaching day that is based on fact and things that have actually been happening – as opposed to a less informed prediction or even best guess as is the case for many traders. In more fundamental terms, you are informed prior to most other traders what stocks are the ones to watch for the day – this can place you at an enormous advantage.

As you have probably already gathered, looking at pre market movers is an all-round advantageous practice – there really is no bad that can come from it. Another one from this long list of positives is the fact that they can give you more information with regard to the operations and movements that are taking place in the market as a whole. What is meant by this, is that they can provide you with information on hot stocks, stocks to watch, as well as up and coming company’s stocks to watch, and already large company’s that might be going through some significant changes that are affecting stock prices. Not only this, but you may be able to get information on  general news surrounding the market, including what is affecting it at the present time. This information is paramount should you want to obtain information on what the major factors are that are affecting the movements within the stock market as a whole.

What do pre market movers involve, and what should you look for? So, what exactly signifies a stock that can be considered a pre-market mover? A pre-market mover could be a stock that has more considerable or more noticeable price differences than the day before, be these higher or lower prices. A pre-market mover also tends to be a stock that is being traded a lot, or a lot more than it normally might be – this additional trading could refer to trading that has taken place in the trading day prior to the one that is about to being, or trading that has taken place in after-market or pre-market trading hours. It’s all still trading, and it all has an effect on the prices of stocks!

Concluding, pre market movers are stocks that move whilst the market is closed. These movements can be as a result of trading that has taken place during post or pre-market trading hours, or indeed during both of these trading sessions. It is paramount that, should you wish to be at an advantage over other traders during the trading day, that you inform yourself of pre market movers and the effect that they are having on the stock market.

 

When it comes to online payment methods, PayPal is believed to be one of the widely used payment mediums around the globe. Whether you’re buying anything from an e-store or want to make a payment to your foreign clients, PayPal can be used to make fast and safe payments worldwide.

The ease of payment has also influenced forex brokers to channel their lesser-known payment methods and switch to online procedures to transfer funds and also to avail various other e-wallet benefits.

As far as PayPal is concerned, forex brokers generally find it cumbersome to follow the strict limitations and PayPal regulations that are to be followed in order to comply with the International money laundering rules. Hence, it is absolutely safe to presume that PayPal brokers acknowledging PayPal as a legitimate source are more dependable and trustworthy than other brokers that deal in other outdated payment methods.

From pros and cons of PayPal for trading to finding a trustworthy PayPal forex broker for your trades, this post covers all you need to know about PayPal forex brokers:-

Pros and Cons of PayPal Forex Transactions

Pros

PayPal forex transactions are believed to have more pros than cons. For instance,

         It offers quick, simple and safe payment options

         PayPal balance can be used to make payments for products and services

         One can fund his PayPal account through credit card or bank within minutes. Also, this amount can be further used for making payments afterwards

         PayPal accounts can be funded with a small amount of $5

         PayPal is available in 100+ countries

Cons

         You have to pay 3% fee/commission on each transaction which is huge if compared to other online payment options

         Only tangible products are eligible for chargebacks. All the other intangible products don’t qualify for chargebacks

         PayPal includes various limitations and regulations

How to Find a Dependable PayPal Forex Broker?

 

Forex brokers who allow PayPal payments will generally offer this facility through their payment portal. You can find official PayPal logo on their main page as well as on all other payment pages. In certain cases, the PayPal forex broker do not publicize the PayPal logo on their homepage. In fact, some brokers don’t even market their payment options at all. If you’re not able to find PayPal logo on your broker’s website, make sure to get in touch with the support team to know about the payment options, especially the availability of PayPal. The basic payment amount depends upon the type and availability of the payment method.

Depositing/Withdrawing Funds through PayPal

Simply put, PayPal is an e-wallet that maintains your funds via protected online accounts, which basically lets you make payments for goods and services through particular payment portals. These portals are generally installed by the traders on their dedicated payment pages. PayPal accounts are just like your bank accounts, and the only major difference is that you can only use it online.

 

Once you become a PayPal account holder, you can link your credit cards as well as your bank accounts to your PayPal account which gives you the flexibility to make payments even if your PayPal balance isn’t sufficient. In addition to that, you can also use your PayPal account to receive payments from other independent clients. Noticeably, the payment modes vary according to the account type you hold. For instance, if you have a personal PayPal account, you can only collect payments from the users having valid PayPal account. Similarly, if you have a merchant account, you can accept credit card payments for your products or services. Lastly, if you’re using your PayPal account for forex transactions, you’ll be required to connect with the PayPal support team to confirm that your PayPal account can be used to transfer funds to the brokers. Keep in mind, the fee associated with failed transactions or returns is very high and brokers generally will not take the responsibility for any failed transfer attempts.

There are companies that use PayPal as an only payment option which gives them the freedom to make payments through their credit cards. PayPal has always been the subject of various disputes. First and most importantly you should go through the local restrictions and laws that PayPal imposes to various countries. For instance, PayPal has confined its operations in some of the major countries like Japan and Turkey. Also, the company has disagreements with numerous other countries respecting the legitimacy of online payment methods. Hence, traders should confirm first that whether or not PayPal is allowed in their country prior to registering and using PayPal for deposit or withdrawal of funds for their forex trades.

In conclusion, the success you achieve from your trades heavily relies on the payment medium you choose. PayPal forex brokers are doing incredibly great as they are believed to be more reliable and trustworthy than brokers who depend on the conventional payment methods.

What do you think of this post? Feel free to share your comments and feedback below. We’d love to hear back.

Most people know that cryptocurrencies are a means of exchange. What is lesser known is that cryptocurrencies serve a variety of other purposes besides transferring value. If you are planning to invest in cryptocurrencies, it is crucial for you to understand the differences between the types of cryptocurrencies.

Here is everything you need to about the broad categories of cryptocurrencies, as well as how to evaluate their potential as an investment opportunity.

Tokens

Cryptocurrency exchanges like BinanceCoin and Kucoin are online platforms where users can invest in and trade cryptocurrencies. These exchanges create tokens that they use in operations. Essentially, tokens do not function as a currency. Instead, they facilitate access to a product or a stock.

This comparison of exchanges will help you understand the options available to you, which one you should choose, and the factors you have to consider when opening a cryptocurrency account on your selected exchange.

The release of a token is usually done through an Initial Coin Offering (ICO). An ICO is similar to an initial public offering (IPO) for the stock market. ICOs provide investors with access to the services or products covered by the token. They may also represent a stake in the cryptocurrency firm.

If it is the former, then the token is categorized as a utility token. If the latter applies, it is considered as a security token.

  1. Utility Tokens

A utility token offers investors with access to certain services or products, such as a discounted rate and early or exclusive access. Utility tokens are associated with smart contracts and decentralized apps (dApps). A dApp is essentially a cryptocurrency with a user interface.

One example of a utility token is the Basic Attention Token (BAT), which is integrated with Brave, a relatively new browser. When a user consents to view ads while browsing, he receives a specific unit of BAT. Every time a user views an ad on their site, content creators also receive BAT. When advertisers want to purchase ad space, they pay for it using BAT.

BAT, in this case, is a utility token that is used for digital advertising products and services.

  1. Security Tokens

Security tokens are, in a nutshell, digital securities. Like traditional securities, security tokens constitute ownership of a real-world asset that exists outside the blockchain. Because of their nature, security tokens are regulated by the appropriate government agency.

In the United States, the SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) has strict regulations on who can access security tokens. To be able to invest in security tokens, you need to be an accredited investor. Security token platforms like Swarm or Polymath are required by law to verify their users before allowing them to trade on the platform.

Coins

Most of the top cryptocurrencies today are categorized as coins. This includes Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Ripple. Coins are distinguished by the existence of a blockchain, which is a decentralized, peer-to-peer system where transactions are recorded on a digital ledger. The presence of a blockchain is what sets apart a coin from a token.

  1. Privacy Coins

Privacy coins are cryptocurrencies that are designed to facilitate transactions between users without creating an identifiable track. These anonymous transactions may involve monetary value or even information.  The underlying principle behind the creation of a privacy coin is that transactions should not be monitored or controlled by any one individual or organization.

The two most popular privacy coins are the following:

  • Monero has been anonymous since its release. In fact, no attempt to trace a Monero transaction has ever succeeded.
  • Zcash, on the other hand, can allow both public and anonymous transactions. Users are given the option to do a private transaction, but it is not the default setting.
  1. Currency Coins

Most of the well-known and established cryptocurrencies today fall under the category of currency coins. Currency coins function just like standard currency and can be used to purchase goods and services.

Here are two of the more well-known currency coins:

  • Bitcoin – Bitcoin is considered as the first modern cryptocurrency. It also has the largest market share for all digital currencies available today. Bitcoin uses blockchain technology to enable transparent peer-to-peer transactions. All transactions are visible to other users, but only the owner of a specific unit of bitcoin can decrypt it using his private key.
  • Litecoin – Launched in 2011, Litecoin is an open-source, decentralized global payment network. It was developed as an alternative to Bitcoin. Many users considered it is the top option in case Bitcoin fails.

Stablecoins

Stablecoins are cryptocurrencies with values that are attached to traditional assets such as gold or standard currencies. Stablecoins are very attractive to investors because they are, as the name suggests, more stable than a lot of volatile cryptocurrencies.

In a bear market, for instance, an investor can convert their cryptocurrency to a stablecoin instead of converting it into standard currency—a process that can incur significant transaction fees. They can then convert it back to other cryptocurrencies when a bull market returns at minimal to zero cost.

Most stablecoins have USD attached to their name. Some examples are Tether (USDT) and Gemini Coin (GUSD). However, this feature does not always hold, as in the case of the stablecoin Maker (MKR).

Investing in cryptocurrencies

Remember that investing in cryptocurrency is not easy. In some cases, you may need to buy the more popular cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin or Ethereum first before you can purchase other types of cryptocurrencies. This is the case for most tokens, which requires you to exchange your money for a currency coin first before you can invest in them.

On top of knowing the value and features of the cryptocurrency you are planning to invest in, you also need to consider the impact of present and future government regulations.

Conclusion

The realm of cryptocurrency encompasses more than just Bitcoin or value-based transactions. As an investor, doing your research is a must if you plan to buy, especially given the volatility of the market. Start investing only if you are comfortable with the knowledge you have gathered and after a thorough assessment of the risks and requirements involved.

Operating an offshore company is an important tool for asset protection and tax mitigation. However, offshore company structures are often or easily misunderstood. Forming an offshore company or corporation means setting up the business in a country different from the one you reside. Normally, legal documents to form the offshore company should be filed in a government office in that jurisdiction. These documents must be filed by a licensed organization hired to help in the formation process. These documents include articles of association and articles of incorporation. They must contain proper company’s name, correct legal wording, and registration information. A declaration of a registered agent in the country may also be required. All these must adhere to local corporate document submission standards so that they are accepted by the registrar.

Offshore company formation in Dubai
A Dubai offshore company could be a reasonable option to take advantage of a stable economy, perfect banking amenities, tax exemption, along with attractive regulatory framework of the UAE. The UAE is made up of seven emirates: Ajman, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah, Sharjah, and Umm Al-Quwain. Dubai Will offer you an ideal environment for your offshore business.

Requirements for offshore company formation in Dubai
• Company formation in Dubai demands a minimum of two shareholders.
• For the formation to go through, the physical presence of the two shareholders is required.
• An audit is important for a Dubai offshore company.
• The cost of company formation is favorable.

The process of offshore company formation
Corporate law is the invention of human imagination. Therefore, the documents and the protocol which you must follow to establish an offshore corporation will vary from one jurisdiction to the next. It is therefore in your best interest to hire a company knowledgeable and experienced in matters of offshore company incorporation so that your company is filed correctly, legally, and promptly.

This is what might be required for offshore company formation
• Company’s initial license fee
• Corporate seal
• Registered agent for service of process
• Corporate record book containing all legally required documents
• Government fee for the incorporation

GWS Middle East FZE is a licensed international corporate service provider dedicated to helping its customers find perfect offshore structures and take advantage of economic and tax benefits offered in UAE. They help their clients with offshore company formation in Dubai, Britain, Ras Al Khaimah, and other destinations where investors find attractive.

GWS specializes in:
• Offshore company formation in Dubai and the entire UAE in just 2-4 working days
• Professional business consultancy
• Professional company management
• Full nominee services
• Offshore bank account opening

Company Formation in Dubai and other destinations calls for a company experienced and knowledgeable in the formation requirements and incorporation procedure in that jurisdiction. GWS with years of experience and collaboration with other industry players, such as corporate attorneys, legal consultants, and tax advisors, ensures that the process of company formation in Dubai is seamless and without bottlenecks.

You can make money by going to work and collecting your pay from an employer, starting your own business, or investing intelligently. People have made massive fortunes by investing on the stock market, and they have also secured their financial futures simply by being slow and steady. There is no correct or wrong way to approach creating a financial portfolio, but there is a safe way to do things. You need to look at what you want on a long-term basis and to always invest conservatively. Here’s how you can get started on building your financial portfolio in a secure manner.

Consult with Professionals Who Can Help Set You Up

There is little to nothing that can stop a determined person from getting a financial portfolio set up quickly. Consider all of the websites, companies, and programs there are that enable absolute novices to start buying stock, investing in cryptocurrencies, securities, and even foreign markets instantaneously. For someone who is a lot more experienced and educated, making snap judgement decisions can lead to some big gains. On the other hand, doing things too fast and without the advisement of a professional portfolio management firm is also unnecessarily risky. Consult with an expert in financial wealth before making any kind of investment.

Create a Stable and Varied Portfolio

The other key to safely amassing a financial portfolio? Ensure that your financial investments are as varied as possible. In fact, the more variety that you have in your portfolio, the more stable it will be naturally. Buying thousands of shares of a stock that is predicted to make you lots of money in a few years is not as safe as buying a few hundred shares. Look into purchasing penny stocks and other financial products that will yield you a small yet steady ROI. ETFs are incredibly stable as they tend not to fluctuate in value very quickly. A professional portfolio management team can guide you, tell you what things to look for, and show you how to create your portfolio so that it has the highest amount of stability.

Build Wealth While Avoiding Tax Liabilities

When profits are made, taxes are owed. So, don’t count your money just yet after making a highly successful trade. Only a CPA and an expert in the financial market will be able to advise you on how to amass personal wealth in a manner that will cost you the least in taxes. At times, you might be advised to hold off on making a trade until after the end of a fiscal or calendar year so that you can minimize your tax liabilities. So, don’t be impulsive and always wait until you get the green light before you begin looking for the next deal of a lifetime.

Sometimes fortunes are made over a short time, but mostly they are carefully secured and built over several decades. Building a stable financial portfolio might help you be able to retire sooner or get out of debt. Doing things the smart way might pay off when it comes time to pay your children’s college tuition. Always consult with and expert before making any serious financial moves.

Career Development is not just an important part of Personal Finance classes – it is an essential part of what students need to know when they graduate. With this in mind, HTMW is proud to announce our new Career Center, crammed full of awesome resources for teachers, students, and all points in between!

What’s Inside

There are three main components of the HTMW Career Center: our free Career Development Lessons, our Job/Internship Database, and our Certifications Center.

Free Career Development Lessons

New to our Assignments feature, you can find 5 new free lessons on Career Development that you can include with your class contest. Lessons include:

To include these lessons in your class contest, look for the “Career Prep” section of the Assignments page:

Job and Internship Database

Our new Job and Internship Database pulls in hundreds of thousands of REAL job postings from around the country (and around the world). Students can use this new tool to find real job and internship postings that are suited for their career path.

While some students may be interested in applying for internships right away, the real strength of the search tool is for career planning – finding postings for what would be each students’ “Dream Job”, and working backwards from the requirements to where they are today.

See The Tool

Certifications Center

If you have students who aspire to work in the finance industry, our new Certifications Center is the first place to start. This has information about the most important certifications for Accounting, Investing, and Portfolio Management. For college students, we also work with Wiley Publishing to offer big discounts on Certification Exam Prep Courses to help boost their chances of passing on the first try!

Visit The Center

 

If you have any questions about our Career Center, be sure to reach out! Happy Trading!

In today’s fast-changing world, it’s essential for your business to be one step ahead of your competitors. To do that, you may need the assistance of a PMP (Project Management Professional)-certified project manager whose job is to supervise multiple departments, assign budgets and timelines, and to make sure that all results are achieved accurately. If you’re looking for successful delivery of projects, here’s what you need to know about PMP certification and why it’s an essential investment for your business.

PMP Certification in General

When your company looks for project managers, the entire concept of PMP certification comes into play. A Project Management Professional is known for being a worldwide recognized professional certification for businesses offered by a US non-profit professional organization named as the Project Management Institute (PMI). For those professionals who wish to advance their career to the next level, PMP can be a well-respected credential.

However, if you want your employees to be PMP-certified, they need to pass the PMP certification exam tests, which cover the following performance domains:

  • Initiating
  • Planning
  • Executing
  • Monitoring and Controlling
  • Closing

Requirements for the PMP Examination

Again, if your business needs an experienced project manager who will be responsible for all aspects of project management, then investing in PMP certification can be the right thing to do. However, take note of the following PMP exam requirements that a candidate should comply with:

  • Possess a four-year degree or secondary degree (either a high school diploma or associate’s degree)
  • For a secondary degree: 7,500 hours for directing and leading projects
  • For a four-year degree: 4,500 hours
  • For both degrees: 35 hours of project management education

If you want to provide your company with PMP examination preparation and training, contact reliable providers like Edwel Programs to help you.

Benefits of PMP Certification for Businesses

Now that we know what PMP certification is all about, let’s take a look at why having PMP-certified professionals can be a good investment for companies in this competitive world. Below are some benefits for businesses who get PMP-certified people:

  1. Offers worldwide recognition

Again, PMP is a globally-recognized certification today. With project managers who are PMP-certified in your team, the global community will identify your company as one having a valuable level of experience and qualification than those without a certification. Moreover, if you’re seeking for a robust global influence and presence, having a PMP certification proves to be a significant investment for your business.

  1. Improves the ability to adapt to market changes

A successful business will always be prepared to respond and adapt to market and environment changes quickly. That’s because of the knowledge and skills contributed by a PMP-certified project manager. Even with the advent of new competition, unexpected shifts in some work conditions, and disruptive technologies, companies that invest in PMP certification demonstrate a high level of organizational adaptability. With the use of project management tools and techniques, you bring a significant impact to your project and program implementation.

  1. Develops a healthy company culture

If you want your business to create a healthy and productive culture, hiring project managers with PMP certification can be a smart move. Companies incorporating the fundamentals of project management can improve the business culture and value they deliver. With the participation of certified project managers, you can be able to achieve the following changes in your business initiatives:

  • Having a great program or portfolio management
  • In-depth understanding of the project management’s value
  • Alignment of projects to the company’s strategy
  1. Expands your company’s market reach and scope

With PMP certification holders under your organization, you can be able to increase your business’ market reach and scope. Through some project management forums, your certified project managers will have the opportunity to get some tips, insights, and experiences from other PMP professionals around the world. That way, you’ll stay updated on the latest industry trends and developments, which are essential in making your business a success.

  1. Provides value to your business

Certified project managers will add value to your business. That’s because you can rest assured knowing that someone who’s trained and knowledgeable leads not just your employees but your projects and programs as well. With these people in your organization, you can prevent unnecessary mistakes that may result in monetary loss, and give your clients the confidence that your project manager will provide them the best service.

Conclusion

 

If you’re a business owner who considers hiring project managers, always take note that a PMP certification is an important asset and investment. With this information in mind, your business can start moving toward greater success by getting PMP-certified professionals who have everything they need to lead people and projects expertly.

The Brexit saga continues after another difficult week for Prime Minister Theresa May. MPs shot down May’s withdrawal agreement for the second time on March 12th and it was another crushing defeat for the PM with 391 votes to 242. The future remains murky after this predicted defeat, but it seems that Brexit could be delayed by 3 months if MPs back her withdrawal deal in a vote which takes place next week (correct at the time of writing).

 

Possible Outcomes

Another key development which happened earlier this week is that MPs voted against the prospect of the UK leaving without a deal in place, but this is not legally binding. This puts the whole situation up in the air once again which is causing a great deal of stress and anxiety not only in the UK but around the entire world as we are no clearer on whether there will be Brexit with a deal, a no-deal Brexit or the possibility of having a second referendum – the European Court of Justice has said that the UK can cancel Brexit without the agreement of other nations, but the PM is not keen on this despite this being the desire of many.

 

The Economy

There have been many predictions made about what impact a hard or soft Brexit will have on the UK economy but this will not be clearer until a decision has been made. The uncertainty in the air is also having an impact on the market as many people are unwilling to make any big ticket purchases or major financial decisions until the future looks clearer. The concern over what a no-deal Brexit would mean for the country is a cause for concern with issues like a rise in food cost causing both businesses an individuals to panic.

 

Staying Smart

This difficult situation is understandably causing a great deal of concern for many people.  It can be hard to know what to do until the future is clearer, but even this may be a while. Therefore, it can be helpful to protect your assets in this turbulent time with investment management companies like Wellington Management helping people to be intelligent with their finances and assets throughout this process.

 

The Brexit situation still remains unclear as we fast approach the original proposed deadline of March 29 with the possibility of extending this deadline looking likely. Understandably, the uncertainty over the future and the state of limbo is causing a lot of stress and anxiety amongst the UK for both businesses and individuals which will only continue in the coming weeks.

Navigating the maze of tax rules, and filing regulations can be confusing, especially if you are new to filing for yourself, filing in a different bracket, or filing as a business for the first time.

Here are a few of the most common tax-related questions, and their answers.

1. When are Tax Returns Due this year?

This year’s tax filing deadline is April 15, 2019. This news isn’t particularly surprising since April 15 has long been the day on which taxes are due. For the past two years, however, the tax filing deadline has been pushed back several days because April 15 fell out over a weekend and the following weekday conflicted with Emancipation Day, a federal holiday. As such, there could be lingering confusion over when taxes are due this year. Mark your calendar. April 15th

2. Which Tax Form Should I File?

There are three main tax forms for standard tax situations: 1040, 1040A, and 1040EZ. Form 1040EZ is the simplest but comes with the most restrictions, allowing only certain types and amounts of income, deductions, and credits. These forms are suitable for independent contractors and people with simple tax situations.

 

A Limited Liability Company (LLC) will file one of the following depending on its situation.

 

  • Form 1040 (Schedule C, E, or F) (appropriate for single-member LLCs)
  • Form 1065 (Partnership) (appropriate for multiple member LLCs)
  • Form 1120S (S Corporation)
  • Form 1120 (Corporation)

3. What’s the Difference Between an Exemption, Credit, and Deduction?

Exemptions and deductions work the same way. They reduce your taxable income, which lowers your tax bill. For example, if you take a $1,000 deduction, and you’re in the 20% tax bracket, you could save $200 on your taxes. Or if you get a $3,800 exemption, that’s about $760 less in taxes.

 

4. What filing status should I use?

Your tax filing status is determined by what your marital status was as of Dec. 31 of the tax year in question. So if you got married on Dec. 30, then you’ll need to file using one of the two married filing statuses. If you got divorced on Dec. 30, then you’ll need to file as a single person. If the change happened right after the beginning of 2018, then you’ll file under your old status in 2017 and then adopt the new status when you file next year.

5. I’m Being Audited! What Questions will I be Asked?

If you find yourself in the scope of an IRS audit, There is a long list of IRS audit questions you will be asked, and you will be responsible for providing valid answers and providing the proper financial documentation required.

Among the most commonly asked questions in an audit are

 

  • How do you (and your spouse) earn a living?
  • Has all income and or deductions been reported on the tax return?
  • Are you aware of any changes that should be made to you return?
  • Do you have any hobbies?
  • Do they generate income?
  • If so, was such income reported on the tax return?
  • Do you engage in any bartering activities? If so, what type?
  • Did you have $10,000 or more cash transactions for this tax year?
  • Who did you bank with during the tax year?
  • Type of financial accounts:
  • Do you have any foreign bank accounts?
  • If so please, describe and identify foreign bank accounts.
  • Do you have a safe deposit box?
  • If so, describe the contents
  • Do you keep cash and/or securities in another location besides a bank, financial institution or a safe deposit box?
  • If so please describe?
  • Do you keep money in a hidden location, such as buried in the back yard, in a safe, in the freezer, mattress, wall, floor, etc?
  • If so, describe approx. amount kept
  • Did you have any non-taxable sources of income during the tax year?

These are just a few of the commonly asked tax and audit questions. If you find yourself in the scope of an IRS audit, secure the services of a licensed tax attorney in your area.

Keywords – the Achilles Heel of every student’s resume. Knowing how to craft a killer resume and cover letter that grabs employers attention (and keeps it) will only help once you get your resume in the hands of a recruiter. Unfortunately, today anyone can apply to just about any job anywhere, so that great new opening you have your eye on may already have dozens, or even hundreds, of other applicants.

How can you get your resume read, let alone rise to the top of the pile?

Enter keywords – your new job search best friend. This will help you float through the resume database (the “black hole” of the application process) and make sure your resume gets read by the right people, right away.

The Resume Database

paper stacksWhen you apply for a job, you already know you are not the only one. In fact, on average, companies receive around 250 resumes for each job posting, and only 2% of applicants ever get a call back. For the average hiring manager, they realistically are not able to read 250 resumes in detail and make a detailed “pros” and “cons” for each candidate.

In fact, the sad truth is that your resume probably will never be read by human eyes at all.

Machine Sorting Candidates

machine sortingBig companies looking to fill a position need to be able to sift through hundreds of applications for every job. Since they are typically listing dozens of jobs at any given time, that means they need to be able to sort through thousands of resumes every day. Even extremely dedicated HR managers who have every intention to give every applicant a fair shot would not be able to handle the sheer volume of resumes and cover letters coming across his or her desk.

To cope with this, systems called “Applicant Tracking Software” (ATS) have been developed. This system does two things:

  1. Takes all resumes and enters them into a database
  2. Allows the hiring managers to search, sort, and filter all applicants to narrow down the search

This means that the hiring manager is machine sorting through all the resumes to try to find candidates that push the right buttons. If your resume does not have what they are looking for, chances are that nobody will ever read it.

The Six Second Resume

the 6 second resumeEven if you get past the ATS, a study from TheLadders.com recently found that recruiters only spend about 6 seconds scanning a resume before deciding to move them forward to reject. This means that chances are, your resume will not be given its full time in the limelight even if it reaches human eyes.

By focusing in on the keywords that the hiring manager is looking for, you can make those six seconds count. Draw their eyes to what they are looking for to maximize your chances at a call back.

Keywords – Search Engine Optimization

If you want to make sure that your resume pops to the top of the research results, you will need to make sure that it is easy for the searching machine to read. The easiest way to do this is to simply make sure your resume will have the words and phrases that recruiters are searching for! You are advertising yourself with your resume, so make every word count.

Think Like Google

Google Google is built on search engine optimization. Try searching for “Brown Shoes” and “Black Shoes“. Which websites are the highest in the search results? What is special about these pages that makes the search engine in Google think it is the best result for that search?

You want to be that #1 result when the recruiter is searching their database – think of the terms that the recruiter is most likely to be looking for, and make sure your resume features those words or phrases well.

Think Like LinkedIn

Linkedin - the professional social networkLinkedIn is the premier professional social network, and it includes a great resource to help pick keywords for your resume. Check the “Skills and Endorsements” section – these are all keywords that you can build in your resume. The more endorsements you can get, the stronger that keyword probably applies to you. Play your strengths and pick keywords you can back up.

Choosing Keywords

Once you know how to think like Google and hone in on specific words, and think like LinkedIn to figure out which best apply to you, the next step is identifying which keywords each potential employer is probably searching for.

Take a look at this sample job posting found using the StockTrak Browse Jobs Tool:

Entry Level Sales, Marketing, Entrepreneurship
Mutual of OmahaBraintree, MA
Requirements: ‎‎-‎ Health and Life Insurance License or the ability to obtain one prior to your ‎start date- Obtain Series 6 and 63 or 7 and 66 within one year‎-‎ Reliable transportation-‎ Bachelors or Associates degree preferred, or experience in the industry- Appropriate legal documentation to work in the US. ‎Attributes: ‎‎-‎ Confident-‎ Self-motivated-‎ Goal-oriented-‎ Outgoing-‎ Adaptable A national financial services and insurance company, Mutual of Omaha has been in the business ‎for more than 100 years. With affiliates, the company manages assets in excess of $32 billion. ‎Our advisors are responsible for providing insurance, investment ‎products and advice to our ‎clients. ‎Whether you are just starting in the industry or want to further develop an existing practice, the ‎New England Division Office is dedicated to helping you toward many years of success.

There is a lot going on in this very short job posting, but you can very easily pick out some keywords to make sure you have featured in your resume and cover letter:

Entry Level Sales, Marketing, Entrepreneurship
Mutual of OmahaBraintree, MA
Requirements: ‎‎-‎ Health and Life Insurance License or the ability to obtain one prior to your ‎start date- Obtain Series 6 and 63 or 7 and 66 within one year‎-‎ Reliable transportation-‎ Bachelors or Associates degree preferred, or experience in the industry- Appropriate legal documentation to work in the US‎. Attributes: ‎‎-‎ Confident‎-‎ Self-motivated-‎ Goal-oriented-‎ Outgoing-‎ Adaptable. A national financial services and insurance company, Mutual of Omaha has been in the business ‎for more than 100 years. With affiliates, the company manages assets in excess of $32 billion. ‎Our advisors are responsible for providing insurance, investment ‎products and advice to our ‎clients. ‎Whether you are just starting in the industry or want to further develop an existing practice, the ‎New England Division Office is dedicated to helping you toward many years of success.

We have two tiers of keywords highlighted:
Orange words are ones that are easy to spot, but not very likely that the hiring manager will be searching for. These are the “Low hanging fruit”.
Green words are the important ones – key job requirements that the hiring manager is going to look for specifically. These are the “High value keywords”.

High Value Keywords

The Series 7 course is a great addition to your resumeThe “High Value” keywords are the core job requirements that the hiring manager is almost certainly going to filter for. In this case, the recruiter outlined several:

  • Health Insurance License
  • Life Insurance License
  • Series 6
  • Series 63
  • Series 7
  • Series 66

You will want to make sure your resume contains 2 or 3 of these at the minimum, in prominent positions that are easy to spot at a glance.

Low Hanging Fruit

these are easy keywords to addThe “Low Hanging Fruit” keywords are the ones that the recruiter specifically outlines in the job posting, but they are less likely to be specifically searching for. These keywords come in to play during your Six Seconds the first hiring manager is filtering your resume. If you have some of the buzz words they have in mind for their ideal candidate, you are more likely to get a call back.

The trick with low hanging fruit is not to over-do it. Pepper in one or two of these keywords, but if you hit on all of them (or too many too quickly), your resume can come off as disingenuous .

Customizing Your Resume

You probably already have a killer resume you’ve written. Your biggest mistake now is using the same one to apply for every job.

Once you have your keywords in mind, it is time to start customizing your resume for the job you are applying for. If you are a student just graduating from school, this can be tricky. Always keep in mind that you should only apply for jobs you are qualified for. If you are qualified, fitting in the keywords should not be a stretch.

Your Objective Statement

Your objective statement, the short sentence or paragraph at the top of your resume, is a great place to pepper in one or two of the “low hanging fruit” keywords. This helps set the tone for the rest of the page.

Qualifications Area

Your qualifications area is the best place to drop in any high-value keywords that apply to you. For example, if you are still in school, some of these phrases could apply:

  • Passed Series 7 Prep Course
  • On track for Life Insurance License
  • Completed Health Insurance License coursework

Avoid Fluff

Fuzz is something to avoid in a professional resumeA common pitfall of recent graduates starting their job search is a habit of adding in “puff pieces” or resume padding – these are words or phrases that make your resume look “fuller”, but do not add any relevant information for the recruiter. This tends to be an unfortunate side effect of padding to reach word limits on term papers and other academic writing projects, but it has no place in your job application.

Remember: the recruiter will only look at your resume for about six seconds. If your resume cannot be easily digested, the recruiter will most likely miss anything that was not at the forefront. Make sure they see what they are looking for as soon as they look at the page.

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What separates a “good” job interview from a “great” one?

There are many factors that will work for or against you when you head in for an interview for a great job. Some factors you don’t have much control over, but most job interview “bombs” are very easy to avoid, if you know what you are looking for.

The Basics

Dress to impressTry to look at the interview process from the perspective of the hiring manager. Like we have said before, the average new corporate job posting gets over 250 applications – in order to whittle down that massive stack down to a final hiring decision, it is much easier to eliminate candidates for fairly trivial reasons than it is to try to find the redeeming qualities.

  • Show up to the interview on time. If you arrive too early, the interviewer will not be prepared to meet you, and may not have had a chance to fully look over your resume and come up with questions meant to better get to know you. Arrive late and you can mess up the scheduling for the rest of the day.
  • Be showered – a strong odor will leave an impression, but not a good one.
  • Dress appropriately. This can be harder to judge in advance, so err on the side of formality. Showing up for a job interview at a bar in a full suit can be just as bad as interviewing for a corporate banking position in a t-shirt and flip-flops. Doing some research on the company’s corporate culture can go far for this, since it helps if you already “look” the part of the person they want to hire.
  • Have a hair cut/shave. This does not mean no beards or big hair – just that you should rock the best look you have for the interview. Try to look the part they want to hire, not shock your interviewer. They should be impressed by our resume and responses, not at the first impression.
  • Know what you are there for. You will probably send out dozens of resumes, but before you get to the interview you should do some intensive research on the company, its background and corporate culture, and anything you can learn about the specific role or team you aim to join. The more at home you seem talking about the role, the better.
  • Take Notes. Bring a notepad and pen to the interview, write down key parts of the job position, and write down questions you have to ask. Taking notes makes you look more engaged in the interview, and having your questions handy means you are less likely to forget anything.

No – The Interview Stop Word

You’ve done it – your cover letter rose to the top of the pile, and you were called in for an interview. Everything seemed to be going great – you have all the skills and knowledge they were looking for, and the interviewer laid out all the responsibilities of the position. There are some parts of the role that you have not done before, so you make it clear you wouldn’t be comfortable doing that just yet, or you feel that it is not your strong suit so you would prefer to orient yourself towards other aspects of the role.

Everything else went great, but you were shocked to get an email back the next day that they are going with another candidate.

What Went Wrong?

Always try to think about an interview from the perspective of the manager who wants to fill a position. The manager has specific needs and wants for the candidate, but the most important condition is that whoever they hire needs to be able to fill the gap in the team. If you give the impression that you cannot (or do not want to) do the job they need, they will probably move on. This is even true if you are the most qualified candidate for the position. Most corporations would rather spend extra time training a candidate who is excited for a role than hire someone who does not want to do part of it.

How To Do Better

No, the interview stopwordWhen you are interviewing for a job, the interviewer’s primary concern is whether or not you can do that job. If they get the impression that there is something you cannot, or will not, do, chances are they will move on to another candidate. This does not mean you should overstate your qualifications or say you can do something you can’t. Instead, if there is a part of the position you feel under-qualified to fill, mention that you would need some extra training for that aspect.

When given the choice between an under-qualified candidate who is willing to learn and a fully-qualified candidate who does not seem like they want to do the job, managers prefer the first.

If you feel that there are aspects of the job that you truly would prefer not to do, you might not be a great fit for the position.

Ask Questions

Your interview is just wrapping up – the interviewer seems impressed by your resume, the position seems like a great fit for your skills, and everything seems clear for both you and your interviewer. Since you do not have any further questions, you shake hands and head for the door, confident that everything went well.

Unfortunately, they decide to go with another candidate.

What Went Wrong?

Candidates who ask just one, or none at all, can appear disinterested or incurious about the post. With great candidates, between 1/4 and 1/3 of the interview length should be dedicated to questions you ask the interviewer. If you are really “hitting it off”, this number can go up, but if you stop short, it is probably a red flag.

How To Do Better

Asking questions at your interview serves two main purposes:

Sets yourself apart from other candidates

Ace your interview by asking more questionsThe questions you ask are something unique to you, meaning this is where the interviewer leaves their prepared script. Asking questions makes the interviewer stop and think of a response, meaning it is one more hook that will help you stick in their mind later – interviewers are more likely to remember specific details about candidates who ask questions. The types of questions you ask will also set you apart from everyone else they spoke with that day. This extra edge is often what separates you from the rest of the pack.

This can also be a two-way street – you should have questions prepared for the interview, but beware of using “best questions to ask at an interview” lists. If the questions you ask seem a little too pre-baked or rehersed, the interviewer can get the impression you’re asking it just to have something to ask. This can suggest a lack of curiosity or disinterest. Using one or two “boilerplate” interviewee questions can work well to cover bases your interviewer has not, but make sure you come up with your own unique to the position.

Show Off

By asking certain questions, you can also highlight your strengths. If you have a set of skills or interests that have not yet been explored in the interview, having some questions prepared can set you up to talk about them. Do you enjoy writing? Ask about how much writing the position requires, and segue into how much you enjoy it. Asking the right questions is a great way to highlight any other skill or competency you think you have relevant to the job, but has not yet come up as part of the interview. Try to have a couple questions reserved just to talk about parts of the job you are most excited about to make a good impression.

Be Prepared For Common Interview Questions

You sat for your interview, but were blindsided by most of the questions the interviewer asked. “Can you tell me about yourself” left you rambling about your latest hobbies (of which he or she takes no interest).  When asked “How does this position compare with others you have applied for”, you were left stammering about how you already blew your first two interviews.

You left the interview sure there was no call-back coming, and an email you received the next day confirmed your suspicions.

What Went Wrong?

Your interviewer will probably ask some of the same basic questions asked millions of times before at nearly every job interview. Candidates who have a thoughtful, concise answer will always look more polished than those grasping at straws.

There are two ways these questions can go badly – giving the wrong answer, and giving a rehearsed answer.

A “wrong” answer is one that sets off a red flag for the interviewer. If when describing yourself, you do not list any qualities they are looking for to fill the position, this can be a red flag. A “rehearsed” answer can be just as bad – the interviewer does not want to feel like you are trivializing the question and not putting any serious thought into your response.

How To Do Better

This one is very easy to prepare for, but most candidates overlook it.

Prepare for common interview questionsJust as you are reading this for tips on how to make a great impression during your interview, your interviewer is probably reading up on ways to filter candidates by asking the right questions on their end. This gives you an advantage, since you can easily look up common interview questions, and even some of the best ways to answer them. On the other hand, if you have prepared answers you can list off without a second thought, it can also come off as dishonest.

For example, one of the most common interview questions is to list your strengths and weaknesses. What interviewers want to hear is that your strengths are something that will specifically help with the role you are interviewing for, and your weaknesses are something you are aware of, are working to improve, and will not impact your performance at this role. This means that for every interview you sit for, the way you answer this question should be a bit different, but keeping with the same theme.

It also helps to practice interview questions with a friend, taking turns as both the interviewer and interviewee.

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Experienced workers have a job search lasting about 43 days, and fresh graduates can expect a longer wait. Your search will be much harder if you make one of the following very common mistakes. Avoiding all 5 will not promise an interview, but hitting any might mean you are missing out.

Errors In Your Application

crumpled resumeWhen you are applying for a job, you should be triple-checking everything you want to send to your potential employer. Every job posting gets over 250 applications, and every hiring manager is looking for the fastest, easiest way to chop down that pile into something manageable. If you have typos in your resume, or misspell the manager’s name in your introduction or cover letter, chances are you will never get a call back.

Even earnest job applicants fall into this trap. If you are applying to many jobs, and making tweaks to your resume for each one (as we recommend), it is easy for a typo or two to slip in the cracks.

How To Avoid It

Your secret weapon is checklists. Surgeons use checklists to make sure they never skip steps, and you should too. You may want to customize the checklist for your own job search, but you can find a good template below.

  1. Does my resume and cover letter include everything I want it to?
  2. I have at least 2 keywords in my resume.
  3. I have at least 3 keywords in my cover letter.
  4. My resume has no spelling errors.
  5. I have the correct company name, job title, and hiring manager name (if applicable) in my cover letter.
  6. My cover letter is free of grammar errors
  7. My cover letter has no spelling errors
  8. I have included the correct attachments on the email I’m sending to the hiring manager

Applying for jobs you are not qualified for

tossed application

Another way to get rejected, and blocked from applying again

This mistake will come up more often the longer your job search drags out. As your savings start to run low, you may try to stretch your qualifications and apply for more jobs outside of your element – this can cripple your chances of getting an interview (and an offer).

The problem arises from what are called “Blacklists”. These are lists of applicants that a hiring manager was hit with such a bad impression that they basically strike the applicant from consideration at any other posts in their company.

If you are on a blacklist, that means that the hiring manager felt that you wasted their time, and so your name is removed from consideration from all jobs at that company. The most common reason to be blacklisted is applying for jobs that you are not qualified for. If the hiring manager thinks you are stretching your qualifications to the limit, or not meeting their baseline application requirements, you are risking the blacklist for that company, so not only will you not get a call back for this post, but probably any others too.

How To Avoid It

This is a tricky one to avoid. Hiring managers usually put far more “essential requirements” for a job than are really needed. You can usually safely apply to a job where you meet 50% of the required qualifications because of that. The real trick is finding out which of the qualifications you can ignore, and the ones that can get you blacklisted if you ignore.

Required education (bachelor’s degree, associates degree, MBA) are usually strict requirements. If you do not meet the education requirement, you better have quite a lot of experience to make up for it.

Certifications can be trickier. If a position requires a certification that you do not have, read about that certification before applying. If it is something that requires sponsorship from your employer, then you can usually apply so long as you express your intention on obtaining it as soon as you start. Having a pre-certification, like our Series 7 Course, is also a great way to get your foot in the door.

Being able to use specific software or have a specific skill is more lenient. These are usually more of a “wish list”, so having a couple of these will help, but you can confidently apply even if you just have one or two (if you have none, that is a red flag). Always use your head – if you are applying for a Graphic Designer position but you do not have the required proficiency in Photoshop, that can be just as bad as missing the Education requirement.

Cutting your job search short

confident business student

Just got his first call back

If you have been searching for a position for more than a couple weeks, there is no bigger relief than a call back or an invitation to an interview. Searching for positions to apply for, writing new cover letters, and constantly tweaking your resume can be an exhausting process, and getting that call back seems like a light at the end of the tunnel.

The only problem is when you decide to put new applications on hold while you wait to see how your interview goes. Before you know it, 2 weeks have passed, you finally send an email to ask how the interview went only to find out they went with another applicant. Now you are 3 weeks behind on your job search, with nothing to show for it.

How To Avoid It

To avoid this one, first you should understand the “Hiring Funnel“, as John Sullivan puts it. You were one of the 200 or so people who applied for this job, and the hiring manager picked out probably around 20-25 for a first-round interview. If you are one of these, you have passed the 90% mark, but you still only have about a 10% chance of getting the job.

If you are called back for a second round interview, then you know it is serious, but the hiring manager probably called another 4 or 5 people, so you are still only looking at a 20-30% chance of getting this job. Even if you hit the final interview stage, you are still competing with 2 or 3 other people. Until you actually have a job offer in-hand, probability says that you likely will not get this be their first pick, but there will probably be between 2 and 4 weeks between when you first get a call for an interview and when the final decision is made.

If you are called back for a second or third round interview, you can safely put your search for new jobs to apply for on hold for a couple days to make sure you are fully prepared. The most important thing to remember is that your job search “isn’t over until its over”.

Applying for too many jobs

Exhausted job seekerThis pitfall is the opposite of the previous – you are so concerned with getting an interview that you tried to cast a very wide net and make sure you always have applications sent out. This is a common problem because it is also a productive habit. Maybe you set a goal for yourself to find and apply for one new job every day, or spend 8 hours searching for a job every week.

The problem does not usually come up until a couple weeks of trying to meet your “quota”. As you move farther into your job search, the grind of constantly finding and applying to jobs will begin to wear on you, and quickly. This means you are much more likely to start cutting corners (not properly optimizing your resume for keywords and the job you’re applying for), make mistakes (more typos, less likely to follow your checklists), and apply for jobs for which you are not fully qualified.

How to avoid it

This might be the hardest one to avoid, if you are a dedicated job seeker. Setting goals for yourself is one of the most important ways to stay motivated and keep your job search running. It is equally important, though, to recognize when the grind is getting to you, and take a break.
If you have been at your job search for more than two weeks, ask yourself the following questions before you start to apply for a new job:

  1. Am I applying to this just to say I’ve applied today?
  2. If I saw this posting last week, would I have skipped it?
  3. If I got this job, would I probably quit within the first year?

If you answer “yes” to any of these, it may be a good idea to skip this posting and take a break from applications for a day or two, and come back with fresh eyes later.

Starting Too Late

out of timeAs we said in the intro, the job search process will last around 43 days for experienced workers, longer for fresh graduates. This application time is going to be stressful – probably a lot more stressful than any job you secure, so you should count your job search time as work.

A very common problem with graduating students or people who are looking to leave their current position is that they do not start their job search before graduating/quitting. This is done for a variety of reasons, but some of the most common are wanting a “clean break” (some space between school and work, or between jobs) and underestimating the competition in the job market.

If you start your job search too late, the total time you will spend unemployed will go up, but you also increase the chances of making any of the mistakes above. If you get call backs for interviews right away, you will probably underestimate the competition and think that your break was justified. If you don’t get calls for interviews right away, you may begin to panic and apply for too many too quickly, without giving yourself adequate time to customize your application for each job you apply to. Either way, you will always wish you started the job search sooner.

How To Avoid It

A question we get all the time is “when should I start looking for a job”? The answer is always right now. Even if you will not graduate for another 3 years, start looking for jobs right away. You may not start applying, but you will get to know the job market, and the skills that employers are looking for in the jobs that you want. This will give you an opportunity to cater your educational path towards the skills employers want.

If you are graduating within the next year, searching for jobs now can help you find what certifications you can start working towards right away to get you a leg up over the competition.
If you are graduating at the end of this semester, you should be searching and applying for jobs or internships as soon as possible. Companies generally hire entry level positions in cycles, so try to get any interviews you can lined up before you graduate.

Applying while you are still in school, getting ready to graduate, is also a great way to show initiative to potential employers. You can get started with our job search tool, which posts listings from all over the world in one easy place.

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The internship season is upon us. It might be better to say that it never ended.

Some estimates put the total number of internships in the United States a bit over 1.5 million positions per year, and with new spots opening with every school term, students with an eye for work experience are usually keeping tabs for interesting posts opening in their area.

In fact, internships have become such a standard part of the college experience that your university might require it for your major, or assume that most students will partake on their own initiative.

What should you, the intrepid business student, be looking for when you start applying for internships?

The Value of the Internship

The most valuable benefit of an internship is, of course, getting some work experience under your belt, which is why so many students are keen to have one or two added to their resume before they graduate.

Internships are also seen as a great way to get recruited and have a job waiting after you graduate – making a great impression on a company you want to work for during your internship can help skip the line when they start hiring fresh graduates. Getting an internship after you graduate is also a tried and true method of getting your foot in the door.

We digress – these are the benefits you have heard about from every angle by now. What you might not know is how much the circumstances surrounding your internship will play out for your job prospects after you graduate.

Paid Versus Unpaid

Everyone would prefer an unpaid internship, of course, but you might be surprised at how big a difference it comes to whether you are paid for your work. The conventional wisdom over the last few years has been that the experience of the internship is the most valuable part of the experience, but paid internships offer a lot more than a bit of extra cash.

You get what you’re paid for

Paid internships are always better than unpaidEvery year, the National Association of Colleges and Employers surveys internship participants about their experiences. For students who undertook paid internships, all the common knowledge of internships applied: students graduated with job offers nearly twice the rate of students with no internships (63% vs 35%), earned far more in their first jobs ($51,200 vs $37,000), and generally benefited in every way that was expected.

Students who went with unpaid internships had a very different story. On the whole, they were barely better off in terms of job offers than their peers with no internship at all (37% vs 35%), and worse, they started at even lower salary points ($35,700 vs $37,000).

Why The Discrepancy?

fetching coffee

Should not be a major part of your internship experience

There are a few factors at play when it comes to unpaid internships. The first is that companies who tend towards hiring lots of unpaid interns are generally more strapped for cash than those who pay for student labor. This means when it comes to hiring, they are less likely to have many openings to offer even the best interns.

Another factor at play is that when a company hires an unpaid intern, they are making a much smaller investment in that student, so there is less incentive to make that intern be fully productive. This translates to less training, less important tasks assigned, and (most importantly) less incentive to keep them around after the internship expires.

This means that the job experience you get with an unpaid internship is likely much less valuable than a paid internship.

Are unpaid internships worth it?

Not worth the effortLower starting wages, barely better chances of getting a job, less interesting work while on the internship, why would students offer to work for free at all?

At the end of the day, the solution is not quite as simple. Taking an unpaid internship in finance is not the same as taking an unpaid internship in social services, for example. If you intend to enter a field where you simply do not see many (if any) paid internships advertised, the field itself may require unpaid internships as a proving ground. This is especially the case in industries like fashion and writing.

The truth of the matter is, though, that even in these industries where unpaid internships are the norm, you will probably struggle to find work after graduating because the industries themselves are so competitive.

Internships are only valuable if you gain work experience that will help you later in your career. If you cannot find a spot at a company that you want to work with, you may be better off sticking with the classroom and try to build up your resume through certifications or other training programs.

How To Land A Great Internship

Dress to impressWhen you apply for an internship, all of the standard rules for job seekers apply. Have a great resume. Write a killer cover letter. Be ready to crush your competition with a great interview.

There are some extra tips and tricks to keep in mind though. Companies generally hire interns in cycles, but the recruitment process to fill each internship starts an average to 6 to 8 months ahead. If you want to get an internship before you graduate, you need to start right now (click here to go to our internship search page).

Internships are also extremely competitive, moreso now than ever. Companies expect to hire fewer interns in 2016 than they did in 2015, so your pool of competition is getting fiercer. Be ready to apply early and often, and be ready for rejection (as with any job hunt).

What if I miss out?

If you try and fail to land an internship, it is not the end of the world. Per the most recent survey data, you have some things to take solace in:

  • You’re probably going to earn more after you graduate than someone who took an average unpaid internship out of desperation to have “something”.
  • Just because you get an internship doesn’t mean you have a secured job. After 1 year, workers who had no internship had more secure jobs than people who took an internship, but were hired by a different company after graduation
  • After 5 years, workers who had no internship at all had the most secure jobs (64.2% were still with the first employer they worked with after graduation).

Where To Find Internships

You can use our Job and Internship Search Tool – we pull in listings from several different job and internship databases around the country, so it is a great place to start!

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Stock market games are an awesome way to introduce your students to investing, but keeping them on the right track can be tricky. Some students want to dive into day trading penny stocks, while others will want to pick out a mutual fund and stay out of the action. Striking a balance can be tricky, which is why our new Diversification Rule is here to help!

How It Works

When you next set up your HTMW class, you now have 2 settings to make sure your students are building a diversified portfolio.

Position Limit

Position Limits have been part of HTMW for some time, but they are now more important than ever! Setting a “Position Limit” puts a cap on how much a students can invest in a single security. For example, if your students have $100,000 portfolios and a 25% position limit, they can only invest up to $25,000 in AAPL stock.

Diversification Limit

Diversification Limits are new for 2019 – this is a brand-new setting that determines how much your students can invest in an entire security type. For example, if your students have a $100,000 portfolio and a 50% Diversification limit on Stocks, they can only invest $50,000 in stocks as a whole – the remaining $50,000 must be invested in Mutual Funds or held as cash.

Try to mix and match your Position Limits and Diversification Rules to make sure students get their feet wet in a variety of different securities – and make this the most exciting stock game yet!

If you haven’t already, make sure your create your class for this Spring by Clicking Here.

When trading penny stocks, traders should remember that penny stocks are companies whose shares trade for under $1. They are known to be often risky investments, and are usually trading for such little money because the company is in a state of financial disaster, with an uncertain future that could go either way.

 

When searching for good sites  to purchase penny stocks, traders be on the lookout for brokers that do not charge additional fees on top of original stock prices. This is a major  factor that the investor can control and should not be overlooked.

 

When looking for a good site, make sure there are:

No additional charges for low-prices stocks: Some sites will advertise their supposedly good transaction fees as part of their effort, but avoid telling traders that there are a number of added costs. Some brokers charge a percentage of the total trade value, whilst others might a fee per share purchased. Either way, the trader will be getting charged more than they would for a normal blue-chip stock trade, and most certainly if the broker charges a fee per share as penny stocks are often traded in vast quantities.

 

No unreasonable volume restrictions: Timothy Sykes saysIf a trader were to find a stock that they would like to purchase for 1 cent, and are planning to invest $1000 – this would mean that they would be buying 100,000 shares. Any broker that charges either for large trades, or requires that the trader splits up  their order into multiple smaller orders is not sensible to use for investing in penny stocks. A reasonable number to look for would be 1 million shares, that is, sites that allow investors to purchase up to 1 million shares (or invest $10,000 in stocks at 1 cent for the case of this example) and still avoid being charged extra.”

 

No Costly Add-Ons: due to the harsh nature of penny stock investment, some sites could require that you upgrade to products like premium accounts – these tend to be filled with additional usage fees and upped minimum balances. Some also may require that you place orders via telephone to a person, meaning high unforeseen service charges.

Remember: if you are looking to enter penny stock trading, you should ensure that you are whilst minimising any possible additional costs and difficulties.

 

A Low Minimum Account Balance: Often, people that are trying to invest in penny stocks do not have a large amount of capital that they are happy to or able to risk. This means in response, that it is important for a good penny stock site to have a low/non-existent account minimum balance. Because of the unpredictable nature of investing in penny stocks, it is not common for penny stock traders to see their original investment reduce at a fast rate, because of which a low minimum balance requirement should be constant and not merely a sign-up perk. This will cover the trader should an investment go badly wrong.

 

Finding a good investment:

A lot of the companies that trade with share prices of less than a dollar have small market shares. When looking to invest in penny stocks, it is important for the trader to take note of the strength of the company’s fundamentals – if or not the company is profitable, and if or not if it will be able to enter profit with its current business structure, and whether the company is reliant on issuance of new shares to generate capital. If a trader learns about an organisation, potential it may have, and its current place, there are countless investment opportunities to be had.

Trading, investing, and saving requires skills. There is no doubt that the complexity of the financial markets warrants an in-depth understanding of the interrelatedness between multiple variables. Consider inflation, employment, and interest rates as cases in point. These macroeconomic elements have a substantial impact on stocks, bonds, mutual funds, ETFs, currencies, commodities, and indices trading. Even with a tertiary education in economics and strategic management, it’s no mean feat to dabble in the financial markets and stay afloat.

Stocks are inherently volatile. They are associated with peaks and troughs, cycles and patterns. Traders and investors are best served by conducting in-depth analysis of these securities before putting hard-earned money into a company’s stock. The performance of stocks is affected by a myriad of factors, notably consumer confidence, business confidence, the dollar index, the inflation rate, interest rate, fiscal policy, and company performance, et al. But that’s only one side of the equation; multiple other elements impact stock prices and company performance, most of them in a non-linear fashion.

For example, one might expect that an interest-rate hike would encourage foreign investors to acquire more USD. This would naturally boost the strength of the USD which would make US exports relatively more expensive on the global stage, thereby having a negative impact on company sales, performance, and earnings. This should decrease stock prices. From another perspective, interest rates should also lower stock prices by dint of their effect on the cost of borrowed funds. When companies finance their activities through bank loans, the cost of borrowed capital increases. This means that profits are lower and consumers will ultimately be forced to pay for this in the form of higher prices. However, the performance of the US stock markets does not in any way reflect such behavior. Stocks are running rampant.

 

A classic example is bank stocks. Bank of America (BAC), Wells Fargo, (WFC) and Citibank (CITI) have largely underperformed, even in the face of a booming economy, deregulation of the banking industry, and rising interest rates. This is largely unexpected. However, there are many underlying reasons why bank stocks are underperforming, including management giving away billions of dollars in stock buybacks, weaker products, and weaker fundamentals in the broader market. There is also the issue of the Federal Reserve bank slowing money growth, and the costs of raw materials rapidly rising.

Of course, the everyday investor is not expected to know this information. Many of us chase soundbites when making trading decisions or long-term investment decisions. If the interest rates are rising, surely bank stocks will appreciate? As you can tell, there are simply too many unanswered questions and investors want things simplified.

 

How to Avoid Poor Investment Choices with Sophisticated Tools & Resources

Nowadays, traders and investors have many powerful tools and resources available to them. The leading trading platforms provide their clients with expert insights, auto invest options, charts, graphs, technical and fundamental analysis. The advent of augmented reality and artificial intelligence systems has created an entirely new investment framework.

 

Experts at leading trading brokerages have reviewed many of the available resources on the market, and found that one of the most useful tools on the market is a robo-advisor. We put multiple brokerages to the test and ended up shortlisting a handful of trading platforms. By reading this WealthSimple review reveals that this trading brokerage is best suited to using advanced trading tools and resources. It offers cutting-edge innovative features such as automatic portfolio rebalancing and multiple tiers of accounts geared towards investor preferences.

 

Robo-advisors are algorithmically-based systems which assist investors with their financial portfolios. They are automated platforms which help with savings and investments. You don’t need a human advisor – you can defer to an algorithm. Over the years, significantly more assets have been invested in the financial markets with robo-advisors, including the following past and future projections:

2015 – $47.3 billion

2016 – $98.5 billion

2022 – $460 billion (anticipated)

Assets Under Investment

Source: Charles Schwab & Co

Robo-advisors are designed to help achieve your strategic investment objectives. They do this by delivering a cost-effective solution to clients. Among the many benefits of using a robo-advisor are the following:

 

  • Tax loss harvesting
  • Diversified investments
  • Zero-emotion investing
  • Optimization of asset allocation
  • Automatic portfolio rebalancing
  • Lower fees (0.25% – 0.5% of the financial portfolio)

 

The fact that robo-advisors are such a sophisticated tool has led many to question their efficacy for first-time investors. Opinions are divided on the topic of whether a novice investor should employ the services of robo-advisors, or not. Truth be told, a robo-advisor is not capable of offering holistic financial planning for investors. Many important issues such as saving requirements for retirement objectives, defining strategic objectives, and selecting the best types of accounts are not within the general purview of robo-advisors.

 

There is scant evidence to support the notion that a robo-advisor would be well-suited to calming investor fears if the market collapses. For example, would an algorithm maintain market stability by preventing a mass sell-off of stocks as happened in 2008, or not? On the flip side, they’re accessible at any time – no appointment necessary.

 

How to get started with a Robo-Advisor?

There are scores of robo-advisors populating the trading and investment arena. Regardless, the steps required to get started are similar:

 

  • Fill out a questionnaire to evaluate your investment requirements
  • The robo-advisor suggests a diversified portfolio of ETFs
  • The portfolio will be rebalanced by financial experts via an algorithm
  • Certain robo-advisors may allow access to financial planners
  • Clients can easily track their portfolio progress online

 

One of the problems that many investors face in the financial markets is that of selling when markets are too low, and buying when markets are too high. This happens when panic sets in and emotional investment decisions are made. The human element cannot truly ever be removed from an investment decision, given that people need assurances about different asset categories, classes, and types. A hybrid system is the most likely solution where a robo-advisor operates in tandem with an investment specialist (when required).

 

Robo-advisors may well see many investors placing their finances in the bond market if we see interest rates of 5%. This will have an adverse effect on overall client wealth since wealth is largely created in the stock market. The best financial portfolios are the ones which bring multiple asset classes into play. If your financial predicament is relatively simple to gauge, a robo-advisor could be a useful resource.

 

Wrapping it up with a Robo-Advisor

Overall, there are many different robo-advisor options available, with greater support options available via hybrid systems. Certain companies offering these algorithmic investment resources require minimum account balances of $100,000 + and a 0.4% annual fee for hybrid robo-advisor services. Other robo-advisors allow you to invest as little as $500 or less in your portfolio, and they typically offer between 5 – 10 different ETF options. Besides exchange traded funds, there are also index funds which mirror the performance of an index such as the S&P 500 index, the NASDAQ composite index, and the like.

 

Most companies offering robo-advisors charge between 0.25% – 0.89% in annual management fees, although the majority of them hover around 0.5%. Fortunately, there aren’t any transaction fees with these services, which is substantially cheaper than investing on your own with companies like Fidelity. If you’re looking to save money on professional investment management services, it is a good idea to consider a robo-advisor which runs on an algorithm designed by investment experts. It is continually monitored according to performance criteria and rebalanced accordingly. Since investors are allowing the algorithm to plough funds into ETFs and not individual stocks, risk is mitigated and performance is broad-based.

Keeping the employees safe and healthy should be a priority for all businesses, especially for the ones that have their staff working in a warehouse. Warehouses can become extremely dangerous places, because of moving vehicles, high shelves, human workforce, and heavy items stocked on racks. If the management does not promote and follow proper health and safety procedures, disaster can wait around the corner. Studies show that the main causes of accidents in warehouses are the vehicles that run in and around the space, the falling objects, the moving objects, the manual handling of goods, the work at heights and the slips and trips.

Safety regulations require all companies to have occupational health and safety programs. Its purpose is to prevent diseases in the workplace, and work-related injuries. All business owners and employers have the responsibility to ensure their staff a safe workplace, no matter if they are working in a warehouse or office. Depending on the size and area of the business, the scope of the health and safety program can differ.

Health and safety should not be forgotten once the legal obligations of the company are satisfied. The working environment is in a continuous change and companies should asses the risk, and adapt the health and safety policy to the present needs of the market.  Warehouse operators should focus their attention on some specific aspects that require improvements.

Heavy equipment

If the warehouse works on a regular basis with heavy equipment, then it is something natural for the staff to use the devices. In terms of productivity, this is an advantage for the company, but it can become a disadvantage for the employees because they forget the danger these machines are representing.

The role of the warehouse manager is to keep the employees aware of the potential danger they face themselves when they are using heavy equipment. All the machinery should be evaluated regularly, cared and repaired.

Workplace transport

All warehouses should feature designated traffic routes that keep the employees safe. Both internal and external routes should feature clear signage to inform the staff about the places where the delivery drivers park the vehicles, where the forklifts operate and what areas are safe for the public.

Spills and hazardous objects

The warehouse is a fast moving environment, where items and packages are transported, stored and moved, and it is easy an item or substance to get left behind and workers to run into it because they do not expect that item to be there. If the warehouse stores liquids, it is something common spills of various types to fall on the floor and to create a slippery surface. Safety signs can prevent accidents from happening. It is advisable to use them to inform the workers when a surface is wet or mopped, to keep them safe.

All the objects that can lead to tripping should be removed from the floor, especially in poorly lit areas. An important improvement brought to the storage space is the anti-slip tape that is installed on the floor and improves the grip the staff experience.

Working at height

All warehouses count on the usage of mobile elevating work platforms and ladders. The persons who control the activities performed at heights should properly plan the operations, supervise and train the employees. Only competent staff should be allowed to operate at height. A great improvement would be to use robotic arms to work at height and protect the human workforce from injuries.

Stock and equipment transport

The warehouses are located at various levels from the warehouse entrance, and it is important to improve the operations by creating a yard ramp, or even more, depending on the size of the warehouse. The yard ramp has the role to facilitate the transition from the road to the warehouse level. It is not advisable the employees to navigate the steps when they are carrying heavy items, because they are exposed to accidents. All businesses have to be prudent when it comes to the health and safety of their employees.

Harmful substances

Depending on the specific of the warehouse, there are serious concerns businesses should focus on, if they store harmful materials or substances. If the employees are not working in proper conditions, the warehouse can be the target of an inspection.

Ergonomics

Alongside creating a safe workplace, the company should also make sure that the employees take good care of themselves and stay in good shape. It is important for the employees to learn how to lift the items in a proper way, and not to injure themselves, because the company can be at risk of liability.

Why is crucial for companies that manage warehouses to improve the health and safety conditions?

Retain employees

The best way to remain competitive in the market is to have happy employees. Happy employees are motivated to work harder and complete their tasks successfully. The working conditions have a great impact on the loyalty of employees. Companies can build and maintain employee loyalty through a safe and healthy environment.

Avoid potential compensation suits and claims

If the employees get injured while working in the warehouse, they can file compensation claims and suits. Compensation claims often prove to be deadly for companies, especially if the company has neglected to offer their workers the training required by the law. Workplace injury, because of hazards and exposure to risk factors is a growing statistic. Personal injury attorneys state that the number of persons who are injured due to their employer’s poor safety procedures is in continuous growth. All workplaces come with an element of risk, but the role of the warehouse manager is to lower the hazards. Personal injury attorneys are specialised in helping the persons who suffer a personal injury and their rate of success in case of a claim or suit is close to 100%. Companies should not expose themselves to this risk.

Save costs

Apart from the costs of a potential compensation claim or cost, employee injury, compensation payment, and litigation costs, the companies that have their employees injured while working in the warehouse also have to pay for the hospital, rehabilitation, medication and doctors’ fee. Often, the companies that have their employees injured at the workplace, also experience increased insurance premiums. Health and safety improvements are the simplest way to reduce these costs.