Prove your value

Are stuck in a go-nowhere job? Are you spread too thin over too many tasks?
Think about using education and/or training to make a move to a position that is more in line with your ambition and ability.
Ask for more responsibility otherwise, your boss may not know that you're thinking of advancing your career.
Show your willingness to take a leadership position and a position of responsibility.
Become an expert in a few major responsibilities in order to make yourself indispensable in the office.

32 million Americans are currently uninsured.

Overview health care reform bill
Purchase insurance from anywhere or pay either $750 or 2% of their income, whichever is greater. Exemptions would be granted for those in financial hardship which is measured using the poverty line.

The federal government regulation would make plans provide a minimum of amount of benefits but not a maximum. It would also implement consumer protections and an appeals process for consumers who want to dispute the decisions of their insurance companies on individual coverage.
Plan can not discriminate based on pre-existing exclusions, must spend a high percentage of their premiums on actual care (around 80%), and that they follow certain consumer protection laws. In addition plans could no longer limit how much costs they are willing to cover. In the past insurance companies would be able to limit their liability to $300,000 for example and stop paying once that limit was reached.

Businesses with less than 50 employees would be exempted from providing coverage.Small businesses would be allowed to join forces in order to purchase insurance for their employees. In other words five small businesses could all negotiate with an insurance company together in order to get a lower rate as big businesses currently do.

Overall the bill was projected to save a little over $100 billion in the first ten years of its existence and well over $700 billion after that. Those projections were done by the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office.

Temporary vs Contract Workers

The difference between a Temporary employee and a Contractor simply is temporaries are hourly employees and contractors are exempt employees with a level of decision making authority.

People may not realize that there are thousands of companies in desperate need of skilled employees even in this economy. But, to land a job over the competition, you still have to work smarter. Good jobs aren't on the market very long. If you have been unemployed for a while consider a temporary or contract role...

There are good reasons to pursue a contract/temporary role:
1: Test drive a job/industry before committing time and money to training
2: Fill a gap on a resume and keep busy while job searching. This is very important; recruiters can't see past these Gaps fill it with something such as volunteer work and put it on your resume. Be excited to talk about it at the interview
3: Lets face it if you're a working candidate you are more attractive to future employers

Nervous energy

Showing that you are excited and energetic is good, yet nervous energy paints a whole different picture. Bouncing your leg, tapping your fingers or a pen, or shifting around is distracting and shows that you are unable to sit still, which is unprofessional. If you can’t sit through a 30-minute interview, how are you going to survive a two-hour meeting more importantly, an eight-hour day?

What to do: Take deep, steady breaths and pay attention to your breathing during the interview, make sure it hasn’t quickened, and keep it at a steady pace. Keep your portfolio on your lap to keep your legs from bouncing.
And keep the hand gestures to a minimum! My most prominent habit I need to break...

Posture

Bad posture during an interview can give the impression that you are lazy or disrespectful. Reclining might tell the interviewer that you are bored or cocky. Slouching forward gives the impression of nervousness. If you are constantly shifting from one position to another it shows that you are uncomfortable, this in turn can make the interviewer uncomfortable.

What to do relax against the back of your chair. Make sure your feet are firmly planted on the floor. Avoid sitting up too straight, as that can also make you look uncomfortable. It may sound crazy, but practice sitting at home and see how long you can hold a comfortable position without too much shifting around.

Tax advice from the HR guru

In 2008 the IRS received over 141 million tax returns. 70 percent were filed electronically. 110 million were due refunds, averaging $2,753.
They predict it will take an average of 21.4 hours to complete a basic form 1040, this year.
The personal exemption increased to $3,650.
The standard deduction increased, to $11,400 for married couples filing jointly, $5,700 for individuals and $8,350 for heads of household.
Tax brackets have been adjusted upward by about 5 percent.
If you choose to increase your standard deduction by one or more of these items, you'll have to file a new form Schedule L.

The three deductions for state or local real estate taxes, sales or excise taxes on new car purchases or net disaster losses can be taken if you itemize.
There are expanded tax credits for home purchases and education. And the tax credit for home energy efficiency has been reinstated.

Remember a credit reduces the amount of tax you owe; a deduction reduces the income on which your taxes are assessed

If you're a moderate-income worker, you might have some money due to you. A new form, Schedule M, will have to be filed to claim the credit.

****For people who lost jobs, the first $2,400 in unemployment benefits is not taxable...

Post Recession Recovery?

Economic indicators suggest recovery is underway. Struggles in 2008 and 2009 will require refocus in 2010 when business looks for fast growth. Organizations have been focused on retrenchment. So refocus and reengage employees for the turnaround.