Santa Fe Jobing Community Blogs

Speak your mind on the latest issues affecting how you get paid in the 2009 “Getting Paid In America” survey. The survey only takes five minutes and all participants will be entered to win a free paycheck and a trip to Las Vegas !

The survey, authored by the American Payroll Association, as part of its National Payroll Week campaign (www.nationalpayrollweek.com) asks workers to voice their opinions on issues that affect their paycheck.  Results from the survey will help the payroll industry better understand and adapt to challenges like the economy’s impact on 401(k) contributions, electronic pay options, the economic stimulus tax credit, identity theft and more.  

In addition to the pay-related questions, the “Getting Paid In America” survey asks fun questions about celebrity pay.  Examples include a question comparing the salary of Miley Cyrus to the minimum wage rate and a contest between late-night talk show hosts David Letterman and Conan O’Brien.

Anyone 18 or over can participate so tell everyone you know.  One lucky survey taker will win a free paycheck and trip to Las Vegas !  The survey is live until September 11 at 5 p.m. ET.  Don’t miss your chance.  Visit www.nationalpayrollweek.com today to take the survey.

In a new initiative aimed at helping military members gain payroll certification, the American Payroll Association has joined with several military programs to offer educational assistance and certification testing on military installations. APA’s online certification prep courses are being offered to military personnel and their families through a partnership with Excelsior College ’s Center for Professional Development (CPD), with military education benefits covering 60% of the cost.

APA is also now a recognized member of DANTES, the Department of Defense’s education program for military personnel and families, whereby both the Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC) and Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) exams will soon be available at more than 500 DANTES military installations around the world.

In addition, as of May 2009, the cost of FPC and CPP certification testing is eligible for tuition assistance reimbursement through the G.I. Bill.

If you or someone you know is a veteran or active duty military, send an e-mail to education@americanpayroll.org for more information.

Leaving the military?

Hire a veteran?

Step 1. Check your military education benefits eligibility at www.gibill.va.gov.

Step 2. Consult www.americanpayroll.org/certification to determine if you should prepare for the FPC or the CPP exam.

Step 3. Enroll in online payroll courses, including: PayTrain®, Fundamentals of Payroll, and PayTrain Mastery.

Step 4. Consult your DANTES representative to schedule your certification test.

Step 5. Go to www.americanpayroll.org/job-board to view job postings.

The Network of Indian Professionals (NetIP) is a professional, non-profit organization dedicated to the overall achievement and advancement of South Asian professionals. The primary focus of the organization is to foster a bond among South Asian professionals to unite and support each other locally, as well as to give back and contribute positively to the communities in which we live and work.

Join us this year at:

The 18th Annual NetIP Conference
Held in the Dynamic and Vibrant City of Toronto
Friday, Sept 4th to Sunday, Sept 6th 2009

• Engaging Panels and Workshops (covering finance, healthcare, entrepreneurship, culture, media arts)
• Film Screenings & Community Outreach Events
• Chic & Elegant Parties
• Captivating Entertainment (including a Bollywood-themed gala affair)

Create Memories of a lifetime and gain an opportunity to forge lasting friendships, as you mingle with elite South Asian professionals, network with industry leaders and meet top notch speakers!

For more information, visit www.NetIPConference.org.  

Don't let your education hurt your employment potential

Is the lack of a high school diploma hurting your employment potential?

Think you don’t have the time to go back to school?

With the competitiveness of today’s job market, you need every advantage you can get.  Employers are looking for skilled and educated employees.  A high school diploma is absolutely necessary in order to attract the employment attention you want.

Pinnacle Online High School offers a wide range of classes that allow individuals to earn a high school diploma. And because of our NCA and CITA accreditation, your high school diploma will transfer to the university or college or your choice.

o    24/7 access to online high school courses

o    Set your own schedule and pace

o    Courses are fully accredited

o    AZ students under 22 take classes for free

o    Students over 22 pay minimal fees.

Since Pinnacle was founded more than 13 years ago, more than 35,000 students have found our school a welcome alternative to a traditional high school, providing a high quality online learning experience without the constrictions on their schedule or their pace of learning.

Pinnacle Education is open entry, meaning that you can start classes any day of the year. Since classes are self-paced, you can study and learn any time of the day or night.

Although students work at their own pace and dictate their schedule, they are never on their own. Pinnacle’s learning platform encourages students to be involved in peer discussions and group blogs, and allows for individual attention from their instructors. Students can engage their instructor by email at any time, and can speak by phone with an instructor from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. (Arizona time), seven days a week.

Pinnacle’s engaging online learning environment can help you achieve your education goals.  Request information today and learn how you can begin your journey to achieving a high school diploma.

Online or on campus higher education?

Good question - it depends on your needs.  Before you decide which is right for you - ask yourself a few questions:

1.  Does my field of study offer an online option? 

Although many subjects can easily be translated to the world of e-learning, some fields at certain levels require hands-on, in person learning (the arts, some of the sciences, and law are a few that may fall in this category).  In some fields you will find that not all majors allow an online program, but if you are willing to slightly adjust your focus, there is an e-learning option available.  For instance, you may not be able to find an online cooking course - but you can find many online courses for nutrition. 

Three degrees that are offered online are masters degrees from Grand Canyon University.
GCU offers an Online Healthcare masters, an online MBA and online education masters.
More information about GCU can be found at their profile. These are three fields of study that are offered online.

2. What is my financial situation?  Am I willing to take out student loans?  How much can I/do I have to work while going to school? 

These may be the biggest questions of all right now.  If you are able to get suitable financial aid and/or student loans, you may find that you can afford to be a full-time student with part-time employment.  If your situation is different than that (i.e. if you are unable to find enough financial aid or you have additional financial responsibilities such as a house or dependents), you may find that part-time student status either in person or online is a better situation for you.  The best thing you can do for yourself is to draw up a budget and find out how you will afford your studies and your living expenses before you are committed.  It can be tempting to work long hours and let schoolwork suffer if you are financially strapped or focus solely on school and let your finances slide.  Knowing your full financial picture can save you future money headaches and scholastic failure. 

3.  Do I have the necessary tools for online learning? 

Check with the online degree provider to make sure you have or can afford the technical requirements necessary to complete the program (for example; adequate internet connection, operating system, software). 

4.  What type of learning environment do I want or need? 

If you are a self-directed learner and absorb information well by reading, completing interactive modules online, and watching video content - you have all the makings of a good online learner.  If you absolutely know you need a professor to question in "real-time" while you are learning and a classroom environment, then on campus learning may be your only option.  Most of us have experience with classroom learning and find it familiar and comfortable.  However, if you have never tried coursework online and would like a test-drive, there are many low cost options available to test e-learning out before you enroll in a full-time program.  Many recent innovations in online video and web-conferencing have minimized the differences between online and in-person learning, so test both environments before you make any conclusions about which is best for you. 

5. Who does this affect other than me?

Consult your family and those around you that would be affected by your decision.  If time spent on commuting, moving, or school work will have a significant impact on your family or your employer, discuss this with them while you are still making your decision.  Much like budgeting, having these sometimes difficult conversations early in the process can save you grief.  Everyone affected will appreciate that they were consulted before you made your final decision.

Online or on campus is a very important decision to make. Jobing.com has resources to help you identify a program that may fit your needs. Take a look at the JobingEducation or research schools that are specifically in your area at The Princeton Review.

Regardless of your political leanings or how you feel about the stimulus package, one thing I think everyone can agree on is the importance of continuing education and professional development. As President Obama said in his address on Tuesday, the most valuable skill you can sell is knowledge, and education is not just a pathway to opportunity, it is a prerequisite. This is a reminder that especially in a tough economy, we need to keep our skills sharp and take advantage of educational opportunities so that our careers become “recession-proof.” It's important to make ourselves indispensable.

From his address: "And so tonight, I ask every American to commit to at least one year or more of higher education or career training. This can be community college or a four-year school; vocational training or an apprenticeship. But whatever the training may be, every American will need to get more than a high school diploma."

If you belong to a professional association, I encourage you to seek out opportunities to learn a new skill set, become certified in your profession, or sharpen your existing skills.

Now for the promotional message to those in payroll, accounts payable, finance, HR or benefits: The American Payroll Association (www.americanpayroll.org) and the American Accounts Payable Association (www.americanap.org) offer top-notch seminars, conferences and publications, as well as certification programs and certificate programs. These programs are the “prerequisite” you need to set yourself apart.

If you work in finance or human resources, chances are you've been following the status of the economic stimulus plan. If not, you should begin learning it now, as many changes are already taking effect. Ensure your job security by keeping your employer compliant (or showing a potential employer that you have what it takes to ensure their compliance)!

Early release copies of the new federal income tax withholding (percentage method and wage bracket method) and advance earned income credit payment tables have been issued by the IRS to implement the Making Work Pay income tax credit contained in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

The tables will be published in Publication 15-T, New Wage Withholding and Advance Earned Income Credit Payment Tables (for wages paid through December 2009). Publication 15-T should be used by employers in conjunction with the information in Publications 15, 15-A, and 51.

The IRS asks that employers begin using these tables as soon as possible, but no later than April 1, 2009.

Other items to keep up-to-date on include changes to the COBRA premium discount and changes to the Form 941.

Members of the American Payroll Association have access to members-only content about this and more. Join at www.americanpayroll.org

You can also attend APA's 2009 Capital Summit in Washington, DC March 19-20 to find out all the details of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

If you are a payroll or accounts payable professional, are you ready for the impact the proposed stimulus package will have on your company's operations? The "Making Work Pay" credit, the largest single tax break in the package, will have a major effect on each worker's paycheck. The American Payroll Association is hosting a conference next month that will address these and other crucial changes to payroll. The "2009 Capital Summit" will take place March 19-20 in Washington, DC. Topics include:

-New definitions and rules regarding international ACH transactions;

-What the payroll department's role will be in administering the economic stimulus package;

-Reintroduction of legislation to ease burden of multi-state tax withholding;

-TIN-Masking: placing only 4 digits of the SSN on Form W-2.

Below is a link to the full conference brochure. Registration is cost-effective, especially when you consider the cost of non-compliance. In addition, staying educated and maintaining compliance for your organization helps ensure your value to your company!

http://www.americanpayroll.org/pdfs/capitalsummit/09capitalsummit_v2.pdf

Western Region International Public Management Association for Human Resources (WRIPMA-HR) is a non-profit organization and one of four regions of IPMA-HR (www.ipma-hr.org), a national organization that represents the interests of over 7,500 human resource professional at the Federal, State and Local levels of government. IPMA-HR provides many services to members and disseminates information on innovative personnel policies, benefits, labor relations, workplace trends, state and federal legislations, cutting edge HR practices, and research data.

Please make plans to attend the 2007 Western Region IPMA-HR Annual Training Conference.  This educational event is taking place May 7th - 11th at the Doubletree Paradise Valley Resort in Scottsdale, Arizona.

For additional information visit the Western Region website at www.wripma-hr.org or for questions contact Theresa Damiani at theresa.damiani@phoenix.gov or 602-262-6368.

Sometimes you go to a job fair and an employer will ask you to follow up with an online resume submission.  Other times, you’ll apply online and a recruiter will ask you to meet them at their job fair.  Which is it – why do you need to do both? 

When an employer makes the difficult decision to invest in a new employee, many of them will really want to get to know that employee – you – as well as possible before making that final decision.  So go ahead, show them you can follow up with that job fair encounter by applying online (tip - grab their business card and send them a cover letter reminding them that you met them at the job fair).  If an online application leads to an invitation to meet with an employer at a job fair, do it!  This is your chance at that important first interview. 

Another important note about resumes and job fairs:  Sometimes employers want to get out and meet people face-to-face and also require (for applicant tracking purposes, ease of managing paperwork, etc.) an online record of your application.  At job fairs, employers may decline your paper resume and ask you to submit your resume online.  Don’t be discouraged.  Accommodate the employer’s request by following their application guidelines.  Your efforts on both fronts (attendance at the fair and applying online) are deeply appreciated by the employer. 

It may seem like a lot of effort and courage to approach an employer more than once to get a job – but like any relationship, the one between you and your future employer deserves your best effort.  Give it your all – and as always, let us know about your successes!

Since 1974, every U.S. president has issued a proclamation designating National Volunteer Week , an annual celebration of the contributions of citizen volunteers. This year's observance is April 15–21, with the theme

"Inspire by Example." There are many ways in which one can make a difference for the better in one's community through volunteering. Serving as a mentor to an at-risk youth is one of the most vital.

Resources for National Volunteer Week:

To learn more about National Volunteer Week and how you may observe it, visit

http://www.usafreedomcorps.gov/about_usafc/special/nvw.asp .

For further information on mentoring as an opportunity to volunteer, visit

http://www.mentoring.org/mentor_minute/national_volunteer_week_coming

In your job search you should apply the steps toward achieving your goals for a successful search.

In a recent article by Motivational Speaker, Jane Boucher the importance of goal setting is stated as critical for personal and professional success.

To read Jane's article, click here.

Keep your resume current.  You may not need to perform a job search again in the near future, but it is always a good idea to update your resume whenever you acquire new skills and responsibilities.   This way you can be sure to have it ready to go with the most recent information for whenever you need it (to apply for new jobs, promotions, or to share in a company bio). 

Stay on top of your industry.  Join professional associations whenever you get a chance.  Stay aware of what is going on in employment in your field.  Do you know what new qualifications people are looking for? Do you know what the current salaries are for people performing comparable work in your field?  Don’t let your contact with us end when your search is over – stay current, stay informed, and stay active in your employment community!

Networking Your Way to a New Job...Know The Basics!

Molly Wendell from Studio C writes good tips for using e-mailing in networking in your job search.

Before doing anything:

EMAIL ADDRESS.   If you’re using your personal email address for the job search.   STOP!!   You’ll have to admit, there are some really strange email addresses, and every time you send your resume or any email online, your brand is coming across.   Does that brand accurately reflect your level of professionalism?   I recently saw an email address laxbill47@yahoo.com.   If you didn’t know that Bill was into Lacrosse, you might just think he’s too lazy to work.   And maybe he’s 47 or was born in 1947.   Either way, don’t let your email knock you out of the running.   And if you think it won’t.   Guess what.   It probably already has.

The email you use should be firstlast@domain.com or first.last@domain.com.   NEVER use the family email as your job search email.   And while you’re updating your resume with your new email, go ahead and only list your cell phone number (versus both home and cell)—and make sure you have a professional message…”You’ve reached Bill’s cell, leave a message”…is just like saying "Hire me and I will wear cutoffs and flip flops every day" (which may be okay at some companies, but not BEFORE you get the job!).

Networking Your Way to a New Job...Know The Basics! Molly Wendell from Studio C gives some great insight into the importance of networking and the tools to assist you, in her recent article. Before doing anything: BUSINESS CARDS.   If you don’t have business cards for the job search, get them right away.   Each card should have the following information:   Name, Email, Phone and then three areas of expertise listed.  Forget the address.  It just creates clutter and nobody writes letters anymore!   Sometimes you might want to list an industry.   Here are a few examples:

Controller:Planning & Analysis, Budgeting, Sarbanes Oxley  -OR - IT Project Manager: Project Management, Application Development, Retail Systems   -OR-  Marketing Director:  Strategic Marketing, Public Relations, Technology

For high quality cards at a reasonable price, order them through Vistaprint.com - use this code to get a 25% discount:   www.vistaprint.com/frf?frf=845957584994