Online Dating Scams and the Military

Online Dating Scams and the Military Online Dating Scams and the Military Online scammers who use lonely hearts schemes to bilk people out of money sometimes steal the identity of a military member to tug at their victims heartstrings. Usually, these scammers develop fake contacts, using easily obtained pictures from real U.S. soldiers. The scammers often use internet cafes and reroute money multiple times to untraceable sources, making it difficult to track them or reclaim any money they manage to steal. Whats especially insidious about this kind of online scam is that many people legitimately want to help a member of the U.S. military who requests assistance. The scammers are exploiting peoples good intentions toward our men and women in uniform, and exploit their good will. Not only does this kind of fraud this hurt the victim, but it damages the reputation of the United States Military member. Foreign victims often fall for the scam, and really do think a U.S. soldier stole their money. Military Members and Romance Scams Someone who pretends to be a sailor, soldier, airman or Marine looking for love (but really is looking for cash) will count on you not investigating them too deeply. This is where you can get the upper hand. Here are a few cautionary measures to try and protect yourself against these scams if you decide to try to find love online. First, avoid giving out your personal information and pictures to someone you dont know. The person could be from any part of the world, could use your personal information and images to impersonate and even blackmail you. Do your best to research every detail and verify what you can. Remember, pictures from the internet could be as simple as copy and paste from the Facebook page of an unsuspecting military member. Verifying Military Documents How are you supposed to know what an official military document looks like? Its not that hard to print an authentic-looking duplicate with a home printer. Thats part of the reason the Army Criminal Investigation Command has an example page for commonly used false documents to aid in detecting a scammer. Be Wary of Requests for Money or Mail Military members overseas are taken care of and do not need assistance from random people on the internet with their finances. If a soldier requests things that are provided by the military or are unnecessary, such as transportation costs, communication fees, marriage processing, vacation time fees, and medical fees, thats a huge red flag that something is not right. Most servicemen and women have an FPO or APO mailing address. In fact, each year there are programs for civilians to send Christmas Cards to Military Members worldwide. So, if a soldier really is in Afghanistan, he or she will have a corresponding military mailing address. Be suspicious if your online paramour tells you hes on a top secret mission in an ultra-secret, exciting location and only wants to communicate via email, or asks you to send something to a non-military mailing address. He or she is probably not a real military member.

You have no idea what you are doingand thats good.

You have no idea what you are doingand thats good. You have no idea what you are doingand thats good. Author Neil Gaimans brilliant commencement speech at  Philadelphias University of the Arts. I think this statement is true for many professions: When you start out on a career in the arts you have no idea what you are doing. This is great. People who know what they are doing know the rules, and know what is possible and impossible. You do not. And you should not. The rules on what is possible and impossible in the arts were made by people who had not tested the bounds of the possible by going beyond them. And you can. If you dont know its impossible its easier to do. And because nobodys done it before, they havent made up rules to stop anyone doing that particular thing again.

How to Make a Numeric Employee Ratings System Work

How to Make a Numeric Employee Ratings System Work How to Make a Numeric Employee Ratings System Work Numeric ratings are one of the most abused components of any measurement and assessment system. They make people angry, destroy fragile working relationships, make one employee judge another, and create an artificial, thoroughly uncomfortable situation for both the person rating and the person whose work is being rated. The wonder to me, the way most numeric rating systems are designed, is why you would expect anything different from their use. If an organization takes unsubstantiated, undocumented, uncommunicated, secret numbers and springs a numeric rating on employees periodically, expect the worst. Do numeric ratings make a contribution in the workplace? Done well, I believe numeric ratings can motivate excellent work performance; done poorly, numeric ratings undermine your positive work environment. Can you use your performance rating system as part of a process to promote a culture of organizational excellence? Yes, in fact, according to Dick Grote, in The Secrets of Performance Appraisal: Best Practices from the Masters, in a landmark performance-management benchmarking study conducted by the American Productivity and Quality Center (APQC) and Linkage Inc., rigorous assessments of talent and potential are helping companies make major progress in developing cultures of performance. In Current Legal Issues in Performance Appraisal, Stanley B. Malos, J.D., Ph.D. makes six Substantive Recommendations for Legally Sound Performance Appraisals. Even if legalities are not your concern, these six recommendations set the stage for what makes an appraisal rating system, for employees or non-employees, sound, and potentially - motivational. According to Malos, appraisal criteria: should be objective rather than subjective;should be job-related or based on job analysis;should be based on behaviors rather than traitsshould be within the control of the rateeshould relate to specific functions, not global assessments,should be communicated to the employee. Malos cites procedural recommendations for legally sound performance appraisals as well. His recommendations include: procedures should be standardized for all people within a job group; they: should provide notice of performance deficiencies, and opportunities to correct them; should provide written instructions and training for raters; should require thorough and consistent documentation across raters that include specific examples of performance based on personal knowledge. Performance measurement and numeric rating system guidelines The following ten guidelines, examples, and ideas will assist you to develop a performance measurement and rating system which is motivational rather than confrontational. Take great care in establishing what it is that you want to measure. Jack Zigon, an expert in performance management and measurement, in Performance Appraisal Lessons from Thirteen Years in the Trenches, states that  the hardest part of creating performance standards is deciding which accomplishments to measure. Once you decide, my experience is that people will focus the majority of their energies on those aspects of their work for which they believe they are receiving credit.Develop effective measurements that tell people how they are doing. To the degree these numbers measure what is actually important in the person’s work, they are effective in molding performance. Don’t pick the outcomes to measure just because they are easy to assign a numerical target. Some of the most important outcomes from any job, and especially as more jobs become information based, are not easily measurable. As an example, during my consulting engagements, organizations often suggest we measure our s uccess in working together by the number of training classes they offered and the number of people who attended the training sessions. I always countered by stating that I wanted to have an impact on their productivity, customer delivery performance, and staff morale; these measurements were worth their time, even if the impact of training was harder to isolate. Establish straightforward, honest criteria that tell people exactly what they must do to achieve a particular numeric rating. Too often organizations fail to establish criteria beyond the judgment of a manager. If they have criteria, they fail to share them with employees. Both of these make up a recipe for disaster in employee performance. While organizations are unlikely to eliminate the judgment of the manager as part of the criteria mix anytime soon, the impact of her opinion should be minimized, where possible. In the APQC/Linkage study cited earlier, the best practice companies placed a significantly greater emphasis on the identification and assessment of competencies. These differ from goals in that they are formulated company-wide, usually by the executive group. They form an unchanging communication of what is most important for success in your organization. Grote found the best practice organizations identified competencies, and then defined mastery descriptions-narrative portraits of the behavior that one who mastered the area would likely engage in. While they are much more challenging to create, mastery descriptions give the appraiser a benchmark against which to compare the actual activities of the individual she is assessing. Even better, they provide the  appraisee  with a clear picture of exactly what the organization expects. Communicate the established criteria to the people who need the information to perform effectively. If the information translates poorly to a number, communicate a picture of outcomes expected that is vivid and understandable. In an example, from a university student center, criteria for the manager’s appraisal and success included measurements such as the following. You will receive the highest numeric rating if you increase customer satisfaction by 50 percent as measured by customer comment cards; increase the profitability of the snack shop by 20 percent, and present an environment of cleanliness and efficiency in which no paper litters the floor, tables are wiped clean and cleared as soon as customers leave, trash is emptied prior to trash exceeding the containers, and so on. Criteria were also established and communicated for a mid-range numeric rating, and a poor numeric rating in the same categories. This manager had absolutely no questions about what was expected and how the expectations would be measured. She was free to devote her energies to obtaining the most positive numeric ratings. Obtain  employee input  when establishing the criteria and the measurements for the numeric ratings. The above manager, in the university student center, helped to establish the numeric rating  criteria based on what she thought would improve the student experience of her center. She helped create the picture of what would constitute success for her function. The manager of the catering department, as an example, had different, but no less challenging criteria, based on the needs of his customers.Review the employee’s progress on the defined criteria, goals, and competencies regularly. Quarterly is minimally sufficient to discuss the staff member’s progress. Monthly is better. Annually is not often enough to impact the culture and performance. Ideally, each employee knows how they are performing every day. Avoid the horns, or halo effect. If an individual meets all established criteria for two months and then misses the target for the third month in a quarterly reporting period, take into consideration all three months. Too many times, the person’s performance is assessed based on the down month. While you want to help the employee problem solve and look at opportunities for improvement, the one down month should not define the person’s performance for that quarter. You will want to watch for a trend and address it as soon as the trend is apparent. The employee needs to see and read his performance ratings, rankings, the judgment calls, and the previously established criteria that came together to form his ratings. Jack Zigon also recommends having the employee collect their own performance feedback data as often as possible. This can save the time and energy of the manager and allows the employee, who is most familiar with his data, to present it. This helps the employee take ownership of the data and reduces disagreement and suspicion over reported results. Done well, performance criteria and ratings can contribute to a positive, powerfully motivating experience for organization members. The presence of numeric ratings and performance criteria in your  performance management system  can help you formulate the culture you need for success as an organization. Employees know what is expected of them, and they experience few surprises. People know what to work toward, and they know the rewards and recognition they will achieve. How many people do you know who get up in the morning, and go to work thinking, Gee, I want to be a 3.0 employee on a scale of 5.0 today? Not many. Most people want to do a great job and see their contribution to the success of their organization. What stops them? Unformulated and unclear criteria for success. An uncommunicated numeric rating  system tied to unestablished and unsubstantiated performance expectations. Infrequent feedback. An environment of guess how to be great, because we sure aren’t going to tell you. Get real, managers. We can help our organizations do better than this.

5 Career Reality Checks to Make in the New Year

5 Career Reality Checks to Make in the New Year 5 Career Reality Checks to Make in the New Year Thats why  I think it may be worth focusing not on resolutions, but more on career reality checks. Theres much more urgency to the idea of a reality check, and I think these checks  may be more likely to spur you into action. (You always can follow up with resolutions after your reality check, if you really want to). I  have outlined five important career reality checks to make in the new year: 1. Dont Go into the New Year with Career Blindness;  Do a Personal SWOT Analysis We are in a period of intense change, driven by technological revolution, globalization, economic and geopolitical instability, and a consumer culture hungry for mass customization and instant gratification. You need clear visibility in this stormy sea of change, and you can do this with a personal SWOT analysis, to help you understand your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. There is breathing space in the new year to do your own personal SWOT analysis, because most of the industry will be doing their own navel-gazing as they develop their strategic plan for the year. Dont go into the new year blind. 2. Check if Your Career Path Is the Road to Extinction Studies show that 47 percent of jobs that exist today are at risk of extinction or partial extinction over the next 10-20 years as a result of technological changes. Positions  such as cashier, data entry, and customer service representative have an 80 percent or higher  chance of being replaced by robots in 10-20 years â€" and that is  already starting. Check out  studies like this one from the University of Oxford,  which lists 700 jobs and their probability of being replaced by robots. Know where you stand and find out if your career path is a road to  extinction. You may need to think about a new career path thats on an upward trajectory. 3. Check to See if Your Way of Working Is Coming to an End This Intuit 2020 report suggests that self-employment numbers are soaring and contingent workers (freelancers, part-timers, seasonal workers, etc.) could make up 40 percent of the U.S. workforce in the next five years. Are you still fixated on permanent work when the pool of permanent work is in  decline? You may need to change your employment expectations and outlook to make yourself more adaptable to a more contingent work environment. 4. Are You Using the Latest, Most Relevant Technologies? Now, you dont need to be a cutting edge disciple of Neo and Trinity, but you should ask yourself whether you are holding on to any legacy ways of working and/or failing to adapt to accepted technologies that will make you more efficient and more able to collaborate effectively. If you are, you risk  being perceived as a laggard, which could be detrimental to your promotional and career prospects. Make this the year that you get on the technology curve to keep yourself relevant. 5. Check Your Work-Life Balance Think about the work-life balance that you reclaimed over the festive period â€" while its fresh in your mind â€" and do a reality check to see how far your work-life balance has moved away from your ideal state. Is your work making you a stranger to your family, health, and/or  personal well-being? While the rosy glow of positive work-life balance is fresh in your mind, use it as a motivational tool to reclaim your work-life balance. Book your annual holiday leave now, (remember, 40 percent of American dont use all their vacation time). Schedule a family/fun activity one day a week after work, to help draw a physical line between the end of the working day and the start of the family evening. These are five career reality checks that I think are worth making at the start of the year, and Id like to hear about any more new year reality checks that you think may be beneficial!

12 Choices Youll Never See Successful People Make

12 Choices Youll Never See Successful People Make 12 Choices Youll Never See Successful People Make Leading a life of success comes from doing the right things. It starts with making choices based on “bone-deep, intuitive goodness,” according to Tim Eskew. Setting authentic goals and working hard are also critically important. Robin Camarote says, “Rarely do reliable go-getters stumble into exceptional circumstance.” Living the life you’ve imagined is entirely possible. But it means avoiding missteps that can have regrettable consequences. Here are 12 things dynamic, focused individuals refuse to do. 1. Limit Themselves to Other People’s Definitions of Success To many, success equals money, fame, a corner office, or a fancy car. People who truly thrive dig a little deeper when considering their own success as a mixture of many elements: the satisfaction of making a difference, fulfilling a long-held desire, blazing a trail, and investing in important relationships. 2. Lose Sight of Their Goals Leaders are relentlessly dedicated to their passion and don’t let others’ expectations or opinions dissuade them. They understand that pleasing everyone is impossible, so they don’t waste their energy trying. 3. Succumb to Boredom These individuals are continuously curious about the world. They don’t allow complacency and are constantly seeking ways to improve. They actively pursue new challenges, they seek out fresh ideas, and they are open to other ways of doing things. They are always learning, regardless of their age or status. 4. Neglect to Take Care of Themselves The most successful people place a priority on their health and well-being. At the risk of sounding like a fitness commercial, they eat right, exercise regularly, and get enough sleep, because they understand that these actions are necessary to help them function at their optimum level. They don’t make the mistake of placing their well-being last on their priority list. 5. Think They Can Do it All They know their strengths and weaknesses. They play to their strengths and surround themselves with others who can compensate for things they just aren’t good at. For example, a successful person who is great at networking but struggles with putting her thoughts onto paper will free herself to do what she is good at and hire a writer to assist with communications. They’ve learned that not only do they not have to complete every task themselves, but that it’s impossible to do so. They focus on areas where their talents can have the greatest impact. 6. Ignore Boundaries They have a strong sense of priorities and aren’t swayed by the pressure to get off track. Likewise, they respect the boundaries of others and understand the difference between reasonable expectations and impositions, both for themselves and those they interact with. 7. Jump Into the Drama Whether it’s gossip, rumors, or speculation, they avoid toxic people’s rhetoric. They know the difference between listening to a friend’s personal crisis and getting involved in vitriol about someone they have never met or aimless complaints from a person who has no intention of helping themselves. 8. Seek External Approval Successful people aren’t concerned with self-promotion. They also don’t shy away from making tough, unpopular decisions. They simply don’t preoccupy themselves with what others think of them. They consider multiple sources of information when making a decision, but ultimately they are guided by their internal compass to determine the right course of action. 9. Live in the Past Rather than beating themselves up over previous mistakes, they focus on learning from them instead of second-guessing themselves. They know how to redirect their thoughts instead of replaying the histrionic details of something that is over and done with. If they mess up, they apologize, do what they can to fix the problem, take steps to prevent it from happening again, and ultimately, move on. 10. Bog Down in Minutiae They understand that there are limits to their time and energy, so they expend them wisely. As big-picture people, they don’t get mired down in details others can attend to, but keep their focus on long-term goals and communicating their vision to the team. 11. Wait Until Conditions Are Perfect to Take Action These individuals know that if they wait until the stars align to pursue their ambitions and dreams, they will never get started. The best time to begin is usually now, learning as they go. 12. Think They Are in it Only for Themselves Truly successful people aren’t mavericks who go it alone, personally or professionally. Service to others is at the heart of everything they do. They make room in their schedules for their biggest priorities, whether that involves a child’s birthday party, date night with their spouse, or celebrating a victory with their team at work. They see a higher purpose in their efforts and use their hard-won experience and wisdom to lift others up. More From Inc. 7 Awesome Habits of Highly Effective People The Surprising Secret to Staying Focused All Day 7 Simple Ways to Deal With a Disagreement Effectively

The ultimate guide How to get a good credit score and maintain it

The ultimate guide How to get a good credit score and maintain it The ultimate guide How to get a good credit score and maintain it By now, you probably know that credit scores exist and that these scores have some significance to your life.Yet, the history behind the scoring system, why it really matters, and and how to get a good credit score may still be a bit confusing. Maintaining your credit score and understanding it is incredibly important to your  personal finances, whether you think so or not.  It affects more than you might think and can make a difference in how much you pay in interest and if you get approved for an apartment or mortgage.This article will cover quite a bit on credit scores, but hopefully this can serve as your ultimate reference guide if you ever need reminders or help.Follow Ladders on Flipboard!Follow Ladders’ magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and more!  I.  Short history on credit scoresThe way your credit score is calculated, actually varies from the various scoring companies.  This tends to make it all a bit confusing, but there are really only two scoring methods you should care about.The first is VantageScore, which is a scoring system by the most popular and well-known credit bureaus, including Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion.  These are the ones you typically see when you apply for credit or if you use a credit report monitoring website (more on that below).Another popular credit scoring system is your FICO score, which a majority of creditors use as well if you apply for credit.  This was started in the late 1980s, but has maintained popularity ever since.If you are looking to learn more about these scoring systems, you can visit their websites below for more information: VantageScore FICO Credit scores are in a range from 300-850, where the higher your score the better.  Many creditors or lenders pull a few of these, because your score can actually vary.  For example, your TransUnion score can be higher or lower than Equifax.Strange right?Well, each credit bureau assigns its own score because the information they use to include or exclude may be slightly different.Also, when something is calculated (like a debt payment), it may take longer to be reported on one credit bureau from another.  Usually your scores will not be wildly different, but could be off by a handful of points.II.  How to Check Your Credit ScoresNot too long ago, requesting your credit report to see the score would either cost money and/or could drop points from your score.  Now thanks to the digital age and technology, we have better ways to monitor our credit scores for free that does not affect the points.For a few years I chose not to do this.  But as I learned more about finances, I realized how important monitoring my credit scores was.I currently use two platforms, Credit Karma and Credit Sesame.Credit Karma  is probably the most recognizable name and offers credit reporting, recommended credit cards, and other loan options based on your scores.This was the first one I signed up for when I got started.The one I recently signed up for (and is also free), is  Credit Sesame. Besides the in-depth look at your credit history and loan recommendations, they have one really awesome differentiating feature.  Credit Sesame offers an additional layer of protection with $50,000 identity theft insurance free to all members.  Sign up for free here.Extra:  Besides seeing “soft inquiries” on your credit report from one of the above platforms (which do not count against your score), there are also “hard inquiries.”  Those are when lenders pull your report when you apply for credit.  It will slightly lower your score, but will be removed over time.III.  Why Your Credit Score Matte rsSo the big question you may ask is, why does my credit score even matter?  Essentially, lenders and creditors use these scores to determine and assess the risk of extending credit or loans to you.And that makes sense, because they need to ensure that they will recoup any money you borrow and ensure you don’t cause headaches for them.So by having a poor or low credit score, you may run into challenges with your finances and other areas of your life.  Here are a few examples: You may be charged higher interest on loans Can be rejected on credit card applications Be denied getting an apartment or mortgage So this means your credit scores and history can be pulled and reviewed by: Mortgage Companies Banks Landlords Insurance Companies The above is a bit scary to think about and is why establishing credit early and maintaining a good credit score is so important.  Plus, a lower credit score can cost you money over a period of time because you have to pay higher interest on a loan.IV.  How to maintain a good credit scoreBefore I get into some tips on how to maintain a good credit score and report, we should talk about how scores are calculated a bit further.  Knowing these items are also the key to keeping your score as high as possible.As mentioned earlier in this post, credit scores range from  300-850. This is the same overall scoring model used across all credit bureaus, even though each may vary from each other when you look up your report. 800-850 â€" exceptional 740-799 â€" very good 670-739 â€" good 580-669 â€" fair 300-579 â€" very poor Your credit score is calculated, according to  Investopedia, into five main categories:Your payment history  â€" That you are paying loans, debts, and bills on time and do not have any late payment marks.  This is something I perfected since having a credit card at 18 and served me incredibly well with my report once I had student loans, a car payment, and utilities.Current level of indebtedness  â€" This is simply the amount you owe back.  But, just because you might have a bit of extended credit or debt, does not mean you will have a lower score.  For example, having all your credit cards maxed out will cause a red flag.  But debt that is not all maxed out, even if the number is higher than the first example, doesn’t mean your score will be docked.Types of credit used  â€" If you want the highest level of credit scores, your credit needs to have a variation.  Meaning having a credit card, retail credit card, vehicle loan, student loans, etc.  You don’t need ten different items, but some variation helps on your report helps the scoring.I’ve only ever had one credit card (now two), but I also had student loans and a car loan.That variation along with the above two sections were enough to keep my variation mixed.  Not recommending to get loans, but just an example of a factor to your score.Length of credit history  â€" The longer your credit history, the better your score will be.  This also depends on the other areas here, but this is also an important factor to your score.New credit accounts you have  â€" This refers to how often you are opening new lines of credit or applying for loans.  If you are applying to a lot in a short period of time, it indicates potential risk.That is also the importance of order to how your score is calculated, with a higher weighted percentage on the first two items.One thing that is sort of irritating with credit score calculations, is if you pay off your debt early, you can actually lose points.  By rewarding yourself in p aying something off sooner to get out of debt, it can harm your score.It doesn’t mean you’ll drop like 100 points, but you can lose 10-25+ points.  Even though I have a long and good credit history, I paid my car off 1.5 years early and my score dropped almost 30 points!  However, these points will recover.  I got them all back in a few weeks.V.  Tips to Fixing and Protecting Your CreditWhile you don’t want to have a low or poor credit score, it is pretty common and happens often to people.  The good news is, you can take steps to fix your credit and can have dramatic score increases in relatively decent time.However, the other part of this is to also protect your credit scores.  With the digital advances comes more threats from others trying to open credit in your name and run up damage to your report.  Just like there are tips to fix your credit, I have some insights on how to protect yourself as well.Fixing Your CreditIf you have a poor credit score or none at all (it’s p ossible to have zero if you have not had any credit or your credit is under six months old), it will be difficult to get any line of credit.  But, there are ways to fix your credit score and start to establish your credit history.The below tips can help, but if you need additional assistance or help I recommend creating an account with  CreditRepair  and consulting with their experts.  This is a paid service, but it is well worth the help and the amount of money you’ll save in the future from high interest payments.Note: Ensure you know what your score is and look at any inquiries on your report.It helps you understand where you stand and how to track your progress.  I recommend signing up forCredit Sesame, it’s free to use and won’t hurt your score.Step 1: Look for Any Errors or IssuesA quick way to potentially increase your score, is remove any errors, issues, or other weird inaccuracies that tarnish your score.  There may be false accounts opened, payments marked as late th at were not, and other things.Get a copy of your full credit report for free at  AnnualCreditReport.com. They are authorized by the federal government to provide consumers with a copy of their credit report at no cost.If you notice anything is inaccurate, you can file disputes with the credit bureaus to get them removed and take care of inaccuracies.Step 2: Pay Overdue Bills and Pay On Time Moving ForwardYour payment history is one of the biggest factors to a great score.  So if you have any debt in collections or bills not paid, get those taken care of immediately.  Many of the companies looking for their money are willing to work with you to get a payment plan in place.  Just making an effort goes a long way!From there, you need to be on top of your payments and be on time with everything.  This was a huge reason for my upper 700’s/low 800’s credit score.  I have 10+ years of bill payments at a 100% paid on time with nothing in collections.Set up some automatic payments to nev er miss a bill or set up recurring reminders for yourself in your phone, calendar, or other apps.Extra: You can set up payment reminders for credit cards and loans with  Personal Capital. Your accounts will need to be linked to Personal Capital, but it’s free to use and helps you stay on track.  Plus, there are other great features of the application you can use.  Step 3: Apply for New Credit Accounts Only as NeededEvery time you apply for a new credit card or line of credit, the inquiry will ding your report a few points.  Not a big deal from time to time when you need to apply for something.But doing a whole bunch of applications can harm your score.  These are called “hard inquiries” and typically will remain on your credit report for up to two years.It’s okay to have 1-2 cards at once, but only if you are going to be responsible and not rack up tons of debt, further harming your score.Step 4: Don’t Close Unused Credit CardsJust as applying for too many credit cards, cl osing unused cards can also negatively impact your score.If your current cards do not have annual fees, they have not been hacked, and you don’t feel tempted to use them for overspending, then keep them open.  Just put them somewhere safe, but out of your reach if you’d be tempted to use them.Step 5: Lower Your Credit UtilizationYou might be wondering what this exactly means, but it’s more fancy sounding that it is.  When you have a credit card you usually have a max limit of what you can spend.If your credit limit is $5,000 and you use $1,000 of that, your credit utilization rate is 20%.On average, lenders prefer to see you under 30%, as it signals you aren’t overspending or maxing out your credit every month.Lastly…There is no quick fix for low credit scores and varies on how long you can see improvements.  It depends on just how many blemishes are on your report, how quickly you act, and that you stay on top of your payments and credit.In order to start establishing som e credit, many banks can work with you by opening a card that is attached to your bank account.  It would act more like a debit card, so you have to have a minimum balance in your account, but can help establish your credit.There are also a few credit card companies that are for those with low scores.  The interest rates may be high or there may also be an annual fee, but these can help you get started.  You can always upgrade later as your score improves and get access to better credit cards.With your free  Credit Sesame  account, you’ll get recommendations for credit cards you’d have the best chance being approved for based on your score.Protecting your creditIt seems like every other week you read about a data breach, where your personal info like emails, addresses, names, and even social security numbers are leaked.  It’s a real problem that needs a major solution (besides holding these companies to massive fines and accountability).There are a few options to ensure your c redit reports and scores are more secure.  Even if you have not been hacked or your info has not been leaked, I’d recommend taking some steps to protect yourself.Put a Fraud Alert On Your Credit Reports:This is completely free to do and takes a few minutes to complete, but can protect you from someone trying to open credit in your name.  When you place an alert on one credit bureau they are required to let the other two know.This then ensures for one year, if any line of credit or loan is applied for, the lender has to verify it is you directly.  I did this last year when my data was breached, but had my girlfriend and parents do it recently too even though they were not breached. You can do this on Experian’s website here Learn more about fraud alerts from the FTC Freeze Your Credit Reports:If you were a victim of identity theft recently or might be currently battling that, you may want to considering putting a “freeze” on your credit reports at the three main bureaus mentioned above.Unlike the fraud alert that each will be notified from one form fill out, you have to contact each bureau to get this done.  But this locks anyone from opening an account, including you (you can put a temporary lift or unfreeze at any time).It also won’t protect you in situations where criminals already have access to your accounts (like if your bank login credentials were previously stolen via hacking).IdentityTheft.govIf someone is opening credit cards in your name or trying to, you should also report it to the Federal Trade Commission’s  identity theft website. It’s easy and free to use, but they help build you a custom plan of how to recover and protect yourself.I’ve done this myself with a recent incident, which helped protect my credit and identi ty better.They also give action steps, letter templates, and anything you may need based on your situation.Final thoughtsThere you have it, an ultimate guide to all things credit scores.  It is a lot of information, but hopefully this helped you understand the credit scoring system much better, tips to fixing your credit, maintaining a good credit score, and protecting yourself as well.If you find fixing your credit is still a challenge, again I highly recommend reaching out to the experts at  CreditRepair, who can assist you further.  This is a paid service, but their expert knowledge and money they’ll save you in the future is worth it.  Learn more and some reviews at their website here.This article originally appeared on Invested Wallet.You might also enjoy… New neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happy Strangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds 10 lessons from Benjamin Franklin’s daily schedule that will double your productivity The worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs 10 habits of mentally strong people

12 tips for your best resume ever

12 tips for your best resume ever 12 tips for your best resume ever Writing a resume is, let’s face it, not always seen as fun: hours mulling every year of your career, searching for the right words, worrying about whether your accomplishments look impressive enough. Then you have to find the time to noodle around with it, between work, family and other commitments.Even more importantly: there’s no wiggle room. Recruiters spend about six seconds looking at your resume before they  make their initial decision. So, you have to make it count. (Some will go to any length to make it count: One savvy job-seeker created a 20-page magazine about himself to impress the editors at GQ - maybe a little too long).There are some easy ways to do that.Make sure your resume  accurately reflects who you are, what you have to offer the company you want to work for, and that it’s competitive enough to rival the resumes of other people with big dreams and creative minds.Your resume might be read by a computerWhile most resume advice focuses on creating a pretty do cument that impresses humans, you’re better off with an efficient one that impresses robots. Many large companies keep resumes in databases that are scanned for keywords and processed by algorithms before a human ever sees them.Luckily, there’s a way to design the document  so it can be read by a computer.Here are the top tips for a successful digital resume. Algorithms favor the top of a resume, where experience is more relevant. Fill that area with a “target job title,” expert Martin Yate has said. That means taking the same job title from the job you want and finding a way to feature it on your resume. Use the same major words that are in the job description. If the job listing is for a Project Manager, make sure that you use words that show expertise in that field: PRINCE2, for your certification. Make sure each entry on your resume describes hard skills that a computer will understand. Instead of “motivated a team,” for instance, tend to emphasize hard data: “grew revenues,” or “implemented new software” or “innovated a successful profit strategy.” Each entry should focus on measurable performance. Go minimal. Humans and computer both appreciate this. “Try to avoid all graphics, tables and fancy fonts” because the system is designed to process text only, Jan Tegze, Senior Recruiting Manager at SolarWinds, said  in a LinkedIn post. If it’s all too much to think about, choose an “ATS” option on resume-template sites like Hloom. Hloom has an ATS Optimized resume templates section. That means that these templates are formatted specifically so computers can read your resume. “All the Information” seems like the best because even though it’s mostly black text, the sections and your title stand out in orange, and the font is slightly more playful than the one featured on the “Technical Special” template. Picking  all the right wordsA 2014 CareerBuilder survey of “2,201 hiring managers and human resource professionals across industries and company sizes” shed light on some words you should and shouldn’t include on your resume.Once again, vagueness is a terrible strategy.For instance, here are a bunch of  the  terms that participants chucked in the “no” pile: “best of breed,” “think outside of the box,” “go-getter,” “value add,” “detail-oriented,” “proactively,” “bottom-line” and “team player.”Better words exist. Emphasize actions and achievements, not just personal qualities.These are some of the terms the survey participants favored instead: “achieved,” “improved,” “trained/mentored,” “managed,” “created,” “increased/decreased,” “negotiated,” “launched,” “under budget” and “won.”Every word  makes an impression, so choose each one carefully.Be wary of Google Docs resume templatesGoogle Docs  offers free templates to help guide your resume design processâ€" but this approach is more traditional, and may not leave much room for more customized resume styles.To access them, log into your Gmail account if you have one, head over to Google Docs, click on “Template Gallery,” then “General.”As you scroll through the options, you’ll  currently find resume templates like “Swiss,” “Serif,” “Coral” and “Spearmint.” Many of them have formatting and interesting fonts, which may impressive people in some industries but will stand in your way if you’re aiming for that minimalist appeal that pleases both humans and robots.The best option is Coral, which includes no distracting formatting and has “Skills” right at the top. If you’re in a field where you’re sure your resume will go to a human, Serif is also a nice Google Docs option because it’s easy to read and the formatting isn’t intrusive.Where to find other resume templates that succeedDon’t be afraid t o branch out and use other resources when formatting your resume.Hloom offers hundreds of free templates, with categories like “Basic and Simple,” “Clean,” “Modern,” “Contemporary,” “Creative” and “Infographic.”The best of these to pick: in the “Clean” category, the “Substantial” template features open, white space for your name in clear, bold type at the top and leaves space for your title and summary. The text is mostly black, but the orange adds a nice hint of color. The lines between sections of the text make it easier to read. Many other options include bells and whistles that you’ll like if you’re applying for a visually oriented job; for those, you might try one of the options in the Contemporary category or in Portfolio, which gives space to add photos of your work.One note about Hloom:  The Muse  pointed out that users should be sure to hit the “Click here to download” link - not the big, green, “Free Download” button- when down loading a template on the computer.Full disclaimer: I have used a free, Hloom resume template to design an earlier version of my own resume.A note about colors- while you probably shouldn’t throw handful  on your resume, be sure that if you use color in your job search, that the hue  aligns with your “personal brand message.” Colors can carry symbolism far beyond what you intend; for instance, we remember a financial publication that refused to use red anywhere because the color implied money that had been lost. Only green or navy blue were acceptable.Choosing the right fontThe font you choose will also make a world of difference.  Bloomberg  profiled fonts to embrace and avoid on your resume.The best and most eternal advice: back away  from Comic Sans!As for  Times New Roman: some discerning hiring managers  steer clear  of this classic font. It’s not particularly easy to read, and it’s so standard that it suggests you chose the laziest option.  â€œIt’s telegraphing that you didn’t put any thought into the typeface that you selected…It’s like putting on sweatpants,”  Brian Hoff, creative director of Brian Hoff Design, let  Bloomberg  know how he really feels about it. (Of course ever font has its apologists:  The Washington Post begged to differ.)With all this talk of fonts to kick to the curb, which ones should you use? A lot depends on personal taste, of course, but we checked out some suggestions to see what experts like.Helvetica font landed at the top of Bloomberg’s list, with Garamond and Proxima Nova listed as other good options  - although the latter could reportedly cost you a pretty penny.The Huffington Post listed Calibri as its number one, with Samantha Howie, senior human resources recruiter at the of  Maximum Management Corp., saying that the font is  â€œâ€¦clear, readable, straightforward but not lacking in personality.”Create a LinkedIn profileResumes are great when you’re applying for jobs, but every job-hunter k nows that connections matter most. LinkedIn has become the default social network for industry leaders to check up on each other, whether or not they’re currently looking. Many recruiters favor LinkedIn as a way to search for prospects, and the multiple levels of connections mean that serendipity may get your resume noticed.We like this Business Insider guide to all the different things you should do to make your LinkedIn profile stand out, including a good, professional picture and a focus on skills and even volunteer work to show that you’re well-rounded. The best part? If anyone needs to see your experience in a hurry, you can just send them a link.Of course, LinkedIn isn’t always the most delightful user experience, but as long as you’re spiffing up your resume, you should make sure you do it right on a social network that almost anyone can access.The way you revamp your resume is ultimately up to you, but make sure it’s something you’re proud of so you can passionat ely talk about your achievements if you get contacted for an interview.