Are you retired or thinking about retirement?

Ask yourself, “Will my loved ones suffer a financial loss if I die tomorrow?”

A “no” answer usually suggests that there is no need for life insurance, but Forbes.com recommends that you think twice before giving up your policy.

According to an Associated Press article by Christopher S. Rugaber, job openings are at rock-bottom levels.

Overall, it’s an extremely difficult time to be unemployed.

Pockets of demand existing in information technology and sales but on average, 6.1 unemployed workers compete for each job opening, a Labor Department report shows. That’s up from 1.7 workers per opening back in December 2007.

Read the AP article…

Asking for help is a good thing, especially in the workplace where the stakes can sometimes be high.

Jodi Glickman Brown offers tips on how to ask for help the right way. Tip #1: Do your homework first. Start with what you know.

She has two more tips here…

Twitter – Facebook – LinkedIn – How to impress your boss with social media…

If you’re posting during work hours, here are some tips to make sure that your boss is impressed and to stand out as a star employee.

Read more…

1. References should be on a separate sheet and taken to your interview. Don’t list your references on your resume. No prospective employer will contact your references without interviewing you first.
2. All accomplishments should have both an action and a result/outcome. If you can’t specify an outcome, it’s not an accomplishment! Defining your accomplishments is a four step process:
   1. Describe the situation
   2. List any obstacles you encountered
   3. Explain the actions you took
   4. Detail your results

Numbers 3 and 4 above go on your resume. Use Numbers 1 and 2 above as discussion points during your interview.

Using LinkedIn.com? Congratulations! You’re developing an online personal brand. You now show up in Google (and other search engines) when someone searches for you by name. LinkedIn does a good job of pushing you to the top of the results list.

The following are some other ways you can maximize your LinkedIn experience.

1. Ask and answer questions! Post your questions and get answers from your connections and others in your network. You can also become an expert within your network by answering questions posted by other LinkedIn users.
2. Give and receive recommendations! Ask others in your network for recommendations of your work. Getting recommendations will help you build credibility within your network and help you make additional connections. You should also give recommendations, when appropriate, to your connections.
3. Start a LinkedIn Group! LinkedIn now offers LinkedIn Groups, a new way for groups to bring value to their members. Many professionals advance their business goals by counting on professional groups, alumni groups and workgroups to make vital new business contacts which will enhance their trusted connections. Start your own LinkedIn Group today.

View my LinkedIn profile here.

I recently updated a personal financial statement for my bank and got a current view of my net worth. Which got me thinking…What’s a good net worth to have?

This reminded of a book I read a few years ago, The Millionaire Next Door. I really liked the book. As a general rule of thumb, the book offered up a formula for calculating what your net worth should be:

Target Net Worth = Age X Annual Pre-Tax Income / 10

Please remember that there are always exceptions to this rule. It’s always good to have a benchmark.

There’s a coming leadership void in the United States. In the year 2016, approximately 5 million baby boomers will be retiring. It’s estimated that another 5 million will retire each year after that until the year 2030.

That’s 75 million retired baby boomers by the year 2030.

Young business professionals should begin preparing now by developing a lasting personal brand.

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I put this slideshow together a few years ago when I was a member of Toastmasters.