Author: Young Finances

LaTisha is the founder of Young Finances, which teaches simple finance for millennials. She is a millennial lifestyle and money expert helping clients take an existing skill and turn it into an online business.

What started as a financial blog to hold herself accountable while she paid off debt of over $32,000, transformed into a self-development journey allowing her to create a life by design and not by default.
She encourages her audience to blend smart money habits with a dash of the royal treatment as she believes nothing should be too lavish. Her work has been featured in notable publications including Forbes, Fast Company, and Business Insider.

Categories
Budgeting & Saving

How to Fix Bad Credit?

Wondering how to fix my credit myself? Or how to fix bad credit? There’s no doubt that living in the modern world requires credit. Yes, you can live without a credit card and survive on cash or cashback debit cards.

I know because I did it for over two years as I paid off credit card debt. But what I really wanted to do was improve my credit score immediately.

However, when you are ready to buy a house, you’ll need to get your credit straightened out. In this post I’ll discuss getting a credit repair service as well as what steps you need to take if you decide you want to fix your credit score yourself. You might even be able to fix your credit in just 6 months.

These steps are so easy. Perfect guide for do it yourself credit repair.

Related articles from our approved partners:

How Can I Fix Bad Credit Myself? – 6 MonthCredit Repair Guide

First, watch this video from my friend Dominique over at Your Finances Simplified. He’s going to tell you exactly how to fix your credit.

Watched the video? Good.
Feeling overwhelmed at the next steps?
Yep. I understand.
Let’s take this step by step.

Take a deep breath. People think that having bad credit is the worse thing that can happen. But just calm down. You are taking the first steps which puts you on the right track.

Remember, it’s just money.

No one is going to die. Take control and get back in the driver’s seat!

Fix 1: Check Bad Credit

The first thing you’ll need is your creditor information. Get the most recent credit card statements, loan balances, and installment loan reports along with addresses and phone numbers. I recommend printing everything old-school style. It’s going to come in handy later.

Fix 2: Get a Free Credit Report

Then, take a second to get your free credit report from AnnualCreditReport.com. Each year you are able to pull your credit report for free from the three providers Experian, Equifax, and Transunion.

Optional: Get Your Free Credit Score

You can check an approximation of your credit score for free at Credit Sesame one of our approved partners, but if you are trying to fix your credit, you probably already know your credit score looks a little like this….

bad credit personified

But that’s ok. We’re going to put you on the good foot.

Fix 3: Review your credit report for errors (highlight each error).

You’re getting ready to take charge and stop being a victim. Most people don’t even realize what they could get removed from their credit just because of errors.

What should you look for?

Wait a minute. So, you’re telling me you didn’t watch the video above?

Scroll back up for me right quick and you’ll find out exactly what you should look for.

Or keep reading…

Dispute incorrect names, addresses, SSN, and date of birth via the certified mail.

You will need supporting documentation and letters. You will have to write a dispute letter and include the specifics of the inaccuracies. You want to dispute inaccurate, erroneous, outdated, misleading, and unverifiable information in your credit reports.

Tired of being harassed by your creditors? Maybe you’d prefer that someone else handle all of this for you?

In that case, you might was to work with a credit repair company to improve your credit.


Are you ready to…

  • Remove bankruptcies to rebuild credit?
  • Permanently delete foreclosures and repossessions?
  • Erase debts that were in collection?
  • Completely get credit cards under control?
  • Get approved for loans?
  • Get the best financing on cars and homes?

In that case, check out our partner Lexington Law for more details on how they can help you clean up your credit report.

Finally, fixing your credit permanently also means creating good habits and getting out of debt.

How getting out of debt is like the MTV show, I Used to Be Fat.

I used to watch this TV show on MTV called I Used to Be Fat. The show documents young adults, usually high school seniors and high school graduates who want to lose weight before they start college. Each episode features a different teen. I absolutely LOVE this show. I like seeing the determination and perseverance of these kids, they are really focused on their goals. Most of them thought about quitting along the way but each one makes it to the end and they usually reach their goal.

I was thinking the other day about how the TV show is very similar to a battle with debt. When you’re in debt, it can feel like you’re carrying around a second person, experiencing frugal fatigue, or that you have a spare tire of bills around your waist. I know because I’m working on getting out of debt myself. I realized that there are 3 major points we can learn from the MTV show I Used to Be Fat when trying to take control of our debt.
debt

Improve Your Credit Step 1 – Give Yourself a Deadline

Before the teens even begin a weight loss program, their coach/personal trainer gives them a large tear off number calendar to place on their wall. It has the total number of days until their program completion date, and every day they rip off the next number.

It is a good idea, when you are paying off debt, to set a deadline for your debt-free date, like 6 months. Setting a deadline is a way of making your goal specific. Every time you look at that calendar or see that date it will push your brain consciously and subconsciously to make it to your ultimate goal, to reduce spending and get out of debt.

Improve Your Credit Step 2 – Check in Regularly with a Coach

Every week, the kids had a weigh in. Their personal trainer was making sure that they were on track with how much weight they were supposed to be losing at each stage in the process. Sometimes they were attempting to lose one pound a day! I never thought that was possible or healthy, but most of the teens actually accomplished it under the supervision of their coach.

If you really want to prioritize your goal of becoming debt free then you really have to give yourself check points. You can enlist the help of a friend or even a debt counselor to help you along the way. Having a good support system can make all the difference.

Improve Your Credit Step 3 – Get Rid of Old Habits and Create New Ones

When one of the teens was at a restaurant with her friends, she ordered a lean meal instead of the greasy french fries that her friends had. The personal trainer also taught her how to cook healthier meals so that she would be able to maintain her new lifestyle change.

Becoming debt-free is not a one-time goal. It has to be a lifestyle change. When I decided to start getting out of debt, I had to first evaluate why I was in debt in the first place. I had to eliminate my habit of impulse spending and replace that habit with a good habit. Now I impulse buy stocks and my portfolio loves it! It’s not easy to change a habit that took years to cultivate, but with a good support system, it is entirely possible.

Are you ready to make a change?

Some of you may be thinking, I’m still young, so why should I care about my credit score? Lots of people have debt and less than stellar credit, but they’re still enjoying a cushy lifestyle. As long as I’m able to buy the things that I want, why should I be concerned? The answer is simple. Life is easier when you have good credit.

Take a look at it this way. Landlords, employers, and lenders need to determine whether they can trust you, and they look at your credit score as an indicator of your financial reputation. You may not think credit affects you greatly, but it does. When you ruin your financial reputation (a.k.a. credit score), it will take you a long time to restore it.

Poor credit affects your ability to rent, buy a car, get a home loan, and even open up accounts. Creditors don’t want to work with people with bad credit because the risk of not getting paid is very high. How can they trust that you will pay them back if you haven’t even paid others? If you’ve already tarnished your credit, here are some tips to help you fix your credit score and reestablish your life.

Improve Your Credit Step 4 – Make Your Payments on Time

This may sound trivial, but we all know that money can be tight, and skipping payments on one bill can help pay for other expenses. But, timely payments are the biggest factor affecting your credit score. Keep a budget, and make sure you have sufficient funds to make your credit card and loan payments on time.

Improve Your Credit Step 5 – Consider Getting a Secured Credit Card

Obviously, it will be very hard to get a regular credit card if you have bad credit. If you don’t qualify for a credit card, you can get a secured card instead. This is when the bank gives you a credit line equal to the deposit you make. If used wisely, a secured card can help nurse your poor credit to better health.

Improve Your Credit Step 4 – Add an Installment Loan

You can improve your score quickly if you show that you can be responsible for both major kinds of credit: revolving (credit cards) and installment (mortgages, auto, student loans, etc.). If you don’t have an installment loan and feel you are ready to handle one, consider adding a small personal loan. Stay away from expensive finance companies and “teaser” deals, and use a company that reports the loan to all three credit bureaus.

Improve Your Credit Step 5 – Avoid the Minimum Payment Trap

Credit cards come with high interest rates. We all know how our $2,000 computer ended up costing $8,168 because we only made the minimum payments at 20% on our credit card. Ouch, that hurts! Keep constant payments on your credit card (and don’t run them up again) and your balances will drop.

Improve Your Credit Step 6 – Use Your Credit Cards Lightly and Check Your Limits

Even if you pay your bills on time and in full each month, having big balances can hurt your score. Try to limit charges to 30% or less of your card’s limit. Lenders typically like to see a big gap between how much you’re charging and your available credit limit.

Improve Your Credit Step 7 – Keep Old Credit Cards

Don’t close out old credit cards. The longer your credit history, the better. Leave the accounts open but once you pay them off, stop using them. Closed accounts tend to bring down your score.

Improve Your Credit Step 8 – Suspend Credit Inquiries

The more credit inquiries you have, the more your credit score drops. Fix your credit and wait a while before allowing your credit to be pulled again.

Improve Your Credit Step 9 – Get a Goodwill Adjustment

If you have been responsible about paying your credit cards on time, the lender may agree to erase a late payment from your credit history. For more troubled accounts, communicate with your lender about possible options to erase previous delinquencies. If the lender agrees, it will improve your overall record.

Improve Your Credit Step 10 – Check Your Credit Report for Errors

You can check your credit report without negative scoring (once per year, for free) with the three credit bureaus at AnnualCreditReport.com. Make sure to look for any mistakes that could be hurting your score. If you see something wrong, make the effort to have it corrected.

Improve Your Credit Step 11 – Seek Professional Help

If you are overwhelmed with debt and don’t feel you can handle the problem on your own, consider working with a professional debt relief agent. They can help you explore your options and give you guidance on this post

It’s very easy to ruin your credit, but it takes time to build it back up. No matter how bad your credit is, you can take steps to make it better.

Sometimes we mishandle our budget, and we spend more than we should. (You know that you shouldn’t have bought that expensive flat screen TV). And, sometimes we end up in tough financial situations because of things beyond our control. Whether you have experienced job loss, illness, or another type of financial disruption, it’s important to know that you can turn things around.

It may not be easy, but step by step, you will be able to fix your financial situation. Just don’t delay facing the issue. The longer you wait, the harder it is for you to recover.

Categories
Earn Extra Income

Top Ways College Students Can Earn Extra Money

Good students spend the extra time to get better grades. Sometimes that means late nights, missing out on fun, and stressful days. But getting good grades can also mean more cash in your pocket. You can often get approved for more financial aid if you have good grades in college, and you may even get scholarships. However, scholarships are not the only way to get paid for good grades. Here are a few more ways to benefit from good grades.

 

Save Hundreds by Skipping College Classes

You can begin earning extra money as early as middle school. If you are a relatively good student and you choose the more difficult classes, you might get an advanced placement in high school. This will allow you to skip some lower level college courses which could save you hundreds. If you skip enough classes, you might even be eligible to graduate early, saving thousands and starting your career early.

 

Get Cash Back on Your Student Loan

If you decide to borrow student loans, consider this: good grades can mean cash. Some student loan servicers offer incentive programs that will give you cash back based on regular payments or auto draft payments. But others will offer cash back simply based on the grades that you earn. Consider the Good Grades program from Discover Student Loans that offers 1% cash back on each new student loan if your GPA is a 3.0 (or equivalent) or higher.

Get Rewarded with Cheaper Insurance

As you begin paying your own bills, you might be surprised to find out that your good grades can earn you cheaper car insurance and even cash back on your credit card. Insurers like Allstate, Nationwide Geico and State Farm, offer discounts up to 25% off your monthly bill. If you pay $100 a month for car insurance, that could mean a savings of up to $300 dollars a year! Add that to the cash back your good grades could earn you via your credit card, and you will have extra cash to grow an emergency fund or save for a short getaway.

 

Get Rewarded with Credit Card Cash Back

The Discover card gives cash back for good grades. Discover card recently launched its Good Grades Reward Program, which exclusively rewards new student cardmembers who apply after July 23, 2015 with $20 in Cashback Bonus® if their grade point average is 3.0 (or equivalent) or higher each year they are enrolled in school, for the first five years from the account opening.

 

The Good Grades $20 Cashback Bonus is in addition to the current rewards structures for the two student credit cards Discover has available:

 

Discover it® chrome for Students offers an automatic 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases quarterly.

 discover it chrome

Discover it® for Students offers 5% cash back in categories that change each quarter, up to the quarterly maximum in combined purchases, when you sign up.

discover it

Both cards earn 1% cash back on all other purchases.

 

Now you have no reason to complain that college only drains your bank account. With these programs you can easily earn extra money as a college student. Making the choice to study on the weekends instead of party? Well, that’s a totally different story.

Originally posted 2015-09-16 10:00:00.

Categories
Budgeting & Saving

Get a Free FICO® Credit Score and How to Track Your Credit

The FICO® Credit Score is a credit rating that forms a major part of the information used by lenders in assessing the risks involved in a loan application. This score is used to decide whether to extend a loan or grant credit. FICO® is an acronym for the company that created it, the Fair Isaac Corporation.

The Key Factors to Your FICO® Score

The FICO® Score is computed using various key factors from information available in your credit reports. The components are divided into 5 groups, and each account for a percentage of your overall score:

  • Payment History – 35%.
  • Debts or Amounts Owed –30%.
  • The Age of your Credit History –15%.
  • New credits or inquiries –10%.
  • Types of credit/combination of accounts –10%.

The exact percentages and weights are proprietary to the scoring model; refer to these as approximate weights only.

How Lenders Use Your FICO® Score

The FICO® Score scoring system converts your entire credit history into a three-digit number: lenders use this number to determine your “creditworthiness.” This three-digit number influences the conditions and amounts – if any – that will be offered to you in a credit application. It is used to predict your future behavior; how you will pay, if you will pay, etc.

For lenders, this kind of information is very important. It helps them evaluate how likely a person is to pay his/her bills on time, forecast the accounts which are likely to default, and identify the profitable accounts, among others. In addition, insurance companies often use credit scoring in their business processes to help them to determine which customers are likely to file claims.

In general, payment history and existing loans influence your FICO® Score the most. People who have paid their loans past the due date and are using all of the credit available to them often receive poor credit scores. On the other hand, a missed payment once 5 years ago is unlikely to affect your score greatly. Minor issues, particularly if they happened a few years back, cannot ruin your score.

Where to Get a Free FICO® Score

The credit bureaus that collect and process credit scores; Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax, are not required by the law to provide scores to individuals. For this reason, you might conclude that the only way to get your FICO® Score is to pay for it. Fortunately, there are ways to get your FICO® Score or an approximation of it absolutely free.

You can get your approximate FICO® Score by registering for a free service like Credit Sesame or Credit Karma. The score that you see is typically based on the same key factors but it is not a FICO® Score, only an approximation.

Certain credit card issuers offer a FICO® Score for free to customers. For example, as a Discover cardmember you can view up to a year’s history of your FICO® Credit Scores and receive key factors from your credit history impacting the scores – available online and on statements. Discover was the first major credit card issuer to proactively provide free FICO® Scores on cardmembers’ monthly statements. And now with the FICO® Credit Score tracking, you can understand the why behind your personal FICO® Score.

Get a Free FICO® Credit Score and Track Your Credit

Get a Free FICO® Credit Score and Track Your Credit

Have you checked your credit score recently?

 

This post was created as a part of the Discover partnership program.

Originally posted 2015-08-24 10:00:52.

Categories
Budgeting & Saving

6 Finance Apps Help College Students Embrace Geekness #MoneyNerdsUnite

These days, it’s harder for people to keep track of their budgeting and finance on pen and paper. The times have changed so much that, unfortunately, everything is more costly and complicated. How do you know what you’ve spent is worth the investment? Luckily, the times have also changed to make managing personal finance more convenient and easy for people, especially young adults, to practice and embrace financial management with the help of finance apps and sites.
Whether it’s for keeping track of your expenses or bill reminders, there’s always an app or site that’s accessible and easy to use with just a click or a touch of your finger. Here are six of them to help you embrace your geekness and better manage your money.

Some of the links included are partner links, meaning if you click through and sign up or make a purchase, I earn a small commission.

1. Earnest

For a quick, easy and secure loan without the traditional stressful application, try Earnest and get the best merit-based loan offers instead of credit-based loans. They do this by having a thorough application so they can check various variables and data points and use these to predict what your finances will look like. They offer personal loan and student loan refinance.

[Tweet “6 Finance Apps That Help Millennials Embrace Geekness #MoneyNerdsUnite including @meetearnest”]

More than that, Earnest doesn’t charge any fees. Yes, no late fees, origination fees, and hidden fees. They also have no penalty for prepaying loans with Earnest either. Their loan programs are really flexible and secure. They also have great customer service where they have representatives for customers who are experiencing financial hardship. If you’re young but dedicated to experiencing and achieving financial success, try looking into a loan with Earnest.

2. Blooom

If you’re employed and looking for financial advice and want to properly manage and plan your 401K, then Blooom is a must-try app. All you have to do is tell where your 401K is currently held and provide the log in and password for your current 401K institution and Blooom will do the rest. They will analyze your 401K across more than a thousand different funds and when they’re done, they’ll show a flower instead of the usual complicated pie charts to represent the health of your 401K.

[Tweet “6 Finance Apps That Help Millennials Embrace Geekness #MoneyNerdsUnite including @blooominc “]

The team can also show you how to fix them and even let you weigh in financial decisions for stock and bond allocations you are comfortable with. Blooom does everything else for you, too: they will select the right funds in your 401K, make the changes for you, and monitor and rebalance your 401K quarterly. Indeed, Blooom is one of the most unique finance apps in the market that greatly evaluate, analyze, and solve your financial problems and help you balance and grow your 401K.

3. Payoff

With your best interest in mind, Payoff helps people pay off their credit cards faster and save money. Instead of dealing with overwhelming credit card bills, you can use Payoff to simplify them down to one monthly payment, all with lower rates than your credit cards designed to remove up to $25,000 of your credit card debt as quickly as possible. Their website is easy to use and is secure. I’m a brand ambassador for Payoff so let me know if you have any questions!

[Tweet “6 Finance Apps That Help Millennials Embrace Geekness #MoneyNerdsUnite including @payoff “]

You only need to apply online, and if approved, your bank account will be deposited with Payoff money so you can pay off your credit card balances. Payoff also eliminates fees such as late fees and prepayment fees. Payoff is a perfect financial service for people who constantly use credit cards but also get stressed when the bills come knocking on their door.

4. Digit

Digit is a unique financial management app that automates your savings by connecting with your bank account and saving some of your money to your Digit savings. However, they don’t over-draft your account so you can be sure you have one less problem. Digit also sends text updates that will let you know how much you currently have in your account, and how much you’ve saved.

[Tweet “6 Finance Apps That Help Millennials Embrace Geekness #MoneyNerdsUnite including @hellodigit “]

With just a text, you too can contact Digit and access your savings anytime with unlimited transfers, no minimums, and no fees. This finance app is good for people who are always on the go with their devices and would love to save money automatically without having nagging temptations and knowing it’s secure and safe.

5. Personal Capital

Personal Capital is an app that helps you track and understand your financial accounts by connecting your various accounts such as your credit cards, mortgage, bank accounts, investment accounts and more. They will then explain your situation and offer basic investment guidance to improve your financial situation and practices. Connecting your accounts is extremely easy since the apps are user-friendly and Personal Capital will automatically update it everyday.

[Tweet “6 Finance Apps That Help Millennials Embrace Geekness #MoneyNerdsUnite including @personalcapital “]

The site uses series of charts and graphs to help you understand your savings and investments including your net worth, account balances, income reports, spending reports, and many more. This comprehensive budget service also introduces advanced financial planning concepts for younger people who are trying to grasp financial management and its benefits.

6. Gradible

This New York City-based finance app and site is ideal for US college graduates who are exerting efforts to manage, understand, and pay their student loans faster. Gradible provides loan evaluation resources to make sure that members have a repayment plan that doesn’t nag them all the time for demanding monthly payments and excessive interest rates and is suited to their financial situation.

[Tweet “6 Finance Apps That Help Millennials Embrace Geekness #MoneyNerdsUnite including @gradible “]

More than that, Gradible also provides access to exclusive discounts, offers, and earning opportunities to members to help them accelerate their repayment. Gradible is an ideal app and site for college graduates looking into paying their loans fast and start saving again for future investments.

With all the technology in the world and in the market today, you can finally say goodbye to stressful paperwork financial management. You’re young, but you don’t have to be discouraged with practicing financial management because these finance apps and sites are easy to use, secure, and convenient. With just a swipe of your fingers, it’s now easier to track your expenses and save lots of money for the future. They are great for young people since it combines financial management with technology and is easily accessible on their laptops and mobiles.
If you have trouble managing your finance or are young and seeking help to understand financial management, be sure to try and test these six finance apps and sites which offer financial management at its best right in the palm of your hands.

Originally posted 2015-08-05 10:00:27.

Categories
Young Finances

Parents! Know This Before Borrowing Students Loans for Your Child

It’s almost time for the back to school discussions and families are gearing up to chat about one of the most important topics, money. As students get ready to enter college for the first time, the cost of tuition, books, and room and board is a concern for many parents and students. As a parent of a new college student, here are the top 4 things you should know about paying for college.

1. Discover the Options Available

When I graduated high school I had no idea what career I wanted to pursue, but I knew that I wanted to go to college. My parents agreed. According to a recent study by Discover Student Loans 81% of adults with college age children feel that college is very important to their children’s future. The concrete data supports this emotion. The overall employment rate for those with a college education (72.5%) is higher than for those with only a high school diploma (54.6%). (Source)

Researching the available options is the first step to helping your child fund a college education. According to the Discover Student Loans survey, only 9% of parents say they can afford all of their child’s education. To cover the costs, you may need to look into financial aid and other borrowing options.

2. Understand Co-Sign versus Parent Loan

While it may be tempting to borrow the full cost of your child’s college education on your own, it’s important to understand the difference between co-signing a loan and borrowing a federal Parent PLUS loan.

An option from financial aid is a federal Parent PLUS loan. However, many people don’t realize there are limits to federal student loans. The limit to what you can borrow is determined by the school and factors in any other financial aid your child may receive.

To help your child with expenses, you can also co-sign a private student loan for your child. When you co-sign a loan, you agree to joint liability for the loan. While your child will be responsible for payments, you are guaranteeing that those payments will continue. Be sure that you are ready to take on full responsibility for the loan if your child cannot make payments. It is important to look for the right loan for your situation. In addition, search for loans that offer rewards for good grades, on-time payments, and zero fees.

3. Encourage Alternative Funding Options

Before you immediately reach for a student loan to cover all expenses, take the time to maximize grants, scholarships, and other free financial aid. I applied for scholarships and used those funds to offset the cost of college. There are also work-study programs to help with college costs. If your child is not eligible for work-study programs, consider suggesting a part time job to help with costs.

4. Help Your Child Research Majors

Choosing a major is just as important if not more important than choosing what college to attend. A study from CareerBuilder.com shows that one-third of college-educated workers do not work in occupations related to their degree. In order to make sure your child does not leave school with a degree they won’t use and will likely not appreciate, it’s important to research majors to find one that fits passions with desired lifestyle.

Watch this video to discover what college majors yield high paying salaries.

The decision to attend college is a large one and it comes with a subsequent conversation about how to pay for college. There are many options and it is important to research them fully. Check into financial aid, grants, scholarships, and finally look into private student loan options to help cover the costs. Making the decision is not easy but there is no doubt that a college degree is worth it. See more from the Discover Student Loan study by clicking here.

This post was created as a part of the Discover partnership program.

Originally posted 2015-07-30 10:00:05.

Categories
Career

3 Ways to Find a Job By Networking Online

Just searching, applying, and attending interviews while looking for your first career position directly after college can be a full time job all by itself. I remember looking for my first job. I used to get frustrated when I saw former classmates getting hired by friends. It made me think that all of the work I did to earn good grades was for nothing.

But getting good grades is only half of the battle when it comes to finding a job. Who you know is the other half of the battle. And it can be the most important part of the battle. Networking in person can help you find jobs before they are listed online, but what if you see a job online and you don’t have the connections? You will need to begin networking online. Use these tips to make the process easier and leverage your networks.

Use Multiple Job Search Engines

Don’t be afraid to use more than one search engine to find a job. You may think that open positions will be listed on all of the large sites but that is just not how it works. Try Monster.com AND CareerBuilder.com. Test out Indeed.com and look for positions directly on company websites. After you’ve checked these sources, try an industry specific job search engine. For example, in finance, you can search OneWire.com for entry-level and more advanced financial positions. The site also has a networking option so candidates can meet potential employers.

LinkedIn is a great place to look for a job because it already includes the element of professional networking. The job search feature is limited to jobs that might interest you. But if you perform a search using the right keywords, you may find other jobs. A major advantage to job searching on LinkedIn is the ability to connect with the recruiter directly.

Get Noticed for Your Skills

Before you start reaching out, it’s important that you update your resume and write a cover letter for your job search. You may receive an immediate request and you should be ready. Take the time to clean up your social networks and remove any potentially embarrassing material. You want to be noticed for your skills, not your ability to do a keg stand. Update your LinkedIn profile and ask your close connections and previous employers for recommendations and endorsements. Highlight relevant work history, skills and professional memberships.

You can also stand out by creating a blog or one page online resume. Create a blog to talk about your experience, your industry, and explore topics that interest you. A one page resume is similar to a LinkedIn profile but you can customize it more to match your specific skills. If you are in the design or creative field, you can create an online portfolio and stand out as a candidate.

Connect Online Via Professional Networking

Recruiters are always on the hunt for solid candidates. Take the time to find and connect with recruiters in your industry. Then, add all of your professional connections on LinkedIn. Start to share updates on interesting articles that you have read and stay active on a weekly basis. Join a group dedicated to your industry and chat with those members.

Once you start making meaningful connections, take it a step further. Ask for an in person meeting or Skype chat. Once the meeting is set up, prepare some questions that you can ask. This is not an interview but a conversation. Your goal is to simply create a deeper connection with an online friend.

Networking online is very similar to networking in person. You meet a new connection, find out how you can help them and discuss how they may be able to help you. Then you continue the conversation and look for ways to add value going forward.

Originally posted 2015-07-06 10:00:56.