Job and Career |

The Small Business Jobs Act

One of the worst aspects of the current economic reality is the continuing level of unemployment. While it continues at or around the 10% mark, it’s going to depress the amount of money spent on Main Streets up and down the US. People worried whether their next pay check will arrive are preferring to pay down their debts rather than spend. Combine this with the unwillingness of the banks and credit card companies to be more generous with credit limits and you have a perfect storm for small business to weather. It’s therefore welcome to see the Small Business Jobs Act. No matter what your politics, the idea of billion in tax breaks for business is good news. Whether it will actually do anything to create jobs is anyone’s guess. You will not find a single incentive for hiring a new employee. The government is working on the theory that, if your business makes capital investments, this will eventually create more jobs. Given two-thirds of all new jobs have been created by small business over the last three years and you understand why this breaks are targeted to the smaller businesses. Starting with the self-employed, your tax bill is going to be lower by about 15% if you pay your own health insurance premiums. The current position is that, if you employ people, the payment of their health premiums is deductible from the gross revenue of the business. But the premium for your own insurance is only a personal deduction. Just for 2010, the premiums will reduce the net earnings from your own employment. There are also changes to the system for claiming tax refunds which now allows you to go back for five years, the start-up costs limit is increased and the repayment period extended, the first year expensing deductions are doubled and the scope is extended to include leased property improvements even though they are not capital equipment, and the depreciation allowances are expanded. Finally, you can now withdraw some of your retirement savings to help cover your immediate trading losses during start-up. This is only a snapshot picture of a complex set of provisions. Further, more tax changes and breaks will probably appear during the remainder of this tax year. So you had better huddle with your accountant or tax advisor to advise you on how to take advantage of everything on offer. With the Administration on the hook to take action on unemployment, the small business market can expect more help. That some of this will affect small business insurance is inevitable. Just as the health insurance deductions have been modified to encourage more small businesses to maintain adequate plans, you can expect to see more breaks and allowances for investment. This spins off into insurance territory because, if the rate of depreciation on plant and equipment is increased, this writes down the value for insurance purposes, and so on. You may find it worth your while to have an insurance audit at the end of this tax year to ensure you have up-to-date values in place, e.g. on rebuilding costs for property insurance, the replacement of fixtures and fittings, and so on.

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Jobs in Middle East

Jobs in Middle East countries are the favorite for expatriates willing to relocate. Iran and Iraq are some of the most preferred career destinations for foreigners. Iran, a country in Western Asia, is the 18th largest country in the world in terms of area. The capital of Iran is Tehran, the political, cultural, commercial and industrial center of the nation. Iran has large reserves of petroleum and natural gas due to which it holds an important position in international energy security and world economy. It is bordered by Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Iraq and Turkey on all sides. The name Iran means ‘Land of Aryans’ and is a significantly major contributor to Muslim civilization. It has one of the highest urban growth rates in the world with Tehran, Mashhad, Isfahan, Tabriz, Karaj and Shiraz being major Iranian cities. The official language in Iran is Persian while other languages include Arabic, Armenia, Kurdish and Azeri.

From Persian literature to astronomy to philosophy to medicine to mathematics to art, everything has blossomed in Iran. It is a home to one of the richest artistic traditions in world history that includes architecture, painting, weaving, pottery, calligraphy, metalworking and stone masonry. The majority of Iran’s population comprises of youth and internet being highly popular here, it has become fourth largest country of bloggers in the world. The economy of Iran is dependent on the mixture of oil reserves, agriculture, small-scale industries and service ventures. Due to its diversified economic base, Iran has been identified as semi-developed by United Nations. Iraq has two-thirds of population under the age of 25 making huge manpower available for its organizations. Consequently, jobs in Iraq offer tough competition for professionals from within and outside the country. There are wide options for jobs in Iraq across various sectors and levels from directorial to managerial to executive. Some of the vacancies available in Iraq are:

Mystery Shoppers
Managing Directors
Marketing Directors
IT & Billing Directors
Fixed Assets Accountants
Port Crane Operators
Network Planner
Medical Representatives
Support Engineers
Secretaries
Purchasing Managers
Corporate Banking Managers
IT Managers
Pediatric nurses

Various recruitment agencies and consultants may be help to get you employment in Iraq. Jobs in Middle East are advertised in newspapers, company websites and job portals. Online job portals like naukrigulf.com list the available jobs in Iraq and other Middle East countries. Networking is another reliable way of applying for jobs in Iraq as employers in Middle East trust their sources more. You need to have the right kind of skill set and qualification to be eligible to apply for Iraq jobs. If you possess the ability to convince your employer about recruiting you, it is just the right place for you. Be it engineering jobs or construction jobs or jobs in healthcare and tourism, Iraq extends a wide array of career options.

Self employment is another way of getting started with a career in Iraq. For setting up your own business, the primary thing required is creating a vision. Next most important is to list the skills you have acquired and the things you like doing. Write down few potential business ideas and the banks that may help you in raising the capital needed. Work on your idea by performing a detailed search and research on your competitors in the industry. Be practical in assessing profits and calculating the business possibilities of your start-up. Be aware of the current scenario and prudently decide the foundation of your new business. Jobs in Iraq and Iran may be in plenty but the competition is tough too. You have to outstand not among the expatriates only but from locals too.

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City Slicker’s Alternative Business Career Search Alert!

Serious job seekers may be surprised to learn that their most exciting alternative business career search options could best be uncovered in small town America.

The Milken Institute, a private think tank, annually ranks the job growth in cities, according to Time Magazine. 11 of the top 20 cities had populations well under 1 million.

The study showed that many smaller regions share characteristics that act as job magnets. These include lower costs, tax breaks for employers, funding for entrepreneurs and a deepening pool of skilled and educated workers.

Many are college towns, seats of government, or home to a big company that nourishes others. Thanks to the internet and to satellite technology, a company in Iowa can be as connected as one in Los Angeles.

So, if you thought all the job opportunities are to be found in large cities exclusively, the evidence shows the contrary is true. And if you’re looking around, this may be the right time to consider that small town environment you always dreamed about.

Job seekers who once thought their alternative business career search was in major cities and turned their noses up at small town positions . . . well, times have changed and now they’re eagerly seeking small town opportunities while pickings in the big cities are suddenly slimmer.

How do these towns come up with desirable jobs? How can they fulfill your alternative business career search aspirations?

Companies don’t move to these small towns on a whim. It generally takes money in the form of incentives. For example, Arkansas has spent 0 million on roads and airports around Fayetteville over the past decade. Cities like Fort Myers and Santa Fe offer tax abatement packages to big and small business in exchange for creating jobs.

If you’re in the job market, small town America may be your best alternative business career search choice. Of course, acclimating to smaller-town life can take time, especially for former city slickers. But, for a lot of folks, their biggest concern is that small town job opportunities may suddenly get very popular.

Whatever your geographical preferences, there’s one very important tip you’ll need to understand. You will NOT be successful if you insist on using old-fashioned job search techniques!

That’s because hiring decision-makers in small towns or large cities are not going to rely on your resume to make a hiring decision about you. That means you must be prepared to take advantage of powerful alternative job search strategies.

For example, you must discover how to develop and nuture “career partners.” These invaluable personal contacts can literally bring opportunities right to your doorstep. And you can be in the enviable position of selecting your next job rather than settling for it.

“Career partners” is just one of the many innovative techniques that can have you entertaining high-paying job offers in as little as two weeks!