Pros and Cons of Being an Independent Contractor

Pros and Cons of Being an Independent ContractorPros and Cons of Being an Independent ContractorIf youre the adventurous, entrepreneurial type, then working as an independent contractor might be a greatcareer choice for you. Independent contractors are sometimes called ICs, consultants, freelancers, free agents or just contractors. Regardless of the label, all are self-employed for tax purposes in the U.S. and are essentially the same in practice.? Regarding taxes, the Internal Revenue Service has only two distinctions independent contractor or employee. More about that follows. Pros As an independent contractor, you are your own boss. Thats the main reason why people decide to set up their own shop. If youre a contractor, you might work shoulder-to-shoulder with employees of the company you work with. But these folks are not your supervisors, they are your clients. As such, they may not direct your work as they might direct that of an employee. Your clients can, however, require certain results in return for the fees they pay you. But you get to decide when, where and how the work is done. According to the Common Law Rules enforced by the IRS and the Fair Labor Standards Act issued by the Department of Labor, the difference between an employee and acontractor largely hinges on the degree of control and independence granted by the client. Independent contractors typically provide their own tools. If your clients provide the tools, then one of the enforcing agencies might penalize them for misclassifying you as an independent contractor when you should have been classified as an employee. As an independent contractor, youll usually make mora money than if you were an employee. Companies are willing to pay more for independent contractors because they dont have the enter into expensive, long-term commitments or pay any extras, such as health benefits, unemployment compensation, and Social Security and Medicare taxes. Independent contractors also may deduct mo re business expenses than employees typically can claim. Unlike employees, independent contractors are required to withhold theirown federal, state, and local taxes. Cons In most cases, contractors arent eligible for state unemployment benefits, because theyre self-employed, and they must fund their own retirement accounts. Health and liability insurance rates for self-employed individuals are usually higher than the group rates employers can secure for their employees. Some clients may require you to carry liability insurance. Companies generally cant reimburse independent contractors for out-of-pocket expenses, so you should factor in those expenses when determining your rates. Because of the issues that can arise around whether a worker is an employee or a contractor, some skittish employers wont hire contractors who use their social security numbers as taxpayer IDs. If an employer reports the earnings of a contractor under that individuals social security number, it can trig ger a red flag to the IRS, which might undertake an audit under the suspicion that the employer is misclassifying employees as independent contractors to avoid withholding taxes and providing benefits. To bypass the problem, obtain a federal employer identification number (EIN) and submit that in place of your social security number. A state taxpayer ID (if required) can save you money by allowing you to buy items at wholesale and free of sales tax, provided you intend to resell the merchandise. Your local Small geschftsleben Administration Office can help you get started with this and other business matters too, for free. Tips for Being a Successful Independent Contractor To help you network, gain expertise and receive discounts on insurance and other self-employment expenses, consider joining professional organizations such as the National Association for the Self-Employed. Youll also find a bevy of resources at the U.S. Small Business Administrations website. When youre star ting out, apply to agencies that can connect you with contract work. Remember, though, that these agencies may withhold taxes and collect other deductions from your paychecks, depending on your working relationship with the firm. Agencies may also charge you acommission, which will reduce your compensation (although you can deduct it on your tax returns). Setting up your own business as an independent contractor requires an investment of time and energy, but the risk can pay off handsomely. For those with a creative and entrepreneurial spirit, the rewards will be more than just monetary.

What It Takes to Become a Marine Corps Mortarman

What It Takes to Become a seestreitkraft Corps MortarmanWhat It Takes to Become a seestreitmacht Corps MortarmanA mortarman is a soldier who operates a weapon system called a mortar. A mortar is a smooth bore, muzzle-loading, high-angle-of-fire weapon used for close-in erleichterung of ground troops. Mortarmen in the U.S. Marines are the unit thats mainly responsible for the tactical employment of the 60 mm light mortar and the 81 mm medium mortar. They provide indirect fire in support of the rifle and Light Armored Reconnaissance(LARS) squads, platoons, and companies, as well as the infantry and LAR battalions. Indirect fire is aiming and firing a projectile without relying on a direct line of sight between the gun and its target, as in the case of direct fire. Weapons that rely on indirect fire have a larger kill radius with explosive rounds to assist in the expansion of effectiveness. The two mortars used by the Marine Corps is the MM224A1 (60mm) and the M252 (81mm).There is a big difference in size, weight, and effectiveness of the two mortars in use by the Marine Corps The M224 60mm Lightweight Mortar is a smooth bore, muzzle-loading, high-angle-of-fire weapon used for close-in support of ground troops.Depending upon the configuration, the M224 will weigh between 18-45 lbs. Each of the 60mm rounds weight 4 lbs. The M252 81mm Medium Weight Mortar is a smooth bore, muzzle-loading, high-angle-of-fire weapon used for long-range indirect fire support to light infantry, air assault, and airborne units across the entire front of a battalion zone of influence. The M252 weighs 90 lbs and each round weighs 10 lbs. Mortarmen are located in the weapons platoons of the rifle and LAR companies and the weapons company of the infantry battalion. Noncommissioned officers are assigned as mortar gunners, forward observers, fire direction plotters, and squad and section leaders. Expect to be carrying heavier weights than the rest of the platoon / squad and be tasked with a va riety of responsibilities within the mortar platoon. The USMC organizes the mortar platoon as part of the weapons company. There is a headquarters platoon (platoon commander, platoon sergeant, ammunition technician, and two ammunition men).There are two mortar sections made up of 32 men each.There are 8 men in each of the mortar sections and are made up of an eight-man section headquarters (section leader, two ammunition men, and a fire direction center with two forward observers (FOs), and four mortar squads) The mortars squats are which is made up of a squad leader, a gunner, assistant gunner, and three ammunition men. Job Requirements of the Mortarmen Applicants must possess a GT score of 80 or higher. They must complete the Mortarman Course at the School of Infantry, East or West. Apprenticeship Opportunities Marine Corps Mortarmen can participate in the United Services Military Apprenticeship Program, commonly called USMAP. This official military training program offer s active duty Navy and Navy Reserve Full Time Support (FTS) servicemembers the ability to enhance their job skills and to complete their civilian apprenticeship requirements while still on active duty. The U.S. Department of Labor provides the nationally recognized Certificate of Completion when the program is finished. USMAP gives you the opportunity to upgrade your job skills. It also shows your motivation for taking on more challenging military assignments. Related Civilian Jobs Having a DOL Certificate of Completion is beneficial for getting better civilian jobs because employers recognize the value of apprenticeships. The skills you acquire as a mortarman can be advantageous for a variety of careers when your military duty is complete, including Hazardous material removal expertsPolice officersSecurity guardsExplosives workers About the Marine Corps With the exception of the Coast Guard, the Marine Corps is the smallest military service. It needs toenlist only about 38, 000 new recruits per year compared to the Armys average 80,000 yearly recruiting ?goal. The Marine Corps requires a minimum ASVAB score of 32 to enlist. In recent years, however, about 68.9 percent of all new Marine recruits have scored a 50 or above. The Corps recruiting regulation only allows about 5 percent of their enlistees per year to join without a high school diploma. The vast majority of new Marine recruits have a high school diploma plus at least 15 college credits. An applicant must score a minimum of 50 on the on the ASVABto even be considered for aGED enlistment, and your chances are much better if you score at least a 90. Marine Corps Videos See a Mortarman in actionMore USMC Mortarmen

The Best Way to Tell Your Boss Youre Coming Late to Work - The Muse

The Best Way to Tell Your Boss Youre Coming Late to Work - The MuseThe Best Way to Tell Your Boss Youre Coming Late to Work Luck is elend on your side today, and youre running late to the office. Maybe you dont have a meeting scheduled for 8 AM sharp- or maybe you do and youre already stressed- but regardless, you know your babo isnt going to be happy to see you waltzing in behind schedule.Whether your tardiness is completely out of your control or due to a fault of your own, heres exactly what you should do.Catch Yourself as Early as PossibleYou never want to get to the point where youre walking into the office at 11 AM and your boss has no idea where youve been and why you missed half the day. Chances are if youre running late, not only do you have the means to warn your manager ahead of time (hello, thats what a cell phone is for), but you also know pretty early on how late youre actually going to be.If the conductor hops on the mic to tell you your commuter trains going to be hel d at the station for 20 minutes, you should try to find a signal and contact your boss right then and there. If you get a notification the night before traveling home saying that your flight may be delayed, its worth sending your supervisor a note before heading to bed. If your child starts coughing up a storm and you know that means youll need to pop into the doctors office, whip out your phone.Matthew Brochstein, The Muses own CTO, notes that he always wants folks on his team to notify him in a way and timeframe that allows me to react. Sending me an email two minutes before a meeting effectively ensures that I will have no idea that youre going to be late.Use your best judgement- you may decide that even with your delayed transportation or detour to the nearest health clinic youll totenstill be able to make it in at your muster time (or at least youll only be a tad late). But know that theres absolutely no harm in preparing your boss for your potential tardiness. Worst case, you actually show up on time and alls forgotten.Dont LieAs tempting as it is to say, But this crazy thing happened There was a 50-car pileup right in front of me and I literally got out of my car and climbed over the heap to get here youre better off going with the truth or giving no reason at all (unless the pileup thing actually happened to you). The risk of getting caught in a lie is too great, and when something actually happens to you where you need their trust theyll be less inclined to give it to you if youve fibbed before.So opt for honesty, even if its terrifying to say you slept through your alarm or forgot to put gas in your car. It may not resonate well with them now, but when you arrive on time every other day after that, theyll more often than not let a mishap or two slide.ApologizeIf youre going to miss something, you need to be apologetic and acknowledge that youre impacting others, says Brochstein. Oops, Im late wont cut it, and certainly wont make your manager forgive you sooner. Even if you have zero regrets about getting an extra hour of sleep, still say youre sorry- after all, your lateness affects your boss and co-workers, too.Emphasize Youre Committed to Making It RightYoure going to be late- you cant control that at this point. What you can control is how you react to it. Besides sending your boss a proactive note (see below for what that looks like), youll want to make it clear youre ready to compensate for this small mistake. Maybe thats as simple as doing your work, and doing it well- starting with answering emails on the train while you wait for it to get moving. Or maybe you stay a bit later that day to make up for lost time. Or maybe you immediately offer up solutions to fix the fact that you missed an important meeting that morning. Whatever you think will impress your boss enough to convince them to overlook this minor inconvenience, do it.Also, when you contact your manager, you should address any tasks that are expected and set ex pectations for timelines and delivery. Make it very clear that youve got the day under control despite this hiccup, says Muse career coach Steven Davis.Thank ThemIt might be wise at the end of the workday to give your boss a quick thanks for being understanding of your lateness. You certainly dont want to keep bringing it up if your manager has moved on, but if they were especially receptive or accommodating its worth acknowledging that.Be Cognizant of How Often Youre LateShowing up late to work happens. Everyone does it, and usually when it occurs once or twice its no big deal.But make that three, five, seven times, and youre bound to become someone everyone expects to be tardy. More importantly, youll begin to lose the respect of your boss.Remember that being a full-grown adult means, among other things, being on time to stuff as much as possible. So set your alarm to full volume, leave your house 10 minutes earlier, or if you really need to, talk to your boss about adjusting your schedule- just do whatever it takes.What a Late for Work emaille Looks LikeHow you choose to contact your manager to let them know whats going on- phone call, email, text, Slack- depends a lot on your relationship and their communication preferences. If email seems appropriate for your situation, heres what you could writeIf You Have a Valid Excuse for Being TardyHi Boss Name,Due to reason, Im running minutes late this morning. I hope to get into the office by time.I apologize for the inconvenience. Just so youre aware, I have whats on your schedule and still plan to get projects that are due today to you by deadline for today.Please let me know if theres anything else I can do in the meantime- Ill be available via phone/email until I get in.Your NameIf Its Purely Your Fault Youre Running LateHi Boss Name,Im really sorry, but Im going to be minutes late this morning. I realize this is a big inconvenience for you and promise not to make this a common occurrence.In the meantime, Im s till shooting to get projects that are due today to you by deadline for today and make the meetings you have for today. Ill be available by phone/email if you need anything from me before I get to the office.So sorry again,Your NameIf Youre Missing Something ImportantHi Boss Name,Im so sorry, but Im running minutes late this morning because of reason. I hope to arrive to the office around time.I know we have meeting scheduled for time. If I cant make it in person, would it be possible to move it to alternative time/call in via phone/get the notes from someone/revisit the discussion in our one-on-one meeting? I also still have on the docket to get you projects that are due today by deadline for today and have no doubt those will be ready in time.Again, my sincerest apologies- Im very much planning for this not to be a frequent occurrenceYour NameIf You Need to Call or Send Them a Text InsteadIn certain cases it might make more sense to contact your boss more informally- whether becau se thats how they tend to communicate their tardiness, because thats what they asked you to do, or because youre not going to be so late that you want to make a big deal out of it. It also might be a better strategy if you want to be sure your boss gets your message before its too late (like if theyre about to have back-to-back meetings).So you could say in your messageHi Name, just wanted to let you know that Im running minutes late due to reason. So sorry for the inconvenience, and I promise to keep you posted on my whereabouts.OrIm really sorry, but Im running late this morning because of reason. I expect to be in by time but will let you know if that changes. In the meantime Ill be available by form of communication for anything urgent. I hope to make it by meeting but if not how youll make up for missing it. Again, my sincerest apologiesOr, if you also emailed them, you could sayI sent you an email, but wanted to again apologize that Im running late this morning- I should be in by time. Thanks so much for understanding

5 things to do when you get bored working towards your goals, backed by science

5 things to do when you get bored working towards your goals, backed by science5 things to do when you get bored working towards your goals, backed by scienceWhat do you do when youre bored at work? Bored of eating healthy and exercising? Bored of your relationship?Do you keep going or throw your hands up and give up?When we first get started, were excited and highly motivated to take action towards our goals.But after a few days or weeks, we begin to make excuses and procrastinate on following through on our plans.Luckily, there are five effective, science-backed ways you can overcome boredom whilst working towards your goals.Here they are.5 Ways to Cure BoredomI am never bored to be bored is an insult to ones self.?Jules Renard1. Turn your tasks into a gameIn 2014, researchers from Carnegie Mellon University conducted anexperimentto find the most boring task out of six 5-minute tasks- peg turning, audio, video, signature-matching, one-back, and an air traffic control task.1At the e nd of the experiment, one task emerged as the most boring of all turning pegs.Afterwards, the researchers began to test different ways to reduce the boredom of peg turning.One of these tests was to make the pegs a lot smaller and let them dart around the room, so that participants would have to chase them.By gamifying the experiment- i.e. changing portions of the boring task into a game- participants experienced less boredom whilst completing the task.There are different ways to gamify your boring tasks as well, including 30-day challenges with a reward at the end, using a tool to help you track your entire to-do list likeTodoist, orusing stakes to motivate yourself.Regardless of what method you choose, make sure to include these essential elements to turn your tasks into a game tracking your progress, rewards for completing tasks, including other people when possible and a challenging difficulty level.2. Do it differentlyA study published in the Journal of Marketing Research led by Wharton marketing professor, Barbara Kahn, discovered that contrary to popular opinion boredom isnt caused by what weve done. Its caused by what we think were going to do in the future.2For example, the researchers discovered that when participants in the experiment were told they were going to eat orange jelly beans immediately and subsequently in the following week, they experienced boredom much quicker in the present.But when they were told to imagine that they were going to eat something different next week, for example, Cherry Jelly beans, they experienced boredom more slowly in the present.Aside from visualizing variety in your future, you can pre-plan different ways to complete boring tasksIf youre bored at work,take different routes on your commutes and go for walks to different locations during your lunch break.If youre bored with eating healthy and working out,eat different meals each week and participate in team-based activities instead of working out alone.If youre bore d in your relationship,pre-plan mini-weekend trips away from home and try different activities each week for date night.By anticipating something new thats going to happen in the future, not only do reduce the boredom of repetitive tasks, but you also experience more pleasure in the present moment.3. Let your mind wanderDuring a study on boredom and creativity, Dr. Sandi Mann- a leading boredom researcher- asked participants to create as many uses as they could for a pair of plastic cups.3Prior to this creativity- ordivergent thinkingtest- the subjects were asked to either participate in a boring reading task, a boring writing task or to do nothing at all.The results the most bored group (the group of phone-book-readers) scored the highest for creativity, followed by the group of phone-book writers.In other words, boredom makes us more creative.The reason for this according to Dr. Sandi Mann, is that boredom experienced during passive activities, like reading a long paper or writing a report, creates a daydreaming effect which allows the subconscious mind to make different connections that boost creativity.By embracing boredom and letting our minds wonder, we can tap into ourinner creative geniusand uncovernew solutions to difficult problems.4. Get more sleepIn 2016, researchers from the University of California conducted a study to examine the effects of sleep duration on technology use.4For a period of seven days, the researchers logged the computer and phone use, as well as the sleep diaries of 76 college students.The results shorter duration of sleep leads to greater use of technology (particularly social media), stress andlack of focus.These negative effects of lack of sleep further contribute towards unbearable boredom you may be experiencing on a daily basis.The best way to get rid of this problem is to get more sleep byusing the five tricks to aufgabe asleep quicker,a pair of natural sleep masksor reading books before bed.5. Listen to musicMusic isnt j ust a source of entertainment. Its also a powerful tool to help you cure boredom and improve your focus.In the book,This is Your Brain on Music, neuroscientist, Daniel Levitin, explains how music can make repetitive tasks more pleasurable and improve your productivity.For example, astudyrevealed that music could improve the performance of surgeons who participate in repetitive nonsurgical laboratory tasks.5The best way to get started with using music is to first familiarize yourself with the7 science-backed ways music affects your productivity, then experiment with listening to different songs during boring tasks to find what works best for you.Fall in Love with BoredomLife swings like a pendulum backward and forward between pain and boredom.? Arthur SchopenhauerIn todays digital world, were constantly bombarded with images and stories of success.And its never been easier to fall into the trap of comparing ourselves to successful people, who seem to never run out of motivation and p assion for what they do.But this is only half the whole picture. The other half is this success is a by-product of a repetitive, often boring, daily routine.Boredom isnt the enemy. Fear of unused potential is.Fall in love with boredom, because it may just bring you one step closer towards achieving your goals.This article first appeared on MayoOshin.com.FOOTNOTES1. Markey, A., Chin, A., VanEpps, E. M., Loewenstein, G. (2014). Identifying a reliable boredom induction. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 119, 237253.http//dx.doi.org/10.2466/27.PMS.119c18z62. Barbara E. Kahn, Jiao Zhang, and Julio Sevilla (2013) , Anticipating Variety Reduces Satiation From a Current Experience, in NA Advances in Consumer Research Volume 41, eds. Simona Botti and Aparna Labroo, Duluth, MN Association for Consumer Research.3. Sandi Mann Rebekah Cadman (2014) Does Being Bored Make Us mora Creative?,Creativity Research Journal, 262, 165-173, DOI10.1080/10400419.2014.9010734. Mark G, Wang Y, Niiya M, Reich SM .Sleep Debt in Student Life Online Attention Focus, Facebook, and Mood. Presented at the ACM Computer-Human Interaction San Jose, Ca, USA ACM 2016. p. 12.5. Allen K, Blascovich J.Effects of Music on Cardiovascular Reactivity Among Surgeons. JAMA. 1994272(11)882884. doi10.1001/jama.1994.03520110062030

The Most Popular Download Resume Templates

The Most Popular Download Resume Templates A basic resume is also less difficult to read. Youll need the Resume Cover Page Templates while youre on the watch for a job to generate an excellent career. Most of ur Resume Templates can be found in various color schemes to offer you better editing opportunities. Different types of Resume Templates Word 2003 There are various sorts of vorlages for resumes an individual may discover online. You might also see resume objectives. When youre asking for a job which relies on the strengths of the person, you want a resume vorlage that you may inject a little more personality into to make it pop. Employing a resume template has turned into an acceptable and smart practice for quite a few reasons. Selecting the right resume template will not just permit you to highlight the best aspects of your experience and techniques, but nevertheless, it will also focus your focus to demonstrating what value you may provide prospective employers. T he freebie consists of word Docx and Pdf documents so it is simple to edit it to your requirements. The following advice will supply the guidance on how best to create a basic resume template. In the event that you didnt locate the template that you want, feel free to bring a look at the section on the site. The sections are simple to skim for the most relevant info. It is essential for them to assure that youve received the instructions for the following steps of application. Employing a template can cut the quantity of time youve got to spend formatting your document, which permits you to concentrate on adding content and polishing your resume. This template lets you create a top-notch CV. Fortunately, you may make an eye-catching CV easily since there are many choices to construct your resume within a couple of minutes. If theres a contest for a position, your CV will enable you to stick out from the crowd. DO make certain that the remainder of your resume is completely machine readable. Double check to be sure that everything on the last version of the resume is about you. Ok, I Think I Understand Download Resume Templates, Now Tell Me About Download Resume Templates So our site delivers a resume cover page template absolutely free of cost to download and get started creating your Sample Resumes for an excellent job. Resume Templates is a superb approach to take away the stress from writing and presenting a resume so you can concentrate on what you have to do when youre given the interview. Resume cover page templates are extremely much required when youre trying for employment. Creating a resume can be a difficult job. Utilizing a resume template is quite useful in making your professional profile. Using Microsoft word to create a resume can be extremely uncomplicated but at the identical time just a little bit sophisticated if you dont find out how to do it. Creating a resume with the assistance of a template can help you become mindf ul of the resume areas that you must fill. Hearsay, Deception and Download Resume Templates When applying for employment in a big business you may find they use specialized software to help weed out candidates. If youre in the movie industry they wish to understand what skills youve got and exactly what youve done, although your school history wont be quite as important. The Key accomplishments area gives you the ability to demonstrate the suitable achievements. A perfect option for candidates with lots of experience who want to have a really good one-page resume template. To learn more on what it requires to be an Hr Coordinator, have a look at our complete HR Coordinator Job Description. Templates may be used for making CV, resume to be able to apply for jobs. The Truth About Download Resume Templates You are able to download the resume template at no cost and can readily edit the template using Microsoft word. A few of the templates are in PDF format and a number of them are in Word format. Our creative templates let you stick out from the crowd. The editable and printable templates can be found in PDF, word and a lot more formats.

The Freelance Writing Resume Template No Experience Stories

The Freelance Writing Resume Template No Experience Stories While youve got no freelance or employment experience, you can produce a few samples of your work that you may showcase to your potential clients to land your very first freelance job. When youre looking for finding freelance jobs without experience, you shouldnt be on the lookout for high-paying freelance jobs that need the expertise of professionals with relevant experience. My experience is very beneficial to achieving your targets. So all of your experience sounds impressive, but they will need to understand how you are going to help them. A History of Freelance Writing Resume Template No Experience Refuted Submitting an independent writer resume with no experience to give, will typically bring about minimal work. Dont forget, theres no correct or wrong means to initiate a freelance writing career. The straightforward answer is you ought to incorporate freelance work on your resume. Dont neglect to incorporate a ny award or accolades and should you get an expert blog, make certain the recruiter knows about it You can initiate a freelance writing career with zero experience. Identify the type of freelancing jobs that youve been into. When you do good work, you will observe that the amount of referrals you get from happy clients is sufficient to keep you with tons of work (the majority of the moment) Unfortunately, the term freelance in the industry world may have a slightly negative meaning. Writing resumes for individuals extends to you the chance to help them land work, as well as earning money from your writing skills.