Tim McMahon, Editor of UnemploymentData.com

My grandfather lived through the Hyperinflation in Weimar, Germany--to say he was an original “gold bug” would be an understatement. I began reading his “hard money” newsletters at the age of 16 and the dividends from gold stocks helped put me through college. I began publishing the Financial Trend Forecaster paper newsletter in 1995 upon the death of James Moore editor of Your Window into the Future and the creator of the Moore Inflation Predictor©. FTF specializes in trends in the stock market, gold, inflation and bonds. In January of 2003, I began publishing InflationData.com to specialize in all forms of information about the nature of Inflation. In 2009, we added Elliott Wave University to help teach you the principles of Elliott Wave analysis. In January 2013, we began publishing OptioMoney. Connect with Tim on Google+.

Popular Side-Hustles for More Income

February 11, 2020 by Tim McMahon

If you’re looking for a great way to supplement your income, taking a side hustle with a passive income can help increase your earnings. Whether you choose to take a part-time job or work on a semiregular basis in the gig economy, there are many possible side hustle options that can get you the cash that you need to keep up with your financial demands. Any of these four side hustles may be right for you.

Online Selling

Simply listing products for sale on an online classified auction site can help you earn a handsome passive income. You can choose to either buy products or make items yourself to sell online. People might purchase these items online while you sleep, and you’ll see the money that you earn the next time that you check your account.

House Flipping

Another great way to earn some extra money is to [Read more…] about Popular Side-Hustles for More Income

January Employment Report- Maybe Not as Good?

February 8, 2020 by Tim McMahon

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released its employment / unemployment report for January on February 7^th.

Last month we told you that the employment report was not as bad as the media tried to paint it. This month The New York Times is saying “Job Growth Gives the Economy an Upbeat Start to the Year” while Marketwatch calls the Labor Market “Astounding” and once again we have a slightly different opinion.

Yes, we are still in record low territory and that won’t change overnight. Seasonally adjusted Unemployment only notched up 1/10^th of a percent and the Labor Force Participation Rate (LFPR) has entered territory that it hasn’t seen in years… BUT the unadjusted numbers jumped up significantly (as they do every year) and the BLS adjusted the Population numbers DOWN significantly. This adjustment is what the pundits are not seeing and what makes me think the numbers may not be quite as good as they appear i.e. lower population means a higher percentage appears to be working (even though the actual unadjusted employment fell). This could have given the LFPR the apparent boost and made the Adjusted U-3 increase by less than it would have without the population adjustment. This is still not a bad employment report just perhaps not as rosy as the media made it sound.

Key January Employment and Unemployment Numbers

Unadjusted U-3 Unemployment- 4.0% Up from December’s 3.5%… Typically up in January, it was 4.4% in January 2019.
Adjusted U-3 Unemployment- 3.6% Up from 3.5% in December.
Unadjusted U-6 Unemployment- 7.7% Up from 6.7% in December… was 8.8% in January 2019.
Unadjusted Employment (Establishment Survey)- 150.102 million down from 152,934 in December.
Labor Force Participation Rate- 63.4% Up from 63.2%.

According to the Commissioner of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics:

Nonfarm payroll employment rose by 225,000 in January, and the unemployment rate was little changed at 3.6 percent.
Notable employment gains occurred in construction, in health care, and in transportation and warehousing.
In 2019, job growth averaged 175,000 per month.

Of course, he is talking about “Seasonally Adjusted Jobs” from the “Current Population Survey (CPS)”
rather than looking at the results reported by actual companies in their “Current Employment Statistics survey (CES)” which showed a non-adjusted drop of 2.8 million jobs.

For more info see our Current Unemployment Chart and Current U.S. Employment Chart commentary.

Intrapersonal Intelligence

February 5, 2020 by Tim McMahon

What Is Intrapersonal Intelligence?

The word intra means “inside” or “within” so intrapersonal means “within yourself”—so, “intrapersonal intelligence” is just another term for self-awareness. People who have high intrapersonal intelligence are aware of their beliefs, goals, and, motivations. This is not the same as interpersonal skills. Rather than being good with people, they are often, Self-motivated, Confident, and Goal Oriented. These types of people are in high demand by companies and so if you can improve your Intrapersonal Intelligence you can drastically improve your chances at success.

Improving Your Intrapersonal Intelligence

When studying about something, some people learn by reading aloud, others by moving about as they memorize something, and some learn by making it into a song. The notion of this is based on the theory of multiple intelligence by Howard Gardner. He deems eight types of knowledge to help people when they want to understand something.

Among the myriad of probable types stated by Gardner is the intrapersonal intelligence. While it is only one of eight, many experts believe that it is something that every person innately has. However, some people find it quite challenging to identify as it is one of the lesser-known types of intelligence.

Give Your Resume a Boost by Increasing Your Skill Set

February 3, 2020 by Tim McMahon

Everyone knows that you shouldn’t treat your resume as an afterthought. The unfortunate thing is that a lot of people do just that, especially with the skills section. The skill section can either make or break your chances of getting the job you want. Below we will deconstruct the main types of resume skills.

Hard and Soft Skills

You need both. Too many people concentrate on only one or the other. What is the difference?

Hard skills include your job skills, experience, and education. Say, for example, you want a job in finance. You would need to excel in analysis and reporting. You would need both to proceed with a job in finance, not one or the other.

A soft skill would be the personality traits that make up your work style.

Did you know that, according to a recent study, employers want to see more of your soft skills? They can get anyone to perform financial analysis if they have a degree. However, how you interact personally with people is what employers put more emphasis on.

Someone could excel at reporting but fail when it comes to personal relations.

https://youtu.be/x24JTn0w1d4

How to Get Recruiters on Linkedin (And Land That Dream Job!)

January 29, 2020 by Tim McMahon

Did you know that 122 million people got a job interview through LinkedIn? And job applicants with a ‘comprehensive’ LinkedIn profile are 71% more likely to get interviews.

This is great news for anyone who’s looking for a new job, but the truth is that LinkedIn currently has 260 million monthly active users. So the question is, what can you do to you stand out among so much competition?

1. Complete Your LinkedIn Profile

First things first, it’s important that any recruiter who visits your LinkedIn profile has access to [Read more…] about How to Get Recruiters on Linkedin (And Land That Dream Job!)

How to Fund a Personal Injury Lawsuit to Get the Settlement You Need

January 28, 2020 by Tim McMahon

If you’ve been injured in an accident or by someone’s negligence, you may have decided to consult an attorney to get legal relief. This could include compensation to cover expenses stemming from your injuries, such as lost wages, medical services and treatments, hospital costs, physical or occupational rehabilitation, repairs to your vehicle if impacted, and other possible monetary considerations.

Personal injury attorneys will file a lawsuit to protect your rights and secure a court judgment. However, even if the attorney agrees to wait on getting paid until the case is resolved there will be costs along the way for witnesses, documentation and other things. Unfortunately, you may have to pay for these out-of-pocket expenses. Here are some ways for you to cover the expenses you may be expected to pay.

Take Out a Personal Loan

You may be eligible to be approved for a personal loan, or signature loan, that will finance your legal expenses. This type of loan does not require collateral like a car title or a second mortgage. Typically, the prevailing interest rate will apply as you make payments until the lawsuit is concluded.

A Guide to Working in Finance in the UK

January 21, 2020 by Tim McMahon

Finding your ideal job in the world of finance can be a challenge. To put this into perspective, in 2018 alone, there were a reported 1.1 million individuals employed in the UK’s financial sector.

With so much competition, it can be difficult to know where to begin in your search for the right job in finance. Furthermore, the financial sector is so diverse that you might not know what sort of position you would like to work in.

Here is a brief guide to help you learn a little bit more about the world of finance so that you can understand exactly where you might fit in.

The Key Areas of Finance

There are a lot of options to look into when trying to figure out what area of finance you’d like to work in. A few of the more popular areas are: [Read more…] about A Guide to Working in Finance in the UK

December Jobs Report Not “Disappointing”

January 11, 2020 by Tim McMahon

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released its employment / unemployment report for December on January 10^th.

CNBC was quick to label it “disappointing” but at 1/10^th of a percent off a 50 year low how disappointing can it really be? The unadjusted numbers were up slightly but that isn’t unusual for December and they weren’t even up by as much as they were last year. In December 2018 the unadjusted U-6 went from 7.2% to 7.5% (i.e. 0.3%). This year it went from 6.5% to 6.7% (up 0.2%). Last year the unadjusted U-3 went from 3.5% to 3.7% (up 0.2%) this year it went from 3.3% to 3.4% (up 0.1%). Last year the adjusted U-3 went from 3.7% to 3.9%. This year it went from… wait for it… 3.5% to 3.5%… what? Yes, it was unchanged. On a seasonally adjusted basis, unemployment is exactly the same as last month (i.e. one of the best months in recorded history). What about Labor Force Participation? Unchanged at 63.2%… slightly off recent highs of 63.3% which it reached in October. The only “fly in the ointment” was actual unadjusted employment which was down slightly while adjusted Employment was still up by 145,000.

December Jobs Report

Adjusted U-3 was Unchanged at 3.5%!
Unadjusted U-3 was up slightly from 3.3% to 3.4%!
Unadjusted U-6 was Up from 6.5% to 6.7%
Labor Force Participation was unchanged at 63.2%.
Unadjusted Employment down slightly while adjusted Employment was up by 145,000.

According to the Commissioner of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics:

Nonfarm payroll employment rose by 145,000 in December, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 3.5 percent. Notable employment gains occurred in retail trade and health care, while mining lost jobs. In 2019, payroll employment growth totaled 2.1 million, compared with a gain of 2.7 million in 2018.

Of course, he is talking about “Seasonally Adjusted Jobs” from the “Current Population Survey (CPS)”
rather than looking at the results reported by actual companies in their “Current Employment Statistics survey (CES)”

This was not a bad jobs report!

For more info see our Current Unemployment Chart and Current U.S. Employment Chart commentary.

A UK Guide to Getting Back to Work After an Injury

January 6, 2020 by Tim McMahon

Injuries and accidents are very debilitating to your everyday way of life, so when you find yourself in such a situation, one of the biggest concerns for people that can cause a lot of stress is wondering what will happen about work. Will there be a financial loss and time off work? When you have to try to get back into your work routine after you’ve been absent for a significant period of time, it can be difficult. Your confidence may also have taken a substantial knock, especially if the injury occurred in your actual workplace.

Here is a guide for returning to work after an injury, with your safety in mind.

Prepare Your Routine in Advance

During your period of injury, your routine may have included not much movement or significant rest and sleep periods. This means your body clock will be out of sync, so it’s a good idea before returning to work to try and set an alarm and get back into the same wake and movement routine you would have during your work schedule.

This can help it to be less of a shock on the first morning returning to work.

During your period of recovery, pay attention to your condition worsening, as any issues with misdiagnosis or new issues which have arisen may be a result of medical negligence, in which case you can gain advice from a medical negligence solicitor.

Speak with Your Supervisor or Manager

It’s important to have a meeting with your superior when you return to work, just to ensure that everyone is on the same page. Your boss may have been in touch with you while you were absent and may be aware of the extent of your injuries, whether minor or severe, but a meeting upon returning to work is important regardless.

Even if this is just an informal chat, it can help your boss to understand your current state and whether you need any extra allowances – such as not being able to complete certain tasks as quickly as you usually would – and it can also help you to feel more comfortable and open about the effects of your injury.

Don’t Take on More Than You Can Handle

If you are physically or mentally unable to directly return to your full-time workload following your injury, you may prefer to phase yourself back in to work. This could be working from home or even working part-time instead of full-time just until you can rebuild your confidence and your workplace ability. Don’t push yourself too hard, and be open and honest about the workload you’re capable of managing following your injury.

Take Care of Yourself

This is a necessary step even without accident or injury, but it’s even more important when on the road to recovery. Ensure that you have time in your work schedule for regular breaks and that you are eating healthy lunches and staying hydrated and well-nourished during the course of your workday.

Work gets busy but this shouldn’t mean that you sacrifice any breaks or the opportunity to eat and drink while you are fulfilling your duties.

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Careers to Consider if You Have a Variety of Job Skills

December 20, 2019 by Tim McMahon

It can be an asset to be a well-rounded jobseeker. If you’re a job seeker who is fortunate enough to be equipped with a range of talents and skills, then you should take full advantage of them. There are all sorts of careers that can be optimal for people who have a lot going for them in the skills department, after all.

Publicist

Publicists are professionals who work in public relations. They tend to know a lot about marketing, advertising, and spreading the word about companies and their associated services. If you’re an individual who knows how to work well in teams, then you may want to apply for publicist positions. These positions can even be ideal for people who know how to speak in front of large groups. According to Payscale.com Publicists earn an average of $45,961/yr but tend to earn commissions and profit-sharing so their salary is closely tied to their skill level.

Teacher

The United States could use more teachers. [Read more…] about Careers to Consider if You Have a Variety of Job Skills