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Turbo Tax Review

Turbo Tax Review

I’ve used Intuit’s TurboTax to file my income taxes for the last five years. During that time, I’ve used a few different versions including the desktop and online versions of the software. I like the online version the best, and currently use the TurboTax Home and Business to handle my business filing needs. This year, I’m also going to give the TurboTax Business version a try to file taxes for my multi-member LLC.

Thanks to contributing writer, Debbie, for sharing her experiences with TurboTax.

TurboTax Free Trial

One of my favorite features is the ability to start using the online version for free. You can create an account on the website, and start entering your information as if you were going to use the software to file.

Just entering information doesn’t mean that you will have to use TurboTax to file your taxes. This let me try it out to see if I would like it before I had to make a decision to pay and use the software to actually file.


TurboTax e-File

I always use the e-file option, because if I’m owed a refund it helps me get it much faster than if I was to print and mail it. The IRS confirms receipt of the tax return within 48 hours, and the refund is processed in about 8 days. Federal e-filing is included in the price of your choice of TurboTax software – but if you want to e-file your State return, you may have to pay additional depending on where you live.

TurboTax Interview

When I first started filing my own taxes I didn’t know much about it. TurboTax literally takes you through your information one step at a time, telling you what information you need to gather and how to enter it into the software. The software handles all of the actual math and inserting your answers into the appropriate IRS tax forms.

I always go through every section possible, even if I don’t think it applies to me, because I’ve been surprised a few times at deductions I can claim that I would have skipped otherwise.  You don’t have to complete your information all in one sitting, either. You can save your progress and come back to it at a later time if you run out of time or just need to take a break!

Tax Software Challenges

One thing I had trouble with in previous years was finding a specific section to enter information. For example, I wanted to make adjustments to my home office expenses after I had already finished that section, and I had a really hard time finding it. I think for new users of TurboTax, it can be a challenge to navigate around through the sections to find a specific area.

I don’t think Intuit has made any changes to this, but I noticed this year when I went back to enter information I skipped over my first time through the process, it was a lot easier for me to find it. I’m guessing this is due to my experience level with the software now, rather than a change to the software itself because everything seems to be working the same as it has in previous years.

Tax Questions

If while you’re entering information in TurboTax there is something you don’t understand or a question that isn’t answered, you can use the Live Community feature to get help. There are a few options for getting assistance – an interactive agent, a community forum where other users of TurboTax answer each others questions, and a live phone call with a tax expert.

If you choose to make a phone call to a tax expert, it will cost $29 for 20 minutes – but chances are your questions can be answered through the interactive agent or community for free.

Tax Audit Check

I love that when you’ve finished entering all of your information, TurboTax runs a “check”. It will look at everything you’ve entered to see if there are any discrepancies or obvious errors and then takes you to that section within the software to make corrections.

It will also let you know what your audit risk level is based on the information you’ve entered and give you opportunity to purchase optional audit risk insurance. If you purchase the audit risk protection and your return is audited, TurboTax will help you understand why, and help you gather the information you need to provide to the IRS.

Hopefully this TurboTax review was helpful if you still haven’t filed your tax return yet this year and are considering tax prep software. Good luck doing your taxes!

Written by Debbie · Filed Under Reviews, Taxes >Comments (5) 

No Debt Plan

Have you heard the saying, “If you fail to plan, then you should plan to fail”? Well how about making a “no debt plan” to keep yourself out of debt?  Well Kevin, of the blog No Debt Plan, is doing just that; sharing his tips for avoiding debt.

His site is setup to help people with basic financial education. As you can read on his about page, Kevin believes that the American education system doesn’t prepare students adequately for managing their money in the real world.  Kevin’s doing his part to fill in the gaps by sharing what he’s learned about money.  Some of the topics he covers are:

  • Budgeting
  • Saving for retirement or a rainy day
  • Avoiding living paycheck-to-paycheck
  • Buying a home

About Kevin

So what does Kevin know about money? Well, in addition to his life experience, he has a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management and an MBA so he certainly knows how to whip together a spreadsheet.

Kevin’s passionate about showing others how to budget and get their financial situations under control. He’s been writing online since 2008 and has recently been working on a comprehensive guide for staying on top of your credit.

You can keep up with the latest on Kevin from his article feed or on Twitter

No Debt Plan Recent Posts:

Here are some other articles to check out from the last week or two around the web:

Valentine’s Day

Taxes

Investing & Retirement

Debt and Personal Finance

Carnivals

Written by Ben · Filed Under Personal Finance >Comments (2) 

Graduate School Costs & Options

Graduate school costs are an expense that’s tough to afford. If you need additional skills or a master’s degree to keep your job or advance at work, how can you afford to pay for grad school?

Costs & Benefits of Graduate School

U.S. News & World Report looked at some of the best graduate schools and found that  today’s average master’s degree holder earns an average annual salary of $52,000 compared to $42,000 for someone with an undergraduate degree. For those who’ve earned professional degrees such as law or medicine they can earn an average of about $82,000.

Yet costs can vary widely among U.S. graduate schools. Some average a few thousand dollars a semester in tuition – not cheap, but doable for many working people. However, Business Week estimated last December that the average tuition for a two-year MBA program now tops $60,000 – that doesn’t include room, board or other fees. So for top graduate schools in many fields – not just business – the whole graduate school bill can easily top $100,000.

Does Graduate School Make Sense for You?

No doubt about it, graduate school is certainly a big commitment.  It’s not just expensive, it also takes a big chunk of your time.  When I went back to school to get a Master’s degree I took night classes since I worked all day.  Most nights I wasn’t in class I spent doing homework and often worked over the weekends as well.   Before you decide to take on the expense and work load of graduate school here are some questions to consider:

1. Have I researched my career field fully to determine whether a graduate degree in this subject will improve my earnings and professional advancement? If I have significant experience in my chosen field, do I really need the degree?

2. How quickly do graduates from my school of choice find employment and what is the average opening salary in my chosen field?

3. Do I have the time and focus to attend school while I’m working, and have I set a reasonable deadline to graduate? Will it place an burden on my family, career or social life?

Dealing with the Cost of Graduate School

If you’ve already decided the school or schools you’ll apply to, then the next step is to determine how you’ll whittle down what you’ll spend to get that diploma. One of the first steps in that process is to evaluate your total financial picture. Many early and mid-career students have additional expenses to consider, not the least of which includes family.  Here are some ways that you can reduce the cost of graduate school.

Investigate endowments: A university’s endowment is its nest egg – a pile of investment dollars that produce investment income going to a variety of purposes. One of those purposes is grants and scholarships, the most attractive form of college aid because students don’t have to pay that assistance back as they would a loan.

Check on fellowships and assistantships: Depending on the advanced degree you’re going for, you might be able to fund your education through fellowships or assistantships. Fellowships are a sum of money awarded to promising students that can go toward paying tuition and room and board. Generally, they are awarded on the basis of merit and don’t have a work requirement.

Assistantships are a bit like a prestigious work-study program. Students who have a promising future are awarded a stipend or salary based on 10-20 hours a week of helping professors grade papers, conduct research, teach classes or supervise lab or workshop courses. Of course, any student considering these options also needs to consider whether they can support the workload while excelling in class.

Borrow smart: Most undergraduates exit college with debt in excess of $20,000, so without a pile of savings built up from their careers, most grad students end up borrowing heavily. The National Center for Education Statistics reports that based on 2004 data, 73 percent of all graduate students received some form of financial aid with an average amount of $15,100.

Generally it’s smart to tap all government-sponsored lending programs before turning to private borrowings. Stafford loans are generally the cheapest way to go with lifetime average. Subsidized lending rates for the 2009-2010 school year are currently at 5.6 percent (the unsubsidized rate is 6.8 percent), and their lifetime borrowing limits are at $138,500 for most degree programs and up to $224,000 for health professionals who spend the most on their education.

Check your qualifications for tax credits: Recent economic stimulus legislation has loosened up more tax benefits for new and returning students. The new American Opportunity Credit allows a rebate of up to $2,500 for each qualifying student in a family for the first four years of college.

The full credit is available to individuals whose modified adjusted gross income is $80,000 or less or $160,000 for married taxpayers. This replaces the $2,000 Hope credit for the first two years of school and the Lifetime Learning credit that applies at a lower amount afterward.

Get your employer to pitch in: Take advantage of every educational break you can take before you leave your company. If they require you to stay in your job a certain amount of time after accepting that aid or attaining your degree, work that into your plan.

Check local scholarships and grants: See if there are sources of grants and scholarships not only in your community, but also within your industry. Go online and do a general search for such aid among local nonprofits and professional organizations.

Consider a functional degree. All sorts of colleges – even the nation’s most prestigious schools – are considering abbreviated graduate and post-graduate programs that give students exactly the amount of education to upgrade their skills and head back into the workforce. In other words, if one year of college will do, why pay for two or more?

Get that PhD: If you’re in a field where a Ph.D means something – better job, more money, or both, then go for it because funding options might actually be more plentiful. Colleges want the best possible students in their Ph.D programs and load on tuition and living benefits to make sure that they choose their program and more important, that they complete those degrees.

This article on graduate school costs and options was produced in association with the Financial Planning Association (FPA), the leadership and advocacy organization connecting those who provide, support and benefit from professional financial planning.

Written by Ben · Filed Under College, Personal Finance >Comments (5) 

Now You Know the Rest of the Story…

I apologize, these stories won’t be as entertaining as the tales Paul Harvey used to tell but people have been asking so I’ll share.

For better or worse, there are times when I share personal stories on this site or write about something based on personal experiences.  I’ve had several people follow up with me over email to see how things turned out so I thought I’d share some of them here.

How to Refer a Friend for a Job – Good news!  He made it past the first interview and went back in for the second round of interviews today! Turns out my company has a referral program where I can make $2,000 if I someone I refer gets hired.  Unfortunately, there’s a certain form you have to fill out before they apply to make it official, which I didn’t know about, so I don’t qualify for the referral bonus even if he gets the job.  Bummer. 

Lost Wedding Ring Blues – We searched high and low for my wife’s missing wedding ring and had written it off as lost.  Then one day when I was at work our son runs out of his bedroom yelling, “I found it” and holding her ring.  Apparently one night when she was picking up his toys it must have slid off and ended up in the bottom of his toy box.  He gets a gold star for finding the ring.  He was VERY proud of himself for finding it : )

Cost of Sick Kids – Our family was suffering through several bouts of cold and stomach bugs this winter season when I wrote about some of the ways that sick kids cost you money.  Well, we ended up losing money in each of those ways. 

  • I had to take sick days to stay home with sick kids. 
  • We lost daycare money that we paid when the kids didn’t go to day care. 
  • We had several bills from several visits to the doctor’s office.
  • I burned some cash stocking up on prescriptions and over the counter medicine.
  • My cold turned into a sinus infection that lasted FOREVER which meant more doctor’s visits, more time off work for appointments, and more medicine.

Our poor little girl’s cold stuck around long enough that not only did it turn into a sinus infection, she ended up with a double ear infection as well.  Luckily we’re all feeling much better now and our girl is finishing up her final dose of antibiotics.  Thank goodness I put a chunk of money in my flexible spending account!

Written by Ben · Filed Under Personal Finance >Comments (0) 

2010 Federal Tax Brackets

The federal income tax brackets for 2010 probably aren’t the tax rates you’re worried about right now if you’re still working on your tax return for last year.  Although the tax brackets don’t tend to change significantly from year to year; over time the changes in tax rates add up so it makes sense to keep an eye on them.

Of course the federal tax brackets are going to change each year whether you watch them or not but you can be aware of the tax tables as you do your tax planning for the year to come.

Here are the 2010 income tax brackets along with an overview of the different brackets and common questions regarding tax tables.

Tax Bracket Single Married/Filing Jointly
10%$0-$8,375 $0-16,750
15%$8,375-$34,000$16,750-$68,000
25%$34,000-$82,400$68,000-$137,300
28%$82,400-$171,850 $137,300-$209,250
33%$171,850-$373,650 $209,250-$373,650
35% $373,650+ $373,650+

What are tax brackets?

Tax brackets were established by Congress with the idea of taxing citizens based on their varying income levels. Tax brackets are based on your amount of taxable income after deductions and exemptions and tells how much will be owed in federal taxes for every dollar earned. Tax brackets are also dependent upon your filing status. Each year tax brackets are reconfigured according to rates of inflation.

Will my entire income be taxed in one bracket?

Your entire income is not taxed within one bracket. For example, in you are single and earn $40,000, the first $8,375 will be taxed in the 10% bracket, then from $8,375 up to $34,000 will be taxed in the 15% bracket, and the remaining $6,000 will be taxed in the 25% tax bracket.

Tax Bracket Head of Household Married/Filing Separately
10%$0-$11,950$0-$8,375
15%$11,950-$45,550$8,375-$34,000
25%$45,550-$117,650$34,000-$68,650
28%$117,650-$190,550 $68,650-$104,625
33%$190,550-$373,650 $104,625-$186,825
35%$373,650+ $186,825+

Tax Bracket Overview

Single – This status is for unmarried, individual tax payers.

Married/Filing Jointly – This status applies to married couples who choose to file their taxes together in one return.

Married/Filing Separately – This status is for married couples who choose, for personal or financial reasons, to continue filing separately, though not as a Single status.

If you are married but filing separately, keep in mind with children that dependent exemptions can only be claimed by one of you, not both.

Head of Household – This status does not claim marital status. A dependent does not have to be claimed to qualify as Head of Household.

2010 Tax Updates

Here are some things to note for your 2010 federal income tax returns:

  • New/additional Tax forms such as Form 2553 for election by small business entities: or Form 8868 for internal real estate mortgage investment conduit returns.
  • Electronic online filing will be strongly encouraged more than in past years.
  • New standard deductions for 2010 are $11,400 for married couples filing jointly, $5,700 for singles/separated and married couples filing separately, $8,400 for heads of household.
  • Unlike last year’s increase, the Gift Exclusion remains the same at $13,000.
  • Also unlike last year, personal exemptions will not increase, remaining at $3,650.

Written by Debbie · Filed Under Taxes >Comments (4) 

Chase Credit Card Payment Scare

What would you do if the amount you owed on your mortgage suddenly showed up on your credit card bill?

Chase Bank

Here’s a little background.  I’ve had a Chase credit card for years and have been paying the bill with our online bill pay service for most of that time.  A while back, Chase Bank also bought our mortgage; which screwed up my online bill pay processing for our home loan for a month or two.  After spending time on the phone and getting late fees reversed, I thought I was all set with our automated billing/payment.

Unfortunately, the customer service person who had helped me straighten out the online account for our mortgage had only solved a part of the problem.  When they added the home loan account they somehow “hid” the credit card account, which meant it no longer showed up online.

Chase Credit Card Late Payment

Since the credit card was hidden in the online interface, the electronic bill wasn’t sent to my  online bill pay company so I never received notice of what I owed.  I do have my credit card setup to send phone alerts when payments are paid or overdue so I was notified the day after the bill was due that Chase hadn’t received payment.  I also got another phone alert telling me that I had reached my credit limit.

Now, here’s the part where my heart leapt from my chest. 

I logged into my Chase account online to see what was going on and I saw the balance due was many thousands of dollars!  Of course I immediately thought someone had stolen our card and was on a shopping spree.  I couldn’t understand how the credit card company could have possibly let them spend that much money before cutting the card off.  We’re not talking 10K or 20K here, we’re talking a LOT of money that showed up on the balance due line.

Chase Customer Service

I dialed the phone number for Chase as fast as possible and I’m sure the lady on the other end of the line probably thought I was about to lose it.  After asking me a few questions, she pointed out that the bill I was looking at online was my mortgage bill, not my credit card bill.  Whew!

I could breathe again.  I was so used to logging into that account to see my credit card statement, I hadn’t even thought about the fact the balance due I saw could have been a home loan.  The customer service lady was reasonable and Chase waived the late fee and finance charges since they had made some sort of technical mistake that caused me not to get my bill.

Then she transferred me to the web department who looked at my account and let me know that somehow my credit card account had been “hidden” from online access.  They flipped a switch and right away I was able to see both types of statements.

So now I’m back on track with our online bill pay for both bills and am glad I didn’t have a heart attack during the few minutes I thought my credit card balance was as large as my mortgage payment.

I do get frustrated when big companies miss a detail in your account somewhere that causes you lost time and hassle.  I am glad that Chase was reasonable and refunded my late fees and I must admit she offered some of the best customer service I’ve had in about 8 months.  Luckily, I did have to break out my tips on how to beat bad customer :)

Written by Ben · Filed Under Credit Cards, Mortgage >Comments (3) 

TurboTax Winners!

Congrats to the winners of the free Turbo Tax giveaway that I announced over the weekend!

The announcement was at the bottom of the post that looked at the common income tax problems that contest entrants experienced.  I haven’t heard back from all the winners so in case you missed it, I’m posting it again here with a little more descriptive title.

Thanks again to everyone that participated and stay tuned for another upcoming givewawy of tax prep software.

Written by Ben · Filed Under Contest, Taxes >Comments (0) 

Common Income Tax Problems

Income taxes can make us all a little crazy at times! As part of the recent free turbo tax giveaway I asked what your biggest frustration is when it comes time to file your taxes.  Here are some of the things you worry about every year at tax time.

Missing a Tax Credit or Deduction

Several people were worried that they might be overlooking a tax credit that they qualified for or not taking advantage of a deduction.  Who can blame them?  We all work hard for our money and don’t want to pay more taxes than necessary.  With such a complex tax code I bet there are lots of people that file their tax return each year wondering if they’ve missed a deduction and overpaid.

Tax Forms

The most common frustrations seemed to revolve around all the tax forms we get in the mail this time of year.  Here are some of them:

  • Waiting on tax forms to arrive
  • Keeping track of all the tax forms
  • Understanding IRS instructions on the forms
  • Knowing which tax forms to use to report various income

Tax Complexity

Many times the complexity in your tax return comes from some form of life change.  Here are some examples of the tax situations that cause you to scratch your head when you’re filing out your tax forms:

  • Being a student
  • Filing in multiple states
  • Getting married
  • Working multiple jobs
  • Multiple sources of income

Below is an example of multiple life changes rolled into one year from our commentor, lunettes.  Often times we can deal with one or two but when they keep coming throughout the year they can get overwhelming.

I’m really frustrated with this year’s tax issue because I got married and this is the first year I’m off my parents’ dependancy.  I know how they have filed taxes in the past, but I never had to deal with some of the oil/gas leases and farm situation in my name before.

Additionally, my husband has an easy W-2 situation but I had multiple jobs and freelancing positions this year in addition to being a student and things have just gone CRAZY tax-wise especially with saving for retirement and getting married halfway through the year and our deductions changing then!  This software would be a big help. :-)

Turbo Tax Winners

Hopefully TurboTax can help the winners get over some of these hurdles and get their taxes done with less stress!  Congrats to the winners of the Turbo Tax coupon codes for the Online Premier edition, selected randomly by a number generator at random.org :

  • thecognosguy
  • lunettes
  • mslee

I’ve sent you all an email on how you can claim your prize.  If for some reason one of you doesn’t respond or no longer needs it then I’ll use the random number generator to select an alternate.

Thanks to everyone who participated!  Don’t feel badly if you didn’t win, I have some more stuff to give away next week so stay tuned!

Written by Ben · Filed Under Taxes >Comments (2) 

How to File Taxes Online

Filing taxes online can make the whole tax return process a little faster. The main benefits of online tax filing are that you can receive a faster refund, your income tax return is immediately delivered to the IRS and state government without a drive to the post office, and the software that allows you to file taxes online can catch errors on your tax return.

Tax Return Security

One of the big reasons people choose not to file taxes online is that they’re concerned whether it’s safe to submit their financial information over the Internet.  Of course this is certainly a valid concern, one that tax software providers have been working to overcome in recent years. 

One way to quiet your fears is to stick with well known names that have been in the business for years.  These companies have put a lot of time and money into making your information safe. They have a vested interest in providing secure online tax software, if they don’t guard your data they’ll go out of business.

Another security tip is to look at the start of the web address on any page where you’re asked to enter in financial information.  If the web address doesn’t start with https then don’t share any sensitive data.

Filing Your Taxes

To begin preparing your tax return online, you need to gather all the same tax forms you would when filing manually – social security numbers, income information including your W-2, deductions, receipts, 1099’s, and last year’s tax information.  The biggest benefit of tax software vs manual tax returns is that the online software helps you avoid errors.

There are several options for tax preparation companies, we look at some of the best tax software online, they all go through a similar process. The forms begin with your personal information, move on to your income and assets, walk you though your deductions and help you determine your final refund amount or the amount of tax you must pay.  Typically at the the end of your form, the software checks for any exclusions or errors.

There are also options where you can file taxes online for free with IRS Free File if you meet certain income requirements or with Free File Fillable Forms for the 1040, 1040 A, or 1040EZ return.

eFile Your Return

Electronic filing, or e-file, allows you to send your tax return from a tax software package online to the IRS. The IRS and many state governments encourage you to eFile because it saves them the time and money of dealing with paper returns.  Sending your tax information in a digital format not only makes it easier for them to process your return, it also dramatically reduces the number of errors since the software can catch details that you or I might overlook on a paper return.

Tax prep software vendors like Turbo Tax and H&R Block at Home often include a free federal efile when you buy their software.  If you qualify for and use a service like the IRS free eFile then there’s no charge for electronic filing. Once the forms are filed, you will receive an email from the IRS within 48 letting you know you return has been recieved.  If there were any problems with your income tax return

Whether you are able to efile for free or have to pay a small fee to efile it’s the most efficient, reliable way to file your federal and state taxes.  Be aware that the rules around eFiling state returns can differ around the country so check the website for your state’s department of revenue for more information on electronic filing.

Tax Refunds & Payments

If you are receiving a refund, you have the option of receiving a check in the mail or having the refund deposited directly into your bank account.  If you eFile and use direct deposit it can take as few as 10 days to get your tax refund, compared to 4-6 weeks when manually filing. 

Of course if you owe money you’ll have to pay the amount that’s calculated when you file taxes online.  One option is to pay right away by having the IRS electronically take funds out of your checking account.  Another option is to use a credit or debit card to pay your balance but you’re typically charged a convenience fee in these cases.

You don’t have to pay your taxes at the time you eFile your return.  You can still mail a check into the IRS for the amount due; just make sure it’s postmarked by April 15th to avoid late fees.

Benefits of Online Tax Filing

In addition to the benefits of saving time, getting a faster refund, and catching filing errors there are a few other reasons it might be good for you.

Services like H&R Block at Home and Turbo Tax will store your tax data from year to year if you use the online versions of their software.  This makes it easy to import the previous year’s data when you start your tax return.

Online tax preparation software also allows you to easily upgrade versions if you run across a tax situation that requires a more advanced version.  For example, if you’re using TurboTax Deluxe online and have more complex investment or rental property income than the Deluxe version can handle, you can keep all the work you’ve done on your return and easily transfer it up to TurboTax Premier.

Hopefully we’ve covered the basics on what you need to know about filing your taxes online.   We’ve gone through online filing security, the process of filing your taxes, eFiling, tax refunds,  and tax payments. Now it’s up to you to decide whether filing taxes online is the best option.  Here are some well known tax prep software packages that let you file your taxes online:

Written by Debbie · Filed Under Taxes >Comments (0) 

How to Refer a Friend for a Job

Have you ever been asked to refer a friend for a job where you know nothing about their industry but want to help them out?

Referring a Friend (Blind)

Our neighbor recently applied online for a job at the company I work for but the job is in a different department working in an area that I really know nothing about.  He called me up and asked if I could put in a good word for him at work.  He’s been applying to several jobs lately and due to the flood of applicants the bad economy had dumped on the job market, he’s found it’s much easier to get an interview if someone in the company will put in a good word for you.

I asked him a few questions about his background just to get a rough idea of what his experience level was but still felt pretty shaky about it since I’m not familiar with his field or work ethic.  Just because someone’s a great person and you enjoy hanging out with them while your kids play doesn’t mean you know whether they do a quality job in their profession.

Google + Social Media = 2 Minute Resume

I wasn’t sure the best way to help him out BUT not look bad to my company by recommending someone I didn’t really know much about professionally.  I ended up researching him a bit on Google and finding his LinkedIn profile which gave me some good stuff to work with.

On top of not knowing much about his career, I didn’t even know who in my company would be hiring for a job like his.  I asked my boss, who wasn’t really sure but gave me the name of someone in that department.  I went through Outlook and looked at the groups that person belonged to and found two people that appeared to be the appropriate contacts.  I sent them both the email below, turns out they weren’t the right resources but one of them forwarded me onto just the person I was looking for:

Names & profession changed to protect the innocent. It wasn’t Chris Brogan but I knew he had a public Linked in profile I could use as an example.

<—-

Hi Cindy and Sharon,

I saw you were both part of the Outlook ACME Recruiters group, I hope you don’t mind me asking questions about the Software III position in New York City that was just posted under the Current Open Positions.

My next door neighbor, Chris Brogan, applied online yesterday for the Software III position and I wanted to see if there was any further information I could pass onto him about what types of things you are looking for in a candidate.

I’ve never worked with him professionally but our kids play together and through various conversations I’ve learned that he’s done a good job at the software company where he’s worked for over a decade, ABC Tech.  I checked out his LinkedIn profile after talking to him last night, http://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisbrogan, and he moved up from a Software Engineer to a Software Team Lead and then Systems Manager so it sounds like he knows the industry well.

Is there any additional info I could pass onto Chris about what ACME needs from the person who will fill the position or about how the interview process works?

—->

The recruiter called him up the next day and he has an interview scheduled so the ball’s in his court now.  I sure was glad to find a bunch of info about his experience and skills on LinkedIn.  It made it much easier for me to feel comfortable referring him and to put some substance in the email other than, “my neighbor is cool, please interview him”.

What do you think of the email I came up with? Have you had good/bad experiences referring friends?  What has worked best for you (and them)?

Written by Ben · Filed Under Career >Comments (6) 


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