How to Answer Interview Questions About Resume Gaps

How to Answer Interview Questions About Resume GapsHow to Answer Interview Questions About Resume GapsCareer progression often gets described as a ladder, which implies that workers take steady steps toward higher positions. In reality, however, journeys rarely follow such a tidy progression. For instance, people may remain on a rung while taking time off to raise children or settling in after moving to a new town. Thus, plenty of candidates present resume gaps the key is how you handle them.Show hiring managers that youre a great match for a job despite resume gaps (maybe even because of them) with these strategies for gracefully answering questions about the issue.Heres how to answer interview questions about resume gapsTell the truth.Resist all temptation to lie. Your credibility immediately gets destroyed if an employer distitelbilds fudged dates. Besides, trying to cover or worrying about being found out adds an unwanted layer of nervousness to your interview.Share the basics in your cover letter.If your resume raises questions as to employment history, consider offering an explanation in your cover letter instead of leaving the hiring manager to make his or her own assumptions. This forum provides the chance to compose a concise, effective answer that clues in employers before youre put on the spot at an interview. It also lets you highlight personal growth and how you kept your skills sharp during the time off.Practice talking about gaps.Since the subject of resume gaps is likely to arise in the interview, be ready. Prepare answers to questions such as What were you doing between jobs X and Y? or Why did you stop working for X years?Focus on the more professional elements of what you did at that time, suggests Lavie Margolin, author of Mastering the Job Interview. Pull out your relevant community work, volunteer experiences, and consulting elements as well. At the same time, there is no reason to be embarrassed about prioritizing your life as a parent, c aring for an elderly parent, or overcoming an unexpected illness. Just dont let that overtake the interview. Make it clear you would be able to focus on your next job, when given the opportunity.Stay confident.Positive, forward-thinking applicants get noticed. Instead of dwelling on resume gaps (or worse yet, apologizing for them), turn your attention to all the wonderful things you have to offer the company here and now. Perhaps you became a master at time management while raising three kids or spent the period after a layoff getting additional certification in your industry.Remember, employers care more about their own future than they do about your past.

What Are the Different Types of Consulting Jobs

What Are the Different Types of Consulting JobsWhat Are the Different Types of Consulting JobsBusinesses today rely on senior-level consultants to provide specialized expertise to key projects or business initiatives that can last weeks, months or even longer. At the same time, many experienced professionals are taking the consulting path because they seek diverse assignments, exposure to different industries, and a flexible schedule that provides them better work-life balance.Professionals also look to consulting as a way to accelerate their career development. As Tim Hird, executive director of Robert Half Management Resources, explained in a recent interview, many professionals want to move from project to project, and sometimes that means going from company to company. He also said an evolution of independent career consultants is now underway.According to Hird, a new labor model for finance is helping to drive that evolution. Businesses are relying more on a flexible labor force that includes full-time employees who are focused on critical initiatives interim and project-based professionals who help to support them, usually for a finite period and other specialized resources that can offer additional capabilities and perform high-value work on an as-needed basis.Findings for Robert Halfs Benchmarking Accounting and Finance Functions 2018 report, developed with Financial Executives Research Foundation (FERF), provide evidence of this growing trend. The research suggests that flexible teams are becoming increasingly important to the everyday operations of accounting and finance functions at firms of all sizes throughout North America.An overview of financial consulting rolesEighty-three percent of top financial executives polled in a Robert Half Management Resources survey said they consider consulting an attractive career option. Professionals looking to make a gradual transition to retirement also often take the consulting path. However, consulting careers arent only for those who have C-level titles or are winding down their careers.There are many types of consulting jobs for accounting and finance professionals with in-demand experience, skills and knowledge to explore. Financial consultants are in demand in virtually every industry. Their expertise is especially critical in the following areasFinance and accountingFinance optimizationGovernance, risk and compliance (GRC)Operations managementTaxationBusiness process improvementBusiness systemsFinancial consulting roles in business range from senior internal auditor and financial project manager to corporate accounting specialist and business systems analyst. Consultants are also often brought in for these positionsAccounting managerAuditorControllerFinance and financial planning and analysis managementHuman resources (HR)/benefits/payrollInternal auditorIT auditorSenior accountantSenior financial analystBusiness analystHot skills and experience for consultantsAs businesses struggle to keep pace with technological change and to understand the associated risks and opportunities of digitalization, they also seek financial consultants who are proficient in the following areasData analyticsEnterprise resource planning (ERP) systemsCloud computing platformsInformation security toolsIntegrated financial reporting systemsSystems conversion projectsAccording to the Benchmarking report, companies undergoing digital transformation especially value experience with data analytics and ERP systems. They also look for professionals with strong communication skills. This is not surprising, as a solid array of nontechnical skills is essential for most accounting and finance jobs today, including consulting jobs.How consultants can support existing staffThe different types of consulting opportunities available to skilled professionals can also be viewed according to how a consultant will integrate with existing staff members. Options includeInterim management - Consultants are brought in to assist companies in transition by serving in key management roles, such as CFO or controller.Project management - These types of consultants have the expertise and experience to support projects with defined deliverables and timelines, such as the implementation of an ERP system or preparation for an initial public offering.Staff augmentation - When workloads spike, companies enlist the help of consultants to ease the strain on core staff without having to add to their full-time headcount.Many companies are also engaging consultants through managed business services arrangements. You can learn more about managed business services in this post.Considering a career in financial consulting?Check out the listings for consulting jobs on our website to find out what types of roles leading employers are looking to fill.SEARCH JOBSAlso, see this post for insight on what type of consulting salary you might expect for many types of senior-level roles.This post was originally published in 2017 and has been updated to reflect more current information.

Ways to Use Social Media to Find a Job

Ways to Use Social Media to Find a JobWays to Use Social Media to Find a JobUtilize your social media accounts to help you in your job search. Its always a good idea to utilize a variety of resources when it comes to searching for a job- you can never have too many options. Typically, you should be searching on job boards, checking in with your network for new opportunities, and searching out job listings on company websites. But did you know that you can also use social media to find a job? Social media websites are something that we typically use weekly for pleasure or connecting with friends and family. Now you can utilize these websites to aid in the job search as well.Work on your personal brand.You may have heard the term personal brand before. This is your professional image and what you stand for. Just like a company has a brand, so should you. You can easily do this by making sure all of your social media accounts are consistent in their content. Use the same name and same photo on your accounts. Let people know who you are, what you do, and where you are going. The main objective is to be professional and consistent. Ensure that all of your social media accounts are squeaky clean- you dont want a potential employer to landsee anything unprofessional on your accounts.Be engaged and active.If you have social media accounts, use them If you are on Twitter, follow the companies that are in your industry. If you are on Facebook, like the pages of relevant companies. If you are on LinkedIn, join industry groups. When you are connected deeply on social media you will always be aware of what is going on in the industry. You will be notified and up-to-date about new hires, open positions, product developments, and any news that the company feels is share-worthy. You can join the conversation on social media and become a known resource. Answer questions that anyone may have on the industry, link relative content, make introductions.Keep an eye on your LinkedI n insights graph.When you use LinkedIn, there is a graph that shows up when you click on how many people have viewed your profile in the last week. This is valuable information You can use this graph to see how many people are looking at your profile, sometimes who is looking at your profile, and how many actions you made in a given week. You use this information to figure out the perfect job search strategy. As you make changes to your profile you will see what is helping with profile engagement and what is hurting it. Track these changes and take them into account when you decide what to do next. Some tips come up with a plan for how often you should be logging on to LinkedIn and updating your profile.Search job listings on social media.Just like you use job boards and career websites to search for job listings, you can do the same on social media. You should be regularly updating your social media profiles- and so are companies. Most companies will post their open positions on so cial media. Sometimes you will even find listings on social media that you wont find anywhere else. If you are following and liking companies that are relevant to your industry, then you should be able to come across these postings quite easily. The mora companies you are following, the more likely you are to see these posts.Maintain your network.You should constantly be searching for people within your industry to connect with. You can attend social events that are catered toward the industry. You can also find people in everyday interactions that can be helpful to the job hunt. Add all of these people to your social media accounts and keep your communication with them active and current. While you may not need to use any of these connections any time soon (or ever) it never hurts to have people who are on your side. The more connections you have, the more likely it is that one of these connections can lead to a potential interview or job offer. It is much easier to get a foot in t he door of a company if you know someone there personally.

Mayers Move Telecommuting Ban

Mayers Move Telecommuting BanMayers Move Telecommuting BanIn a surprising move, Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer has mandated a telecommuting ban for all employees.As a female professional, I am pretty shocked by this turn of events. Mayer has been an icon for millions of working women who are constantly striving to strike the right balance between their responsibilities in the home and at the office. In fact, there have been numerous articles written about Mayers strategy to avoid employee burnout, such as letting employees like soccer mom Katie leave early on certain days to attend her kids soccer games, and then jump back online after the kids are in bed to continue the days work. By the looks of this decision, perhaps Mayer has changed her tune.The end to telecommuting? I doubt it.While this ban is sure to send some shockwaves through the employment industry, I dont believe well see many other companies following suit. Mayers decision says mora about the type of company (and culture) she is planning to rebuild, and less about the state of telecommuting and flexible work schedules as a whole. In supporting this ban, Mayer is sure to drive many of Yahoos current employees out the door and perhaps this is part of her master plan.As technology continues to advance, our world is becoming smaller and smaller. Between conferencing software and document-sharing services, the ability to work and perform well as a remote team member is easier than ever before. Assuming an employees productivity and work output isnt negatively impacted by a virtual office, offering a more flexible work schedule to a portion of the company is a great way to attract and retain talent, and improve morale.Telecommuting gives employees the opportunity to perform at their best and maintain a better work-life balance. With the economy still tight, employees are continually asked to produce more with fewer resources. Stress levels remain high. The ability to work from home or maintain a more fl exible work schedule is one way to counteract some of this added stress.Is telecommuting important to you?If its important, look for companies that boast their telecommuting and other flexible work options. You can often find ansicht companies on the top lists for single parents, working moms, or the best companies for work-life balance. If youre unsure what a company offers, carefully read through their employment pages online and look for employee reviews on sites like Glassdoor and Vault.When negotiating your compensation package, include these types of intangible benefits in your discussion, and get the final agreement in writing. Be specific with things such as the number of days youd like to work from home, or what a flexible work schedule entails.Should your current employer create a ban similar to the one enforced at Yahoo, review your employment contract carefully. If a telecommuting or flexible work option was included in your contract, contact an employment lawyer to know what courses of action are possible.If telecommuting is no longer on the table, speak with your manager or an HR representative to find out if other work flexibility options are still available. For instance, you may not be able to work from home every day, but you might be able to come in early and leave early on certain days to pick up your children from daycare or watch your childs soccer game.

The Hidden Truth on Free Resume Templets Exposed

The Hidden Truth on Free Resume Templets Exposed The Secret to Free Resume Templets Focus on Content When you quit worrying about formatting, you enable your mind to delight in a more creative practice. The upcoming free resume template is devised in the shape of a brochure. Employing a resume template is quite useful in making your professional profile. It has become an acceptable and smart practice for a number of reasons.If youd prefer a different search for your resume, take a look at our big library of other beautiful templates. There are a couple of dozen different resume templates readily available online, but a lot of them suck. All our resume templates are in Microsoft Word, that is the simplest program to use. Download the sample template at no cost. Lets look at a mixture of free Google Docs and Microsoft Word templates. Once you have decided on your perfect resume template from our selection, follow our totally free expert guidance about ways to craft the great modern resume. A traditional style resume template is also simple to customize. A basic resume is also simpler to read. Creative resume templates are able to help you build a document that shows your creativity whilst still keeping up the professionalism you have to be taken seriously to get past the gatekeepers. The freebie was made by Mats-Peter Forss. You find a great deal of choices for developing a clean, simple resume. The training programs and conferences you have attended are also important to be put in a fresher resume. Theres no doubt that a resume which is both cohesive and professional will have a much better likelihood of standing from the crowd even supposing its made utilizing a template. The reply is yes in the event that you need to. For instance, if you need to turn into an attorney, you might turn into a paralegal and attend law school at exactly the same time. Some meeting scheduler widgets it is possible to embed in your website sometimes takes a few se conds to load. There are a lot of free creative resume templates you may use, allowing you to focus your energy on everything else you have to do. The freebie was made by Alamin Mir. Conversely, locating a scheduling app that operates seamlessly in the background is heavenly. Free Resume Templets for Dummies The capability to edit your resume from any place in the world is a remarkable asset that it is possible to utilize to assist you land that upcoming great job. Request opportunities to learn more about the area and widen your horizon Set your eye on a particular award on the job and do it. Your eyes glaze over, and suddenly youre either daydreaming about a vacation or youre thinking about other work you ought to be doing. When you have built the resume choosing the correct template, it is the right time to apply and grab that dream job. Whether youve got years of experience below your belt or are newly joining the workforce your possibility of landing an interview is a l ot more likely when you have a killer resume. Two even columns for the rest of the page give you a lot of room to woo the company by means of your experience, skills, and education. Our clean, easy, easy-to-read format will cause you to stand out to hiring managers and simple to discover in applicant tracking systems. The style of resume you will use greatly is dependent on your professional work background and qualifications.

Whats Truly Going on with Zipjob Resume Writing Review

Whats Truly Going on with Zipjob Resume Writing Review The Secret to Zipjob Resume Writing Review Professional resume writers comprehend the importance of their work, so they are always accountable for the very best result. The writers arent highly professional and the resumes arent highly professional. Simply enumerating your abilities and experiences isnt enough. The majority of the resumes writing services dont offer you the chance of direct contact by making use of their writers. My writer reached out to me promptly to introduce herself and to look at some details about the sort of roles which I was seeking. Our work is targeted on providing result-oriented resumes that do not just attract hiring managers attention, but in addition make you receive the desirable position. The very first point towards writing a great resume should be dependent on the kind of job youre looking for. When youre looking for work, you want to obtain a professional resume so you will raise you r probability of getting hired. The Ultimate Zipjob Resume Writing Review Trick The writer is likely to make contact and start to work with you straight away Therell be some rephrased schablone of why youre so appropriate for each and every job. Resume writing services often provide a whole package strategy to resume writing. Interview tips is going to be the identical template for how, in all honesty, friendly, smiley, etc.. A Startling Fact about Zipjob Resume Writing Review Uncovered Theres no discount available even on your very first order, and you cannot contact the writers through instant messaging. On-line services should have decent customer service. You may have a look at the prices, the practice of ordering and completion, and the services the provider delivers. There are scores of resume writing services around the internet. If you presently have experience in writing resumes, that is going to be really beneficial. Top Resume cant be trusted. While the resum es are extremely detailed, they continue to be only 1-page long. Not all resumes are perfect for all sorts of jobs. New Questions About Zipjob Resume Writing Review By taking the opportunity to compose your resume and cover letter yourself, you are going to be in a position to swiftly and easily remember all the pertinent information an interviewer will ask. Resume writing is the most crucial step in presenting your abilities and receiving the job that you desire. An easy proofread is the last step. Comb through your CV to find out whether youre utilizing any, and remove them. Now its your responsibility to meet your professionally written resume. How to Choose Zipjob Resume Writing Review Now the actual work starts However polished your writing skills are, occasionally its far better to employ a professional who can frame your experiences in a manner that enables you to command the eye of the greatest companies in your industry. Needless to say, whenever youre looking for a resume writing service, dont neglect to obey your gut. Still, there are numerous different aspects to take into account when writing our ResumeWritingGroup review.

Vital Pieces of Theater Resume Examples

Vital Pieces of Theater Resume Examples The Theater Resume Examples Cover Up The average amount of time someone will appear at your resume is about 5-8 seconds. If you believe an internet or video resume can help you stick out from the competition, go for itjust make certain that you have a paper version handy. You might decide to print your resume on a distinct bit of paper and attach it to your headshot or you are able to print it directly as the rear of your headshot. List your credits in the shape of bullet points. It is dependent on what you wish to pursue, and where in the world youre. You dont need to damage your reputation, particularly if you are only starting out. A resume thats modeled after a popular social networking site could get the job done well for a social networking marketing position. Its simpler than ever to figure out the details about theaters all around the planet, so do it. What You Dont Know About Theater Resume Examples Seek out the individuals that are writing and producing the type of theater you would like to do. Make certain you understand how this specific theater handles new work and stick to those rules. Now you have these incredible examples of music resumes at your fingertips, youll find it less difficult for you to apply for your fantasy music job. Then take a couple of minutes to review our hotel receptionist resume examples and begin building your very own professional resume in accordance with your experience and strengths. On the cousine of your resume, theres a section devoted to your special skills. Special Skills This is the previous portion of your acting resume and the sole part at which you could add some humor. The most suitable acting resume showcases an actors talent and diversity along with list the variety of projects theyve worked on. Developing a poorly-formatted acting resume example sends the incorrect message, Thus, you must make certain that the beginner actor resume template shows your professionalism. Read through these tips developed to assist you proceed through your job interview effortlessly and confidence. Creative resumes arent for everybody, and theyre certainly not for every sort of job but they do have their place, and they may be an effective tool when youre searching for new opportunities. If youre one of the persons having the mentality that his resume wont win him an interview, change your perspective and make certain your resume reads well.The end result is a much more impactful teacher resume. Mention youve got experience with it. Obviously, this type of experience isnt likely to fit every school. The manner in which you include your experience for a teaching job must be tailored. Creative Resume Content Whichever creative resume design you pick, the content has to be no problem to find and logically organized. For example, utilizing a reverse-chronological format for your acting or theatrical resume template lets you highlight your previou s performances. Before composing your template, you have to learn everything that you can about it. It is possible to also read some acting resume examples on the internet to find the sort of content that you should include in such a document. The casting committee may wish to verify them. Even if you currently have a resume, itll be beneficial that you review our expectations. As a consequence, no 2 resumes will look the exact same. Rather than doing it all on your own, have a look at our infographic resume guide and templates to create the job simple for you. Most Noticeable Theater Resume Examples Building a blog specializing in the theater arts requires an extremely specific design. Proceed to the theater as often as you can. Theater is about people. Coached students to get ready for professional auditions. As a result, if your latest experience was in theater, then place all your theater experience at the very top. A great internship resume is tailored particularly f or the job that you want. Several sites exist specifically to assist you make an attractive visual resume. When it has to do with marketing yourself, you always have to aim to be the very best.

The Benefits and Drawbacks of a Four-Day Workweek

The Benefits and Drawbacks of a Four-Day WorkweekThe Benefits and Drawbacks of a Four-Day WorkweekEverybody loves a three-day weekend, but would you if you had one every week? A four-day workweek sounds like a fabulous idea, but its not for everyone. Here are several factors to think about before switching to a four-day workweek. Four-Day Workweek The standard full-time workweek for Americans is eight hours per day, five days a week. When you switch to a four-day workweek, you still work 40 hours, but you work 10 hours per day. You do not have to have everyone on the staff work a four-day week you can decide based on employee wants and business needs. The extra day off doesnt have to be on a Monday or Friday so that the employee gets a three-day weekend. You can designate any day of the week based on the business needs and the employees preference. Pay for a Four-Day Workweek If an employee is salaried exempt and is not eligible for overtime pay, then there is no pay problem associated with a shortened workweek. The employee receives the saatkorn amount of pay every week, regardless of the number of hours worked or the number of days worked. If an employee is non-exempt (whether salaried or hourly), the employee is eligible for overtime pay. In most of the United States, an employee is eligible for overtime if she works more than 40 hours in a single week. The paycheck for an employee who works five eight hour days would be identical to the paycheck for an employee who works four ten-hour days. However, in California and a few other locations, an employee receives overtime pay after working more than eight hours in a single day. So, a California non-exempt employee on a four-day workweek would receive 32 hours of straight pay and eight hours of overtime every week. Vacation for a Four-Day Workweek A lot of businesses talk about vacation based on hours or days. If everyone in the office works a four-day workweek, the day references are fine, but be c areful if you have some people working a traditional workweek and some working an alternate schedule. Instead of stating that employees receive ten days of vacation, use the language 80 hours. That way, its clear that a person working four 10hour days gets two weeks of vacation, just like an employee on a flexible schedule. Otherwise, your employee could claim shes owed 100 hours of vacation. Generally, laws allow business to develop their vacation plans, but those businesses are bound by their handbooks, so make sure that your vacation plan states exactly what time off you want to provide for your employees. Advantages of the Four-Day Workweek The employee side can be pretty clear having another day with no work and no commute can free up personal time in a big way. But the employee isnt the only one who could benefit from a shortened workweek. Several studies show various benefits such as reduced stress, increased productivity, and happier more engaged employees. Giving up an extra day off work per week can be a pretty big hurdle to your good employees moving to a new company. Disadvantages of the Four-Day Workweek First, the four-day workweek doesnt work for every business and certainly not for every employee. If your customers expect people to be available five days a week, then an employee who is unavailable every Friday could cause problems. A four-day workweek can also make child care more difficult. Many daycare and after-school care programs function around the idea that a parent works on an 8 am to 5 pm type schedule. They dont open at 6 am or stay open until 8 pm to accommodate a parents unusual schedule. People may feel refreshed by having an extra day off of work each week but they may also experience a drop in productivity after so many hours at work in a single day. In the case of an exempt employee who has an alternate schedule while others work the traditional Monday-Friday schedule, that person may feel pressure to call into meetings or respond to messages on her day off. This is not fair but you need to assess whether the alternative schedule is adversely affecting the employees team. Keep in mind that you must pay a nonexempt employee for any additional time she puts into work outside of the four-day workweek. Should You Implement a Four-Day Workweek? The answer really depends on your business needs and your employees wants. If you have an employee ask about working a four-day week, it makes sense to look and landsee if it would work for this person in this position. Perhaps try a temporary run for a few months to see how it works out for you. Flexibility is a benefit that many employees look for from an employer, and having this as an option makes you more desirable to many job seekers. But before you change your company schedule, make sure this will make your business more productive and your employees happier. Otherwise, a four-day workweek is not worth the change. - Suzanne Lucas is a freelance journal ist specializing in Human Resources. Suzannes work has been featured in notable publications including Forbes, CBS, Business Insider, and Yahoo.

Five money rules that will increase your net worth

Five money rules that will increase your net worthFive money rules that will increase your net worthWhats your personal finance strategy? If you asked me a few years ago, I would probably laugh it off Ill leave that for tomorrow.Dumb move. If you dont have a personal finance strategy, theres a chance you will never get wealthy. The average millennialearns$40-$50K a year and has $20-$40K in student debt.But the high achieving millennial earns up to 7X mora than the average. The same is true for people of all ages. The difference between average earners and above-earners is huge.Once I realized that, I got serious about money. But I didnt focus on making more money- a mistake that many of us make. We always think more cash is the solution to everything.All my problems will be solved once I have a little bit more cash on hand. Sorry to disappoint you, but that will never happen. As your bank account grows, your problems will too.Yes, earning more is important. Not only for your bank acc ount but for your career development. As you get better and have more experience you can earn more.But we must stop thinking that the solution to all our problems is more money. Were better off by creating a strategy that helps us to manage money better- that alone will help us break away from the average earners. To do that, Ive created 7 money rules for myself.1. Desire lessHeres some common sense It takes more time to make money than to spend it. You work thousands of hours to make a certain amount of money. And then, you can drop it all on a new car, luxury vacation, watch, or anything else that you desire.We all know that, right? And yet, we keep on spending money like its nothing. I know this is something your granddad probably said, but the easiest way to grow your bank account is NOT to spend it all.Its solid advice. The ancient Stoics knew about this too.True freedom means you desire less.2. Know how the economy worksWhen does the interest rate generally go up? When does it go down? What are bonds? Whats inflation? When do you get inflation? Whats a market cycle?Why do economies generally collapse? Whats debt? Who prints money? Why do they print money?I can go on forever, but you get the point. Look, you dont have to be an economist (I koranvers aint one). But do yourself a favor, read a book likeA Random Walk Down Wallstreetby Burton Malkiel. Its an excellent summary of how the economy and investing work. Or, spend some time onInvestopedia.comand figure out the answers to all the above questions- and more.The point is that basic knowledge about how all this stuff works prevents panic. Oh sh-t The market is down What now Panicking will not help you.3. Avoid personal debtPersonal debt destroys your net worth like nothing else. To be clear, I dont think theres anything wrong with borrowing money.If you want to start a business or do big real estate deals, its often necessary and smart to take on debt. But we must be wise about taking on debt. Like inves ting, there are rules to it.One thing is sure Never borrow money to buy a car, electronics, or anything else that goes down in value.But when it comes to more complex things like growing/starting a business, investing in real estate, or even your education, think carefully before you go into debt. Remember that borrowing money is not free.4. Save as much as you canThis is obvious by now. Desire less, avoid debt, and save as much as you can. Personal finance is called personal finance for a reason.Your money strategy depends on your age, personality, place you live, education, experience, etc. A person who lives in Manhattan probably cant buy an apartment. Its overpriced, and renting is probably smarter.Buying an apartment makes more sense in a city with lower real estate prices. In that case, renting is more expensive. No matter what you do, always make sure you have enough cash so you can make an investment if you spot an opportunity.How much in savings is enough? Thats up to you. What figure makes you feel comfortable?5. Have a short-term strategyThis article is for people who do NOT want to become professional investors or traders. We invest for the long-term- not to make money today or even in a year.My investment strategy is focused on the long-term. But that means I also need to generate income today so I can pay the bills. How do you do that? Thats your short-term strategy.My personal short-term money strategy is based onimproving my skillsand creating multiple income streams. I invest a lot in my personal education because I realize more skills mean more earning power.Also, I dont rely on one big paycheck. Instead, I have multiple ways I generate value. That means less risk. If one income stream disappears, youll still have others.Start nowYou see, these rules are not all about making more money.Yes, its important to have multiple income streams.But before you focus on generating more money, get better at dealing with the cash you already have and impr ove your skills.The most important question you can ask yourself today is this Can I generate value?If the answer isno, then make it your first priority turn that into ayes. Figure out how successful people are rewarded. You cant learn that from one article. Read books, study investors, try things out, talk to wealthy people, etc.You want to generate value- either by working for it or investing. And whether you get paid 10 bucks on 10.000, the principles of value creation are always the same. A person who can make a grand can also make ten grand, and so forth.When you find out how to make your bank account grow instead of decreasing it, youre already on the way to make your net worth grow.Thisarticlefirst appeared onDariusForoux.com.