Looking for a job is often difficult, and in this economy it can seem nearly impossible to get hired, even if you have the skills and experience you need. Here’s a look at two recent articles with content that might affect your ability to snap up a job in the coming months.

Sweating the Small Stuff

In this post from WalletPop.com, the author examines the importance of looking beyond yourself to maximize your chances at getting hired. In other words:

• Consider your potential employer’s needs and wants. You may feel like your best asset is an ability to speak two languages, but if a potential employer is primarily concerned with computer literacy, play up your skills in that area.
• Do some digging. In the era of Facebook, Twitter and now Buzz, it shouldn’t be too hard to track down some information about the company you’re applying to. Apply what you learn by asking questions in an interview that show you have some background knowledge and focusing on your qualities that best match the company’s needs.
• Listen. It may be tempting, in an interview, to gush about your skills and qualifications – but that can be counterproductive. That information is already on your résumé, so use the interview as an opportunity to demonstrate your people skills.

In this employment climate, paying attention to details like how you respond to an employer’s questions can make a big difference in your career future.

Congressional Progress on the Jobs Bill

Meanwhile, a report from the Wall Street Journal notes that progress on a jobs bill currently on the table in the Senate has been hampered by the massive snow storm in the Mid-Atlantic region, and may not resurface until after the upcoming Presidents’ Day holiday.

Here’s what the bill, if it passes, would do:

• Give businesses that hire unemployed workers a Social Security tax cut; and
• Give these businesses an additional tax credit if they retain their new employees for a year.

Some critics worry that, as it now stands, the bill won’t provide sufficient motivation to get companies hiring again. Its other provisions will be largely determined by Congressional debate when senators and representatives are able to get back to work.

The sheer volume of sales pitches and advertisements we see and hear every day can be irritating at best. And, according to this article from msnbc.com, some contact from advertisers should trigger alarm bells, because it might signal that your personal information has gotten into the hands of people or organizations you don’t want to have it.

Mailing & Contact Lists

The article notes that personal data—including telephone numbers, credit card information, addresses, age, marital status and more—is considered today to be a commodity like beans or oil. Electronic databases of consumer figures allow retailers, charities and advertisers to access you, even when you don’t explicitly give them your digits.

There are a few ways your information could become accessible to those looking for it:

• Online surveys. Filling out a survey that includes personal and contact information could lead to that information appearing on large-scale databases, meaning that anyone with access to the database can reach you to offer you a service or product. Be wary of sites that offer something that seems to good to be true, like a MP3 player, simply for filling out a survey.
• Charitable donations. Many charities share, rent or sell the contact information of donors as a source of income. If you’re unsure about the policy of a charity you give to, check its privacy policy online. And, next time you fill out a donation form, look carefully for boxes that let you indicate your privacy preferences.
• Prize drawings. Whenever you fill out a form with contact information, you risk having it added to a widely accessible database.
• Credit card use. When you pay using plastic, a store can cross-reference your card number with digital information and find other personal information if you’re in the system. This gives the vendor new ways of contacting you about sales and promotions.

Part of the reason why databases of consumer information are so popular among retailers is that the more they know about you, the better they can target their sales pitches. This translates to less money wasted on consumers not likely to purchase their goods.

Getting Off the Lists

If you’re interested in limiting the amount of contact you get from people trying to sell you stuff, you have some options.

• Do Not Call Registry: This registry allows U.S. citizens to opt out of receiving sales calls. It does not prevent political calls or those from legitimate charities.
• Mailbox Makeover: This service from the Direct Marketing Association lets you tailor what types of mailings and promotions you want receive so you can get only what interests you.

Ever try to pay a clerk with an old receipt instead of cash? Or swipe your debit card only to find it’s an expired credit card? If so, you could benefit from a clean wallet or purse.

This post from Wise Bread offers some suggestions about cleaning out your wallet or purse and how doing so can benefit your overall financial health—and I couldn’t agree more. Take a look at some of the points from the post, along with some techniques I’ve found to be helpful.

Take It All Out

The best way to get started is to take everything out of your purse or wallet and lay it on a clear surface. That way you know what you’re working with. You may come across…

• Old gift cards: They could have money on them! Happy early birthday to you! Rather than saving these for a rainy day, consider using them before their value starts to decrease—this could be a concern if they’ve been in your wallet for a while.
• Old receipts: If you’re a receipt hoarder, you may have an overly thick wallet. But these could be lifesavers when it comes time to sort out your taxes and you have deductible expenses from work or travel. So sort them into save or recycle piles and store the important ones with your other financial papers.
• Coins: Metal money can seriously weigh a person down. I’m one of those keep your coins in a jar until it’s full and roll them into paper money kind of people, but if you know you’ll never get around to rolling your own money, donate it to some worthy kids or toss it into a change-counting machine for quick cash (but be careful, because many of these change-to-paper companies take a cut of the proceeds).
• Dirty stuff: No matter how many times I vowed to keep my purse clean, I’d always end up with sticky, grubby stuff—largely, I think, from melted gum and lip balm coating my possessions and attracting dirt. And then I learned about compartmentalizing. Now I have a wallet, a cell phone case, and a zip-case for cosmetics. My bag is cleaner and I save serious time digging around for things.
• Old debit or credit cards: Get rid of these. Cut them up and dispose of them. By old, of course, I mean for accounts you no longer use or cards that have been replaced. So lighten your load and prevent confusion and potential identity theft by tossing these babies from your bag.

I don’t know of any studies that show a neat wallet leads to better financial health, but I know that I’m much calmer and more levelheaded about financial matters when I’m working with a clean slate (or purse).

As the weak economy drags on and on, you may have found yourself feeling less and less thrilled by the idea of scrimping and pinching pennies to make sure you stay above water financially. I know I’ve felt that way more than a few times in the past year or so.

Luckily, the Internet is teeming with tips for enjoying the finer things in life without parting with too much of your hard-earned money. Recent posts from Wise Bread offer tips for going on a vacation – without draining your bank account.

House Sitting and House Swaps

It’s no secret that hotel rooms and other vacation accommodations can set you back a pretty penny. But, if you go off the beaten path, they don’t have to.

• House sitting: Offer your services as a house sitter in places you’re interested in visiting. Rely on word of mouth (tell your friends to tell their friends!), web sites like Craigslist.org and signs you post in areas where the wealthy are likely to shop (like upscale shopping centers). Be sure to offer references from people who can speak highly of your character and/or previous house sitting experience. Most people with nice digs will be happy to have someone looking out for their stuff when they’re out of town for a while.
• House swaps: This method of traveling was famously employed in the movie The Holiday, and will likely work best if you live in a place people would want to visit. Search online for house swapping web sites where you can post the details of your abode and search for potential matches.
• Apartment rentals: If neither of the other two options is practical for you, consider searching for other non-traditional accommodations. Many cities offer apartment rentals on a weekly basis, which are often much cheaper than hotels.

Eating on a Budget

One of the nicest things about opting for non-traditional housing is that you’re better able to save money on food. Consider the following tips:

• Find the nearest grocery store: Before leaving home, learn where you can buy food. Eating out is massively expensive compared to cooking for yourself, so limit your restaurant trips.
• Work the kitchen: Staying in a house or apartment probably means you’ll have access to a stove and a refrigerator. Take advantage of these, as they’ll keep you from blowing serious money on otherwise inexpensive foods like milk and coffee.
• Think local: Your favorite foods might be expensive when you’re on the road, so take the opportunity to try cheaper, local favorites – it’s a great way to discover new tastes and save some green!

Job hunters right now have two strikes against them: the recession and the holiday atmosphere, both of which mean slow moving even for those companies that may need new employees. Here, adapted from an article at msnbc.com, are some pointers for maximizing your odds of landing a job.

1. Give yourself a makeover.

If you’re planning on spending a little money on yourself, consider investing in your appearance, which may help you present a more desirable image to potential employers. This could mean:

• Getting plenty of rest
• Trying a more updated haircut
• Eating well and staying hydrated
• Getting some exercise
• Wearing new (or new-looking) clothes)

If money’s especially tight, consider asking for some of these things from loved ones (gift certificates can work wonders).

2. Go to parties – and be jolly.

Even if you don’t feel much like celebrating, you can’t afford to miss out on the excellent networking opportunities holiday bashes have to offer. People in the know say that the majority of job hiring results from personal connections, not blind résumé submissions.

This means that you should accept all invitations you get: from friends, family, neighbors, religious groups, etc. Be as upbeat as you can (see above), but don’t hesitate to mention that you’re looking for work or ask about potential connections.

3. Build a better e-You.

Make sure you’re maximizing the power of online social networking sites. If you already have a Facebook or LinkedIn page, good; if not, create one.

• Add professional touches: Take advantage of the tools provided on these sites to make highlight your career and professional experience.
• Remove unsavory information: If you’ve got party pictures or silly comments from friends on a social networking site, be sure you keep all privacy settings on. Consider starting a second, more professional page.
• Clean up your online image: Check out this article about how to make yourself look good to those searching for you online.

4. Look beyond yours-elf.

If you aren’t getting jobs you really want, do a little digging to find out who a company takes for a position you applied for. Online networking sites should be able to help you here. Once you figure out who got the position you wanted, research his or her career experience, online presentation, relevant skills, etc.

Use the information you gathered to update your résumé – make sure you’re highlighting the right skills and experience.

5. Don’t forget to give.

If you have unemployed friends, offer help for them via job leads and résumé reviews – or host a job seekers’ get together for people to share ideas and help. And remember to send a thank-you note to those who have helped you!

Today is the next in our Best Frugal Day Ever, and we’ve got a great guest blogger. Carly -  twitter.com/MarketerCalkins – details some big times while unemployed in the big city.

My Best $20 Day Ever

Hey Chicagoans, if you’re lucky enough to have an entire Thursday freed up for whatever reason (read: unemployment), there are countless activities available to you that defy urban fun’s expensive stereotype.

After doing some research, you’ll find that being unemployed in this typically high-priced city isn’t so bad—you might even be able to afford dating! So bask in this time for you to see and do things that a 9-5 lock in would normally put the kibosh on.

On a winter Thursday, I was meandering around my place, badly burnt out from another fruitless job search, when it occurred to me that I couldn’t remember how long I had been wearing this timeless wolf shirt. It was definitely time to get the hell out of the apartment. Fortunately for me, a friend in a similar situation lived nearby and was always up for an inexpensive romp.

I suggested we get some lunch before heading to the Art Institute to catch their Free Admission Thursday hours (5-8 pm). This is the only time of the week during which you can get into that gem for free, and I was eager to lose all sense of reality in the Thorne Miniature Rooms exhibit. Quickly, we stopped at a Subway ($3 daily special) before hopping on a brown line train headed towards the Loop.

Side note: Not a fan of art? Me neither, which is an absolute testament to the universal coolness of the miniatures. They’ve kept me coming back year after year, so you should at least check them out.

Always an enjoyable place for free capers, Millennium Park wins the crowd. The city continuously adds new components to it, whether it’s an exhibit, sculpture, unique landscaping, or, most recently, a rising walkway that connects to a new exhibit at the adjacent Art Institute.

My friend and I couldn’t resist this enormous pleasure garden—hey, it’s free culture—and thus walked through all of its various attractions. Experiencing Millennium Park and all of its wonderment includes ice skating right there on Michigan Avenue. The rink recently opened on November 28, and we were surprised to discover that the skating is free and rentals are only $10. Does anybody even remember what downtown Chicago was like without this grassy knoll on steroids?

Deciding to head back to our area for dinner, I knew exactly the place to go to complete our perfect day of frugality: Matsuyama in Lakeview. At the corner of Belmont and Seminary, this little sushi joint has a great ambience and is BYOB, perhaps its best quality. We stopped at my place first, I grabbed a bottle of wine, and our evening’s booze situation was set. Once arriving, myself not a big fan of sushi, I ordered my usual: $7 Grilled Steak with Garlic Miso Sauce, a steal by anyone’s standards given its tastiness.

Sitting back, food coma taking effect, I realized this was the best $20 day ever.

That’s a pretty great day. Thanks for sharing Carly!

If you’ve had a great day on the cheap, let us know. You can host the post on your blog or send to thedebtress@totalattorneys.com and I’ll post it here on my blog.

Chicago is a great place to live. It’s so great, that old friends from across the country are always coming to visit.

The Windy City is a day’s drive or a reasonably-priced flight away for most of my friends. Next to Facebook, living in such a hub is a great way to stay in touch.

But Chicago’s popularity and awesomeness can be a burden for the hostess that doesn’t live in Gold Coast.

Lots of visitors wanting to share your city means lots of people want to hit up all that Chicago has to offer: Museums, food, theater, shopping, food, baseball games, music. Did I mention the food?

So when perhaps my oldest girlfriend – a classmate from kindergarten! – showed up for her first real visit to the city I was, I have to admit, a little relieved when she said she just wanted to hang out like anybody else who lives here.

On a sunny fall Sunday, the choice of how to spend the day was clear. I grabbed my whiffle ball bat, and we headed for Lincoln Park.

A warm day, we took our time walking down there, and my friend got to see the city from plenty of angles. We passed the local pubs, full of regulars arguing football, and crossed a bridge that looked across to the skyscrapers downtown.

We took a detour through the ultimate freebie: The Lincoln Park Zoo. Free every day of the year, we passed on the overpriced popcorn, but took in every slot in the big cat house. We watched the one-armed gibbon enjoy his monkey chow, but saved our spending splurge for later.

We went through the zoo, past the flamingos and into the park. We met up with some friends from the neighborhood and had a full whiffle ball game going for the afternoon.

After a few hours of playing and lounging in the park, we walked back for a nap. Deep dish pizza from the local joint goes a long way, so we had the leftovers for dinner as we made plans for that evening.

It can be hard to have a big night out in a big city when you’re living on small cash. But we were in luck. An off night promotion at Kingston Mines, a famous blues club in our neighborhood, and some not-too-old student IDs meant we could get in for $5.

Every night, Kingston Mines features blues and soul music on two stages. The stages play back to back to back until the early hours of the morning, so you don’t have to stop dancing. The cheap cover meant I had budget space left for exactly two drinks.

Two stages, two drinks, two friends. Who says three is the magic number? Lots of dancing and laughter later, we split a cab back to my place.

Monkeys, dancing, cold pizza, whiffle ball. I’ve given lots of unofficial tours of the city, but this might be my favorite.

Total charges for the day: $15.25.

Holiday travelers may have extra reason to celebrate this year—free WiFi connections for their laptops and smart-phones, thanks to Google.

Google is teaming up with Virgin American airlines and a number of wireless internet providers to give travelers free internet access in 47 airports across the country, and onboard Virgin American flights.

The service starts today, November 10, and runs through January 15, 2010. The airports are mainly smaller airports and don’t include many of the “hubs” that travelers spend hours in during layovers (think Chicago, Denver or Phoenix).

However, it includes a number of vacation hotspots, like Orlando, San Diego, and Las Vegas. If you’re traveling over the next two months, there’s a good chance you’ll find yourself in a participating airport. (See the full list and more info online here: http://www.freeholidaywifi.com/.)

Get bankruptcy answers.

Win Prizes

Google is also holding a photo contest: take a photo of yourself using free WiFi in any participating airport on Virgin American flight to win (currently undisclosed) prizes.

Give Back

And because the holidays are all about giving, Google is encouraging donations to participating non-profit organizations. You can give online via Google Checkout, and Google will match up to $250,000. (More info on the Give Back program here: http://www.freeholidaywifi.com/give-back/.)

Whether you’re unemployed, underemployed or just need some extra spending cash, you may be able to find seasonal employment this winter—if you’re willing to work for it.

Here are some hints on where to look and what steps to take to make yourself attractive to potential employers.

Working in Retail

The holiday shopping season traditionally begins on Black Friday and runs through the New Year. And the increase in buyers means sellers often need more staff on hand. If you apply for a retail job, consider these pointers:

• Customer service knowhow: Even if you don’t have specific retail experience, mention times when you’ve had to deal with people – especially people under stress or pressure.
• An open schedule: Flexibility is key for most people looking for holiday staff. Indicating that you’re only available for limited hours will hurt your chances of getting hired.
• Face time with workers: When you apply, try to do so in person, so you can make a (positive) connection with a potential employer. A pleasant conversation can say far more than any résumé in retail.
• Go local: Consider applying at small, independently owned stores – these often have a smaller pool of available workers on payroll and may be more likely to need new people at the holidays.

Beyond Retail: Industries that Might Be Hiring

If a mall full of screaming children and stressed-out shoppers isn’t your cup of tea, you may want to seek seasonal employment outside retail. Luckily, other industries also hire during the holidays.

• The gift senders: Packaging and shipping companies (think UPS, FedEx, DHL, USPS, etc.) are also often swamped during the holiday season. After all, retailers, online shoppers and long-distance gift givers all depend on delivery services to get their merchandise and presents where they need to go.
• The merry makers: The weeks that span traditional school (and college) breaks are, like the summer, prime time for many vacationers. This means that hot tourist spots (ski lodges, beach areas, etc.) may need extra employees. And even travel agents or booking services may need desk-type help to keep up with increased demand.
• The vacation takers: Because so many people take time off between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, many offices hire temporary employees to fill the vacancies. Applying at a temp agency could provide you with week- to month-long stints in more office-type settings than other types of holiday work.

Your Holiday Jobs

Are you looking for extra employment over the holidays? What tip and experiences have you had finding part-time, seasonal work? Leave a comment and let me know!

While the rest of the world scrambles to recover from the ravages of the stock market’s crash last year and the recession that has since rocked the world’s economy, the web site Hedgable.com has initiated a contest in the style of the television show The Biggest Loser to find the investor who has lost the most money in the recession.

Who’s Eligible to Enter?

The contest web site invites Any Americans who held a portfolio of three or more stocks, ETFs, or mutual funds between October 2007 and March 2009 to enter the contest. Entry is free and winners get the following prizes:

• First Place: All expenses paid trip for two to Rome, which they tag as the last great empire to collapse under a mountain of debt, devalued currency and out-of-control spending.
• Second Place: A trip for two to Iceland, home of the world’s worst-performing stock market.
• Third Place: A trip for two to Las Vegas, the foreclosure capital of America.The deadline for the contest is October 7th, and winners will be announced within a week of this date.

When it’s not hosting contests to reward failed investments, Hedgable.com apparently provides online resources, tutorials and suggestions for people interested in managing and investing money.

A Bigger Lesson: Preventing a Similar Crash

While the contest is perhaps a creative marketing ploy, it highlights a much larger problem in the United States today. Millions of Americans lost money because of investments they didn’t fully understand – and millions more are essentially losing money every week because they don’t have savings or checking accounts.

And, while the occasional celebration of extreme failure may be entertaining or amusing, addressing the underlying issue may be the only way to prevent a repeat experience.

For more information about developing and improving your financial literacy, check out the finances section on Total Bankruptcy which include tips on:

• Getting a fair loan
• Living a financially responsible life
• Protecting and improving your credit
• Dealing with creditors
• Dealing with medical bills
• Preventing identity theft, and more