Tax searches, negoiating a professional reference

Give me my refund: The economy might have Americans itching to get their taxes done early this year. Online searches with the word "refund" were 80 percent more frequent in mid-January compared to the same period in 2009, according to data from Yahoo Inc.

Yahoo looked at queries in the seven days ending Jan. 26, around the time people are receiving W-2 forms, and found that searches for various tax credits are nearly double than the same period last year. Popular searches included "2009 child tax credit," "2009 energy tax credits," "6500 tax credit" and "8000 tax credit housing."

Congress decided last year to extend a tax credit of up to $8,000 for first-time home buyers until the end of April. Homeowners who have lived in their current properties for at least five years can claim a tax credit of up to $6,500 if they move.

Other popular searches include "American opportunity tax credit" and "making work pay tax credit."

The Making Work Pay tax credit kicked in last spring. Tax withholding tables were revised downward to give individuals up to $400 and couples up to $800 more in their paychecks. Congress also created the American opportunity education credit of up to $2,500 for college expenses. Students must be enrolled at least half-time.

Meanwhile, searches for deduction-related terms have more than doubled compared with 2009.

Still, not everyone is eager to do the paperwork. Searches for 2010 forms so far are running only a scant 3 percent higher than last year. (For more on taxes, see Page 11D.)

References: Negotiating a fair severance package is common when a person involuntarily leaves a company. But just as important is negotiating a fair professional reference.

This is one of the biggest blunders people make when they lose a job, said Heidi Allison, president of reference checking and employment-verification firm Allison & Taylor Inc.

"No matter how you leave a company, you need to know what your immediate past employer is going to say about you to prospective new ones," Allison said. "People mistakenly think that all employers will simply verify your past employment, but this couldn't be further from reality. In many cases, people talk more than they should when providing a reference."

Allison suggests confirming the answers they will give to prospective employers, including whether you are eligible for rehiring and what is the specific reason for losing the job. It's important to get these details in writing, Allison said.

Sometimes it's not just what is said, but how it's said. Voice inflection can signal a reference's true feelings. If there is concern that a former boss could insinuate something derogatory or untrue, the human resources department should be notified and should handle all requests for references.

An "official" letter of recommendation never replaces a professional reference verbally provided to a hiring manager, Allison stressed, so it's important to make sure your former employer doesn't drop the ball. If they don't cooperate, you might want to hire an attorney.

"The interviewing and reference-checking process is all about impressions," Allison explained. "What kind of impression do you think a candidate provides if a so-called professional reference refuses to acknowledge a candidate worked for them? Not good."

On-the-job audition: Though unemployment remains high, temporary work is seeing an uptick as companies are hesitant to commit to permanent employees and higher benefit costs.

But when they eventually do start hiring full-time workers, employers likely will turn to those already doing the job, says Max Messmer, chairman of staffing company Accountemps and author of "Job Hunting for Dummies."

"When a position warrants full-time status, businesses commonly look first to staff who have excelled in the role on an interim basis," Messmer said. He gives these tips for turning a temporary job into a full-time gig:

--Let staffing firms and potential employers know you're ultimately looking for a full-time job so they can place you in a role more likely to lead to a permanent position.

--Take a long-term approach. Bring the same intensity to the temporary job you would to a full-time position and adapt quickly to the organization's corporate culture. Remember that employers will assess how well you handle constructive criticism, setbacks and other job-related challenges as part of your overall performance evaluation.

--Observe the written and unwritten rules. Follow office protocol, ask questions and seek feedback so you can improve your role. For guidance, watch how top managers respond to certain situations and model your behavior on theirs, as appropriate.

--Let your personality shine. Employers want to see how well you'll fit in with the team. Actively participate in meetings and join colleagues in offsite events where possible. Expanding your connections within the company will work in your favor, so be sure to build rapport with other employees.