10 Hints for success at Jobs Interviews

These are ten things you should do to be successful in an interview
(1) Be prepared technically. You need to prepare for a job interview or a series of interviews the same way you would an exam. You have to be work on your interview technique. This means you have to study up on the job that you are going for and the company that is looking for an employee. Revise all the things that you know about the position that you want to get. So if you are going for a job as an accounting technician then get out your text books and revise how you prepare accounts. You should be able to answer all technical questions with ease.
(2) Be prepared in relation to yourself. Study your Curriculum Vitae and learn the dates you have put down for jobs and experience. Know about the hobbies you put down. Be confident talking about your achievements. Know your CV like the back of your hand because this is the origin of the questions you are going to be asked
(3) Practice interviews. First of all practice in front of a mirror or video. Look at you self, make sure you are sitting up straight that you are neat and confident looking. If you are stumbling practice until you are not stumbling. Then practice with a friend or relative who will be honest with you. Make them adapt different interview styles. So they can be someone soft who is nice to you but who still asks you the hard questions. Then let them be a strict interviewer who is not so nice and asks you hard questions and follows up on your answers and tries to catch you out on your answers. Then listen to what they have to say about your performance
(4) Know in advance where the interview is going to be. So look it up on a map or programme it into a sat nav. Drive there or take the bus to the premises some day before the interview if you can. This way you will make sure you are on time and that you can relax before the interview takes place. There is nothing worse than been rushed or worse late for an interview
(5) Dress appropriately for the interview, you don't necessarily have to be formally dressed but dress in clothes that you would be expected to wear in the job if you got it.
(6) Be confident and assertive. If you have prepared yourself as per above then you should be confident in your answers. Now just be confident in yourself. Believe you are as good as anyone else and portray that in the interview. The big thing employers want is someone who can do the job confidently so you have to convince them that you can do this.
(7) Do not be afraid to admit that you do not know something.Humans are very bad usually at telling lies, even the best liars give away tell tale signs or get caught up in the lie. So just admit you are lacking in knowledge in an area but then come back strong by saying that you are wiling to learn. Every job has a learning curve so you will always have to learn new stuff so the employer is always looking for someone who realizes that you cant know everything but are willing to learn
(8) Make and hold eye contact and give a firm hand shake. This portrays so much to an interviewer. You are reflecting your own self image and asserting yourself. The employer then sees you as your own person and that you can handle yourself in the world
(9) Be proud of and emphasis all the other areas of your life such as sports and hobbies. Tell them about organizations you have been involved in. Employers now a days want people who demonstrate they can add value to their business and you can demonstrate this by showing that you excelled in your sport or that you organized an event for what hobby you are involved in
(10) Relax, take deep breaths and give yourself the reassurance that you can get the job. You need to be relaxed in order to perform to the best of your ability . I mean now relaxation in your mind and body as to your abilities but not so relaxed to the point where you are slumping in the chair and yawning . You have to be prepared to work in the interview but don't get yourself nervous or uptight otherwise your brain will get foggy. Remember there is always another job and that the interview is only a half hour out of your life. Hope these help you in any interview you might have to do.

Author Frank McGivney & Co. Chartered Management Accountant 0469293891 fmcgivney@live.com

Irish banks and Central bank Authorisation

In order to operate as a bank in Ireland and in most countries you need to have a valid license from the Central bank and be authorized to carry on financial business in the country. In order to get your license the bank has to fill out an application form which it then sends to the Central bank for approval. Part of this form is a declaration that you meet the ratios of assets to liabilities (and other ratios and fitness to trade requirements) that are laid down by the central bank (this is one of the reasons Quinn Direct was taken out of the control of the Quinn family because it didn't have the necessary liquid reserves to finance all of its insurance holders making a claim at once). The bank also has to give an undertaking to inform the Central bank if its circumstances change so fundamentally that the bank no longer meets these criteria. Now if a bank has to be bailed out by the Irish or any other government then logically it cant have been in a solid financial position and couldn't have been meeting the required criteria. So first it may have been untruthful in filling out the application form or else it may have not informed in a timely fashion the central bank of its financial position. These are criminal matters and they mean that the bank is in effect unauthorized to trade in Ireland as a bank. There was a recent case in the Supreme court Tom Darcy vs Allied Irish Bank about this matter.Its worth listening to http://www.tnsradio.com/31/post/2013/02/truthful-irish-special-tom-darcy.html to hear what Mr Darcy to say on the matter. This is the central banks position on unauthorized banks All firms which have an authorisation from the Central Bank of Ireland to operate in Ireland are shown in our Registers section. Prior to entering into a financial services transaction, members of the public and shareholders should always check the regulatory status of the firm. Please note that some firms based in the European Economic Area may be regulated in their Home State and may be authorised to provide services in Ireland under Passporting arrangements. Please contact the Central Bank to check the regulatory status of such a firm. Tel: 00353 1 224 4000. Consequences of Dealing with an Unauthorised Investment Firm Consumers should be aware that, if they deal with an investment firm which is not authorised, they are not eligible for compensation from the Investor Compensation Scheme and they will not have access to the Financial Services Ombudsman. Furthermore, the Central Bank cannot initiate an Administrative Sanctions Procedure against an investment firm which does not hold an authorisation. Unauthorised Investment Firms and Warning notices Under the MiFID Regulations (EC (Markets in Financial Instruments) Regulations 2007) and the Investment Intermediaries Act, 1995, as amended (‘the IIA’), the Central Bank of Ireland has the authority to publish Warning Notices naming firms which operate as investment firms in Ireland without an appropriate authorisation. A list of unauthorised firms for which we have issued Warning Notices is available at: List / Search Unauthorised Firms We add new names to this list as soon as possible, but if the firm which has approached you does not appear on our list, do not assume it is legitimate – it may not have been reported to us yet.

Banking for business by Frank McGivney in simple terms and a short history

Banks aren't the most popular institutions at the moment if they have ever been popular. The first banks similar to the ones we have today started in Italy in and around the 14th century during the Italian Renaissance. they were generally family run and controlled. There was older forms dating back to around 2000BC in ancient Greece and Babylon. The ancient ones arranged loans for merchants and charged them interest. These are the ones mentioned in the bible outside the temples. Banks have developed and changed since then but essentially provide the same service.
                     In my opinion banks play a vital part in any economy and so they are in a strong position to dominate the economies of the countries they operate in. They have the cash resources of a country in their hands and therefore they need to be controlled and strictly controlled. That is the reason in my opinion for the property bubble that happened to Ireland and a lot of other countries. After September 11th the American government flooded the world with hard currency and this feed into the banking system where previous controls were changed in order to allow this money to be given out to the public. This resulted in money been given out in circumstances where it shouldn't have have been given and this lead to property price increases as people had access to indefinite amounts of money. For instance during the boom a common way of financing a number of properties was to take out the equity in one property and using this as deposits on numerous other properties which were then geared up with further loans. i.e. Euro 200,000 of equity in one house was used to provide the four Euro 50,000 deposits for 4 new properties and then mortgages were taken out to top these Euro50000 to the purchase price of the properties. Equity is the difference between the value of a property and the mortgage on it. Methods like this just lead to property prices been inflated in order to allow for these finance models to work. Now that only my opinion.
                        If your in business you need a bank account. You also could probably do with having an overdraft and possibly a start up loan. The first thing to do is to set up a bank account in a bank you feel confident in. Make sure it offers the services you need and that it is close enough to you so that you can use it easily. There are three types of finance that businesses really use. There is of course loads of different products called lots of different names but these three classifications encompass all these products
                 (1) Operating Finance. This consists of short term loans, credit cards, invoice discounting, factoring and overdrafts. These are meant to be used to finance the working capital requirements of a business. They are meant to be short term and the most important thing to remember is that you need to keep them short term. Therefore use them to buy stock to process an order or to pay employees for a pending job . But then when you get paid for your sales make sure that the short term finance is paid back. In my opinion businesses should be self financing and short term finance is only a means to get income in. Short term finance is by its nature the most expensive form of finance.
                  (2) Financing Loans such as leases,medium term loan, start up loans and hire purchase agreements etc. The function of this finance is to allow you to purchase fixed assets such as plant and machinery, motor vehicles, computer technology etc which will be used to run the business in to the future. It allows you to buy that new low loader which you can then hire out to make money. This finance is well justified as long as there is the demand for the product or service that you will sell by using it. The same with office equipment which may reduce operating costs and free you up to concentrate on running the business. You have to do detailed financial projections in order to ensure that the item you are buying will add value to the business.
                    (3) Long term finance such as property loans and mortgages. These can be for 20 years or more and allow you to buy your business premises. Hint: Often in small and medium size businesses their is a justification for the premises to be bought by the share holders themselves and then rented back to the company (if in a company format) This is so that if the company goes into liquidation that the premises aren't used to pay the debts of the company and to secure the asset for the share holders
                       This may seem basic to people used to banks but I get a lot of client in starting in business who have never dealt with banks.So make sure you get either the bank or your accountant to show you how to do simple banking such as filling out lodgement slips and cheques. Get them to go through the internet banking system if you avail of it. You often can pay creditors directly into their banks. If they are in your own country you just need their sort code and account number and if they are international you need either their IbAN and BIK code or a swift code which they can find on your bank statement to give to you. Above all remember with your bank that you are the customer and don't allow them to treat you with anything but respect and of course show the respect back , remember it isn't the clerk at the front desk's fault that the bank lost billions of the countrys euro's. Building a good relationship with your bank will help you to run your business but you have to be firm and confident dealing with them and make them treat you as an individual not as only a number.


 Written By Frank McGivney & Co. Chartered Management Accountants, Kell, Co Meath fmcgivney@live.com For credit card processing from your smart phone https://sumup.com/#a_aid=Frankmc1000

Employee Expenses

Generally speaking it is very difficult for employees to claim expenses in employment to reduce your tax by the Revenue Commissioners. This is because the definition of allowasble expenses is that they have to have been incurred wholly, excusively and necessarily in the performance of the employment and it is virtually impossible to meet these criteria and the revenue will oppose most expenses if not all. So food, clothes , transport to work from home etc are all disallowed.
For most expenses if your employer pays your  expense rather than giving you the money for them then they are taxable through benefit in kind. But for Mobile phone bills, computer equipment and broadband web access where you work from home and private use is just incidental then the Revenue will generally allow these with out been subject to benefit in Kind. Trap: your employer has to pay the bill directly and not give you the money to pay the bill.
You can of course claim Flat rate expenses. these are standard rates of expenses that you can claim which are added to your yearly tax credits and which reduce your income tax liability. The amount of the expense you can claim are based on your profession and on things like if you have to wear and provide a uniform etc. Here is a full list of the flat rate expenses.

Flat Rate Expenses
	2012	2011	2010	2009	2008
	€	€	€	€	€
Agricultural Advisers (employed by Teagasc)	671	671	671	671	671
Archaeologists:  (Civil Service)	127	127	127	127	127
Architects employed by
(a) Civil Service	127	127	127	127	127
(b) Local Authorities	127	127	127	127	127
Airline Cabin Crews	64	64	64	64	64
Bar trade:  Employees	93	93	93	93	93
Building Industry
Bricklayer	175	175	175	175	175
Fitter mechanic, plasterer	103	103	103	103	103
Electrician	153	153	153	153	153
Mason, roofer slater, tiler, floor layer, stone cutter	120	120	120	120	120
Driver, scaffolder, sheeter, steel erector	52	52	52	52	52
Professionals:  engineers, surveyors, etc.	33	33	33	33	33
General operatives (labourers etc. incl. Public Sector)	97	97	97	97	97
Bus, rail and road operatives in
Bus Atha Cliath, Bus Eireann and Iarnod Eireann	160	160	160	160	160
Cardiac Technicians
Female	212	212	212	212	212
Male	107	107	107	107	107
Carpentry and joinery trades
Cabinet makers, Carpenters, Joiners	220	220	220	220	220
Painters, Polishers, Upholsterers, Wood Cutting Machinists	140	140	140	140	140
Civil Service
Architectural Technologists & Assistants	166	166	166	166	166
Clerks of Works (incl. Senior  and District Inspectors)	142	142	142	142	142
Engineering Technicians for Archaeologists, Architects, Engineers and Surveyors	166	166	166	166	166
Park Rangers and constables employed by the Office of Public Works	77	77	77	77	77
Clergymen (Church of Ireland)	127	127	127	127	127
Consultants (hospital)	695	695	695	695	695
Note:  Deduction includes subscription to the Irish Medical Council
Cosmetologists
Obliged to supply and launder their own white uniforms	160	160	160	160	160
Dentists in employment	376	376	376	376	376
Dockers	73	73	73	73	73
Doctors  (hospital, including consultants)	695	695	695	695	695
Note:  Deduction includes subscription to the Irish Medical Council.
Draughtsmen (Local Authority)	133	133	133	133	133
Driving Instructors	125	125	125	125
Note: This amount represents an annual allocation of half the biannual statutory ADI fee payable to the Road Safety Authority
Engineers employed by:
(a)  Civil Service	166	166	166	166	166
(b)  Local Authorities	127	127	127	127	127
(c)  Eircom, Coillte, OPW	166	166	166	166	166
Engineering Industry [and Electrical Industry from 1997/98]
Skilled workers who bear the full cost of own tools and overalls	331	331	331	331	318
Semi-skilled workers who bear the full cost of own tools and overalls	254	254	254	254	244
All unskilled workers and skilled or semi-skilled workers who do not bear the full cost of own tools and overalls	219	219	219	219	210
Firefighters       Full-time	272	272	272	272	272
Firefighters       Part-time	407	407	407	407	407
Fishermen in Employment	318	318	318	318	318
Foresters employed by Coillte	166	166	166	166	166
Freelance actors chargeable to PAYE	750	750	750	750	750
Grooms (Racehorse Training)	294	294	294	294	294
Home Helps (Employed directly or indirectly by Health Boards)	256	256	256	256	256
Hospitals      Domestic Staff:
To include general operatives, porters, drivers, drivers, attendants, domestics, laundry operatives, cooks, catering supervisors, waitresses, catering staff, kitchen porters
(a)  who are responsible for providing and laundering their own uniforms.	353	353	353	353	353
(b) who are obliged to launder       the uniforms supplied	185	185	185	185	185
(c)  whose uniforms are supplied and laundered free	93	93	93	93	93
Hotel industry
Head hall porter	90	90	90	90	90
Hall porter	64	64	64	64	64
Head waiter	127	127	127	127	127
Waiter	97	97	97	97	97
Waitress	64	64	64	64	64
Chef	97	97	97	97	97
Manager	191	191	191	191	191
Assistant Manager	127	127	127	127	127
Trainee Manager	78	78	78	78	78
Kitchen Porter	21	21	21	21	21
Journalists
Journalists, including those in public relations area of journalism	381	381	381	381	381
Journalists who receive expense allowances from their employers	153	153	153	153	153
Local Authorities
Executive Chemists	115	115	115	115	115
Parks Superintendents	40	40	40	40	40
Town Planners	115	115	115	115	115
Mining Industry
(a)miners/shift bosses underground, mill process workers/shift bosses and steam cleaners	1312	1312	1312	1312	1155
(surface workers)	655	655	655	655	576
Motor repair and motor assembly trades
Assembly workers, greasers, storemen and general workers
(a)  who bear the full cost of own tools and overalls	52	52	52	52	52
(b)  who do not bear the full cost of own tools and overalls	42	42	42	42	42
Fitters and mechanics
(a)  who bear the full cost of  own tools and overalls	85	85	85	85	85
(b) who do not bear the full cost of own tools and overalls	42	42	42	42	42
Panel Beaters (See Panel Beaters/Sheet Metal Workers
Nurses:
(a)  where obliged to supply and launder their own uniforms	733	733	733	733	733
(b)  where obliged to supply their own uniforms but laundered free	638	638	638	638	638
(c)  where obliged to launder the uniforms supplied	353	353	353	353	353
(d)  where uniforms are supplied and laundered by hospital	258	258	258	258	258
Nurses:  Short Term Contracts through an Agency.  Additional Amount Due	80	80	80	80	80
Nursing Assistants(including attendants, orderlies and nurses’ aides)
(a)  where obliged to supply and launder their own uniforms	526	526	526	526	526
(b)  where obliged to supply their own uniforms but laundered free	440	440	440	440	440
(c)  where obliged to launder the uniforms supplied	234	234	234	234	234
(d)  where uniforms are supplied and laundered by hospital	93	93	93	93	93
Occupational Therapists
(a)  where obliged to supply and launder their own uniforms	217	217	217	217	217
(b)  where obliged to supply their own uniforms but laundered free	153	153	153	153	153
(c)  where uniforms are supplied and laundered by hospital	52	52	52	52	52
Optometrists/Dispensing Opticians in employment
Optometrists
Registration Fee - once off fee paid initially in year 1	250	250	270	270	260
Retention Fee - payable in 1st year and each subsequent year	285	300	330	330	320
Restoration Fee - payable to re-register with the Opticians Board	270	270	270	270	260
Dispensing Opticians
Registration Fee - once off fee paid initially in year 1	200	200	215	215	210
Retention Fee - payable in 1st year and each subsequent year	225	235	255	255	250
Restoration Fee - payable to re-register with the Opticians Board	215	215	215	215	210
Panel Beaters / Sheet metal Workers
(a)  Who bear full cost of own tools and overalls	78	78	78	78	78
(b)  Who do not bear full cost of own tools and overalls	40	40	40	40	40
Pharmacists	400	400	400	450	450
Pharmaceutical Assistants (formerly known as Assistant Pharmacists)	200	200	200	250	220
NOTE These amounts represent the Annual Retention Fee payable to the PSI
Physiotherapists
(a)  where obliged to supply and launder their own uniforms	381	381	381	381	381
(b)  where obliged to supply their own uniforms but laundered free	318	318	318	318	318
(c)  where uniforms are supplied and laundered by hospital	64	64	64	64	64
Pilots (Airline Pilots Association)	275	275	275	275	275
Plumbing trades
Plumber (non-welder)	177	177	177	177	177
Plumber-welder	205	205	205	205	205
Pipe fitter-welder	205	205	205	205	205
Printing Bookbinding and allied trades
Bookbinders (Hand)	109	109	109	109	109
Bookbinders (Others)	97	97	97	97	97
Compositors, linotype and monotype operators	121	121	121	121	121
Copy Holders, photo lithographers, photo engravers and workers in T and E section of newspapers	114	114	114	114	114
Monotype caster attendants, stereotypes and machine minders	135	135	135	135	135
Readers and revisers	100	100	100	100	100
Rotary machine minders and assistants	150	150	150	150	150
Others (e.g. cutters, dispatchers, rulers, warehousemen)	90	90	90	90	90
Professional Valuers in the Valuation Office	680	680	690	690	690
Radiographers
(a)  where obliged to supply and launder their own white uniforms	242	242	242	242	242
(b)  where obliged to supply their own white uniforms but laundered free	143	143	143	143	143
(c)  where white uniforms are supplied and laundered by hospital	73	73	73	73	73
Respiratory & Pulmonary Function Technicians	191	191	191	191	191
RTE National Symphony Orchestra	2,476	2,476	2,476	2,476	2,476
RTE Concert Orchestra	2,476	2,476	2,476	2,476	2,476
Shipping
British Merchant Navy
Foreign-going trade:
(a)  First class passenger and cargo liners.
Master	318	318	318	318	318
Chief officer, chief engineer, other  officers, including pursers	318	318	318	318	318
Chief steward	318	318	318	318	318
Assistant steward	244	244	244	244	244
Carpenter	194	194	194	194	194
Other ranks	148	148	148	148	148
(b)  Cargo-vessels, tankers, ferries
Master	318	318	318	318	318
Chief officer, chief      engineer, other officers, including pursers	318	318	318	318	318
Chief steward	318	318	318	318	318
Assistant steward	244	244	244	244	244
Carpenter	194	194	194	194	194
Other ranks	148	148	148	148	148
British home or coasting trade:
Master	318	318	318	318	318
Chief officer, chief      engineer, other officers, including pursers	318	318	318	318	318
Chief steward	318	318	318	318	318
Assistant steward	244	244	244	244	244
Carpenter	194	194	194	194	194
Other ranks	148	148	148	148	148
Mercantile marine officers and crews of Irish ships
Foreign-going trade: cargo vessels
Master	98	98	98	98	98
Chief officer, chief engineer, radio officer	90	90	90	90	90
Other officers including pursers	73	73	73	73	73
Chief steward	73	73	73	73	73
Assistant steward	55	55	55	55	55
Carpenter (to include tools)	55	55	55	55	55
Other ranks, including boys	37	37	37	37	37
Home trade:
(a)  Cross channel and continental
Master	98	98	98	98	98
Chief officer, chief engineer, radio officer	90	90	90	90	90
Other officers, including pursers	73	73	73	73	73
Chief steward	73	73	73	73	73
Assistant steward	55	55	55	55	55
Carpenter (to include tools)	55	55	55	55	55
Other ranks including boys	37	37	37	37	37
(b)  Coasting vessels
Master	98	98	98	98	98
Chief officer, chief engineer, radio officer	90	90	90	90	90
Other officers,
including pursers	73	73	73	73	73
Chief steward	73	73	73	73	73
Assistant steward	55	55	55	55	55
Carpenter (to include tools)	55	55	55	55	55
Other ranks, including boys	37	37	37	37	37
Shop Assistants
(including supermarket staff, general shop workers, drapery and footwear assistants)	121	121	121	121	121
Surveyors  employed by:
Local Authorities	127	127	127	127	127
Civil Service	127	127	127	127	127
Coillte	127	127	127	127	127
Teachers
Teachers [excluding guidance counsellors, third-level academic staff and physical education teachers]
School principals	608	608	608	608	608
Other teachers	518	518	518	518	518
Part-time teacher (on full hours)	518	518	518	518	518
Part-time (not on full hours)	279	279	279	279	279
Guidance Counsellors
(a)  employed full-time in second level schools	518	518	518	518	518
(b)  engaged mainly in teaching general subjects but also doing part-time guidance counselling (additional allowance)	126	126	126	126	126
Third level academic staff
Professor, Heads of         Schools/Departments	608	608	608	608	608
Senior lecturer	518	518	518	518	518
College lecturer	518	518	518	518	518
Assistant lecturer	518	518	518	518	518
Part-time lecturer (on full hours)	518	518	518	518	518
Part-time lecturer (not on full hours)	279	279	279	279	279
Physical education teachers
(a)  fully engaged in teaching P.E.	518	518	518	518	518
(b)  engaged mainly in teaching general subjects but also doing part-time P.E. (additional allowance)	126	126	126	126	126
Veterinary Surgeons	337	337	337	337	337
Veterinary Nurses
Where obliged to supply and launder their own uniforms	400
Where obliged to launder the uniforms supplied	150
NOTE: Expenses deductions to be apportioned on a time basis

Frank McGivney & Co. Ltd Chartered Management Accountants fmcgivney@live.com 0469293891