Looking beyond the college degree

The labor shortage is prompting more hiring managers to drop college degree requirements for certain jobs, said Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez in Fortune.com. The jobs site Glassdoor “found that companies such as Google, EY, and Penguin Random House” are no longer requiring degrees for roles such as “network specialists, financial services managers, and software engineers.” Other companies, like IBM, Microsoft, and Apple “have focused on measuring skills through projects or tests.” Policy experts say the tight labor market has forced companies to re-evaluate their hiring standards. “Degrees will continue to persist as a measure of skills and competency.” But especially in the tech fields, more applicants are coming through alternative routes, such as coding boot camps. over money from an old 401(k) into a new retirement account.” Choose a direct rollover, “which means the funds will be headed straight for a new account.” If the funds are sent to you instead of directly to a new account, you have only 60 days to put them in your new 401(k). If you have company stock in your account, you may be responsible for calculating the cost basis. “Also, remember, that if you’ve taken a loan from your 401(k), it’s usually due when you leave your employer.”