If you are in search of more information on how to problem-solve in your career, home life or with retirement planning, here are resources available online.

Establishing a household budget

Microsoft Corp. provides a free Excel budget template through its Web site that is helpful for tracking expenses and household financial planning. »more

Job hunting and career planning

Washington State University Vancouver's Career Services Web site offers sample cover letters and resumes as well as tips for crafting an effective resume, examples of appropriate job-hunting thank you letters and a directory of local employers. »more

U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics provides a free Occupational Outlook Handbook which includes information about jobs, what they pay, qualifications and skills required as well as a forecast on whether the occupation will be adding or losing jobs in the future. »more

CareerMakers has boiled down job hunting and career transitions to 10 basic principles. To read them, go to the More tab at the top of the home page and select Ten Truths. »more

Washington state provides training for low-income residents through the Work First program. The Web site outlines resources and programs available. »more

Shopping for health insurance

The Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner's Web site lets consumers verify that a health insurance provider or broker is licensed and in good standing with the state. The site also provides information on what to consider when buying insurance and a Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors (SHIBA) help line through which consumers can get free assistance comparing various health plans. »more

The U.S. Department of Labor's Web site offers information on employees rights to access health care insurance through their employer when they have been laid off or leave to accept another position. From the main page, select Health Plans & Benefits under Topics, then click on COBRA. »more

Starting and running your own business

Access Washington, the state government's Web site, offers information on business licensing. In addition to detailing state requirements, the site provides links to various city and county licensing departments. »more

The national Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) Web site offers a variety of downloadable business plan templates. From the home page select Business Tools, then click on Template Gallery. »more

The Fort Vancouver chapter of SCORE invites entrepreneurs and small business owners to set up free one-on-one counseling sessions with local experts. The site provides information on how to set up one of these sessions. »more

The U.S. Small Business Administration's Web site offers tips for starting, financing and expanding a business. »more

Planning for retirement and understanding Medicare

The U.S. Social Security Administration's Web site provides a tool to help you determine if you are eligible for benefits. »more

The U.S. Social Security Administration provides answers to common questions about accessing benefits and the financial consequences of taking benefits before full retirement age. The site also provides information on delaying benefits. medicare.gov Information about Medicare benefits and providers of supplemental insurance programs are available at this Web site. »more

Washington state provides information on supplemental insurance plans that are available for state residents. The site also provides information on additional prescription drug benefits available for people with low incomes as well as a comparison worksheet to use when shopping for a supplemental medical insurance program. »more

Where to Retire magazine each year ranks the top places to retire. This Web site includes information on how more than 130 cities, retirement sites, resorts and guides stack up. »more

To determine how much money you'll need each month for living expenses after retiring many financial institutions offer online forms, such as this one, to develop an estimate. »more

Getting legal help when facing divorce

Clark County's family court facilitators help people complete divorce paperwork for $20 a visit. Information about the services a facilitator can provide, checklists and other forms are available on the program’s Web site. »more

The Clark County Bar Association offers reduced-cost representation in civil cases, such as divorce, to residents who aren’t indigent but have low incomes. The application is available on the association’s Web site. »more

Choosing the right resume format

Eric Schubert, owner of Express Employment Professionals in Vancouver, offered a pair of resumes that show what to do and what not to do.

What does Schubert look for in a resume? Most important, he said, is to make it clear in a quick glance what you ve accomplished and what your skills are. One of the sample resumes achieves that goal (Personal information, including names, contact information, companies and schools, were omitted from the sample resumes).

»Sample No. 1: Simple resume

This resume is effective because it briefly outlines the responsibilities the job-seeker had in previous positions. The job-seeker's skills are also clearly stated.

»Sample No. 2: Comprehensive resume

The organization of this resume is straightforward and easy to follow. The format enables the applicant to fit an extensive work history on one page.

However, this resume has several problems that could cost the applicant a job opportunity. The font size is too small, and there are too many bullet points. Rather than cramming a resume full of bullet points, applicants should refine the list and instead offer additional information during an interview. This resume also lists so many jobs, seven in five years, that a future employer might be uneasy about the candidate's staying power. Instead the job candidate should have reduced the work history to the four most relevant jobs to the position being sought.