SoFi Blog

Personal branding—the practice of educating key decision-makers about your unique value—is more important now than ever. Yet, getting a good grasp of the techniques used to build a personal brand can be tricky. How is a personal brand best created? How does one begin to understand its principles? And where should the line between branding and self-promotion be drawn? We’ve got answers.

Millennials are positioned to make a big impact in this year’s presidential election—if they turn out to vote.

• Young voters were a key factor in the election of Barack Obama. Obama won 66 percent of the under-30 vote in 2008 and 60 percent in 2012.
• Young voter turnout increased substantially in the last two elections. About half of eligible voters aged 18-29 voted in the 2008 and 2012 presidential elections, compared to less than 40% of voters that age during the 1990s.
• Young voters have the numbers to make a difference. For the first time, the millennial voting population equals that of baby boomers.

Today’s 20- and 30-somethings are facing unprecedented financial challenges, like unemployment, stagnant wages, and student loan debt. This year’s election is a huge opportunity for young voters to make their voices heard. The presidential candidates are talking (a lot) about finances and the economy, and our next president’s actions will likely have a big impact on everyone’s financial future.

Check out our guide below to the 2016 presidential candidates and their stances on the issues that impact young professionals’ financial health.

Thinking of buying a home this year? With interest rates, rents and housing prices all on the rise, this could be an opportune time to make it happen – and an interest-only mortgage loan might be the thing that makes it possible.

Most companies today wouldn’t think of operating without a thoughtfully crafted mission statement. But when it comes to running our own careers, too many of us skip this crucial step.

A mission statement is a declaration of the organization’s core purpose, usually encompassing what the business does, how it does it and who it does it for. It’s brief, focused, and serves as a guiding principle for the company’s employees.

For example, Amazon’s mission statement is: “To be earth’s most customer centric company; to build a place where people can come to find and discover anything they might want to buy online.” Sounds about right, doesn’t it?

For young professionals today, there’s been a “good news, bad news” financial scenario developing for a while now.

Good news first: The unemployment rate for college grads, ages 22-27, is finally on the decline. Recent data from the New York Fed outlines a 7.1 percent unemployment rate in March 2011 and a 4.9 percent in 2015.

The bad news? Despite the fact that there are more jobs available for younger workers, widespread wage stagnation and decline has made it hard for 20- and 30-somethings to play financial catch up. Add to that a record volume of student loan debt, and you’ve got an entire generation suffering from a generational “wealth gap.”