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Although the economic environment continues to be a struggle, and the signs indicate that 2012 will be more of the same, it might be the perfect time for some to take a leap of faith and start their own business. (more…)
Can you work without the need for direct supervision? Do you need constant feedback to guide your work or are you a go-getter; better at working alone as your own boss? Do you constantly need to communicate and connect with others and not be confined to being alone, isolated on your own island in your own world? Are you a mother who has to take care of your child? These are but some of the simplest of questions that can weigh on those considering working from home. Through modern technology, the idea of working and getting paid while at home has become a not-so-alien concept. Here we discuss some of the common characteristics that would make an individual ideal for this type of situation. We will also talk about the pros and cons that come with working from the confines of ones own home.
The most basic question you should ask yourself is “Can I do this work from home?” Since the Internet makes it easy to bring work to home, most companies have adopted the option of letting their employees enjoy the benefit of bringing work home. From the employer’s standpoint, it not only reduces the amount of office space needed but allows for more output through more flexible work schedules. Companies who offer such flexibility attract more job candidates, especially to those who cannot commit to a nine to five schedule. This also allows employees to meet personal obligations and, thusly, decreases absenteeism. Nowadays, there are many different types of work that require only a computer and an Internet connection in order for a worker to do their job. Some of these jobs include research over the Net, transcription, letter writing, term paper writing, coding, customer service support, and many more.
Remember, if you work from home you must be able to fully utilize your time to work from home successfully – you must be goal-oriented and disciplined. Since there is no boss to report to and no set schedule to follow, it is very easy to forget to make time and effort and to get productive work done and make a profit. It is wise to consider whether you can work without technical support. If you are able to troubleshoot and handle technical problems without the help of technicians so that your work is not delayed, working from home may be ideal. Another factor to consider is workspace. Since the bedroom is conducive for sleeping and should be limited to sleeping, does you have a work area that can double as an office that is free from distractions? It is best to assess the type of equipment and connectivity you may need for work to flow uninterrupted and all other back-up systems that would normally be provided in an office setting. An example would be a contingency in case of power disruption, which would inevitably delay output. This is very important in cases where work is dependent on turnaround time and should be considered in the planning stage.
Now we come to the pros of working from home.
At the top of the list is, of course, being your own boss. Working at home not only provides money but provides the individual with independence and flexibility. You keep your own hours, wake up when you want, sleep when you feel like it, eat while working – pretty much anything you want to do. For parents, especially, working from home is indispensable to their family, allowing them to be able to stay home yet still provide income. For parents it also cuts down on travel time and reduces the costs of transportation.
On the downside, working at home may not be as easy at it sounds. Work may not always be steady or guaranteed and, for this type of work setting to be effective, it requires a lot of motivation without the help of others. If you can work alone with little or no human contact, then there is no question of suitability. However, it is also a common fact that happy employees are also more productive employees. Being in the company of cheerful people boosts ones mood, hence, boosting morale and individual predisposition. One of the greatest hurdles will probably be in trying to avoid feelings of disconnection, which can hamper motivation. You also would not have the option of technical expertise and support that’s provided in an office setting. This can be especially difficult in cases where technical knowledge is limited, even if the person has a good base of knowledge. Career advancement may also seem lacking since there is no corporate ladder to climb and one person must do all of the work.
Economists have warned about the lack of jobs and the general decline of the economy and continue to be pessimistic about the future. You can either continue to not find work or you could simply try to acquire a new skill that is in demand. There are many new programs at technical schools and community colleges around the country where you can learn a new skill that may land you a new, lucrative job in an exploding industry.
Jobs are available, but getting paid minimum wage only works for some people, while others cannot survive on that small salary. This is happening all across the country, but the Midwest is one of the hardest hit areas. They have recently found natural gas in these states and new jobs are cropping up in this field that pay quite a bit but require specialized training. Median yearly current salaries are in the $60,000 range for some of these positions and can go up into the six figures. (more…)
Economists and financial experts patiently wait for the job numbers to be released every month. They hope that the number of jobs added during that month can keep up with unemployment claims. That never seems to be the case these days as the September numbers are looking like they will be dismal once again, resulting in more loans for people who can’t seem to keep up with their bills. If things continue down the same path, many will continue to be pessimistic about the future.
56,000 net jobs are the numbers that are concerning experts. Not only is that not enough to keep up with the recent jobless claims, it isn’t even enough to keep up with simple population growth in the country. The unemployment rate will stay at 9.1 percent, which is what it has been for three straight months. The beginning of the year showed some promise with an average of 180,000 jobs added per month, but we are now averaging about 40,000 which are simply not enough to stop a possible recession. (more…)
With such a bleak job picture, many are looking far and wide for better job opportunities to increase small current salaries. While many think that big cities are the best choice, smaller towns also have opportunities available to those who are willing to relocate. Studies show that job prospects have increased in small towns in significant numbers.
While all of the cities analyzed have unique qualities that separate them all, they all have some aspects in common that make them desirable candidates for jobs. Many of them have benefited from natural resources that have increased the job base while others are increasing their tourist appeal and have many service jobs available. (more…)
Anyone who has been in financial straits has thought about the obvious solution: taking a second job. Other than decreasing your expenses, increasing your income is a sure way to help balance your budget. However, you have to take into account that a second job can come with hidden costs and may not be as profitable as you initially think.
Second jobs are wonderful ways to increase savings or pay off debts. Every dime you make is going to add to your bottom-line during the year. At the end of the year, the additional income may be sufficient to place you in a new tax bracket. If you did not withhold enough money or miscalculated the amount of taxes you would owe with a second job, the amount of taxes you owe may come as a complete surprise. Take the tax repercussions of adding a second job into your decision to increase your income. The new tax bracket won’t just affect your second job; it will affect your first job’s income as well.
Second jobs that require additional travel time and daycare costs will also increase your expenses. Uncle Sam won’t count your travel time or gas costs as a deduction for your job so you may end up adding expenses along with fitting yourself into a new tax bracket. Be very careful what jobs you take when you are thinking of adding a second job and what all the expenses are that are associated with that new job. The key here is to make money, not owe it.
Turn a Hobby Into a Second Job
Keep your daytime job, but let your passion guide you when you are trying to extend your moneymaking ability. The best place to find your passion is to look at your hobbies to see if they can make money for you. You should be able to bring in some extra money but exactly how much depends on your connections and quality of your work. Keep the other sources of credit handy in case it takes time to build up a client list.
The amount of unemployment in this country is very high considering the fact that we are out of recession and are on our way to recovery. There are many signs that have pointed to the fact that things are getting better, but the fact remains that the unemployment numbers are not moving in the right direction. With current salaries holding steady, they should be getting less on a steady basis every month, but they seem to be hovering around a certain amount and there is no sign of that changing anytime in the near future. Every month when these numbers do get released we hold our breaths and hope for the best, but the numbers just stay the same, with barely any movement. The numbers are currently hovering around the 410,000 to 430,000 mark, which little fluctuation overall.. Hopefully, this trend will subside and we will be back on track in no time, with unemployment claims dropping every month, consistently. This month they increased, but by a small amount from 408,000 to 418,000. That is no sign of a recovery and the numbers seem very large and increasingly high for the year, which is simply not a positive thing and we must find ways to add more jobs to combat these numbers. (more…)
Say you are tired of your present job or you are actively seeking employment after graduating; do you know what strategies can help you land a job while keeping your job-hunting costs to a minimum? There are a number of costs associated with job-hunting and you will want to make sure you have the tools you need to land a good job, but do so without any unnecessary expenses.
What You Need to Make a Good Impression
You can’t land a job looking like a slouch; making a good impression is key to your success. Some might think employers don’t mind that you aren’t looking your best while you are job searching, but that’s far from the truth. You want to look successful, even if you are unemployed or have been laid off. Success breeds success, and this is no less true when you are interviewing.
You should have a conservative but stylish business suit for interviewing. Black or deep blue business suits are great for projecting a professional image. The suit should be dry-cleaned and ready to wear on the big day. A pair of matching shoes that look new is also a great way to project a confident and successful image. A suit can be expensive, but it is necessary to project the right type of image. You will be competing for a job with many other people who will be paying close attention to the image they project too.
Reduce Unnecessary Expenses
While a job that is an hour away may be enticing, you have to consider the commute time when you interview. The rising cost of gas, time spent traveling and extra maintenance your car will require will all take a toll on your new wages. If you aren’t in a position to move closer to a job, you may want to limit your choices to positions that require only a short commute. This can reduce interview travel expenses as well as future expenses if you do land that job.
If you want to drastically reduce the expenses of traveling to multiple employers, check out a job fair. With job fairs you can get your suit ready once, drive your car there once, and find multiple employers all looking to hire. You may end up having to go to additional interviews later, but you will have saved some time and gas by checking them out first. Job fairs are also a great way to eliminate employers that are not a good match. By talking to someone from human resources at a job fair, you will be able to quickly ascertain whether you are a good fit for the company or not. If not, then move on to the next stall until you do find a company that excites you.
Plan to be out and about when you are interviewing. Get directions before you leave your home or look up your destination online or in a road map. If you don’t get lost on the way then you save gas and time. Pack your lunch instead of eating out and you can save a little more money. Have a few snacks in the car in case the interview process becomes lengthy and you leave late. If you are interviewing quite a bit, these small frugal habits can end up helping you meet your job-finding goal and still let you make your bills at the end of the month.
Your Image On Paper
Your resume will represent your skills and qualifications to a prospective employer. This is one expense you do not want to avoid. Get your resume professionally reviewed so that you have a better chance of getting an interview. Without an interview you have no chance of landing a job. Without a good resume, you have no chance of landing an interview. If you don’t have someone in the family who can review your resume and give professional advice, then find someone who can help you present the best possible synopsis of you and your career on paper. The cost of revising a resume may seem like an unnecessary expense, but the alternative is to have a poor resume and few interviews.
While you are at it, you may want to also have a set of business cards. These cards are your ticket to networking your way into a new position. If you are unemployed, you can still make up a business card with your skills and your contact information. Take these with you to any business events and networking functions that might lead you to a new position. If possible, try to attend these functions on company time. If you see a conference or event that your company might like to be represented at, volunteer to go. It helps promote your career in your present job, while allowing you to network on company time. If you are lucky, they may even pay for your gas and meals too.
Learning how to network your way into a new job when you are already working is a great strategy to help you feel secure about your chances in the marketplace should you suddenly be laid off. In today’s market, there are no jobs that are not secure when times get tough. It’s up to you to make sure that you can hop nimbly from one position to another should the need arise.
If you notice that some people are being laid off in your company, you may wonder how secure your job really is. Most corporate environments seem to have cyclical purges of employees that can rattle anyone’s sense of stability. The moral of the story is that you can’t really count on your company to give you a sense of security anymore. You have to make some career choices that keep your skills sharp and your ability to earn money in good shape. You have to make your own decisions with financial security in mind.
Remain Current in your Field
If you got your degree many years ago, consider updating your knowledge base periodically with continuing education courses. Sometimes companies will even help to fund tuition for employees who are seeking to further their education in their chosen field. This is a smart way to use the company’s money to keep your skills current and become more valuable to the corporation too. If you don’t like your current field, consider taking courses on a backup career in case your current job should fall through. You may have to pay for the courses yourself, but it’s better to do that when you are employed rather than having to make that decision when you are collecting unemployment.
Always Network
If your current position doesn’t allow you to network, get out and join professional or business societies that allow people in your career path to network. You may not need to network too much if you have a great job already, but it is a good insurance policy in the event that you lose that job. Networking is one of the best ways to find another job. If your foot was in the door and working that angle before you even needed it, it will be far easier to know whom to approach once you do need someone else’s help. The choice to network isn’t really optional anymore. Even if you are a programmer, there are business societies for programmers who can get you out of your cube and in touch with people in your field in other companies. This is very important if your own company starts to fall upon hard times.
Maintain a Good Credit Profile
No matter how good an employee you’ve been and how much money you’ve saved the company, if your own credit is in the dump you will have trouble getting hired. Many companies are checking credit histories before they hire. The reasoning is that someone with a poor credit history may feel tempted to defraud the company at some point. While the reasoning is a bit lame, the practice is still becoming more prevalent.
Often the credit check is done after a person is offered the position, contingent on a credit check. You don’t want to go through all the trouble of interviewing and making it only to have the offer yanked back at the last minute.
The job market is quite bad due to the economy and the lack of funds that many companies are experiencing at the moment. When a company loses money they often must lay off some of their employees, but that is not always the case as they can try to use whatever business loans that are available to them to try to make end meet in the mean time. For some, it is a godsend to be laid off as they are so burnt out that they really are having no fun at work and are simply over it and are looking for other options to excite them. That pattern seems to be very prevalent as employers are pushing workers for more productivity. They may have laid off too many people, which puts the burden on those who have been left behind. Often, the employer thinks that half the workforce can handle the work, but that leads to burnout rather quickly. Most do not like to bust their butts with no pay increase because the company had to lay off half of its workforce. They grow resentful and start to think of options for a new job or simply hate their jobs and deal with it on a daily basis.
The recent economy issues have caused many jobs to disappear magically without any slow ups in sight, resulting in cash advances and payday loans very common these days. The jobs seem to be sparse these days, but as the economy starts to rebound from the horrible recession, we should see some jobs being created throughout all of the industries. Hopefully, the jobs that are created are enough to help lower the overall unemployment numbers we have been seeing as of late. Recently, this has come to fruition as employment has increased in the private sector although overall jobless rates are getting higher. Hopefully, the increase in jobs will continue to start brining that 9.8% down, further strengthening the economy and helping us all get back to normal. Prosperity is what everyone wants, but it just seems to be taking longer than we ever imagined for that to happen. It is a sad circumstance, but we have to have hope that things will get better. It is somewhat of a snowball effect as those who become employed start to spend money and the economy gets stronger, and more jobs are created as a result. Although high commodity prices have held down the economy, it appears that that trend has been bucked through the institution of these private sector jobs that are currently propping up the economy.
