Social Work

Social Work is a career carried out by a trained professional that will help someone achieve better quality of life. They also hope to make the world a more humane place to live. A social work major will work in hospitals, courts, or welfare agencies to lend a hand to those less fortunate. They often give a voice to a normally silenced party. This major is very rewarding, but poorly compensated. The average salary of a social worker is around $45,000 as a mid-career salary.

Elementary Education

Students with an Elementary Education major are seeking a job as a teacher. These teachers will work with younger students to prepare them for future schooling buy teaching them basics like reading and math. They also help children to learn and apply important concepts. Again, this is very necessary, rewarding career, but under paid. Starting salary of an Elementary Education major is about $31,400 according to the 2012-2013 College Salary Report. You might get your summers off but you probably will not be able to fund a vacation.

Theology

Theology majors study religion and moral values. They leave with sensitivity and knowledge for moral and religious issues. Careers after graduation include deacon or preacher of a church, teaching in a church-based school, or writing journalism with a religious theme. This profession is seen as a calling from a higher power by many and these students would not think of changing their major but once they find that their annual salary will be less than $35,000 a year, this might change.

Fine Arts, Music and Drama

These three majors are mentioned together for a couple reasons. First, they all have starting salaries of around $35,000 a year. Secondly, seekers of this degree often are looking for the same career type, one in performing. Of course, there is the chance of hitting it big on Broadway or with an internationally famous rock band, but the average graduate is at the low end of the salary spectrum. I guess artists really don’t do it for the money anyway?

Human Services

Those seeking Human Services degrees will more than likely be “giving back” in some capacity after graduation. Working in a community organization or state agency, a human services worker generally helps individuals and communities to function as efficiently as possible. Although our President has many loan forgiveness plans in place to help those who help their community, it will not raise paychecks of this population, which earns $33,000 on average after graduation.

Special Education

You would think that someone who is willing to dedicate their life to helping those with disabilities would be rewarded well, monetarily this is not the case. Students with this major study how to teach children and adults with learning disabilities. Careers after graduation include teacher, counselor or behaviorist. The strong desire to help is deep in the hearts of these aspiring majors. Otherwise, the $33,900 a year starting salary and $48,900 mid-career salary would not push them in this career direction.

There are a lot more low-paying majors but of the 130 most common chosen, these are some of the lowest. It definitely shows that rewarding is not always defined in money.

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This isn’t the only source of a free education online. Be sure to check out my list of the top 20 online finance courses that will help you brush up on your personal finance skills. But if you’re looking to get started right away with Coursea you can choose courses from these categories:

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In fact, for my last job prior to becoming self-employed, the phone interview ended up being the most important aspect of the entire hiring process. I didn’t know it at the time, but looking back at the experience I’m glad I didn’t just try to wing it and took it as if I was meeting face to face. And although a phone interview seems easier since you might be in a comfortable environment, it can actually be much more difficult since you don’t have the opportunity to see the facial expressions and reactions by the interviewers. These visual clues can be important in helping you determine how to answer the questions based on the reactions you’re receiving.

Whether you’re speaking with human resources personnel at a posh downtown law firm or following up on a cold email lead, here are five tips to help you tackle that upcoming phone interview:

Dress appropriately: There may not seem to be much of a point to dressing up for a phone interview, but doing so can have a profound effect on the way you carry yourself.  You will feel more professional, and thus project a more professional demeanor.  Wearing sweatpants and an old shirt will only make you feel like a desperate job hunter, even if you’re not consciously thinking that way. Just try it. It only takes a few minutes to throw on a nice shirt and some pants, and it could help you come across better on the phone.

Lay out your resume and other relevant information: While you’ve probably already planned to have your resume on-hand along with other pertinent information, make sure to have your papers laid out on a desk for easy viewing.  The noise of shuffling paper can easily overpower your voice over the phone, as well as make you seem less organized. And the more information the better. This is one benefit of the phone interview because you can have a ton of information at your fingertips that you couldn’t in person like the company’s website, information about the interviewers, and so on. Use this to your advantage.

Stay seated: Pacing back and forth is a common habit among people undergoing a job interview, but visual distractions as well as being away from pertinent information can result in awkward pauses and lost train of thought.  Make an effort to stay in one place throughout the duration of your interview, preferably at a desk or table. If you are a wanderer, just try to stay in one room at least.

Eat a light meal beforehand: You’re going to need to eat a meal in order to have the energy for focus, but you want to avoid feeling sluggish and sleepy as well.  The Goldie Locks solution is to eat a light meal an hour or so prior to your interview. Even better, if you are in the position set the time of the interview, use that to your advantage and pick a time where you feel you’re at your best. If you’re a morning person, schedule something shortly after breakfast. If you shine later in the day, consider shooting for an afternoon interview.

Avoid caffeine: While valued for its ability to increase alertness, caffeine also increases your heart rate and anxiety.  On the telephone that can lead to panting, crackled pronunciation, and reduced speaking skills in general.  It’s best to skip caffeine prior to a phone interview and to instead opt for other methods of accomplishing improved focus. That doesn’t mean you need to abstain from your morning coffee entirely, but try not to load up on it in the hour or two leading up to your interview.

It’s easy to underestimate the importance of a phone interview by-way of failing to properly prepare yourself.  But by adhering to the tips above you’re likely to navigate this part of the job hunting process as successfully as possible.  By doing so, you’ll ultimately increase your chances of finding employment.

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When the economy went south many people not only lost their jobs, they lost their pensions, health care plans, stock investments, and, in some cases, their houses. Some people lost everything and won’t be able to get it back, at least not in its previous incarnation. Except for one asset, and that is the job. No matter how much your home or market investments have been devalued, a job is a still the one asset that, depending on your job security, you can rely on.

This isn’t to suggest that you must be employed—many people employee themselves, or work freelance for a multitude of different clients. By ‘job’ I mean source of income. However you are generating consistent revenue is now the most likely way you are going to build financial value in the short and long run. It’s important, therefore, that you begin to think of work and labor as a form of financial investment. You are investing in your long term ability to generate income and use your greatest asset to save for the future.

This also isn’t to suggest that there isn’t money to be made in the stock or housing markets. In fact, there’s probably never been a better time to scoop up undervalued stocks, funds, homes, and properties. If you’ve got the stomach for flipping, you could find yourself rich in a couple decades. But this is for people who have the financial padding to withstand short term losses and sit patiently on what could be some fairly nasty temporary dips.

For most people, the home is no longer the symbol of wealth it once was. In fact, for many homeowners trying desperately to refinance their mortgage, the home is now the symbol for debt. Similarly, for many investors, the scroll of stocks going by on their televisions or web browsers used to be the sign of increasing value and long term earnings—now it’s the sign of a lost nest egg. While most shrewd financial planners were able to get back on track, whether by frugality or enlisting help, many people have still not recovered.

But provided these investors have continued with their career paths, they’ve still been growing and cultivating a critical asset—their jobs. Take an average salary, such as $50,000 a year. Over the course of a decade, this adds up to half a million dollars. You work twenty years, you’re a millionaire. Now clearly this is an extreme simplification. You’ve got taxes, the cost of living, and dozens of other factors that will diminish your funds. But the fact reminds, you will have earned a million dollars.

So, if you’ve got a job, hold on to it, fight for it, work for a promotion—treat your job like you once treated your investment portfolio. You can’t rely on your home’s value recovering, nor can you count on a certain stock or fund performing well. All you can depend on is your own ability to clock in and earn a consistent paycheck. Hunker down, work for twenty years, saving as much as you can. One day hopefully you’ll wake up and realize it didn’t get as bad as you thought it would.

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You smile some more and exhale a big “thank you!”

You feel like you’re on top of the world and now all the hard work has finally paid off.  It’s time to celebrate!  Not too fast, my friend.  With a pay raise comes greater responsibility.

More money means that certain things in your life are about to change.  More specifically, it may mean where you work might change.  These are things most people don’t even think about.  However, it’s critically important to go over these potential downsides of a pay raise.  Say hello to more responsibility.

More money means greater responsibility at work

This can be a good thing and a bad thing.  Depending on where you work, this could mean you will be pressured to work longer work hours and take on more tasks.  Instead of giving into that way of thinking, start working smarter.  Studies have shown that if you prove yourself as an efficient worker, you will move up the ladder faster.  Just because you’re putting in longer work hours doesn’t mean anything these days unless you work for an “old-school” employer who places importance on that.

Changes to your wallet

More money means a bigger wallet, right?  Yes, it may mean that you have additional income now, but you should not assume that you need to spend more money or act differently.  Treat money as something that comes and goes.  It’s temporary and will eventually disappear when you die.  Focus on investing and using the additional income responsibly.  Avoid the temptation to change your lifestyle.  Instead, change nothing, or if you’re sacked with a lot of debt, put that money toward reducing it.

Co-worker dynamics change

Typically, when one gets a pay raise, more than likely you’ll be jumping up a rung on the corporate ladder.  When you once hung out with co-workers and things were care-free due to a level playing field, you may find yourself becoming friends with new people.  With a career bump, it can he hard to still enjoy the same talk with your good friends at work.  There is always the fact that you are “higher” up on the ladder than them now.  Another thing that I’ve seen happen is the bitterness can grow if someone gets a pay raise in a group and the others don’t.  These are things that you need to be aware of.  Also, it’s not a dead end.  You can work hard at keeping this relationships and nurturing them in humility.

Be aware of the changes and evolve

Being aware of the changes greater income brings into your life can help you evolve in the work place and make you an even greater asset to your employer.  Stop thinking in negative terms.  Yes, this article comes off as negative, but you can take these three changes and use them to your advantage.  Simply being “aware” is powerful.  Now go show your boss you want another pay raise next week!

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Employers will look at the school listed on your resume and they may even ask questions about your education during the interview process. There’s nothing worse than going to college only to learn that your degree won’t help you land a job.

Here are five things to look for when choosing online colleges. Not only will these qualifications help narrow your search for the perfect school, they will also give you a better idea of what employers look for in regards to education.  The five you need to focus on include:

• Accreditation. Is the online college you’re considering accredited? Will your degree or certificate be considered legit by prospective employers? Are you able to transfer credits or satisfy additional degree requirements with the online classes that you are taking?
• Student Reviews and Satisfaction. What do current and past students think about the college? How did they rate their experience? Would they recommend the online school to their friends and family members?
• Independent Rankings. How does the college rank when compared to other schools in the area? How does it rate to other online colleges?
• Teacher Ratings. Are the professors knowledgeable? Are they easy to reach and supportive? Do they offer help outside of normal classroom hours?
• Cost. What does each class cost? How does it compare to your local college or university? Are there additional fees for taking courses online?

Attending an online college these days can be extremely beneficial. It allows working men and women to further their education without impeding on their personal or professional lives. Many parents appreciate being able to take classes while raising their families. If this sounds like you, make sure that you do your homework before enrolling in an online college or university. Like everything else in your life, you want to get the most bang from your educational buck.

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In fact, I’m willing to bet you’ve thought about starting a business at some point. We’ve all had those flashes of inspiration and thought we might be on to something. Then reality sets in and we realize that starting a business usually takes a lot of time, money, and energy to get off the ground. Even then, we are reminded constantly by friends and family that most businesses fail within their first few years. So, after careful consideration most people put their business idea up on the shelf and go about their daily lives.

It’s true that there is a lot of risk that goes into starting a business. The statistics don’t lie. Waking up one morning and deciding to quit your job to go start a business carries a lot of risk, especially if you have a family that relies on your income.  This is how most people envision starting a business. Drop everything, dump the job, and put 110 percent into the new venture and hope it succeeds. Fortunately, not all businesses require this all-or-nothing approach and much of this risk can be minimized by easing into a business that stems from an existing hobby.

Why Hobbies Can Make a Great Business

Why do you have a hobby? Obviously, it’s because it’s something you enjoy. And what kind of businesses do most people start? That’s right, something surrounding what they enjoy. Think about it. If somebody loves to cook are they going to wake up one morning and decide to start an accounting business? Is somebody who enjoys sewing or knitting going to create a home-based web design business? Probably not.

This is why so many small businesses start with a hobby. If somebody is already doing something they love in their free time it isn’t uncommon to think about what it would be like to make money doing what you love. When you combine the love for an activity with the ambition to make some money along the way, a business is born. So, take a moment to think about some of your hobbies. Have you ever dreamed of a lifestyle where you did that every day and made a living? Granted, not all hobbies are suitable business ventures, but many can be. And if they can’t sustain a full-time income they may at least provide a second stream of income, which is always a good thing.

My Own Hobby Turned Business

Here’s a little secret. This website, and in turn my present career, all stemmed from a little hobby. Ever since high school I’ve dabbled on the web. I had no specific training or education when it comes to creating websites, but over time I built a number of sites, mostly for fun. From online message boards to personal sites, I simply enjoyed creating something out of nothing and seeing if other people would stop by to visit. None of this was done to make money, and in almost all instances no money was made and I had no real intentions of getting into this arena as an actual business.

The same could be said back in 2006 when this site came about. I had a comfortable job in the financial services industry consulting retirement plan participants, so I had no intentions of setting out to start an online business. In fact, I didn’t even know what a blog was back then. I just assumed it was something teenagers had so they could complain about how bad their day at school was. I didn’t know anything about WordPress or that there were sites out there actually making money at this. All I knew was that I enjoyed building and experimenting with websites, so with my background in personal finance and investing I figured it would be interesting to try something along those lines. So I did.

For at least the next year the site was still little more than a hobby. It was just something to tinker around with after work, learn more about creating websites, and read other personal finance blogs to see how they do it. This site didn’t make a dime, and I didn’t expect it to. Eventually, I learned about some ways to make money via ads, so I signed up for an Adsense account and put some ads up on the site. Nothing happened. I thought if I built it, they would come, and they would click on ads. Hardly. It took six months to earn my first $100 and even receive a payment. Not quite a thriving business by any means.

Again, this didn’t matter. I created the site as a way to escape the 9 to 5, not to turn it into a full-time  business. The thing is, after you follow a bunch of other sites and learn more about creating websites, you realize that many people are doing it as a business. After reading some inspirational stories about others who have made the transition from hobby to business I began thinking about what I could do to possibly transition my site from a casual hobby into something that could put a little money in my pocket. And so my focus shifted from wasting an hour or two each night playing with the website to taking a hard look at how I could begin treating it a little more like a business.

Long story short, the beauty of turning a hobby into a business like this is that there is little risk starting out. I didn’t have to suddenly quit my job just to register a domain and put up a website. I didn’t have to get a business loan to finance the venture. I simply took something I was already doing in my free time for fun anyway and over time began to focus that energy so the hobby evolves into a business. Who knew that after a few years I’d be completely self-employed and working from the comfort of my home?

Identifying Your Hobby

So, what do you like to do? Maybe you’re into photography, arts and crafts, writing, gardening, or art? No matter what your hobby is, there is potential there. Of course not all hobbies are created equal and some may have a more natural market than others, but there’s no stopping you from taking almost anything and finding a business opportunity.

Next, consider whether you’d be providing a product or a service. If you actually make something and think you could sell it to others, you’ve got a product. If you’re giving somebody your time or doing something for them, that’s a service. But don’t let that black and white definition stop you from thinking outside the box. For example, let’s say you love taking photographs. Most people think of the photography business as lending your time and expertise to take nice photos of somebody or something, which they can then in turn get prints of. But the opportunities are almost endless. Instead of that traditional photography business model, you could take photos of local landmarks or landscapes, get them printed and framed, and then simply sell the prints online, in local shops, or arts and craft shows. Or maybe you enjoy teaching others so you begin offering your own local photography class or local photo tour. As you can see, one simple hobby can have many business possibilities. It all comes down to what you enjoy doing.

Treating Your Hobby Like a Business

When you’re just starting out and haven’t even sold anything yet you probably haven’t even thought about the aspects of running a business, and that’s fine. If you test the waters by selling a scarf to your mom or set up a blog for the first time you don’t really need any special business items in place. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be thinking about the business even before it becomes a business.

When it comes to setting up your business you have three primary options:

1. Sole Proprietor – This is the most common and easiest business structure. Basically, you are your business. In the eyes of the government and IRS the money you make is yours, and will be taxed as income. There are no forms to file to become a sole proprietor, and if you simply begin making money selling something or providing a service, this is what your business will be. Keep in mind that you still may need to check with your city or county to see if a business license is required. In addition, if you’d like to create a business name to operate under you’ll usually want to check with your county clerk and file a DBA (Doing Business As). Business licenses and DBAs are typically just a nominal fee. Finally, since you are your business, you are personal liable for everything related to your business.
2. Limited Liability Company – The next step up is a Limited Liability Company, or LLC. The LLC is similar to a sole proprietorship in that the income generated is generally just treated as personal income and taxed accordingly. The real benefit to an LLC is provides some additional liability protection because it is a business entity. Each state has different laws and requirements surrounding LLCs so you will need to check with your state to determine how to set one up. Typically, there will be an initial application fee and then minimal ongoing annual reporting and renewal requirements.
3. Corporations – Finally, you have corporations. A corporation is a separate legal entity and affords the most liability protection if managed properly. Corporations come in two flavors: S-Corp and C-Corp. In the S-Corp the income is passed down to the individual and taxed as personal income. A C-Corp is instead treated as a separate taxable entity and must file its own corporate tax return. Corporations have the most stringent filing requirements and are usually not suitable for most individual small businesses.

After determining how your business will be structured it’s time to think about banking. One of the best things you can do is to separate your business and personal finances. In fact, if questions were ever to arise regarding your business activities and taxes, the IRS will almost certainly expect to see your finances separated. Not only does keeping business and personal money separate make your life easier, but it will help you ensure you get all of the tax breaks available to you.

So, shop around and see what banks have to offer in terms of business accounts. To make it simple you may just want to go to the bank where you already do business, but they may not have the best business accounts and there could be better options. At the very least you’ll want a business checking account. With this account you will be able to deposit funds from payments and write checks or use a debit card to make business purchases. At some point you may also want to consider a business credit card so you can get the added purchase protection and maybe even start collecting rewards or cash back.

While running a small business isn’t incredibly difficult, you may want to brush up on the basics of business law. Unless you have a fairly complex business situation, you probably don’t need an attorney, but having a few contacts at your disposal is always welcome.

Business Taxes

Some of the benefits of owning your own business are tax breaks. In most cases, expenses directly related to running your business are tax deductible. For example, if you were to begin selling your scarves online and wanted to build your own website to showcase your products and take orders you’d be able to deduct the cost of the domain name, web hosting fees, and design fees. If you go to the local craft show every weekend and set up a booth you’d be able to deduct not only the cost of the booth, but even the travel expenses to get back and forth from the event.

In addition to the obvious expenses involved with running the business there are additional deductions such as the home office deduction if you work out of the house. There are some restrictions on the home office deduction and you may want to consult an accountant when you file your taxes, but the potential is there for a significant tax break if you qualify.

When it comes to paying taxes, things are a little different if you’re used to working for an employer. In most cases when you work for someone else you receive a paycheck and then taxes are deducted automatically. When you make money on your own this isn’t the case. Instead, you’re receiving a gross payment and then it’s up to you to pay the necessary taxes. One of the biggest mistakes many new business owners make is forgetting about the need to pay tax on the income along the way. What happens is tax time rolls around and after crunching the numbers they realize they have a huge tax bill due since they haven’t paid any tax on all that business income. If money wasn’t set aside for taxes it could really put you in a difficult position.

This is where paying estimated quarterly taxes come in. When you have a regular stream of self-employment income coming in you will usually need to begin making estimated quarterly tax payments. This applies to both federal and state taxes. If you still have a job that withholds taxes you’re in luck because you can simply change your withholding amount to cover the extra taxes due. If you don’t have a job that withholds taxes, or you’ll make too much with your business to make that a viable option, then it’s time to set up those estimated tax payments. To learn more about these estimated tax payments be sure to see IRS Form 1040-ES.

Promoting Your Business

You may have the best product or service in the world, but you’ll never make any money if nobody knows about it. This is one aspect of having a business that many people are unfamiliar with. This may be the first time you’ve had to think about marketing or advertising and it can seem like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be.

Start with an online presence. It doesn’t matter if you’re only serving local customers or you’re trying to sell to anyone, anywhere. Having an online presence is a requirement these days. It could be as simple as a single webpage that showcases your business, products or services, location, and contact information. Everybody uses online search these days so you at least need the basics. In addition to a basic website you can obviously do much more such as create a Facebook page, use Twitter, list your business on directories or yellow pages, and even post on Craigslist. Ultimately, you want people to be able to find you online.

As important as being online is, having a local presence can be just as important if you sell your product or service locally. This means spending a little money to get some business cards made. Face-to-face encounters can be important and having something to give the person so they can remember you in the future can make all the difference in the world. In addition to business cards you may want to look at local advertising. Check with the local papers, bulletin boards, or even approach existing businesses to see if you can work together.

Putting It All Together

Turning your hobby into a legitimate business isn’t difficult, but you can certainly set yourself up for success if you take the time to plan ahead and do things properly. The beauty of a hobby turned business is that you don’t have to jump in head-first and risk losing it all if your idea isn’t successful. You can test the waters and take some time determining if the idea has any potential.

Worst case scenario is that you find out that the business doesn’t have as much potential as you thought, or that maybe you don’t enjoy the business side of things, so you go back to just doing it as a hobby. The best case scenario is that over time your little hobby has proved to be a profitable venture and may even provide you the opportunity to quit your regular job and focus on the business full-time.

Whatever the outcome it will most certainly be an amazing journey and great learning experience. You will learn new skills and meet new people along the way, and you never know when this may come in handy in the future.

Have you ever tried, successfully or not, to turn a hobby into a business? Be sure to share your comments below.

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Experience Matters

Those with real-world work experience in their field will have a significant edge over those without such experience. If you have done any work in your field while in school, either through an internship, summer job, or work-study program, this will be a great asset. Companies have to make smart decisions when hiring new talent, so coming in with even a little experience will help you edge out other candidates who may not have the experience. When polishing up your resume, you’ll certainly want to highlight any work experience.

But what if you’re graduating this year and you don’t have any experience? You need to sell yourself. This is when it pays to have your interview skills honed in and projecting confidence can help you land that job. For most people, the only way to get really good at interviewing is to practice. Practice with your spouse, friend, or roommate until the process feels natural. Certainly, a real interview for a real job will never quite be the same, but the less you have to think about what you’re saying in the interview will go a long way in calming your nerves.

Start Early and Plan Ahead

Even if your friends and classmates haven’t begun searching for jobs yet, don’t delay. You’ll want to begin looking for opportunities as soon as possible. Not only will this give you a head-start, but it may provide flexibility. Getting an early start will put you in the position of being able to turn down jobs without the potential you’re looking for and holding out for a job with more promise.

Look for a company that promotes from within and has the structure to provide opportunities for career advances to talented and hard-working employees. How will you know if a job is right for you? Before you start looking for jobs, think through all the things that are important to you and make a checklist. Some things to consider:

• What is more important: pay, or a flexible schedule?
• Are good benefits more important than higher pay?
• Would you give up some perks in order to work in the city or are the suburbs more appealing even at a lower salary?

To fully compare different job offers, you really have to look at the whole package. If you plan on needing benefits, consider what those benefits actually cost or could save you money on. If you’re looking at two different offers, the base pay is important, but if the lower paying job has a retirement plan match or better health benefits, it could be a case where the lower paying job could actually end up providing the greatest total compensation.

Networking

Networking is one of the most powerful methods of finding a great job. Make a list of your contacts and how they might be able to help you. Talk to people who are working in the field you’re interested in and in the companies you’d like to work for. Don’t limit yourself to newspaper help wanted ads or online job postings. This is where it can be a good idea to begin building a LinkedIn profile so that you can begin to network with others in your field. There are also a lot of recruiters and HR personnel who use the service to find talent.

The best jobs usually go to those who start looking a little earlier, a little longer, and a little harder. Take advantage of any contacts you have in the field you’re hoping to work in, as recommendations are usually going to carry a little more weight than a a blind resume.

Additional tips:

• Take advantage of your college’s career center.
• Attend job fairs on campus.
• Participate in on-campus interviews set up by local companies looking for staff.
• Before going to an interview, research the company as thoroughly as possible so you can speak intelligently about the company’s business and its goals and how your skills and experience can help advance the company’s agenda.
• Use all the job-hunting strategies available to you. Don’t limit yourself to one or two methods of job hunting.
• Remember that your resume is your ambassador. A messy, unprofessional resume, or one with typos in it will give a bad impression to your potential employer. Take the time and effort to prepare a professional-looking resume that succinctly highlights your strengths and experiences and will make a good impression on those who read it.
• Once you’ve landed the interview, be sure to follow up afterwards with a brief, neatly written note expressing your interest in the job and demonstrating your understanding of what the company is looking for in the ideal candidate.
• Once you have the job, give it your best efforts, even if it’s not your ideal job. Your work ethic and work habits will follow you around from one job to the next. Make sure the news is all good.

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I made the transition from full-time office employee to full-time freelancer and you can too. It takes some patience and determination to realign your lifestyle to fit your values but it is possible. Choose a career that can be done from the comfort of your own home office or take the plunge and ask your current employer if you can telecommute.

Examples of Work From Home Opportunities

Here are a few of the jobs you can do from home:

• Freelance Writer
• Freelance Editor
• Freelance Graphic Designer
• Party Planner
• Virtual Assistant
• Sales Representative
• Online Tutor
• Transcription and Translation Jobs
• Direct Selling

Finding Work That Pays

When it comes to finding work from home opportunities that actually pay, you must first consider the source. Does it list an hourly rate or state that you will be strictly working on commission? Does the position require special equipment? How often does it pay?

Once you’ve gotten those questions answers, it pays to investigate the company further. Read a few reviews of the business on the net. If possible, see what the Better Business Bureau has to say about the company. How high of rating does it have? Are there complaints about the business?

Knowing if an opportunity is legit or not can save you heartache in the long run. You should never have to pay to apply for the company or access its databases. For example, many posters on Craiglist advertise freelance writing jobs and ask you to click on a link. The website you are taken to requires credit card payment to access the information contained on it. Whatever you do, steer clear of these types of “opportunities”. You could go broke within a short amount of time by paying for monthly memberships to sites like these.

Places to Find Work From Home Opportunities

Here are a few of the places you can find legit work from home opportunities:

• Craigslist
• Indeed.com
• ChaCha.com
• About.com
• VIPDesk

Not all that glitters is gold but there are a lot of legitimate sources of income to be found on the net. If you’re looking for an opportunity that gives you freedom over your schedule, more time to spend with your family members, and friends or a feeling of gratification that doesn’t require an extra grande coffee, a long commute, and a brand new outfit, working from home may be just what you are looking for in terms of part-time or full-time income.

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Along the way, I’ve picked up some resume tips that might help you. There are tips to set you out from the rest, not just general tips. Use these and you’ll be golden.

1. Always place your resume goal above the fold

I’ve seen resumes where people place their goals at the bottom of the resume. Your goal should be the first thing an employer reads. If you have a strong goal, the employer is keyed in mentally to this and will consider your other resume information against that goal. It’s also a chance for the employer to scope out your writing talent.  Although this goal is short and sweet, it really does tell an employer a lot about who you are as a person.

2. Use descriptive keywords and focus on your achievements

NEVER use general words for your resume. Only use “intelligent” words that will grab the employer’s attention. Also, focus on your achievements at previous employers. Avoid listing skills that you learned. For example, if you helped save $25,000 in the marketing department, note this achievement on your resume! This is your time to shine, it’s OK to boast.

3. Keep it clean and simple, make it easy for the interviewer

I remember comparing resumes and most looked so busy! Don’t information stuff your resume. If you really have to go to two pages, that’s fine. Just don’t attempt to try to decrease the font size. It’s better to reduce the information on your resume and make it easy for the potential employer to find your information. A clean resume is the best kind of resume!

4. Focus on your work experience

Too many people (including myself) have focused on what I like to call “side issues.”  There are topics that employers couldn’t care less about. For example, I used to put the church I went to and that I enjoyed snowboarding.  A big no-no!  Never do this. Instead, focus on your work experience and what you did for previous employers. An employer only cares about how you’re going to benefit their company. It sounds shallow but it’s very true.

5. Use heavy stock paper

Yes, yes, it may sound cliche, but you’d be surprised at how effective this is.  Using heavy stock paper tells a potential employer two things. One, you really want the position. And two, you went out of your way to set yourself apart from the rest. Employers aren’t looking for sheep. They are looking for leaders who are not afraid to be themselves and be different.

Use these tips to create your next beautiful resume.  This is not an exhaustive list by any means. Comment below with your favorite resume tips!

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