4 Ways to Work from Home Now: Ditch Your 9-to-5 Gig

By Kristina Cowan, Senior Writer for PayScale.com

Are you tired of the 9-to-5 shuffle? It doesn't take much to build a case for working from home. Maybe your daily commute time is hours long, you can't find enough time to spend with your family, or you're fed up with your boss's 24-7 work schedule.

The good news is that there's help for people who find their 9-5 boring. And, the possibilities to work from home now are as interesting as they are diverse.

If you want to work from home now, you might consider exploring one of the following work from home paths-flexible work from home gigs that don't require a bachelor's degree and, sources say, generally pay between $10-$50/hour, some more, depending on experience, skills and location.

1. Virtual assistant. These jobs run the gamut, from work from home typing jobs, bookkeeping, transcription, proofing, editing, writing and distributing press releases, to Web design. Diana Ennen, author of Virtual Assistant, The Series: Become a Highly Successful, Sought After VA and president of Virtual Word Publishing, said the industry is exploding thanks to technology and the Internet, enabling VAs to not only work from home now, but work from anywhere. "More VAs are coming along, but even more important, the businesses are seeing how vital we are and how we can grow their business. We take over so many aspects of things they don't want to do. Our expertise helps them make more money because we offer specialties and things they need," Ennen said.

2. Virtual concierge. As a work from home virtual concierge, you help people with their to-do lists. "It could be anything from finding someone a movie time and buying them movie tickets to planning family vacations anywhere in the world to making appointments. Really just about anything that's legal," explained Lindsay Gibson, director of training for VIPdesk, which offers virtual concierge and customer service.

3. Pet-care franchisee. The business of caring for Fido and Fluffy is booming. The American Pet Products Manufacturers Association estimates that America in 2007 will spend $41 billion on pets, including $2.9 billion on pet services. So if you love animals and have an entrepreneurial spirit, this work from home job might be for you. Franchisees for FETCH! Pet Care serve as general managers for local pet-care operations, hiring staff, handling clients, overseeing billing, payroll and marketing, and sometimes taking care of animals.

FETCH! CEO Paul Mann says work from home franchisees must meet certain requirements: "They need business acumen, to be passionate and dedicated to the business. If we see they have those skills, we are less concerned about their education. If someone has been working in sales, marketing, staffing-those are much stronger attributes than whether or not they got a doctorate in psychology. We look for practical experience."

4. Medical transcriptionist. Work from home medical transcriptionists (MT) transcribe dictation from doctors and healthcare professionals, creating medical reports, correspondence and other administrative materials for patients' files. They must understand medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, pharmacology and how to translate medical jargon, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Read the full details of a medical transcriptionist job.

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Mengelola Kemarahan di Tempat Kerja

by RO

Banyak alasan pekerjaan yang bisa membuat Anda kehilangan kontrol akan emosi Anda dan �meledak� di tempat kerja. Tekanan pekerjaan, stress yang berkepanjangan, rekan kerja yang tidak kooperatif adalah sedikit dari banyak sebab yang bisa memicu kemarahan Anda.

Marah mungkin adalah reaksi awal yang paling mungkin timbul ketika Anda menemukan hal yang tidak sesuai dengan standar atau harapan Anda terhadap hasil kerja tim atau rekan kerja bahkan atasan Anda sendiri. Gejala yang muncul ketika Anda marah adalah detak jantung yang meningkat naik, wajah terasa panas dan rahang menjadi tegang. Beberapa orang melampiaskan kemarahan dengan memukul meja, membanting pintu. Ada juga yang menuliskan angry email yang isinya unek-unek kepada yang bersangkutan atau bahkan sangat mungkin mengkonfrontasi langsung kemarahan kepada orang tersebut.

Apapun trigger dan bentuk pelampiasan kemarahan Anda, hal pertama yang harus Anda sadari adalah bahwa kemarahan tidak akan menyelesaikan masalah yang sudah ada. Malah cenderung menciptakan masalah yang baru karena tanpa disadari Anda bisa saja mengeluarkan kata-kata tidak sepatutnya.

Marah, sama dengan bentuk emosi lainnya bisa dan sebaiknya dikontrol. Apalagi bila emosi ini yang berkaitan dengan lingkungan dan rekan kerja. Selain timbulnya masalah baru yang muncul, marah juga menimbulkan stress yang pada akhirnya berdampak pada produktifitas dan performa kerja Anda.

Tips apa yang bisa membantu mengelola kemarahan Anda?

1. Breathing technique

Ketika Anda merasa dorongan untuk marah, jangan segera bereaksi atau defensif terhadap pemicu kemarahan. Cobalah untuk diam dan bernafaslah perlahan-lahan. Rasakan setiap tarikan nafas Anda dan hitung perlahan-lahan. Cobalah untuk merilekskan tubuh dan pikiran Anda sebelum menganalisa masalah yang ada. Tekhnik ini memberikan kesempatan untuk meminimalisir dampak dari kemarahan yang mungkin timbul nantinya.

2. Dalam pikiran cobalah visualisasikan tempat yang bisa menenangkan.

Seperti tepi pantai yang tenang, padang rumput yang luas. Setiap orang umumnya mempunyai visualisasi yang berbeda tentang tempat dan situasi yang menenangkan.

3. Analisa pemicu kemarahan Anda dengan mengajukan pertanyaan ini; apakah kesalahan ini memang disengaja untuk membuat saya marah? Kemungkinan besar jawabannya adalah tidak. Masalah yang ditimbulkan biasanya karena ketidaksengajaan atau kecerobohan. Daripada menghabiskan energi untuk melampiaskan amarah, lebih baik Anda menggunakan energi Anda untuk memperbaiki dampak dari kesalahan tersebut.

4. Bayangkan jika Anda yang berada di posisi orang yang telah membuat Anda marah.

Apakah Anda akan marah kepada diri Anda sebesar kemarahan Anda pada orang tersebut?

5. Pikirkan konsekuensi terburuk yang Anda terima jika Anda melampiaskan kemarahan Anda sekarang.

Jika ternyata membahayakan posisi dan kredibilitas Anda, maka pikir masak-masak sebelum Anda �memuntahkan� amarah Anda.

Marah adalah hal yang manusiawi, tapi kalau Anda selalu marah, atau gampang marah bahkan selalu marah dan seringkali tips diatas gagal untuk mengendalikan kemarahan Anda, maka sudah saatnya Anda melihat ke dalam diri Anda sendiri dan mempertimbangkan untuk berkonsultasi dengan ahlinya.

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Successful Change Starts With a Shift in Perspective

Like so many in corporate America today, Susan needed more balance in her life - but she did not know how to get it. Faced with a 60-hour work week and a lengthy daily commute, Susan was left with little time for outside interests. Her job was literally draining her of energy, and her attitude at work was changing, especially within her business unit.

Who is Susan? Susan is a composite of thousands of executives who are pushed to the brink by trying to juggle demands on the job with demands at home. Susan could be you.

At work, Susan was accepting extra work and projects and was not able to say 'no' to her boss. She became frustrated and drained. By accepting everything and not speaking up for herself, Susan became increasingly frustrated and angry. She became more demanding and less flexible with her own team. Her usual encouragement to 'think outside the box' was replaced by a controlling 'do as I say' attitude.

Micromanagement became her style. As a result, her staff appeared less involved in their work. They began to distance themselves from her.

On the social front, Susan was also making unhealthy choices - spending time with friends and family that were draining and burdensome and then keeping silent and angry about it. She did not have anybody to talk with about her experiences and frustration, so there was no one who could help her develop the perspective necessary to propel her toward greater personal fulfillment.

Like so many other executives, Susan believed that if she increased her hours and worked harder, life at work would get better. Are you just like Susan? Do you think that if you become more demanding and micro-manage your employees, the job will get done? Do you think keeping silent makes the problems go away?

To anyone who still believes this way, this is your wake up call. It does not work. Change is the answer - change coupled with a shift in perspective.

But sustaining meaningful change is never easy. It takes desire, intention, a clear vision, a good plan . . . and commitment. Change also takes time. In our increasingly busy lives we often get overwhelmed with demands on our time. Complacency sets in, and we lose the ability to overcome inertia - the tendency of a body at rest to stay at rest or of a body in motion along a certain path to stay in motion along that path.

To change, we must create structure that encourages and supports change, and it begins with an all-important shift in perspective. Instead of living in silence and hiding - or being overly controlling in our work relationships-or feeling that we need to leave our job - we can start by considering a more fulfilling alternative.

In Susan's case, she looked at what energized her, what she was good at, and what gave her joy. She put limits on the amount of work she was willing to take on and began speaking up to make sure her needs were heard and met. She shifted from being a controlling team leader to one that encouraged risk-taking and 'thinking outside the box.'

The result? Greater group cohesion and less stress for everyone involved. Group members felt less restricted and more empowered. Susan added greater value to her company and the results were visible and rewarded. More opportunities-the kind of opportunities Susan wanted-started coming her way.

At the same time, Susan developed criteria for what she wanted in her relationships. She evaluated her current relationships and determined which ones needed to be addressed. She began to speak up to make her needs known, and in some cases she ended unfulfilling relationships. As she revised her standards and set limits, she gained more energy to try new activities outside of work-re-awakening areas of interest that she had long ago left behind.

Susan's success story can be your success story, too. And it starts with four simple steps.

You must . . .

1. Be clear about your intentions to make a change;

2. Be willing to experiment and to try new strategies to achieve the changes you want;

3. Be willing to learn what works and what does not, and to make adjustments;

4. Not let fear stop you from making these significant changes.

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Expect Success to Stay Self-Motivated and Get Great Results

By Caterina Rando, MA, MCC

If you called my office you will hear my voice mail message that ends with the words Expect Success.

Theres a important intent behind that. What if every time we made a phone call or personal request or met with a potential new customer, you expected you would be successful? Do you think your behavior would be different?

If we truly expected success we would make more phone calls, make more requests and schedule more appointments. And that would result in more business, more income, more ease in our workday, and more overall success.

When we call people or meet with them, we have to hold the attitude that we are offering them an opportunity. An important opportunity, and maybe even the perfect opportunity for them. If they do not go for it, thats fine. Our responsibility to ourselves is to make the offer. It doesnt matter what the thoughts and actions of the other person are; it doesnt matter whether they agree to what you are offering or not. What matters is that you go for what you want all the time, every time, and are as proactive and confident as you would be if you knew you could not miss.

As you well know success is not a destination we arrive at; it is an attitude we hold along the way. All the joy of our professional lives is not in the outcome, but in the process. Do not rob yourself of the satisfaction that lies on the path along the wayenjoy every call you place, every order you take, every presentation you make. Revel in the process of being a successtoday.

To expect more success, more of the time, follow these steps:

- Acknowledge all the small successes in the process. Count your wins daily. Wins are all those things that go your way in a given daythe letter you wrote, the VIP you finally got hold of, the parking ticket you eluded, the compliment you received.

- Smile. Both psychologically and physiologically, this simple, easy action improves our well-being, which improves our outlook, which prepares us for all the great things we are expecting to happen to us. To become fit and healthy from a success standpoint, give your smile muscles a workout just like the rest of your body.

- Hold your success attitude in your body. Stand up straight, raise your chin up, keep your shoulders back and feet firmly planted. Feel the power of personal success in every cell in your body.

- Create a compelling success image in your mind. Once you expect your success, see it. Imagine it vividly and in colorwhat are you doing, where are you, what are you wearing, how does it feel like in your body? Make your success as real as possible in your mind, so your expectancy is even stronger and, as a result, your actions even bigger.

- Use an affirmation or set an intentions. State to yourself over and over what you intend to create today. State your intentions verbally, out loud to yourself; state them silently, in your mind; and record them on a cassette tape so that you can listen to yourself stating what you expect to create in your life.

- Beyond Affirming, Feel It. Do not stop at the mental part of expecting success. Also feel it in your body. You have felt the good feeling of connecting, achieving, realizing what you want.

- Be bold. Do all those things today that you know you will do when you are more successful. That is how you will create the success you strive for in your business and life.

You will never be more successful than you expect you can be. Greet every day with the belief that good things are going to happen to you. Expect to be successful with your calls, appointments and projects. Your work life will be enriched; you will take more risks, make more requests, and seize more opportunities. That will result in a better life, and that is what success is all about. I say that people who expect success not only think they are more successful, they actually are more successful. I urge you to vigorously and fully prove this theory in your own life.

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Preparing for the future of work

Abridged: Guardian Careers

NEW YORK, NY -- Over the past 20 years the shape of the workforce has changed beyond recognition. It's obvious that technology is moving as fast as ever -- and the workplace must keep up. A recently produced list of future professions suggests that by 2030 workers might be training for careers as diverse as space pilots, tour guides and educational avatar moderators. Another recent survey suggests that, by 2017, there will also be an 883% rise in employment for other business services -- for instance accountancy, law, consultancy, advertising and public relations.

An example of a thriving, emergent sector is the digital economy, with many more people expected to work in areas such as IT and broadcasting in the coming years. For those already classed as digital workers, changing technology and expectations will mean an increased demand for people to work across a number of platforms.

We're entering a new age of sustainability, meaning we will need to change our entire system of production and consumption, get more efficient with our use of resources and recognize that new sectors are going to emerge as a result. Finally, as the population ages, the number of people employed as care workers will increase. In turn, there will be a rise in informal care, with more employees caring for children or elderly relatives themselves, meaning employers offering flexible working will have the edge over competitors.

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Work and Heart

by Johannes Siegrist, Ph.D.

Work gives people opportunities to receive many rewards. Some rewards include job satisfaction, whereas others are outward societal rewards, i.e., money, esteem, and status. There is, or should be, reciprocity between the effort expended to accomplish work and all the gains realized.

It has long been recognized, however, that a discrepancy exists between work and reward. That discrepancy leads to psychological stress that frequently finds expression in somatic symptoms, including heart risk and cariac health.

In an exhaustive review discussing the links between psychosocial occupational stress and health, Johannes Siegrist, Ph.D., concludes that high-cost/low gain employment must be considered a risk factor for cardiovascular health.

In his review, Siegrist measures high cost by extrinsic forces such as the demands of the job and intrinsic sources such as the motivations of the worker in a demanding situation.

He measures low-gain conditions by salary, the workers perceived esteem of colleagues and supervisors as well as availability of help from those sources and degree of status control the worker perceives as having relative to the work, i.e., control over the type of work done, whether or not relocation was required, prospects for promotion.

The review addresses three relevant questions concerning the links between psychosocial occupational stress and health:

1) How to identify those components within the global psychosocial occupational environment that are of critical importance to health.

2) How chronically stressful experience is maintained in individuals who are exposed to the psychosocial stressors identified in theoretical models.

3) The relationship between adverse health effects of chronically stressful experience in terms of high effort and low reward.

Although Dr. Siegrist concludes that high cost/low gain conditions at work must be considered a risk constellation for cardiovascular health, he defines some of the numerous questions that still remain and should be addressed in future research.

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Want to Succed in your Career?

by Mark Goulston, M.D.

People who have addiction problem with drugs or alcohol have a much greater chance of success in beating the habit when they recognize, admit, accept, and correct their self-defeating behavior. You can't move forward or achieve your goals, if you become sidetracked by self-defeating behavior. Any repetitive behaviors that block your efforts to accomplish your long-term objectives are self-defeating. You also lose your competitive edge if you're always meeting your challenges in a self-defeating fashion, while your competition confronts and masters stressful situations head-on.

By definition, any repetitive behaviors that block your efforts to accomplish your long-term objectives are self-defeating. Here are other common behaviors that may not be as self-destructive as an addiction, but are every bit as self-defeating if you don't overcome them:

1. Procrastinating.
   A perfectionist graphic designer kept turning his work in late, not appreciating that his timeliness was every bit as important as the quality of his work product. One person's work sometimes cannot begin until someone else gets his or her job done first. If you're always late on completing things, people stop relying on you, start resenting you and begin to bypass you.
2. Not preparing well enough.
   The belief that what you want to sell is what people want to buy is a sure road to disaster unless you've thoroughly researched the market. A well-made buggy whip is a thing of beauty, and it sure is nice to hang in your den. Just don't hang your hat on it, if your customers don't share your love for a horse and carriage.
3. Not following through.
   A manager of a moderately successful fitness club told me he no longer goes to seminars on managing. He said that the information is always great, but implementing the suggestions and trying to convert his employees to the new approach seldom works. If something new is important enough to learn, it's important enough to schedule company time devoted to the purpose of planning how to implement it.
4. Not learning from your mistakes.
   Successful people don't make fewer mistakes than unsuccessful people -- they repeat fewer mistakes. Truth be told, we learn more from mistakes than our successes, and it's a shame to miss out on this valuable education by not owning up to your errors. Unfortunately, you need to admit you have made a mistake before you can learn from it.
5. Being competent, but uncharming.
   Know-it-alls who don't know what they're talking about are jerks, whereas know-it-alls who do know what they're talking about are merely asses. As people get older, they prefer to deal with capable but affable people, rather than brilliant but obnoxious people. One of the brightest management consultants I know was resentful that his poor interpersonal skills had cost him so much success. He kept ranting and raving, "Judge me by my results, not by my bedside manner. I'm not one of those brown-nosing game-players." He missed the point that charm is more about putting people at ease than it is about being phony and obsequious. He also missed the boat when it came to the success his competence and talent truly did deserve.
6. Saying yes when you want to say no.
   If you sacrifice respect in order to be liked by saying yes all the time, you won't be respected or liked. It's difficult to continue to like someone when you lose respect for him or her. At times, commanding respect starts with saying no to something that you disagree with, and then being flexible enough to work through the issue with the other person. I know a headhunter who says no to prospective job applicants, because finding out how they respond to "no" reveals so about their ability to cooperate and be a team player.
7. Having unrealistic expectations.
   When you confuse what is reasonable with what is realistic, you set yourself up to fail. It's reasonable to re-engineer your business; it's unrealistic to do it all at once. A stationary supply store in Los Angeles decided to revamp its sales, operations, and compensation policies (all of which were in need of modification) all at the same time. In six months, it filed for Chapter 11.
8. Getting involved with the wrong people.
   A "nice guy" chief executive of a hardware chain hired a chief operating officer he thought was strong and tough. His grave error was to confuse stubbornness and rigidity for strength. By the time the timid CEO galvanized enough courage to remove the difficult COO, it cost him several valued employees. Yes, there are bad people in the world. If you keep giving them the bene fit of the doubt, you'll be the one who has to clean up the mess.

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How to Behave at Your First Job

by Tara Weiss

You've landed your first job out of college. That wasn't easy, in this tough time. Now you've got to make sure you keep it and succeed at it.

How? You can start even before you arrive at work. Set up a Web news-alert account that emails you news stories relevant to your new employer, says Danielle Leyland, a recruiter in the information technology department at Sherwin-Williams, the paint company. That will help prepare you to engage your coworkers when you get there, especially if there's big news--and it's also a way to find out about potential opportunities. Even if it's bad news--a round of layoffs or company downsizing, for example--it will affect the entire company and will be important to know about.

To take it a step further, stay up-to-date on competitors and the industry as a whole, too. That will give you perspective on where your employer is heading and why certain decisions get made. Your colleagues will take you more seriously when they see how dedicated you are to the profession.

Good first impressions

When your first day on the job arrives, show up at least 10 minutes early, and don't leave as soon as the clock strikes 5 p.m. That could come off as doing the bare minimum, which is not the first impression any employer wants to receive.

Also, dress professionally, even if you're sure most people dress casually. Men should wear slacks and a button-down shirt; women, either slacks or a skirt with a top that covers their shoulders. "You can assess what everyone is wearing during the first few days and then tone it down," advises Kathryn Santers, a staffing manager for the higher-education division of the educational publishing firm Pearson.

The right questions

Once you settle in and are given projects to work on, be sure you've got a clear understanding of what's expected. If you're not completely sure about something, ask. "It's better to ask a question and be cautious than to do it wrong," says Santers. And when you ask, have pen and paper with you to write down the details so you don't have to ask more than once. If you don't agree with an assignment you're given, don't say so until after you've completed it. Even then, do so tactfully, suggesting alternatives or slight tweaks without antagonizing your manager.

Along the same lines, never behave as if some tasks are beneath you. At some point, everyone needs to file or make photocopies. Your goal is to make your boss's job easier. If doing clerical work accomplishes that, do it without complaining. "It may seem menial, but it's a part of a big picture," says Santers. "Not every day on your new job will be glamorous, but there's always a point to what you're doing."

Effective communication

Don't try to impress your manager by saying you'll finish a job quickly if it means you'll have to get too hasty. Be realistic in what you can accomplish, and keep your manager up-to-date on your progress. During your first week, discuss with your boss how he or she prefers to communicate. Not every question requires popping into her office, so ask if she prefers email or instant messages. As you work on your first assignment, check in to update her on your progress. Ask if you're approaching it right. When you've completed it, ask for feedback. Did you get it done successfully? Was there anything you could have done to improve your work?

Don't be shy about this. Your manager has a vested interest in your success, since it's much easier for her to help you as you go along than to retrain you.

This takes balance, though. Before you run to the boss with a problem, always try to find a solution on your own. You want to be solutions-oriented, says Diane Borhani, national director of campus recruiting at Deloitte & Touche, and bosses always prefer it if people who bring them questions also bring suggested answers. So try to come up with a fix, and discuss it with the boss.

When you're in a meeting, share your thoughts and opinions, albeit in a respectful way. That's why they hired you. When there's an opportunity to take on a new challenge or additional people are needed for a project, volunteer.

"The people who are happy to raise their hand and go above and beyond what they're doing are the people I want on my team," says John Campagnino, senior director for global recruitment at the consulting firm Accenture. "That's a differentiator for managers."

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Recovering from Job Loss

by Phil Rich, Ed.D., MSW, DCSW

The New Reality of Job Loss

We've seen many changes in the work environment over the past decade and beyond, with multiple layoffs as companies have "down sized" and "right sized." Jobs once secure for life now rarely exist, and people entering the work force today are likely to experience multiple job changes during their careers.

The Impact of Job Loss

Much of the material on job loss and getting back into the work force touches upon the need to "re-mount," instructing the reader to design a plan and get back into the action. Appropriately, they direct the reader to not fall into despair, self pity, or anger. Many friends and family members will also urge the reader to find a way to move on.

But all the pep talks in the world can't necessarily overcome the real and deep reaching impact of job loss. It's important for newly fired people to not feel that there's something wrong with them just because they can't follow the advice of family, friends, and books and simply move on.

The Consequences of Job Loss

There are at least two primary aspects to job loss: "practical" reality, and "emotional" reality. In the first case, job loss also means loss of income and benefits. In the second, there are equally real emotional consequences: effect upon self image, emotional difficulties, fears about the future, and perhaps concerns about how we may be seen by others.

The Work of Recovery and Rebuilding

The chances are that people will find a new job. It may not be their first choice, but it will resolve the practical realities. But a new job doesn't necessarily lead to a satisfactory outcome, financially or emotionally. Regardless of the new job, emotional issues may not be at all resolved.

Unresolved issues may significantly affect the way in which people see themselves. In turn, this will directly influence the way they approach finding a new job, what they will accept for employment, and how they settle into their new job and life style. Accordingly, part of the work in job loss recovery is dealing with the emotional consequences. Seeking and finding a job without recognizing, understanding, and addressing emotional consequences may undermine successful recovery.

Recovering and Rebuilding After Job Loss

"Recovery" describes the ability to work through a challenging time without becoming overcome by circumstances, swept away by emotions, or feeling defeated. It means coming through intact and solvent, and finding yourself, not just back in the saddle, but emotionally satisfied and perhaps stronger and wiser.

The Stages of Recovery and Rebuilding

Viewing recovery as a series of stages, each with a goal and tasks, is useful. It helps people understand their experience as a process that develops and changes over time, and can help them to maintain their composure even when they may feel anxious and insecure. It also helps to know that their experiences are probably quite "normal."

Stage One: Coping.

However it comes, job loss is often quite shocking. This stage begins with a sense of disorientation as people are thrown off balance by this turn of events. The broad goal of this stage is to survive this initial period without doing anything damaging to self, future options, or relationships. Tasks of the stages include:

• Adjusting to this new reality
• Handling immediate emotional responses
• Dealing with issues of self esteem and humiliation
• Coping with family issues

Stage Two: Surviving.

As people enter this second stage, disillusionment begins to fade. They begin to deal with issues of survival and emotional and financial stability. This stage involves laying the foundation upon which people will re-build their lives, and includes emotional, practical, and financial tasks.

• Stabilizing immediate life
• Building support
• Managing emotions and behaviors
• Maintaining perspective.

Stage Three: Assessment and Planning.

Building on the stable base created during stage two, the primary goal of this stage is the assessment of needs, skills, and dreams, and primary tasks include:

• Taking stock of life
• Assessing choices
• Developing plans
• Re-building self image.

Stage Four. Decision Making and Self Renewal.

The work of this stage represents the end of this journey; from basic recovery to self-renewal and self-determination, and involves the active implementation of plans.

• Implementing decisions
• Accepting personal responsibility
• Taking emotional risks
• Re-gaining self confidence.

Passage to Recovery

There's no "right" pace for this journey, no "correct" length of time spent in each stage. Some may quickly move from one stage to the next; others will have a more difficult time, and may get stuck. But rebuilding after job loss is a process that takes place only over time. How much time will depend on the personality of the individual, his or her approach to life, resilience, and support system.

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Earn a Promotion in a Year; Doing Good Work Isn't the Only Requirement

by Margaret Steen

If a promotion is one of your goals for the next year, are you doing everything you can to make it happen?

It would be nice if hard work and talent would automatically lead to a job with more pay, more responsibility, and a better title. But in most cases, it takes more than that to move to the next level.

Make Yourself Known

Look at the job you'd like to have a year from now. Who selects candidates for this position? Who does that person work with and ask for advice?

"Then you systematically sit down and think about how you're going to make contact," says Helen Harkness, founder of Career Design Inc., in Dallas. There are lots of ways to do this. You can volunteer to serve on a committee with the people you need to know, for example. You can forward them articles or information that relate to their expertise. 

Help Your Boss Succeed

Often, your boss is the person who will decide if you'll be promoted. But even if not, your boss will almost certainly be consulted. So impressing your boss is a top priority.

Marianne Adoradio, a recruiter and career counselor in Silicon Valley, suggests focusing on your company's key goals, then talking with your boss to find out which are most important in your department. "It's really important to be aware of what is going to make your boss successful, what is most important to him or her."

Start Doing the Job

You don't want to stage an office coup and start making personnel decisions that are your boss' responsibility. But you need to show that you can work at a higher level than your current position.

"People are easily promoted when they show that they can already do parts of the job they want to move into," says Steve Levin, principal of Leading Change Consulting & Coaching, in Portola Valley, California. "If you want to move from being a manager to a group manager, start taking on responsibility for what a group manager does. Start thinking like they do."

Then you can make the case that "I'm already doing the job; I just need the title."

"That's pretty irresistible to your boss," Levin says. 

Have a Plan B

Many people think there's a system in place at work that will take care of them and their career path, Harkness says. "They expect it to happen 1-2-3, automatically. They do the right thing, and they're going to get that promotion. It doesn't work that way."

In fact, Harkness says, it can happen that "you do everything you're supposed to do and it doesn't work." It's important to understand that the workplace is uncertain -- and to know what your backup plan is if you don't get the promotion you want.

If the promotion was a stretch and your boss is encouraging even while turning you down, it may be worth spending another year gaining experience. But you may also want to explore career options outside the company.

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Never never never never give up

What keeps you going when you’ve worked until two in the morning to finish a proposal, when you pay your staff but can’t afford to pay yourself, when your new brochure is printed back to front and when you’re juggling eating your dinner, talking on the phone, writing in your diary and hugging the dog/child/spouse?

When money is tight, when you’re tired and feeling overwhelmed and when things just don’t go to plan…. it’s enough to make you think ‘why am I doing this?’

Here are some strategies to help get you through those days:

Think of the big pictureGrab a piece of paper and go somewhere quiet. Even if that place is the bathroom. A café with a reviving cup of coffee is even better. Ask yourself why am I doing this? Ask yourself why am I working all these crazy hours, having no money, being stressed out and feeling overwhelmed? Try and remember why you started your business in the first place – was it to fulfil a dream, to spend more time with the kids (or the dog), to make a difference to other people’s lives, to become financially secure, or to just give it a go…. Whatever your reason, write it down, remember it, and take deep breaths.

Delegate, prioritise, work smarterIf you are feeling overwhelmed while the person you employed to help you out is texting her boyfriend, then you aren’t delegating. There are some good books and articles around on the internet about delegating. Basically the idea is to let go of some of your work… and trust others. Let them have some responsibility so they can be a real part of your business. Coach them and support them… but let go. Sure, they may not colour code the incoming mail like you did, but they could do the job differently and sometimes even better – while you concentrate on the important stuff.

At the beginning of each week, and of each day, write in your diary your ‘important outcomes’ for that week or day. Then you won’t beat yourself up if you didn’t ‘vacuum the office’ but you did finish your GST return.

Your goal is to spend every day doing things you love to do, that bring you closer to your goals and that are profitable.

Energise

If you’re dreaming about reacquainting yourself with your pillow, or people are avoiding you and your snappish one word replies, or your creativity has ground to a halt, then you probably need a break to re-fuel.

Take a break, even if it’s a walk around the block. A change of scenery does wonders for your mind. Weekends off are even better.

You may not feel like you have the time, but time out will pay dividends three fold.

SOS

Asking for help is okay. Ask friends to babysit, ask clients to pay their over due invoices, ask the bank for an over draft, ask a printer to explain what CMYK means. Most people are only too happy to help you out – they want to be part of your success too.

Join a local business network and soak up the encouragement from like-minded people.

Be inspired

On a tough day open your success journal – you know, the journal or diary with the scribbled happy faces recording all your ‘wins’. If you don’t have some way of recording your successes, start now! Nothing beats being reminded of the time you got that phone call asking for your first big order.

Keep a scrap book of inspirational quotes, read biographies, attend events with inspirational speakers… whatever it takes, sometimes we need an injection of motivation to get us over a hump.

Walk away

Sometimes you just have to accept that this is not the right path toward your dream. Maybe you’re before your time, maybe there could be another way.

If, with your hand on your heart, you can say to yourself, ‘I gave this my best shot, I will not, in hindsight, regret walking away’… then it’s okay to say, okay this didn’t work, I’m ready for my next adventure. Then it’s okay to walk away.

There will be (lots of) days when you feel like throwing your computer out of a tall building and yelling ‘I quit’ but…. when you’re the boss you sometimes have to take a deep breath and remember why you started your business in the first place. And not give up.

Fiona Powell 

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So you want to start your own business?

So you have a business idea... you know it's brilliant... Or you yearn to be your own bosss... but where do you start?

What’s your motivation?The motives behind wanting to start your own business are important, while they might be optimistic and well intentioned - the reality can be quite different.

You may want to be your own boss yet the impact on your lifestyle and the commitment required from a business could leave you disheartened and scanning the job vacancy websites. Wanting to be financially independent through a profitable business has to be weighed up against the risk of losing everything you own. Perhaps you don’t want to work with others yet having your own business means working with more demanding people than ever - customers, suppliers and employees. Maybe you’re tired of paperwork and bureaucracy yet business ownership means a huge chunk of your time will be spent dealing with significant and unavoidable compliance. Maybe you hanker for creative freedom yet you’ll need to create a product or service that is wanted by a large enough market to make it viable.

Why you might fail

Venture into business with your eyes wide open and an awareness of the potential pitfalls. Ignorance is bliss – but only up to a point.

Many businesses fail because owners rely on advice from friends and family instead of the hard nosed, unbiased advice of experts that they really need.

Others simply get worn out. Starting a business from scratch takes an endless supply of energy, focus and determination. Owners usually work 60 hours a week, committing long hours and hard work to give their business a decent chance at survival. You have to be a self starter; you alone have to get your business off the ground as no one else will be checking up on you.

Others fold due to family pressure - their family and friends feel neglected, money is tight and stress levels rise.

Others haven’t done their research on their market and they over estimate potential customers and under estimate the competition.

Others don’t keep an eye on financial reports which are critical in the early stages as a scorecard to tell you how you’re doing against your initial forecasts.

Is your idea feasible?A great idea doesn’t ensure a successful business. There are lots of great ideas but it’s the business itself – the systems, the people, the structure - that deliver the idea that is the crucial factor.

Do your homework. Talk to people about your idea, ask what they think; would they use your product/service? How much would they pay? Carry out postal, phone or one to one surveys and interviews, or gather a focus group together for their feedback.

Most importantly, is your idea financially viable? New Zealand is a tiny marketplace; a business in the States can survive just selling golf ball shaped computer mice to the local market; we can’t.

Do your sums; calculate the return on your investment that you expect from your business, plus the income you need to cover your living expenses, plus tax and then calculate the profit you expect from your business. How many sales would you need to generate this level of income? Would you be able to find enough customers to generate these sales?

Create your business plan

There are heaps of business plan templates available from your bank, from your local biz Centre or from the internet to help you create a plan for your business.

A business plan usually covers an overview of your business, a marketing plan, an operations plan and a financial plan – and this plan becomes the ‘road map’ for your business, a reference to make sure you’re on track.

Getting assistanceAsking for help and advice is not a sign of weakness, but an important factor in the success of your business. The good news is there are lots of resources available. Important advisors include your accountant, solicitor and bank manager – many will offer a free first consultation so you can quiz them about their services.

Local business networks are invaluable sources of information and contacts eg. Her Business Networks, Chamber Networks, and BNI Chapters.

Create a picture Be very clear about what your business will look like; what hours will you work? How much money will you make? How many employees will you have? Where will your office be? How will you exit your business? What countries will you operate in? Have you got support from family and friends? What will a normal business day be like – how will you divide your time between people, information and things?

First steps

Although you may not be ready to open your business tomorrow you can be setting the scene today: read books about other entrepreneurs, support other small business owners, invest in your entrepreneurial self by attending courses, start putting money aside and get into the habit of doing something every day to further your dreams, like opening a business bank account or registering for GST.

If business ownership is your dream – then why not give it a go?

Fiona Powell

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Job-Hunting on the Sly

How to Tap Your Network Without Tipping off Your Boss

 by Caroline M.L. Potter 

Even if you have a job, you may be in the market for another one.

Your current employer may be in dire straits, or you may simply be seeking new challenges. But in a challenging economy, there are a lot of eager professionals gunning for any position -- including your present one. And because most employment is at-will, you may be fired for looking for a new job.

Use these tips to alert your network about a job search without alarming your employer.

Don't Go into Broadcast Mode

Even though you want your network to know you're looking for work, Liz Ryan, founder of AskLizRyan.com and author of "Happy About Online Networking: The Virtual-ly Simple Way to Build Professional Relationships," urges job seekers, "Do not use LinkedIn, Facebook, or Twitter to indicate that you're job hunting!"

The same goes for mass emails. She states, "People process information differently and they may think they're being helpful by forwarding a message when, in fact, they're being indiscreet." Someone could reach out, inadvertently, to someone connected to your boss and blow your cover.

"Remember, too, that gossip is a valuable currency today," she says. If news of your search falls into too many hands, you cannot control how it is spread. "You can't put such a currency in people's hands and expect them not to spend it."

If you ask for a helping hand, ask your associates to run possible leads and introductions by you before pursuing them. The same goes for recruiters. You don't want anyone acting on your behalf without your approval, as you risk exposing your search to your current employer.

Stay Top of Mind All the Time

Because your network is your most powerful resource for finding another job, you must make sure everyone in it understands what you do and what types of opportunities you're pursuing. Says Ryan, a former human resources executive, "The best possible thing you can do for a search is enroll your job-search army! Meet with them. Talk with them. Ask about their lives. Find out how you can help them. This will get them thinking about you in an up-to-date way."

And if your network isn't big enough, she says that growing it is easiest when you have a job. She notes, "Employed job seekers have a HUGE advantage over unemployed people because they can reach out to anyone in their industry, invite them to coffee, and get to know them without asking for anything." These people may not respond to you when you're unemployed. The same is true for those already in your network.

"If you let a connection lapse, you may encounter apathy when you ask for help," Ryan adds.

Be Ready with References

If you're looking for a job while you have one, you probably don't want to use your boss or a current colleague as a reference. This is particularly vexing if you've held the same position for a number of years. Ryan, an expert on the new millennium workplace, advises, "We have to cultivate references all the time. Look to people who have left the company. Former clients. Even vendors. You may think a vendor wouldn't roll over on a client they serve, but they're pragmatic. You may be a good contact for them down the road." Individuals you know through volunteer activities and professional associations can also act as references.

Another great opportunity for references from your current boss and coworkers are LinkedIn endorsements. "Approach your boss in an 'up' moment, when you've gone the extra mile or saved something, and ask, 'Do you use LinkedIn? May I ask you for an endorsement? It would be fantastic because I'm thinking of becoming an officer in a professional association.' Or something to that effect." Once you have the endorsement, it's there for potential employers to see.

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8 Tips for Better Email Cover Letters

by Larry Buhl

As the saying goes, you don't get a second chance to make a first impression. If you're doing a job search or resume submission via email, the first impression any employer will have is your cover letter.

Some tips for creating successful email cover letters are the same as for paper covers: be professional, with correct spelling and grammar, and -- very important -- do use them. Other tips pertain only to the electronic medium, and when disregarded, could ruin your chances before your foot is in the door.

What should you consider crafting an email cover?

Don't waste your subject line. What you write on the subject line can determine whether your letter gets read, according to business etiquette expert and author of "Manners that Sell," Lydia Ramsey. "Don't ever leave the subject line of your email blank and don't waste it by just inserting the job number," Ramsey tells Yahoo! HotJobs. "The subject line should be clear, and specific to the job you're looking for." An example: "Bilingual CPA seeks account manager position."

Use standard cover letter protocol. Write your letter as the body of the email and include a salutation (use the receiver's actual name if you know it) and a standard closing ("Sincerely" or "Warm regards" work well). Leave blank lines between paragraphs, and use appropriate signature and closing lines. Include all the information in your signature line you would have on your business card, including snail mail address, phone number and even email address. Ramsey adds, "Remember, your email address doesn't always automatically show up on the receiver's email program."

Keep it short and dynamic. Managers and recruiters are busy. They want to get the gist of your pitch in 150 words or fewer. The first paragraph is crucial, according to Ramsey. "Hook the reader in the first paragraph by selling him or her your abilities," she says. "Use short paragraphs and short sentences to give a very brief bio on who you are and what you can do for them, and wrap it up in the second paragraph."

Keep it simple. If you write a cover letter in a word-processing program, strip away all formatting and save the file as plain text. The ideal line length is 40 characters. Some email packages automatically do word wrap for you, so your cover letter doesn't arrive in fragments. If your program doesn't do this, go to www.formatit.com, drop in your text, and the free service will format your email for you.

Don't get cute: save emoticons, abbreviations, wild colors, and fonts for your non-professional emails. The same goes for humor. Chances are, the reader won't think it's funny, and may even find it irritating.

Be specific. Don't respond to an ad for a copywriter when you're really a graphic designer, says Diana Qasabian, talent director at Syndicatebleu. "It may be the tight job market, but we've been receiving more and more letters responding to a specific job from candidates who are not at all qualified for it," she says.

"We look for specifics in email cover letters, which means skills and abilities. Embellishment and fluff are not necessary. It's not necessary to write, 'I'm a hard worker.' That goes without saying," she says.

Keywords are key. Because many companies use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to find and screen candidates, skill-oriented keywords will boost your chance at being discovered, a recruiter at a large technology company tells Yahoo! HotJobs.

"ATS tools track keywords that identify skill sets," she said. "So even if you're not right for the job you're seeking, strong keywords improve the chance that your cover letter and resume will be retrieved in a future search or be selected for a more appropriate job."

Play by their rules. Take the time to learn the company guidelines for submitting resumes, and follow them. Many companies list these guidelines on their websites. Also, don't include attachments unless they are requested. Some companies block all emails with attachments to prevent viruses.

Check it again. You must thoroughly spell-check and proofread your email letter. And remember, your email software's spellchecker won't catch grammar mistakes. Send it to a friend first and ask him or her to check for the content and style. If all your friends are tapped out, or even if they aren't, test your email cover letter by emailing it to yourself, and put yourself in the mindset of an employer when you read it.

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