Work-From-Home Job Spotlight: Editor

Each Thursday, I’m highlighting a work-from-home job or business.

Job Description: An editor review, edit and rewrite the work of writers.

Education: Most jobs require a college education, such as a degree in communications, English or journalism.

Skills: An excellent grasp of grammar and punctuation, knowledge of copyediting stylebooks, such as AP (Associated Press) and Chicago.

Job outlook: The U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) finds that “online publications and services are growing in number and sophistication, spurring the demand for writers and editors with Web or multimedia experience. … Employment of authors, writers, and editors is expected to grow 8 percent, about as fast as the average for all occupations, from 2008 to 2018.” Check out the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook for more details.

Possible employers: Associations related to this field and general job websites such as Craig’sList  and elance.com provide leads on editing jobs.

Preparation: Join professional associations, such as the National Association of Independent Writers and Editors, Editorial Freelancers Association and the American Copy Editors Society for job leads, networking and professional courses.

Get your foot in the door: Contact former employers to see if they are hiring freelance editors for specific projects.

Testimony: “Editors need to have a sharp eye for details and the ability to edit another’s work while retaining that person’s voice,” says Ellen. “If you can focus on the little things yet keep the big picture in mind when editing, you’ll go far in this business.” Ellen recommends taking refresher courses in editing, copyediting and writing to brush up on your skills.

Until next time,

Sarah

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At Home News Profiles Direct Sales Representative

Traci Kuhn has been with Votre Vu as a star director and brand ambassador for three years. She shares the ins and outs of direct sales in the February issue of At Home News. Sign up for the free monthly e-newsletter by clicking on the Newsletter tab.
Traci gave some wonderful advice on how to figure out of direct sales is for you. Here are some additional thoughts she had:

Do your research on the company. Find a good sponsor for the business because they will be your mentor. “Do not test market the idea of starting a business on your friends and family who have never done anything like this or someone who's done it and it hasn't worked,” she says. “It's better to get advice (for anything really) from those who have achieved the success you are looking for.”

Run from anyone who pressures you to make a decision. “Approach this business just like any other business, with a curious mind and get all your questions answered,” says Traci.

You are the CEO of you. “You determine your outcome,” she says. “Your sponsor can lay out everything you need to do to achieve success but they can't do your pushup for you. Like the saying goes ‘If it's meant to be, it's up to me.’”

Until next time,

Sarah

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Work-From-Home Job Spotlight: Caterer

Each Thursday, I’m highlighting a work-from-home job or business.
Job Description: A caterer provides food for events, parties, weddings, birthdays, bar mitzvahs, conferences and much more.

Education: No formal education necessary, but cooking classes from reputable universities and programs a plus.

Skills: The ability to juggle scheduling, cooking and meeting deadlines for a variety of clients at many different locations.

Job outlook: The U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) finds that “Employment of chefs, head cooks, and food preparation and serving supervisors [of which caterers are part] is expected to increase by 6 percent over the 2008-2018 decade, which is more slowly than the average for all occupations. Growth will be generated by increases in population, a growing variety of dining venues, and continued demand for convenience. As more people opt for the time-saving ease of letting others do the cooking, the need for workers to oversee food preparation and serving will increase.” Check out the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook for more details

Possible employers: Who could employee you depends on what kind of catering you’ll specialize in (weddings, children’s parties, business events, etc.). Join your local Chamber of Commerce to help make connections and to get the word out about your business.

Preparation: Join a catering association, such as the International Caterers Association, Convenience Caterers and Food Manufacturers Association or the Sustainable Catering Association for training, networking and other resources. .

Get your foot in the door: Offer to caterer a few events for friends and family at a discount rate. Talk to similar businesses to see about cross promotion, such as a florist or photographer.

Testimony: Vegetarian and vegan caterer Mary of Wichita, Kan., said that she “felt instantly at home and was surprised I hadn’t done more of it before. I always let my busy schedule be an excuse for not cooking often.” To prepare to run her own food business, Mary took food-safety classes, a business plan course and marketing classes. For now, she promotes her service via Facebook and networking groups. “The rest has been word of mouth. I have had great responses and the majority of my business is repeat customers,” she said.

Until next time,

Sarah

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How to Avoid Your Emails Landing in Spam Filters

Many businesses use email to communicate with potential clients and current customers, generally sending out missives to lists of email addresses at the same time. With email spam a concern for us all, here are some things to keep in mind so that your communication doesn't end up in someone's spam filter.

Avoid using one of the 200 most common trigger words and phrases. Craig Klein lists those words on his blog, but here are some of them: free anything, no purchase necessary, this isn't junk, this isn't spam, while supplies last.

Make it useful and personal. Be as specific as possible and don't use generic examples or terms when describing your business.

Keep your focus on the customer and the product. Don't be too broad in your emails.

Don't overuse your email list. Make sure that what you're sending is important, and don't send too often.

By following these tips, you can help to keep your emails from the spam filter and into the inboxes of your customers.

Until next time,

Sarah

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Work-From-Home Job Spotlight: Home Inspector

Each Thursday, I’m highlighting a work-from-home job or business.


Job Description: A home inspector inspects homes for potential buyers and reports on the home’s condition, including exterior and interior, and writes reports for her clients.

Education: Courses in home inspection are helpful, as well as certification through one of the home inspection associations. Some states require home inspectors to be licensed.

Skills: The ability to understand construction and the various technical aspects of a home. Being people-oriented and organized are keys to success in this field.

Job outlook: According to the American Society of Home Inspectors, 77 percent of U.S. and Canadian homes sold today are inspected prior to purchase. “The market is still underserved and the remaining growth potential is considerable. This trend leaves room for many to become home inspectors, build a career, even establish a home inspection company,” the society says on its website.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that “the routine practice of obtaining home inspections is a relatively recent development, causing employment of home inspectors to increase rapidly.” Check out the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook for more details.

Possible employers: Check out the American Society of Home Inspectors for leads. Consider starting your own consulting business or joining with another home inspector in your area.

Preparation: Join the American Society of Home Inspectors. Take home inspecting course through the society, Allied Schools or Kaplan Professional Schools.

Get your foot in the door: Ask a home inspector in your area or a nearby area if you could shadow her on a client visit to make sure this is a good fit for you. Talk to local real estate brokers on working with them on home inspections.

Until next time,

Sarah

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Boredom Busters

Need some creative ideas to stave off boredom in your children so that you can get some work done? Check out my ebook Boredom Busters, available for Kindle, Nook and as a PDF through Smashwords.

I detail dozens of ways that your elementary-school age children can entertain themselves. Win a free copy by leaving a comment on this blog post by Feb. 7.

With a little effort and lots of patience, your children will soon be occupied and out of your hair.

Until next time,

Sarah

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Work-From-Home Job Spotlight: App Creator

Each Thursday, I’m highlighting a work-from-home job or business.


Job Description: An app creator develops applications for mobile phones, like Android and iPhone.

Education: None necessary.

Skills: The ability to create and market apps.

Job outlook: If you have the skills, this can be a good fit for at-home employment. However, the marketplace is getting crowded with apps, so you’ll likely have to develop many apps in order to make a decent living.

Possible employers: Apple’s App Store and Android’s App Store provide information for app developers.

Preparation: Think beyond Apple and Android for apps to expand your audience potential. Apple and Android require an approval process before apps are posted to their stores. Have a marketing plan developed for your app while waiting for approval.

Get your foot in the door: Start with one or two apps and have a timetable to add more apps to your library.

Until next time,

Sarah

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