Work-From-Home Job Spotlight: Journalist

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

Job Description:A journalist researches and writes articles for newspapers, websites, magazines and other publications, both print and online.

Education: A bachelor’s degree in journalism or a related field is preferred, but not always necessary.

Skills: The ability to write a variety of stories (features, news articles, op-ed pieces, blogs, etc.) using good grammar and punctuation.

Job outlook: U.S.Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) finds that “employment of reporters and correspondents is expected to decline moderately by 8 percent from 2010 to 2020. Declines are expected because of the consolidation of news organizations, [and] a decrease in readership of newspapers...” Check out the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook for more details.

Possible employers:Journalists might have a tough job outlook, but there is still work available for good writers. Join LinkedIn journalism and writers groups, and check out job boards like journalismjobs.comand Craig’sList for leads.

Preparation:Check out these organizations for more information on the field, and potential job leads: National Press Club, Online Journalism Review, the Society of Professional Journalists, and the National Association of Independent Writers and Editors.

Get your foot in the door: Make a list of publications you want to write for and query them with story ideas. Follow up with a phone call.

Testimony: For a year, Bethany worked from home as a freelance journalist from her Sheffield, Ala., home. She wrote for magazines and had one client who gave her regular assignments, spending between fifteen and thirty hours per week on the work. While she enjoyed setting her own hours around other activities, family trips, and holiday obligations, she eventually made the decision to go back to an office.

“I went back to an office job because of insufficient income,” she explains. “Freelance journalism was too irregular to depend on. Some months, I would have a paycheck every two weeks; other months, there would be one very small check and a huge check the following month. Of course, the less I was able to work, the less money I could make. Time was always an issue.”

Until next time,

Sarah

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Motivating Yourself

If you're like me, there are times when you just don't want to work. You look for any excuse to leave your computer or work station: laundry, dishes, supper preparation, even cleaning behind the refrigerator all start to sound appealing when your motivational level is low.

Now that it's July, and probably hot and sticky (at least in the South where I live), it gets doubly hard to motivate oneself to do work. Here's how I give myself the kick in the pants needed to tackle the work.

1. Schedule breaks. If I know I'll have a break in a short while, I can usually push through and get some work done. Sometimes you might need to set an egg timer in order to ensure you get a break.

2. Work one day, goof off the next. I've scheduled all my work on one day, then taken the next day as a "mental health" day to relax or do something fun with the kids. This kind of schedule can rejuvenate your batteries.

3. Turn evenings into a no-work zone. Make a pact with yourself that you will turn off the computer at a certain time, like before supper or directly after dinner. Spend the evening with your spouse, children or in doing something you enjoy, like reading or working on a hobby.

4. Break work projects into pieces. It helps if you take a project and create a series of small deadlines. That way, you're not trying to get the entire project done in one sitting, but are spreading it out over several days or even weeks, depending on the project.

5. Learn to say no. Sometimes, you should turn down work in order to keep motivated doing the work you already have.

6. Remember why you're at home. If your work is turning into drudgery, take a few minutes to remind yourself why you choose to work at home: to be home with your kids, to avoid the expenses of a commute, to supplement your household income, to set your own hours. Whatever the reason, reviewing why you're at home can be a way to refocus your attention to your job and make you more motivate to do it well.

Self-motivation is one the keys to a successful home-based business. Now that I've finished this blog, I have a glass of unsweetened iced tea calling my name.

Until next time,

Sarah

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Work-From-Home Job Spotlight: Radio Host

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

Job Description:A radio host announces the news, sports, music, etc., on a radio station, usually for a specific show or time slot.

Education: A bachelor’s degree in communications, radio or television is usually required, but experience in front of a microphone is a plus.

Skills: The ability to fill air time with appropriate information and chatter.

Job outlook: U.S.Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) finds that “employment of radio and television announcers is projected to grow by 7 percent from 2010 to 2020, slower than the average for all occupations. Employment of public address system and other announcers is projected to grow by 5 percent from 2010 to 2020, slower than the average for all occupations. Experienced, formally trained announcers should have the best job prospects..” Check out the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook for more details.

Possible employers:With the explosion of the Internet, many radio hosts are finding work with podcasts and Internet radio stations. For a little outlay, you can start your own radio show online.

Preparation: Check out the National Association of Broadcastersor the National Religious Broadcasters for resources and continuing education courses related to radio.

Get your foot in the door: Call local radio stations and see if you could intern for a week or two to get an inside look at the operations.

Testimony: Betsy in Chicago preps for her weekly, live radio show at home. “My biggest challenge is to stop working,” says Betsy. “We live in a twenty-four/seven society that enables me to send e-mails at two in the morning. Sometimes I have to be really disciplined to either say no to my kids or no to my computer. My computer invades the house and I have to be really conscious of that.”

Until next time,

Sarah

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Online Advertising

Figuring out what advertisements to run can be challenging, especially for small businesses. "What Kind of Online Ad Should Your Small Business Run?" gives some tips on navigating the tricky waters of online advertising.

Display ads can increase overall brand awareness. Banner ads might not generate a lot of click-through, but they do up recognition of your business.

Facebook ads can be a great way to get involved with social media. Facebook allows you to ultra-target your ads, which can mean getting your business before people who are more likely to be interested in what you have to offer.

Keyword ads allow you to reach people who are searching for your products or services.

Check out these online ads and see what might work for your business.

Until next time,

Sarah

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Work-From-Home Job Spotlight: Children’s Party Planner

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

Job Description:A children’s party planner plans events for children, including birthday parties and graduation parties.

Education: None necessary.

Skills: The ability to design and execute parties for children.

Job outlook: No hard numbers exist for this work-from-home job, but anecdotal evidence suggests that this is a growing business. With more families having both parents working, outsourcing children’s party planning is becoming more popular, especially in metropolitan areas.

Possible employers:Team up with other children’s businesses, such as cupcake makers and children’s performers to pool marketing resources.

Preparation: Join Party Pixies, the Association of Independent Children’s Party Planners, for networking opportunities.

Get your foot in the door: Ask an event planner of adult parties for advice on how to start your business. Check out what area schools offer in terms of advertising, such as in student directories, at silent auctions, etc.

Until next time,

Sarah

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Use Your Email Signature for More Than Your Name

Are you getting the most from your email signature? Probably not, says the author of "How to get the most from your email signature" on CBS MoneyWatch.

For example, if you can categorize your incoming emails into several categories, considering developing a response to each one as a signature and then merely selecting the right one. This elimaante having to cut-and-paste from a template saved in Word.

This was one piece of advice I found very worthwhile, given that I wear several different "hats," as do many home-based business operators. In fact, as soon as I finish this blog, I'm going to set up a couple of signatures that I hope will cut down on the amount of time spent replying to multiple requests with the same information.

Until next time,
Sarah

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Work-From-Home Job Spotlight: Childbirth Instructor

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

Job Description:A childbirth instructor is one who works with the expectant mother (and father) on developing a personalized birth plan.

Education: None necessary, but certification through one of the associations listed below will likely expand your client field.

Skills: The ability to assist pregnant women in a successful birth experience.

Job outlook: While there are no hard numbers available, more women are choosing to design a customized birth plan.

Possible employers:Get involved with local women’s groups that focus on young children. Volunteer at children’s events to connect with area mothers. Join appropriate area online discussion boards to get plugged into your potential client base.

Preparation:Pursue certification through one of these organizations: Childbirth and Postpartum Professional Association, Lamaze International, the International Childbirth Education Association or the International Birth and Wellness Project.

Get your foot in the door: Ask another childbirth instructor if you could shadow her for a client visit to see of this is a good fit for you.

Until next time,

Sarah

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