This is a powerful lesson. I learned some new things while putting this together and I’m really excited to present this stuff to you guys. This is the one lesson where we tackle the income and all the others deal with the out-go. Now we know that if you have more out-go than in-come then you have a problem. But we are going to first define a couple things. This is a really good way to assess what you are doing and where you are going.
Vocation, Career, or Job - which do you have?
Vocation: This is something that gets you all fired up. For me, my vocation right now is personal finance. I love it. I could talk about this forever. I enjoy it. I love it. I live it. It is fulfilling to me and it energizes me. Think about something that get’s you all fired up. What is your vocation? Have you found it yet? If not, that’s okay. Not everyone finds it early in life. Some people may never find their true vocation, and that is okay. The important thing to remember is to look for it. Don’t get stuck in a rut and stop dreaming. I could have easily missed out on my vocation if I hadn’t stumbled on Dave Ramsey. It took him to open my eyes and once they were opened, I couldn’t get enough and this became my mission, my passion. It might have taken me 40 years to find it on my own. If you know what yours is, start making plans to follow it!
Career: You can certainly have a very fulfilling job that isn’t a vocation. My last job before I had my first son was working for a home health care agency that provided physical, occupational and speech therapy services to mentally challenged individuals. I wasn’t fired up about my line of work, but I enjoyed it, was fulfilled, and content. If I hadn’t had children, then chances are, that would have been my career. I think I would have been happy in it but it wouldn’t have gotten me as fired up as personal finance does.
Job: I think we’ve all had some of these from time to time, I know most of my past employment experiences were just jobs. Many many people can honestly say, “I hate my job.” Jobs are not something you want to have long term. Sometimes we have to have them to put food on the table to feed our family and that’s called being a responsible adult. But a job is not where we ultimately want to be. If you are in a job, then you should begin to lay out a game plan that you no longer have just a job….you have a career or better yet, a vocation. A job is not the end of the road – just a bump in the road towards finding what you REALLY want to do with your life. Some of our roads may have so many bumps we feel like we’re on the "wake-up line" on the shoulder.
So I urge you to really think about where you are right now.
Negative Career Situations
Sometimes even if you have a great career, vocation, or even a job, you are still faced with the problem that you just need to make more money. Yes, we need to manage what we make better and live on what we make, but sometimes we just have to make more money. About half of the families I deal with have had some kind of “negative career situation.” This means that they’ve either lost their job, gotten a cut in hours, they found a job for less money than they were making, and the household income drops. This develops a crisis.
How do we solve the crisis? We get more income going into the home. That means that if you are in the middle of a negative career situation, you need to find a higher paying job, find a way to make more money at the job you are at, get a second job, or even get a 3rd job. I realize that sometimes it is not easy during these unsure economic times to get a position in your field or area of expertise, but that is when the "job" comes into play. Sometimes you just have to have a job to get food on the table.
The first thing we will be focusing on tonight are the first jobs…the “real” jobs. The careers, vocations, and even those "jobs" that pay the bills (or at least we hope they do). We will later follow up with the second jobs and additional sources of income.
Careers
Did you know that the average job in America lasts 3.2 years? Based on that figure, the average person is expected to have 16-18 jobs in their lifetime! That means if you have been at your job for the last 5 years, you are well overdue for a job change. The days of having one job with the pension are pretty much over. I do realize that is not the case for EVERY American, but the majority of Americans change jobs every 3.2 years.
I personally think it's a good thing that we change jobs so often? Some good things about changing jobs every few years are that your pay remains competitive. I've worked with a person doing the same job that I was doing, and eventhough he'd been there for 11 years, he was only getting paid $1.50 more per hour than I was. The annual 3% raise isn't going to cut it in a changing and evolving environment.
Another reason changing jobs can be positive is that it keeps people more motivated to continue their education. If you are doing the same job day in and day out, you become comfortable and you no longer desire to stay current in various aspects of your field.
The third reason is that sometimes job changes allow us the opportunity to become what God designed us to become. It's just like a baby bird leaving the nest for the first time. That bird has to learn how to fly because the ground getting closer and closer is a great motivator. When we are given chances to change our jobs, we are also given the chance to spread our wings and fly.
The most important reason, in my mind, is that it keeps you from getting into a rut. Zig Ziglar said, "A rut is merely a grave with both ends kicked up." For anyone that has had a job where they were in a rut, you know that it is true. You know that you feel unfulfilled by the work you do, you aren’t happy going to work, you aren’t happy being at work, and when you lay in bed at night you dread having to wake up and do it all over again. Being in a rut crushes your spirit and robs you of reaching your potential.
Change
Change is a fact of life. It's not necessarily fun to keep up with change, but it is necessary to do so. If you do not keep up with change, then you will be left in the dust. In 5 years, about 85% of the products and services we use today will become obsolete. Don't believe me? Think back to when people used records, then 8 tracks, then cassettes, then CDs, now everyone uses MP3s. Or what about cell phones. I have a flip phone from 4 years ago and when I showed it in class, I got a couple of snickers because mine was only able to call people and take pictures. So you can see, everything changes and in order to keep up, you have to be constantly changing and evolving and keeping up with everything.
The rate of change is blinding. If cars had changed as much as computers in the last 25 years, you could buy a Rolls Royce for $2.98 that got 20,000 miles to the gallon. That's a little drastic, but you get the point.
In order to succeed, change must be anticipated. Wayne Gretzky explained how he did so well during games by saying, "I never skate to where the puck is, but where it's going to be." We need to anticipate the change so that when we're on the job market, we can show potential employers that we know what's going on. That we not only see the puck, but we know where it's going to be.
Power in Your Career
There are 5 keys to power in your career or vocation.
1. Look at Yourself. The more we understand ourselves the more we can move forward with boldness. Quit trying to be something you aren’t meant to be. Some of you may have had your parents tell you that you're going to be a doctor or a dentist. They always told you what you were going to be and it has absolutely nothing to do with your gift set. It has nothing to do with your passions or attitude and you got forced into it. It is a disaster for those people being forced into their parents' dreams.
2. Money is NOT a motivator: Money will not make you happy – YES think about money and return on investment, but it cannot be your motivator. The real motivator is meaning and a sense of purpose.
In the 1960’s UC Berkley did a rather interesting experiment. They hired a bunch of people who were out of work to dig a ditch. They paid them a fair wage which let’s just say was $5.00 an hour. They dug a ditch and halfway through the day they were told to fill it back in. A couple of guys asked why they were digging the ditch and were told that it was an experiment and that they were all just digging the ditch for no reason. The next morning only about 40% showed up. Because they showed up, their wages were doubled. Same thing happened. They dug a ditch, halfway through the day they were told to fill it back in. At the end of the day they told them all that they would double their wage the following day. Even knowing that their wage would be doubled…more than even a great wage for the day, only 40% of them showed up. What that means is that money wasn’t enough of a motivation for the people to do something that had no meaning. They couldn’t even mentally push themselves when they knew they were making no difference. There must be a sense of meaning and purpose and accomplishment. You have to feel like you’re getting somewhere and doing something. You have to be on fire about what you’re doing. Even when times are bad, you have a reason to keep going.
3. Don't just look at your abilities. Just because you have the ability to do something, doesn’t mean that it is well suited to you. This is the most common mistake in career planning. Don’t just look at ability, but at your direction and purpose. Just because I CAN take care of a whole bunch of kids that aren’t mine, it doesn’t mean that it’s something I SHOULD be doing because it doesn’t fit ME. You can do a job that you’re good at, but you hate it because you don’t feel that there’s meaning behind it.
4. You MUST be flexible. Be open to move things around. There’s an old saying that if you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans. Don’t be too rigid. If you are flexible and can go with the flow, but not just be a yes man or yes woman, then you are going to get ahead. Like everything else, plans change, you change. Don’t just feel like just because you’ve always been an accountant, you can’t change professions and become a cake decorator. You can always change and adapt to make yourself happy and to have a job that you truly enjoy.
5. You must find balance. Your job is just one tool for a successful life. You have to find a balance between work and play, but you also have to find a balance in the career you choose. There are 6 things that when they are all in balance, you will be happy and on fire about what you do.
The 6 Must Haves
1. Skills
2. Abilities
3. Personality Traits
4. Values
5. Dreams
6. Passions
If any of those are out of whack, then there’s a problem. If I am an excellent sales person and had a job in sales, then I would be able to use my skills and abilities of a sales person and I can exercise my personality traits of being a people person, that’s great. I can have dreams as to what I’ll do with all that commission, but if I’m selling credit cards, then I’m not going to be happy because it goes against my values because I hate credit cards, think they are evil and will never have one again as long as I live. Even though everything else lined up, it would go against my values to have a job like that.
So these 6 things are very important. When they are all balanced and present in a job situation, then you are happy with what you’re doing. You feel a sense of fulfillment.
Your Job is NOT Your Life!
Even when you have all 6 of those "must haves" you still must remember that your job is NOT your life - it is just one tool for a successful life. You do not derive your self esteem from what you do. All too often when men are asked who they are, they respond with what they do. They take way too much of their identity from their jobs, which is why a job loss is often accompanied by depression and anxiety. It is not only a huge blow to their ego, but they lose a sense of self. That is why it is so important to make sure to balance family, fun, spirituality, and your career. Instead of saying, "Hi, my name is Jim, I'm an accountant." you can say, "Hi, my name is Jim, I'm a husband, a father of 4, an avid bass fisherman, and I am the Young Men's President at church. Oh, and I'm also an accountant."
So we’ve talked about the keys to success, the importance of finding two different kinds of balance – balance in the type of job you have and balancing your personal time with professional time. All of these things are very important to discuss and think about. Really assess your current situation and see where you stand on these things. Now I’m not telling you to run out tomorrow and quit your job so you find something you really want to do. No…I’m saying to find out what you really want to be doing and then make a plan to make it happen over time.
Success
The things that have determined successful people are NOT driven by money. People who pick a job based on income are unfulfilled and even if their income is doubled they would still be as unfulfilled after the high wore off. Now success is not to be confused with wealth. Most times successful people end up wealthy because they are good at what they do because they love what they do, and in turn they become the best at what they do and end up in the top 2% earners in the industry. But the success is much more than wealth – it is fulfillment.
The 5 things that successful people possess are: Ambition, Desire, Drive, Motivation, Personal Style, and Attitude.
When I say personal style, I don’t mean wardrobe. I mean how you best function and where you best function. Understanding your personal style will tell you more about where you will function properly than your education. Education is great. I believe in education, but too often we think this is an automatic thing. Education has very little to do with blossoming in your vocation. You have to get your personal style into this. Someone who doesn’t like numbers and details shouldn’t become an accountant. Someone who doesn’t like people shouldn’t be in sales. You have a particular personal style. You were put together to do certain things – you just have to figure out what they are.
When we talk about attitude, it not only means how you view things, and how you treat others, it means that you have the "I will not be denied" attitude. I just love that. Those are the people who are ambitious, who get the job done. They are those who go and do, not sit and stew.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Income - Careers & Extra Jobs - part 2
Resumes
So now that we know what we want to do, where we want to work, and what characteristics are important for us to be successful in our endeavors, let's talk about that all important resume.
Resumes do not get jobs, they get interviews. The resume’s job is to only score an interview. You can look great on paper but be a mess in person and you will not get the job, even if you are more than qualified. In fact, the decision to hire you is made in the first 3-5 minutes of an interview. Many times, the handshake will make you or break you. No one wants to shake a cold dead fish. So, having an impressive resume is only half of the equation. On the other hand, you can be the perfect candidate for the job, but if you have a resume that is sub par, you will be passed by based on your resume alone.
You are in the parketing business when you are looking for a job. You are selling yourself. Don’t try to be someone you’re not! If it’s not a fit, just say, “You know, this isn’t a fit.” And that’s okay. You don’t have to take the first job that comes along. But there at least needs to be truth in advertising.
Customize every single resume to the position and company you are hoping to work for. Your resume shouldn’t only list where you’ve been, but what you learned where you’ve been and how it applies to this particular situation. Just customize every single resume, and your mission statement is to work for that company.
Have you ever been in a position where you were to wade through resumes? People put the craziest stuff on them, especially for their objective or “mission statement” that has nothing to do with the job that they are applying for. At one job I was filling my position once I had moved up and one lady put something along the lines that she wanted to have an orchard or be a tree farmer. She was applying for a legal secretary position. We had a good laugh, but the resume ended up in the shredder. If you take the time to customize your resumes, it stands a better chance of not going to the shredder or trash can.
When looking for jobs, you need to realize that only about 15% of the jobs out there are listed in the classifieds. Most people get jobs through networking, because they know someone who knows someone. When you're in the job market, you need to let everyone know that you're out there! Many times if you can come with a personal recommendation, you will land the job.
Now conversely, if you know someone is a lousy fit for your company, do not vouch for that person and put your name on the line. In business, your name is very valuable and you do not want to tarnish it.
A Different Approach
If you’re in the market for a particular job and you do not see or hear of any openings, then you can try to make one.
Target the companies you’d like to work for and contact them at least 3 times. First send out a simple introduction letter. Not a resume – just a simple letter saying that I’m about to be bothering you. Say something like, “I’ve identified your company as a really good place to hire me, and over the next several weeks, you’re going to identify me as someone you really want on your team.” Sounds arrogant? No, it sounds confident. You’re essentially saying I’m getting ready to market myself and will be pestering you (without actually saying it). You just tell them about you and that you will be sending them another cover letter with a resume.
Send a cover letter and resume. Now this resume should be tailored to the specific position and company. In the cover letter, tell them that you will be giving them a phone follow-up. Most companies are under 100 employees and so you’re resume isn’t going to end up in the trash. Now that they have your initial letter, cover letter, and resume….they are now expecting YOUR call…if for no other reason than sheer curiosity.
Call to follow up. It does you no good to be as bold as you’ve been and then drop the ball by not calling. You have people waiting for your call and they will take it when you do. This is the time to request an interview.
Be Persistent, not pushy. There is a fine line between pestering and being persistant. A lot of it depends on the type of job or company you are dealing with. If you’re trying to get a job in a high pressure sales industry, being very persistent is a very good thing. It shows off a marketable skill in that field. However, if you are an accountant and you pester the heck out of them, they’re going to think that you’re going to fret and worry about every single penny and it will drive them crazy.
Interview Etiquette
1. Be well groomed and clean. If you have poor hygiene, you will not get the job.
2. Lay off the cologne and perfume. You do not know if the interviewer has allergies!
3. Use breathmints right before the interview. You do not want to be sucking on one during the interview or chewing gum!
4. It's better to be over dressed than under dressed.
5. Shake hands firmly. No one likes to shake a cold dead fish.
6. Make lots of eye contact.
7. Ask questions and look interested. Do some reasearch and have questions prepared to ask the interviewer. It will be impressive.
8. Don't use words like, "Um" and "Like"
9. Be direct in your responses. Don't get into long winded stories.
10. Sit up straight.
11. Smile. Don't look like the interview is the most painful thing you've ever lived through. Show those pearly whites!
12. Let your personality shine through. Let them see the real you...but not too much of the real you.
13. Don't be afraid to tell the truth. If they ask you tough questions, it's okay to just tell the truth. If they don't like your answers, that's okay because that company isn't a fit for you anyway.
14. Practice before you go so that you can be confident.
After having been through many interviews and giving many interviews, I am continuously amazed at how strange people act during the interview process. They twirl their hair, lick their lips A LOT, they get the crazy look, and there's always that moment when you ask them if they have questions for you and you get the blank stare. "Um.....no, I think you answered all my questions." Or, there's that one question that always throws people for a loop. "What are your weaknesses?" Oh crap...you mean that I've gotta tell you that stuff?!? The key is to be honest, but spin your weakness into a strength by the time you finish your sentence. That way, you tell them the truth but put a positive spin on it.
Extra Jobs
Now that you have your dream job, let’s talk about the second part of raising your income, and that’s the second jobs. For some people, that’s tough. It’s tough to swallow your pride and take that second job. Sometimes it’s a tough, pride crushing decision to do what you need to do for a short time until you get into a better position. For a short period of time, sometimes you need to step down out of your comfort zone to take care of your family and to make things happen. I don’t want you to do this forever. I want you to do the things we’ve talked about, so these extra (second and third) jobs are just temporary.
Why get a second job?
1. To put food on the table.
2. To dynamite the log jam. Sometimes you just wouldn’t be able to get the emergency fund saved up or get that debt snowball rolling any other way. Second jobs do that….they get things rolling.
2. To pay off some small bills. Some of those $50 bills, those $100 bills, those little mosquito bills that you need to get off you. If you work for a couple months, you can knock a lot of them out.
3. To buy something you want. Since we are always paying for things with cash now (because cash has power!), sometimes we need a little more of it to save up for something we want. It can be a jet ski, a Harley, a new dining room table and chairs…whatever. That second job makes it possible.
4. To build a lump sum savings. Dave told a story about a man he met once and they had just found out his wife was pregnant with their second child. They had done everything right, but the budget was tight. They had been saving for their first child’s college education all along, but they just couldn’t find that extra $50 a month to send the new baby to college. Dave looked it over and couldn’t find anything and essentially sent the guy home without much help. 9 months later the couple came up to Dave with their new baby, and the wife said, “Dave, you won’t believe what this man has been doing for the last 9 months. He has been working 7 nights a week delivering pizzas. He has saved up $12,000 so that this baby can go to college. Now that’s a dad.
So what can you do for a second job? The list is endless but here are a few good ideas:
Slinging pizzas Delivering Papers
Working Fast Food UPS / Fed Ex
Cleaning Offices Babysitting
Tutoring Walmart
Restaurants Mowing Lawns
Grocery Stores Parking Cars
Hauling Scrap Metal Sitters for the Elderly
House Sitting Dog Walking
It doesn't really matter WHAT you do. The important thing to remember is that it is temporary and it is a means to an end.
Home Based Businesses
A second job doesn’t always have to be outside of the home. Sometimes it can be these home based businesses or cottage industries. It's something you can do in your living room, part time and on weekends until you can get it off the ground. Did you know that Dave started Financial Peace out of his living room? Yep, he started there, and just like you, the goal is to start there, start small, and then move further and further from the living room.
Avon, Tupperware, Pampered Chef, and all those other things people sell are also technically home based businesses. Now I will say that very few people do well selling these products. Many end up with a lot of inventory that no one wants. However, some do very well at it, so you have to look and see if this is something that is a passion of yours and if you won’t make all your friends, neighbors, and relatives mad by harassing them to order stuff.
Crafts, Cakes, Catering, or any other talent you posess can also earn you money. These can be done from your home too. I just started making hair bows and flower clips for little girls with hopes of selling them. It’s nothing major but it’s a little extra money. Same with cake decorating. I have started decorating cakes for profit lately – I’ve always known how to do it, but now I can make money off of it. It’s something I love and I’m good at. You have something you’re good at too…why not make some money off of it?
Additional Sources of Income (Quick Money)
Surveys. You have to be careful about where you go online but there are legitimate services out there. There is also a place in the Rivergate Mall called Quick Test. I worked there in High School, and NO it is not an AIDS testing center. (You have no idea how many people asked about that) It is a place where you can take surveys. Depending on the survey you can either try new products or earn money. They are also the people in the halls with clipboards that want to ask you questions. They might be annoying but they can earn you a few extra bucks or give you some new products to try. I have done surveys on trail mix, cosmetics, commercials (those pay!), bath and body products, and much much more.
Blogs. If you blog anyway you can add Google AdSense to your blog and maybe make a few bucks off advertisements. The down-side is that you do not get paid until you make your first $100. If you have quite a few readers then you stand a good chance of making some money.
Work at Home Jobs. Again, BE CAREFUL! Get information from people you know who actually do this. Chances are if your friend is getting paid without problems, then the company is legit.
Secret Shopper Work. See Rebecca about this one. She secret shops several places in the area and there's usually a free lunch and $5.00 (or more) involved.
Selling Stuff: Ebay, Craigslist, and Yard Sales. I have had great success with ebay, yard sales, and craigslist. Yard sales have been the dynamite to my log jam MANY times over.
Donating Plasma. This may not be glamorous, but if you need a few bucks to stretch till payday, then this is an option. It's not much but I've known many people who have done this and it's kept them afloat till their next payday.
Conclusion
Whether you have a career, vocation, job, or several jobs, when you are at work, work. Even if you aren't fond of your job, you can still do it well and learn to enjoy your work until you can formulate your plan and make it a reality. One thing that Dave tells his employees is that their raise becomes effective when they are. That is true at nearly every company. If you can become effective, productive, and an asset to the company, then you will get noticed and hopefully compensated for it.
We live in an amazing place and an amazing time, where we can do almost anything that we want. It's truly a time of opportunity, and all we have to do is sieze the moment. Dave Ramsey shared this in FPU and it really touched my heart. It's a poem by Dean Alfrange.
"I do not wish to be a common man.
It is my right to be uncommon, if I can.
I seek opportunity, not security.
I do not wish to be a kept citizen,
Humbled and dulledc by having the state look after me.
I want to take the calculated risk
To dream and to build
To fail and to succeed.
I refuse to barter incentive for a dole.
I prefer the challenges of life
to a guaranteed existence.
The thrill of fulfillment
to the stale calm of Utopia.
I will not trade freedom for beneficience,
nor my dignity for a hand-out.
I will never cower before any master
nor bend to any threat.
It is my heritage to stand erect, proud, and unafraid.
To think and act for myself.
To enjoy the benefit of my creations
and to face the world boldly and say
'This I have done.'"
This is what it is all about. This is the American dream, and it only takes you to make that dream a reality.
So now that we know what we want to do, where we want to work, and what characteristics are important for us to be successful in our endeavors, let's talk about that all important resume.
Resumes do not get jobs, they get interviews. The resume’s job is to only score an interview. You can look great on paper but be a mess in person and you will not get the job, even if you are more than qualified. In fact, the decision to hire you is made in the first 3-5 minutes of an interview. Many times, the handshake will make you or break you. No one wants to shake a cold dead fish. So, having an impressive resume is only half of the equation. On the other hand, you can be the perfect candidate for the job, but if you have a resume that is sub par, you will be passed by based on your resume alone.
You are in the parketing business when you are looking for a job. You are selling yourself. Don’t try to be someone you’re not! If it’s not a fit, just say, “You know, this isn’t a fit.” And that’s okay. You don’t have to take the first job that comes along. But there at least needs to be truth in advertising.
Customize every single resume to the position and company you are hoping to work for. Your resume shouldn’t only list where you’ve been, but what you learned where you’ve been and how it applies to this particular situation. Just customize every single resume, and your mission statement is to work for that company.
Have you ever been in a position where you were to wade through resumes? People put the craziest stuff on them, especially for their objective or “mission statement” that has nothing to do with the job that they are applying for. At one job I was filling my position once I had moved up and one lady put something along the lines that she wanted to have an orchard or be a tree farmer. She was applying for a legal secretary position. We had a good laugh, but the resume ended up in the shredder. If you take the time to customize your resumes, it stands a better chance of not going to the shredder or trash can.
When looking for jobs, you need to realize that only about 15% of the jobs out there are listed in the classifieds. Most people get jobs through networking, because they know someone who knows someone. When you're in the job market, you need to let everyone know that you're out there! Many times if you can come with a personal recommendation, you will land the job.
Now conversely, if you know someone is a lousy fit for your company, do not vouch for that person and put your name on the line. In business, your name is very valuable and you do not want to tarnish it.
A Different Approach
If you’re in the market for a particular job and you do not see or hear of any openings, then you can try to make one.
Target the companies you’d like to work for and contact them at least 3 times. First send out a simple introduction letter. Not a resume – just a simple letter saying that I’m about to be bothering you. Say something like, “I’ve identified your company as a really good place to hire me, and over the next several weeks, you’re going to identify me as someone you really want on your team.” Sounds arrogant? No, it sounds confident. You’re essentially saying I’m getting ready to market myself and will be pestering you (without actually saying it). You just tell them about you and that you will be sending them another cover letter with a resume.
Send a cover letter and resume. Now this resume should be tailored to the specific position and company. In the cover letter, tell them that you will be giving them a phone follow-up. Most companies are under 100 employees and so you’re resume isn’t going to end up in the trash. Now that they have your initial letter, cover letter, and resume….they are now expecting YOUR call…if for no other reason than sheer curiosity.
Call to follow up. It does you no good to be as bold as you’ve been and then drop the ball by not calling. You have people waiting for your call and they will take it when you do. This is the time to request an interview.
Be Persistent, not pushy. There is a fine line between pestering and being persistant. A lot of it depends on the type of job or company you are dealing with. If you’re trying to get a job in a high pressure sales industry, being very persistent is a very good thing. It shows off a marketable skill in that field. However, if you are an accountant and you pester the heck out of them, they’re going to think that you’re going to fret and worry about every single penny and it will drive them crazy.
Interview Etiquette
1. Be well groomed and clean. If you have poor hygiene, you will not get the job.
2. Lay off the cologne and perfume. You do not know if the interviewer has allergies!
3. Use breathmints right before the interview. You do not want to be sucking on one during the interview or chewing gum!
4. It's better to be over dressed than under dressed.
5. Shake hands firmly. No one likes to shake a cold dead fish.
6. Make lots of eye contact.
7. Ask questions and look interested. Do some reasearch and have questions prepared to ask the interviewer. It will be impressive.
8. Don't use words like, "Um" and "Like"
9. Be direct in your responses. Don't get into long winded stories.
10. Sit up straight.
11. Smile. Don't look like the interview is the most painful thing you've ever lived through. Show those pearly whites!
12. Let your personality shine through. Let them see the real you...but not too much of the real you.
13. Don't be afraid to tell the truth. If they ask you tough questions, it's okay to just tell the truth. If they don't like your answers, that's okay because that company isn't a fit for you anyway.
14. Practice before you go so that you can be confident.
After having been through many interviews and giving many interviews, I am continuously amazed at how strange people act during the interview process. They twirl their hair, lick their lips A LOT, they get the crazy look, and there's always that moment when you ask them if they have questions for you and you get the blank stare. "Um.....no, I think you answered all my questions." Or, there's that one question that always throws people for a loop. "What are your weaknesses?" Oh crap...you mean that I've gotta tell you that stuff?!? The key is to be honest, but spin your weakness into a strength by the time you finish your sentence. That way, you tell them the truth but put a positive spin on it.
Extra Jobs
Now that you have your dream job, let’s talk about the second part of raising your income, and that’s the second jobs. For some people, that’s tough. It’s tough to swallow your pride and take that second job. Sometimes it’s a tough, pride crushing decision to do what you need to do for a short time until you get into a better position. For a short period of time, sometimes you need to step down out of your comfort zone to take care of your family and to make things happen. I don’t want you to do this forever. I want you to do the things we’ve talked about, so these extra (second and third) jobs are just temporary.
Why get a second job?
1. To put food on the table.
2. To dynamite the log jam. Sometimes you just wouldn’t be able to get the emergency fund saved up or get that debt snowball rolling any other way. Second jobs do that….they get things rolling.
2. To pay off some small bills. Some of those $50 bills, those $100 bills, those little mosquito bills that you need to get off you. If you work for a couple months, you can knock a lot of them out.
3. To buy something you want. Since we are always paying for things with cash now (because cash has power!), sometimes we need a little more of it to save up for something we want. It can be a jet ski, a Harley, a new dining room table and chairs…whatever. That second job makes it possible.
4. To build a lump sum savings. Dave told a story about a man he met once and they had just found out his wife was pregnant with their second child. They had done everything right, but the budget was tight. They had been saving for their first child’s college education all along, but they just couldn’t find that extra $50 a month to send the new baby to college. Dave looked it over and couldn’t find anything and essentially sent the guy home without much help. 9 months later the couple came up to Dave with their new baby, and the wife said, “Dave, you won’t believe what this man has been doing for the last 9 months. He has been working 7 nights a week delivering pizzas. He has saved up $12,000 so that this baby can go to college. Now that’s a dad.
So what can you do for a second job? The list is endless but here are a few good ideas:
Slinging pizzas Delivering Papers
Working Fast Food UPS / Fed Ex
Cleaning Offices Babysitting
Tutoring Walmart
Restaurants Mowing Lawns
Grocery Stores Parking Cars
Hauling Scrap Metal Sitters for the Elderly
House Sitting Dog Walking
It doesn't really matter WHAT you do. The important thing to remember is that it is temporary and it is a means to an end.
Home Based Businesses
A second job doesn’t always have to be outside of the home. Sometimes it can be these home based businesses or cottage industries. It's something you can do in your living room, part time and on weekends until you can get it off the ground. Did you know that Dave started Financial Peace out of his living room? Yep, he started there, and just like you, the goal is to start there, start small, and then move further and further from the living room.
Avon, Tupperware, Pampered Chef, and all those other things people sell are also technically home based businesses. Now I will say that very few people do well selling these products. Many end up with a lot of inventory that no one wants. However, some do very well at it, so you have to look and see if this is something that is a passion of yours and if you won’t make all your friends, neighbors, and relatives mad by harassing them to order stuff.
Crafts, Cakes, Catering, or any other talent you posess can also earn you money. These can be done from your home too. I just started making hair bows and flower clips for little girls with hopes of selling them. It’s nothing major but it’s a little extra money. Same with cake decorating. I have started decorating cakes for profit lately – I’ve always known how to do it, but now I can make money off of it. It’s something I love and I’m good at. You have something you’re good at too…why not make some money off of it?
Additional Sources of Income (Quick Money)
Surveys. You have to be careful about where you go online but there are legitimate services out there. There is also a place in the Rivergate Mall called Quick Test. I worked there in High School, and NO it is not an AIDS testing center. (You have no idea how many people asked about that) It is a place where you can take surveys. Depending on the survey you can either try new products or earn money. They are also the people in the halls with clipboards that want to ask you questions. They might be annoying but they can earn you a few extra bucks or give you some new products to try. I have done surveys on trail mix, cosmetics, commercials (those pay!), bath and body products, and much much more.
Blogs. If you blog anyway you can add Google AdSense to your blog and maybe make a few bucks off advertisements. The down-side is that you do not get paid until you make your first $100. If you have quite a few readers then you stand a good chance of making some money.
Work at Home Jobs. Again, BE CAREFUL! Get information from people you know who actually do this. Chances are if your friend is getting paid without problems, then the company is legit.
Secret Shopper Work. See Rebecca about this one. She secret shops several places in the area and there's usually a free lunch and $5.00 (or more) involved.
Selling Stuff: Ebay, Craigslist, and Yard Sales. I have had great success with ebay, yard sales, and craigslist. Yard sales have been the dynamite to my log jam MANY times over.
Donating Plasma. This may not be glamorous, but if you need a few bucks to stretch till payday, then this is an option. It's not much but I've known many people who have done this and it's kept them afloat till their next payday.
Conclusion
Whether you have a career, vocation, job, or several jobs, when you are at work, work. Even if you aren't fond of your job, you can still do it well and learn to enjoy your work until you can formulate your plan and make it a reality. One thing that Dave tells his employees is that their raise becomes effective when they are. That is true at nearly every company. If you can become effective, productive, and an asset to the company, then you will get noticed and hopefully compensated for it.
We live in an amazing place and an amazing time, where we can do almost anything that we want. It's truly a time of opportunity, and all we have to do is sieze the moment. Dave Ramsey shared this in FPU and it really touched my heart. It's a poem by Dean Alfrange.
"I do not wish to be a common man.
It is my right to be uncommon, if I can.
I seek opportunity, not security.
I do not wish to be a kept citizen,
Humbled and dulledc by having the state look after me.
I want to take the calculated risk
To dream and to build
To fail and to succeed.
I refuse to barter incentive for a dole.
I prefer the challenges of life
to a guaranteed existence.
The thrill of fulfillment
to the stale calm of Utopia.
I will not trade freedom for beneficience,
nor my dignity for a hand-out.
I will never cower before any master
nor bend to any threat.
It is my heritage to stand erect, proud, and unafraid.
To think and act for myself.
To enjoy the benefit of my creations
and to face the world boldly and say
'This I have done.'"
This is what it is all about. This is the American dream, and it only takes you to make that dream a reality.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)