How to Find Ways of Making Money Outside a Traditional Job

The work world has changed very rapidly the past few decades and will continue to change when it comes to outsourcing and other economic factors. It used to be that a traditional 40-hour a week job was relatively safe and stable, but that is no longer the case. Even if you have a job, it's a good idea to have small back-up incomes as well. If you've lost your job and are having difficulty finding another one, you may have to rethink how you look at jobs and income. In this article, I'll give you tips that I've personally found helpful.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• The desire to find opportunities on how to make money outside of a traditional job.

1. I believe the hardest step in all of this is learning how to change your thinking.
   
   Most of us were raised without learning about business and self-employment from our families or school. Things have changed so fast that a lot of times educational systems can't keep up with the reality of what's going on in the work world. In that respect, the responsibility for your overall career success is going to have to be self-directed, or you're not going to learn it.

2. There is often a lot of fear in these situations that you have to overcome.
   
   You may have been laid off and be looking for another job, or it could be that you don't know how long your existing job is going to last. About the only thing fear is remotely useful for is to motivate you to take action, but often the effect is just to opposite--you're paralyzed from not knowing what to do. Making a decision to take action against your circumstances will cure fear--initially it is harder, but it gets easier over time.

3. Next, you need to assess your own skills, abilities, and interests.
   
   What can you do that can serve others and make you an income? Are you good at a specific area of computers and the Internet? Do you know how to do a trade that people need? What would you be willing to learn in your spare time to improve what you know? Realistically knowing where you are can help you determine which opportunities will help you the most.

4. If you're thinking about going into business for yourself, either part-time or full-time, take the time to educate yourself and if possible find a mentor.
   
   There are so many business and financial mistakes you can avoid by doing this, and it will help you get off to a good start.

5. The Internet is a great place to find opportunity--and it's also a great place to find a lot of scams.
   
   I admit that I've personally taken some risks at times that I had no idea would work out or not, but it's always been risking my efforts--not money I already had. There are a lot of businesses you can start on the Internet with nothing out of pocket and just your creativity. Websites are great things to start from nothing and then grow as you get money flowing in from advertisers--this does not happen overnight and requires a lot of learning if you don't already have the background, but it can work with the right idea.

6. Selling items on websites like Amazon, eBay, and craigslist can also be an option for you.
   
   This can vary somewhat by your physical location--for example the cost of living in my area is relatively lower than other areas of the country. I can buy some things like certain used books and video games and easily sell them for a profit--and it's still a good deal for the buyer even with shipping.

Tips & Warnings

• I personally recommend starting small and keeping your ideas debt-free and low cost in the beginning.
• Not everything you try will go right, but the experience you gain will often make the next project go a lot smoother.
• If you have a job, start something part-time and don't quit to go full-time until you know your business is stable. Even if you're temporarily miserable at your job, you can use it as motivation.
• Be prepared to deeply look into Internet opportunities, directly checking resources like the Better Business Bureau for any issues or problems.

Resources

• More How-to Articles by Cougar1002
• My Life Development (free resources on success)
• The Writer's Library
• List of Known Online Paid or Reward Sites That Are Legitimate (Have Been Tested)
• Patricia Gilliam's Author's Blog (For Updates/News/Latest Articles)
• Patricia Gilliam's Twitter Page

[2besure]

on 12/4/2008 This is a very timely article!

[ElectricalNut]

on 12/4/2008 Great info. Thanks!

[ljstraight]

on 12/3/2008 A great article that is very educational. When people are in a bind, and are to much in a hurry trying to find a job, this article should help them not jump into costly job option. 5 stars

[acole]

on 12/3/2008 This is an excellent article for this time of year. Great tips. Thanks!