There are jobs, and then there are things you love to do—that you wish were jobs. But do you know how to get paid for doing what you love to do, not just a piddling boring job?

Believe it or not, being paid for something that you love to do is entirely possible. You simply have to find a way to do it, and, with some careful planning, you can do it.

First, decide what it is you love to do. Is it knitting, carpentry, or even computer work? Some people love to plan and cater events; others love to provide rides for people.

Once you have decided what it is that you want to do, start to look at it as something that you might like as a job—to build into a business. What supplies and/or tools will you need? Will you need a vehicle, or not? Start to look around at possible places to get your supplies at a cheaper rate than you might at the local stores. Discount stores exist, and even if they are not nearby, perhaps it would be worth the cost of shipping to have the supplies sent to you.

Your potential customer base is another issue to think about. Consider what it is that you are going to be doing, and decide how many people would pay you for it.

Event planners, for example, are absolutely needed in cities like New York City or Washington, DC. However, the need for an event planner may not exist in Gold Coast, Oregon. Be aware of the need for your skill.

Now that you do know how to get paid for doing what you love—or the basics of it—consider some finer points. Advertising yourself so that your business will do well can be an issue. Whether your advertising will cost a lot to begin with is up to you.

Should your business be something like a virtual assistant, take advantage of cheap online directories to advertise yourself. Go to freelancing sites to find jobs that you can bid on to start out as a virtual assistant, and build your resume’.

Classified ads in the newspaper will work—but only in your local area unless you use a major newspaper. Consider other options as well.  If you are going to want to do one-on-one work, such as driving for people, don’t forget to employ word-of-mouth as a resource.

Take advantage of using the people that you know for suggestions. Do they know someone that needs a driver, or an event planned, and would be willing to recommend you?

Build a website, pure and simple. Use it so that you can know more about how to build to get paid for doing what you love. If you are willing to come to someone’s home to fix their computer, tell about your skills and prices for your help on the website. Add a blog to it, to chronicle your experiences.

Being paid for something that you love isn’t too hard—you just have to plan it out well. Dig in with some determination as well, and success will be yours.

Favorite Internet Resources for Jobseekers

Career CollectiveJob Search

**I am a member of the Career Collective, a group of resume writers and career coaches.  Each month, all members discuss a certain topic.  This month, we are talking about favorite resources for job seekers. Please follow our tweets on Twitter #careercollective.  You can also view the other member’s interesting posts at the end of the article.
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When you are looking for your next job, employment agencies, want ads, and networking can all be used to find leads, but you will certainly want to turn to the Internet as well in conducting your research.
What follows are some of the most popular websites for anyone seeking employment.Some I like, some I’m not crazy about, but they all have their pros and cons. Check them out and let me know what you think!

● Execunet is probably my favorite website for $150K+ executive jobseekers. It has a fantastic reputation for having the jobs they say that they will have (unlike some OTHER websites promoting the same thing) and my clients seem to have great luck with it. There is a small monthly fee, but it is nothing in comparison to the job you will get when using it.
● Netshare is another favorite for $100K+ jobs for execs. They have a database of thousands of executive jobs across all disciplines and locations.
● LinkUp With this company, the job openings are indexed from company websites, not from ‘pay-to-post’ job boards.  Thousands of jobs and websites.
● Career Builder is the country’s largest online source for jobs, posting a selection of more than 1.6 million openings. Every month 49.23 million visitors go there, knowing they can find listings for every industry and every type of job. Just remember that number though… 49 million visitors a month. You better have a darn good resume.
● Indeed is a search engine that allows those seeking employment to search jobs posted on a vast array of job boards and company career sites.
● SimplyHired, which is located in Silicon Valley, is in the process of “building the largest online database of jobs on the planet.” They also intend to make job hunting uncomplicated, enjoyable, and effective.
● Exsearches is perfect for individuals seeking government, nonprofit, health, and education sectors of the job market.
● CollegeRecruiter posts a huge number of entry-level online help-wanted listings. Its School Finder program matches individuals who want to continue their education with both traditional and online schools. You will also find a wide selection of blogs, articles, and ‘ask the experts” information here.
● SnagAJob links the United States’ hourly workforce with the jobs they need and want. After registering more than 10 million candidates, they are America’s largest job site for full-time and part-time hourly positions.
Note that you can visit job search engines frequently because they are constantly updated, and they will even tell you how many listings have been added since you last did a search, which will enable you to focus on the ones that are new.
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Other articles of interest from the #Career Collective group:

If your industry does not participate online, you can lead the way, @Keppie_Careers
6 Ideas to Put In Your Toolbox, @WorkWithIllness,
Your Best Job Search Resource? You!, @WalterAkana
In a Job Search, Knowledge is Power, @barbarasafani
Jump Start Your Job Search Now!, @resumeservice
Favourite Resources for Jobseekers, @GayleHoward
The Best Job Search Tool Ever, @careersherpa
Find What You Do Best, Know Your Stuff, and Connect, @chandlee
27 Recommended Blogs for Entry-Level Job Seekers, @heatherhuhman
Invaluable Resources for Job Search Success, @heathermundell
Favorite Social-Media Resources for Job-seekers, @KatCareerGal
Canadian Resources for Job Seekers, @EliteResumes @MartinBuckland
A Self-Empowering Job Search Resource, @KCCareerCoach
Covering your bases: 5 ultra-useful online career resources, @LaurieBerenson
Favorite resources for Job seekers, @DawnBugni
Top 3 Resources for Job Seekers to Position Themselves as Experts and Increase their Visibility, @expatcoachmegan
Time as a Career Resource: How “Not” to Squander It, @ValueIntoWords
The Facts Behind Why LinkUp Is the Most Revolutionary Job Search Engine Available to Job Seekers, @GLHoffman


Looking for a job is not always fun, and you need a good resume to help you along in the process. Here’s an important question to consider—does your resume give the impression that you are overqualified for the job you want? Or, are you truly overqualified to get the job that your heart desires?

Having too many qualifications for a job can be detrimental to a job seeker looking for either a different type of position, or one considered “lower”.  Deciding how to write your resume properly to get the job you want is a necessity.
However, there is one other thing to consider when re-writing your resume, be sure to include the important things. Deleting things from your resume can be very detrimental to your job search, even if you feel it will over-qualify you.
Something else to keep in mind about changing your resume around for the one single job that you want is that the company may have other openings. This is an important point to consider—quite often, a resume will be passed around within a company if the job you want is not available. When you suddenly present a resume that is accurate and different from the original, your prospective employer will be put off. So, the problem that presents itself is how to write the resume, still show that you have a lot of qualifications—but scare possible employers away.
You are determined to get a job that you really want, but you are overqualified for it. There may be a number of reasons for your decision to “lower yourself”, and this is something to consider when talking to prospective employers. Once your resume has made it into an employer’s hands, and they seem interested, some will be confused. Why would you want a job that is beneath you? Have some valid reasons to back yourself up. Tell them what made you come to this decision. You don’t need to say, “well, I can’t get anything else”, but you could say something like, “Yes, I know I might be a little overqualified, but this type of position has always interested me and I think having these extra skills could really impact the position and what it could do for ABC Co.” etc.
Changing industries and jobs may be more difficult to do due to your being over qualified. On the other hand, your willingness to learn something new may make all the difference in the world when the prospective employer considers you for the job. It does not matter if you are overqualified for a job or not—it is still possible to get it. Communicating properly—both verbally and through demonstrating an eagerness to learn and change—will make a huge impression.


The word “resume” gives some people the shivers when they think about having to write one. This reaction is truly not necessary—all it takes to write a resume is a little bit of effort, and some thought. The following are some basic tips on how to write your resume. While the actual writing process takes a lot of thought, planning and strategy, having a “to do” list like this will keep you on track.
Knowing what will go into a resume is the most important thing. In other words, your very first step is to plan out what will go into the resume—sort of like the term papers you wrote for school, or a shopping list.
Think about what jobs you have done, the time spans each of them have covered, and the job duties included. Don’t put them in a specific order yet, unless it’s easier for you to work that way.

Begin at the top of the resume, and decide the format that you want to create it in. List your name and contact information first. After that will be the career summary, your job experiences, and follow them up with education/credentials/professional development.
Start out writing each job description, in a loose, easy manner. Whether you choose for that to be just a few words for the description, or a list of words done as bullet points, it doesn’t really matter. Whatever works for you is what counts.
Look at the jobs that you have in front of you. Some people prefer to take the paper that they’ve used to jot these descriptions out on, and cut it up to rearrange the jobs into the correct chronological order. Others just use circles and arrows. Once you have decided the order in which you want to put the jobs, look at the descriptions again. Put the words into a coherent, thoughtful description of that particular job.
See? You are already writing a quality resume—it’s that easy.
Refining the job descriptions so that they make sense, don’t run on, and will put you into a positive light are the next step. There are some other things to consider now, in addition to the job descriptions. Education is an important thing to list on your resume. With that in mind, list whatever college or technical/trade school experience you may have. Remember to keep it reverse chronological (the preferred choice), listing the most recent position first.
List things like the GPA that you had, any school-related leadership positions you may have had, and extra-curricular activities as well, but ONLY if you are a new grad.
Now, create a career objective or career summary (I always do mine last, after I get a strong familiarity with the client’s history). What do you want to do in your career? What do you want the reader to know about you, your strengths and what you can contribute? You should remain very clear and focused in this area. Think of your brand. Do you have one?
Learning how to write a resume isn’t difficult as long as you devote the time, thought and planning into it.


So many people are put off by the idea of writing a resume, and ignore doing it until the absolute last possible minute, many times when it is too late. Using a resume that is written properly will save you a lot of heartache in the end, though—and is worth the time investment. Taking advantage of keywords to write a resume is an excellent idea, particularly if it is done well.

One of the main reasons keywords is such a hot topic is because of company scanning machines. Employers use scanning machines to search for keywords in a candidates resume that match their requirements, weeding out everyone else whose resumes don’t match that.
In the last decade or so, it has become the norm for resumes to be sent out over the internet through search engines—particularly the job hunting search engines. Employers will take advantage of these particular search engines, and feed in the required information for each job posting, and a set of tags. In other words, the tags are the keywords that they are looking for in resumes. These tags not only help the companies, but they help you by permitting you to select categories that you feel fit your skill level better. By knowing what category you picked the job from—operations, finance, sales and marketing—you can re-word your resume using relevant keywords to fit the job description (posting) you are interested in. So, how do you know what keywords to add in a resume?
Make a rough list of what you need to add to your resume. Consider the jobs that are on your resume already. What things do they have in common? Start to think about what words you could conveniently place to attract prospective employers’ attention throughout your resume—words that are part of your past experiences–and relevant to the next position. Previous experience managing a manufacturing company can be turned into a keyword, or two—manufacturing operations or operations executive.
Place the keywords appropriately in your resume. Make the sentence or title that they are in seem natural, yet the placement of the keyword will gain attention, especially in the search engines. Consider a bulleted keyword list under your career summary.  Grabbing the attention of human resource managers or the hiring person is easier if you have a keyword list.
Now that you know how keywords work in a resume, take the time to rework your resume. A little bit of extra effort quite often pays off in the long run—especially when you’re looking for the job of your dreams.

Job hunting is not anyone’s favorite thing to do. Neither is writing a resume either, unless you do it for a living. So when you find errors on your resume after you’ve sent it, how important are they?  This just happened to a friend of mine. No sooner had her finger hit ‘send’, did she realize there was a typo in the career summary at the top of page 1. Are those mistakes really going to cause you serious problems?
Well, the answer to that is that it depends.  There are many different types of errors that you might find on a resume, and while some of them are ridiculous, others are so inconsequential that no one will notice.
For example, formatting errors are more noticeable than anything else, and will leave an impression that the person who is submitting the resume doesn’t know what they’re doing. If the resume wasn’t created by you, it will still be the impression given to the employer. Ensure that your resume is properly formatted. In other words, all the edges match up, because looks do count. Pay attention to whether or not bullet points are used in appropriate places, if you have chosen to use them. Make sure everything is consistent. If you are going to capitalize your job title, make sure ALL job titles are capitalized, etc.
How important are errors on a resume? Is your contact info correct? There is a difference between the town names Brookfield and Brookville! Let’s say Person X living at 123 Main in Brookfield lands a job—but their resume says Brookville. When the job offer is mailed to the wrong address and comes back as returned mail, that’s a big problem.

Incorrect information on a resume is also a major resume no-no. Lying about previous experience or schooling is a huge problem. How important are these errors on a resume? More than likely, at some point in time, you will get caught, and your credibility could be ruined. Oh, and you’ll probably be fired, too.
When creating your resume be truthful about where you went to school, what your ranking was, and when you graduated. If you took longer to graduate, you can explain that in an interview.  Past experiences are listed on your resume with the most recent on top and a description of what the job was, using as few words as possible. Many people are too wordy, which is a turn-off to employers looking for potential workers. Keep it straightforward and simple. Cut the fluff words and stick to the point.
Spelling counts for a lot and the spell-check function on your computer can be a valuable tool. Be aware of how to spell the names of personal references properly. When potential employers call to check the references with these people, they don’t wish to be embarrassed by asking for the wrong person due to the name being misspelled. You should always spell-check and proof your work obsessively, or at least 2-3 times. Beware: spell-check doesn’t catch everything. I used to always automatically type “manger” for “manager”. I don’t know why, but I did. Manger is a word so spell-check never caught it. I did though. Luckily there is a cool tool in MS Word (auto correct options) where you add the words you misspell the most and it will automatically correct them (whew!).
Really, how important are errors on a resume? It all depends on the position you are applying for. If you are looking at a small spelling mistake in a sentence, and you are applying at an auto parts store for a cashier position, then it’s probably not a big deal. However, if you are applying as a newspaper editor with that same resume, it is a big deal. In the end, your resume should still be perfect anyway.

Introvert or Extrovert? Tips for Job Search No Matter Which 'Vert' You Are

Career CollectiveJob Search


**I am a member of the Career Collective, a group of resume writers and career coaches.  Each month, all members discuss a certain topic.  This month, we are talking about networking and job search whether  you are introverted or extroverted. Please follow our tweets on Twitter #careercollective.  You can also view the other member’s interesting posts at the end of the article.


The old adage ‘the grass is always greener on the other side,’ fits many situations. Today, it is especially relevant to job seekers. In the world of the job hunt, two personality types often emerge, each with strengths and weaknesses. Extroverts and introverts alike often find themselves wishing they were exactly opposite of themselves. The truth is that understanding how to craft a resume and how to interview, utilizing the strengths or weaknesses of either an introvert or an extrovert, can mean success in the form of a new job. I think I border both, because in ‘new’ situations I tend to either get quiet or talk more than I would like to. Both can be bad, or good, depending on how you look at it. Which are you?
By determining which you are, introverted or extroverted, and by understanding the strengths and weakness of your personality type, you can begin a successful job search with your resume. If you are most comfortable alone, or in smaller settings and find it difficult to express yourself verbally, you are most likely an introvert.
Those that are social enjoy crowds and talking is typically considered extroverted behavior. You might mistakenly assume that extroverts always interview well while introverts present above par resumes. The truth is actually somewhere in the middle.

The Resume

Both personality types are urged to remember the purpose of a resume. It should be a clear, precise representation of a candidates experience and related skill sets. While introverts, very good at introspection, may have an easier time paring down their resume, they often make the mistake of providing too little information. Extroverts tend to be more inclusive in their resume attempts, but often provide too much information. When writing or updating a resume, both personality types should focus on the format of the resume, including relevant details and facts about themselves and removing any unneeded information.

The Interview

Extroverts, who love to talk, often quickly settle into an interview. Introverts, often find themselves ill at ease and uncomfortable. Unlike the extrovert, the introvert is unlikely to engage the interviewer himself or herself. While it sounds like the extrovert wins the interview round, both personality types need to make adjustment to their interview style in order to be successful. Extroverts need to remember to keep their answers short and to the point, while introverts must allow themselves to be drawn out during the interview process.

In general, the both introverts and extroverts should follow the same guidelines when preparing a resume or interviewing. Resumes should be in the correct format and provide information relevant to the job position. When it comes time to interview, candidates of both types should have had a good nights sleep and should be prepared. It is a good idea to bring a list of questions for the interviewer. Practicing short, informative answers to typically asked questions can be helpful as well.
Always remember that both personality types have strengths and weaknesses and learning to play on these is the best way to be successful in your job hunt. Introverts should take advantage of their inquisitive and analytical nature while extroverts should use their ability to fit into any social situation. By carefully balancing these strengths against their weaknesses, either personality type can be successful. Good luck!
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Don’t forget to check out other similar articles from members of the Career Collective:



    Visual CV's. Why you need one.

    NetworkingProfessional ResumesResume Writing

    When searching for a job, it is important to have prepared a well-written, professional looking resume that best displays your most significant qualifications, attributes, and characteristics that make you stand out to your prospective employer. You want the reader of your resume to be impressed and believe that their company needs someone like you for the position. Your resume is essentially your very first impression, so it should reflect you in a way that leaves a lasting effect on the person considering you for employment.
    A typical resume is a one to two page document typed up and listing such things as educational background, objective or career goal, qualifications and skills, and past experience and employment. However, with the way technology is growing and changing, people are beginning to turn to the idea of using virtual resumes; that is, resumes posted online for employers to view. Times are changing, and more pieces of information that were once typed or hand-written are now being displayed on websites and other formats.
    So, without further ado, let me introduce you to my new favorite resume tool, the VisualCV. Visual CVs are online website portfolios created by prospective employees and candidates wishing to display all there is to know about them to prospective employers. They are far more than the typical one-page resume, and can include a variety of unique features.

    While traditional resumes must be saved as a certain format and attached to an email or uploaded to send, you can simply send the web address of your VisualCV to be viewed by anyone you wish. There are virtually no limits to what you can add to your page. You can add audio or video of yourself, perhaps describing yourself and your characteristics and qualifications. You can also add graphs and links highlighting certain achievements you’ve accomplished, or anything else you wish to showcase. The actual layout of your page has the look of a traditional resume, but with one side displaying high-tech add-ons to give your presentation a professional and new sort of flair. You can add presentations and even YouTube video’s. If you are at a business lunch and someone asks you for your resume, you can simply give them the URL of your VisualCV and they can pull it up right there on their PDA!
    Are VisualCVs a good idea? Many are torn on the issue. It can add a bit of a competitive edge to your resume, showing your prospective employer a unique flair and determination, something new that they maybe haven’t seen before. It can bring you and your skills to life in what can be called a 21st century virtual show and tell. It can also be useful in controlling who sees it and where you post it, as you can post the link to your Visual CV to job search websites or directly in emails, and it can be updated and edited easily with the touch of a button. However, some argue that VisualCVs aren’t such a great idea. For one, it’s typically common that employers will take less than a minute or two to first scan resumes to weed out the ones they aren’t interested in; therefore, it can be unlikely that they’ll take the time to actually watch your videos or look at your graphs. Also, speaking in front of a camera can make more of a negative impression than a positive, especially if you aren’t well-versed in public speaking.
    Whether or not you choose to use a VisualCV is up to you, but it can be a positive idea if used correctly. If you don’t have enough material or the skill to make it worth someone’s while, then a traditional resume is probably for you.