Please Note: The article that follows was written to help you find work - a job - so you can support yourself and your family. The ideas suggested here are merely suggestions that I have found productive in creating what I call "tide-over" income during the times in my life when I was "between jobs." It is income that will help you put food on the table and pay at least some of your bills.
I remember my Dad saying, "You
could always earn money if you could obtain a nickel .... buy shoe laces at
the five and 10, go door to door and sell them for 10 cents ... buy more
shoe laces and repeat the process ..." I always retained that thought that I
could always survive no matter what happened.
Some of these ideas (suggestions), but not all of them, may help you get work in the days ahead. My opinion is that some money being earned and coming in, is much better than no money at all coming in. Therefore, you may have to lower your work standards and your economic status for a time, you may have to do work that is degrading or work that puts you into a lower income postion than you are accustomed to - for a time. That is, until the economy improves and you can go back to a job similar to or better than the jobs you had previously.
It could be that way for the rest of your life. Your challenge, right now, is to find something you love to do. Then do it to make money! For example: The hobby you love could be changed to become a business that will make money for you. Then, you need to go out into the marketplace and sell the ideas you have had for those "hobby" products … the things that you used to make as your "former hobby", can now be your "business" and guess what, that same kind of hobby fun can bring in the money you need to pay your bills!
When you are out of work and there seems to be no prospect of finding a steady job anywhere in the near future – let me offer a few other suggestions to help you get some money coming in to pay your bills.
First of all let me tell you I have often been “out of work” and struggling to pay my bills but I’ve always found a way to over come that problem.
How?
First, I always begin with a prayer. I tell the Lord what my problem is and then ask for his wisdom to help me to find a solution. This has always worked for me. God's answer can be: “Yes, or wait, or - I have a better idea for you and here it is.” In short, you can do the same.
Second, I spend lots of time thinking. By the way, really hard thinking can be harder work than digging ditches! Next, I try to observe and be aware of what is going on around me, that is, I look to see what people are buying. I look for trends. Then I examine those products and try to think up improvements. Improvements that would make those products better or more useful, less expensive, or simply more attractive to the buyers.
Remember, we are all born with “creativity” in our genes. But many of us ignore our potential to do something creative, and then our ability to create often lies stagnant and dormant within us. So, as I settle down to think, my objective is to think creatively. You can do the same – even if you think you can’t – remind your self of that prayer you said, because all things are possible with God!
"There is a fountain of youth: it is your mind, your talents,
the creativity you bring to your life and the lives of people
you love. When you learn to tap this source, you will truly
have defeated age. -- Sophia Loren
All of the famous inventors: Franklin, Edison, Ford, Gates, Jobs, as well as many others were persistent and determined to find better ways to do something better or to make the world a better place with their inventions. It was hard, thinking - and hard work that they followed up on by taking their ideas and actually building or putting into practice whatever is was that they had invented, that too was hard work. So, dig in, try it for yourself. Act! Start now! Most of all, don't mererly sit back and wait for a job to come to you! That may never happen.
Steve Jobs quote:
“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on.”
Steve Jobs Stanford Commencement address delivered on June 12, 2005.
When you had your last job, were you aware that there were better ways to do your job? If so, write down all of those ideas for improvement. Organize them and then call your old boss and say something like: "Boss, I know how you can make more money. Let’s get together and talk about ways to make your business more profitable!” Do this "counseling" for a fee, of course.
Take a walk through Home Depot or Target, or the local pharmacy, or supermarket store. Look at the products they are offering for sale. When you see something you know could be improved, make some notes and then go home and think about how you can make the products better. Then do it! It takes work of course, but you can do it!
Maybe you have to search for something local that needs to be done that no one is doing. For example: Look at your work in the past, now, use that experience to become a consultant to nearby businesses. Read some books about "consulting" and let them guide you step-by-step. If that does not work for awhile, keep looking for prospects and at the same time offer to wash and clean your very busy neighbor’s new car; cut the grass, clean out his rain gutters, weed his garden, walk his dog, tutor his children, fix his roof, paint his house, shovel snow. Go to a local flea market, see what is selling there - then - go back and sell the "stuff" you have laying around your house. I'm sure you get the idea.
Make yourself available for all kinds of work. As you know, those “handyman jobs” may never lead to a steady income, but they can provide you with enough money to pay your bills or buy food until you find a better way to make the money you need. Keep on searching and you will surely find many new ways to make all the money you and your family needs.
Be alert to opportunities to sell your abilities and your talents where and when you can. You have to simply make it known that you are "available" and that you are willing to do anything to make an honest dollar.
Think of this time of your life as being a time when you have the opportunity to change your old routine so that from now on, you can use your time doing something you love to do and make a good living at the same time. From now on, you are in business for yourself and remember, what you have to offer: your experience and natural talents are unique and they can be - for you - a profitable combination of abilities that are very much needed out there in the marketplace.
"Live life and take chances. Believe that everything happens
for a reason and don't regret. Love to the fullest and you
will find true happiness in life. Realize that things go wrong
and people change, but things do go on. Sometimes things
weren't meant to be. What is supposed to happen will work its
way out."
-- Author Unknown
Remember, the prayer we talked about at start of this article? Ask yourself (and God) -if it can be that the Lord, in his own way, is offering you an opportunity (in your present jobless state) to change your life so that from now on, and in your future, you will never again be "overwhelmed" by working for someone else? Is God suggesting that he gave you this "jobless" life so you could have the opportunity to do more and better things with and for the rest of your life? Remember, change is constant - so accept change as your new way of life see those changes as having many benefits for you and make the most of them!
By: Terry L. Weber
P.S. I've been sailing small boats all of my life. I have never been able to change the direction of the wind. But I have learned how to adjust my boat's sails so I get to where I want to go! Now is the time for you to find out which way the wind is blowing in your life and then - "adjust" your sails to get to where you want to be as soon as possible.
