Part 9 (1/2)

- Iet a raise this year, you can increase your odds of future salary buo to seet certified in job-related skills (Many companies will even pay for your classes) You can then use your new skills at your current job-or to help you find a new one

- Ask for non-et for a raise, ask for other compensation, like an extra week of vacation, aspace

- Network Consciously build new connections inside and outside your co for the tasks nobody wants (taking on the tough jobs can bring you to the attention of your boss-or even your boss's boss)

- Know the rules Make sure you're fa the eht find out about so On Few things last forever Even if you love your job, you'll eventually want to try so new And if you hate your job, it's ies You don't want to let your guard down during your final days and do soe your career

On eWeekcom (tinyurlcom/jobquit), Deb Perel a job: - Be sure you're ht choice Sometimes that dream job isn't If possible, ”test-drive” the new job first-by working at it part-tiive up what you already have for soood fit for you

- Give written notice Be sure to subnation to your boss (or HR depart official In your letter, stick to the facts, don't let your eet the better of you, and don't lie about why you're leaving Whether your letter is simple or complex, keep it positive You can read sample letters at E about switching jobs, pick up a copy of Alexandra Levit's New Job, New You New Job, New You (Ballantine, 2009) Levit profiles 35 people who've ed to reinvent themselves with new careers (Ballantine, 2009) Levit profiles 35 people who've ed to reinvent themselves with new careers

- Tell your boss first Respect the chain of co your buddies you're leaving

- Be ready for a counter-offer If you're a valuable part of the coet you to stay Be prepared for this, and knohat you're going to say (This is one reason it's i: If the co but they aren't your real reasons for leaving, you could end up in an aard position) - Leave in good standing As te as it is tofor your old coe If you said you'd stay 2those 2 weeks If you don't, you put the coh spot and make yourself look bad You never knohen you'll need a reference fro with forain

On The Money: Inforh Coht skills, it's challenging to ht people Infore on your competition These aren't the same as job interviews-they're an opportunity to learnup one of these interviews is to find people with jobs that interest you Prepare a siet the info you need when you contact these folks It may help calm your nerves to approach the interview as if you were a reporter: Pretend you're gathering facts for a news storyThe cardinal rule of informational interviews is don't ask for a job don't ask for a job If you tell so into a job interview, you're just going tocandidate and she has a position available, she'll contact you)Here are sorees to an interview, set a time and a date If she's not up for such an interview, respect her boundaries

- Be prepared Dress appropriately, be punctual, do your homework about the coent, relevant questions

- Listen Ask open-ended questions, and then let the subject talk about herself and the company Good questions include ”What's your typical workday like?” and ”How is your company different fro this interview to learn s down and ask follow-up questions

- Be brief Keep track of time Don't rush, but don't overstay your welcome

Afterward, remember to send an e time to meet with youFor more about informational interviews, check out tinyurlco a Second Job One of the best ways to earn extra inco a few bucks in your spare ti that almost anyone can do

Some people don't like the idea of a second job; they feel like it's beneath thehtforay to bring in predictable inco to do at a place that needs part-tis and weekends: a bookstore, coffee shop, amusement park, whatever

When I needed extra incoht , and then landed a part-tiist who picked up a few hours a week at an upscale clothing store (which let her earn extra cash and use the e a second job involves less risk and planning than some of the other ideas in this chapter, and it's likely to cause you far less stress than your o out and pick up a shi+ft at the local Starbucks, ainstyour career over a job at the Kwik-Mart

For tips on landing the perfect second job, head over to the Good Morning A for Yourself Working for a big company isn't for everyone In 2008, there were 296to the Small Business Administration, about 75 of these had no employees That means that three quarters of all A for themselves

People choose self-e for somebody else Others see it as an opportunity to nize it as a way to do work they're passionate about Working for yourself can be freeing, increase your inco what you love But as wonderful as self-employment is, there are plenty of pitfalls

The Pros and Cons of Entrepreneurshi+p There's a big difference between doing what you love as a hobby and having it for a job When youHobbies Money-Making Hobbies), that's extra income, which is part of the fun But when you flip the switch and it beco, some of that fun vanishes-so for so for yourself is like owning your own hoenerate your own income can add a lot of stress to your life: You have to draft the business plan, find the customers, send the invoices, and pay the bills Sure, there's pressure when you work for somebody else, too, but there's also a sense of freedom: You're not responsible for the daily decisions, and if you don't like the job, you can quit Plus, unless you're in sales, the actual source of incoe your own businesses can be tre, both emotionally and monetarily The authors of The Millionaire Next Door The Millionaire Next Door write that, ”self-employed people are four times more likely to be millionaires than those ork for others” write that, ”self-employed people are four times more likely to be millionaires than those ork for others”

If you decide to make the leap, be careful Take your time, do research, and s to keep in et is important for your personal finances, a business plan is key to entrepreneurial success If your business is soals But if you're looking for outside funding or hope to take over the world, your plan needs to be as detailed as possible You can find free sample business plans at Bplanscom

- Don't quit your day job-at least not at first If possible, start by going solo on evenings and weekends to get a feel for your business and find out if you really want to pursue it full ti isn't what you'd hoped for

- Find advisors you trust A new business is uncharted territory, so it's really helpful to have guides Heed the advice of your ood lawyer and accountant and follow their instructions

- Play by the rules Some small-business owners strike out on their own because they're mavericks This independenceout paperwork or filing taxes, but shortcuts like these put everything at risk It's easier to do things right the first time than to sort out a mess later

- Keep business and personal accounts separate Don'taccount specifically for the business Then docu that enters and leaves that account

- Keep costs low Do what you can to keep your overhead down For example, don't spend 1,000 on a fancy Aeron chair when you can pick up a decent desk chair from Goodwill for five bucks You'll be less stressed and have better odds of success if you don't have a lot of bills dragging you down

- Be willing to spend on training Buy the books andlike this is a necessary business expense, not a luxury

- Keep good records Business will be slow at first, so it won't see deal that you keep receipts in a sobx and don't have a filing systeanized from the start to prevent future headachesNoteIf you run a shtco site It's like Mint or Wesabe (Web-Based Tools) for freelancers and small businesses

- Be confident When you start out, don't let your custo you'll guide theht product or service So do research and become an expert And if yourate-or close to it If you start a house-cleaning service, don't go in with low-ball bids If you're too cheap, people will think there's a reason for it Charge the going rate, and raise your price as dey Knohere you're going and why Is your goal to sell your business? To have co you to pursue other interests? Or is it just a lark, so it altogether?

These are just the basics There are tons of books out there witha s if you want to o of it on your own Remember: Millions of people have successfully quit their day jobs and pursued their drea you love into your full-time job may kill the fun After all, work is work If you decide to pursue your passion, take it slow Start as a hobby business (Money-Making Hobbies) and expand from there If you reach a point where you don't enjoy what you do, back off a little to see if you can get the ic back

Resources for Entrepreneurs If you're curious about starting your own business, your best source of info is the people you know Do you have an uncle ns his own n? A coworker who does landscaping on the side? These folks have real-world experience Take them to lunch and pick their brains-it may be the best 20 you ever spend

Here are soreat article about starting a business (tinyurlco-business) The piece is airammers, but its advice applies to nearly everyone

- The US Sov) offers info about writing a business plan, finding loans and grants, and getting local assistance

- SCORE (scoreorg), the Service Core of Retired Executives, is a group of past and present business owners who act asentrepreneurs

- The Business Owner's Toolkit (toolkitcoes of free articles, tools, and foret started For 39 a year, you can get access to even more material

You may also want to read a book or two on the subject: - Pamela Slim's Escape from Cubicle Nation Escape fro a safe career to start your own business Slim advocates a ”life first, business second” philosophy: By setting clear, oals, you can develop a business that fits your lifestyle (Sli a safe career to start your own business Slim advocates a ”life first, business second” philosophy: By setting clear, oals, you can develop a business that fits your lifestyle (Sli at escapefroade (Broadway, 2009), Jonathan Fields explains how to turn your passion into a business He includes lots of stories about people who'vewhat they love (You can read more from Fields at (Broadway, 2009), Jonathan Fields explains how to turn your passion into a business He includes lots of stories about people who'vewhat they love (You can read adecom) - In Go It Alone Go It Alone (Harper, 2005), Bruce Judson argues that to succeed with a small business, you should focus on what you do best and auto else For exareat shots and hire soues that to succeed with a small business, you should focus on what you do best and auto else For exareat shots and hire so Spending”You can't outearn du Karp likes to say Some people believe they can always earnusually grows to match their incoh? How Much Is Enough?) And you never knohen the econo it hard to find a jobWhen you earn more, resist the te increases with your earnings, you'll get stuck on the hedonic treads, you'll get stuck on the hedonic treadht Up in the Rat Race) and be at risk of a financial crisis if you lose your job If, on the other hand, you keep your spending steady, you can use that increased cash flow to pay down debt or save for the futureBy spending smart (see Chapter5 Chapter5), you can make theHobbies Even if you're not interested in owning a business that you work at full tiht for you Why not build a business around one of your hobbies? You won't get rich by playing your violin at weddings or weaving baskets, but it never hurts to earn a little extra cash froests some key ways to make money from your hobbies