I have exciting news if you want to stay home with your precious babies, but still need a weekly paycheck. If you think you cant do both, Im here to tell you that you can! The official word for what Im talking about it Telecommuting, but its also known as a work at home job.

If youre brand new to the concept let me tell you a quick overview of the meaning. Basically, a telecommuting job is much like a job outside the home. You work for an employer, you have assigned duties, you often make an hourly rate, receive a paycheck and do this all from home.

The differences from outside the home to inside is that you often do not receive any type of benefit such as you would outside the home. For instance, you wont receive health insurance, paid holidays, paid sick leave or vacation time. The benefit you do receive is the luxury of working inside your home and being with your kids.

First Steps To Breaking Into This Field

If telecommuting does interest you there are some basic things you need to know in order to get started. First, you need to know where to find the legitimate jobs. The internet is filled with scams and its important that you know where to find the legitimate jobs. The following are just a few of the great resources online that provide many legitimate job listings.

FREE SITES:

www.WAHM.com

www.Craiglist.org

www.ABYZNewslinks.com

www.Workaholics4hire.com

FREE NEWSLETTERS:

www.TelecommutingAnswerLady.com (which is my weekly newsletter)

www.Workoptions.com

www.homejobstop.com

Paid Membership Sites

You certainly dont have to pay to access legitimate job leads, but there are two websites that are legitimate and offer many leads and those are:

www.homejobstop.com

www.teleworkrecruiting.com

What Jobs and Pay You Can Expect

Often, Im asked what types of jobs are available and what one can make at home. First, Im excited to say that there are just as many types of positions available for telecommuters as those who work outside the home. Anything from customer service to sales to marketing to data entry to medical transcription and much more!

The pay is going to vary from position to position, but the average pay seems to range from 8.00-14.00 an hour. There are exceptions to this and it will honestly depend on your experience in a particular field and what company you get into. And there are chances to move up in many telecommuting companies so keep that in mind as well.

Read This BEFORE Applying

Its so important that you realize getting a job at home is not easy and will take time. Not only that, but your competition will be tough and you need to stand above the rest. Being professional with your cover letter and resume and any follow up is key.

Make sure you spell check like a maniac and tailor each and every cover letter and resume to that specific job youre applying to.

I would highly recommend you have a professional rsum writer craft a winning cover letter and resume for you. You can find an affordable and creative resume writer at www.resumeasap.com.

And in a final note with this topic, please remember to always be professional in all correspondence. If you dont happen to receive a job you applied for dont email the employer angrily because you did not receive the position. I received this great tip from an employer on this topic. And believe it or not, this does happen all too often.

Don’t burn bridges. When you receive a letter saying you didn’t get the job, send a polite reply asking that your information be kept on file and express your interest in being considered for future openings. There is nothing to be gained by voicing any anger or resentment at not being chosen.

Linda Stacey

What Equipment Is Needed

Just like working outside the home youll need certain things to do the job. You often need either all or some of the following:

Home Office

Computer

Printer

High Speed Internet (in most cases)

2nd Phone Line (sometimes)

Fax Machine (sometimes)

Quiet Environment

Depending on the job you might need something that I didnt list. For example, if youre a transcriptionist you might need a foot pedal or something of that nature. And there are also instances in which you wont need all of the equipment I mentioned. The one obvious thing you will need in all cases of legitimate employment is a computer and internet access.

Final Thoughts

Please keep in mind that it often takes much longer to find and get a telecommuting job then a job outside the home. The market is very competitive and although there are many more jobs now then a few years ago there is also much more competition. So please dont think that you will get a job tomorrow as that is not likely to happen.

Persistence is the key. Dont give up on this happening. I firmly believe that where theres a will theres a way. It could take months, but when you do receive the welcome letter to a great telecommuting position it will all be worth it!

The great thing about being a traveling nurse boils down to one key component its about the travel! For those of us who love moving around and seeing the world, travel nursing is the profession of our dreams. There are many travel destinations available, based on weather, activities, cost of living, and salary. Therefore, I have gathered a list of my Top Ten destinations that nurses choose, based on the number of travelers who inquire about each location every month. Are you a travel RN scouting a new assignment? Then Id like to suggest the following ten Hot Spots:

HAWAII Its no shock that Hawaii generates over 500 travel nursing inquiries per month. The wide range of outdoor activities from snow-capped mountains to snow-white sandy beaches elevates Hawaii to one of those meccas where you can build a snowman or a sand castle all in one day. Nurses tell me that youll discover virtually every type of outdoor activity imaginablehiking trails that wind through erupting volcanoes, secret beaches, and lush green ranchlands. Many travelers also hunt, mountain bike, go rafting, and golf on some of the worlds most extravagant courses.

ALASKA Travel nurses are intrigued by the possibilities of Alaskas rugged mystery. Alaska is a huge wilderness with beautiful scenery, and travel nursing assignments offer plenty of time to see and do everything you want, whether in winters darkness under northern lights, or the glorious spring and summer where its light most of the time. Outdoor enthusiasts enjoy Alaska for its wildlife, spectacular natural landscape, and fishing expeditions where the fish really are as big as the stories about which theyre told. Countless day cruises and sightseeing expeditions abound, as well as opportunities to hike, kayak, canoe, ski Need we say more?

MONTANA Whether photographer, adventurer, or both, Montana is truly a state that beckons with open arms. River trips, fishing and camping, history, snowy mountain ranges, and waterfalls are what youll encounter, along with plenty of open space to explore. Assignments in Montana appeal to those travel nurses who just need some time to break away from their city grind to enjoy marching to the beat of an entirely different drummer. The Big Sky Country boasts some of Americas most famous mountains, canyons, river valleys, forests, grassy plains, badlands, and caverns, and many travelers find it just irresistible enough to keep coming back.

MAINE Maines splendor has inspired artists like Georgia OKeefe and three generations of the Wyeth family, since the mid-nineteenth century. Travel nurses cant resist at least one adventure in this charming getaway. Whether you embark on outdoor adventures like skiing and snowmobiling, or if you prefer the cozy ambience of antiquing through charming villages or just strolling or riding horseback on miles of sandy beaches in the smell of salt air, Maine is legendary and offers some wonderful travel nursing experiences. Its unique culture is outdoorsy and quaint, and of course you get to enjoy lobster as the locals dofresh from the ocean!

CALIFORNIA Warm weather and world-famous beaches make California a favorite choice for traveling nurses. Nine-hundred miles of coastline gives nurses in all locations the chance to spend many hours near the waves; and for nature lovers, California is home to many wildlife parks, remote wilderness areas, and safe-havens for endangered animals. If youre an excitement junkie, you can scout out a wide selection of theme parks; and no matter what your taste in music, concerts abound in every type of venue. Historic sites and museums invite, as do five-star restaurants and clubs in which to see and be seen. The shopping is unparalleled, whether its trendy Melrose Place, La Jolla, or the strand in Venice Beach; and of course its home to Hollywood, and, yes, movie stars. Whether northern, southern, or coastal locations, traveling nurses return to California time and again.

WASHINGTON The Evergreen State boasts the gorgeous Pacific Ocean, the Cascade Mountains, desert experiences, rain forests, towering volcanoes, glaciers, and lush wine country. Washington State rates high on the list of many nurse travelers. Must-sees are the Space Needle and Coulee Dam. The culture here is incredibly diverse; sophisticated, outdoorsy, and loaded with resorts, history, parks, museums, and botanical gardens. Whether touring downtown Seattle for cozy antique and book stores, exploring ancient Indian grounds, or hiking and biking mountains or trails, Washington holds a strong allure for many nurse travelers.

SOUTH CAROLINA Endless adventure, excitement, fun and exploration represent why South Carolina is always a favorite destination for travel nurses. Americas oldest landscaped gardens frame mansions rife with historical heritage, in addition to pristine beaches and legendary marshy wetlands. For all you golfers, with over 330 golf courses, theres always a new place to swing your clubs. But what fascinates many traveling nurses is the rich heritage in which South Carolina has paved the roads of culture, art, and folklore in our past. You can visit several historical areas and discovery centers of American history, including the American Revolution and the Civil War.

COLORADO World-class winter skiing and summer music festivals in the mountains are just two reasons that nurses love traveling to Colorado. Boasting four spectacular seasons, Colorado is where travel nurses get to explore the states 18 million acres of state and national parks, forests, and monuments for biking, hiking, fishing, mountain climbing, and kayaking, to name a few. Colorado has many cultural treasures, including ancient Native American sites and dinosaur fossil exhibits, historic ghost towns, and even award-winning vineyards in Grand Junction. And for those who enjoy city life, amid all this natural beauty lie wonderful metropolitan areas like Denver and Boulder, full of shopping, performing arts, and professional sports.

TENNESSEE From energetic nights of blues on Beale Street, to gorgeous rolling acres of Tennessee Walker horse country, to peaceful Smoky Mountain sunsets, Tennessee is a vacation that offers many world-renowned attractions. Nurse travelers who visit Tennessee will find that theyre within a days drive of 75-percent of the U.S. population via quality interstates and highways. Attractions in Tennessee include the Jack Daniels distillery, Elviss Graceland, the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, and lots of southern hospitality. And dont forget the crown jewel of the southern Appalachians, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

ARIZONA If you adore the outdoors, then the Grand Canyon State might just be for you. The nurses who go there just rave about Arizonas landscape which takes in tall mountain ranges, swift rivers, grasslands, sand dunes, and cactus forests all set against a beautiful sky that glows pink in the sunset. The traveler nurses who enjoy history will find plenty of it here, including Old West reformations, Native American nations, and Spanish-influenced areas all in one state. Arizona is also home to the nations greatest golf courses, resorts, spas, cabins, and ranches.

As you can see, limitless possibilities exist for those nurses who want travel, fun, and adventure to be part of their daily lives. If youre a nurse who travels and it’s time for you to move on to a new location, try one of these top travel nursing destinations and see what new experiences lie ahead.

The ability to make good “people” decisions is today’s most important source of competitive advantage. All factors of production are easily available and accessible to all organizations but what separates the best from the rest is the quality of human resource a company possesses. Top leadership talent has always been hard to attain and this has only aggravated in recent times due to globalization, growing worldwide competition, aggressive headhunting practices etc. With growing demand and limited supply top level executives are so much in demand that companies are paying extravagant salaries, bonuses, perks whatever it takes to attract the best brains from across the world. Newly developing economies such as India and China are also giving fierce competition to business leaders who can now earn top pound working in these countries as well.

Companies are in need of capable leaders who can steer their firm steadily into the future. Here is where the role of executive search firms comes into play. An executive search firm is a specialist talent acquisition service provider who enables companies to get their dream candidate on board. Executive search firms have come a long way and are today considered crucial participants in a companies recruitment strategy. Also its not the big boys of executive search who are in the limelight but also small and efficient firms such as Servnet which is a specialist firm helping companies hire top talent from India. Normally a smaller firm is able to devote more time and resources for a search assignment resulting in faster and better results which are critical to business continuity and growth.

Author: Udit Bhandari
Servnet
www.executive-search-india.com

Mid-career crisis? Have you got what it takes to teach English for business?

Teachers often ask me what direction they can take after a few years of teaching general English. To continue as an ordinary classroom teacher seems like stagnation, so choices have to be made about how to develop both professionally and personally. Specializing in English for business can be a fruitful move if the teacher is able to transfer existing skills to the business context.

Let me deal with the prospects first. Teaching business people is recognized as a specialist field and the teacher often has to be a program planner and materials developer as well, so salaries are generally higher. The training can take place in dedicated centers, often residential, in-company or as a special program offered at a traditional language school, but wherever it takes place, the teacher will have to be able to deal with the people who are sponsoring the training and is thus answerable to a wider range of stakeholders. But by engaging in the corporate world, the trainer may find many opportunities to widen his or her range of training skills: interpersonal communications, written communications, cross-cultural communications and ultimately consultancy work in the communications field.

However, the prospects will only open out to the kind of teacher who can adapt from the world of pedagogy to the corporate world. The clients are usually highly motivated and work in small groups or as individuals hence the teaching dynamics are quite different. Business people do not wish to go back to the classroom as they already have the professional expertise they need. What they want is someone who can help them communicate effectively in the global business world. The trainer needs to slip into the role of facilitator, working with clients to understand their learning styles, to discover their specific needs and immediate objectives and to help them set achievable targets. I have seen many a hopeful business English trainer fall at this hurdle. They cannot throw off their accustomed teacherly approach.

So who can become a successful business English teacher? It is certainly helpful to have experience in fields other than teaching. However, although it is very useful to have experience of other professional domains, or of the commercial world, it is not essential. On the other hand, it is necessary to be interested in the world of business and to understand how companies are structured and to be familiar with business terminology. Regular reading of the business pages of the daily press can help you build awareness of the field and of the latest developments.

The business English teacher needs to have an international perspective. In dealing with many different nationalities, and with clients who have to operate in the increasingly globalized business field, the teacher needs to be aware of the implications of cross-cultural communications. Clients, who have to use English–which is not their native tongue, to do business with other non-native English speakers in another country–have several layers of cultural information to deal with. First they have to acknowledge that their own national and company culture is not necessarily shared with their foreign counterparts or even understood by them, and secondly that nobody’s culture is intrinsically right or wrong, better or worse. The teacher may have to help them understand the nature of cross-cultural interaction.

The qualities needed by a business English teacher are thus different in many ways. They need the confidence to play the role of instructortrainerfacilitator with people who may occupy senior company positions. They have to be adaptable and not have rigid ideas about how to conduct training sessions and what the content should be. And they need to have an understanding of how English is used internationally as a lingua franca among people who may never meet a native speaker. They need skill in giving feedback and must be robust enough to take feedback themselves. And they need to be clear and precise in describing what they can offer clients and in their post-training debriefing. Clearly, therefore, that this is not a field for someone new to teaching–it demands a certain maturity of approach and confidence both personally and professionally. However, for teachers able to make the transition from classroom to the world of corporate training, the rewards and prospects are excellent.