Power of the Part-Time Job!


There has been a change, a radical change, over the course of the last 10 years in employment, jobs, and the roles of workers. The change has seen a shift from the traditional job at a brick and mortar location to that of the telecommute position or telecommute job. There are many financial reason for this change on the employer side, it is however to the benefit of the job seeker, the employee. In fact, there is a multitude of job opening from Fortune 500 companies all the way down that offer both full-time and part-time jobs. Jobs in: Sales, Customer Service, Support, Technical, Technical Support, Accounting, Finance, Administrative, Legal, and Education. Companies such as UHaul, 1-800-FLOWERS, GE, Humana, and this is to name a very small few. What if you had the ability to work for any of these companies on a part-time basis, how would this change your financial outlook? Change your ability to save?

If you are in the position to where the money you earn as a telecommute employee is not needed for day-to-day items and bills and you strictly want to use it for savings, college, retirement, home, or making a rainy day fund, your part-time job will be able to offer you savings you never thought possible. Let me share with you the Rule of 72. The rule of 72 is not a new financial principle, but it is new to many people looking to save and invest for the first time. The Rule of 72 is explained as follows:

Rule of 72 is the mathematical formula you use to see how long it will take for your money to double. You divide the interest rate you would receive into the number of 72. So if you invest in a mutual fund and you receive 12% on your money. 72 divided by 12 is 6. That means it would take 6 years for your money to double. Let’s work this equation for just a moment:

Let's say that you are 30 years old. In your first year of working a part-time job, you managed to save $5000.00. You are about to stick this money into a mutual fund. Let’s see how your money would grow:

Age 30: $5,000.00

Age 36: $10,000.00

Age 42: $20,0000.00

Age 48: $40,0000.00

Age 54: $80,0000.00

Age 60: $160,000.00

Age 66: $320,000.00

If you waited off this one time investment working one part-time job from home, you would have saved an extra $320,000.00. Here is the best part, it is making one investment, one time. Imagine for a moment if you did that same deposit yearly. Your retirement would be in the millions!

Saving and investing for your retirement or college doesn't mean that you have to start with a lot of money. The ability to create a little bit of income and use the power of compounding interest, the same as you would at a bank, can change your financial outlook tremendously.

You have made a decision to be a stay at home mom. However, your ability to help your family achieve its financial goals for retirement and college do not need to be put on the backburner. You have the ability to work for some of the largest companies in the world, on a part-time basis, and do something amazing. Telecommute and work from home jobs are the new model. You don't have to sacrifice to gain something in return. Your options and opportunity are out there, go achieve your financial goals.

Changing your career in your later years

Are you looking for a job? Are you looking for tips that will help make your search for employment more effective? If so, you have come to the right place. The tips that follow can help you use your time and resources wisely when you are looking to be employed someplace new.

To a certain extent, be willing to swallow your pride. You may feel that you should only accept a certain type of job, with a certain type of salary. However, most jobs are better than no jobs, as you will continue to gain experience and references while working. Therefore, be flexible with what you are looking for.

Update your resume. You should always keep your resume current, even when you are not on the hunt for a job. You never know when an opportunity may present itself, so have a copy of your resume ready and available. It will also be easier to keep track of previous employment when you don't have to track down each bit of info as you need it.

Great insurance benefits are a magnet that can draw in the best of the best. With rising healthcare costs, and rising premiums, a great insurance policy can steal away the best employees from your competition. Be sure to be known for this, and it will pay for itself in the long run.

Your cell number may be more appropriate to include on a job application. It can also help you be able to receive calls when you are at a different job or away from your home phone. Using your cell phone number allows you more options than a home phone.

Check out samples of cover letters and resumes online to see how others get the job done. It's a great way to explore more creative ways to catch a potential employer's eye. It will also ensure that the paperwork you create is professional looking enough to get you the jobs you apply for.

Call your references. This is important for a few reasons. The first is that they need to be warned that they may be called, plus you should let them know what sort of skills they should be highlighting. Second, their number or email address may have changed, so you need that update.

Take some classes. After putting together your resume, look it over for areas that are lacking or for skills that you could use some brushing up on. Enroll in classes to close up any gaps in your resume and to update your skills. Also, taking the initiative to enroll in a course will show hiring managers that you are motivated to learn and improve.

Print a copy of your employment agencies contact information before proceeding and contact the Better Business Bureau. Checking the legitimacy of any agency will help prevent fraud and saves money. Some agencies have poor reviews and are only interested in taking what they can from the customer. Prepare yourself with the right information, and you will be safe from poor choices.

Make sure you stand out from all the other applicants when you are searching for a job. Arrange an in-person interview if possible rather than simply applying online. Arrive on time and well dressed. Behave in a courteous and professional manner. Be prepared for the interview by learning as much as you can about the company and the position in advance.

Don't accept job offers that don't pay you what you're worth. While you may be tempted to take anything that gets you in the door, it will undervalue your worth. Use salary calculators to help you decide the pay you should accept for a job in your field. This will also impress potential employers because they know that you are a hard-working person who is determined to find a job that matches their worth. Undervaluing yourself will tell the employer you're not good enough for the job.

Hopefully you can take what you have learned here and find a job you will love. Try out these tips and use them when you are looking for new employment. Don't get discouraged, it takes some time to find a new job and before you know it, you'll be working your new dream job.

A Certified Medical Assistant Career

Medical assistants, by law, are not required to be licensed or certified. However, a whopping 90% of these hardworking professionals choose to obtain certification. Most employers like to hire those with these credentials. Some states even require that they be certified to perform certain duties like drawing blood or taking x-rays.

Outside of employment opportunities, getting certified gives you a professional edge. It also signals to employers that you take you profession seriously - seriously enough to take it to the next lever. It means better job security and greater career advancement opportunities.

The final advantage of being a certified medical assistant is that it is an accreditation that is recognized by potential employers all over the country. You can't beat that for job security.

Certified Medical Assistants: Education Required

To become a certified medical assistant, you must get your degree from an accredited medical assistant program. The official bodies that a school receives its accreditation from are either the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES), or the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Programs (CAAHEP).

This is important to keep in mind when you are considering which medical assistant program to attend. Certified Medical Assistants (CMAs) are awarded their credentials by the American Association of Medical Assistants. CMAs must renew their certification every five years. Reputable programs in this profession offer a well-rounded curriculum, which includes but is not limited to, the following: Scientific Classes: As medical assistants (MAs) are highly skilled members of the healthcare profession, they take classes in biology, physiology, anatomy and pharmacology.

Administrative Classes: MAs are an integral part of the overall operation of a practitioner's office. They can be responsible for overseeing everything from client payments to patient records. Hence, they may also receive training in record keeping and office administration, for example. Skills Employers Seek in a Certified Medical Assistant

A medical assistant's duties are many, and what you get up to day-to-day will often depend on what type of doctor you are working for. There are many different things that you will have to handle as an assistant in a medical setting. You will need to have a good education and attention to detail in order to perform this type of job at a top level, as the level of care that you provide is very important to each patient's health.

It can be easy to trivialize the individual daily roles of certified assistants, making them out to be throw away duties of little importance. But the truth is, everything a medical assistant does, certified or otherwise, is aimed towards helping the patient and making he or she feel better in some way. There's nothing trivial about that.

Over and beyond the necessary medical and administrative training, employers seek certified MAs who can multitask, have excellent communication skills and conduct themselves in a professional manner. These traits, along with the training gained from an excellent Certified Medical Assistant program ensures success for those interested in this rewarding career.

10 Ways to Guarantee Your Side Projects Improve Your IT Career


Google, often admired for its forward-thinking business practices, recently encouraged its employees to spend 20% of their time on side projects and 80% on their Google projects. Not every company is this forward thinking yet but, chances are, you've always had a side project you were interested in starting, or a hobby you want to pursue in your free time.

The difference between a side project and a hobby is that a side project has a specific end, a final product whereas a hobby is a continuous venture, a long-term interest. The dedication required for a side project is admirable on its own, but there are a multitude of other benefits your career can reap if you do it right. Here are a few ways you can make the most of your side project so that it contributes to your IT career in the best way possible.

1) Don't treat it like a work project: Issuing strict deadlines or expecting compensation immediately won't produce fruitful efforts. It's okay to schedule dedicated time to spend on these projects, but don't make your schedule results-based. Focusing on results will stifle the creative process and freedom that a side project brings. If you're focusing on how this side project will get you to the next level in your career it has the potential to stress you out of making progress. Additionally, you should always prioritize your work projects over your side project. After all, you're being paid to put those projects first!

2) Love it: Whatever you choose as your side project, make sure it's something you love. If IT is your passion but you only get to explore one narrow area of it in your current position, make your side project count by learning about a completely different technical field than your own. If the thought of spending extra hours on IT makes you cringe or you think your boss wouldn't appreciate you pursuing outside technical projects, that's fine! Creative projects like writing a book or creating stop motion shorts will help you become a more valuable, interested and engaged person in all aspects of your life.

3) You don't have to pick something you're already good at: The goal of a side project is to create variety in your repertoire and show that you can produce work outside of your normal output. Talented singers are valued for their range, but so are talented IT employees! Maybe you're a web developer looking to learn Swift, so you can develop that app idea you've been dreaming about. Maybe you're a Jr. business analyst who has always had an interest in graphic design, and you're ready to pursue it. Variety will help your side project create more value in your future career because you're diversifying your skillset. Your side project doesn't have to turn into your next career, but knowing you can pitch in on projects outside of your specific role will help you advance your career when you're ready to make a move.

4) Break your project into parts: Looking at a finished project can sometimes be daunting. While it's important to have an overall vision of what you're trying to accomplish with your side project, you should also take the time to break it into manageable pieces. For example, if you want to develop an app, the first thing you do is learn how to develop for Android or iOS. After that, you have to break down your idea into specific functions and overall outcomes. Then, start building! After you've built it, will you market it? Do you know how to market an app or do you need to read up on it? Maybe you just want to send it out to your friends to play around with it. Whatever you goals are for your side project, decide what they are and then work backwards. Applying this method will help ensure your side project is finished on time, and you can use the same mentality at work to become more efficient in your every day tasks! Breaking large tasks into smaller, more easily digestible pieces is the kind of habit hiring managers and supervisors look for.

5) It's not a sprint, but a slow crawl: Because you're doing this project strictly on the side, don't get stressed out if it takes multiple years to complete. This needs to be an idea you're interested in pursuing for the long haul. If not, maybe a hobby is more suited to your interests? The nature of side projects is that they are end-goal and outcome oriented. Don't burn yourself out by trying to do too much in the short amount of time you can dedicate to it each week. Don't ignore your work--that you're actually getting paid for--or your other responsibilities in order to finish faster. Realistically, spending only a few hours on a side project a week is fine! Being able to enjoy the process is essential, otherwise, you'll quit before you're done.

6) Make the process playful: Side projects aren't supposed to be all business, so make sure to have some fun along the way! Whether you allow time for creative redirection or pursuing multiple paths until you decide which one meshes you're your interests, it's time well spent. Allowing misdirection is half the fun! Work often has strict deadlines, structure and boxes you in. In order to develop your creative problem solving skills, you'll need to utilize your side projects. These skills will come in handy in the future whether you're stuck in a tight spot financially, encountering major coding errors right at the end of a big project or simply brainstorming how to get where you want to be in your career. Playing around with multiple avenues and approaches develops your flexibility in a way you'll find incredibly useful in your IT career as the industry continues to change and evolve.

7) Consider collaboration: Have a couple of talented friends you've always wanted to spend more time with? Start a side project you can all contribute to! It will hold you accountable to completing the project while providing a helpful backboard to bounce your ideas off of. If this kind of collaborative project doesn't seem realistic for your schedules, you could try dedicating some hangout time to discussing your side projects instead. This accountability, openness to new ideas and collaboration feeds directly into your essential workplace skills.

8) Progress and achievement are like drugs: Let's face it, we all love the feeling of making significant progress on a project at work. And achieving one of our goals? It's like crack! Your side project will provide you with more of these fulfilling milestones in your everyday life. The more you have, the more you'll want. Pretty soon you'll be completing goals at record speeds and everyone will be impressed. Plus, this achievement will encourage you to continue to set goals for your future side projects, your career and your personal life. It's been proven, most notably in the Harvard Business School study of 1979, that having clear goals and writing them down leads to a more successful life. Creating small, side project goals will encourage you to pursue your larger career goals and set you on the track for success.

9) Build skills you couldn't otherwise build: Chances are, your current IT role is somewhat limited to the technologies that you specialize in. Do you love your specialties more than anything else? That's fine, pursue a side project that utilizes your existing techie skills or nontechnical ones. But, if you'd like to expand your technical skillset, a side project is a great way to apply practical learning to new techie knowledge. Think back to college (if you attended), was studying a coding language enough to learn it, or did practical application make all the difference? Chances are the hands on experience was invaluable! Your side project could provide you with new technical skills that you can utilize in your current IT position, or your next one!

10) Learn to let go: When you've had a stressful day in the office, you'll want to go home, curl up with a blanket, plenty of junk food and some even junkier TV. Resist. Side projects will help you have an outlet to funnel your passion and emotions into. If you can learn to let go of workplace stressors and concentrate on this project you love, why wouldn't it work the other way around? This way, when you're undergoing a particularly stressful time in your personal life or a creative block in your side project, you'll be better equipped to put these distractors aside and focus on the work you were hired to do.

Take the time to brainstorm a few ideas for a side project you'd love to work on and use these tips to get started. In a few years you'll look back and be so glad that you did!