That’s when I post three hot new job openings from our job database at the JobMonkey Job Center . I’m getting a late jump on things this week due to some major Internet problems. My apologies!

There are tons of great new job leads over at the Job Center right now, including many opportunities for working abroad. If you want to learn more about working internationally, check out JobMonkey’s Guide to Working Abroad.

1. Webmaster, VEGlobal, Chile
VEGlobal is seeking a high school graduate to serve as a web designer, responsible for internal Internet needs and public relations. The ideal candidate will have advanced computer and web design experience.

2. Senior Tools Programmer, Rockstar Games, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Rockstar Games (isn’t that the name of a company you’d want to work at?!) is looking to hire a talented programmer to work in its tools department. The programmer will be responsible for upkeep of Rockstar’s current toolchain and export pipeline, improving and extending them, and providing tools support to the other departments in the studio. The ideal candidate will have games industry experience, in addition to strong C/C++ programming skills, excellent communication skills, knowledge of at least one 3d modeling package, and ability to work in a team and deliver on a deadline.

3. Procurement Assistant Jobs, Intership Limited, London, United Kingdom
Intership Limited is seeking a procurement assistant to source and purchase ship stores required by the vessels owned by the company, to monitor the vessels from the office, and to oversee everyday operational requirements, including repatriation of crew from these vessels. The ideal candidate will have experience working in the marine/shipping industry, have strong written and oral communication skills, be well organized, and be able to learn quickly and thrive in a fast-paced, international environment. He or she should also be computer literate with experience of Microsoft Office, Email and Internet. The company prefers candidates with a Bachelor’s level degree or higher.

Given the rather soft job market in America, the time has never been better to live out your dreams to work, volunteer and travel abroad. Author Nora Dunn’s article includes tips for everything from getting a work visa, to finding work, to keeping the travel budget to the bare minimum. She also has plenty of words of encouragement, including my favorite:

Critical capabilities, such as interpersonal and communication skills, managing finances, and problem solving are touched upon in school, but frequently not in a comprehensive or applicable way. These are examples of true life skills—those that are acquired and applied with experience [like working abroad].

For more information about working abroad, be sure to read the full article and then check out JobMonkey’s section on Work Abroad Jobs.

On Monday, I posted about four recession-proof careers and working for green industries definitely made the list. According to economic experts, as many as three to five million new green jobs will be created in the U.S. over the next decade.

If you are interested in learning more about going green to make green, check out JobMonkey’s extensive section on Green Collar Jobs. And if you think you might want to pursue your environmentalism on foreign soil, start your search with a look at JobMonkey’s section on Work Abroad Jobs.

I’m talking about long-term visions for yourself. What would you be doing and where would you be living if money were no object? If experience, education and those pesky credit card bills weren’t standing in your way?

There is no doubt that a large part of our career decision-making is affected by the nitty gritty reality of life. Eating is obviously a necessity. So is putting a roof over your head and gassing up the car. Unless you have a sweet trust fund, you can’t fritter your life away just chasing dreams. On the other hand, if you spend your whole life only doing what you “should” do — even if that means doing a job that commands a high salary — you won’t be happy either.

Dreams fester inside of us when we ignore them. When you are 25 years old, you might think that you can be happy putting away your paintbrushes and learning bookkeeping instead. Experience tells me, though, that those brushes will nag at you as the years go on. You may be thinking: Even if they are, so what? It’s not like watercolors are going to pay the bills. That might well be true. But then what is an aspiring painter (or whatever your dream is) to do?

One solution is to honor your dreams, rather than to discount them. If you are currently looking for a job, I wonder how much time you have spent reflecting on the type of job you are looking for? Lots of people set goals for their job search, but do they give enough thought to what underlies those goals? If your goals contradict your dreams, you might be seeking a finish line that will, ultimately, make you unhappy.

Take a few minutes — today! — to really and truly reflect on your dreams. What makes you feel alive?

Don’t edit yourself, just reflect. After a few minutes, write down some of your thoughts. Let that piece of paper sit for a while and then come back to it later today or tomorrow. Without deleting any of your dreams, start brainstorming for ways in which you can turn your dreams into career goals.

The person who put away her paintbrushes may not be able to command a million dollar painting commission, but she probably could land a job teaching art at a local community college or at an elementary school.

The person who dreams of exotic travel may not be able to sustain a five-star trip around the world, but he probably could explore ancient Chinese lands during vacation time from his job teaching English in Hong Kong.

The thing about following your dreams is that it will probably lead you to places you never could have imagined. I wonder if Barack Obama ever dreamed of being president when he was working as a community organizer in Chicago’s inner city? I wonder if Martin Luther King, Jr. ever dreamed that 40 years after his assassination an African American would be inaugurated president of the United States?

Happy Martin Luther King Day! Here’s to following our dreams a little bit more in 2009!

This week, I have a mechanical engineering job in California, a slaes rep job in Florida, and an operations supervisor gig in Western Australia. If none of these jobs seem like a good fit for your experience, skills and education, then click on over to the free job database and see what you can find there.  Good luck in your job search!

#1. Mechanical Engineer, Amonix Incorporated, Torrance, CA
Amonix Inc., a global leader in the solar industry, is looking for a highly trained and experienced engineer with specialization in finite element analysis. The person will work with design engineers on the analysis, design, and optimization of the mechanical and thermal subsystems of large solar energy systems. The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor’s degree in engineering with at least two years of experience in finite element modeling and analysis.  Note: The company wants to be sure that you are able to relate your accomplishments to the position description.  To read more or to apply for the position, visit the Amonix Inc. website.

#2. Outside Sales Representative, American Inshore Divers Corporation, Boca Raton, FL
American Inshore Divers Corp. is seeking a self-motivated sales representative with experience in the commercial diving industry.  The person will need to be able to successfully sell a wide range of inland commercial diving services.  The ideal candidate will have at least two year of inland diving experience and one year in sales. TO learn more about the job or to apply for the position, please visit the American Inshore Divers website.

#3. Supervisor Plant Operations and Maintenance, Rio Tinto, Pilbara, Western Australia
Here is an exciting work-abroad opportunity.  Rio Tinto, a world leader in finding, mining and processing the earth’s mineral resources, is looking for someone to lead its Hope Downs fixed plant operations.  The person will be responsible for ensuring that the targeted tonnage is produced safely, efficiently and to quality specifications without compromising the integrity of the fixed plant assets. Job responsibilities will include providing leadership on all facets of safety, assisting in the development of action plans and budgets, optimizing resource utilization, supervising complete plant shutdowns, and liaising with mine production.  The ideal candidate will have extensive processing experience, a strong working knowledge of equipment maintenance and prior team leadership experience. Preference will be given to candidates with front line management skills. To learn more about the position or to apply for the job, please visit the Rio Tinto Careers webpage.

This Thursday, the focus is on Teaching English as a Second Language (ESL). As far as recession-proof jobs, it doesn’t get much better than teaching, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.  ESL is a particularly promising field, given that:

• 10 million immigrants have come to the United States since the year 2000
• 1 in 4 people in California alone is currently learning English
• 27 percent of all schools with bilingual/ESL teaching vacancies found them very difficult or impossible to fill, according to the National Center for Education Statistics http://nces.ed.gov/
• From 1989 to 2000, the number of non-native English speakers in the United States grew by 104.7%, according to a survey performed by the National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition

What does an ESL teacher do?
ESL Teachers help non-native English speaking students to develop their English-speaking and writing skills. Along with teaching grammar and vocabulary, many ESL teachers also assist their students in acclimating to American culture.  ESL teachers may teach in elementary, junior high or high schools, or they may teach adults (typically at a local community college).

What education and certification is required to be an ESL teacher?
ESL teaching requirements vary from state-to-state. Various schools also have their own additional requirements.  Typically, an ESL teacher is required to hold:

• Bachelor’s Degree in English or a related subject
• Specialized coursework in Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL)
• Specialization in bilingual, cross-cultural coursework
• Teaching credential or certification

As a rule, most entry-level teaching jobs require a Bachelor’s degree plus a teaching certificate. If you wish to teach at a college or university, you will need to hold a minimum of a Master’s degree, even for an entry-level position.

What is the earning potential for an ESL teacher?
In 2004, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that K-12 ESL teachers earned a median salary of $41,400-$45,920. Some states even provide a financial bonus, like the $20,000 "signing" bonus in Massachusetts. Rutgers University in New Jersey recently advertised a full-time ESL teaching position for an 11-month work contract at $45,000/year.

Where can I learn more about ESL jobs?

Aside from the JobMonkey’s extensive Teaching English as a Second Language section, you might want to check out the following ESL sites:

• The About.com guide to ESL Jobs
• The English Club’s guide to ESL Jobs
• ESL USA
• ESL Teacher’s Board

By the way, if you’d rather travel abroad to do your teaching, opportunities should also be plentiful. 

• English is the third most spoken language in the world, after Mandarin Chinese and Spanish (www.cia.gov)
• 5% of the world’s 6.6 billion people are native English speakers
• The British Council estimates that 1 billion are currently learning English as a second language
• English is the international language for academics and the Internet

Stay tuned next week for more on how to land an ESL job abroad.