Working at home has a ton of perks, but it also requires a lot of motivation, dedication and organization. Believe me, I know. I’ve worked from home for several years now and I’ve had my ups and downs. Even during those down times, however, the plusses of working at home have more than compensated. I think I mentioned back in June that I had another baby — my 3rd. And while my older two are in school for 2/3rd of the day, my littlest one is home with me … and, at 5 months, starting to make her presence more felt. Fortunately she is pretty easy going and likes to take a g...

The New York Times recently ran this insightful piece on how the recession has been impacting former Stay at Home moms. According to the article, about 80 percent of the layoffs in the current recession have been men, forcing a number of once full-time moms to head back to the workplace. Author Eilene Zimmerman interviewed a number of career experts around the country, all of whom seemed to concur that one of the biggest challenges for moms reentering the workforce is how to market themselves. That includes creating a résumé that reflects both previous career experience and skills gained ...

Each Thursday, I answer a question from one of our readers about finding a job. I love hearing from you, so please don’t be shy — send me your questions via email or leave a comment in the section below.  You can check out past Reader Mailbags, where I’ve covered everything from job search tips for college grads to how to land a job in real estate. Dear JobMonkey, I am a stay-at-home mom who has decided to open my own business. I am a novice seamstress and make all my little girls’ dresses. Some friends and former coworkers started asking me to make outfits for the...

The Wall Street Journal’s Mark Penn published a column this week about the growing number of professional bloggers — and their growing earning potential. Penn says that 1% of American adults are now earning some income from blogging. That translates into 20 million blogging Americas, with 1.7 million profiting from their work in some way — and almost half a million earning their primary income from blogging. Wow. Penn also reports that as the number of bloggers has increased, there has been a seemingly inverse relationship to the number of journalists. Penn cites the numbe...

Yesterday, I posted a link to an article with tips for freelancers. Included was advice for the newly self-employed to get health insurance. I wanted to follow up on that point, since health insurance is one of the biggest stressors for new freelancers. (Believe me, I know! I speak from personal experience!) When you’re just starting out, it probably seems impossible to work the expense of health insurance premiums into your monthly budget. Here are some ways to keep your costs down while still protecting yourself — and your assets — in the event of a medical situation. &g...

With the ranks of unemployed growing, and the number of available jobs shrinking, many of America’s jobless are considering freelance careers. We have talked about freelancing many times here at the JobMonkey blog, including posts about the benefits and challenges of working for yourself. (Do you read, for example, this recent post about how to avoid Work-at-Home scams?) The Green Bay Press Gazette ran a great little advice column today with tips for freelancers, including ideas for marketing your services, handling the accounting red tape, and making sure you have adequate health ins...

Every Thursday, the JobMonkey blog answers your burning questions about your job search. So far, we have covered how to negotiate a salary offer, how to write a cover letter for a nursing job, and how to find a summer job at Disney World. Do you have a question about your job search? Send me an email or leave me a note in the comment section. Dear JobMonkey, I am a Stay at Home mom looking to earn some extra money, while still staying at home with my kids. I need to find something that I can do during nap times or at night, once my kids are in bed. I have looked at some Work at Home sites, but...

We’re starting a new tradition here at the JobMonkey. Every Thursday, I’ll be answering a question from our growing stacks of emails from our readers. If you have a question about your job search, please send me an email so I can answer it in an upcoming post. This week we have a great question about part-time work-at-home opportunities.  Even if you’re not a full-time, stay-at-home mom, working from home can be a great way to find long-term professional fulfillment — or just to cover the gaps of an extended lay-off. Dear JobMonkey, I am a full-time stay-at-home mom ...

The unemployment figures are climbing and Americans are scrambling to find jobs. While starting your own business surely has its risks — especially in this economy — a growing number of recent college grads, recently unemployed and one-time stay-at-home parents are testing the freelance waters. One of the most popular jobs for stay-at-home workers is freelance writing. In fact, some of you might be thinking right about now, “Hey, I can write! I should be a freelance writer!” Well, if you’re considering trying to break into the field, hear this: Freelance writing i...

The news hasn’t been good for weeks, but today America’s job market reached an all-time low. CNN reported this afternoon that 71,400 jobs were lost today. That’s the single highest job loss day since 1945. The companies affected include: - Catepillar, which is cutting 20,000 jobs - Drug-maker Pfizer, which is reducing its workforce by 10% — 8,100 jobs - Sprint Nextel, which is eliminating 8,000 jobs - Home Depot, which is closing its Expo Center and cutting 7,000 associates - Texas Instruments, which is slashing 3,400 employees - Financial group ING, which is reducing i...