Tell me about eCurrency sites
eCurrency trading has been around a while — lots and lots of “systems” out there to buy about it. I would recommend becoming very knowledgeable before investing in a training program. Here’s a whole lot of information.
Insurance for an Entrepreneur
You know, Dan, I purchased your new book and I really love it but there is something very troubling about being on self-employed. The problem is health insurance. None of us know what tomorrow may bring. Even if we properly care for ourselves and our family, we don’t know when a devastating medical crisis will occur. People starting out on their dream career always cut corners wherever they can. Because it involves so much money and the young are usually healthy, the one area where over 90% cut is health care. Private health insurance runs about $650 per month. If you follow Dave Ramsey’s approach (and you have a big hairy emergency fund of $10,000), you can drop that cost to about $150-$200 per month. It is still a lot of money. How do young people with families to care for do it? I am willing to take a chance if I am the only person who could be hurt by my risk-taking and frequent stupidity. When you add a wife and children to the mix, can you afford to gamble with their lives?
I know that you have been self-employed most of your life. How did you resolve these issues? How do you provide for the medical care of you and your family when you are young, self-employed, and just starting out?
Yes, this is a common concern. However there really are so many options that I don’t think it should be an obstacle for anyone wanting to start something on their own. Obviously we expect a person going out on their own to be able to make more money immediately than they were making as an employee. So that should offset the added expense of health insurance – which they absolutely need. No responsible person can justify being without health insurance.
Here is a back-end page from the 48Days.com website. There you will see just a brief overview of all the options available. Incidentally Joanne and I have an HSA – a $7,000 deductible and a $258 monthly premium.
Thanks for passing the word and for helping others find hope and encouragement for living out their God-given dreams.
Job Search in a Different State
How do I deal with the interview process when I am looking for a job in a different state?
The initial parts of the job search are exactly the same even when you’re looking in another geographic area. The only logistical detail is physically being there for the interviews. And yes, when that time comes just tell them that you are planning to be there on these dates and are scheduling your interviews in that time. Companies are very understanding about issues like that and are not going to pass up a great candidate. You have as much right to suggest an interview time as the interviewing company. Just take the initiative and suggest a time that would work well with your schedule.
Are the 48 Days materials good for a high schooler? For a retiree?
This product spans across the map for age groups-whether you are 16 or 60, it offers the same valuable principles. We actually have some 48 Days coaches that speak specifically to high school and college age youth about the 48 Days materials. Many of the clients that Dan works with on a one-on-one basis are coming to him in their 50s and later saying they don’t know what they want to be when they grow up. Many have felt confined to the degrees they got in college-oftentimes because it was what their parents wanted them to do. We strongly urge teenagers and college students to read these materials before they become that 50-something. Finding your passions and understanding your personality style, and that it’s okay to NOT have all the answers on the next 40 years when you’re 20-that is so important. We recommend not only the 48 Days to the Work You Love book and workbook, but also the 48 Days Career Profile, which gives you a 26+ page report on your unique personality style, including a list of career matches that would be a good fit. You can read all about it and download a sample report here.
Obstacles to Job Search
I’m too old/young/disabled/no degree etc-how do I combat this in an interview?
Everyone has something they think is an obstacle. Too young, too old, too short, no degree, the wrong degree, the wrong color, the wrong accent, no experience. They are all basically the same. If you believe it’s an obstacle — it is. On the other hand, if a person is clear about his/her” areas of competence,” has a clear focus and has identified companies where there is a potential match of their skills and the company’s needs, those people are getting offers every day.
Keep in mind 85% of your success will come from personal skills — attitude, enthusiasm, smile, tone of voice, etc. Only 15% come from your skills, regardless of age. Polish the 85% and your issue will not be an obstacle.
Salary & Resume Questions
On my job application, it requests my salary-according to 48 Days to the Work You Love, I should not fill that in, right?
Even if it asks for a salary requirement on an application, it’s okay not to fill that section out. It’s not about following clear directions; it’s about allowing you to be in the driver’s seat. If you are uncomfortable with it looking like you missed a question (therefore not paying attention to detail), when you turn the application in, just say that you would prefer to discuss salary requirements after you both decide if you are a good fit for the job. You can be very up-front about that. Use this same answer if they ask you that at the beginning of an interview-you need to decide whether you are a good candidate for the job before they put a number on it-see that it’s a right fit, show your worth, and then discuss the salary.
This company says it only accepts online applications, but this does not fall in line with the 48 Days process-what do I do?
Yes, you definitely lose the personal touch by applying on the website. The 48 Days method bypasses this and goes straight to the person who is hiring. I would recommend applying in the way “required” by the company, but also do the 48 Days method—send an intro letter, stop by, call, know the exact name of the person hiring, and find a way to move your name to the top—so when they DO look at the names coming through online applications, your name will bump to the top just by the name recognition you’ve already started. 85% of your success will still come from what they see in attitude, enthusiasm, smile, tone of voice, etc. But you have to get face-to-face for that to be evident.
How do I determine what salary is reasonable for my occupation?
If you would like info about what an expected salary is in any given occupation, please check out www.salary.com . They are a wonderful resource for that kind of information, and also offer quite a few other services as well.
I need help on my resume.
Resume Help:
https://www.theresumebuilder.com/
https://novoresume.com/
If you need more hands-on help, just check in your local yellow pages.
Telecommuting
Are there jobs I can work from home?
Yes, there really are jobs you can do from home. As more of you are looking for creative ways to control your time but still create income, you will want to be aware of new kinds of opportunities. Check out https://www.jobs-telecommuting.com for hundreds of telecommuting jobs. (I was referring people to telejobs.com but as of this morning, that site is gone. It was a free referral service. This one charges $34.95 for a list of companies – I’ll check it out but I’m not sure I would recommend it.) Others are:
https://www.work-home-job-opportunity.com
https://www.workathomejobs.com
https://www.workathome-businesses.com
These all appear to be charging for information. Use discretion. You will find opportunities for artists, desktop publishers, photographers, salespeople, writers, engineers, programmers, data entry and many other skills. Like with any opportunity, check each possibility out thoroughly. Some other sites for unusual work:
www.dice.com – 131,775 Hi-tech jobs where I last checked
www.bankjobs.com — 15,471 banking related jobs
www.theblueline.com — cop jobs
There are real opportunities within these. Just be aware they may look different and may compensate differently, but they are the coming trend.
Working at Home
I would really like to work at home, but the network marketing industry is not really appealing. Where can I find ideas or legitimate opportunities?
There are many, many opportunities for working at home in today’s environment. And yes, don’t feel like you have to do network marketing only. The important thing is to make sure the business idea fits you.
With all the changes in the workplace today, many people are looking for new kinds of opportunities. Tired of the long hours and long commutes, and struggling to have a family life, many are asking if there are really opportunities to work from home. The good news is the answer is Yes! The bad news is there are a lot of scam artists who are taking advantage of those who would like to work from home. Every day I am hearing about someone else who signed up for a medical transcription course, Internet design program or a 900# deal. Most of these simply take your money and give you false promises, never to be heard from again. However, if you do your own research, you can find many great opportunities.
I am going to list just a few quick sources for information. These are from page 106 of 48 Days To Creative Income, a now discontinued workbook of ours. Check out “No More Mondays” for more up-to-date information. There are many more listed there, but here are just a few:
Helpful Internet Sites for Business
https://www.workingsolo.com – This site lists 1,200 business resources for those seeking self-employment
https://www.sbaonline.sba.gov – This is the U.S. Small Business Administration site. Massive amount of information and links
https://www.nfibonline.com – A wonderful site by the National Federation of Independent Business, giving you daily information concerning legislation effecting small business and a great variety of daily tips for being more successful.
https://www.entrepreneurmag.com – Find a business for sale, business building information, business opportunities, etc.
https://www.nationalbusiness.org – National Business Association
https://www.nmbc.org – The National Minority Business Council
https://www.soho.org – SOHO
https://www.gmarketing.com – The complete Guerilla Marketing site. Books, resources, chat rooms, updates effecting your business
In addition, call 8-10 local temp agencies. You will find that many of them use contract labor for professional services. Also, here are some current book titles you can check out:
- Mompreneurs: A Mother’s Practical Step-By-Step Guide to Work-At-Home Success” by Ellen H. Parlapiano
- How to Raise a Family and a Career under One Roof: A Parent’s Guide to Home Business” by Lisa M. Roberts
- 101 Best Extra-Income Opportunities for Women” by Jennifer Basye
- The Perfect Business: How to Make a Million form Home with no Payroll, No Employee Headaches, No Debts and No Sleepless Nights!” by Michael Leboeuf
For all these sites and a complete plan for building your own business idea, be sure to get your copy of “No More Mondays.”
Tell me about work at home scams?
You’ve seen the ads – in the newspaper, on telephone poles, in your email – “MAKE $1,000 A DAY!!!!! I just received one – 30 DAYS TO A MILLIONAIRE – GUARANTEED!!!! Others claim, NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY!!!! LIVE THE HIGH LIFE!!! But as the saying goes, “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is”. I continue to hear from people who sent in their $30 for the instructions, or went to the $89 seminar or even paid for the $3500 computer training to guarantee their success. As people do want new options to the 8-5 grind, it also opens the door for people to take advantage of others.
Here are some ways to spot a scam:
- If the ad has a lot of CAPITALIZATION and EXCLAMATION POINTS!!!!!!!!!, warning signs should go off in your head.
- If they say you can make a lot of money with little or no work, don’t believe it.
- If the ad is not clear and does not give details, you are being baited.
- If you have to call a 900# for more information, you’re being scammed.
Home employment schemes are among the oldest kinds of classified advertising fraud. Many require that you pay for instructions, training or materials before any supposed profits. Envelope stuffing, assembly or craft work, and at home training to get ready to make money are some of the most common scams.
If you suspect a scam, contact your local Better Business Bureau. They are very aggressive about stopping scams.