Out of your Comfort Zone

Recently I wrote about how it is not good at all to seem too desperate when looking for jobs or home employment opportunities. However, job seekers, especially older ones, do need to be willing to step out of the familiar comfort zone. Like so many things in life it is all about balance.

There could be any number of reasons why you are looking for a job, and whatever the government may tell you it is not a crime to be unemployed in genuine circumstances such as loss of job or illness. You will have your own reasons for looking for a job or money making opportunity, do not feel that you have to explain and justify it. Indeed, to say too much at an interview can cost you the job.

Whether you are going to work for an employer or for yourself, or work for either from home, you have your reasons why your choice is right for you. However, especially when it comes to working from home for yourself, it can be very difficult to convince family and friends that it is a good idea. They care about you and often worry about the lack of job security and proper terms and conditions i.e. no sick pay and holiday pay and no pension scheme, at least not provided by an employer.  I have one elderly friend who does not rate any self-employment I may do as a job at all, because my tax and insurance are not paid by an employer, yet this is odd as her husband owned a business. However, The British were long called a nation of shopkeepers and indeed, he had a shop, so that did involve leaving the house every day and going to work.

That said, working from home can have advantages and lower some of your expenses, such as travel costs. To work from home either for yourself or an employer is certainly a good thing for older and or disabled people who have lost their job, need to return to paid employment maybe for financial reasons or indeed have lost disability benefits due to welfare reform and have the Job centre insisting they are fit enough to work .

Recently I wrote about not looking too desperate in your job search. An employer can see in your application and interview, whether or not you really want and have any experience for the job or if you are just going through the motions to keep the job centre happy and get your Job seekers allowance paid.

A tip for looking for a job or finding paying opportunities from home is to explore the niches that you have interest and or experience in, maybe your interest or experience is in a profitable niche and you could set up a blog and monetize it with affiliate products. As for looking for a job with an employer, you are more likely to be successful if you can clearly show on your CV and at the interview that you have knowledge and experience of the field the job is in.

http://onlineincometeacher.com/content/profitable-niche-blogging-topics/

http://nichehacks.com/choose-a-niche-blogging/

http://www.copyblogger.com/niche-keyword-research/

http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/232489

http://www.shoutmeloud.com/how-to-choose-blogging-niche.html

http://bloggingchimp.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/list-of-profitable-niches-to-make-money.html

https://fizzle.co/sparkline/81-blog-topic-ideas

It is a fact that through the years the skills sets required to be employable have changed. This is where being willing to step out of your comfort zone can be important to success. I know older people who still do not have the slightest inclination to master computer skills and insist they are not going to, having had no need for a computer in their lives so far. However, finding themselves losing their job, physically unable to continue in it or wanting to bump up a pension and the idea of earning money from home through the internet may seem more attractive , or being able to prove to a potential employer that you do have the skills for the current employment market .

Current skills make you more employable and give you more options, so if you do not have them perhaps needing a job is the motivation for you to get them. Look to see what jobs are out there and or on the work from home jobs sites, if affected by age or health issues then see what you can physically do and what skills are needed and where you can get them.

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Doing something new, such as learning new skills is often not easy, know and accept your limits such as health and time limitations if you have e.g. home responsibilities, but be willing to step out of your  comfort zone.