Fallback Careers: For Those Times When You Have to Hire Yourself

There is no denying it; the job market is tough right now, and probably will be for the foreseeable future. That probably should have factored into your decision to tell your boss to take this job and… well… you know. Now, you’re in the soup, and it is time to sink or swim.

Start by creating a new resume’. Forget about the one you show to HR departments. That just tells you what you already know: education, work experience, etc. The resume you need to write for yourself is the one that focuses on your hobbies, your interests and passions. How do you spend your time when you are not making a living? What do you do when you have time to yourself?

Let’s talk about a few jobs you can do that you will love, and that do not require you to spend another four years in college. When you hire yourself, you might find yourself doing one of the following:

Massage Therapist

Everyone loves the idea of a massage. When done right, it is relaxing and restorative. Nearly everyone has had some sort of massage experience. Perhaps it was a neck and shoulder massage given by a coworker or loved one. Becoming a massage therapist means that you will automatically have a lot of people who have good feelings associated with the thing you want to do. People entering the repo field are not so lucky.

First, you are going to have to find a massage therapy training program in your area as regulations differ from state to state. You will also need to be willing to commit to at least 500 hours of class time (6 months). Taking on a variety of specialties will increase your study time, but pay off in greater opportunities.

Once you get certified, you are going to need some gear. Earthlite.com has a particularly good selection of portable massage equipment for in-home and workplace massage treatments. Much of this highly specialized equipment, like the Avila II™ Portable Massage Chair Package, will be difficult to source locally, but easy to find online. If you like helping others and doing something that is guaranteed to put a smile on a lot of faces, it is hard to find a more rewarding career.

Medical Transport Business

Can you drive? Can you acquire a used vehicle with a lift? Are there elderly or disabled people in the city where you live? Then you have all the ingredients you need to cook up a great business, make a little money, and help a lot of people.

This is not an ambulance service. This is a non-emergency medical transport service. Your clients are often quite ambulatory, but perhaps walk a little slower than others. If they do not drive, they have to get to the doctor’s office some how. Taxis are an option, but an expensive and unappealing one. Using an ambulance as a taxi service is cost prohibitive.

What these people need is a ride to dialysis, not an EMT. The ability to pick up a person in a wheelchair greatly enhances your opportunity. However, it is not necessary. Many in this line of work only service the ambulatory. In this article, a person recounts how he got started in the business, and only spent $10,000 to get started. That included a van with a lift. If you already have a van, adding a manual lift is trivial. Like being a massage therapist, your clients will love you.

Freelance Writer

Do you have a computer? How about an Internet connection? Then you already have all the equipment you need. Honestly, you don’t even have to have those things if you don’t mind using the computers at your public library.

The main thing you need is the love of words and the ability to spin a yarn. With a trivially small investment, you can register a site and start your own blog. It can actually be done for free if you are willing to apply a little elbow grease. There are services like WordPress and SquareSpace that can get you up and running in no time with a professional looking blog.

What you need to supply is the content, an audience, and a business model. Google’s AdSense supplies the business model for much of what you see on the Net. If you have trouble finding an audience, but are a pretty good writer, there are tons of freelance opportunities you can find online for the writer who is willing to do 400 words on the quick and cheap. You might be writing app reviews, or quick takes on the latest fashion news. You can practically get started right now, and use it to supplement your income while you look for the next big thing.

Opportunity is all around you. Whatever you passion happens to be, chances are, there is a way to make a career out of it.