6 Great Small-Business Opportunities

In today’s economy, one cannot simply rely on one source of income. Many people cannot afford to give up their day jobs to shift to entrepreneurship, but they recognize the value of having a business.

Here are 6 great small business opportunities that anyone can start with just a little bit of enthusiasm and energy. These small business opportunities can help you set up a potentially long-term revenue stream. The best part is that these ideas are simple and possible to start at your own home.

1. Lease Your Space

Airbnb , Roomorama and Couchsurfing have now enabled people to rent out their unused space to travelers and short-term leasers from around the world. If you have a spare room or apartment, why not convert it into a rental space that can generate you income while you’re at work or away. You can also target exchange students or visiting professors if you’re near a university. If you live in a prime location or near a famous tourist destination, travelers would pay the extra dollar just to stay in your room or space.

2. Party Services/Event Coordination

Do you love planning your friends’ gatherings and parties? Why not turn that into a business by doing party planning and services during the weekends. This is perfect weekend business as most parties occur on a Saturday or Sunday. Create a database of suppliers, from caterers to entertainers and designers. Most people do not have the time or patience to plan family reunions or parties so this is the perfect opportunity for you to take charge and give service.

People are willing to pay good money just to avoid the headache of planning a special occasion. Do not worry as the internet is your friend with all the tips and ideas available. Other party services you can provide are table and chair rentals, DJing, making custom cakes, freelance bartending, and photography.

3. Food Truck

If food is your first love, then consider starting a mobile food truck business. It can cost you a couple of thousand dollars but it’s cheaper than building a traditional restaurant. Moreover, consumers are slowly turning to food trucks for their breakfast, lunch, dinner and even snacks. Bring your kitchen anywhere and serve hungry customers with your specials. Mobi Munch founder Josh Tang even said that the failure rate for food trucks is just between 10 and 20 percent as compared to 60 to 90 percent for a brick-and-mortar restaurant.

That’s a considerably lower risk to take if you're just starting a business. All you need is one special recipe and, of course, a truck to bring it to customers everywhere.

4. Website Design

If you don’t like talking to people face to face, then you can set up your own website design service. There are a number of short courses to help you develop your skills or just find website designers that can help you. Nowadays, businesses know the value of having a website where their customers can check out their products or services. Every single new entrepreneur can be your client and it will not take too much of your time.

Go through your local community and built your client base there. With a solid client base, you have a good small business without requiring too much maintenance time.

5. Translation Services

Businesses are also going global these days. A translation service is a small business you can build at the comfort of your home if you speak different languages. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook projects a 46% growth in demand for translators by 2022. This is a big business opportunity you can start small and grow while having a day job.

6. Vending Machines

If you are looking to dip your feet into the entrepreneur waters, then franchising a vending machine can help you start small. Skip the soda machines and go for those health-oriented and specialized vending companies to put in schools, offices and other public buildings. A lot of people are shifting to a healthy lifestyle. Franchising a healthy vending machine will enable you to enter the market with lower risks and better returns than starting from scratch. It will also require little time from you once you’ve purchased your machine.

5 Best Paid Hourly Jobs

You may think that a monthly salary brings more money, but that doesn’t necessarily have to be the case.

Many hourly jobs bring more profit than regular monthly salaries, and they often come with other good benefits too. For example, there is the flexibility many would wish to have.

According to last year’s data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, we have comprised a list of the 5 best paid hourly jobs that have also become very popular among job seekers.

1. Administrative Assistants and Secretaries

These employees are needed in every company, organization, or corporation to perform organizational duties. The pay varies from industry to industry and it also depends on the variety of obligations the employee needs to attend to, as well as on the complexity of the task. Some of the highest paid secretaries and administrative assistants are those who work for top executives and their rate goes up to $25.76 per hour, but a more realistic pay that most assistants and secretaries receive is around $18.63 per hour, which is still good considering that many people work for much less.

2. Dental Assistants

A dental assistant is the link between the dentist and the patient, and they make sure that the patient is well taken care of. They assist the dentist through treatment procedures and perform all other necessary assisting duties that law permits them. They also sometimes keep records and do lab work.

Different institutions and states require different levels of education for this position, but usually to get a job like this you either need to have a degree from an accredited program and a state certification or a license, or commit to on-the job training. Some dental assistants work part time, some full time, others only during weekends, but the average hourly pay for all of them is around $17.43 per hour.

3. Construction Workers

Construction workers usually work outside, at construction sites, and their obligations vary from preparing construction sites to working on the machines, helping to build or tear down buildings or roads, etc.

Some construction workers work for themselves while others are employed by a company. Most of them need to be trained briefly before they start the job, in order to meet the requirements of the employer. There are some construction workers who specialize in certain areas of construction work, and that brings them a higher hourly pay. An average wage for a construction worker is around $17.19 per hour.

4. Delivery Service Truck Drivers

Delivery service truck drivers’ job is to pick up, drop off and carry goods though a country or a city. Basically, what they need to do is carry goods from the distribution center to various delivery locations. Some also sell the products they carry, and they recommend some products to potential customers while delivering the goods. To be able to perform this job, people need to have a driver’s license and often need to complete on-the-job training. An average hourly pay for a delivery service truck driver is around $16.28.

5. Assemblers and Fabricators

These laborers typically work in factories and their job is to construct or assemble products such as aircrafts and toys. Their responsibilities may also include testing the quality of the product once it is complete. To get a job like this, a person usually needs a high school diploma and at least some experience. If a person has acquired a higher degree education, the position they get may bring more benefits and a higher paycheck. For instance, an aircraft assembler with technical knowledge can earn around $24.43 per hour, while without that knowledge an average hourly pay is around $15.25.

Just Graduating? Here’s How to Get that First Job

When you are trying to land that first employment after graduating, it might seem that everything is going against you. Being inexperienced is often an obstacle in getting a job – and gaining experience – so it seems like a vicious circle of rejection.

What can you do to improve your chances of finding a job, standing out from the crowd, and making your employer see that you will be a good addition to their company and that they won’t regret picking you?

Here are some tips on how to maximize your chances.

1. Resume

Obviously, you will need one for every job interview you go to. Not having one says enough by itself. So, put together the list of things that will show all your abilities and accomplishments you have had so far. Even if you never worked a day in your life, there are definitely things you could write down, like extracurricular activities, maybe some competitions you attended and awards you won during your studies, and how about some recommendation words from your favorite professors.

Talk about your computer and social skills, preferences, interests and try to persuade an employer that you are the best option. Research online for some more advice on how to write a resume, write your every relevant skill in it, include your best headshot just in case, and print out a dozen copies (for starters) – and you are ready to go.

2. Create a LinkedIn profile

Just having a Facebook page isn't enough social networking if you are on a hunt for a job.LinkedIn is a must if you are looking for a job – even if you don't have much to put on your profile yet. Maybe you have babysat before or you had a short summer part-time job – that is more than enough as a starting point. This will show your potential employer that you have worked before or at least that you can handle responsibilities.

This is also a good way to make connections with people in the working world, who may remember you next time they have an open spot at their company. Also, you can put it in your resume, which will show you are serious about finding a job. Put some effort in it and present yourself in the best light to the internet working society.

3. Keep an open mind

Yes, we all have our dream jobs somewhere at the back of our heads, but the first one doesn’t have to be it. Try to find something that is in the same line of work, or at least close to “what you want to do when you grow up”, but remember – you have to start somewhere. And the sooner you do, the sooner you will get where you want to be. That perfect position will become available somewhere along the way, but don’t expect to become an executive right out of college. That’s not the way it works, and you’ll have to work very hard to be extraordinary, you know that as well as we do. So even if you start at the mail section, be a good employee and you will move ahead. Don’t be a brat, be diligent and patient.

And, of course, don’t stop dreaming about your perfect job position – you’ll get there sooner or later.

4. Consider an internship

Having an internship in your resume could be the thing that will land you that job you wanted. This is a good way to get the experience you are lacking, and get familiar with the working world.

A piece of advice: try interning at a company that has a widely familiar brand, like, say, Nike, Microsoft, Google etc. It doesn’t have to be an important position either (nor will it be while you are interning) but these brands alone might open doors for you.

Another thing: you could end up getting a full time job at the company you started at as an intern, so choose wisely. They probably won’t pay you for your internship (or they will pay very little) but that is not the point. The point is getting experienced and paving the way to employment.

Do this as soon as possible (if you had an internship during your college years, that’s even better) and work your way up.

5. The hidden job market

This is all about knowing the right people and being the right person at the right time. Try making as many acquaintances as possible in the line of work you are interested in…  and others, too. You never know when you could end up with a job just because you knew someone who knew someone who was looking for someone just like you.

The thing is, many employers don’t even advertise an open position out of fear of too many time-wasting interviews with the wrong people. So they will turn to their friends and acquaintances to recommend someone – this is where you could come in. An old college professor or someone you once helped for free might give you a hand in finding a good job. So don’t think you are wasting time when you are giving a helping hand to someone, as you never know when and how it could pay off.

6. Patience and persistence

These are the most important traits you need right now. Patience is gold, and so is persistence. Knock on many doors, give out many resumes, talk to a lot of people, apply, call, do internships, do whatever you can to get what you want. Even if you get rejected for a job, keep in touch, maybe they’ll call if the need for a new employee arises. Someone will eventually see that you are worthy and hire you. Just be stubborn and show them why it is you they are searching for!

NINE Things Hiring Managers Value More than Your Education

When applying for a job, having a good resume is important, but it is not the most important thing. What you really need to pay attention to are the so called soft skills.

Those are the skills that can’t be taught at school. They are mostly based on your ability to adjust, to communicate and work with a team. They are a part of one’s emotional intelligence and they practically determine whether you are the “right fit” for the job.

So what are these soft skills you need to have?

1. Cultural fit

This means you should be able to fit into the company and work well with your co-workers as well as your boss. The employer is looking for somebody with similar views on work. Feel the air and try to guess what the employer wants to hear from you. If you are skillful enough, your values will align with those of your potential boss.

2. Creativity

It is essential for you to be able to bring something new to the table. From the countless faces the hiring manager will see that day, you need to stand out. You need to be innovative, think outside the box and offer a fresh opinion. The company is supposed to grow, and if you can’t grow with it, you are not employee material.

3. Experience

Of course, experience is a very important category. You need to have relevant work history and good references. This will show your employer that you can handle the position you are applying for. And not only that, you should definitely mention volunteer work and internships to show that you are passionate about your job and willing to learn and improve yourself.

4. Taking initiative

The employer wants to know whether you have what it takes, whether you are willing to be independent and come up with some ideas yourself. Anybody can follow others. The real value is in initiating a plan yourself. If you can organize it and put it to action, well that is even better. If you have this quality you are bound to progress on the company ladder.

5. Teamwork

You should be able to work independently, but if you need to, you must know how to team up with your colleagues too. This doesn’t mean you should take the main role and lead, nor should you just listen passively and do as told. This means you need to actively contribute with your own ideas, you need to be constructive and a valuable part of the team.

6. Problem solving

Everyone can point out a problem but not many people are successful problem solvers. You need to be able to come up with ideas and solutions, and not only that, you must be willing to finish the job. If you show you can take matters into your own hands, that you are reliable and good under stress, you will soon become an irreplaceable member of the company.

7. Flexibility

In companies, things never stay the same. Everything changes, moves and develops and you need to be able to keep up. You shouldn’t be rigid and only be willing to work in certain circumstances. If your deadline shifts, you need to know how to adapt to the new situation. Prioritizing is also a great asset here because it helps you assess the projects at hand according to importance.

8. Work ethic

Are you hard-working, reliable and loyal? Are you able to meet deadlines and focus on work even when it gets stressful? All of these make a good work ethic. Your boss needs to know that you can do this job, and that you can do it well. He or she wants to hire somebody who is trustworthy and gets the job done.

9. Attitude

Maybe the most important thing is your attitude. From the very beginning you need to look like a positive and confident person. The first impression is extremely important, so be professional but don’t forget to smile from time to time. If the employer sees that you believe in your capabilities, he or she is more likely to believe in them too.

10 Job Positions That Will Become Obsolete in 10 Years

In this day and age technology is playing a major role in unemployment rates. Industrial processes are being automated and digital consumption is increasing, which will all lead to some being replaced by machines. It has happened in the past and it will surely happen in the future.

Here are 10 jobs that may be on their way to the dustbin in the next ten years.

1. Postal Workers/Post Masters

The average annual salary of a mail carrier is $53,000 or roughly $25.53 per hour. However, Postman Pat will not be happy with the hiring outlook in the upcoming years.

It is estimated there will be a 28% decline in hiring of postal workers or mail carriers. The Internet is playing a major part in the decline. Rather than wait for days before getting a letter reply, you can now send an email to anyone in the world and get a response in minutes. You can even video call distant loved ones to fill the gap.

The decline in postal jobs in the next ten years is expected to be severe.

Online billing is also reducing the need for service companies to send paper billing statements to consumers. Parcel delivery is also being modernized into drone-based delivery and pilot-free cargo planes.

The future of the United States Postal Service is looking dim despite its long and illustrious history. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics has considered postal service workers as one of the top occupations to experience the highest projected decline in employment.

2. Lumberjacks

The average annual salary of a lumberjack is around $24,000. In the upcoming years, it is foreseen that there will be a 9% decline in the demand for lumberjacks.

Unemployment rates for lumberjacks have been reported high since 2012 and it is foreseen that the position is to become obsolete by 2022.

The primary factor for the decline is the available technological advancements that require fewer workers in the area. Back in the days, lumberjacks would manually carry axes and chainsaws to cut down trees. Now, there are numerous machines to make the task easier and safer. Moreover, paper-based products are also experiencing a decline. Wood pulp is not as popular as it once was.

While lumberjacks may not be pleased with how the employment rate is going, there are those that consider this a good sign as being a lumberjack has been listed as one of the worst jobs in the world due to its work instability, poor income, and pure danger.

3. Cashiers 

Being a cashier is considered an entry-level, low-paying job with the majority of workers doing it part-time. The average wage for a retail cashier is $8.51 per hour, but varies based on the level of skill and experience, and it obviously depends on who the employer is. It can go as low as $7.34 or as high as $11.

The employment rates of cashiers are expected to decline by 3% by the year 2016 due to the increase of online shopping.

Those working at retail stores may also lose their jobs once the stores decide to install self-checkout systems. One major determining factor of the job’s future lies on the public’s acceptance of these self-service checkout systems. After all, there are still those that prefer the traditional method of going to a store, purchasing goods and having a chat with the cashier.

On the other hand, there is a growing demand for gaming cashiers. The number of states that have legalized gambling is continuously growing. Perhaps retail cashiers should start looking for other part-time jobs, maybe in the gambling industry.

4. Travel Agents

The Internet may be blamed for the declining need for travel agents.

Back in the days, planning a trip to somewhere exotic was impossible without a travel agent. Travel agents are in charge of assisting clients and creating the best travel plans whether for leisure or business.

Nowadays, there is always a new vacation place being discovered somewhere around the world and people are heading there without the need for a travel agent. 

Just google the place where you want to go and you can book everything online, from your plane ticket to your accommodations. These days there is even a ton of mobile applications that will tell you when flights are the cheapest or rooms are discounted.

For the past five years, the need for travel agents has declined by 14%.

A travel agent earns the average annual salary of $37,000 but only 12,500 jobs were contracted in the last five years. The number of traditional travel agencies has been cut in half – from around 44,000 in 1997 to just about 20,000 in 2010.

Being a travel agent was once considered a high-paying career. Travel agencies are now finding innovative ways to battle the decline, but there is a strong possibility that the job will become obsolete in 10 years if they do not adapt.

5. Typists

Word processors and typists are another group in decline. It is one of those low-paying jobs being replaced by technology (again).

Word processors spend their time typing and transcribing letters and other important documents for businesses and individuals. The average annual salary of a typist is around $29,000 but there is an ongoing decline in demand of around 7.2% per year.

Between 2002 and 2012, the whole industry experienced a 54% decline.

Imagine what will happen in the next 10 years. The advancement in computer technology has made word processors and typists almost obsolete. Everyone is now familiar with word processing software. Not to mention that technology is rapidly developing, with voice recognition software and barcode scanners becoming close to perfect. Data encoding is now becoming more of an online paid task rather than a real job position it was ten years ago.

The growth of electronic business transactions will make administrative and support word processing tasks virtually obsolete in the upcoming years.

6. Semiconductor Processors 

Semiconductor devices are not becoming obsolete and there is a growing demand as the years pass. However, 5,800 people working as semiconductor processors are going to be deemed unnecessary between 2012 and 2022.

The steady growth of semiconductors in electronic devices calls for the need to automate the process to avoid error and maintain efficiency. Semiconductor processors oversee the manufacturing of devices such as integrated circuits and microchips. Microchips can be found in all electronic devices, including your smartphones, tablets and laptops. Nowadays, the market requires mass-produced semiconductors that can no longer be effectively built by human hands.

Manufacturers are automating production to ensure quality.

The manufacturing plant prefers robots and automated machines to maintain the high standard of cleanliness in the semiconductor work environment. Just between 2002 and 2012, the industry saw a 54% decline in employment rates. Moreover, companies are now outsourcing the process, thus leading to more jobs being lost in the US.

There might even come a time when all you need is one person to press the button for the whole manufacturing facility to function. This is not good news for a semiconductor processor who receives an average annual salary of around $33,000.

7. Photographic Process Workers 

Photographs are a special part of any family. Parents love documenting their children’s life while others capture their special moments and travels.

More than ten years ago, people had to go to a booth or store to have their photos developed and processed. They had to wait for an hour or so before getting an envelope of freshly developed photographs. Photographic process workers were in charge of bringing into print your captured memories. They are also known as “digital imaging technicians”. They modify photos depending on the request of a client, such as removing unwanted background or combining features from different photos.

Today, the advancement of camera phones and digital cameras is affecting the employment rates of photographic process workers.

The position is estimated to reach a 36% decline in demand by year 2016. In the upcoming years, more jobs may be lost and photographic process workers could very well become obsolete. People will be printing photos captured with their smartphones, at the convenience of their own home. Also, camera owners are no longer printing all their photos, but rather storing them in cloud-sharing sites. Editing and processing a digital image will be done easily at home with the help of user-friendly photo editing software.

8. Meter Readers

Time appears to be running out for meter readers.

They are the ones who go around neighborhoods just to check the meters of households and commercial establishments. However, the next ten years may completely eliminate the need for meter readers.

More companies are shifting to modern technology that does away with the need for human eyes to check the readings.

There are now remote-viewable meter readers that will automatically compile usage data to be sent to the companies for billing. As more companies shift to this method, there is an expected 19% decline in hiring in the next few years. The average salary of a meter reader is around $35,000.

Once companies install the digital meters, they will be able to collect information and create bills accurately. Ten years ago a meter reading department would probably have more than fifty employees, but in the next ten years it may drop to ten or even less.

It is also possible that there will be a completely automated system to generate your electric billing without human help. Meter readers may soon be obsolete like lamplighters were decades ago.

9. Video Clerks

Do you still remember the time when you walked into a video store to check out what to watch on the weekend? Today’s generation may no longer feel the excitement of visiting the video store due to the massive collection of movies available on the Internet today. With the videos readily available online, why would you drag yourself out of the house?

Most people nowadays prefer movie streaming or downloading online. This eliminates the hassle of driving to the store, going around to find the one you like, and lining up at the checkout counter.

This may be an advantage to consumers but it impacts the employment rates of video clerks negatively.

The average hourly wage of a video clerk is around $13. Annually, they can earn up to $27,000 on average. In general, the demand for counter and rental clerks will be experiencing a decline of 71.7% due to automation. Video clerks seem to be doing worse with the decline of video stores. It will not be surprising if the job becomes obsolete within 10 years.

10. Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Operators 

Aside from the postal service, the textile industry is also taking the ax in employment.

Textile knitting and weaving machine setters and operators are experiencing a decline in demand between 24% – 31%.

Manual dexterity and mechanical aptitude are the skills needed for the job, but workers are now being replaced by automated machineries. The average annual salary of a cutting machine worker is $21,620 while knitting and weaving workers get a bit more – $24,290.

Improvements in the textile production process are diminishing the need for workers. There is a projected 20% further decline in the next ten years.

Contributing to the decline is the automated equipment that is replacing workers in the assembly line. The position may be obsolete in the next 10 years once machine designers create tools that can replace the hands of workers to produce intricate designs.

Textile imports are also increasing due to cheap labor in developing countries. Most of the work is done by hand, but the workers are considerably cheaper in wage.