Turning the Tables on a Bad Interviewer

by Caroline Levchuck


You're wearing your best suit. Shoes shined. Resume in hand. You've prepared for any interview question that could come your way.

But rather than questions, there are awkward pauses. Stony silences. There's a seeming lack of interest in the entire event -- on the interviewer's part.

Just because someone is interviewing you, doesn't mean they're a good interviewer. Don't let his ignorance sabotage your interview or your chances at landing the position.

A Day in the Life

As your bad interview lumbers on, don't wait until your interviewer asks you if you have any questions. Rather, at the first awkward pause, ask him to describe the position for which you're applying in rich detail. What would your key responsibilities be? What is a typical day like? What time does the workday begin and end? Would you need to be available after hours or on weekends? Is there any travel involved?

Inquire as to which coworkers you'd be working with. Ask about how people work and projects are managed. Are there many meetings? Do people work on projects in teams?

Ask your interviewer what qualities he thinks the ideal candidate for this position would have.

Toot Your Own Horn

A poor interviewer will likely omit asking you many of the "right" questions, particularly those about how your experience makes you a great fit for the position.

So, although it may seem awkward, the only way you'll get to point this out is to just go ahead and do so. Even if there's no good time to do it, just do it anyway. You can preface your comments by saying something to the effect of, "I wanted to take a moment to let you know how my experience really complements this position."

Be direct and to the point. Make eye contact at all times. Talk specifically about how you have the skills and knowledge for the position. Do not ramble or your interviewer could lose interest.

Enough About Me...

The best interviews are often those in which you're able to forge a real connection with your interviewer. But if he doesn't know what he's doing, that may seem next to impossible...unless you start asking questions about your interviewer and his career.

Inquire as to how he came to work at the company, ask him how he likes it. Ask about where he started his career and what attracted him to this particular industry or area of expertise. Try to discover what his professional aspirations are.

At all times, show enthusiasm and interest in his responses (no matter how boring or brief they may be).

Show and Tell

If you still need to buy more face time with your interviewer, ask for a tour of the offices or facility. Again, ask questions along the way, even if it's about how long the company has been at that particular location.

Try to get your interviewer to introduce you to other people who work there -- those with whom you'll work closely, someone in management, or even just folks you pass during your tour.

Now is an ideal time to use the knowledge you have about the company to offer up insightful observations and flattering acknowledgments about the organization and how it's run.
Finally, be sure to ask your interviewer when he anticipates making a decision. Reiterate your interest in the position and your enthusiasm for the company. Thank him graciously for his time, both in person and in a prompt thank-you letter.


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Mastering the Informational Interview

by Erin Hovanec


Want an up-close, insider's perspective on a certain industry or career? Get it in an informational interview.

Also called a research interview, an informational interview is one of the most useful yet underutilized parts of a job search.

During an informational interview, you can learn firsthand about an industry, career or company. You can also get personalized feedback on your skills and experience while making valuable professional contacts -- especially important for job seekers who are new to the workforce or changing careers.

Informational Interviewing Defined

An informational interview is a brief meeting (usually about half an hour) between someone researching a career or industry and someone working in that career or industry.

The most important thing to remember about informational interviewing: Its primary goal is not to get you a job. Instead, the purpose is to gather information, which can then be used to make career decisions and conduct a successful job search.

Informational interviews can give job seekers insight into the following areas:

* What a typical day on the job entails,
* What experience is useful for advancement in a particular career,
* What educational background is helpful,
* And, what rewards and challenges a given job presents.

Contacts Are the Key

How do you find people willing to meet with you for an informational interview? Network, network, network.

You probably won't get far by cold-calling Human Resources. Recruiters spend their time meeting with candidates about open positions. Most are too busy to meet with someone just to chat about careers.

Here's who you should hit up for contacts:

* College alumni associations,
* Professional/industry organizations,
* Former colleagues and coworkers,
* Family and friends.

You Can Never Know Enough

The key to a successful informational interview is preparation. By preparing, you demonstrate that you appreciate -- and respect -- the interviewer's time.

Know the basics about the interviewer's industry, company and specific position.

Prepare a list of questions, avoiding those with simple "yes" or "no" answers in order to keep the interview conversational and informative.

And, be sure to take your resume, portfolio and business cards to informational interviews just in case the interviewer volunteers to distribute them to his or her contacts in the industry.

Remember, It's Still an Interview

An informational interview can seem more informal and casual than an interview for a specific job, but it's still an interview. And smart job seekers treat it as such.

Dress appropriately, arrive 10-15 minutes early and bring copies of your resume. In short, do all the things that interviewers expect.

Be assertive in asking questions, but don't dominate the interview.

A traditional interview is about what you can offer the interviewer. An informational interview is about what the interviewer can offer you (in terms of knowledge).

Finally, be sure to send a thank-you note after the interview, even if you don't normally send one. It's the polite way to recognize someone who's been generous with their time and knowledge.

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Why Bullet Points Matter

by Christopher Jones


You'll probably spend more time reading this article than the average recruiter will spend reading your resume.

The majority of recruiters spend less than three minutes reviewing a resume, according to a survey conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management.

That's why resumes need good organization. A well-organized resume allows recruiters to quickly find what they're looking for. Bullet points help organize information into nuggets and make resumes more manageable.

Bullet Points That Go 'Bang'

While quite lengthy, this bullet point from the resume of an advertising industry veteran is still one of the best I've seen in years.

* Eleven days after script approval, had an abandoned runway cleared, an authentic-looking bus stop built, nine talent cast, a DC- 10 commandeered for taxi and takeoff, an off-hours pilot co-opted, and four spots transferred, edited, voiced and foleyed, all on time and under budget.

It makes sense that this bullet point comes from someone with a background in advertising; he does a fantastic job here of advertising himself.

I like this bullet because it clearly communicates that this person is capable of completing multiple projects in a high-stress environment; it seamlessly incorporates successes with the details of the job; and it has a perfect ending: The "on time and under budget" is icing on the cake.

Use Bullets Sparingly

Often people complain that they just can't summarize their jobs with less than five bullet points.

But, when I came across this resume for a cytotechnologist, I couldn't help but wonder: "If he can summarize his job in four bullet points, can't you do the same?"

Year-Year Anonymous Medical Center Anytown, USA

Cytotechnologist/Histotechnologist

* Responsible for the day-to-day operation of the cytopathology section of the laboratory.

* Conducted highly complex cytopathological testing of clinical specimens, quality control, and quality assurance in all aspects of anatomic pathology.

* Cross-trained as a histotechnologist and perfected special staining techniques to assist with the day-to-day operation of the histology section.

* Promoted hospital's FNAB service substantially increasing departmental revenues and visibility.

A cytotechnologist, by the way, studies human cells for signs of cancer or other diseases. And, this one seems to also be a good writer of resume bullet points.

Put Success Before the Rest

Prioritizing the order of your bullets is critical.

Why? It's called "the primacy effect" -- whatever people see first, they remember best. So for your resume to be truly memorable, your strongest qualifications and achievements should go in the top bullets.

Don't bury your best as this job seeker did:

Department Store, Anytown, USA Sales Clerk, March -- June, Year

* Assisted customers
* Put out inventory
* In charge of planogram/floor changes
* Recipient of "Top Twenty Salesperson of the Month" Award

The first thing I would do is move the award to the top of the list -- it's this candidate's most impressive (and unique) achievement.

Then, I would work on the other bullets, focusing more on specific achievements than day-to-day responsibilities. "Assisted customers" is not terribly informative. A sentence on how the job seeker "boosted sales 10 percent" -- or some other tangible example of success -- would be better.

The final result: A stronger resume.

Department Store, Anytown, USA Sales Clerk, March -- June, Year

* Recipient of "Top Twenty Salesperson of the Month" Award
* Boosted sales 10 percent within three months
* Coordinated and maintained 30 planograms/floor changes, all while continuing with daily customer assistance and presentation duties

Avoid Repetition

It can be hard to avoid repeating words in bullets, but consider what would happen if you didn't:

* Writing GUI-based documentation
* Writing conceptual, procedural and reference documents
* Writing Quick Reference Guides
* Writing documents for end users
* Writing documents for administrators

The resume writer sampled above could have condensed these into one bullet:

* Write GUI-based documentation; Quick Reference Guides; and conceptual, procedural and reference documents.

Or used words other than "writing."

* Write GUI-based documentation
* Develop conceptual, procedural and reference documents
* Create and implement Quick Reference Guides
* Produce documents for end users and administrators

If you're having a hard time finding alternative words, use a thesaurus, but carefully. Never use words that you cannot define.

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Words That Weaken Your Resume

by Caroline Levchuck


More than just your accomplishments make your resume stand out. How you communicate them matters too.

A strong resume gives potential employers a concise, clear picture of your skills and experience. And, it's the crucial first step in securing an interview and hopefully a job offer.

For maximum impact, keep your resume as concise as you can. You need to include all your achievements in only one to two pages, so don't waste space on meaningless words. Plus, an employer doesn't want to spend time trying to understand vague phrases or decipher confusing jargon.

'Assist,' 'Contribute' and 'Support'

An employer won't know what you did if the wording on your resume is too vague. Words like "assist," "contribute" and "support" all say (or don't say) the same thing. They say you helped, but they don't say how. They beg the question: Exactly how did you assist, contribute or support a person or project?

Use these words sparingly and always follow them with a description of your role and responsibilities. Let an employer know the part you played and how you affected the outcome.

'Successfully'

Of course you want to show all that you've accomplished on your resume. But your achievements will be more impressive if you give concrete examples of what you've done and how you're been successful.

You don't need to use words like "successfully" or effectively" to show an employer that you're a good worker; your experience should speak for itself.

Instead of explicitly saying that a project was successful, state your achievements clearly and factually. Then give examples of how or why the project was a success.

'Responsible For'

The phrase "responsible for" can make your resume feel like a laundry list. Instead of just listing your responsibilities, try to stress your accomplishments.

Your resume will also have more of an impact if you quantify your accomplishments. Use figures to show how you affected growth, reduced costs or streamlined a process. Provide the number of people you managed, the amount of the budget you oversaw or the revenue you saved the company.

'Interface' and Other Buzzwords

Don't flower your resume with fancy words.

By trying to sound intelligent or qualified, you may end up annoying or confusing your reader. You don't want an employer to need a dictionary to discover what you really did at your last job.

Avoid buzzwords that have become cliche and words that are unnecessarily sophisticated. "Synergy" and "liaise" are examples of buzzwords that have been overused and abused.

Say what you mean plainly and simply. For example, instead of "interface," say "work." Instead of "impact," say "affect." Instead of "utilize," say "use."

Here's what you always SHOULD include in your resume: Keywords. Recruiters use keywords to search for resumes. So choose some of the basic, important keywords in your field and pepper them throughout your resume.

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Words to Avoid in Your Resume

by Christopher Jones


Most resume-writing guides focus on "power words" -- words that promise to grab the attention of recruiters as they scan hundreds of resumes -- but few tell you what words to avoid in your resume.

Below is a list of words and word types that your resume would be better without.

Abbreviations and Acronyms

AFPCA, CHIGFET, FIPL, MRSRM, ZWE: Looks like a fresh game of Scrabble, doesn't it?

Too many abbreviations and acronyms in a resume make it unreadable.

As a rule, avoid using abbreviations and acronyms unless they are commonly recognized. If you work in an acronym-heavy industry, such as technology, use acronyms sparingly.

Personal Pronouns

It seems odd to avoid personal pronouns (I, me, my) in your resume -- a document that is all about you.

But, it actually does make sense.

Since your resume is all about you, the addition of "I" or "me" is redundant. Since a resume should contain no unnecessary words, there is no place for the personal pronoun. Your resume, after all, is not a memoir but a concise summary of your skills and experience.

Negative Words

These words spell death for a resume.

Words like "arrested," "boring," "fired," "hate" and "sexist" catch a recruiter's eye like to a two-ton magnet catches a paper clip.

If there are difficult issues you want to raise, save them for the interview.

Keep These Words to a Minimum

There are other words that are sometimes necessary in a resume, but that should nevertheless be kept to a minimum.

Among these:

• Abused words: a, also, an, because, the, very
• Any word you can't define: You may think using these words make you sound smart, but if you use them incorrectly they could kill your chances of landing the job.
• Words that can be embarrassing if spelled wrong: assess, skills

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Making Your Professional Comeback, Digitally

Tips for Using the Web to Re-Enter the Workforce
by Heather Cabot, for Yahoo! HotJobs


If you're looking for a job after some time away from the world of work, you're not alone. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that 2.5 million people were looking to re-enter the workforce at the end of 2008.

In the time you've been away from the workplace, caring for your family or enjoying retirement, the networking tools have changed and improved. But according to recruiters and career coaches, the basic strategy to finding a job is still the same -- letting people know you're looking and making a killer impression. Here are five ways use the Web to do just that.

1. Assess Your Digital Footprint
If you're pretty Web savvy, you've probably been logging on and enjoying the fun social stuff, like Facebook and blogging. If not, skip to Step 2. Now that you're actively looking for employment, you'll want to look hard at what any stranger can find out about you with a few keystrokes. Adjust your privacy settings so that your personal profile information is visible only to family and friends. Search your name and see what pops up. Do your best to clean up any blog posts or photos you wouldn't want an employer to see.

2. Develop Your Online Presence
People need to be able to find you online if they're going to hire you. In the virtual world of job hunting, think of your digital profile as your calling card, but even better. Whether it's creating a profile page on a professional networking site like LinkedIn or a short, eye-catching bio on Twitter or launching your own website and/or blog featuring your portfolio and professional accomplishments, take advantage of the tools to promote yourself online.

3. It's Still Who You Know
The more things change, the more things stay the same; and that goes for good ol' networking. With professional networking communities like LinkedIn, you can easily re-connect with former colleagues and capitalize on the connections you already have through virtual introductions to prospective employers. Asking former bosses and coworkers to endorse you will give you added credibility.

"Applicants with more complete profiles, recommendations and connections are getting the highest response rates when applying for jobs," says Krista Canfield, LinkedIn's career expert.

4. Target Your Audience
While the Web enables job seekers to cast a wide net, it's easy to get overwhelmed. Reesa Staten, senior vice president and director of workplace research at Robert Half International, says that tapping online communities within your field will go a long way. For example, if you are a CPA, look for jobs and network on accounting industry job boards like American Institute for Certified Public Accountants or the American Society of Women Accountants instead of sifting through thousands of job listings on a more general site.

5. Learn the Language
Make it easier for recruiters to find you by optimizing your resume and cover letter for search engines and resume scanning software. Cofounder of YourOnRamp.com Catherine Clifford encourages job seekers to tailor resumes with keywords specific to your industry.

"They put your resume on the top of the heap, so to speak. So if you want your resume to be seen, sprinkle them (keywords) into your resume liberally," she writes in her book, "Your Career On-Ramp." Look at the language in the job listings that interest you and incorporate the words that describe the nuts and bolts of the job, for example: "market research," "sales adminstration," "records management."

You May Earn 30% More Than You Think

Compensation Beyond Your Pay Stub
by Siri Anderson, PayScale.com


What's in a wage? Most of us think of a simple base rate of pay, but if we call it by another name -- like, total compensation package -- this topic gets a whole lot sweeter, and you're probably earning more than you think.

Of course, base pay will make up a large part of your total compensation, but don't stop there. If you're a full-time employee, your company is quite possibly paying 30 percent more money than you see on your pay stub, according to the averages found by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. If you're a freelancer on the other hand, you might be able to raise your rates and still be cost-effective compared to a full-time employee.

So what is included in a total compensation package? Obviously this varies from company to company, so it's worth your time to look closely at everything you're offered, from a quality health insurance plan to seemingly small perks like free lunches. Furthermore, if taken advantage of, benefits can do a lot to help you create a golden nest egg for you and your family a few years down the road.

The latest information on the costs for employee compensation comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and is evaluated based on numbers gathered through September 2008 when the average wage across all industries and seniority levels was just over $20/hour (approximately $42,000/year). Below is a list of common benefits and how they much can add to your salary:

Health Insurance Benefits, + 11%
It's no secret what an asset health benefits are, both financially and for your general well-being. Even if you have to share costs and pay deductibles, your employer is essentially paying you in insurance premiums, not to mention probably offering you a better plan than you could afford on your own. This benefit can be worth $5,000-6,000 a year if you're older or you have a pre-existing condition.

Social Security, Medicare and Other Insurances, + 8%
Unemployment insurance, workers' comp, Social Security and Medicare -- these benefits may not sound too sexy, and you may wrinkle your nose at that 7.65 percent deduction on your pay stub. But don't forget that for every cent you pay, your employer matches it. That means if you're earning $42,000 annually, your employer is paying an extra $3,200 a year on your behalf. Granted, there is a lot of uncertainty about the future of these programs -- but at the very least, they're helping to take care of your parents so you don't have to.

Retirement Plan, + 6%
In addition to paying Social Security, retirement benefits vary widely from employer to employer. Most companies will offer you an investment plan (401k) and many will offer to match your contributions at a defined rate -- translation: pay raise. Beyond that, your contributions are taken out of pre-tax income, so you'll be paying less to the government. If you manage to lower your tax bracket, you might even end up taking home more disposable income while you're saving for your retirement.

Vacation, Sick Leave, Personal Time, + 7%
Never underestimate the value of free time paid equally to hours spent in a board meeting, and don't forget that not all employers offer it. Even if you get just two weeks of vacation a year, that's 4 percent of your salary that's being earned while you sip soda on the beach. When you factor in sick leave, personal time and holidays, you might be tacking on another couple of weeks, or 3-4 percent, that would otherwise come out of your pocket. And if you rather have it in cold, hard cash, you can often have it paid out while you keep working (and earning).

Other Less Common Benefits, + 1-10%
Certain companies may offer you extra benefits that -- if you're lucky enough to get them -- can really boost your total compensation. Some are large, some are small, but they can all add up to quite a lot over the course of a year.

* Stock Options
If your employer offers stock at a discounted price, you reap rewards automatically from the higher rate of return. The Bureau of Labor Statistics is just beginning to assess the percentage this adds to total compensation, but depending on your company's program and depending on the markets, it could add 5-10% to your salary.

* Company Cars
Company cars are more commonly offered in sales and service industries, but if your company offers you this asset, that could equate to a 10% increase on your yearly salary -- especially if you get to use the car for nights, weekends and family trips.

* Gym Memberships
Offering a membership to a gym helps a business by keeping its employees healthy, which hopefuly lowers their medical costs. Either way, if you'd normally spend $40/month on a membership, this bumps your salary by $480 a year.

* Lunch, Coffee, Snacks
If your company provides snacks, teas and coffee, or even lunch, it could be worth $5-10 per day. Taking advantage of it might save you $2,600 over the year.

* Bus Passes
Some employers will encourage public transportation and offer you a transit or bus pass. This may be saving you $50/month ($600/year) or more depending on where you live. And that doesn't include what you'll save in gas and car maintenance costs by giving your vehicle a rest.

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Will a Career Change Work for You?

Will a Career Change Work for You?
4 Tips for Finding Out
by Margaret Steen, for Yahoo! HotJobs


If you're looking for work and aren't having much luck in your current field, it's tempting to decide now is the time for a career change.

But although it's always good to be flexible, it's also important to be realistic.

"There's a bigger pool of more highly qualified people who are willing to work for less money" in a downturn, says Richard Phillips, owner of Advantage Career Solutions.

Experts such as Phillips offer these four tips for ensuring a career change will work -- before you make the leap:

* Do your homework. Make sure you don't jump from one sinking industry to another. "Ask, 'Is this a growth area?'" says Melissa Fireman, a career counselor in Washington, D.C., and co-owner of Washington Career Services.

You can start your research online, with government publications such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook [http://www.bls.gov/OCO/].

Also look at whether a particular specialty within your potential new field is in demand. For example, perhaps school districts in your area aren't hiring many elementary school teachers, but they do need special ed teachers.

* Talk to people. Before you make a change, you need to find out "what the career and job really involve -- not your fantasy," Phillips says.

For example, many careers, ranging from interior design to financial planning, may involve selling your services in addition to performing them. Or you may be enticed by the high average salary of your dream job, only to find that it's a field where a few people make a lot and most people make very little.

To get the real story, talk to people who work in the field you're targeting. You can find them though your college alumni association, professional associations, and schools with programs in the field.

* Assess your experience. The lowest-risk decision for a hiring manager is to choose someone who has done the job before, Phillips says. So if you try to compete in a new field, you'll be at a disadvantage.

"It's just hard to sell yourself when you don't have any experience, or the experience that you do have is a complete disconnect," he says. "You can't make your past not exist."

This doesn't mean it's impossible to change careers. But you may need to find a substitute for the experience you lack. One way to do this: networking.

"Does somebody know you from a former company?" Fireman asks. People are much more likely to take a risk on someone they have worked with in the past, even if it was in a different job. Volunteer experience can also help, Fireman said.

* Build a bridge. Not all career changes are equally difficult. The hardest is to move to a field where none of your previous experience is relevant. Often, though, you can find a way to build on your previous experience while doing something new.

Consider staying in your industry but moving to a new role so you can play up your industry knowledge. Or you could keep working in finance, for example, but for a biotech company instead of a publisher. In that case, you can show that you have already done the job, even if the industry is new.

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How to Get Energized to Work as an Entrepreneur

by Clare Kaufman, VendorSeek.com


"Recession" is becoming a household word, and worker morale is dropping faster than the stock market. How can you avoid burnout and keep the energy burning bright in your own business? The following strategies can help you and your staff stay focused in any work environment.

Professional Services Home Business

It's easy to lose steam if your workspace is within a stone's throw of your bedroom. Running a home business takes an uncommon degree of self-discipline. Successful home entrepreneurs rely on simple tricks of the trade to stay energized. Counselors Melinda Smith and Ellen Jaffe-Gill advise developing a morning routine to put yourself in the right frame of mind for productivity: "Rather than jumping out of bed as soon as you wake up, spend at least 15 minutes meditating, writing in your journal, doing gentle stretches, or reading something that inspires you."

A consistent morning routine helps Lillyvette Montalvo, who launched her own venture capital business, Star Capital, stay focused. She recommends "starting every day on a regular, positive note ... treating home office hours as you would your former workplace hours." For her, that means arriving to work (i.e., firing up the computer in her home office) on time and having a morning cup of coffee before tackling the day's to-do list.

Retail E-Commerce

"Creativity is a powerful antidote to burnout," observe Smith and Jaffe-Gill. E-commerce professionals have the perfect canvas for creative experimentation: their Internet storefront. If the thrill of e-tailing is slipping along with the economic slump, it might be time for a Web design makeover. Develop a new look for your brand or business, and work with a Web design service to bring that creative vision to fruition. A full-scale e-commerce solutions provider can also help you revive sales through technical services: you may choose to upgrade your Web site's point of sale (POS) technology, or launch a pay per click (PPC) campaign to drive traffic to your revamped Web site.

Event Planning Business

Weddings and parties are not just fun and games -- even event planners experience job burnout. Breathe new life into your event planning business by expanding your entertainment repertoire. Equipment leasing companies let you experiment with new event ideas without a hefty up front investment. For example:

* Turn up the "wow" factor at your next event by leasing tensile fabric projection screens. Riffing on the nightclub trend of projecting artsy slides or videos onto walls, tensile screens create visually arresting scene-scapes. Suspend a shaped screen over the event venue, or use organic-shaped tensile fabric "sculptures" as room dividers.

* Don't forget the fun factor. Equipment leasing companies offer a range of games for rent, including old pinball machines, arcade games, and contemporary Wii-style interactive games.

Direct-Sales Business

If you rely on a sales force to drive business, an economic downturn can quickly lead to low morale among the troops. It's up to you to turn the situation around by adjusting the incentives. Rather than simply rewarding sales, Sales and Marketing Strategy Consultant Paul Rickett counsels small business owners to refocus efforts -- and rewards -- on relationship-building. Create incentives for salespeople to make calls, update contacts, and tend relationships with current clients. "It's about rewarding the right activity," he says.

Chris Baggott, CEO of a blogging software business, keeps his sales team motivated through hard times with a program he calls "Dial Set Run." The program breaks the sales process down into "sprints," specific activities with rewards attached. One of the efforts Baggott rewards is employee blogging. Blogging not only "gives the sales team a sense that they are contributing, but more important, it becomes a great lead source through organic traffic."

An economic slowdown is the perfect time to galvanize the sales force with a new sales technique. Help the team tap into a new market for sales by building a search engine marketing campaign. E-commerce solutions offer resources such as SEO services and PPC management to revive interest in your product -- and the spirits of your staff.

Freelance Creative Business

It's easy to get burnt out if you're living the life of the lone creative genius. Do yourself and your freelance business a favor by getting out and networking with your peers. Some freelance writers and designers pool resources and rent office space together. In addition to providing some structure to your day, a common office space lets you interact with other creative professionals and share any work leads that arise.

Freelance writer Andrea C. Poe admits "the freelance life is a solitary life," but she relies on a freelancer "support group" to recharge. Each month, creative independents gather over coffee to "swap tales of glory and woe" and offer each other moral support.

As the economy slows, it's easy to slow down with it -- especially as an independent business owner. Instead, draw on the maverick spirit that got you here and find new sources of energy. Not only will your efforts pay off now, you'll have a head start once the rest of the economy regains its momentum.

Clare Kaufman is a freelance writer who covers business and education topics.

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Jobs That Really Stink

Jobs That Really Stink
by Maria Hanson, for LiveCareer.com


Feel stuck in a job you don't like? With unemployment rates so high, you're probably better off looking at it this way: Sometimes the grass is actually browner on the other side of the fence.

From poultry processor to odor tester, here's a look at the weird jobs that might make you grateful for yours.

Poultry processor (Salary range: $16,000-$30,000)
If you get grossed out pulling the gizzards from your plucked and processed chicken, imagine what it's like to be surrounded by the smells, sights, and sounds of a lively poultry processing plant. Workers quit their jobs at a rate five times that of the average employee. It's definitely not a job for the chicken-hearted.

Lift-pump remover (Salary range: $22,000-63,000)
Imagine getting paid to swim -- in sewage. Lift-pump removers actually dive right into the doo, sometimes five stories high, in order to lift a stuck pump in an area of a sewage treatment plant. You could say this is one crappy job.

Animal semen collector (Salary range: $17,000-$54,000)
The sperm of various animals is a necessary ingredient in artificial insemination, but it's not like a dairy bull can just walk into a private room with the latest Playbull in his hooves and walk out with a sample for the Mrs. That bull needs a hand, as do horses, pigs, goats, and even turkeys (who are notorious for low libido).

Diaper sorter (Salary range: $14,000-$27,000)
Cloth diapers are a noble answer to the mountains of disposables babies use annually (on average, 2,800 just for baby's first year). But someone has to sort through these dirty little nappies before they're cleaned and bleached for re-use. This is the kind of job you might take only to increase your bottom line.

Crime-scene cleaner (Salary range: $25,000-$68,000)
It's gruesome, it's gory, it's the stuff of nightmares. Bits of this and that can be splattered all over the place at a crime scene. It's a good job for someone with the guts for it -- or at least someone who doesn't mind cleaning them off the carpet.

Carcass cleaner (Salary range: $40,000-$85,000)
A distant cousin to the crime-scene cleaner, the carcass cleaner fixes up animal corpses so they're fit for display. Among their techniques: Using maggots or flesh-eating beetles or boiling the body. This isn't an entry-level job: Trained biologists, zoologists, and taxidermists usually get the gig.

Odor judge (Salary range: $19,000-$52,000)
As an odor judge, one day you could be sniffing armpits to see if a new deodorant is effective. The next you could be smelling bad breath, stinky feet, or used cat litter. If you're nosing around for a new job, keep in mind that people tend to stay in this line of work for a long time.

As you can see, being happy with your job may be as easy as shifting your perspective. Or, if any of these jobs actually sound appealing, maybe you've just found your true career calling!