Posts Tagged ‘ training ’

A View From the Economic Cliff

By Kevin M

I don’t normally write much on economics, largely because I think its one step above fortune telling—maybe. You look into the tea leaves (“economic data”), sift it around a bit and make predictions about what you think is happening and more particularly, about what you think WILL happen.. Hence the fortune telling analogy.

So why am I sticking my hand into this hornets nest of omniscience? Mostly because I write about personal finance, and I’m of the opinion that personal finance without some concept of economics is akin to taking off in an airplane without radar. How do you know what to prepare for if you have no concept of what it is you’re heading into?

Even though my crystal ball is still malfunctioning, I figure I’ll take a stab at what I think is happening in the economy and where I think we’re heading. Heck, even without it I doubt I can do a more laughable job than the people who do it professionally, also known as “economists”.

Warning: this won’t be light reading—and for some, it won’t be at all pleasant.

Day Trading: Investment Program or Career?

By Kevin M

A few weeks back a comment was placed on this site by a visitor who’s url address included the letters “tv”. Since I’m always on the lookout for new and interesting career and business ideas, I had to follow up on this profile. If he was involved in television in any way, that might be a career profile worth looking for a story in. But upon following up through his website, I found out he certainly does have a most interesting career, but one that has absolutely nothing to do with television.

His career? Day trading.

It never crossed my mind to consider day trading to be a career of any sort. I’ve mostly tended to think of it as an investment scheme of some type, and not one for the faint of heart. (That part is most definitely true—see the “Disclaimer” from his website below if you have any doubts.)

Ten Well Paying Jobs Without a College Degree

By Kevin M

One of the driving purposes of OutOfYourRut.com is the identification of career and business opportunities, primarily for people engaged in one line of work but seeking entry into another.

In that vein, a noteworthy article appeared on Yahoo! Finance yesterday, 10 Jobs With High Pay and Minimal Schooling Required! written by Michael King. The article lists 10 careers that don’t require a bachelor’s degree for entry, but pay wages which are generally above average.

There are several articles with this same theme here on OutOfYourRut.com, either as full reprints or by excerpt, but in this time of career transition for so many people, it’s one worth revisiting often. The jobs appearing on each list tend to be at least somewhat different from one list to another, either because of the time of compilation, or the orientation of the source.

The Skilled Trades Are Well Worth Investigating

Kevin M

With the job market tightening up in so many fields, and many jobs perhaps gone forever, the time has come to look into opportunities in skilled blue collar occupations.

An article appeared this morning on Yahoo HotJobs called America’s Best Paying Blue Collar Jobs discusses the highest paying jobs in the skilled trades.

Most of these jobs involve installing, servicing and repairing existing systems and technologies of the sort that are required by modern civilization, and are not likely to be eliminated through advancing technologies or even globalization. For that reason alone they merit investigation.

Changing Careers in a Recession

STRATEGY #4 TO SURVIVE A DOWN ECONOMY

By Kevin M

When ever the economy turns sour, there’s a general tendency to stay on current jobs as long as possible, under the belief that it’s better to stay where we’re established than to go to another company where we’ll be the new/low man on the totem pole. In addition, an often reflexive response to the news of a job loss, or an impending one, is to immediately seek new employment at competing firms within the same industry.

On the surface, these strategies have merit. In the former, we hold on as long as possible, hoping that either we’ll keep our current situation as long as possible, or maybe we’ll even out last the downturn. It seems to make sense to stay in the same career and in the same industry—after all, that’s where our skills are concentrated, and where we have the greatest income potential. But do these represent the best strategies?

Do You Have a Bad Attitude, or Does Your Job Really Stink?

By Kevin M

Now might not seem like a good time to open up a discussion that might lead to quitting a job, but given that many employees are currently being squeezed by shrinking staffs and increased workloads, now is as good a time as any to blow off a little steam, would you agree?

The reality of the current economy is that even if you have no intention of leaving your job, your job could very well leave you! Am I advocating that you quit your job, in the middle of this economy? No, certainly not. However, bad news be damned, now is a good time to be intentional about preparing for something new, especially if you find yourself sitting in a job that’s wearing you out and taking the spark out of your life.

A Career in Information Technology—NO Degree Required!

By Kevin M

It’s no secret that careers related to information technology are one of the surest paths to success in the 21st Century economy. If you’re fresh out of college with a degree in information technology, or if you obtained your degree years ago and are now a seasoned professional, you’re probably looking at solid employment prospects, even with a weak economy. But what if you couldn’t afford college, or if you’re working in an unrelated field and wish you could get into IT—are you simply out of luck? Well, maybe not!

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Posts Tagged ‘ training ’

A View From the Economic Cliff

Day Trading: Investment Program or Career?

Ten Well Paying Jobs Without a College Degree

The Skilled Trades Are Well Worth Investigating

Changing Careers in a Recession

Do You Have a Bad Attitude, or Does Your Job Really Stink?

A Career in Information Technology—NO Degree Required!

Financial Management