Creating Income: How To Work When You Do Not Have A Job

Written by Terri Lambert, who has provided this guide to post-grad income building at no charge on behalf of a leading online degrees service.

Creating Income:  How to Work When You Do Not Have a Job

The few months post-graduation can feel very strange.  It is a sort of “twilight” time in which post-grads suddenly finds themselves without a rigorous academic schedule, and it can feel like you are floating in a sea of free hours. 

In the past, soon to be graduates began looking for work during their final year of education, with the aim of securing a position with a company or institution prior to completing their studies so that their future was more or less assured. 

Those days are very much over, and it is a very small margin of post-graduates who find work in this way. 

In today’s economy, it pays to be creative about your post-graduate job search. 

One of the most effective ways to insure that you have a steady flow of income is to parlay a skill or hobby, with which you already have extensive experience, into a money-producing venture.

What Are My Options?

The first question that must be asked, is what is it that you do that would be interesting to someone else?  What skill or asset do you have that could benefit or positively influence other people?  Think outside of the box. 

Step away from your academic focus and look at your life.  What are your health or fitness skills?  Do you speak multiple languages?  Do you play an instrument or write your own music?  Do you love working with children?  Do you like cooking?  Do you adore organizing other people’s closets or buying shoes? 

Remember, the idea of the exercise is to find a skill that is unique to you and that might appeal to someone else.  Once you have figured out which ability you would feel comfortable sharing, you can begin to spread the word about it.

How to Get the Word Out

Keep in mind, this pro-active form of “job hunting”, should also be easy on your wallet.  There is no need to take out a banner ad in a magazine.

Find community bulletin boards to post notices about your cooking classes, boards near gourmet markets, for example. 

Put advertisements for childcare or nanny services near playgrounds or at fitness centers that offer childrens’ classes. Post advertisements for your guitar lessons near music venues and in local music shop windows, if they allow it.

Post information about your class, workshop, or seminar online in forums, with listing services like GumTree or Craig’s List, and on related blogs.

Create a blog page for yourself so that you can have an online presence without hosting costs. If you feel like you need business cards, use one of the low cost online companies that allow you to make business cards for free as long as you leave their logo on the back.

Get your name and your skill out there as quickly and as cost-effectively as possible.

People Are Calling - Now What?

It may take up to a month, or a month and a half, before you begin to receive any sort of notice.  Be frugal with your available cash during those first few weeks, so that you do not find yourself totally without funds. 

When potential students or participants begin to respond, make sure to answer all correspondence, and return all phone calls, in a timely manner.  Remain polite and professional at all times. 

Think of each contact you have with a potential client as a mini job interview. 

Once you have made an appointment, always arrive a few minutes early, and always come prepared.  You are creating your own reputation and when you are working for yourself, it is positive word of mouth that will get you the most clients.

Remaining Focused

Remember, this job is meant to tide you over until you secure the position that you truly want. 

Do not feel that you failed because you did not win a fabulous entry-level position at a Fortune 500 company. 

That fact that you are supporting yourself, paying for your own apartment, and eating regularly is a victory in and of itself.  Mind you, sometimes your side income venture can become a lucrative and fun primary business, so keep an open mind.  T

here have been many post-graduates who stumbled into successful jobs. There was a linguistics student who found himself stranded in Milan when a job offer fell through.  He began working as a freelance translator. 

Fast-forward two months, and he was offered an £8000 three-book translation deal, simply based on the quality of his work.

Or how about the theater student who needed something to tide her over between gigs?  She began babysitting for young executives, and it quickly became a cottage industry.

She now employs four other sitters and continues to act.  Do not let the current job market get you down.  Take what is already intrinsically special about you and go make some money.  Welcome to the new job market.