Are You Really Cut Out for Working at Home?
Many people view working at home the ideal opportunity. They get
to stay home with the kids, relaxing in their PJs for most of the day,
and work when they feel like it. Is that realistic? Many job applicants
are learning that employers want to allow employees to work from home.
This can be beneficial to the company because it allows the employer to
reduce in-house costs and office management needs. Yet, as you interview
for a job, be sure to consider this carefully. Are you cut out to
handle this type of environment?
Are You a Self-Motivator?
When you are working at home, you are working on your own without direct overseeing by management. For any job applicant that may sound like a good thing. Yet, as you interview for a job, be realistic about this. Will you be able to meet deadlines without someone looming over you? Will you be able to manage problems on your own without immediate assistance? Being a self-motivator is a critical component of managing your job at home.
Are You in the Ideal Environment?
The hiring manager is likely to ask you this question. What is the home environment like and will it allow you to work there? Do you have children that make answering the telephone impossible? Do you have the ability to work eight or nine hours per day every day? Do you have the space, means, education, and job skills necessary to do this? As you interview for a job like this, be sure to consider where you would work at home and what it would mean to you to work in such a situation.
How Will It Impact Your Life?
Working at home changes your life. Yes, there are many benefits to doing so. Yet, there are also changes in routine. Your family will need to adapt to your time away from them even though you are in the same building. To work from home successfully, you also have to be willing to put in more time when there are distractions to deal with. It can be taxing for many people.
The good news is that many times a hiring manager will offer this option to key candidates for positions. It does help reduce in-house costs for the employer. Yet, before you can interview for a job like this, really consider your situation and determine if working from home is really the ideal option for your needs. In some cases, it may not be.
Are You a Self-Motivator?
When you are working at home, you are working on your own without direct overseeing by management. For any job applicant that may sound like a good thing. Yet, as you interview for a job, be realistic about this. Will you be able to meet deadlines without someone looming over you? Will you be able to manage problems on your own without immediate assistance? Being a self-motivator is a critical component of managing your job at home.
Are You in the Ideal Environment?
The hiring manager is likely to ask you this question. What is the home environment like and will it allow you to work there? Do you have children that make answering the telephone impossible? Do you have the ability to work eight or nine hours per day every day? Do you have the space, means, education, and job skills necessary to do this? As you interview for a job like this, be sure to consider where you would work at home and what it would mean to you to work in such a situation.
How Will It Impact Your Life?
Working at home changes your life. Yes, there are many benefits to doing so. Yet, there are also changes in routine. Your family will need to adapt to your time away from them even though you are in the same building. To work from home successfully, you also have to be willing to put in more time when there are distractions to deal with. It can be taxing for many people.
The good news is that many times a hiring manager will offer this option to key candidates for positions. It does help reduce in-house costs for the employer. Yet, before you can interview for a job like this, really consider your situation and determine if working from home is really the ideal option for your needs. In some cases, it may not be.
Todd Bavol is the President and CEO of Integrity Staffing
Solutions. Integrity Staffing Solutions is a national staffing firm
assisting individuals and corporations in making the right employment
fit. To view job openings in Warehouse, Professional and Administrative
positions, visit the Integrity Staffing Solutions web site at http://www.integritystaffing.com.
How To Make $15 (Or More) Per Square Foot Growing Leafy Greens and Herbs
If you're like many small growers, you have a limited amount of
growing space. So its important for gardeners who are growing for market
to focus on crops that will produce the highest income per square foot
of growing space.
Using published market prices for organic produce and harvest yields for intensive cultivation of popular garden crops, it is possible to find the most profitable plants for small market growers. When the results were tallied, there were some surprises on the upside, as well as the downside.. Cilantro and arugula, for example, can bring profits of over $20 per square foot, while carrots, radishes and parsley were all well below $4 per square foot.
The biggest winners were leafy greens and herbs that are sold fresh at farmer's markets and grocery stores. In addition, heirloom and cherry tomatoes were also surprisingly high, at around $15 per square foot, even though "ordinary" tomatoes bring far less. Let's take a closer look at the winners to find the crops that could produce a good income in your garden.
Topping the list at over $21 per square foot is cilantro, also known as coriander. Cilantro is the leafy part of the plant, and widely used in Mexican and Asian cooking. Leaves are ready to harvest in about 50-55 days, and by planting a new batch every two weeks or so, a steady supply can be maintained. Be sure to use the slow-to-bolt varieties, such as Santo or Calypso to avoid problems in the summer heat.
Next on the list is Arugula, also known as Rocket or Roquette. This member of the mustard family produces spicy, flavorful leaves, perfect for adding flavor to a salad blend or harvested as baby greens. Arugula is quick to mature, ready for harvest in just 3 weeks when picked as baby greens or 6 weeks at maturity. It can be sold loose, in a blend or in bunches at the farmer's market.
Salad mixes are the new standard, replacing bland, boring iceberg lettuce, now outsells all other leafy greens. Growers can use plastic-covered beds, called high tunnels, or a hoop house to extend the growing season to most of the year in many areas. Growers have found it is best to use a blend of greens to provide color, flavor and texture. Use greens like frisee for flavor and texture or Baby Red Swiss chard for color. Most mixes include baby lettuce varieties, mizuna or tatsoi, baby kale or chard and frisee or radicchio. Asian salad mixes, most using no lettuce, are also popular.
Chives and dill are also profit champs, with average profits of over $15 per square foot of growing area. Although chives take longer to mature - averaging 90 days to harvest - they are always a popular item. Bunches of flowering garlic chives, call Gow Choy, bring higher than average prices and add an elegant touch to any dish. Growers who want a thicker leaf than the garlic chives should grow the Stars variety, available from Johnny's Seeds.
The popularity of dill may be due to the many uses for the plant, ranging from flowers to pickle-making to sauces. The seeds are often used as a natural remedy for flatulence. Flowers can be harvested in 45-55 days and seeds in 90-100 days. Growers who use dill flowers prefer the Vierling variety, while those who want maximum leaf yield find Bouquet the heaviest producer. Both varieties are available from Johnny's Seeds.
Baby lettuce is always popular, usually sold in blends that combine color and flavor. Popular choices include Red Oak Leaf, Green Romaine, Red Romaine, Green Oak Leaf and Red Leaf lettuce.The reason for the high value per square foot - over $15 - is the quick turnover of lettuce, as it is ready to harvest in about a month. This allows growers, especially those using high tunnels or hoop houses, to harvest several crops in a single growing season.
Although tomatoes are not herbs or leafy greens, I just had to include them, as certain types are quite profitable, with per-square-foot profits over $15. Not just any old tomato will do though! For the highest return, focus on gourmet cherry, or salad tomatoes and heirloom varieties that bring top dollar from consumers who love, and will pay dearly, for the rich flavor they bring to the table. In fact, after a lifetime of eating bland flavorless commercial tomatoes bred to ship well, most first-time heirloom tomato eaters say " I never knew a tomato could taste this good!"
There is a wide range of cherry tomatoes available to market gardeners. Plan to grow varieties that are not often found in supermarkets, such as Gold Nugget, Yellow Pear and Tomatoberry, which is shaped like a strawberry. All these varieties are available at Johnny's Seeds. Growers who plan to offer heirloom tomatoes should focus on flavor or unique coloration, which is easy to do with dozens of proven producers available. Try Yellow Brandywine, Black Prince, Brandywine, or my favorite, Striped German, with bicolor red and yellow fruit.
These are just a few of dozens of high-value specialty crops that can bring big profits to small growers. To learn more, visit http://profitableplantsdigest.com.
Using published market prices for organic produce and harvest yields for intensive cultivation of popular garden crops, it is possible to find the most profitable plants for small market growers. When the results were tallied, there were some surprises on the upside, as well as the downside.. Cilantro and arugula, for example, can bring profits of over $20 per square foot, while carrots, radishes and parsley were all well below $4 per square foot.
The biggest winners were leafy greens and herbs that are sold fresh at farmer's markets and grocery stores. In addition, heirloom and cherry tomatoes were also surprisingly high, at around $15 per square foot, even though "ordinary" tomatoes bring far less. Let's take a closer look at the winners to find the crops that could produce a good income in your garden.
Topping the list at over $21 per square foot is cilantro, also known as coriander. Cilantro is the leafy part of the plant, and widely used in Mexican and Asian cooking. Leaves are ready to harvest in about 50-55 days, and by planting a new batch every two weeks or so, a steady supply can be maintained. Be sure to use the slow-to-bolt varieties, such as Santo or Calypso to avoid problems in the summer heat.
Next on the list is Arugula, also known as Rocket or Roquette. This member of the mustard family produces spicy, flavorful leaves, perfect for adding flavor to a salad blend or harvested as baby greens. Arugula is quick to mature, ready for harvest in just 3 weeks when picked as baby greens or 6 weeks at maturity. It can be sold loose, in a blend or in bunches at the farmer's market.
Salad mixes are the new standard, replacing bland, boring iceberg lettuce, now outsells all other leafy greens. Growers can use plastic-covered beds, called high tunnels, or a hoop house to extend the growing season to most of the year in many areas. Growers have found it is best to use a blend of greens to provide color, flavor and texture. Use greens like frisee for flavor and texture or Baby Red Swiss chard for color. Most mixes include baby lettuce varieties, mizuna or tatsoi, baby kale or chard and frisee or radicchio. Asian salad mixes, most using no lettuce, are also popular.
Chives and dill are also profit champs, with average profits of over $15 per square foot of growing area. Although chives take longer to mature - averaging 90 days to harvest - they are always a popular item. Bunches of flowering garlic chives, call Gow Choy, bring higher than average prices and add an elegant touch to any dish. Growers who want a thicker leaf than the garlic chives should grow the Stars variety, available from Johnny's Seeds.
The popularity of dill may be due to the many uses for the plant, ranging from flowers to pickle-making to sauces. The seeds are often used as a natural remedy for flatulence. Flowers can be harvested in 45-55 days and seeds in 90-100 days. Growers who use dill flowers prefer the Vierling variety, while those who want maximum leaf yield find Bouquet the heaviest producer. Both varieties are available from Johnny's Seeds.
Baby lettuce is always popular, usually sold in blends that combine color and flavor. Popular choices include Red Oak Leaf, Green Romaine, Red Romaine, Green Oak Leaf and Red Leaf lettuce.The reason for the high value per square foot - over $15 - is the quick turnover of lettuce, as it is ready to harvest in about a month. This allows growers, especially those using high tunnels or hoop houses, to harvest several crops in a single growing season.
Although tomatoes are not herbs or leafy greens, I just had to include them, as certain types are quite profitable, with per-square-foot profits over $15. Not just any old tomato will do though! For the highest return, focus on gourmet cherry, or salad tomatoes and heirloom varieties that bring top dollar from consumers who love, and will pay dearly, for the rich flavor they bring to the table. In fact, after a lifetime of eating bland flavorless commercial tomatoes bred to ship well, most first-time heirloom tomato eaters say " I never knew a tomato could taste this good!"
There is a wide range of cherry tomatoes available to market gardeners. Plan to grow varieties that are not often found in supermarkets, such as Gold Nugget, Yellow Pear and Tomatoberry, which is shaped like a strawberry. All these varieties are available at Johnny's Seeds. Growers who plan to offer heirloom tomatoes should focus on flavor or unique coloration, which is easy to do with dozens of proven producers available. Try Yellow Brandywine, Black Prince, Brandywine, or my favorite, Striped German, with bicolor red and yellow fruit.
These are just a few of dozens of high-value specialty crops that can bring big profits to small growers. To learn more, visit http://profitableplantsdigest.com.
These are just a few of dozens of high-value specialty crops that can bring big profits to small growers. To learn more, visit http://profitableplantsdigest.com,
where you can download my FREE 50 PAGE BOOK, Specialty Crops for Small
Growers - 14 Best Profitable Plants for Backyards and Small Acreage.
Craig Wallin is the author of 8 books about growing high-value specialty crops, such as herbs, flowers, garlic, mushrooms, ginseng, bamboo lavender, exotic trees, woody ornamentals, microgreens and landscaping plants.
Craig Wallin is the author of 8 books about growing high-value specialty crops, such as herbs, flowers, garlic, mushrooms, ginseng, bamboo lavender, exotic trees, woody ornamentals, microgreens and landscaping plants.
Low Cost Professional Pictures For Internet Sellers
Your customer will make a decision within seconds whether what
you're offering appeals. Then it's down to the description and price and
so on. But let's concentrate first of all on a very easy way to get a
professional shot. If you've been to a photographer's studio you will
have seen all the kits that can be involved, and that can cost far more
than you can commit when you're starting up.
A professional's fees will be an eye-opener too! The solution is to look at the two main factors that contribute to a good picture, the background and lighting. If you can spend £200 or $300 you may look around for lighting tents and backdrops which are going to give you excellent results. But let's assume you're on a tight budget, and want to see if you can get a result from a few sales first. For an example we'll say you want to sell wooden building bricks in a box. Although you might want to show them in use with your young son hard at play, the photo will involve your floor, carpet, furniture in the background, and what Jimmy is wearing... all distracting from what you are trying to sell.
Take a critical look at sellers' pictures on eBay or Gumtree, and judge for yourself. Please note if you sell on Amazon, they will insist that the subject is on a white background. The budget solution is to buy a plain white roller blind, from Ikea or an on-line retailer. Depending on size you'll pay around £10 -£20 or US$15 - $30. You'll need to have a table that's as wide as the blind and a back board that can be propped up across the back of the table. The back board can be a chipboard or plywood sheet for example, again this may be to hand, or will be easy to buy cheaply from a local store. Just unroll the blind so it covers the table surface and then goes up and over the back board.
Make sure there is no crease at the bend point between the table top and the backboard, because that's how you get that all-important seamless background. And the lighting can be free - just set up outside on a clear day! Sunlight is OK but you'll get excellent results on a dull day with a standard digital camera. You'll be surprised how good your product looks. If you'd like some tips on picture editing, that will be the subject of my next article.
A professional's fees will be an eye-opener too! The solution is to look at the two main factors that contribute to a good picture, the background and lighting. If you can spend £200 or $300 you may look around for lighting tents and backdrops which are going to give you excellent results. But let's assume you're on a tight budget, and want to see if you can get a result from a few sales first. For an example we'll say you want to sell wooden building bricks in a box. Although you might want to show them in use with your young son hard at play, the photo will involve your floor, carpet, furniture in the background, and what Jimmy is wearing... all distracting from what you are trying to sell.
Take a critical look at sellers' pictures on eBay or Gumtree, and judge for yourself. Please note if you sell on Amazon, they will insist that the subject is on a white background. The budget solution is to buy a plain white roller blind, from Ikea or an on-line retailer. Depending on size you'll pay around £10 -£20 or US$15 - $30. You'll need to have a table that's as wide as the blind and a back board that can be propped up across the back of the table. The back board can be a chipboard or plywood sheet for example, again this may be to hand, or will be easy to buy cheaply from a local store. Just unroll the blind so it covers the table surface and then goes up and over the back board.
Make sure there is no crease at the bend point between the table top and the backboard, because that's how you get that all-important seamless background. And the lighting can be free - just set up outside on a clear day! Sunlight is OK but you'll get excellent results on a dull day with a standard digital camera. You'll be surprised how good your product looks. If you'd like some tips on picture editing, that will be the subject of my next article.
Useful Working From Home Tips: Increase Your Productivity
Hi!
Working from home tips are definitely a necessity for anyone who primarily works from a home office. Initially, working from home sounds like a dream come true.
You can work from your robe (or wearing whatever you want for that matter) and you make your own hours. There is no obligation to suck up to your boss and office politics simply are not an issue.
That being said, not everyone is initially cut out to be an efficient worker from home. These tips should definitely give you a shove in the direction of productivity.
Establishing a Good Work Environment:-
If you do not live alone, working from your home can be quite a hassle. Trying to work with a bunch of kids or roommates in close proximity can be quite a distraction.
To avoid this, you simply need to be clear and honest with your co-inhabitants. Make it clear that your work environment/time needs to be respected and appreciated. If you can allow yourself 8 or so hours a day to be productive without distraction, you're well on your way to success.
Create a Schedule:-
While working in a home environment obviously allows for a lot of freedoms, it's very important that you don't lose track of time. Without creating, and sticking to, a schedule, you will definitely not be productive.
This is absolutely the case for those who are self-employed and do not have an office from which to work from. By establishing a consistent work schedule, you can stay on task and time.
If you run your own residential address, it is vital that you take notes of anything you need to accomplish. While not having a boss is great, it also means that you have to hold yourself accountable. Make everything concrete by making a schedule and your production will undoubtedly become consistent.
Give Yourself Breaks:-
As I said previously in the working from home tips, scheduling is very important when trying to maintain consistency and production. That being said,working yourself to insanity is not productive in the long run.
Be sure to give yourself short breaks throughout the day and leave enough to time to eat lunch. Along the same lines, be sure to eat healthy foods while working at your business.
A big greasy lunch will just exhaust you. As you may know by now, naps are far too convenient when working so close to the comfort of your own bedroom or living room sofa. I know it seems kind of funny, but eating healthy is one of the best tips I can give.
I genuinely hope these tips I have detailed help push you in the direction of productivity. Working from home can only be as rewarding as it seems if you are constantly working towards your end goals; money and freedom.
Tiny tweaks to your daily routine can do wonders for your overall production. If you are willing to adopt the tips mentioned in this article, you will undoubtedly have time and financial freedom you so desire.
Working from home tips are definitely a necessity for anyone who primarily works from a home office. Initially, working from home sounds like a dream come true.
You can work from your robe (or wearing whatever you want for that matter) and you make your own hours. There is no obligation to suck up to your boss and office politics simply are not an issue.
That being said, not everyone is initially cut out to be an efficient worker from home. These tips should definitely give you a shove in the direction of productivity.
Establishing a Good Work Environment:-
If you do not live alone, working from your home can be quite a hassle. Trying to work with a bunch of kids or roommates in close proximity can be quite a distraction.
To avoid this, you simply need to be clear and honest with your co-inhabitants. Make it clear that your work environment/time needs to be respected and appreciated. If you can allow yourself 8 or so hours a day to be productive without distraction, you're well on your way to success.
Create a Schedule:-
While working in a home environment obviously allows for a lot of freedoms, it's very important that you don't lose track of time. Without creating, and sticking to, a schedule, you will definitely not be productive.
This is absolutely the case for those who are self-employed and do not have an office from which to work from. By establishing a consistent work schedule, you can stay on task and time.
If you run your own residential address, it is vital that you take notes of anything you need to accomplish. While not having a boss is great, it also means that you have to hold yourself accountable. Make everything concrete by making a schedule and your production will undoubtedly become consistent.
Give Yourself Breaks:-
As I said previously in the working from home tips, scheduling is very important when trying to maintain consistency and production. That being said,working yourself to insanity is not productive in the long run.
Be sure to give yourself short breaks throughout the day and leave enough to time to eat lunch. Along the same lines, be sure to eat healthy foods while working at your business.
A big greasy lunch will just exhaust you. As you may know by now, naps are far too convenient when working so close to the comfort of your own bedroom or living room sofa. I know it seems kind of funny, but eating healthy is one of the best tips I can give.
I genuinely hope these tips I have detailed help push you in the direction of productivity. Working from home can only be as rewarding as it seems if you are constantly working towards your end goals; money and freedom.
Tiny tweaks to your daily routine can do wonders for your overall production. If you are willing to adopt the tips mentioned in this article, you will undoubtedly have time and financial freedom you so desire.
Merv Stevens:- works in Internet and Network Marketing. For useful information and advice and to discover more working from home tips, go to his website: Wealth Success Ventures. Act now and discover how average people are achieving extraordinary results online by cashing in on the DIGITAL gold rush!
What Does 'Faxing From the Cloud' Mean?
Technologies are moving at an exponential rate. As a result, many
of us are falling behind with a lack of comprehension. Many of the
terms that are becoming increasingly commonplace are confusing. Some of
them, such as 'cloud faxing' sound positively alien; but somewhat cute
too. Below, we are going to explain to you what is meant from 'faxing
from the cloud' or 'cloud faxing'.
What is the Cloud?
The first thing that we need to explain is the expression 'cloud'.
The cloud is essentially the new internet - although nothing has strictly changed (stay with us! This sounds confusing but it is really simple.
Before the Cloud
Nothing new to see here, you know what a fax is. Faxes have been around for decades. They used phone lines to send packages of information that a fax machine interpreted into written material. They were very common up until the early to mid-2000s. You will still find fax machines in offices throughout the UK and the rest of the world, because the fax still has a role to play in some areas of life - especially business.
Fax machines remain one of the most secure methods of sending information. People cannot (or do not - we are not 100% sure whether this is possible or not) hack into the fax line to intercept the fax message. There may be some issue with sending sensitive information to the wrong machine, or having the wrong person pick up the fax at the other end. Overall, though, they are one of the most secure methods for sending information.
Let's put them Both Together
Today, people are able to send faxes over the internet in a similar manner to using an email service. Cloud faxing simply refers to using an internet service to send and receive faxes.
What is the Cloud?
The first thing that we need to explain is the expression 'cloud'.
The cloud is essentially the new internet - although nothing has strictly changed (stay with us! This sounds confusing but it is really simple.
Before the Cloud
- In the past, you stored all your information on your computer.
- You had software and hardware to store your emails, to do your accounts, to store your music, to store all your files essentially.
- Your files were held on the hard drive of your computer or on an external hard drive.
- The cloud does away with you storing all of these files on your computer - you can still store it on your computer, but now you can choose to use the cloud instead.
- Any files you choose to can be moved to the cloud, which is really just the internet, and stored on large servers.
- This means that you can access all of your files from anywhere in the world, instead of having to carry around your computer or hard drive.
- You may use different parts of the cloud to use different services. For example, if you use accounting software now and you want to move to the cloud, you just join an accounting cloud - all the features you had with your software, you can now access online and all your files are stored in the cloud. You can still backup a hard copy if you feel like it.
- The cloud is therefore a huge storage and service internet (the same internet, remember) and you access different services as and when you need it.
Nothing new to see here, you know what a fax is. Faxes have been around for decades. They used phone lines to send packages of information that a fax machine interpreted into written material. They were very common up until the early to mid-2000s. You will still find fax machines in offices throughout the UK and the rest of the world, because the fax still has a role to play in some areas of life - especially business.
Fax machines remain one of the most secure methods of sending information. People cannot (or do not - we are not 100% sure whether this is possible or not) hack into the fax line to intercept the fax message. There may be some issue with sending sensitive information to the wrong machine, or having the wrong person pick up the fax at the other end. Overall, though, they are one of the most secure methods for sending information.
Let's put them Both Together
Today, people are able to send faxes over the internet in a similar manner to using an email service. Cloud faxing simply refers to using an internet service to send and receive faxes.
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