Five self-employed jobs you could be doing right now

• 2-minute read •
Looking for a job where you really get on with your boss?

If you dream of a flexible career where you can always work on your own terms, then becoming self-employed might be the perfect fit for you. And it striking it out on your own really isn’t as scary as it sounds – especially if you make sure it’s something that really suits your skills.

We’ve already covered whether becoming self-employed is the right choice for you, but to help inspire you, here are five self-employed jobs you could be doing right now.

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Feel Like A Boss Before 7:30 A.M. With These Five Habits

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Author Lemony Snicket once wrote that how you spend your morning can often tell what kind of day you’re going to have. Are you ready to escape the endless snooze-shower-commute purgatory? Consider adopting these habits to get a sense of accomplishment, all before your morning coffee.

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If You Read One Of These Five Phrases In A Company Review, Don't Apply There

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The need to research a company before you apply for a job there should go without saying in 2016. Whether you rely on Glassdoor or another site, potentially parsing hundreds of reviews for real insight can be overwhelming. While you should take everything you read in an anonymous review of a company with a grain of salt and question the review writer’s motives, there are certain phrases to look out for. If any variations on the following terms pop up when you’re researching a prospective employer, think twice about applying.

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Five Alternatives to Salary Negotiations

You think interviews are scary?

There's one part of getting a job that can be even more intimidating: Negotiating a salary.

But what happens when a prospective employer just won't meet your salary request? Should you tuck your tail between your legs and accept the job anyway? Or should you politely turn down the job, even if you really need it?

Fortunately, you have a third alternative: You can ask for other benefits that can adequately replace an instant salary boost.

For instance: Consider requesting that you can get a performance review six months after you start. This request will show that you're willing to stand behind your work and prove yourself to the company. Then, in six months, you can request a salary increase.

Here are four other things you can ask for at the negotiating table OTHER than money.

An Extra Day Away

Don't think you can ask for more money? Then consider asking for a few more days of paid vacation time instead.

Even though asking for a few extra vacation days seems like a small request, those days can make a big difference in your happiness in the long run. And from the hiring manager's perspective, granting extra vacation time is much cheaper than a salary bump.

You'll Like Doing This Homework

One of the biggest trends to hit U.S. workplaces: Working from home. As technology improves -- from cell phones to home DSL connections -- your home may already resemble your office.

So when negotiating a job offer, instead of asking for more money, consider asking if you can work from home once in a while. Think about if you would prefer a structured work-from-home schedule (e.g., every Tuesday) or a looser arrangement (e.g., twice a month).

Moving Money

If you're planning to move to a new city or state for a job, you should consider negotiating for some extra money for your relocation costs. Companies realize that moving can be expensive and they are often willing to offset some of the expenses.

Would a Job by Any Other Title? ...

If a company doesn't want to offer you more money, perhaps it would be willing to offer you a snazzier job title.

While some companies have strict policies regarding job titles, others can be quite flexible. Changing "administrative assistant" to "executive assistant" costs the company nothing, but it might make you feel better. And it could help make your resume more impressive.

One last thing to remember: No matter what extra perks or benefits you score when negotiating a job offer, be sure to get them all in writing.

Five Ways to Beat Workplace Stress

"After all the highways, and the trains, and the years, you end up worth more dead than alive," said Willy Loman in "Death of a Salesman."

Do you no longer feel that you are getting satisfaction from your job, or are you questioning whether you are in the right job? Are you contemplating looking for a new position? If so, you are probably suffering from burn-out and not necessarily from a bad job.

It is caused by the way that you react to both positive and negative stress in your job. Stress is part and parcel of any job, so it is important to be able to identify the stress -- causing factors and turn them into positive experiences.

Here are some suggestions on ways to eliminate burn-out and stress.

1. Remember the good times
Think of the times when you felt a sense of professional achievement and identify the factors that contributed to that success, such as selling the big deal you had been working on for so long, winning promotion or creating new ideas.

2. Avoid negativity
Henry Ford said: 'If you think you can or you think you can't, you're probably right'. Using positive language creates an image in our minds that the subconscious soaks up. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania interviewed 350,000 executives and discovered that the top 10 per cent performers held a higher sense of optimism.

So, instead of looking at your new sales target and saying, "That's unrealistic." It is better to say, "If I break this down into manageable, smaller targets I can see how I will achieve this."

Backbiting colleagues, gossips and office politics can, given time, have a negative effect on you. Counteract negativity by focusing on the positives aspects of your work -- the "neg-heads" will soon realise that you won't entertain their bemoaning.

3. Get out more
Allow time to get out of the office and go out for lunch or coffee instead of sitting at the desk where you spend so much of your day. Turn off your phone, Blackberry and laptop and take some "me-time" away from work. These may seem like frivolous acts but you will return to work feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.

4. Change your daily routine
The monotony of performing the same tasks daily can be frustrating. Take a different route to work, reorganise your desk or ask your boss for a new challenge -- perhaps taking on the responsibility of running the next team meeting or training new starters.

5. Finally, ask for help
There is no shame in asking for help, we are all human beings not human doings. All of us go through tough periods and you will earn the respect of your managers and peers if you ask for their advice and support. In my experience, what comes around goes around -- one day you may be the one that someone turns to for help.

To use a cliché, knowledge is power. Now you know what you can do when you are burnt-out and avoid letting things slip out of control like Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman. It is not the situation that you are in now that matters; it's what you do about it.

Use the Friend System for Your Job Search: Five Tips

A lot of situations in life are easier when you have a friend at your side. Take, for example, losing weight. Many people who have tried for years to shed pounds are more successful once they start working with a friend. Programs like Weight Watchers have a support system to keep members going, offer words of encouragement and provide a helping hand when the going gets tough.

Now imagine what a similar support network could do for your job search. Utilising a "friend system" where you and a friend team up to look for new jobs may yield similar success. Here are a few ideas to get your own friend system started:

1. Find a friend in a similar situation.
You're probably not alone in your search for employment. Ask a friend or neighbour who is in a similar situation to team up with you. This will work best if you and your friend are not vying for the same jobs, so seek out someone who is in a different field. Make sure you join forces with someone you can count on and who is equally motivated to get a job.

2. Set ground rules.
If you were training for a marathon together, you would sit down and come up with a training plan, decide on the number of days and distance you would run together, and hold each other accountable. You and your job search friend need to do the same thing. Talk about your goals and what you expect from the other person. Schedule a weekly "check-in" to share ideas and report on your progress. Your partnership could also include sharing of leads and contacts. Keep an eye out for opportunities that the other person would be interested in.

3. Develop your plan of attack.
Next, figure out how the two of you will approach the search. Will you share and critique each other’s C.V.s and cover letters? What about rehearsing interview questions? Consider attending job fairs together. Share online job search and company research results. Brainstorm contacts in your respective networks and swap names and information. Go shopping together for the perfect interview suit.

4. Tag team at networking events.
Networking events can be less intimidating and more manageable if you attend with a friend. Split up at events and agree to look out for the other person’s interests as well as your own. Let’s say, for example, that you are looking for a marketing position and your friend is interested in graphic design. You are likely to find contacts for both at the same events, so agree to introduce each other and speak on each other’s behalf.

5. Practice, share ideas and support each other in challenges.
One of the best things about searching with a friend is having a confidante you can talk to. You and your friend can grill each other before interviews, discuss company facts, and debrief after each screening and interview. You can remind one another to follow up on leads and send thank-you notes in a timely manner. You can also bounce ideas off each other like salary negotiation tactics and money-saving tips to keep expenses down while out of work. Your friend can also offer a shoulder to cry on if you don't get your dream job and need a consoling ear.

There are many more things you and your friend can help each other with, from critiquing your personal sales pitch to offering honest opinions on companies and offers. The bottom line is that two heads -- and groups of contacts -- are always better than one. Working with a friend will double your resources and put another person in your corner to support you, no matter what.