There are three main types of resumes you may consider submitting during your job search. The three types of resumes are called functional, chronological, or a combination of the two.

The Functional Resume

This type of resume is usually submitted when you want to put more emphasis on the qualifications and skills obtained during your previous employment. It involves writing a detailed explanation about the experiences you have had that are related to the job you are applying for. Unlike the chronological resume, the main importance of this resume is to outline how well suited you are for the job based on your experience and accomplishments.

The Chronological Resume

The chronological resume is the format that most employers are familiar with. It involves listing in chronological order, the previous jobs held. The chronological resume is usually used to first show your previous employment, promotions, increases in responsibility and other accomplishments. It differs from the functional resume in that the previous employment and accomplishments are dealt with separately.

The Combined Resume

The combined resume is used to incorporate features of both the functional resume and the chronological resume. It uses the best components of each type of resume. The combined type of resume can be described as a resume that places emphasis on your qualifications and skills but in chronological order. Therefore, it will differ from the functional resume in that it lists employment in a chronological order. However, it will differ from the chronological resume by having more emphasis on your skills and accomplishments, and not discussing these components separately.

The Type To Use

It should be stated that the type of resume you submit would depend on the type of job you are seeking. Many employers prefer the functional resume because they are more familiar with it since it is the most common type of resume. You may consider creating resumes of each type and use them to meet the expectations of a particular employer. Generally, if you are responding to an advertised position you can get some idea of what the prospective employer expects from the applicant.

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While you still have a job, why not start a parallel career by freelancing and aim towards the end goal of being your own boss (which is what changing career the Parallel Career Way is all about)? Don't wait until you face a midlife crisis or after you lost or quit your job.

Today, literally millions of people all over the world have established highly-successful careers as freelancers. Many of these work-from-home professionals have found that freelancing offers a dream lifestyle - flexible working hours, free from bosses, total control, independence and 'good money'.

As a freelancer you act as an expert or specialist in your field on a project/contract basis. You're an independent contractor or some call you a Free Agent. You're not on anyone's payroll. You're self-employed. Your remuneration for each project/contract is based on a fee.

The type of projects available for freelancers are as many as there are job functions in the traditional workplace. These include auditing, copywriting, research, text translation, creative and commercial writing, quality assurance, forensic accounting, website design and maintenance, medical law, graphical work, software development, technical writing, data entry, research, training and motivation, engineering design, raising equity funds and venture capital, mergers and acquisitions, corporate law, international law, etc. etc.

First…You'll Have to Be Sure…

But because you're still working for someone else, there're pros and cons in freelancing as a parallel career. Your current job will surely provide you with some 'Assets' BUT at the same time you've to be sure that there's no conflict of interest with your employer.

*Is the freelance project for a client who is your employer's competitor?

*Is the nature of the project such that to undertake it, you'll have to disclose some of your employer's proprietary secrets? (These secrets could be sources of supplies, technological know-how, formulas/recipes, product costing calculations, or any information that gives your employer's company a competitive advantage in its industry/market).

Re-read your employment contract thoroughly, and if still in doubt, consult a lawyer. Paying fees for such legal advice is money well spent.

The Good Thing Today…

The good thing about freelance project opportunities today is that most likely you'll be undertaking project work for a company too far away to have any conflict with your local employer. Or the scope of your project does not 'threaten' your employer at all.

For example, you live in Los Angeles and work for a medium-size accounting software company twenty miles from your home. It's very unlikely that there's a conflict of interest if you were to take on a programming project for a company in Italy to develop an inventory management program. BUT there'll be a potential conflict if you undertake a freelance project to develop an accounting software for a company not too far from LA (say in San Diego) because this new accounting program may 'eat' into your present employer's product market share.

Another example: You are the head of your company's quality assurance team. You've a good working knowledge of the International Standards ISO9001. There is no conflict of interest if you were to take on a freelancing project to write the quality manual for another company nearby as long as that company is not your employer's competitor.

Is There Demand for Freelancing Professionals?

Yes.. Aye...Si...Ya! There are many reasons why companies need the expertise of a freelancer:

1.There is a sudden burst in business activity and the company's existing workforce cannot cope.

2.The company has a one-off project (example: a takeover of another company or production of a massive catalogue).

3.Deadlines must be met.

4.The company needs specialised skills not available within the company.

5.The management cannot justify the long-term expense of employing a full-time person

What Qualifications Do You Need?

What qualifications DON'T you need? Generally, you don't need to have any special license, insurance, a company, an office or employees.

But you DO need to be sure that you will be able to do the project. Afterall, this is what you'll be paid for. Knowing your 'Assets and Skillset' will give you a good feel of whether you can do the project.

You'll need to put together a profile or portfolio that is more convincing than a resume. It needs to be more like a marketing presentation. Remember there are others out there who can do the project as well.

Keep in mind that there will be opportunities to secure future projects with the same company. So it's worthwhile doing it right for the first project.

The Parallel Career Way

To be a full-time freelancer, the biggest challenge is finding enough work to justify giving up your full-time job. How can you be sure that you will have enough work to pay all your bills?

The Parallel Career Way makes it less stressful and risky because you start developing your freelancing career while you still have a job. And thanks to the Internet, things are now much easier.

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It isn't the end of the world, even if it seems like it. Losing your job can be a heart-breaking experience. After all, your security in life and your abilities is now in question. You can feel disillusioned and there is the ever-nagging question of: What do I do now?

Well, you start over. Don't develop a "victim's mentality". When one door closes another door opens for greater opportunities. Everything in your life happens for a reason.

Turn your former employer's loss into your gain. This minor setback is just what you need to jumpstart a new life. Now, you can revisit your dreams and former desires (things you may have left behind for the sake of a career). When you search for a new job, you can find one that fits your identity perfectly. Starting over can be a positive, a great thing.

Just because you're unemployed doesn't mean you're helpless. You still have all of the desirable qualities that kept you at your old job for so long and, now, you also know the qualities that may have gotten you fired. See it as a learning experience. You have all of your experiences, skills, talents, and ideas. The only thing that has changed is, now, you can put them to better use.

Decide what matters most to you. Do you want a job that allows you to explore your creativity? Or do you want something that delights in your scientific mind? What are your personal convictions and how will they shape this new you? Well, why not find this position? You can—all you have to do is decide what you want and go for it.

Your personality and personal goals can be reached. Yes, you lost a job. It happens; accept it. That's the first step to finding yourself and the job of your dreams. The second step? Self-awareness. Take time to search yourself. Decide what is important, what is essential, and where you want to go in life. The possibilities are endless.

Once you've accepted your job loss and have decided on what you want in life, the only things left to do is go for it. Remember: this will not be easy. You will have to work for what you want, especially since this new life should be an improvement over your last. You want the best and that takes time and determination. But, it is worth it. Your happiness is worth it.

Losing a job can be difficult; however, it can also be the first step to a happier, more fulfilled life.

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Travel writing jobs are few and far between. Getting into this field is hard to do and requires a lot of training and experience. But, there are many benefits to them. There are many individuals who would love to get employment opportunities in this field. And, because the world is faster and faster becoming accessible to more people, increasing employment availability can be found for travel jobs as well. But, how does a person get in and how do they do their job?

Travel writer jobs belong mainly to freelance authors, travelling far and wide. They learn about the amusements, the attractions, and the little secrets of the towns, cities, and countries they visit. Then, they provide this knowledge to the general public in the form of articles, books, or even transcriptions. It is amazing that many people go from location to location by simply learning about different areas and using this knowledge to write. But, this work is far from easy. It may be costly to afford to do this type of traveling. It often does not pan out as a worthwhile adventure anyway. It is often difficult to find publishers or employment vacancies in this area as well.

To get these types of jobs, it will often take experience in the writing field and the researching field. Freelance opportunities, in which the author will visit locations at his own expense, are necessary. In other, simpler cases, a breakthrough into the business can be done by working for the local newspaper or through a magazine. In any case, though, it will require time to develop the necessary knowledge.

When looking for vacancies like these, it would be wise to realize that it will take time to build up the reputation needed to get these opportunities. Perhaps working on less glamorous writing jobs will have to be taken in order to have stepping stones out into the travel writing world. If you have the funds and the talent it is easy to go out and find locations to write about without being commissioned to do so. But, there is no guarantee of any of this type of work paying off. Patience may be the only way to get into and maintain a career in this field of writing.

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Most of us enter the world of work as employed and soon start to wish that we could change career or be our own boss.

It is probably true that after a while a large percentage start dreaming they could work from home or start a home based business, few actually do something about it. They continue dreaming

These days this is in explicable because it is possible to change career no matter what your age or profession. There is now less continuity in employment so adaptability and being forced the make a career or job change could face anyone at any time. You are certain to know someone who has faced such a dilema.

With the advent of the computer and associated equipment more and more people are changing career, deserting the corporate world and joining those of us who have successfully started our own businesses working from home and who continue to reap the benefits of being our own boss.

The technical advances of recent years have made owning and working in your own business not only possible but also practical. This apparent change of career is really a change we make in the way we work.

As we progress through life we all acquire skills and experience. It is these skills and experience, which, with imagination and persistence can move you into the realms of working in your own home, employed, freelance or in your home based business.

Many people start working from home for their current or some previous employer. The only difference is that they may take responsibility for employment costs, insurance, holiday pay, tax etc.

Telecommuting is now a reality. Approximately 15 million people in the USA telecommute in some form. Major employers in the UK are actively encouraging this trend.

Working from home requires skills, experience and discipline so it's very important to make an inventory of what you have to offer to employers and or clients. When listing your skills and experience, don't limit yourself to past job experiences.

Include anything that you have learned or can do that is related to a hobby, interest, pastime or volunteer experience.

Skills that translate well into working from home include researching, writing, computer skills, phone communication skills, and sales and marketing experience.

If you are looking to be employed in a work at home job the key is to search where people post jobs. Employers are looking for qualified people to fill genuine vacancies. It is the position they advertise, and they advertise on job related sites.

That does not mean that scams will not be posted on job sites but for the most part you can be sure that work at home jobs won't be posted in search engines.

If you are looking to offer new clients your freelance services then many of the same job search principles apply but with different terminology.

You need to realise that you most likely will not find your perfect job/client on your first attempt just as it has always been.

People seem to expect that they will find the perfect job/assignment straight away. This market is no different from the classified job advertisements in the newspapers.
Job searching requires just as much effort, persistence and diligence.

At all times be professional. Your standards and presentation must be of the highest order just as if you where applying for traditional employment. Possibly more!

You must submit professional quality resumes, portfolios and applications. Your written submission is the first and only chance you have to make an impression. The competition will be fierce.

You need to set your submission apart from the rest.

Here are some tips;

1. Learn about resumes and cover letters.

2. Submit your resume to a person.

3. Follow the directions indicated in the job announcement.

4. Gear each resume to the job/assignment you are applying for.

5. Don't give up - ever!

6. If you have been looking for 6 months you need to re-evaluate your efforts.

7. Are you looking in the right places?

8. Are you willing to consider variety?

9. Are you pro-actively marketing yourself and your skills?

10. Do friends and former colleagues know about and fully understand your attempts to change career?

11. Have you been submitting top quality literature, letters, resumes and applications?

Have you been working on your goal on a regular basis for 6 months?
Wishing to work at home for 6 months isn't the same as actively looking for a job for 6 months.

This career change is potentially the start of a new way of life. You can turn your work at home dream into a reality. It may become the start of your own business as you get used to the disciplines.

Use the foregoing to make that vital career change which could be the start of the most exciting time of your working life.

Tip;

Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.

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