The Everything Alternative Careers Book: Leave the Office Behind and Embark on a New Adventure (Everything: School and Careers)

297 Pages·2004·1.17 MB·English

by  James Mannion

The
Alternative Careers Book
Dear Reader:
Do you yearn for adventure, to feel a gentle ocean breeze or the
spraying sting of Whitewater rapids in your face? Stop daydreaming about it,
and make it happen. Do you want to sail the seven seas—as on a real-life
Love Boat—or to be of service in developing nations with the Peace Corps?
Then just do it. If you want to tell your boss to take this job and shove it
and become an entrepreneur or work from home—go for it.
The Everything® Alternative Careers Book tells you about the many
ways you can make a living that do not involve the depressing drudgery of
office work, with a debilitating commute at either end of the day. Most of
these jobs are for people who want to march to the beat of that proverbial
different drummer. They are jobs for the independent-minded, the adven
turous of spirit. You will learn about what these exciting jobs entail and get
the resources and contact information you need to make things happen.
This is not a how-to guide on how to make millions. If you seek peace
of mind and the opportunity to "gather ye rosebuds while ye may," if your
priorities are the quality of your life and the savoring of the precious, present
moment, then this book is for you. Some of the glamorous careers in this
book do have the potential to catapult you into a high-income bracket ... if
you have the right stuff. For the most part, however, these careers are for
people who want to do what they love and love what they do.
Are you ready? In the words of the poet e. e. cummings, "Listen,
there's a hell of a good universe next door: let's go!"
The Series
Editorial
Publishing Director Gary M. Krebs
Managing Editor Kate McBride
Copy Chief Laura MacLaughlin
Acquisitions Editor Bethany Brown
Development Editor Larry Shea
Production Editor Jamie Wielgus
Production
Production Director Susan Beale
Production Manager Michelle Roy Kelly
Series Designers Daria Perreault
Colleen Cunningham
Cover Design Paul Beatrice
Frank Rivera
Layout and Graphics Colleen Cunningham
Rachael Eiben
Michelle Roy Kelly
John Paulhus
Daria Perreault
Erin Ring
Series Cover Artist Barry Littmann
Visit the entire Everything® Series at everything.com
THE
ALTERNATIVE
CAREERS
BOOK
Leave the office behind and embark
on a new adventure!
James Mannion
Adams Media
Avon, Massachusetts
To my father, Jim Kaeter, who knew that I should work
for myself long before I would admit it.
Copyright ©2004, F+W Publications, Inc. All rights reserved.
This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced
in any form without permission from the publisher; exceptions
are made for brief excerpts used in published reviews.
An Everything® Series Book.
Everything® and everything.com® are registered trademarks of F+W Publications, Inc.
Published by Adams Media, an F+W Publications Company
57 Littlefield Street, Avon, MA 02322 U.S.A.
www. adamsmedia. com
ISBN: 1-59337-038-5
Printed in the United States of America.
J I H G F E D C BA
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Mannion, James.
The everything alternative careers book / James Mannion.
p. cm. (An everything series book)
ISBN 1-59337-038-5
1. Career changes. 2. Vocational guidance. 3. Job hunting.
I. Title. II. Series: Everything series.
HF5384.M355 2004
331.702-dc22
2003025541
This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information with
regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the pub
lisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional advice. If
legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent pro
fessional person should be sought.
—From a Declaration of Principles jointly adopted by a Committee of the
American Bar Association and a Committee of Publishers and Associations
Many of the designations used by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their
products are claimed as trademarks. Where those designations appear in this book
and Adams Media was aware of a trademark claim, the designations have been
printed with initial capital letters.
This book is available at quantity discounts for bulk purchases.
For information, call 1-800-872-5627.
Contents
Top Ten Crazy Careers / x
Introduction / xi
It's Time to Follow Your Dream / 1
The Times They Are a-Changin' 2 • Downsized and Out 3 * Why an
Alternative Career? Why Not! 5 * Turn a Crisis into an Opportunity 7 *
The First Day of the Rest of Your Life 9
A View from Abroad / 11
Celebrating Diversity 12 • Finding Jobs Abroad 13 • Teaching Abroad
18 • English as a Second Language 19
Be Prepared / 25
See the World 26 • Passport to Adventure 26 • A Shot in the Arm 30 •
Don't Drink the Water 31 • Different Strokes 35 • Let's Be Careful over
There 39
The Great Outdoors / 41
Back to Nature 42 • Be All You Can Be—Be a Park Ranger 42 • Up the
River 44 * Hit the Slopes 47 • On the Patrol 50 • Camp Counselors 51
• Out to Sea 53
V
THE EVERYTHING ALTERNATIVE CAREERS BOOK
Shall We Dance? / 57
Dance Fever 58 • How Hungry Are You? 61 • Teaching Dance 62 •
Walk on the Wild Side 64
A Life in the Theater / 67
An Actor's Life 68 • Working with an Agent 71 • Presenting Yourself 73*
Joining the Unions 77 • Acting Around the Country 79
Writing for Fun and Profit / 81
The Writing Life 82 • Start the Presses: Working in Journalism 83 • The Art
of the Novel 87 • Writing for the Big (and Small) Screen 89 • The Freelance
Adventure 90 • Finding an Agent 93 • Other Writing Opportunities 95
The Artist's Way / 99
You Gotta Have Art 100 • The Art of Successful Self-Promotion 100
Other Venues for Your Work 104 • The Art of the Craft Business 105
Model Citizens / 111
Have You Got What It Takes? 112 • You Can Do It, Too 114 • Commer
cial Modeling 115 • Glamour Modeling 116 • Where to Start 117 • The
Road to the Runway 120 • Nobody's Perfect 124 • Other Modeling
Opportunities 124
Circus, Circus! / 127
Run Away and Join the Circus 128 • Life Under the Big Top 128 •
Clowning Around 130 • The Man (and Woman) on the Flying Trapeze
133 • Animal Handlers 135
CONTENTS
On the Road Again / 139
Living out of a Suitcase 140 • Roadies 142 • Couriers 143 • Tour Guides
145 • Road Rats 149
Working at Home (or Close to It) / 153
The Home-Court Advantage 154 • Caring for Children 154 • Pet-Care
Careers 158 • Personal Companions 162 • Tutoring 163 # Cleaning
Services 164 • Tax Information for the Self-Employed 165
Internet Opportunities / 167
Superhighway to Success 168 • The Right Computer and Internet Con
nection 168 • Telecommuting 170 • Buying and Selling on eBay 174 *
SellingonAmazon.com 178 • Providing Computer Services 179 • Spam
and Scams 180 • Checking Out Online Opportunities 182
Personal Coaching / 183
Get in on the Ground Floor I84 • There's Money to Be Made 186 • Are
You Cut Out to Be a Coach? 186 • Getting Started 187 • Certification 191
Law Enforcement Careers / 193
Detective Work 194 • Areas of Expertise 195 • Requirements to Be a
Detective 197 * G-Men (and Women) 200 • Spy Games: The CIA 201
• Working for the FBI 202
Giving Something Back / 205
So You Want to Do Some Good 206 • The Peace Corps 206 • Habitat
for Humanity 213 • Keeping the Faith 215
vii
THE EVERYTHING ALTERNATIVE CAREERS BOOK
Just Causes / 219
Making a Difference 220 • Defending the Environment with Greenpeace
220 • Starting Out with Internships 222 • Amnesty International 223 •
Save the Children 224 • Improving Your Own Neighborhood 225 • The
World of Politics 227
Staying Healthy / 229
If You Have Your Health, You Have Everything 230 • The Right Plan for
Your Needs 231 • Should You Go with an HMO or a PPO? 233 • Other
Types of Coverage 234 • Life Insurance 235 • Liability Insurance 237
Financial Planning / 239
Don't Lose Your Cheese (A Fable) 240 • Making a Budget You Can Live
With 241 • Working with a Financial Planner 245 • Beware of the Credit
Card Trap 247 • Weathering the Hard Times 250
Grants and Funding / 251
Follow the Money 252 • Going to the Sources 253 • Approaching the
Benefactors 254 • The Art of Grant Writing 255 • Presenting a Proposal
260
Appendix A • General Alternative Career Resources / 263
Appendix B • Resources by Field / 267
Index / 281
v i i i
acknowledgments
The author gratefully acknowledges the contributions of Bethany Brown
and everyone else at Adams Media, whose editorial expertise has
immeasurably enhanced the book you now hold in your hands.
i x
Top Ten
Crazy Careers
1. Body-double model: Display your assets for shy celebs in movies
and television.
2. Circus clown: Bring joy to children of all ages.
3. Road rat: Drive oversized vehicles from manufacturers to dealerships.
4. Greenpeace activist: Ever wanted to put yourself in between a
whale and any harpoons that might be aimed at it?
5. Craftsmaker: Turn your creativity into a moneymaking enterprise.
6. Personal coach: Get in on the ground floor of this emerging new
service.
7. Private detective: Take your natural nosiness and make it your
career.
8. Trapeze artist: Fly through the air with the greatest of ease.
9. Peace Corps volunteer: Do some good, see the world, and cele
brate diversity.
10. Ballooning guide: Go up, up, and away to give brave souls a
bird's-eye view of the landscape.