Time to Quit Your Day Job?

It's a scary thought. You may find yourself facing this decision at some point in the life of your online business. So how do you know if you're ready to make the leap and quit your day job? Some things to watch for:

1. Is your business consistently paying you enough to live on? If your business has great months, followed by a dramatic downturn in sales on a regular basis, you will have to do the math to find out if you are making enough money to support yourself without the added income of the extra job. If you find yourself in a situation where you have dedicated yourself full time to job that will not support you, you may end up losing the online business too.

2. Do you want to do this full-time? If you started your business with the ultimate goal of making it a full-time job and your sole source of income, this question is already answered. If you started it for extra income, you will need to decide if this is something you want to do full-time. The step forward in relying on this job may turn it from a fun hobby to a headache. Before you make the leap, decide if this is something you genuinely love to do.

3. Consider your product and the future of your success. If you are selling a product or service for a seasonal or short-term issue (such as a trendy Christmas item or a product that addresses a temporary event) you may want to consider what will happen to your sales once the event or season has passed. There may no longer be a need for your item or service. You obviously would not want to rely on such a projection as a full-time job

4. Is it more work than you will be able to handle, even if you dedicate yourself to it full-time? If this is the case, you are faced with two options: You could quit your day job and work more hours than you'd intended to be able to support the company or you could keep your day job and hire help for your current work load. This is not an ideal position to be in, but it may be a situation you face at one point.

5. If your sales plummet, do you have a back-up plan? You may want to wait until you have money to support yourself for several month in case unforeseen events happen. It also does not hurt to have a few job ideas in mind in case the need arises. Owning a small business is a risk, but it should be a calculated risk.I hope this helps in your decision to quit the day job or not. It is a big step in the life of any small business. Do not go into it without lots of consideration and planning.Full-service car warranty company... buy direct & save... 0% interest!

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Do you want to teach English Abroad?

The opportunity to teach English overseas can be a wonderful experience. Overseas work gives you the chance to see other countries and experience other cultures. Before you make a commitment to teach or work overseas, make sure you are fully informed about the country you’ll be working in, requirements for foreigners working in the country, and the documents you’ll need.

You should learn all you can about the country you’ll be living in. Learning about a country’s history, culture, people, and customs will make your stay there more meaningful and interesting. Remember that even though you may teach overseas, learning the native language of the country will make the transition to your new life easier. The United States Dept. of State provides many sources of information about almost every country in the world. Using the free resources available to you will make your stay more enjoyable and help you prepare accordingly.

Overseas work is an excellent opportunity for those who are prepared.

Overseas work can provide you with memories that last a lifetime. Make sure you know the requirements of your host country for immunizations, work permits, and visas. You will need a valid passport before you begin your search for a teaching position you will need to maintain your passport for the entire time you are abroad. Also make sure you are aware of the tax and social security issues regarding Americans who work overseas. Your time spent teaching or working abroad can be one of the most fulfilling experiences you will ever have.

Teach Abroad teaching tips

Keeping Students' Interest in Class

One of the most difficult problems teachers face in the classroom is keeping the students alert and interested.
Here are a few simple things you can try to help keep your students more involved, and thus better able to learn:

1. Vary the rate of your speech. Have fun with this. Talk fast, talk as fast as you can for 20 seconds. Talk exaggeratedly slow. I mean suh-loooo-uuu.

2. Change the volume of your voice. Speak in an oratory, pontificating fashion, or speak very, very quietly. Try using an overly loud voice. This trick works very well, when placed within the 'speaking very quietly' routine.

3. Change the pitch of your voice. I really enjoy doing this especially when modeling conversations. Talk in a high pitch, drop very low, or use accents.

4. If you speak another language, suddenly, earnestly, try to explain something in that language. If you don't know any other languages, just speak gibberish as if it makes sense. Look perplexed when they don't understand. Then switch back to English.

5. Stop speaking and pantomime. Move as though you are speaking to the class. Make gestures. Hold your hand to your ear and mime the words, "Can't you hear me?"

6. Do recitations, I prefer Shakespeare, but will sometimes quote long passages from movies and poetry. This is especially effective when you are trying to emphasize how truly short passages in most conversations really are.
Now, not all of these things will work, and not all of them will work all of the time.

You may also find that you just are not comfortable with some of the techniques.
Simply choose the ones you can use, try them and rely on them.

Be careful not to overuse any one single method and your class is sure to leave students with the impression that you, and your class, and vicariously, your subject is more interesting.

If you want to teach English in Asia, the Peoples' Republic of China is an excellent place to go. There is high demand for native speakers of English, and the job seeker has many options in regards as to where he or she would like to teach - everything from kindergartens to corporations to flight attendant schools are competing for the coveted "foreign expert".

The majority of teaching jobs, however, are at either language schools or universities. There are significant differences between teaching at a language school and teaching at a university, ones which you will want to consider before accepting a position with either.

The basic requirement for teaching in China is a degree from a four-year university. It does not have to be in English, although that is, of course, helpful, as is any previous teaching experience, especially in the area of teaching English as a Foreign Language. A TEFL certificate is also sometimes asked for, but is generally not required, particularly if one already has EFL experience.

Both kinds of school should offer accommodations, flight reimbursement of round-trip airfare, work visa, and help with obtaining your foreign expert's certificate (the red book) and residence certificate (the green book). Institutions of both kinds should also offer either free utilities or a utilities allowance to cover electricity, gas, and water.