All I Want For Christmas Is A Job

If this holiday season you are in need of a job, in between sending out resumes, knocking on doors, and spreading the word, invest equal time in creating a job for yourself.  While the value of this suggestion may not be initially recognized, it might just surprise you as much as it surprises another.


There is a job for everyone on the planet. They may not all pay the same, but you'll have a job today if you follow a few of these suggestions (or come up with your own). These jobs while not normally considered "career paths" can yield unexpected dividends. 


In today's economy, we need to push a little softer, not harder, to open the doors of opportunity. Sometimes it is up to us to open these doors ourselves, even those pesky stuck ones that require a little extra push. 

HOW TO CREATE YOUR OWN JOB 

(Just add effort)

1. Whatever resources you have available to you (a computer to send out cheerful messages, fully functioning zygomatic muscles made for smiling, or a kind word), harness these things right up and create your own job whereby you freely give a much needed service to others - the gift of kindness. 


2. While there are many goods and services in great demand, sometimes the service that is most in need is actually plain and simple kindness. For this reason, it is the easiest gift to give. It requires no money, no special talent, and no authorization from the powers that be. 


3. If your kindness service includes giving a few extra dollars, keep them handy in your pockets for easy distribution. This way, as you encounter those who strike you as someone who'd benefit from a few extra dollars, fork some over! 

4. If your children have extra toys in their toy box that they've outgrown, package them up and deliver them to your local children's home. 

5. If you have clothes in your closet that no longer fit, package them up and drop them off at your local shelter. I'm sure someone could use them. 

6. If you have items in your garage, cabinets or drawers that you don't use, gather them up and drop them off to college students who might not have the money to buy things to fix up their dorm rooms or even homeless shelters. The lines are so long this time of year, you probably don't even have to go inside to begin distributing much-valued items. 

7. If you can't think of what you want for Christmas, buy some cozy socks or slippers and deliver them to your local nursing home. 

8. If you are the world's greatest baker, bake extra cookies and give them out to everyone (sugar and sugar-free both). 

9. If you're down on your luck, give others a smile and a kind word of encouragement. It goes a long way. 

10. If you don't know your neighbors, stop by with some holiday cheer and introduce yourself. 

11. If you're a great story teller, or even a beginning reader, give the gift of a well-told story to someone who would hang on your every word. 

12. (Fill in the blank with your own suggestions and ideas). 

Giving is not limited to material items, just as jobs are not limited by their pay scales. If you want a job, go out and do something for the world. A job is something we do to bring value to others. There are many rewards for our efforts, and surprisingly enough, some of these rewards open unexpected doors of opportunity that get us closer to what we need at the very same time.