Some of the ‘non full-time jobs’ options that you could consider are:

Employment as apprentices or trainees

If you have been in a layoff and for some reason do not intend to go back to the industry you have worked with, and can sustain financially for some time at least; then considering a career change could be one fabulous (forced) opportunity for you now. And since it is difficult to (successfully) change careers without having the right skill set, seeking employment or voluntary work as apprentice or trainee could be an option now. Seek training in the area of specialization where the jobs would be in future. The US department of Labor Employment and Training Administration (ETA) has some good information on its website http://www.doleta.gov/OA/ . (For the readers not in the US, check out your government website for related information, there are also many career centers in various cities which can provide in information on vocational training institutes etc.).

Freelance

Freelance – Use your skills and talents and work on your own from where you want. Many website provide the tools and advertising you need to be visible to those who might need your skills, but you must first know how to market yourself and if at all it would be worth spending the time freelancing either in the short-term or long-run. You must build a reputation and credibility before you see yourself ‘thriving’ as a freelancer. There are better resources out there to research on freelancing if you are attracted to the idea, some of these are:

• http://www.gofreelance.com/
• http://www.ifreelance.com/
• http://www.getafreelancer.com/

Small business opportunities

Start your own business – it is not the time to sit and think that nothing would work out if you started your business now in a bad economy. The world is always on the move and people need solutions to their problems. So if you present an answer to someone’s need be it as a product or a service, you might fare better as an entrepreneur than in any permanent job. Often we do what we have been doing or what are skills or education were, only when a major change happens for example a layoff and finding another job in the same field is extremely difficult it is time to reinvent your career and being your own boss (if you have the aptitude of course) could be one of the most lucrative careers and opportunity of a lifetime.

On your own – But Selling for others

The work from home options are very much in demand especially by stay at home moms who want an extra income or single mothers who need additional income. And of course, this area is not restricted to the “mom” group. If you have a knack in marketing and confident on your computer skills (or are keen to learn both); then working from home selling others products can be a very attractive opportunity in terms of value of your time and learning the first steps towards entrepreneurship – since marketing and sales are key to this type of business.
Some examples are:

• Avon (cosmetics)
• Selling information products – as eBooks, or educational products
• Phone/computer Customer Service (for example, live-chat responders to service based or product selling websites)

Beware — Although these above options and websites may make it look like a very simple and easy set up to make great money but be aware that internet marketing may be challenging a business. And not to mention the various internet scams that are working overtime to lure and steal your identity.

WAHM.COM offers work-at-home job listings and they do try to screen jobs to present some legitimate ones; but your judgment must be based on careful analysis and research.
Relevant reading: Nice Work If You Can Get It: Web Sites for At-Home Jobs

eBay as a Part-time earning resource

Many online resources will guide you towards selling on eBay and also good books such as eBay for Dummies is a good investment for research, planning and implementation.

Blogging as a Career

A few years before no one would have even thought that blogging could be a full-time career but as the internet evolves and the recent news in business magazines Entrepreneur and BusinessWeek often citing success stories from not one or two but quite a few bloggers on how they are making decent money blogging full time, blogging could soon be on the list of full-time careers.
The first step towards your decision to be a full-time professional blogger must be to research thoroughly on how previous successes have been achieved and what are the real life scenarios – do not get enamored by the one page websites of all those bloggers around who want to sell their software or services and get you making a 5 figure income in a month through blogs – easily; making good money from a blog or a few of them is not as easy as it sounds or those who might want to sell it to you.
There are some great blogger tips websites; Darren Rowse on ProBlogger perhaps tops it all. One of his posts: Do you call yourself a blogger, is worth a read and also see the interesting comments that follow this post.

Here are some other websites where you can get some quality advice:

• http://www.johnchow.com/
• http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/category/blogging/
• Seth Godin’s Blog
• http://www.dailyblogtips.com/
• AdesBlog.com

All set to hunt on a job board for professional bloggers? Check this out:
http://jobs.problogger.net/

Franchise options

It might be a good time to get into franchise business; there are reports of quite a few of the systems are cutting down on the fees to attract more franchisees in the economic downturn. Research well and assess your financial situation well before getting into the franchise market. Although most of those selling you on franchise options will try their best to convince that it is easy to get loans and start the business right away; it is always wiser to research on your own and calculate running costs and your capability to commitment to a business in the long-run.

Looking for a job or starting on a new career is a full-time job in itself, but for those who have not been in a layoff or in job transitions it is not easy to understand your situation and know what efforts and time go in the hunt and the process itself.

What can you do to make your family / spouse understand your situation?

• Talk to them on how you are spending your time through the day. The first step towards communicating your new routine – you must plan your daily activities and prepare a plan for the week or more.

• Talk about your job search strategies and any input from your spouse and family that can help you. Seek their help if you know that their previous experience can help you in your job search. Everyone likes to be asked and you can always expect a favorable response from family members and close friends.

• Let them know that just because you are out of work and at home, does not mean that all the extra chores would be done. You have to drive well the message that looking for a job or starting a new career is a full time job.

As far as you are concerned make sure that you are also doing your best while during the job search and transition. Frustration and a sad outlook could be there for a couple of days but don’t make it linger on any further, you have a full-time job ahead of you – to be on the look out for the next job or career.

Few tips that can get you going and focused (I am sure you will find scores of articles to guide you through the job hunt and transition process elsewhere on the web):

• Be ready to invest your time properly and in an organized manner. Plan your day or a week well ahead on schedule. Identify some milestones that you wish to read in a certain amount of time and mark them on your calendar or your to do list. Have deadlines for targets during the job search as you would have had during a project in your full time job. You target could be editing / rewriting or sending out resumes or active networking during a week. Seeing your benchmarks being met and celebrating your success should all be part of your plan.

• Limit your time on the internet also, with so much information overload one tends to get lost in the maze of job hunt websites and more. Target a few job search boards and resume submission websites, and more so target a few companies and industries that you wish to focus on rather than sending out hundred resumes and waiting for a response. The point is to keep the focus on what appeals to you the best and best matches your skill-set.

• Consult professionals if you are not able to handle the pressure or feel some guidance can help. A career coach or a mentor might be able to help you when you feel overwhelmed or direction-less. Never be afraid to ask for help, and not only when you are down-under pressure or de-motivated – taking charge of your career should be on your agenda on an ongoing basis. See more tips at Who all to Contact when Looking for a Job.

Acknowledgement: Thanks to Christiane Rivard for sharing some of the above information with me.

Question: Do you have any comments / tips to share on how to connect and communicate with the family during these trying times?