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Market Drives Workers to Self-Employment [Tallahassee Democrat - 11/5/03] http://www.tallahassee.com/mld/democrat/7182514.htm Recruitment executive Jon Davis is seeing the first signs of a recovery in the job market, but most of the employers he talks with aren't looking for full-time workers… Hiring falls as technology lets more entrepreneurs go solo [USA Today - 8/17/04] http://www.usatoday.com/money/smallbusiness/2004-08-16-startups_x.htm More entrepreneurs are taking a Greta Garbo approach to managing start-ups: They want to be left alone… Working from home losing its stigma [Startup Journal - 10/14/04] http://www.startupjournal.com/howto/workhome/20041014-gunn.html Lisa Bernfeld, a self-employed marketing consultant in Los Angeles who's worked out of a home office on and off since the early 1980s, recalls an evening several years ago when she picked up the phone in her apartment at around 9. A prospective new client with whom she'd been playing phone tag was on the line… Stay-at-home moms get entrepreneurial [Wall Street Journal - 10/21/04] http://www.careerjournal.com/myc/success/20041025-zimmerman.html?home_whatsnew_major Tamara Monosoff, a former business consultant and Clinton White House staffer, quit work to stay at home when her daughter Sophia was born. Then she found herself annoyed by the constant need to re-roll the toilet paper Sophia unraveled onto the floor… Self-employed, freelance workers on the rise in new job market [Seattle Times - 12/07/03] http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2001809467_freelance07.html The rising cost of supporting a full-time work force, diminishing worker-employer loyalty and the proliferation of technology are contributing to what may be a permanent shift away from the traditional employment model. The Self-Employed Boost U.S. Economic Recovery [Wall Street Journal - 12/01/03] http://www.startupjournal.com/howto/soundadvice/20031202-hilsenrath.html A rise in the Commerce Department’s report on proprietor's income indicates that small enterprises really are playing an important role in the recovery. More Moms, Fewer Pops [USA Today - 10/20/03] http://www.usatoday.com/money/smallbusiness/2003-10-19-momndad_x.htm The overall number of businesses owned by women soared more than 14% from 1997 to 2001, according to the Center for Women's Business Research. Why America needs more temp jobs [Slate - 09/29/03] http://slate.msn.com/id/2089016/ The current upswing in temporary employment is less consistent than past recoveries with the economy growing faster than temporary employment, while overall employment has declined. Self-employed? Consider a solo 401(k) [Bankrate.com - 09/27/03] http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/investing/20030926a1.asp A 401(k) plan used to be only for someone who worked for a corporation, but no more. Owners of very small businesses now can open 401(k)s and shelter thousands more dollars than they could have in other kinds of self-employment retirement accounts. Frustrated Layoff Victims Flee the Corporate World [Wall Street Journal - 07/21/03] http://www.startupjournal.com/howto/successstories/20030721-dunham.html Some corporate refugees see entrepreneurship as a declaration of independence after years of working for others. Others say they have simply lost faith in the job market after months of fruitless searching. Mentor program helps out startups [San Francisco Chronicle - 05/26/03] http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2003/05/26/BU226991.DTL&type=tech Low-income owners of very small businesses, "microentrepreneurs," are turning to MicroMentor, a new online program that pairs business experts with budding entrepreneurs. Mars vs. Venus extends to entrepreneurs, too [USA Today - 5/19/03 ] http://www.usatoday.com/money/companies/2003-05-18-women-cover_x.htm Women have long tried to balance work and family life by starting companies. More often than men, women start companies to better balance their work and family lives, not to get rich, says the landmark study by Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) researchers. You Have a Career: Now You Need an Agent [Fortune Magazine - 04/30/03] http://www.fortune.com/fortune/ideas/articles/0,15114,448184,00.html An executive search firm in the San Francisco Bay Area, is adopting the Hollywood/sports agent model to guide the careers of mid- and senior-level executives. D.C. Debates Its Method Of Licensing Businesses [Washington Post - 04/28/03] http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&node=&contentId=A45979-2003Apr27&notFound=true Like many municipalities, D.C. is trying to decide how to zone and license its businesses. Overseas Outsourcing Hurts U.S. Economy, Says Firm [Internetnews - 03/19/03] http://www.internetnews.com/ent-news/article.php/2118191 According to Integnology, many companies don't even bother looking close to home for cost-efficient alternatives to offshoring jobs. The result, says the CEO of Integnology, has a negative impact on the U.S. economy and has taken away the livelihoods of scores of U.S. tech workers. Down in the valley Highly paid contract workers allege HP shortchanged them on wages [San Francisco Chronicle - 03/09/03] http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2003/03/09/BU221620.DTL&type=tech This case, for which the plaintiffs seek class-action status, could turn into one of the largest lawsuits involving temporary workers since Microsoft Corp. agreed to a $97 million settlement with a group of contract workers who sued the software giant in 1992 for allegedly violating labor laws. More IT Jobs Headed Overseas [Seattle Times - 01/19/03] http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/134618294_techjobs19.html A new report by Forrester Research predicts that almost 500,000 information-technology jobs now filled by U.S. workers will be sent overseas in the next 13 years. Despite this, the same article points out that the total number of American IT jobs will probably double by 2015. The Pulse on IT Consultants [ePrairie - 01/06/03] http://www.eprairie.com/news/viewnews.asp?newsletterID=4395 A technical recruiter sites statistics from an informal survey to predict that 2003 will only be a slightly better year than 2002 for IT consultants. Home Based Start-Up Checklist [Entrepreneur.com - 11/06/02] http://www.entrepreneur.com/Your_Business/YB_SegArticle/0,4621,304303-317,00.html As they say, “the devil is in the details.” This article provides a business startup checklist. Trading Places [Inc.com - 11/01/02] http://www.inc.com/magazine/20021101/24825.html Is Free Agent Nation a bust? This article compares Free Agent Nation to “Employee Nation.” Free Agent Nation? Another country heard from [Front Range Tech Biz - 10/07/02] http://www.frtechbiz.com/displayarticledetail.asp?art_id=60368 The Louisville-based DaVinci Institute hosted its first Free-lancer Boot Camp on Sept. 28 featuring emcee W. Bruce Cameron, free-lancer and author of “8 Simple Rules for Dating my Teenage Daughter,” now an ABC sitcom. Find out what tips came out of this event. Health Insurance for Freelancers [New York Times - 10/02/02] http://www.nytimes.com/2002/10/02/nyregion/02INSU.html This article explores current health insurance options for the self-employed in the New York area. Being a free agent has its highs and lows–Safety net gone. [National Post - 09/23/02] http://www.nationalpost.com/search/site/story.asp?id=FC462FDA-CE02-4128-8A92-2DABBB912C35 Some tips on making the leap into the mysterious world of the knowledge-based entrepreneur. Why not hire yourself? [Raleigh News and Observer - 09/15/02] http://newsobserver.com/business/story/1734030p-1747423c.html For some new parents, the laid-off or those who fear they are about to be, home-based businesses are becoming a popular option. See why. When Home Is Where the Job Is [New York Times - 09/02/02] http://www.nytimes.com/2002/09/02/nyregion/02WORK.html This article says that 4.5 percent of the New York city workforce is working at home. Free agency still works in slow economy [Employment Review - 09/02/02] http://www.employmentreview.com/2002-09/coverstory/CNcstory.asp Does it pay to be a free agent today? Some experts believe that being a free agent in a slumping economy is not much different than when the economy is strong. Free agency still works in slow economy [Employment Review - 09/01/02] http://www.employmentreview.com/2002-09/coverstory/CNcstory.asp Does it pay to be a free agent in today’s economy? Read this article and see. Opportunities for free agents [Contra Costa Times - 08/12/02] http://www.bayarea.com/mld/cctimes/3846445.htm This article explores potential retirement planning opportunities for free agents in the current market. Dot-Commers on a Mom and Pop Track [New York Times - 08/11/02] http://www.nytimes.com/2002/08/11/fashion/11UNEM.html This article details the story of many former dot-com employees and entrepreneurs who are abandoning the technology industry to start fast food businesses. Is the IT job market rebounding? [ZD Net UK - 08/09/02] http://news.zdnet.co.uk/story/0,,t269-s2120652,00.html A report by the Information Technology Association of America suggests that while the IT job market is weak, there is still a demand for certain types of workers, particularly network administrators, programmers, tech support workers, and software engineers. Self-Employed People Get a New Kind of Account, but It's Not for All of Them [Washington Post - 08/04/02] http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&node=&contentId=A38889-2002Aug3&notFound=true This article explains the new “individual 401(k)” and its limitations for the self-employed. Job Turnover Mints New Entrepreneurs [New York Times - 07/28/02] http://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/28/business/yourmoney/28EXLI.html More stories of laid-off managers who have the skills to land a job similar to their old one, but, fed up with the uncertainties of corporate life, have started their own business. Bad Job! Done With Tech Careers, New Entrepreneurs Say It's Better to Go Solo [Washington Post - 07/20/02] http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&node=&contentId=A34733-2002Jul19&notFound=true During the first three months 2002, the number of jobless managers and executives younger than 40 who started businesses nationwide jumped by 36 percent, according to a nationwide survey by Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc. This is particularly true of former technology workers in the telecom industry. Better Job Hunting Online [Fortune - 07/15/02] http://www.fortune.com/indexw.jhtml?channel=artcol.jhtml&doc_id=208787 This “Ask Annie” column provides job hunting tips for using online job boards more effectively. After Layoff, a Chance to Take Control [Washington Post - 07/08/02] http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&node=&contentId=A36812-2002Jul7&notFound=true This article details stories of those who started a business after being laid off. Job hunting on the Net is full of pitfalls [The Mercury News - 06/20/02] http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/business/technology/personal_technology/3508797.htm According to this article about 40 percent of résumés submitted to Internet job listings are never read by a real person. At the same time, monster.com reports 20 percent fewer job listings than this time last year. At least one manager of a career development firm thinks job searching using an internet job site is a “fire-and-forget missile” where most people miss the target. Read this article for tips on how to improve your odds. Number of U.S. Telecommuters Rising [New York Times - 06/16/02] http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/technology/AP-Telecommuting.html According to the International Telework Association and Council, the estimated number of Americans who telecommute at least some portion of the week jumped more than 42 percent in two years, from 19.6 million in 1999 to 28 million in 2001. Find out why South Dakota tops other rural states with the most people who work-at-home. Economic Trends: Employment's Altered State [Business Week - 06/10/02] http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/02_24/c3787032.htm#B3787034 In a new paper, Michigan State University labor economist David Neumark and co-author Deborah Reed of the Public Policy Institute of California in San Francisco say the New Economy "may entail a possibly significant and long-lasting increase in contingent and alternative employment relationships. Ailing Mom-and-Pop Enterprises Get Big Brothers [New York Times - 06/02/02] http://www.nytimes.com/2002/06/02/nyregion/02ADOP.html?tntemail1 In response to September 11, a new website, http://www.adopt-a-company.org, attempts to match small, struggling businesses with large companies. The rules are that the adoptee must have fewer than 50 employees, and be adversely affected by Sept. 11. The sponsor can donate whatever is deemed helpful. For example, a pizza parlor that lost business due to increased security in downtown New York buildings was adopted by a recruiting firm that announced they would begin holding weekly pizza parties in their office to help the parlor out. One-person 401(k)s make sense for self-employed [USA Today - 05/21/02] http://www.usatoday.com/money/columns/block/2002-05-21-block.htm Provisions in the 2001 tax-cut bill made one-person 401(k) plans, also known as individual or owner-only plans, less costly and more attractive for self-employed workers. This article provides the details. Entrepreneurship Is Fun. Then There's the Day Job [NY Times - 05/19/02] http://www.nytimes.com/2002/05/19/business/yourmoney/19ENTR.html Can you have your own business and still have a “day job” on the side? This article investigates people with sideline enterprises. Where have all the jobseekers gone? To Monster [IT Contractor - 05/17/02] http://www.itcmagazine.com/common/newscenter/newsdisplay.cfm?id=1077 From March to April 2002, Monster widened the gap between itself and its closest rival with 16.3 million unique visitors making it the 21st-most-visited property on the Internet. Online Job Fair gets 11,700 applications for 270 IT jobs [www.bizreport.com - 04/26/02] http://www.bizreport.com/article.php?art_id=3353&PHPSESSID=fe4f37744f197283a571532cb388491b In a sign of the times, a federal online job fair that ran from April 22 to April 26, 2002 generated a million hits on its Web server and 11,700 applications for 270 IT job openings. Pack Your Own Parachute [Chicago Tribune - 04/17/02] http://www.chicagotribune.com/classified/jobs/news/chi-0204170019apr17.story?coll=chi%2Dclassifiedfrontdoor%2Dhed Post-termination severance agreements have taken priority over lifetime employment and signing bonuses. Realizing that the people they’re laying off can become future customers of the company they’re leaving, firing companies are moving toward offering more generous severance allowances. Ouch! Stung, and stung again and again [Chicago Tribune - 04/03/02] http://www.chicagotribune.com/classified/jobs/news/chi-0204030040apr03.story?coll=chi%2Dclassifiedfrontdoor%2Dhed What happens when you’re laid off more than once in a year? Some unlucky people are not only victims of back-to-back layoffs, but they now carry the stigma of job-hoppers. Freelancing in Austin [KXAN-TV - 03/28/02] http://www.kxan.com/Global/story.asp?S=723564&nav=0s3g88zi This article details the stories of Austin, Texas entrepreneurs who took up the free agent banner. Freelance Writing For The Gaming Industry [Freelance Job News - 02/18/02] http://r144.com/article042.htm Ever wonder what it would be like to work for the interactive entertainment industry? If you’re a programmer, writer, voice actor, or music composer, you may be interested in this article. How to recover from a layoff [SpencerStuart.com - 02/15/02] http://www.spencerstuart.com/successstrategies/content/en/us/template-b.asp?SectionDBID=14413&ArticleDBID=3538207 Finish your novel, change careers, go back to school, volunteer, spend time with family, get physical, start your own business, travel the world, or teach. Writer Sarah Max has these and other suggestions for surviving a layoff. What goes into a “bad” interview? [Chicago Tribune - 01/23/02] http://www.chicagotribune.com/classified/jobs/chi-0201230093jan23.story?coll=chi%2Dclassifiedjobs%2Dhed A survey finds that 80% of interview candidates feel they endured a “bad” interview experience.