Career Quest Sample Budget

Sample Budget

Gross Salary - $24,300.00 Annual Tithe - $2,400.00 Annual Tax - $6,300.00

Net Spendable: Annual Amount - $15,570.00 Monthly Amount - $1,297.50

Housing - 29%           5,916.60           493.05
 Food -       11%            2,179.80            181.65

Auto -       13%            2,179.80            181.65

Insurance - 5%              778.50             64.88

Debt -          5%              778.50             64.88

Ent/Rec -   8%              622.80             51.90

Clothing -  7%               778.50              64.88

Savings -    5%              778.50              64.88

Med/Dental - 4%        778.50              64.88

Other -       8%             778.50              64.88

School/
Childcare - 5%         1,245.60             103.80

Investments - 0%           0.00                 0.00

This is a sample budget similar to the budget calculator on the Crown Ministries web site, www.crown.org. You may log on and use that calculator to determine a base budget and then print it for later use.

You will have to make some adjustments to customize your budget. For instance, if your daycare expenses were $280.00 per month, then you would have to increase the School/Childcare amount by $176.20. This amount would have to come out of another category or bits out of several categories.

You may also have existing car payments and loan or credit card payments that must be figured in and will change the above amounts. The total percentages can never equal more than 100%. If your current obligations exceed what you are currently making, then you are living above your means. You must decrease your expenditures or increase your income. You will quickly see just how much you need to earn each month in order to take care of all the financial needs in your life.
Once you have a monthly or yearly figure, stick to it. Determine what type of employment you will need to meet those financial needs. You may need to break the amount down into an hourly rate if your employment is paid in that manner. Whether it is hourly or salaried, make a budget and stick to it. Believe that God will meet all your needs according to His riches in glory.
God desires to and will meet all your needs. So, determine what those needs are and believe that He will meet them.

Nancy Jackson, daydreamer extraordinaire


DAY JOB LINKS...
Dreams Do Come True
Dragonfly In Amber Designs

Career Quest Determine Financial Needs

Determine Financial Needs

Oddly enough one of the very first things that a person should do when beginning a job search is to determine the amount of money or income they will need each month to provide a living for themselves and for their family.

A budget is a useful tool that, once you have practiced using, will continue to help you prosper. A budget must include anticipation of the unexpected as well as known expenses. It must also incorporate yearly items such as gifts, insurance and taxes.

It is always better to allow a little extra in certain areas that are unknown such as food and gasoline since the cost for those items are not static in nature. Also our need for those items increases and decreases with the seasons.

As I said before, God desires to meet your needs. Phillipians 4-19 KJ But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. By determining what you truly need, you will know what to pray for and believe for and how to set your sights job-wise. I think I am relatively safe saying that if you take a job out of desperation just so that you will have a job, but according to your budget it doesn't meet your needs, it is not likely that it is God's will for you. If you take a job out of panic or fear instead of waiting faithfully on God to provide the job that will meet your needs then you are attempting to rush in and do what you feel God will not do.

If you feel that you are bound and not getting the job you need, then you should go back to the drawing board and talk to God. Are you being obedient in the areas that he has spoken to you about? If there are unresolved issues in your life it would be prudent for you to deal with those issues. I've seen that many times unresolved issues with family members, broken relationships and sin can prevent God from moving someone into the job he has for them.

Sometimes the wait might be a test of your willingness to wait on the Lord. It takes faith to wait patiently, not allowing fear to creep in. This can be difficult when the bills are piling up and debt collectors are calling. Are you willing to wait until you are losing it all, just as Abraham was willing to lose Isaac, for God to act? I didn't say you had to lose it all, but be willing to lose it all in order to receive all that God has for you.

Sometimes the fear of losing material possessions prevents us from being able to be patient. But we are told that we can believe and receive what we believe for. If we are willing to lose it all, be patient and wait, I believe God can bless us far beyond anything we can ever image. He can and will bless us not only with a job or career that will merely meet our needs, but with a job or career that will bring us pleasure and happiness.

Isaiah 64:4 KJ For since the beginning of the world, men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.

Romans 8:25 NCV But we are hoping for something we do not have yet, and we are waiting for it patiently.

Mark 9:23 KJ Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.

The budget form provided for you will help you in developing a budget for yourself. You must set aside an amount each month for savings to prepare for yearly items; Christmas gifts, taxes and other things of this nature. Be sure to also include a budget for clothing and entertainment. Even if we say we can do without those things, we will spend money for them and then that money will come out of another budgeted item. So plan ahead to begin with.

Once you have a monthly figure, add approximately 64% on to that to determine the amount you should receive from an employer before taxes. Do not include your tithe in the list of monthly expenses. It is a variable amount based on salary and is figured into the formula. For example:

If your budget shows that you need $1,300 each month then multiply that amount by 1.64. You will get $2,132. This is an approximate amount you should earn each month.

There are other factors that you need to figure into your budget. Those are benefits provided by the employer. If an employer pays for your health, dental and vision insurance and you have no out of pocket expense, then those items can be removed from your budget. However, you will still need to add a small amount to allow for deductibles and co-payments.

Some employers will pay for the cost of the employee's insurance, but require you pay a portion or all of the dependent's coverage. That cost must be figured into your budget. If an employer has a stock option plan, 401k or some other type of retirement plan then you will want to contribute to that, even if only a small amount. Make sure though, that your contribution does not reduce your monthly budget or that you take it from the money budgeted for a savings account.

A savings account is readily accessible for emergencies and is appropriate for saving for yearly expenses and gifts. Retirement funds, stock options and 401k's are not readily accessible and should not be thought of as a savings account.


Nancy Jackson, daydreamer extraordinaire


DAY JOB LINKS...
Dreams Do Come True
Dragonfly In Amber Designs

Cafe 7

Cafe 7

The best pizza place on the planet is Oregano's in Tucson / Phoenix Arizona.  By far!!  BUT, when I ate Cafe 7's chicken and bacon pizza my mouth screemed - Oregano's!!!  Oh my it was yummy!! 

I have not tried other items on the menu and that will be a challenge for me since the item I tried was so good I know I will want it again and again.

The concept, as I know it, for the cafe is a category of four items with 7 selections in each category, $7 and 7 minutes to serve.  If I have that wrong, please forgive me Cafe 7!

My daughter Lacey, who would fly to Phoenix just for a slice of Oregano's pizza, was astounded at the price.  Honestly you can't get a pizza like that from one of the big franchise pizza parlor's.

I must confess -- I ate the whole thing!  Back to the diet today.  But I must say that it was worth every bite!!

Nancy Jackson, daydreamer extraordinaire


DAY JOB LINKS...
Dreams Do Come True
Dragonfly In Amber Designs

The Book of Eli

The Book of Eli

On Valentine's Day Rick took me to a movie.  We passed lines upon lines of people waiting to see Valentine's Day.  Oh, but not us, we weren't going to go see some mushy love story on Valentine's Day, or were we?

I vaguely remembered having seen a movie trailer either on tv or at a previous movie, but couldn't for the life of me remember what it was about.  But I love movies and am game for just about anything.


The setting is about 30 years after the last war.  The land is ravaged and desolate.  The filmographer enhanced the darkness and drearyness of the time.  There were vandals and theives.  But there was one man traveling, on a mission to walk west.


Denzel Washington plays Eli, a lone traveler with peaceful intentions, but determined not to be stopped.  He has a destiny even in this time of lost hopes and dreams and decay of the soul.  He is carrying with him a precious cargo and he will die to protect it.


Of course there is a villain and he wants the 'book'.  He knows it has power and he lusts after the power of the book.


As we watch Eli on his journey we see this is in deed a love story.  A love story of the Word of God and its creator.


There is a lot of violence and bad language in this movie, and certainly not for the faint of heart.  But I fell in love with the theme and cheered him on.  For I understood his love.  I have it too.


Nancy Jackson, daydreamer extraordinaire


DAY JOB LINKS...
Dreams Do Come True
Dragonfly In Amber Designs

Career Quest Pre-Job Search

Pre-Job Search

We spend at a minimum of eight hours a day at our work, career or job. Most of us spend much more than that to meet deadlines and to assure that all our responsibilities are met. It only stands to reason that we should attempt to spend those hours working in a career or job that we enjoy and are good at.


God desires to bless each of his children and help them to prosper. He has promised us in his word that if we are obedient and tithe that he will open the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

Let's read the full scripture in Malachi 3:8-4 KJ (8) Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. (9) Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. (10) Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. (11) And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts. (12) And all nations shall call you blessed; for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of hosts.


If we are obedient to his commands then we ready the Lord to act on our behalf. If we are not obedient to the tithe command and to other commands that God has asked from us, we tie his hands and place ourselves under a curse, preventing God from blessing us.


A relationship with God is a two-way street, a communication and a give-and-take that eventually brings you to the place that God would have you to be. It is much as if you are on an old-time railroad handcar with the Lord on one side pumping away and you are on the other. With both of you communicating and working together, you'll get to the place you are destined to be.


If you tie God's hands by your disobedience or lack of communication then a very powerful force that was once pushing mightily forward on the handcar is prevented from working. God is a gentleman and will not force himself upon you or intrude where not wanted. He will wait for your request.


If you are obedient and God wants to move you forward, but you refuse to do your part, or are not equipped to operate the handcar, then the movement slows way down. You will have to work much harder to achieve far less.


God will direct you and show you where to go and what to do. He will also show you where to gain the knowledge necessary to be able to be all that God wants us to be, but we must have a good relationship with him. We must spend time seeking him and his will and communicating to him about our needs, praising and thanking him and listening to his voice so that we do not miss an opportunity.


This book is designed to educate and equip you to be able to determine where your strengths lie and uncover your true heart's desire regarding work and a career. It is also my hope that you will receive confirmation from God concerning where he is directing you and what his desire is for you. If you are able to improve your process of finding a job, then you will find many more options available to you.


It is true that God can supernaturally by divine intervention get us the job we are supposed to be in, but we live in a practical world with practical ways. God set the natural laws into motion by which the world operates.


Would it be wise to say that God has called you to be a physician, yet you just sat back waiting for God to do it all? Wouldn't you say that there was still a part required of you? If God has called you to a career path or ministry path, there will be requirements of you to help fulfill that call on your life. I don't want to go to a doctor that never went to medical school whether God has called him or not.


I believe that it is our responsibility to be all that we can be and to learn and be the best at whatever we do. As a Christian I believe that we have an obligation to be the best at everything we attempt to do. We should stand out in every area of our life. To do that we must learn as much as we can in order to make correct decisions and take advantage of all options available to us.


It may not be realistic to assume that you can just 'jump' into your dream job or career even if it is the job or career that God has called you to, but you can begin to develop a plan on how to get there. You may be thinking that right now you just want a job, any job because you need the money. That's OK. We all have to start somewhere, but that doesn't mean that you have to give up your dream or your goal.


This first chapter is to explore where you are now, what you need now financially and where you want to go in the future with your career. Be open to God's voice. He has placed talents and skills within us. He has also given us dreams and desires. They may be buried deep from years of hearing that you 'can't do it'. I'm here to tell you that you CAN! If God has called you, you can. If God has given you a dream, he can bring it to pass.


Psalm 145:19 KJ He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.


Proverbs 10:24 KJ The fear of the wicked, it shall come upon him: but the desire of the righteous shall be granted.


Nancy Jackson, daydreamer extraordinaire


DAY JOB LINKS...
Dreams Do Come True
Dragonfly In Amber Designs

Career Quest Introduction

Many of you may not know that I have written and published a book.  Of course anytime a person does this they have secret hopes that that book will earn something for the writer.  I did.  But my primary goal was to help others learn something that could help them get a job, a good job or a better job.

Because of that I have decided to post pages of my book Career Quest in this blog.  I hope that in this time of downsizing and layoffs, that you will find a nugget that will be usefull to you and will help you get the job you want and derserve.  So here is the introduction to the book, excellent food for though it its own right.

Introduction

Career Quest is designed to educate you on the process of job hunting. Regardless of whether you are a first time job hunter or if you have been in the work force for years, this course will broaden your abilities to be the most effective at seeking out and obtaining a job, that you can be.

The purpose of this book is to educate each of you on the detailed aspects that will push you to the head of the candidacy pool. Each step of the process is geared to hone and sharpen your job seeking skills.

You will explore the possibilities of which career is right for you. This will include an in-depth soul search into your likes and dislikes as well as your skill set. You will also prepare a budget to ensure that the job offer you accept will be adequate for your needs.

From there we will take you to creating the ideal resume. This includes the structure of the resume, what to include and not to include, and how to properly format the text to achieve the greatest impact. We will also cover the aspects of a scanable resume so you will be safe in the electronic marketplace.

From there you will learn how and where to search out potential employers and the proper procedures in doing so. We will explore the new world of electronic job searching and how to incorporate it into your job search.

Interviewing can be the most daunting experience in the life of any person, however you will learn just how to act and what to do, to stand out in the process. You will learn what an employer is looking for, typical questions asked in an interview, how to answer those questions. You will also learn how to deal with difficult interviewers.

Don't breathe a sigh of relief yet, you will need to know the importance of follow-up and follow-through. You will learn a solid standard in appropriately following up on all interviews.

Next you will learn how to determine which of the many job offers to accept by determining which one is right for your needs. You will learn how to compare benefits and salary to see which offer really is the best package for you.

For the grand finale we will go beyond where most classes end. We will discover what to expect during the honeymoon period of your new job. This will include an in-depth look at how to appropriately fill out the lengthy forms and new employee paperwork that you will be inundated with.

Even if you think you know everything there is to know about interviewing and job searching, I promise that you will be surprised at how much you will learn. The job marketplace is constantly changing and with the strong trend toward electronic job posting there is always something new to learn.

Finding a job is a job and this course is designed to help you be the best you can possibly be at this short term, temporary job which will successfully result in you achieving the ultimate career that you deserve!


Nancy Jackson, daydreamer extraordinaire


DAY JOB LINKS...
Dreams Do Come True
Dragonfly In Amber Designs

Amelia

Last night Rick and I watched Amelia on Pay Per View.  He promptly fell asleep on the couch which left me alone to be drawn into the life of Amelia Earhart.  In the quietness of our living room I was transfixed to the movie.  If you have yet to see the movie you may not want to read this blog, but first go watch the movie and then return.


Before doing this blog I read reviews of the movie which were harsh.  But movie critics have their opinions and I have mine.  I loved the movie and would easily give it a 9 out of 10.  I don't need to know all the complexities of their lives and I believe this is a sweet remembrance of a dynamic woman.


Maybe sitting there in our living room I was not so engaged with the movie itself, but the person and life of Amelia Earhart and her relationship with her husband.  A woman so driven by her dreams that she was not going to be enticed away by the promise of love.


Knowing that Amelia was a rare creature, her husband George Putnam, held her with a loose grip to love her, but not crush her.  He entered into her dream with a fierce love for her and was determined to make her dream their dream.  Not only did he support her, but endeavored to make sure her dreams came true.


Her brief affair with Gene Vidal was just that, brief.  I believe Amelia loved her husband and his gentle grip drew her back.  I am convinced that had he held her tightly, so tightly as to suffocate her dream, he would have most assuredly lost her.


He took risks for her. No amount of time, money or work was too much.  Whatever it took, he was determined to make her dreams come true.  He was also willing to turn on a moments notice to allow failure and ruin to enter their lives should she decide to never fly again after her first failed world flight.


What kind of love is this that he would set aside his life for the joy and pleasure of his wife's?  A love that understands the joy and pleasure of giving. And one that understands that the old adage, 'tis better to give than receive, was an over simplification of the ecstasy of giving out of love. 

I dare say very few ever experience that level of fearless, selfless love for their mate.  Even the constant risk of losing her, not only to others but also to death, could not prevent him from giving her the dream, the life she yearned for.


I loved that the movie painted her as a woman, feminine and gentle, but fierce when pursuing her dreams.  She had determination, but didn't need to be masculine in order to do that very thing.  The two traits can coincide, gentle femininity and fierce determination.


She made it to all the places she had dreamed as a little girl.  She saw the wonders of the world.  Even though she did not make it all the way around, she went further than anyone before her.  She died doing what she loved and was born to do. Can we say the same?  Can we be brave enough to break beyond the mundane and answer the call of our dreams?


In the final lines of the movie we hear Amelia say, "Everyone has oceans to fly as long as you have the heart to do it.  Is it reckless?  Maybe.  But what do dreams know of boundaries?"


I want to challenge us all to fly our oceans, reckless or not and to live our dreams without bounds.  I want to challenge the men in our lives to love us fiercely and to hold us gently, allowing us to pursue our dreams regardless of the cost.

Nancy Jackson, daydreamer extraordinaire


DAY JOB LINKS...
Dreams Do Come True
Dragonfly In Amber Designs