Look for jobs in secure industries.
If you’ve read the news by now, trying to get a job in an auto plant is like trying to get on an elevator that’s going down and you’re trying to go up. The same is true if you’re trying to get a leg in real estate.

Instead of wasting your time trying to join an industry that’s experiencing some bad times, try to set your sights on industries that have remained stable or are experiencing growths. These include:

-Health care (nursing, caregiving, special care, medicine, physical therapy and other support manpower)

-Law enforcement

-Information Technology (network administration, software design and development)

-Support Services (customer service, administrative assistance)

-Sales and business development (product management, retail and wholesale)

-Engineering

-Education (teaching, school administration and other related support services)

Boost your resume.

If an employer sees nothing promising or exciting in your resume, they won’t think twice about throwing your piece in the trash bin. Before you try to hook a recession-proof job, consider revamping your resume right now. Take a copy of your latest and review it. If your resume is several months old, there’s a high likelihood that it needs a makeover.

Focus on accomplishments.

A common error among jobhunters is detailing their job descriptions in their resumes. Although this is helpful in establishing their work experience, it may not always give the prospective employer a good idea of what you can do. Emphasize on the results that you have produced instead.

Adapt your resume.

Typing out and printing a generic resume is a huge mistake. Generic is average, which means that you have very little to help you stand out from the crowd. If you want a recession-proof job, make sure your resume is something that your employers will find attractive.

Consider the industry you’re targeting. If the job calls for someone who has a strong sales experience, emphasize your sales background. If the job calls for someone who had been involved directly in marketing and promotions, show your qualifications in these departments. The more relevant your resume says you are, the better you’ll be at landing a recession-proof job.

Expand your reach.

Other than advertised job vacancies, consider other venues for finding recession-proof jobs. Look for trade magazines, papers, clubs and associations. You could also tap your network of professionals in the same field.

Get further education.

In tough times, you ought to arm yourself with tougher credits. One is by obtaining additional training or education. Getting certified or expanding your professional qualifications will help make you a more desirable hiree.

Recession-proof jobs are usually the most popular among jobhunters who are probably considering the same strategies as you right now. It’s likely that for every recession-proof job that is available out there, there are thousands of other jobhunters out to get it. If you have better qualifications courtesy of better training and experience (in case you’ve had hands-on education or internship), you’ll come out as the best, most capable candidate.

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So how do you choose a career thats right for you during a recession? Here are some recession-proof careers that are worthy of consideration:

Education

There is a great shortage of teachers. No matter how down the economy is, teachers will always be in-demand. Children will continue to go to school. Also, lots of unemployed adults may decide to further their education. Although teaching is not one of the highest-paid careers there is, making only about $30,000 to $45,000 a year, people will still settle for a career that does not earn more because they are tired of being unemployed for a long time. This is especially true for those who would want to try something new anyway or those who despise the roller-coaster rid that a corporate life offers.

Healthcare

Job hunters with Information Technology background are said to be a good fit to the healthcare industry particularly nursing. This is because Nursing is an information-driven career. And, it is one useful career during a recession because healthcare is an industry that does not usually get affected during these times.

Auditing

Auditors are also usually unaffected by downturns. In a recession, individuals and firms are more probably doing their best to get more deductions. More people are monitoring their books, so the demand for auditors or accountants is much greater.

Energy and Utilities

Energy consumers may cut back, but the consumption will not stop. The same with utilities, people will still light their homes. So, jobs like maintenance and utility administration prove to be more stable than others during a recession.

Pharmaceuticals

As long as physicians prescribe drugs, people are still going to take them. This means that if you are working as a pharmacist or as a quality assurance analyst in pharmaceutical laboratory, you are in good hands.

Military

Since the military is always hiring, particularly during wartime, during a recession soldiers will not be that affected. Serving the military also means that most of your living expenses will be covered.

Security

Recession does not stop crime. With the increase in layoffs, more people are considering robbing banks and doing other crimes. So, the need for security workers becomes greater.

Environmental Sciences

The convenient truth is that the eco-friendly trend is not going anywhere. This means that choosing a career in environment-care-related industries can be a good career choice.

Government

Working for the government can be one of your best choices during this downturn. This is because many stable jobs can be found in the federal government. The government will not cease from functioning even during crisis.

With that variety of career choices, it will not be that difficult to find one that will save you from this economic situation.

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Heating and Cooling.

Almost half of your electric bill goes for your heating and cooling systems so if you really want to maximize your savings here are the following things you can do:

Clean your air filters at least once a month.

Clean baseboard heaters, radiators, and warm-air registers as often as necessary; make sure that they are working properly; and that they are not blocked by drapes, carpeting, and furniture.

Set the thermostat as high as is comfortable when it is hot or as low as is comfortable when it is cold.

Turn off exhaust fans (kitchen, bath, others) 20 minutes after cooking or bathing. Keeping them on for a long time affects the temperature of the room.

Lighting and Appliances

As much as possible, use natural lights working near the windows will prevent you from turning on the light and consuming energy. Utilize the power of the sun.

Switch off the lights every time you leave the room even if it is just of a minute.

If you are using the 4-foot fluorescent lights, install reflective backings to maximize the light.

Switch to compact fluorescent lights. There are 4-watt minifluorescent lights and 40-watt fluorescent lights have the same illuminating effect.

Turn off all lights and appliances when not in use. Unplug unnecessary appliances like microwaves, television, stereos, computers, and VCRs if you are not using them. Also, unplug chargers and devices with bloc-shaped transformer on the plug. All of them consume energy when plugged in. Do not leave them on “stand-by” mode.

Look of Energy Star label when purchasing lighting product.

Use task lighting instead of lights that cover the entire room. For example, use lamp shades when reading and not the lights for your room.

Laundry

Washing your clothes cold will reduce washer’s energy consumption by as much as 90%. Air drying eliminates the energy use for machine drying.

Always do full loads whenever possible. If you are washing a small load, use appropriate water level and wash setting.

Refrigerator

Maintain a right temperature for your freezer and refrigerator.

Do not hold the refrigerator or freezer open. The energy consumption increases if the motor works endlessly just to maintain the temperature of the refrigerator and freezer.

Check for leaks and cracks in the gasket. Make sure that your refrigerator is completely sealed to maintain the temperature inside.

Insulation

Heat loss happens when your house is not properly sealed. Use sealants or weather-stripping on windows.

Make sure that air cannot escape or enter in to the pipes, doors, walls, floors and ceilings. A properly insulated home saves as much as 10% in electric bill.

In a typical household monthly electric bill, 44% goes to the heating and cooling systems; 33% goes to lighting and other appliances; 14% goes to heating the water; and 9% goes to the refrigerator. Take note of this power distribution to know where exactly you can maximize your saving.

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1.Limit, as much as possible, the use of water. Of course water is not that expensive (at least for now); but saving water saves energy. When cleaning the driveway, the deck or patio, using the broom instead of the hose would save several hundreds of gallons of water a year.

2.A push mower is a good idea to mow a small lawn. Aside from not using electricity or fuel to ride the mowing machine, it is also good exercise.

3.Rakes are good leaf movers. Like the push mower, you do not need energy to fuel up a machine to get the job done. There is also a sense of nostalgia in using this traditional tool.

4.Use compact fluorescent light bulbs to light up your driveway or as a security light. CFLs are one of the most handy and energy efficient products that you can have. If you are worried about bugs sticking to the light, there are yellow CFLs that are available.

5.When shopping, avoid going for the disposable ones. Disposable products need more landfills and landfills emit dangerous gasses. Go instead for items that could be used several times over. Again when shopping, go for products that are made of better quality. They might be a little more expensive but generally, quality products last longer.

6.Bring your own bags when shopping. Paper bags are made from trees; the environment can use more of them. Plastic bags on the contrary are oil based and are not biodegradable. If you bring your bag with you, you do not only help in saving energy, you could also get a discount from your store.

7.Batteries contain toxic materials. They produce heavy metal like zinc, zinc, arsenic, cadmium, mercury etc. Thus, disposal needs proper care. Once the heavy metal in batteries seeped into the ground it has a good chance of contaminating the ground. When buying products that would need batteries, pick those that are rechargeable. That way battery disposal is limited and you save on the cost of buying new batteries.

8.Good thing that SUV sales everywhere are going down (well, at least for the environment and not for car manufacturers). SUVs use much more energy than compact sedans for the same distance. While using SUV’s could be fun, there is also that tinge of indifference to the current energy issues and environmental problems we are facing. Reducing the use of SUVs on the street may not mean much in terms greenhouse gas emissions but is a signal to manufacturers to build more energy efficient vehicles.

9.The use of solar power is an excellent idea if you want to tackle the issues of energy conservation and environment protection. If there is one thing that the world needs most at this time, it is the widespread use of solar power.

10.Energy saving devices may cost a little extra but the pays offs are much more than the extra cost in terms longer life spans and energy saved.

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Saving energy and saving money should not be your sole responsibility as parents. Your kids must also learn to contribute in keeping the electric bills down. This way, your effort will not get wasted and at the same time, your kids will learn good values while growing up.

Because teaching your kids to be energy efficient requires some effort, here are easy to follow suggestions you can do:

Education

Teaching your kids the importance of saving energy should be your first goal. Take note that making them understand the value of being energy efficient is more effective than enumerating the ways to save energy and leaving it at that. Teach them how conserving energy helps the environment. Tell them stories or read educational books about the importance of energy.

Lead by example

You know very well that kids tend to follow what elders do. Practice what you preach. You may have listed and posted a litany of things-to-do to conserve energy but if you don’t follow them yourself, you cannot expect your kids to follow it too. Do not just tell them to turn the lights off before leaving their room; show them by always turning the lights off every time you leave a room in your house. Education and leading by example are a good combination if you want to make good habits stick.

Make it fun

Find educational materials where your kids will learn the value of conserving energy as well as the ways on how to save it. Computer software, educational websites, books and television shows that educate and entertain kids would really make a difference on how well they will respond. This is especially applicable to kids from 5 to 10 years old.

Get your kids involved

Family activities should not limit to eating, playing and entertainment. Chores can also be a good way to bond with your kids. Manually wash the car, water the plants, clean the table, wash the dishes, clean the house etc. These are some of the things you can do with your kids while conserving energy.

Teach your kids according to their age.

Kids of different ages have different attitude on things around them. If your 5-year son doesn’t know how to turn off the lights before leaving the room, all you need to do is to talk to him well about its importance and showing him that you practice what you teach.

Your 10-year old daughter may require different approach like showing her your electric bill and explaining to her that it will greatly help if she will change her bad habits. You are teaching your 5-year old good habits while you are teaching and emphasizing your 10-year old good habits and responsibility.

Same thing applies to kids of different ages. The point is, make sure that you teach your kids proper ways to conserve energy using an approach suited to their ages.

*Energy saving tips for kids.

1-Turn off the water while brushing your teeth.

2-Always turn the lights off before leaving the room.

3-Turn the computer off after use.

4-Do not hold the refrigerator open.

5-Unplug unnecessary appliance.

6-Use natural light if possible.

Saving energy is not so hard if your kids are involved. And just like any family activities you do, energy conservation should be fun, educational and driven by good motivation.

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Buy energy efficient office equipment computers, fax machines, scanners, printers, monitors and multifunction devices (scanner, copier, fax). Some ENERGY STAR office equipment can save as much as 90% of the standard energy consumption.

Most ENERGY STAR office equipments consume 50% less energy than standard ones. Aside from energy saving advantage, some office equipments reduce electromagnetic field emissions (for monitors), air-conditioning loads, and noise from transformers and fans.

An ENERGY STAR computer is 70% more energy efficient than computers without this designation. When left inactive, this computer shifts into a low-power mode, which only uses 15 watts of power or less.

Some office equipments that do not have to be turned on all the time should be shut down and unplugged because they still draw power when turned off.

Unplugging unused electronic devices is not limited to office equipments; unplug your television, VCRs, stereos, microwave oven, electric stove and other appliances when not in use.

Do not leave other appliances turned on while working. Avoid leaving unused appliances on “standby” mode.

Turn off the computer monitor if you are going for a break. Manually turn off your computer if you are leaving for an hour or more. Avoid using screensavers because they consume the same amount of energy as with normal computer use. Activating the computer’s sleep mode is also a better way to save energy.

Do not believe that office equipment should always be turned on because it will last longer. Practicing this belief may only result to higher electric bill.

On your next upgrade, consider buying a laptop as a computer replacement as they consume less energy than desktop computers.

When the battery chargers are not in use or if the batteries are fully charged, unplug the charger immediately.

Set up your home office where you can utilize the natural light to minimize the use of lamps and room lights.

If you are working at night, prefer task lights that consume less energy instead of using room lights. Close the drapes and shades of the windows to keep cold air out and save energy on heating the room.

If you are alone in the house, make sure that you lock all the doors and windows before working.

Set the thermostat of your cooling or heating system to a comfortable level. A digital thermostat can provide better electricity savings. Work where you can reduce the use of heating or cooling system and lights. Prefer a small room as an office rather than the entire living area. Always maintain your air conditioning system clean.

Make energy saving improvements to your home. Home energy saving improvements like insulation, repairing of crack and holes (on the windows, walls, ceiling, floors, attic and basement) and switching to compact fluorescent bulbs can bring down your electric bills.

Not only that, if you are planning to sell your home, making your home energy efficient is a good strategy.

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For most homes in the developed countries, lighting alone accounts for 9% of the total energy requirement. For other parts of the world, it is far more than that. Thus, using cost-efficient lights can be a real life-saver, or should we say, energy-saver.

Compact fluorescent light bulbs are made to be very efficient; it uses 66% less energy than the conventional light bulbs. Just by changing from the incandescent to the CFLs could already reduce electrical consumption to 7%.

When compared to the regular light bulbs, CFLs give the same amount of luminescence for less power and while it has a higher purchase price than the incandescent, CFLs have longer lifespan (approximately 12 times than the incandescent light bulbs, about 11,000 hours), enough to save $US30 in electrical costs during the bulbs lifetime.

A US published article claimed that if a household changes 30 fixtures in their home, investing $90, the money saved in the span of five years could be anywhere from $500 to $1,500 depending on the areas electrical costs. For commercial buildings and other bigger establishments, the savings are even greater. An average CFL at 75 watts could save $22 dollars in direct energy savings per year. If that is multiplied by the number of light bulbs in a building, and include the cost of labor that could be saved from changing light bulbs, the savings could rise exponentially. True, there is a capital investment of about $2 USD per fixture; however that could be recovered in a month from money saved.

Other manufacturers of CFLs also apply titanium dioxide coating. This is because titanium dioxide is claimed to neutralize bacteria, odors and molds. Still many manufacturers of CFLs apply a luminous coating to the bulb for the purpose of luminescence after the CFL is turned off. The idea behind is that a little light could still remain, even for a short while, in cases of power failure and accidents.

Because Carbon Fluorescent lamps do not emit as much heat as the incandescent light bulbs, there is also less work for air conditioners in cooling up the space.

Surely there must be a downside.

If this could be called a downside, CFLs behave differently from the ordinary incandescent bulbs. For one, it takes longer to attain its full brightness depending on the temperature. The colder the climate is, the longer it will take for the bulb to give off full brightness. CFL also gives off the brightest light during its first use and begins to dull gradually, giving off less light as it nears the end of its life; a CFLs is expected to reduce its brightness by 20% from its original brightness on first installation. But that is just about it.

Saving energy, in almost all conceivable phases of production, is in focus today. The fuel that is currently in use, as we are all aware, is non renewable. This is why even in the field of lighting, continuous research is being done to further reduce the coefficient of energy that has to be saved.

Solid state lighting, for example, is widely used in traffic lights; although for now, using this technology to be an energy saving method for domestic consumption is still being developed as the current cost is still high. For now, saving energy through the CFLs remains to spell a definite advantage compared with incandescent light bulbs.

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The rise and drop in temperatures in the coming years, place intense pressures on consumers around the world as this means only one thing, more energy and fuel are needed to control the environment and make homes more comfortable.

Over the years, new technology has been invented to improve the manner of living – energy saving devices are not excluded. However new technology, as always, is a bit expensive at first. And the prices will go down after some time. But instead of waiting for a more affordable energy saving devices, let us apply our common sense today and do some effort in saving energy.

Avoid “phantom” energy users.

Electrical appliances that are plugged in to sockets even when not in use consume energy. It is like a turning on the engine of your car and idling for a very long time. A single appliance that remains plugged in may not give a significant increase in your electric bill but letting every appliance on “standby” can be a real money spender. Make sure to pull the plugs of every appliance from their sockets whenever you don’t use them.

Turn down temperature of water heaters.

Water heaters hold about 40 gallons of water and maintain it at a constant temperature. Forty gallons of water that is sitting in your tank for a very long time consumes a lot of energy. If the water heater is not expected to be used for a while, it is advisable to maintain it at a lower temperature.

The openings and leaks in doors and windows create drafts.

The stronger the draft is, the longer it will take for homes to be heated or cooled – in addition to the extra work that a heater or an air-conditioning system is doing to regulate the right temperature of the house. In newer homes, the problems may be few as today’s’ builders take more attention to sealing drafts potential areas and slots. Older homes may not be as well sealed. Even if the outer walls are insulated, air leaks often occur around wall outlets, switches and vents that could result in water condensation around these areas. A good foam patch could fix the problem.

If there is really nothing to prepare much cooking for, let the stove and oven rest.

Instead, use the microwave. When cooking in stoves though, the closer the bottom of the pan used for cooking matches the hob ring of the stove, the more energy is saved. Too much flame for the pan and you are paying for heating the air around it.

CFL lights are energy savers.

Using CFL bulbs will save you more than sixty percent of the cost of lighting compared with using incandescent light bulbs. Sure CFL lamps are a little more expensive but these are recovered easily because of its longer life and the energy saving feature it has.

Clean appliances regularly.

Dirt and dust interferes with the efficiency of appliances. Likewise, place a good distance; allow about four inches of distance between the wall and appliances that generate heat for your walls not to retain the heat.

When in the market always look for the energy coefficient and the energy saving features of the appliance you are buying.

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1.Refrigerators that were manufactured 20 or 30 years ago gives off 1,100 lbs. of CO2 emissions per year. Keeping an old model refrigerator increases your monthly energy bill by as much as $80. The newer models are energy efficient.

Manufacturers print this on the fridge. But even the newer ones could not save you as much energy as it should if it is positioned near heat radiating appliances like the dishwasher or ovens and stoves. This is why, to allow for saving energy, interior designers and architects make it a point to have separate areas for cooling and heating appliances.

If you maintain the temperature of the refrigerator at the right level, you can save as much as 25% on energy consumption than when the temperature higher than what is required.

2.Air drying your dishes will save energy instead of putting them inside the dishwasher.

3.Clothes dyers spend much energy that whenever possible, air or sun drying should be done. Washing in cold water also saves energy by 75%. This could also prevent the dryer from emitting 500 lbs. a year in carbon gasses.

4.More than 50 degrees of heat is lost whenever you open the oven during cooking, Study the cooking instructions and preheat the oven as required. Open the oven only when needed.

5.While shades and curtains are good practices to regulate the temperature and let the light in a room, adding e-films gets you far in saving energy during heating and air-conditioning the space. Storm windows are good energy saving devices so are high performance double paned windows.

6.Extra work will be required from your heater or air-conditioner when you have air leaks and drafts around your house. Sealing the home is one of the cheapest ways to conserve energy. Limiting the use of ventilating fans and closing the damper in the fireplace when not in use keep the desired temperature inside the home.

7.In many parts of the country, ceiling fans are enough to cool home that is well insulated. If using air-conditioners is a must, planting shrubs and trees on the surrounding areas of the room to be cooled will you give you as much as 10% savings on energy consumption.

8.Trellises, overhangs and especially trees help so much in cooling the home during the summer months. It also serves as a good wind breaker during winter.

9.Unplug appliances that are not in use. Keeping appliances plugged in and keeping them on standby modes consume about 10% of the power it requires when in operation.

Buy only stuffs that are really necessary. The seemingly innocent stuffs that fills our home was manufactured using energy that translates to greenhouse gas emissions from the sorting of raw materials to manufacture and the freight it required to be delivered to the stores and eventually to the end user.

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The practical approach and the classic way to do it are to apply the adage, “Use less, save more”. While everyone could agree on that, the devil will always hound the details, so how?

Even before the news of a cooling economy hit the papers, consumers across the globe have been finding ways to save money, trying always to have more with less. This is truer now.

With cooler winters ahead in many parts of the world and rising energy prices, the Alliance to Save Energy predicted that the average American household will have to spend $1,700 more on utility and gas pump this year compared to just two years ago. Using less and saving more is still a good idea, but alone, it may not suffice.

This year, winter heating cost is projected by the Energy Information Administration to increase an average of 15%. This is not only caused by higher energy costs but by the cooler winters that are expected.

The 15% projected higher heating costs will of course vary and is dependent to some variables like the characteristics of the space heated, the kind of fuel used for heating and where the consumer is located. Just the same, homes using natural gas as its fuel for heating, which comprise 50% of American households can expect an increase in heating cost by as much as 18%; households that are using oil could expect an increase in heating costs by as much as 23%; while those using electricity and propane will have to shell out about 10% to 11% more.

The advancement in technology gives rise to energy saving devices. Before, the main contention was that most of these devices cost more; and sometimes, the amount of energy saved did not really justify the price. But in today’s setup, the effort in cutting the energy cost has made some improvements on the efficiency of energy saving devices. With the threat of a cooling economy, energy saving devices are once again in focus. There are various and very practical devices that could be used in saving energy and they come in different brands, labels, methods of operation and products. Some saving energy suggestions are:

The solar heaters this energy-saving device provides heating for both space and water. Depending on the type of solar heater that is used (be it a part of the structure of the home or one that engage the use of a mechanical device), solar heaters are definite money saver. It is easy on the environment too. Greenpeace should love this one.

Electrical saving devices. These are devices that you plug into your socket that promise to reduce the volume of energy that you consume by stabilizing the flow of your electric current. The only limitation to these devices is that it could only control a specific volume of wattage, say 3000 watts, at any given time. If the household will use more than the wattage capacity that the device could handle, another device should be plugged in.

Finally, there are the energy saving light bulbs, lamps, heaters, appliances and other gizmos and gadgets.

But the fact remains that saving energy is fast becoming the order of the day taking into account the current realities. So if all the energy saving devices out there will still not suffice, the “use less and save more” principle will still add a good deal to your savings.

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