TRANSLATION
If you have language skills and enjoy writing or even just crosswords and anagrams, translation is one definite option. For better or worse, the profession is unregulated and you have two advantages: knowledge of a specific field with all the jargon plus contacts who can connect you to clients as well as tell you where to put targeted ads that will reach the right sort of clients. One website is
http://www.translatorscafe.com and a second is
www.proz.com.The first has a greater concentration of friendly helpful folks while the second is for the mercilessly competitive.
JOURNALISM
Freelance journalism is a second option, especially if you've a flair for photography. Travel magazines are obvious potential clients for your insights into various destinations. Contact magazines and wire services directly -- the latter are always hungry for good feature articles.
TEACHING ENGLISH & OTHER SUBJECTS
A third option is to do an ESL or EFL certificate. The acronyms decipher into English as a Second Language and English as a Second Language. Courses vary in quality and duration, but a good one can be found that will take 90 days. Demand is high across the globe. Although salaries may appear disappointing, they usually enable a nice standard of living. Although education ministries and reputable private employers may require a four year university degree, this is not always the case and China is one exception where people skills, maturity, work experience and ability to adjust to new cultures weigh in as heavily as academic credentials. Some schools advertise with age limits and minimum degrees, but few apply them. They also really like it if you are not looking to save souls through the almighty powers of your favourite imaginary friend.
In my case, I've been with a university in Henan, China for the last four years. The salary equals USD 700/mo.taxfree x 12 months, with free 55 sq.m. flat, utilities, Internet link and one international air ticket per year against 16 x 45-minute teaching hours per week with about 15 weeks paid leave per year. In short, the entire salary is disposable income; breakfast costs USD 0.30 off a street stall or USD 2.00 at KFC -- the street food is also tastier and healthier. In first and second tier cities, expect to find Walmart, Metro, Carrefour and Spar outlets, with Metro having the best selection of European food and beverages.
The kids are also entirely endearing -- lots of culture bumps to laugh about as you get to know each other. The most important rule of thumb is to secure a government school as your primary employer because, if there is any dispute, you can appeal to a specific bureau of the provincial education ministry that will come down hard on the school if you have a case. Private schools tend to be dodgy and should be used only for moonlighting: you have been warned!
One website is
Dave's ESL Cafe. Pay no fees to anyone. In China at least, you'll be hired on the strength of a CV (résumé) and a 10-minute telephone interview. You might also be on the lookout there for universities that offer three year degree programmes in tourism studies.
C.V./RESUME
Your CV is important. Beryl1 gives excellent advice about breaking down your job into a list of the detailed skills it involves. The art of a good CV is to be both detailed and brief: it is not an application for a security clearance but very very exactly the piece of cheese in the mousetrap. There is a selection of good templates for CVs on the Microsoft website:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/te...043371033.aspx.