A triumphant return to panty hose

Over the past few months, I've had the discomfort of watching my writing income wither from its former glory of "laughable" all the way down to the estimable category of "net loss."  Advertising has all but dried up (in spite of paltry, but ever increasing page views), my other gigs have come to an end and I'm officially PAYING MONEY for the privilege of writing this here blog.

Which is FINE.  Honestly.  They can rip my Typepad account from my cold, dead hand.  I've never written mandajuice for the money and I will happily keep writing here for the rest of my life if I can.  (How cool would that be?  What if I DO keep blogging until I'm 100 years old?  A lifetime of drivel!)

It's just probably about time for me to go to Plan B.  As much as I adore writing and sharing my life with the greater internets, it has really served as a slight detour from my actual real-life career.  Part of me feels like I've gotten a bit off track.  Being a Financial Planner is actually my Plan A.  It always has been.

And after three years of not working in my field (well, unless you count blogging about money), I'm ready to go back to work.  I'm hoping to find something part-time that I can do until I'm in a better position to start my own business, which has always been my goal.  (Have I mentioned my business plan?  Because it's AWESOME.)  Unfortunately there's a metric butt-ton of things I need to do to get back to work, which I shall now list for you:

1.  Find my resume.  I think it's on the hard drive of our old, dead computer.  Today I shall venture off to Best Buy to find one of those USB adapter thingamajigs so I can look for it.
2.  Update that sucker.
3.  Come up with a clever cover letter.
4.  Compile a database of local financial planners for whom I might potentially be able to work part-time.
5.  Mail said cover letter with my resume to everyone in my database.
6.  Follow up a week later via e-mail (my TWO-PRONGED marketing approach).
7.  Join the local FPA (Financial Planning Association).  Start attending meetings.  Advertise myself at both the meetings and on their website (where I'm pretty sure I'll be able to post my resume).
8.  Buy an interview outfit.  (No doubt my existing uniform of capri's and a tank top won't cut it).
9.  GET A JOB.
10.  Figure out what to do with my children while I work.  Hopefully I'll be able to employ a combination of preschool for Alex, Grandma for Genoa and working from home as much as possible.
11.  Get back to the serious work of finishing my CFP (Certified Financial Planner) certification, which entails:

• Completing an online class about Insurance. (A class I've been meaning to take for almost five years).
• Applying for the completion certificate for my education ($75).
• Registering for the EXAM.  The two-day Bar-like EXAM OF DOOM.
• Finding a suitable crash-type study course for the EXAM.
• Studying at least 4-5 hours a day for the two to three months leading up the exam.
• Sitting for the EXAM.  (Preferably PASSING it).
• Having completed all the requirements (education, examination and professional experience), making a final application for CFP certification, paying the $350+ fee.

(My time-line for CFP certification is less than two years.  The exam is obviously the most gruesome part.)

I'm going to be a busy girl! 

Comments

[Amy]

I wouldn't worry about the pantyhose - I work in Corporate America and NO ONE wears them past the interview - wa hooo! Pants that go to your ankles and something besides flip flops? Those you might want to look in to.
Congrats on your plan and good luck!!!! I'll be your first client - do you take them from out of state?

[Rhi]

Good for you! I second the panty hose thing. Unless I have a big important meeting? No panty hose for me.

[Nicole]

Good luck to you with all of that.. Wow- that all sounds really hard.. :)
but PLEASE don't ever stop posting here. I am one of your long time followers.. (just hardly ever comment). I just don't feel right if I do not get to read some mandajuice with my morning coffee.
:)

[Procrastamom]

Go Amanda! It's hard work, I know. I'm currently taking courses towards becoming a Certified General Accountant in Canada. The courses are going to take me about four years, added onto 18 months of a university degree that I need to graduate, but don't have. One also has to work full-time for at least three of those years as well. Hopefully I'll get my certification right around my 40th birthday. It would be the best present!

[Kelly from My Small Cents]

and preferably passing it- you slay me! I'm going back to school myself, in the fall. Ugh.

[Erica]

Are your securities licenses still valid? I sure would hate to take those damn exams again.

[denise]

Why don't you see if your readers would like your services? Because me, I would like financial planning. How much do you charge?

[alison]

In the meantime, you could always tutor kids in math. From home, so no childcare needed, and decent pay per hour. Just a thought.

[G-mom]

I love a person with goals! Me, I just have a "kill list" updated daily. LOL

[Julie]

Cheers to you! I'll second Alison's suggestion re tutoring in math - I had a friend back east who did that. Just in time for kids trying to catch up over vacation without attending summer school.

[Grace]

What are you going to do with Genoa when you start working? I figure that your little man will be in kindergarten by the fall right?