Customer Reviews

Survival Jobs: 154 Ways To Make Money While Pursuing Your Dreams

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I quit reading when I spotted "magazine writer" asone of the jobs. Small town publications pay very little for articles (...) and larger magazines often take 8 to 12 weeks to respond to a query because they are buried in letters from people who are dying for a byline. I'm a former newspaper editor, and being a professional writer is hardly in the same league as various gopher jobs. The author would have done better with fewer, more realistic options.

I was very disappointed in this book.

If you live in Los Angeles, I would recommend this book, otherwise forget it. Many of the most unusual jobs were related to the movie and television industry and thus only available in LA, or perhaps New York. Others you could probably only find if you lived in a very (and I do mean very) large city. As for the rest of the jobs, the majority of them can be seen in the want ad columns everyday.

Almost all of her source information recommended checking in the yellow pages under the desired field. When there were actual phone numbers again they were usually for Los Angeles or other large cities.

While there were a few ideas I found interesting I think this book would have been better titled: '50 run of the mills jobs that you've already seen in the want ads, 24 interesting ideas, 20 more interesting ideas if you live in a very large city, and 60 really cool ideas if you happen to live in Los Angeles.'

I cannot say enough good stuff about this book. Wow! It basically details amazingly innovative ideas for how to make money without having to take a 9 to 5 job in LA. This book reshaped the way I pursued income and is the best non-acting book for actors I can recommend. I currently have six freelance jobs (and have had as many as ten different ones at a time this year) and I love the flexibility, financial stability, and freedom to be creative that this lifestyle provides. Not for everyone, but if you're tired of the "golden handcuffs" that a full time job can be in this town, this book will open doors for you, big time!

On a basic level, yes it's useful and necessary to pursue survival jobs. Many students do this while in college and getting started in their careers. People who wish to pursue a career as a photographer or writer will likely need to do survival jobs.

But as we move beyond that basic level - as we begin to talk about white-collar workers and others with careers (ESPECIALLY those beyond 45 years old) - the author's message sounds comparable to a book telling you how to make the best of being in a prisoner of war camp.

Instead of tolerating this "Survival Job" economy which destroys hope and lives, perhaps we should question why things are this way. I heard the author interviewed on NPR and she really had nothing but sympathy to offer to a former corporate career woman whose career dreams are dying day by day as she has had to run a house-cleaning business since 2001 just to survive. That woman was crying as she told the author how she feels condemned to working her very physically demanding cleaning job the rest of her life just to pay her $10,000/year health insurance bill. I won't even get into the extraordinarily naive, glib happy talk from the author regarding how she should put her experience in running a house-cleaning business on her resume.

That woman's body isn't going to hold up forever to the stress of cleaning houses 200+ days a year. Then what kind of survival job should she take, Ms. Jacobson? What kind of survival job should I take if I become too ill to work and lose my job... and therefore my health insurance as well???

To hell with the Survival Economy. Give Americans universal health care so that we are not condemned to poverty for making the foolish decision to become ill. Stop the offshoring of American jobs. Re-regulate Wall Street and the banks who have gutted the economy over the last 30 years and are getting bailed out for their trouble. Where's the bailout for the middle class???

See Barbara Ehrenreich's "Nickled and Dimed" for a far more realistic look at our Survival Economy.

It's definitely a must read book for people who would like to build a "portfolio career". If you are not for the 9-5 office culture and you'd rather do a more interesting and unconventional job.

This book will guide you through a series of weird, fun and unusual jobs. As the titled reveals, they will probably be only for survival, so forget the big bucks if you want to work as a personal shopper, a focus group participant or a food demonstrator.

A good and well written reference book. Keep in mind that it would be easier to get those jobs if you live in a big city.

By Thei Zervaki, a career and business coach

I read this quite a while ago and it really helped me figure out what else I could do after I lost my job. If any one is thinking about a "Survival Job" (especially in this economy) I would highly recommend Ms. Jacobson's book.

I've referred back to this book several times during my life when I was between jobs. It's very useful. It has a lot of original ideas that I wouldn't have considered otherwise. Well worth the money.

I began reading this book as an actor hoping to find some alternatives to waiting tables. I didn't make it very far when the book lost most of it's credibility. The title of this thread references "the office" thanks to an episode where Michael, not knowing about pyramid schemes, introduces one to his employees. I was a bit shocked to find that the author of this book actually listed pyramid schemes or as they are called in the book and by the starters of these scams, "Multi-level marketing."
Shortly thereafter she suggest starting a 900 number. Sadly, i'm not kidding. Then, Yardsales? Is this really a suggestion?
Then I came across my current job, waiter. Apparently I will need to talk to my boss tomorrow, as here we are 10 years later and I'm still not making minimum wage plus tips. Try 2.13. Which brings me to my next complaint or point and that is a lack of research as most of the job write ups seem to be based on a lot of hearsay.

Based on experience I can say that several jobs, like that of the "DJ" and "waiter", are suggested and talked about in this book with most of the information being "hearsay" and flat out false. There appears to be very little research in any of the jobs suggested in this book.

I could go on and on about the flaws in this book. I can only venture that the bulk of the good reviews are friends or family of the author. That is the only way to explain it receiving anything that resembles a positive review. I only hope that Mrs Deborah Jacobson is through writing books or giving employment advice at least as this book is the equivalent of a overweight person giving out tips on dieting. Do yourself a favor and pass on this book.

This is a silly little book. The ideas are a poorly written patchwork with little real guidance. It is the equivalent of many of the "spam" mail scams that we constantly receive offering "work at home opportunities"

I believe the writer takes advantage of people looking for solid advice. It is difficult enough for people trying to survive, be it as an actor, musician or whatever without shelling out money for such a mis-guided and simple minded product.

Apparently from what I read the author quit the entertainment industry and becam a Cantor (which was not listed as one of the 154 ways to make money), so apparently the advice in the book did not work for her!

Save your hard earned money, don't waste your time on this book.

Who knew people do these things? There was something in every chapter that I'd consider doing. I didn't know that you could get paid for a lot of them, I'm inspired!