Q:

A: Here are several avenues you could pursue:

• Reach out to recruiters at placement firms and let them know you’re looking for short-term, part-time or temporary employment while you conduct your job search. To name a few placement firms: Star Collaborative, Dahl Consulting, ITR Group Inc. and Valere Consulting.
• Consider working through a temp agency, such as Pro Staff, Dolphin Staffing, Kelly Services, Manpower or Office Team.
• Either directly or via a recruiter, apply for and obtain a different position at your dream company. Make connections on the inside, and work your way into your dream position.
• Search for part-time, contract and temporary listings at such job search engines as Indeed.com and SimplyHired.com.
• Freelance or contract consult in your area of expertise while you search.
• Look into becoming a virtual assistant (VA), which will give you the flexibility to work on your own schedule from your home office. Learn how to become a virtual assistant from the master, Reese Ben-Yaacov.
• If you become a VA, learn WordPress, so you can make your own website. (You’ll also want to watch this tutorial to decide if you should focus on learning WordPress.com or WordPress.org.)
• If you’re already caring for a child or children in your home, consider offering in-home child care (or senior care, or pet care). You can find leads in your area at Care.com.
• Have a knack for writing and an interest in the non-profit sector? Learn how to become a grant writer. Grant-writing services are in demand.
• Spread the word about your availability and interests to those in your LinkedIn and other social media networks.

Best wishes!

While rules the A.P. Stylebook lists are more in-depth, here’s basically what I need to know — in the form of examples — to ensure I follow A.P. Style for degrees. (Note: other style books, such as Chicago Manual of Style, handle degrees differently. But I write for my clients in A.P. Style.)

A.P. Style: Degrees Examples

• Jane Doe holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music from University of Colorado-Boulder.
• Jane Doe holds a bachelor’s degree in music from University of Colorado-Boulder.
• Jane Doe holds a Master of Science in Engineering from University of Wisconsin-Madison.
• Jane Doe holds a master’s degree in engineering from University of Wisconsin-Madison.
• Jane Doe holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Physics from Harvard University. (Rare. Opt for next example instead.)
• Jane Doe holds a doctorate in physics from Harvard University.
• Jane Doe holds an Associate in Arts from Harvard Extension School. (Rare. Opt for next example instead.)
• Jane Doe holds an associate degree in arts from Harvard Extension School. (Note that “associate” is not possessive, as in “associate’s,” even though “bachelor’s” and “master’s” above are possessive.)

In the context of a bio, you’d spell out degrees, as shown above. Refer to the Associated Press Stylebook (affiliate link below) for how and when to use abbreviations for degrees. Some common degree abbreviations I come across are:

• A.A. for Associate in Arts
• B.A. for Bachelor of Arts
• M.A. for Master of Arts
• M.S. for Master of Science
• M.B.A. for Master of Business Administration
• M.F.A. for Master of Fine Arts
• Ph.D. for Doctor of Philosophy

Melanie Lundheim, who holds a bachelor’s degree in English from University of Wisconsin-Madison, freelance writes for global organizations from her home office in Minnetonka, Minn.

Jane Smith

Jane Smith is communications director of XYZ Corporation. She began her career at the company as a traffic coordinator in 1998 and subsequently advanced through a variety of communications positions. In her current role, Jane is responsible for developing the company’s global communications strategy and overseeing its execution to ensure continued success. Prior to joining XYZ Corporation, Jane worked as a features editor for QRS News before becoming managing editor of TUV Magazine, where her team received the 123 Award for Outstanding Journalism. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from University of Wisconsin-Madison and a Master of Business Communication from University of St. Thomas. {Optional:} In Jane’s spare time, she swims, camps and collects stamps.

To correctly list academic degrees in the bios you write, reference my “AP Style: Degrees Quick-Lookup Guide.”

Our fictional Jane Smith described above has followed a traditional career path, working in gradually advancing roles for various employers. My primarily entrepreneurial career path, and corresponding bio, follows a different pattern. Here it is for your reference, which you may alter for your own use, if you wish:

Melanie Lundheim

Melanie Lundheim is a corporate freelance writer and founder of Good Copy Fast. Since 1998, Fortune 100 and other clients have turned to her to write internal, marketing, technical and online communications, including speeches, brochures, case studies, scripts, press releases, white papers and more. Well-versed in search engine optimization (SEO), social media marketing and content management, Melanie also writes SEO web copy, as well as blog, guest and social media posts. Prior to branching out on her own as a freelance writer, Melanie was an ad-agency account executive before becoming lead copywriter. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from University of Wisconsin-Madison. {Optional:} In her spare time, Melanie loves to make WordPress websites, walk while listening audio books, and spend time with her husband, Andy, and their two children.

Melanie Lundheim writes bios, speeches, scripts and more for corporate executives and entrepreneurs. Contact Melanie if you’d like her to write for you, too.

To improve your website in general:

Melanie Lundheim of Good Copy Fast loves writing webpage copy, editorial calendars, blog entries and social media posts for her corporate clients.