Because I write extensively about jewelry and making jewelry - it's pretty much my writing niche - I get a lot of questions via email about how to get into the jewelry business.

Some readers are interested in become jewelry designers. Others are more interested in the sales side of things, becoming a jewelry sales rep for example.

After trying out different jewelry avenues, I finally found that writing about it works for me. With my background in technical writing and my English degrees, writing was a good fit for me. (You'd be surprised how similar writing about how to fly a flight simulator is to writing about how to make a pair of earrings.) However, it took me a lot of years trying out other jewelry related jobs before I settled on this. I sold my own hand-crafted jewelry at art shows and through galleries, taught jewelry making classes, and even worked for a while as a sales clerk for a small fine jewelry shop. My point is that trying out different venues related to jewelry was a wonderful learning experience.

If, however, you are understandably shy or just unsure about how to jump into the jewelry industry, here are some resources that you might find helpful in your quest for a career in jewelry. If you know of some others, please add them to the comments so we can all check them out.

Gemological Institute of America: This organization is well known its classes and other educational opportunities, but it also has a careers web page and very often they run job fairs. So, this is a good resource for not only preparing for a job in a jewelry related field, they may also help you land a job once you are trained.

Jewelry Making at About.com: On this site, I have all kinds of information as well as free e-courses on making jewelry. I have also two articles where I go into some detail about jewelry designing: "I Want to Be a Jewelry Designer" and "I Want to be a "Fine" Jewelry Designer." Both are worth a read, though be prepared for some hard facts.

Coutorture: You'll find a Fashion Jobs Listings area on this web site. If you are ready to land a job in fashion, accessories, and/or jewelry, then this is a good place to keep an eye on. I've seen more sales jobs than anything else, but I've also seen the occasional designer position open.

Jewelry and Beading: This is another blog I write, and it's more related to the business side of making jewelry and I talk a lot about my own experiences as a designer and writer.

Amy Peters: Unfortunately, Amy Peters doesn't update this blog that often, but that's probably because she's so busy running her very successful jewelry company. However, even older posts there are full of great business information that indie jewelry designers will find helpful.

Peggy Li Creations: Same thing here with Peggy Li, though she does update pretty regularly. Her jewelry has been shown in big time fashion magazines and even on some television shows. She often gives advice about how she has found success as a jewelry designer.

Jewelry Things: John Mathieu writes about the jewelry business as well as other side notes in his blog. From Rhode Island, originally the jewelry capital of the United States, John has been in the jewelry business for years and travels around as a rep for large jewelry companies.

Industry Publications: Finally, don't forget about trade and industry related magazines such as Accessories, Lapidary Journal, and Modern Jewelry. Display and classified ads are resources for training and job hunting.