Consider more than just rental income, such as, prior tenant history, civil and criminal background, employment history, number of occupants for the size of the home, desired move-in/move-out date, etc.

Fully employed and I could easily make 170K+ which would of course take a huge burden off me financially and otherwise. 

My husband and I are the employers and we have employees in our plan with their own accounts.

If so, what are some good certs or proven path to break into employment in those areas?

You can look at a conventional cash out refinance which uses your employment and income as well as DTI to qualify you...or if that is an issue, then I'd suggest a DSCR loan.

When taking applications, should I charge a fee to cover background, credit, and employment checks? 

However, when I attempted to contact her employer, she only provided an email address.

Employ and supervise my own construction crew.

The loan is conventional and they are asking for Employment Verification saying I work remote in order to settle the occupancy rule. 

Make sure you're performing credit checks, background checks, verifying income (calling employers and even checking bank statement if you need to), and calling former landlords to inquire about/confirm their habits as a tenant (cleanliness, respect for neighbors, paying rent on time, etc.).If you don't think you're capable of this, definitely find a good property manager!