What every Work from home "want to be" Should Know Before Diving
into Telecommuting
Thousands of employees are coveting the chance to clock in from
their home office. A fortunate few have earned this position
through their workplace, while their co-workers are murmuring
under their breath. Others are tired of waiting for their
employer to offer this opportunity, so they are jumping ship and
abandoning the job that once held the promise of security, for
instability-- and trading in the title of payroll employee for
independent contractor. But, before you take that dive into the
home employment waters. Have you weighed out what it will take
to make it to your destination? You should have a tried and true
plan to become a telecommuter, or you will be like so many
others who have taken the dive and are now aimlessly flopping
around.
First of all let's talk about your source of income, in short--
if you do not have a spouse or significant other that can carry
your finances, you need to hold on to your day job. I have seen
to often people unable to make ends meet because they were
suddenly caught off guard when their job search out lasted their
savings. Second, how's your attitude? Do you have a strong
tolerance for the tedious? How well do you handle rejection? Can
you work independently? Are you open to stretching your skills?
Tolerance for The Tedious Bold Underline
Why do you need a strong tolerance for the tedious? Well if you
are not of that fortunate few whose current job lends it's self
to telecommuting. You will need to consistently search and purge
job postings. In order to get a job, you need to be doing this
day & night, and then guess what! You do the same thing again
tomorrow. I'm not telling you this, to discourage you-- it's
actually exciting when you think about your ultimate goal, and
the personal reward, working from home is going to give to you.
Assuming that you are new to the idea of telecommuting, I'll
briefly explain to you why you have to purge. I refuse to go
into all the different scam scenarios you should look for
because it has been done to death in almost every telecommuting
article you can think of. The word S C A M has been thrown
around so loosely by what I call "Scam Phobics", even the image
of legitimate work at home companies have been tarnished, just
because the position did not turn out to be the dream job they
thought it would be. So we want to focus on purging without
being paranoid. To start you need to be clear on what you are
searching for, your goal is to find a real job for a reputable
company, so you are going to have to purge the posting that does
not fit this profile. Some examples of this are; job listings
that post over and over again, jobs that ask for money and what
ever says start your own business... because you do not want a
"business opportunity" you want a home based or telecommute job.
For best results try key words like-- telecommute, home based,
virtual office, outsource, independent contractor and freelance.
For more information on scams, just go to Google and search
"work at home scams" you'll find endless information.
Handling Rejection Bold Underline
It is important that you know, you are entering a job market
that is incredibly desirable to many. You may not get a job from
your first application-- second, third, fourth, or fifth. The
truth is, it's not likely, that the employer will ever get back
to you to let you know they received your application, not
trying to intentionally offend you, companies just do not have
the time or man power to call every potential candidate to let
them know the position has been filled. Nevertheless, you always
approach the job with the attitude that you will get it and
eventually you will. To cut down on the number of rejections you
encounter. Here are some rules to follow:
1. Always follow the instructions that the company have set for
applying for the job. If they say, do not send your resume as an
attachment, don't do it anyway and think they will accept
it--they won't!
2. Now that you are seeking a telecommuting position customize
your resume to meet telecommute qualifications, you can do this
without padding your resume with false information. Pin point
positions where you have worked independently, owned your own
business, show manger or leadership skills etc...
3. Always have a cover letter ready, it's fan mail for your
resume. The C L's job is to convince the employer to read your
resume; Each C L should be tailored to the company and position.
4. Make sure your contact information is accurate and once an
employer calls you, they do not reach a voice mail with 5
minutes of your favorite song before the beep to leave a
message, remember you always want to project a professional
image. If possible give the employer more than 1 way to contact
you.
5. Get prepared for a telephone interview. A telephone
Interview is the most common way to interview home based or
virtual candidates.
3 Quick Telephone Interview Techniques Bold
1. Post your resume by the telephone
2. Illustrate your skills with actual on the job experiences.
3. Demonstrate the ability to work independently.
Can You Work Independently Bold Underline
Working at home means working independently, no co-workers to
vent with or talk to about the latest gossip. The IT guy is no
longer a few cubicles away to trouble shoot your system when it
kicks you out. You can't have some one fax a document for you or
take the call you have avoided like the plague. You need to be
able to manage your own time. When you work from home you should
work as if the supervisor is watching over your shoulder. Log in
on time, take breaks when scheduled and don't over do lunches.
Please do not be mislead into thinking the boss does not know
what you are doing, it's true they may not know what you are
physically doing, but they definitely will know what you are
"not" doing by your work production--whether it's sales,
customer service, or transcription. It's the "not doing" they
care about. So, you need to make sure that your family and
friends understand that when you are in your home office, you
are working. You will not be going on shopping sprees, golfing
during work hours or catching a movie, until you sign off for
the day. Some people have told me that they even put a sign on
the door that says, daddy's at work or gone to work-- it helps
to communicate the message better.
Do You Know How to Stretch Your Skills Bold
Underline
Consider the skills and experience you have, now think about how
you can stretch some of these skills to another job. Leaving
your options open to other jobs, will increase your chances of
finding a telecommuting job quicker. For instance, if your
outside job is data entry, you may consider home based coding or
transcription jobs. Here is another example of stretching your
skills. Veronica has been a family child care provider for 10
years. Veronica is ready for a career change, but she still
wants to work from home. Veronica sat down with her husband and
created a list of her skills. After this list was complete, she
formed a second list that shows how she can stretch her skills
into other work from home positions.
Veronica's 10 Strongest Skills Bold Underline
* Strong verbal and written communication skills
* Excellent customer service
* Good Marketing Skills
* Knowledge of Microsoft windows, with the ability to access and
input data
* Self-Starter, works well independently
* Bilingual- Spanish, English
6 Telecommute Jobs That Match Veronica's Skills Bold
Underline
*Bold Home Based Call Center Agent:
Answering inbound calls and processing orders for customers or
making reservations
*Bold Telephone Interpreter:
Third party on telephone line helps communicate customers' needs
through bilingual or multilingual tongue
*Bold On-line Concierge:
Ensure hospitality services for customers of hotels,
restaurants, car rental agencies etc...via email and phone
*Bold Home Based Dispatcher:
Dispatch calls from home for trucking and delivery companies
*Bold On-line Tutor:
Tutor children on- line in Math, Reading, English etc..
*Bold Virtual Assistant:
Perform receptionist duties from home for CEO or small business
owner
I encourage you to do this exercise at home, try to see how far
you can stretch your skills-- your mind will begin to see job
opportunities that were hidden to your eyes.
Telecommuting offers the temptations of, never having to see
your child cry for you as you walk out of the door, sitting at
the dinner table as a family, home cooked meals instead of fast
food and no more sitting in 2 hour bumper to bumper traffic
while your $2-plus! a gallon gas--slowly slips away. Yes, it is
very tempting, but before you take that dive into the work from
home waters, use these strategies to make sure you stay afloat.