A second income is essential in today’s world. The money comes with a price, though. Our children are being raised by the baby sitter or worse yet, by themselves. Almost everyone that I talk to, who works outside the home, can not afford to quit their job. Yet they dream of being able to sit in their PJ’s at their desk and making millions. I can not promise you the millions, but I can show you how to wear your pajamas to work.
Finding a job on-line is rather easy with all the job sites springing up. You really have to dig to find one that lets you work from home, though. I spent two years looking for that exact position. I was a single mother of three, newly divorced and no job. I knew that the Internet was the information highway. I logged on and took a tour. I never looked back. I found that searching for a key phrase instead of a keyword brought results that were more in line with what I was searching for. An example would be “as an independent contractor” verses telemarketer. Using quotes around the phrase forces the search engine to find the exact phrase. By searching in this manner, I was able to locate many companies that hire directly. I actually filled out an application or submitted a resume, had an interview, received training and was able to start work. None of this cost me a thing other than my Internet connection and phone service.
I feel that any employer that is legitimate will not charge to have someone work for them. Did you have to pay your boss for your position? I think not. At least, I hope not. There should never be a fee assessed for finding a job, whether it is in the outside world or from your home office. That is where so many people are scammed. Once taken, many give up hope. They walk away before realizing there are great companies out there to work for.
There are also a great many forums for home workers to gather and chat about their own experiences. I have not seen a forum yet, that charges to join. The members are all very friendly and willing to help the newcomer. You can get information on companies that are hiring. Posts are made in reference to different jobs available within certain companies. Some boards even have sub forums for contractors of the same company, to share useful hints and tips on how to be more efficient on the job. I have also seen that if someone finds a new work at home position, they share for others to benefit.
Here are some links that may help in your search for an on-line position:
Work at home mom This is an awesome forum for the beginning entrepreneur
Ready2gain This site lists companies that direct hire. No fees are involved.
Why do work Again a site that has a list of employers.
Work place like home This forum has more information than one can hold in a day.
This should get you started. However, do not limit yourself to secretarial type positions. There are a great number of freelance boards that offer telecommuting jobs in every field. You can contract with someone needing a programmer or web designer. There are offers for freelance photographers and writers. Sketch artists and commercial artists are also in demand. Again, it is how you search for these positions that will determine what you come across.
You should always believe in yourself when looking for a work from home job. It is a position that is actually hard for some people. Being able to work in your pajamas can be so appealing, you forget the discipline of a structured environment. I recommend getting up as usual, dressing appropriately for the office, and prepare yourself for the work day. Lazy practices can show in your performance. When you are in your own environment, you sometimes don’t speak as clearly or as professionally as you would in a conventional office. Work habits become more lax. This can cause your work to become substandard. Substandard work can cost you the job. There is always someone out there that is more than willing to take your place.
Another important bit of information is to not put all your eggs in one basket, as they say. You can work for different companies at the same time. This way, when work is slow for one agency, you can still make up for it with another. I find that I am happier with many different projects going at the same time. It breaks up the monotony that can set in from being the only one at the office. This is where you must discipline yourself again. You are going to have family members and friends calling on you more and more unless you stop it right up front. You need to make them understand that work is work no matter where you do it. If I have a busy schedule for the day, I inform my family that I will be doing nothing but work. We have set up a plan just for days like this. There is a separate phone number they call to contact me for emergencies. They understand that interrupting my work is taking money out of my paycheck. It took about two weeks to implement a plan that worked for all of us. Yet, we did it. I now make more money than in a conventional job. I have the ability to be at the school if need be. I can keep my house clean and do laundry by myself. No more tie dyed whites. If one of my children gets sick, I am here for them. The fact that I am the one raising my children, and not a daycare center, is worth every dime I make. Only now it stays in my pocket instead of the baby sitter’s.
