Categories: BUSINESS & FINANCE

Legitimate Work from Home Jobs

I have been working from home for many years. I have been scammed and scammed some more and believe me it is no fun. With a drive and determination to keep from working for someone I have set out to research many work from jobs in my quest to work from home. With limited amounts of money who can afford to be scammed? Work from home scams can include paying a fee to work a job from home or doing work and never getting paid for it. I have experienced both. My quest to find legitimate work from home jobs began in 2000 and continued until this year when I found my niche, which is freelance writing. It took me many years to find my niche and legitimate work from home and I feel compelled to inform others of a number of legitimate work from home jobs that I have worked during my work from home search.

A couple of myths exist when talking about working from home. Many people believe it is easy to find legitimate work from jobs. It probably stems from the same thinking that someone working from home is really not working. Let me be the first to tell you that working from home requires discipline, motivation, organization, and persistence. If you have small children it can definitely be a challenge. Another work from home myth is that all work from home opportunities should not cost anything to get started. The problem is that people get home business and work from home jobs mixed up. The two are different. One is a home business such as a virtual assistant business – where you are offering your services, pricing your own rates, creating a website, advertising your business, paying your own taxes and insurance, and getting a business license or registering your business with your state.

A work from home job means you apply for a position, you may receive training, and you work a set number of hours and days. Similar to a home business, most work from home jobs will not offer benefits or pay taxes. You will be an independent contractor, but unlike a true home business, you will not be able to set your own fees or rates, and you may not need to have a business license. What prompted me to seek my own business was the misleading by certain work from home companies that state this is your own business but treat you like an employee. Some people who work from home have no problem with this because they are still saving money on childcare, gas, clothes, and are able to pretty much work when they want and for how long they want. They set their own schedules and work accordingly.

You should never pay for a work from home job. However, a home business, and there are many of them, may require some sort of financial investment. Like any business, there may be start up costs associated with getting started so don’t be alarm or pass up a good opportunity because you think you should not have to pay for a home business opportunity. Another piece of good information is to never settle for one work from home job. I don’t know how many times I have told people this. Working from home can be very unstable, many of the companies over hire, resulting in not enough work to go around. Others have seasonal or inconsistent work available. The competition is fierce when it comes to finding legitimate work from home jobs. Many people are seeking this opportunity and you should prepare yourself. Since the competition is so fierce, applying for work from home jobs is a job in itself. There have been cases where it has taken several months to a year before some people have found legitimate work from home jobs. Others have found work sooner.

I will provide you with a list of legitimate work from home jobs that you can apply to. Remember, they may not be hiring at the moment but most hire several times throughout the year, so keep trying, resubmitting or emailing the companies. Now, the first step in finding legitimate work from home jobs is to figure out what you like to do or are good at doing. I will tell you know that there are a very limited number of data entry jobs. In fact, most of them are local and you would need to search your local companies if you want to do data entry work. If you want to find legitimate work from home data entry, look through your yellow pages under data processing (there maybe a data entry section also), and clerical sections, and begin cold calling these companies. Ask them if they are hiring (preferably, currently hiring) home data entry keyers. If they are hiring more than likely they have a waiting list from here to Timbuktu but it wouldn’t hurt to go ahead and put your name on the waiting list. I did that a couple of times and the company’s finally called me back.

Most of these companies I have either worked for, currently do some very part time work for, or have applied for positions. None ask for any upfront fees. I believe one or a couple requires you to pay for a background check but the cost is minimal and that is the only “fee. Remember, working from home as an Independent Contractor allows you to deduct any expenses accumulated working from home.

All of these jobs are legitimate, you will work and get paid.

Data entry companies
http://www.axiondata.com/employment.htm – data entry but a waiting list.
http://www.angelfire.com/ia3/diondataservices/
www.keyforcash.com – waiting list

Customer service oriented
www.liveops.com
http://www.workingsol.com/ – this is one of the best work from home jobs available. They offer customer service, some data entry, coding, and transcription (if you have experience in these areas. The downside is that there is a waiting list. It took me three years before I heard back from them. But others have heard back in a couple of weeks or months, so it just depends. It is definitely worth applying to.
http://www.workathomeagent.com
http://www.acddirect.com/jobs/
http://www.sciathome.com/index.html – They are new so there maybe some glitches and long waits.
http://www.brgathome.com/applyhome.php – They only hire in certain states.
https://www1.alpineaccess.com/external/index.html – Only hire in certain states.
http://www.voicelog.com/ – sometimes there is a very long wait
http://www.connect-dataplus.com/index.shtml
http://www.verafast.com/job_opportunities.htm#_Customer_Service_Representative – I believe they also may be location specific.
http://www.xactservices.com/ – There maybe a wait. They pay hourly and have benefits.

Coding jobs – These are general or legal coding jobs. You may need experience. If you can type fast this is a good work from home job.
http://www.cyphercontractors.com/
http://www.onss.com/

Background verification – Calling companies to verify employment and school references.
http://www.sterlingtesting.com/

Most of these jobs require high-speed Internet access, which is essential to working from home on the Internet. You may also need a basic second phone line with no options like voicemail, call waiting, etc.

I have found my niche as a freelance writer and absolutely love it. I have a website for my freelance writing business, www.aspecialtribute.com, and I am enjoying my work from home career.