Thanks to Sophia for sharing her knowledge and experience with us and doing this guest blog post for me! She is awesome!
Working From Home: Do You Know What You Want?
Many people like the idea of working from home, but it's not always so cut and dry as there are many things to consider before transitioning into working at home.
The problem people find themselves in is deciding what they want to do and how to go about it. Do they want a telecommute job or a home business or perhaps both to supplement their primary income? I often see people who come unprepared, disorganized and completely lost. No one in the world can help you if YOU don't know what you want.
You have to know what you want to do. Will it be work for a remote employer, own a home business, promote affiliate products or make money online some other way, or a combination of few ways to bring additional income?
How much do you need to make in a month? Be realistic because in the beginning it could be a slow start especially when it comes to a home business and other money making opportunities. Even if you have a telecommuting job you may have to work several jobs or take on smaller jobs to meet your income goal.
Cover letters and resumes are key pieces to being successful in gaining work at home employment. Take the time to craft your resume and cover letters and remember to tweak them so they have the most relevant information for the position you're applying for.
There are many places you can look for work at home companies and a good place to start is search for work at home sites or forums and freelance sites. These places offer free listings of reputable companies who hire remote workers. Other more common and larger sites are CareerBuilder.com, Monster.com, and Yahoo.com. Don't count out Craigslist.org because there are reputable gems to be found. The key is research every lead you find unless stated otherwise and be consistent. Apply, apply, apply.
Having your own home business is also very rewarding, but it takes a lot of commitment and sacrifices. Whether you join a Direct Sales company or start your own business, choose something you're passionate about and there's a demand for it.
If you're looking for a work at home job, or home business, it will most likely have upfront fees. For a work at home job you may have to pay for a background check, purchase equipment like a headset or upgrade your computer. If you have your own business, there'll be fees for your Direct Sales company or if you start a Virtual Assistant business, you'll need a website and hosting.
The Internet is a huge place with a lot of valuable resources at your fingertips. There are also tons of people who are willing to pay it forward so you're not alone. The only thing you need to do is know what you want and the rest will fall into place.
Sophia McIntyre is the founder of WorkAtHomeSpace.com, a free work at home resource focusing on providing work at home companies, daily telecommute job leads, work from home support, articles, business resources and other work at home related topics.
Sophia co-owns WorkAtHomeBusinessOptions.com, a comprehensive work at home business resource focusing on helping others who are looking for opportunities and ideas to work from home. You will also find tips and articles on how to balance work, family and play in your daily life.
