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I know that many will be disappointed here after landing on
this page hoping to find THE gold mine. There is no gold mine, no
more on the internet than there is in real life. Only those who are
truly serious and committed to find legitimate work at home will
eventually achieve their goals through their own research and efforts.
My-biz-world receives a lot of hits for
"telemarketing from home", "appointment setters from
home", and other "phone work from home"
derivatives.
I read the paper every day and I always
check the business and business opportunities sections - I'm always
on the look-out for new information. From time to time, I see ads
from Employment Agencies looking for people to work at home.
Always on a part-time or temporary basis and most commonly to work on a
specific project for a limited time. Sometimes they need
someone who is experienced, other times the company is willing to
train.
After checking out a few ads in the local
newspapers and calling the advertisers for more information, I thought I
would address the issue here.
What are they looking for?
Sometimes it's to conduct market
research surveys (I did that in French for a marketing company - I
know the owners - as a favor for over a year on and off because I
speak French). It can pay very well depending on the client
company. You have a minimum number of surveys to do every day and a
lot of questions to ask and report the answers in writing. You're
provided with a list of several hundred names and phone numbers, a lot of
survey forms, as well as a list of questions to ask that the client wants
to know about. You're on the phone ALL DAY. It's a job that
you have to do and the company expects you to work those hours even if
you're at home.
Depending on the deadline, you either have to call
these people until you've called them all (you also have to report
"no answers and time of your calls"), or you call as many as you
possibly can for the number of days that you were given to complete the
surveys.
Your phone bill has to be submitted to the
company (2 reasons: to be reimbursed if it was long distance calls,
and for them to see that you actually did the work when you were supposed
to). Did I mention that you're on the phone ALL DAY!?! If they were local calls,
the company picks people at random that you surveyed and calls them to ask
about the person who did the survey. So if you lied, and they just
called one of your "lies", you can kiss the job goodbye.
Other times they're looking for telemarketers.
I see these advertised every now and then on job sites as well (yes, I
check those too to report back here, but I have yet to find something of
value). These positions are almost always paid on commission
ONLY. I've called Employment Agencies to inquire about them.
They all involved cold calling and all were to sell
something. If you don't sell anything but you spent the entire day
on the phone making calls, sorry but you don't get a dime for your time. The
majority of medium and large companies that use telemarketers (phone
company, cable) have employees to do this work in their office and paid a
salary.
Many of these ads online and in the paper
are for magazines and other products or companies I have never heard
of. Would you really get paid if you sold anything? It's
anybody's guess.
Appointment setters are paid based
on commissions only. These ads are also advertised in the paper
every so often, so I called those that left a phone number or a company
name. One was for a photographer who wouldn't give me any details of
the job or pay other than it varied based on how many appointments I could
set up AND if sales were made (I asked what the base commission for
appointments only, or if there was a commission paid only when a sale was
made, not necessarily when the appointment was booked as per the ad, and
he wouldn't give me a straight answer - BEWARE!).
What I do see every now and then are telephone
workers for psychic and tarot readings. Many are willing to
train, and some ask for experienced people. The one that appears
every so often in a Calgary newspaper offer a 2 day training course for
free. If you pass the course, then you're hired as a psychic.
Depending on the company, you can get set up to work from home or
you have to go to an office to work your shift. Oh, did I
mention this is shift work including weekends?
Another one I see on
occasion in the newspaper is for adult chat lines - and this obviously
isn't for everyone! I don't know how any of these work, they
don't leave phone numbers, just a fax number to send your
resume/application in most cases, and not even an email address.
What type of people work at home
successfully?
Successful home workers are self-starters,
go-getters, they have plenty of self-discipline, motivation and
drive. Obstacles don't stop them, they see obstacles as challenges
and find solutions - on their own. Thousands of people say they want
to work at home, but few will ever do what it takes to get what they
want. Or they just don't have what it takes.
You have no supervision when you work from
home, you're the only there to motivate yourself to get the job
done. If you're talking to a potential employer, and you come across
as hesitant, display a lack self-esteem in any way, shape or form, have no
goals, no plans, no schedule, no previous experience or you can't convince
them that you can do the work, you won't get anywhere fast.
So what do you need to do?
Finding a work at home job is a LOT more
difficult than finding a regular job. Everything that applies to
find a regular job also applies when you want to work from
home.
Research the type of work you're looking
for and see what employers WANT. Most
job sites have free, or very inexpensive, resources on resume writing,
cover letters, how to explain gaps in your work history or how to create a
resume that highlights work experience from life experience if you've
never worked outside of the home. Take advantage of these resources,
help yourself! Stay-at-home moms have a LOT more going for
themselves than they think.
When you show a sound knowledge about the
industry or work you're applying for, you have just set yourself apart
from the rest and it gives you an edge over your competition for that
job. Impress a potential employer, even if it's an agency. Not
with lies, or how pretty or handsome you are, or how well dressed you
are. Show them that you KNOW what you're talking about, show them
that you DID your research, you KNOW what they're looking for, and you CAN
help them.
It has been proven over and over that the
best person for a job rarely gets the job. Without saying that
companies hire unqualified candidates, they do hire people who fit the
profile of their ideal employee, will fit in with the company culture, and
someone who has a positive attitude and shows a lot of initiative.
Having a lot of experience in a field doesn't make someone the best person
for the job. Many times an employer is willing to train someone who
has little or no experience just because they are CONVINCED that this
person is the best person for the position. The same principles
apply for the work at home jobs.
Need to gain experience?
Two words: volunteer work! I
found two work at home jobs in less than one year when I wasn't even
looking through volunteer work. If you need to gain experience, this
is the best way to do it. Non-profit organizations are always
looking for volunteers, you give them as much or as little time as your
schedule permits. Choose an organization that closely matches the
work you're looking for and be on your way.
On your resume or cover letter you can say
that you did volunteer work to gain experience and increase your knowledge
of a certain industry. Not only does this give you experience, but it also
shows that you're not afraid to do what it takes to get what you
want. And when you want to work from home, these are personal
attributes that you NEED to have.
What is a legitimate work at home job?
Too many people don't see the difference
between a JOB and a HOME BUSINESS. They are totally different and
should never be confused because they don't work the same way at all.
A work at home job is when a company hires you and pays you a salary to
work for them from your home. Whether it's a full-time job or
contract employment, just like any regular job, there will be a job offer
letter, contract to sign, normal deductions from your earnings (this may
be your own responsibility as an independent contractor or consultant), income tax
paperwork to fill out (this may be your own responsibility as an
independent contractor or consultant), you will have to give your social security number
(US) or social insurance number (Canada), and most likely, there will be a
face to face interview, or at least a phone interview, before you're hired
to do the job.
The only difference with any other job is that you would be working at
home rather than going to a job site every day.
If you have a full-time job at home and you
are considered an employee, the company will pay you a normal
salary on their regular pay days.
If you're under contract or hired as a
consultant, depending on the terms negotiated with the
employer, you will either get paid a regular salary, get paid monthly or
bi-weekly, or you will get a lump
sum payment when your work is completed if the contract is short-term.
If this is the case, you are considered self-employed and will most likely
be responsible to pay your own income tax and you will have no benefit of
unemployment insurance once you're no longer employed.
Why do online (and some offline) companies charge you to find a
work at home job?
First and foremost, you really need to
differentiate employer from work at home or self-employment agencies. While you should
never pay an employer to work for them, employers are not the ones
advertising the work at home jobs online or offline and charging you for it.
These are called work at home or self-employment agencies. They are NOT the employer,
they are simply the "middleman". If you found a job
through them, you would not be working for the agency, you'd be working
for a different company - the employer.
Employers will most likely never, or very
rarely, advertise for a work at home job on the internet no more than they
would in your local newspapers. Why? Because they don't have
to! There are millions of people in North America looking to work
from home. The majority of these people have little to no skills
and/or little to no experience. These employers would be buried under thousands of
applications and waste their time going through them to find the one
person they're looking for.
So they go to a work at home agency to list
their job openings. It works similarly to a regular employment
agency, except that this time, the employee also has to pay to access the
database of jobs.
What is a work at home agency
A work at home agency is a company that
specializes in work at home jobs only. They work with employers to
find out about available jobs, what types of skills are needed, and then
post the jobs in their database. Qualified applicants can find them
and apply either directly with the employer or send their
application/resume to the agency for the first screening before forwarding
it to the employer for their review.
The jobs they advertise in their database
are REAL jobs posted by REAL employers. Because few people are
willing to pay to access these databases, there are fewer applications and
screening time is cut by a large margin for both the employer and the
agency.
Self employment agencies offer much more
than just a database of jobs. Depending on the fee they charge, most
will also provide career counseling, resume review and rewrite, help with
cover letters, how to best emphasize your experience and education to
match the job you want, etc.
There are many similar agencies in large
cities in the US and Canada. When I was laid off in 1998, the
Unemployment office had referred me to such an agency. It was free
through their program. But if I had sought their services on my own,
it would have cost me over $800! And they do NOT give you
access to real work at home jobs. They help you with your resume or
application letter, assist you in identifying employers who would hire
work at home employees in your field, give you tips for interviews
and how to set yourself apart from the pack, etc. And they charge
you a small fortune for these services! In the end, you still have
to find your work at home job on your own.
So if you think that online companies
charge too much for these services, think again! Try this in real
life... Look in the yellow pages in your area, call your
Unemployment center and ask them for contact numbers and call them.
Ask their price and what they do for you.
Why do online agencies charge you to
access the databases of jobs?
Simple, they provide much more than just a
database of available positions. They also have overhead expenses.
Some have offices, they do have employees, they have to pay for their
internet needs (hosting, etc.), work to keep the databases up-to-date,
review and update the website every day, etc. etc. etc. Although it's not a free
service, their fees are relatively low and well worth the price.
Some also offer memberships which include
having someone work with you to help you with your resume and how to get a
work at home job in your field or suited to your skills.
For example, a work at home mom who
has never worked out of the house may be limited when it comes to work
experience. However, a professional can work with you to emphasize
that you have superior organizational and budget and accounting
skills. A stay at home mom needs to take care of the kids, get them
out of bed in the morning and take them to school, make lunches, clean the
house, cook meals, go grocery shopping; many also pay the bills, buy
clothes and school supplies, etc. You may not know how to put this
into words to match the requirements of a job, but a career counseling
professional can do this for you and help you write a good resume that
will get you the job you want.
Someone who has experience in resume
writing, works with employers every day and knows what they're looking
for, can be a major asset to have on your side and can help you get the
job you want at home.
Are they worth the price?
A lot of people have found work at home
jobs with these agencies. And a lot of people have never found one and
paid money for nothing.
Most agencies charge you less to access
their database than the monthly fee of your common internet affiliate
program. I find it comical that so many people pay membership fees
to an affiliate program for months and never make a dime, but refuse to
pay a much smaller fee to find a real work at home job. It makes no
sense at all.
How do you know if work at home agencies
can help you find a work at home job?
If you have never worked or have little
work experience, if you only have basic computer skills, your typing,
spelling and/or proofreading skills are average at best, your chances of
ever finding a work at home job are slim to none unless you start your own
business. That's where having access to the services of a
professional would really help you. They may be able to identify
other work areas or ideas that never crossed your mind before but could
bring additional income to your household without having to leave your
house. Or they would tell you straight out that this area is just
not for you unless you can find a work at home job on your own in the city
where you live.
On the other hand, if you know Microsoft
applications or any other software programs and spreadsheets very well, if
you have some (even if little) experience in graphic design, presentation
software, programming, web page development, HTML, Java, (or any
other) Dreamweaver, FrontPage knowledge, if you have ever used any type of
industry specific software (sales databases or non-profit related software
for example), if you can write
and proofread your work or someone else's work... You would have a
pretty good chance of finding at least a consulting job.
Once you have some work references to give
another employer, other jobs won't be as difficult to find. Word of
mouth is also a huge factor in these situations. A happy employer
can be a good future source of income by referring you to other employers
for similar work.
What types of work at home jobs will you find online?
For the most part, the legitimate work at home jobs advertised
on the internet are consulting contracts.
What is a consulting job?
It means that you are hired by an individual or a company to work on a
specific project. At the completion of the project, you get paid.
You do not get a regular salary, it's not a job per se. It's a
contract job.
These are perfectly legal and will, in general, pay more money than a
regular job would pay you. You'll find a lot of opportunities for
website or graphic designers, writing or typing reports, computer
programmers, etc.
How to
find a contract job online?
Many agencies offer you access to their
database of available consulting jobs. Note that these agencies are
NOT employers looking for people to work for them. These agencies
gather a lot of information on employers who have needs for temporary
workers or employees to work on a specific project.
They do charge a fee which will vary from
one agency to another and it is perfectly legal. They keep their
database of jobs up-to-date, provide good information and support, and can
match you with the opportunity best suited to your skills very
quickly.
How much money have you already spent
online trying to make a living only to lose your investment?
It's perfectly natural to be a little wary
when asked to pay for something when you're not really sure what you'll
get in return. But what have you got to lose?
Our recommendations
We strongly recommend Freelance
Work Exchange. They have been online for many years, have an
excellent reputation, and can provide access to hundreds of
legitimate work at home jobs that will pay you good money. Their
staff offer great support, are very responsive, and they can help you find
your dream home job quickly without headaches or being scammed.
Once you have found a consulting job and
can provide references to the next employer, it is much easier to
jumpstart your "home business".
You can also find such companies in most
large cities in North America. Employment centers (unemployment) and
human resources centers can also refer you to several companies that will
help you with your job search, setting up your own business, or how to
find consulting jobs. These are VERY expensive if you seek
their services on your own.
Make sure that the ad you are responding to is from a legitimate
source. There are many services online that post these opportunities
on a regular basis but charge a fee to access their job database. Many of
these agencies are legitimate and advertise legitimate work at home job
opportunities. Many of them are also right out scams.
Like anything else, do your research before jumping into anything or
paying a large fee to access any database. If they offer a free
trial, or a trial at a major discount to view and access their jobs, it
may very well be worth the small investment to check it out first.
But don't spend a large amount of money to find a job, ever.
How do you find a legitimate work at home job?
Most work at home jobs result from a regular job, for example,
someone who has been working for a company for some time in a position
that does not necessarily require them to come to the job site every day.
With technology such as laptops/home computers, connections to networks,
and cell phones, more and more employers allow their employees to work at
home.
So how can you work from home without holding a "normal" job
first?
Chances that a company will hire someone from a different state or
country to work from home are slim to none. Although not impossible,
this is very unlikely. Also, you will most likely need some type of
skills or qualifications, even if you're only looking for a job as a
typist.
Your local newspaper(s) is a great place to start. Read the
business section, familiarize yourself with employers in your city, what
they do, how many people they employ, their reputation.
Contact local employment and head hunter agencies in your area. Join
volunteer groups - many work at home jobs are found through these
contacts.
Once you have identified the companies you would like to work for, call
the main office and ask for the name of the head person in Human Resources
or the Manager of the department where you'd like to work. NEVER
send a letter addressed to no one in particular and starting with
"Dear Sir", or worse "To Whom It May Concern".
Then send them a copy of your updated resume, portfolio (website or
graphic designer for example), highlight your qualifications, education,
and all software programs with which you are proficient, and make sure to
specify that you have a fully equipped home office to perform the work.
Tell the employer in general terms why you want to work at home;
make sure you emphasize the hours you can give to the job every day to
reassure them that you can do the work in the time you are given.
Companies will not accept any excuses if you don't finish the work on
schedule. If you want to keep your work at home job, make the
necessary changes to your daily schedule.
- If you have children at home, make sure you find quiet time to
work without interruptions.
- If you have a business phone line, never allow your children
to answer it. It's NOT cute or funny. It's very
unprofessional.
- If you already have a job, make sure you set enough time aside to do
your other work.
- Pulling an all-nighter to finish your work can lead to mistakes due
to fatigue and carelessness and could result in the loss of your work
at home job.
- Create a daily routine for your work, make it known to your family,
and try to abide by it every day.
The main point to successfully earn an
income from home is to be dedicated, committed and well organized.
Have rules that you and your whole family can follow every day. It's
so easy to be distracted and you'll find every excuse not to work.
It's very difficult to get motivated when you're at home. We're all
so used to being home after work so we relax at home, we do nothing at
home.
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