Finding Legitimate Work-at-home jobs

Disgusted with the lack of legitimate telecommuting resources, Rosalind Mays (an at-home mother of three small children) decided to write her "own" guide to help others who wish to work from hom. After searching eight hours each day for three weeks, Rosalind Mays threw up her hands in disgust. She was searching for a job she could do at home while taking care of her children. "All I wanted to do was supplement my husband's paycheck," she said shaking her head. "But all I came across were scams and "bogus" opportunities asking for steep fees and offering impossibly huge returns."

"When I finally found real at-home employment it was like opening the floodgates, suddenly the legitimate jobs came bursting forth like water let loose from a dam," Rosalind said. What opened the floodgates? In her research, Rosalind stumbled across some key rules in work-at-home job hunting.

One of the secrets to finding real telecommuting jobs is to "know thy enemy." If the job hunter knows how the scammers work, then time won't be wasted on the "false promises".

Rosalind advises to be aware of three things:

1. Job descriptions
REAL EMPLOYER: Job descriptions will be full of details and skills requirements. Employers have a hard time trusting employees they can't see, so when employers consider telecommuting candidates, they are looking for seasoned, knowledgeable, professionals that don't require much hand-holding. Legitimate employers want to know that they are hiring a disciplined individual that will get the job done.

SCAMMERS: Job descriptions are very vague and often have the kiss of death statement, "no experience necessary" which means it's going to cost you -- a lot! Other scammers don't even mention a job description, instead they describe the success of the company. In other words, watch out if you have no idea what the employer wants from the telecommuting employee!

2. Employer is interested
REAL EMPLOYER: will ask for a resume, samples of work and references. They want to make sure they're getting a "real" professional.

SCAMMERS: ask for money to process an application packet or to send you a step-by-step booklet. They are not interested in what you can do and they don't want your knowledge and expertise. . . they want YOU to want (and pay for) THEIR expertise and knowledge (which is bogus by the way).

3. Hiring Procedures
REAL EMPLOYER: Contacts the employee directly and asks them to sign hiring contracts, discusses 1099 and W-4s (whichever is applicable) and gives complete instruction on what they expect from employees. The employee is now on trial, just as if they were working on "the outside." If during the trial, the employer is satisfied with your work, you continue to have a job. If they are not satisfied with your performance, you're dismissed.

SCAMMERS: You're given vague instructions, some materials and good luck! Sometimes you are given a phone number to call if there are in problems. But guess what? That phone number usually is voicemail and they often don't call you back. Rosalind advises that if during a telecommuting job search if the job hunter encounters an employer that skips any of the REAL EMPLOYER actions listed above: a detailed job description; resume screening and interview process; employment contract, tax papers and evaluation period . . . AND asks for money. . . RUN! You're being scammed.

"Understanding this could mean the difference between gaining income and loosing your shirt." Rosalind advises.

Rosalind Mays created "The Real Deal on Telecommuting" and sells it for $7.00 for hard copy version and $5.00 for electronic copies. Her web page at http://telejobs.cjb.net fights against scammers by educating job hunting colleagues with the latest scam information, a free list of telecommuting jobs (updated monthly) and a message board to allow telecommuters and telecommuting want-to-be's to exchange ideas and information. You can purchase a copy of her report online from the above web page or by writing: Sienna Publishing Company, c/o 13350 San Pablo Avenue #A1-121, San Pablo, CA 94806.

Posted:Friday, April 13, 2007

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