Step-by-Step Guide: Finding Your Work-at-Home Job

Interest in working at home is starting to rise drastically now that so many companies offer the option and flexibility of telecommuting. More people are realizing that with the use of today’s technology, commuting to the office everyday may very soon be a thing of the past. With the added freedom that telecommuting offers, it isn’t surprising so many people are considering this option. Now that you have made the decision that working from home is an opportunity you would like to pursue, how do you get started?

Create Your home office

Before you apply for “virtual” or “work-at-home” positions, you should be sure to have a suitable home office available for use. One of the perks of working at home is that you have a lot of flexibility on where and when you complete your assignments. Having the right tools and room to work in can be a crucial factor in how productive you are as a telecommuter. Below are some quick and easy tips that can help you create your own comfortable and effective home work space:

· Dedicate a work area-You don’t want to place your office in an area of your home where it will have to be moved at the end of each day. While you don’t absolutely need a separate room for an office, it is a good idea not to have your office in the middle of family traffic. Choose an area that will be the least distracting and have minimal noise.

· Functionality-A home office needs to be functional. Adequate space is a must in order to work effectively. Make sure there is enough desk area and shelves to accommodate items such as fax machines, computers and other hardware. Filing areas are also a must for optimum organization and function.

· Get rid of clutter-Use your home office for what it is, an office. Don’t give into the temptation to use it as a catch all area for family mail and car keys. Keep your work area clean and organized and you will find it easier to begin the next project and work effectively.

· Organize your supplies-Keeping your office supplies organized and within easy reach is necessary for effective and time saving work. You don’t want to spend fifteen minutes searching for a paperclip or your staple remover. Dedicate a drawer or compartment bin to holding all your small office items, and a filing cabinet or drawer space for “to be filed” or other paperwork.

· Proper Office Equipment-Essentials include an updated computer with the latest software such as a word processor, spreadsheet program and email capabilities; fast internet connection, faxing and printing capabilities, and sometimes unlimited long distance and a scanner. The requirements can vary among virtual jobs, but the more complete home office you have available, the better chance you have of securing at home employment.

By creating a home office that provides a work area that is both functional and comfortable, you will be in a better position to offer employers the professionalism and stability they are seeking in their employees.

Create an Attention-Grabbing Resume’

Now that you have your home office, you will want to look over your resume and make sure it highlights those skills you will be using in the work-at-home positions you will apply to. List your skills at the top of the resume in an easily readable format such as bullets. Be sure to check all spelling and grammar! Employers take an average of 15 seconds to scan a resume and decide if they will look at it further. They must see the skills they are looking for immediately. The resume of a person looking to work from home plays a key part in whether or not they will receive a job offer. Because of the lack of in-person contact, the resume serves as the ‘first impression’ the employer will get of you. Effects such as page borders, and adding colors and textures to your resume can add professionalism and make an impression on an employer. If you are not sure how to construct a professional resume, you can use a resume enhancement or creation service.

Example Resume’ Skills Area:

Skills

• Proficient in Microsoft Office Systems 95/97/2000, Microsoft Word, WordPerfect, Excel, QuickBooks, ProDoc, Westlaw, Lexis Nexus, IManage, Juris, Outlook, PowerPoint.

• Typing 95 wpm/10-Key by touch.

• Adept at developing and maintaining detailed administrative and procedural processes that reduce redundancy, improve accuracy and efficiency, and achieve organizational objectives.

• Extensive experience in company Event Planning with attention to detail and follow through with event management.

• Highly focused and results-oriented in supporting complex, deadline-driven operations; able to identify goals and priorities and resolve issues in initial stages.

Finding and Applying for Work-at-Home Employment

With your resume complete and your home office set up, it is time to apply for work-at-home positions. First, take a few minutes to answer the following questions:

1. Look at your available schedule and family needs. Will you be working in blocks of time, or at intervals throughout the day?

2. Will you need a sitter to care for the children, or are you looking for a job that will allow you the flexibility to work around their schedules?

3. What positions do you want to apply for? What are you knowledgeable in? Be sure to apply to positions that you are confident you can fill and/or easily learn, as there will not be a manager on hand to ask ‘how-to’ questions of throughout the day.

Once you know what your availability will be for positions, it will be easier to narrow your job search down to those positions you want to fill and begin the application process.

Work-at-home positions can be found on job boards, in newspapers, and in forums that cater to those who want to work from home, as well as through local employers who allow employees to take their work home with them. Some of the most popular work-at-home positions include customer service, data entry, clerical and administrative work. If you have good writing skills, there are numerous positions open for content writers for websites. You may want to consider the possibility of working as an independent contractor (someone who is responsible for their own taxes and equipment costs) for businesses by visiting offices and offering your services and the benefits it offers to the employer by outsourcing their work. Remember, any employment position that asks you to pay money to work for them, or for more information before you can start working is not legitimate.

How Long Does It Take to Get a Job?

With current skills, a home office and a winning resume, you will be working at home soon. For some people, it takes a while to find just the right position, depending on the kind of hours and what kind of job they are looking for. For others, it can take just a couple weeks of applying to find a position. On average, employers take between 2-4 weeks to view resumes and select candidates. They then conduct phone interviews, or face to face, depending on the nature of the position. Because most employers who are looking for telecommute employees contact them by email, be sure to send a follow-up email to them the week after you have applied.

Acquiring a work-at-home position doesn’t have to be stressful, with the right tools and confidence, you can take hold of your future today and join the thousands of people that work from home!

Posted:Saturday, July 07, 2007