›› Work At Home Job Articles

Telecommuter's Guide to Safe Job Hunting
by Brett Krkosska

If you are a newcomer in the hunt for a telecommuting position this information will help you avoid the "not so promising" jobs and the outright scams.

Once you spend some time browsing for home-based job openings you soon discover there are gobs and gobs of "jobs" that are... well, not really jobs. In fact, work-from-home scams are so prevalent that many people simply give up searching.

There are real jobs out there for telecommuters, but the playing field is large and the sharks are plentiful. So if you want to get that job you must be determined and knowledeable.

Know What You Want From A Job

You should be clear about what you want before you begin searching for work. Are you looking for a job as an employee, a freelance contract job, or would you like a start-up business? Are you looking to be your own boss and invest in an opportunity, or do you need the predictability offered by an employer? Recognize what you want as a home-based worker and you are better able to spot what is worth checking into and what you should avoid.

Look at the list below for descriptions of the various ways people work from home. With this information you can cut through the "job search clutter" and focus on job options better suited for you.

1) Transitioned Jobs

The vast percentage of today's home-based employees, or "virtual" workers, transitioned into the home from the job they formerly performed solely in the office. Many split time between working in the office and working at home. If you are currently employed and feel your job can be done at least partly from home, you may want to consider presenting the idea to your boss.

2) "Off-Site" Teleworker Jobs

Many companies have employees of the "off-site" designation. These are teleworkers who may or may not work in a home office. For instance, their work may involve some combination of traveling in the performance of their duties, working in the office, and working at home. You'll find that job postings requiring travel, in fields such as engineering or sales, are often telecommuter friendly.

3) Telecommute-Option Jobs

While more and more companies are adopting telecommuter friendly policies, the majority of telecommuters still spend some time in the workplace. You see this in job postings with a "telecommute option." The option is viewed as a benefit of the job and usually is not an invitation to work from home every day of the week. So if you're not against having a traditional job, with the idea of working into a telecommuting arrangement, then your job possibilities greatly expand.

4) Telecommute-Only Jobs

Companies that hire employees to work exclusively from home are harder to find. Not all jobs are suited for this arrangement and many employers are simply not comfortable throwing untested employees into a full telecommuting position. You need to be cautious if looking for this type of employment. Scams artists love to prey upon telecommute-only job seekers.

5) Contract Work

According to a survey by the Dieringer Research Group, more than half of all people who work from home at least one day per month are self-employed. Contract providers, also known as freelancers, fall into this self-employed group. They work independently and are paid upon completion of a specified service.

Freelance contracting can provide an exclusively home-based work environment which many people prefer. You have a greater degree of flexibility in terms of where, when, and how you work. However, because freelancers are not employees you don't get some of the benefits a job might offer, such as group health insurance and tax payments to the IRS on your behalf.

It's worth noting that many companies are recognizing the benefits of "homeshoring" rather than "offshoring" their outsourced work. This is especially evident in the teleservices industry, with contractors stepping in to fill jobs formerly performed overseas. Home-based contractors are utilized by companies such as Willow, Alpine, LiveOps, and West At Home with great success.

If you can get by without traditional job benefits you may want to follow the lead of other successful contractors and consider a freelance lifestyle.

Beware Of Opportunities Pretending To Be Jobs

Now that you have an idea of the direction your search will take, it's time to get your guard up. The first thing to watch out for is cleverly worded "job postings" which are nothing more than advertisements for an opportunity.

There's nothing wrong with legitimate opportunities. However, opportunities are not jobs and scams are often advertised in ways that mislead you into believing they are jobs.

About the Author
Brett Krkosska provides how-to advice on small business and home-based work issues. His site, http://www.HomeBizTools.com, helps small businesses reach their fullest potential. He is also the publisher of Straight Talk, a fresh and original newsletter that offers a unique perspective on today's business issues.