Hello rishi2002-ga:
If you've been going to "work at home" sites, I can understand why
you're not happy! Many of them come across as somewhat unsavory.
Fairly or not, in general, "work at home" is associated with, if not
downright scams, at least broken promises, low pay, and
disappointment.
Your best bet is to go through very respected sites, like Monster,
even though you will have to commit a lot of time to hunting and
weeding.
Be aware: even highly reputable sites have disclaimers that they
cannot vouch for all employers who list jobs with them. If a job seems
suspect, or if you get a bad feeling about the job/company during your
phone interview with a prospective employer, my advice is to cut bait
there and then, and resume your job search.
So, let's start with this FTC article which points out various scams
and red flags in ads for work at home jobs: " Work-at-Home Schemes":
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/invest/homewrk.htm
That article also advises you on which questions to ask a prospective
telecommuter employer, and where you can take your complaint if you
feel you've been had.
The only jobs you can do at home -- that I found -- are either
computer-related (and your computer skills do seem very strong!) and
home-based customer service representative or home-based call center
representative. Unless you want to start up a business of some sort,
you're limited to jobs that primarily involve computer/Internet or
phone work.
JOB BOARDS
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Work At Home Moms (WAHM)
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This is a respected site -- and no, you don't have to be a mom to use it:
http://www.wahm.com/
Here's their jobs listing:
http://www.wahm.com/jobs.html
(Scroll down to see the jobs.)
Note: WAHM weeds out obvious scams, but admits they sometimes get
fooled, which is quite understandable, given the sheer volume of work
at home advertisers out there.
WAHM recommends that you check in regularly at their discussion board
so that you can get feedback from other members regarding specific
companies and jobs listed here.
WAHM Message Board
http://www.wahm.com/forum/
Scroll down to the subheader " WAHM Businesses and Work-at-Home Jobs"
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Telecommuting Jobs:
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Telecommuting Jobs:
http://www.tjobs.com/
This site requires a $15 password registration fee that's good for one
year. That fee is much lower than many other work-at-home sites and,
as far as I know, this site's reputation is good. That $15 fee allows
you to contact employers who have posted ads, and it also allows you
to post your resume at this site so that employers can find you.
List of job categories:
http://www.tjobs.com/jobopps.shtml
Data entry and other computers skills:
http://www.tjobs.com/new/dataentry2.shtml
(Home-based call center jobs are also listed here.)
What's especially nice about the two above sites is that they're
streamlined; nearly every job listed is a telecommute position. (There
are mystery shopper and sales jobs listed here that probably don't
meet your needs.)
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eLance:
*********
http://www.elance.com/
eLance's membership fees start at $5 a month, and you might want to
give it a try. Here's how to become a "provider" or seller of services
(employment seeker) at eLance:
http://www.elance.com/c/cats/main/sellers.pl?promo=&newReg=&jobid=&from_bidding=N
Be sure to look toward the top of the page, at right, for the box
headlined "8 Things You Should Know." The links there will educate you
about the various features and subscription rates eLance offers.
eLance is different from the other sites I've assembled, in that you
have to bid against others for the gig of your choice. Also, many of
the jobs listed at eLance are short-term, temporary jobs. However,
eLance attracts many very reputable, good-paying employers, meaning
your chances of getting burned here are very remote.
I realize you want steady work. Adding some impressive freelance
credentials to your resume should help you in your quest to eventually
get a steady telecommute job.
At this page:
http://www.elance.com/c/search/main/lSearch.pl?domain=projects&mode=browse&stage=results
Look to the left of the page for the box that says "All Categories."
Be sure to explore the links fully to see if any of these jobs or job
categories seem right for you.
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Craig's List
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At Craig's List's homepage:
http://www.craigslist.org/
Search either by job category or location. (Location is at the far
right of the screen.)
Whether you search by job listing or by location first, as you click
around, you will see a menu with options like "Telecommuting" and
"Contract."
Then click "Telecommuting" in the check box, and hit "Search." Or,
type "telecommute" or "anywhere" or "offsite" into the search box and
hit enter.
When you find a job that interests you, look toward the top of that
listing and you'll see a "Reply To" with a hyperlinked e-mail address.
That's the address you'll use to apply for the job.
Craig's List requires some patience as job hunting here requires quite
a bit of clicking, sifting and sorting. But you'll soon understand why
this site has achieved such venerable status.
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Media Bistro
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You might want to look for Web page designer jobs or assistant jobs --
if you have those skills -- at Media Bistro:
http://www.mediabistro.com/joblistings/
In the menu at left, type in the word "freelance" or search by state.
In most cases, you will have to go through the particular ads that
interest you in order to learn if you can telecommute for that job.
If you have any experience as a writer or editor, or have any sort of
work experience in media, this is an especially helpful site.
You will have to register at Media Bistro to read jobs ads and get
contact information, but registration is free.
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Monster & HotJobs
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More and more brick & mortar companies are allowing more and more
workers to telecommute. Unfortunately, you don't have the option of
going to work in an office for 6 months or a year, proving you're
reliable, then persuading your boss to let you telecommute.
If you're willing to commit some time and energy, you can find
telecommute jobs from very established companies, as well as startups,
by weeding through ads at such renowned large job sites as Monster and
HotJobs.
You can setup job search agents at Monster.com, meaning that you'll
receive an email every day listing new job opportunities that match
your key words. That will save you a lot of time.
You can also post searchable resumes at both sites, allowing employers
to find you; and you can "network" at both sites, allowing you to meet
other job seekers with work interests similar to yours. Best of all,
both sites are free.
Monster.com:
http://www.monster.com/
HotJobs:
http://hotjobs.yahoo.com/
Search using keywords or categories like "data entry," "desktop
publishing," or "executive assistant," or "virtual assistant," if you
have secretarial skills. I don't know all your skills; you may be
qualified to search for "web site designer" jobs, etc.
Since you're open to different ideas, you may want to search just
using keywords like "telecommute," "anywhere," "offsite," "remote,"
and "work at home." Those keywords will bring up numerous hits, so be
prepared to do a lot of weeding.
I've found that, at both sites, putting in too many keywords brings up
way too many off-target results. Try searching with just two search
terms without selecting location or category; or just use one of these
terms: "telecommute," "anywhere," "offsite," "remote," and "work at
home," then select a job category.
For instance, at Monster.com:
http://www.monster.com/
I typed in "MS Office, anywhere," did not check location or category,
and I brought up a lot of good hits. Also try "data entry, anywhere,"
and "data entry, work at home."
You'll still come up with a lot of hits that are for on-site jobs, but
the fewer search terms you use at a time, the better, I've found.
I then went back to the homepage:
http://www.monster.com/
Where I typed in "work at home, telecommute" in the search box, then
chose the category "Internet/eCommerce," and hit "Search." Also try
the category "Other" or any job category that interests you.
If you're willing to commit time, you can find quite a few very good,
very legitimate job leads at Monster and HotJobs. Feel free to check
the company by typing the company's name into your favorite search
engine and adding "+scam" or "AND scam."
Or, just type in the company's name and run a search, then run it
under "Groups." If numerous former employees have been complaining
about the company, you're pretty much guaranteed to get hits to that
effect.
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Companies That Hire Telecommuters
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Bear in mind that many companies only consider telecommuting for
experienced, proven employees who have been working on-site for some
time. These are people the company believes can be trusted to be
productive in an unsupervised setting.
The following are companies that have favorable views toward
telecommuting, and that you can approach about telecommuting jobs.
If any links are broken at the following resources, just type the
company's name into your favorite search engine and you'll bring up
that company's homepage. (It should be at, or near, the top of the
list of hits.) Once you're at the company's official site, look for a
link like "Jobs" or "Careers" or "Working for [name of company]." If
you don't see any such link, go to "About Us" or "Contact Us."
MyMommyBiz.com:
http://www.mymommybiz.com/telecommute/companylist.html
"Telecommute Friendly Companies," from 2 Work At Home.Com:
http://www.2work-at-home.com/telecommute.shtml
Also see "How to find a telecommute job " at OnixSoft :
http://www.onixsoft.com/story1707.html
Another thing to consider: many telecommuting jobs are categorized as
freelance or contract, and are 1099 income-based.
If you have only ever earned W-2 income before, I urge you to consult
with a good accountant or financial planner when you enter the world
of 1099. (If you don't live in the U.S., you should still consult with
an expert about your country's tax code for self-employed income.)
S/he will advise you on deductions; putting aside X% of income for
taxes (Uncle Sam can really beat up on 1099 income earners); tucking
away X% of income in IRAs or Keoghs, etc., so that you don't wind up
sending the government a huge -- even painful -- chunk of your
hard-earned money next April.
Search Strings:
telecommute
work at home
telecommute +data entry +MS Office
I hope my research is of help to you. If you have any trouble
navigating any of the above links, please post a "Request For
Clarification," and I will assist you.
Good Luck!
nancylynn-ga
Google Answers Researcher |
