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FAQ about telecommuting

Questions about telecommuting (general)

I want to work from home. Where do I start?

If you are currently employed, start with your employer. If you feel your job could be done from home, approach your employer with a proposal. An excellent resource for providing telecommuting proposal templates and an amazing amount of information about how to approach your boss is WorkOptions.com.

If that's not an option, then evaluate your skills and experience and determine what type of work you are qualified for and would like to do.

Maybe you need to brush up on certain skills or learn some new ones. Check out the Workaholics4Hire.com database of internet courses, which are all free. It helps if you're willing to learn new skills and open to exploring new avenues of work, so don't limit yourself. There are opportunities out there that perhaps you are unaware of or have not considered before. Think about expanding your horizons. If you're determined to find a typing job at home and expect to find it on the internet, consider the fact that there are thousands of others just like you. If you don't stand out from the crowd, and aren't willing to put a lot of time and effort into your search, it could be a very long time before you ever find work.

Finding a telecommuting job is much the same as finding an on-site job. Start by preparing and perfecting your resume and cover letter. Don't expect to submit your resume somewhere, however, and have employers knocking down your door. While some people are lucky enough to have a telecommuting job fall into their lap, don't expect that to happen to you. If you want a job, you are going to have to make it happen yourself. It takes time, effort, and some creativity to find a job, but it can be done. There is a lot of competition, so you have to be qualified, patient and persistent.

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Is it possible for me to get a telecommuting position for my first job out of college?

That would certainly depend on your qualifications and skills. If you've worked through college you'll have an employment record for your resume, if not you'll at least have the degree. Many employers still look for that rather than specific work and life skills. You'll have to sell yourself and be extremely disciplined for working independently, but if your grades are good, they show your capabilities to accomplish goals and be self motivated. That's exactly what an employer needs to know if they allow you to work at home.

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Where do I look for a telecommuting job?

  1. You can start by joining Workaholics4Hire.com. There are many resources to help and inform you here, not the least of which is the free jobs database. Take some time to explore the site and avail yourself of everything Workaholics4Hire.com has to offer.
  2. Submit your resume to as many places as you can find. Use this search box for a quick search on the internet for free resume submission services and places you can submit your resume online.
    Google
  3. Your local newspaper is the best place to find telecommuting work. You can even apply for on-site jobs, offering your services in a telecommuting arrangement.
  4. Job Banks - see work at home search tips here. Use terms such as telecommut*, "at home", freelance, off site, etc. To get the best results, take the time to learn how to use each site's particular search features.
  5. Auction Sites - Here is where you'll find contract jobs that you can bid on. Study the bids made by others to get an idea of how to place your own bid. Look at it from the employer's standpoint, i.e., which contractor would you hire/not hire. Use this easy search box to locate freelance auction sites you can use to get contract work from.
    Google
  6. Search Engines - see work at home search tips here. Don't expect to type in "work at home" and get a list of jobs. What you'll get is a list of scams and people wanting to sell you job lists and lists of companies hiring homeworkers. Use search engines to find info on telecommuting, job banks and auction sites, and use keywords specific to your type of work to find job listings.
  7. Newsgroups/Message Boards - Join a newsgroup or message board relating to your type of work.

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Is this for real? I can work from home and get paid?

Yes it is for real.....However there are many many scams out there. Just remember a real employer never asks for money.

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Are telecommuting and freelance auctions legit? How can I trust a job I get online?

You have to consider the source of the auction. Make sure you do your research both on the site and on the employer (buyer) you're bidding on. Most of them are legit but you do need to use caution. Use a trusted freelance contract source for best results.

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What kind of jobs lend themselves to telecommuting?

To name a few:

Writing
Programming
Web design
Data entry
Customer service
Sales
Internet community jobs
Data collection
News monitoring
Editing/proofreading
Database administration
Accounting/Bookkeeping
Research
Transcription
Graphic artist
Telemarketing
Recruiting
Translation

Any work that does not require you to be in the office for customer contact has the potential to be done at home. Obviously a receptionist in a doctor's office would have a difficult time telecommuting.

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Where I live it seems there are no jobs offered where you can work at home. Can you help?

If you can't find a home employment situation where you live, you may have to create one. Try talking to the boss and selling her/him on the benefits of telecommuting. Many employers just have no clue. It's not a typical employment situation so many times its never even been considered. Looking at local traditional jobs may be the best place to start. Make sure you do your homework first. Also be prepared to offer to start in the office for a while before a trust factor is established.

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I took a telecommuting position, and suddenly I feel like there is no one to ask questions of.

You can still ask questions of your employer or someone else in the office. Just make sure you have tried to solve the questions yourself first. Working from home is very different from onsite work. You don't have the people near you to assist you. If you are a self-starter and willing to research the answers yourself, you will find you are more successful than if you always ask a person for answers, rather than finding out for yourself. Don't dismiss the value of networking with other successful telecommuters. Often, they have dealt with the same problems you face and may have the answer you're looking for.

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How do I split family life with home-office?

Don't ask us. We're all workaholics. Ha ha ha. No seriously. This is a problem for many. Telecomuting is a great thing, some can handle it others can't. Try setting aside certain times when your family knows you are available. If your schedule is flexible that's great. If not, that has advantages too. You can make sure you stop and sit down for lunch with your kids, maybe get time in for a game in the afternoon, and try to always be around for dinner. If you have the "I am available" times already set aside, the times when you're working won't be so hard to deal with.

If your boss needs you 9-5 that's great too. Everyone knows that and the rest is available time. If you have children, just make sure it's working for them. If you need a sitter, then hire one. You don't necessarily have to send your kids to daycare - many people find that hiring a teenager to come in for a few hours to watch the kids while you work is a good solution. Or trade babysitting times with a friend or neighbor - you watch their kids on Tuesday, they watch yours on Wednesday.

Make sure your home is conducive to working quietly. You're telecommuting now and the boss expects more output not less.

Work time is work time - family time is family time. Everyone has to find a way to separate the two and depending on family situations each person's solution may differ.

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What personality traits are necessary for working out of the home?

Try taking the "Are you ready to work at home?" test. You'll receive a score and be able to see what you need to improve on.

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How can I convince my current employer to let me telecommute?

If you think that part or all of your job could effectively be done at home, present your employer with a proposal to let you telecommute.

Keep in mind that your employer is not going to let you work at home just because you want to. You're going to have to convince them that it will be beneficial for them.

Arm yourself with facts and be ready to show how the company will save money and you will work more efficiently at home.

The following web sites have useful facts on telecommuting:

http://www.gilgordon.com
http://www.teleworker.com
http://www.tmanage.com
http://www.langhoff.com

You can also find an outline of a telecommuting proposal, along with some good tips and info, here.

The more valuable you are to the company and the more conducive your duties are to telecommuting, the better chance you will have to strike a deal. Be ready to negotiate a part-time arrangement at first, even if it's only one day a week. Your employer is not likely to let you start telecommuting full time right off the bat, but if you start slowly and are able to prove the benefits to the company of letting you telecommute, you will be in a better position to renegotiate your schedule

The same principle applies when you are applying for an on-site position that you feel could be done at home. Tell the employer that you would like to be considered for the position in a telecommuting capacity. Explain how you're best qualified for the job, and offer to work on-site for a certain amount of time initially to prove yourself.

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I want to offer typing services. How do I get clients?

There are a few ways you can do this...

Method #1

  • Check your local newspapers, large and small, to see if there are companies looking for freelancers.
  • Check the same papers for on-site jobs that you feel you are qualified for and could do from your home office.

Then answer the ads, and in your cover letter, tell them how you are qualified to do the job (your relevant experience and skills). Then tell them you have a completely outfitted home office and explain how they could benefit by using your services, either to do the job full time, or offer to do the job until they find the perfect candidate (so they don't have to rush into hiring someone). Try not to make it too long (the shorter the better) and be very professional. Then include your resume (no more than two pages - one is best) and if you like, any glowing letters of recommendation you may have. You could make up a generic letter that you could customize for each ad and then fax/email some every day.

Method #2

You could also do something similar, but not in response to job ads. Look in the yellow pages and find companies listed under insurance, import/export, publishing, whatever you may have experience with. Send a letter of introduction, outlining the services you provide and telling them how they could benefit by using them.

Miscellaneous Methods That Work

  • If you live near a college, put up notices there and contact the professors. College professors/students are always writing something and may need someone to edit/proof/typeset/research.
  • If you live in a suburb, then you have a local paper. Put a small ad in there and keep it there. If people see your ad week after week, they'll think they can count on you.
  • Tell everyone you know what services you can provide. Tell them to tell everyone they know.
  • Make up business cards and leave them anywhere you can and give them to everyone - a plumber comes to your house, give him/her your business card.
  • Put up flyers.
  • Call temp agencies and ask if they could use your services (overflow work, reference checking, etc.)
  • Write a letter of introduction and send/bring it to local small businesses that might not have staff to take care of extra work. Also contact businesses that might have large mailings to do. Companies with a large customer base might need help with data entry projects (real estate, insurance, etc.). Or make an offer to those companies to keep a database/reminder service for their clients.
  • Contact local contractors (roofers, handymen, landscapers, painters, etc.) and offer to do their office work - you could take their calls, make appointments, do invoicing, etc. Free up their time so they can do their actual work, without having to mess with paperwork, etc.
  • Volunteer - often the best way to make contacts that could lead to paying jobs.

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How do companies save money by hiring telecommuters?

Employers do not have the additional costs of Taxes, Workers Comp, Benefits, office space, supplies and general cost of utilities involved with an onsite employee.

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How can I speed up the hiring process?

This really depends on your skills. We get requests for many different skill sets, but they MUST be reflected in your portfolio listing or our search will not pick you up. If your portfolio is versatile and you are highly skilled, the better the chances.

Make sure your portfolio is up to date, professionally written and there are no mistakes on it. The more qualifications you have the better. Keep learning new skills and make sure you post them in the protfolio database and on your resume.

Also, don't assume that by placing your resume in databases on many sites will get you a job. You need to search daily, just as you'd pound the pavement for that office job. Your diligence, coupled with our services will be your best answer.

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I have been a member for a while, why haven't I got a job yet?

Many people assume if they put their resume in a database online they are guaranteed employment. We have never made such a guarantee. Your resume and skills are what get you a job, but your continued efforts are needed. Have you been applying for jobs on a constant basis? When you look for an office job, do you assume if you post a resume in the paper employers are going to call you? Of course not. You apply for as many jobs as possible every week. You network with other people, and you try to be professional in your business dealings. Sure we search our database and we employ a great many people, but we still have competition here, and just as in the real world it is intense.

Have you taken the time to review ALL the steps to your work at home success?

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You Can Work In Your PJs was written by Sylvie Fortin, the founder of Workaholics4Hire, to assist those interested in finding work at home and freelance contracts. Locating jobs that provide telecommuting benefits goes beyond finding jobs in the classifieds. This course teaches the techniques and strategies used by our own team of workaholics to find employers that are more interested in project quality than employee location.

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