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Telecommuting Resources

Secrets for Finding Good Telecommuting Jobs  

Updated August 2, 2004.Originally reported for TechTV, 2001

One of the top five email questions I get about job searching is a variation of: "How can I find a job that will let me work from home? I don’t want to start my own business, but I don’t want to go into an office. I’ve been looking for months, and have had no luck. What are your suggestions?"

It’s definitely true that technology has advanced to the point that working from home, or telecommuting, could be a reality for many people. A case in point: the 2001 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas dedicated an entire series of workshops to exploring new and improved telecommuting technologies.

But technology is only one part of the equation. The other part -- employers -- aren’t coming along as quickly. Most employers remain skiddish about creating new positions for employees who want to work from home. According to the most recent Telework America survey by the International Telework Association and Council, in 2000 there were 16.5 million teleworkers. Not only is that fewer people than subscribe to AOL, that’s still well under 10 percent of the nation’s workforce.

Because of these relatively small numbers, telecommuting positions are generally a challenge to find. And sometimes what looks like a real telecommuting job is simply a scam. Unfortunately, many times the work-from-home jobs are filled with job fraud and multi-level-marketing schemes.

It isn't easy, but with savvy and effort you can steer through the job scams and find a real telecommuting position. Unearthing these sought-after positions takes a lot of hard work, some know-how, persistence, and perhaps some compromise on your part.

Here are some tips for beating the odds:

Be wary of "work from home" scams.

Scams appear to be thriving online. Never accept a job that asks you to transfer money from your bank account or wire money from a Western Union or PayPal account. These are rip-offs.The same goes for any site asking for a fee just for the privilege of looking at classified ads online. For detailed information about protecting yourself from work at home scams and other job fraud, see <http://www.worldprivacyforum.org/jobscamtipspayforwarding.html>.

"Work from home/telecommute" does not equal "build a home business"

Be careful of work- from- home sites that focus more on starting a home-based business, unless that’s what you want to do. Some of the "build your business" jobs ask for a hefty fee up front to get started. Others want you to pay to attend seminars. Walk away unless this really is your dream.

Consider proving yourself in person first

Many people who currently work from home do so only after proving themselves "in person." Consider this as an option. Look for a job in your local area. When you are offered the job, ask about telecommuting possibilities for the future. If you get a strong "yes" as an answer, you may want to get that in writing and then make the compromise of going to work at an office for six months. After your employer has gotten to know you, you have a much better chance of becoming a telecommuter, especially if you’re good at what you do.

Think about government jobs

Various cities have telework programs that are designed to cut down pollution and traffic congestion. Do not overlook these opportunities as you consider your options. See the resources section for more information about Canadian, US, and EU government jobs.

Common telecommuting categories

Something to think about is that many of the best telecommuting jobs fall into just a few narrow areas. Computer programming, customer service (especially online support), and graphic design, especially Web-related -- are all solid categories. Others include translating, data entry, technical writing, and other forms of writing and editing. A long time friend of mine got a work at home job grading SAT essays. She had the advanced degrees that qualified her for this work, and her employer liked her work enough to let her do her job from home.

Resources:

The other resource -- and perhaps the most important one of all -- is your persistence. Stick with it, and don't give up. Remember that telecommuting jobs are much sought-after, so they tend to be more difficult to find. But with effort and time, you can find these jobs.  

--Pam Dixon