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The trend of telecommuting is on the rise as employers begin to see
the savings involved in both gas and office space. With gas prices at
an all-time high, many Americans are looking for ways to do less
driving and more companies than ever before are offering telecommuting
options to their current employees and searching for at-home employees
to fill open positions. The question for the job seeker is now how to
find these opportunities. Below are five methods you can use to find a
telecommuting position.
First, check your local newspaper. When I began my search for an
at-home career, I found my first employer through the Classified Ads
section of our hometown paper. I was wary at first, but after
thoroughly researching the company through means such as the Better
Business Bureau (BBB), visiting the corporate office and meeting some
of their current employees I found the company to be legitimate.
Second, search online using website such as Monster.com and
Dice.com. However, listings found online must be researched carefully
to avoid the scams that abound on the Internet. There are also
websites that will you allow to do job research in your own community.
One such website is Craigslist.com on which you can choose a city and
then refine your search with keywords such as “telecommute.”
Posting your resume on websites such as Hotjobs.com is a third way
to locate at work-at-home job. Putting your resume online can bring
employers to you, depending on your skills and qualifications. Another
bonus of an online resume is that you can easily direct prospective
employers to view it. It also makes life a bit simpler when applying
for jobs, because you can attach your online resume instead of typing
out your job history, qualifications, and so on, each time you apply
for a job.
When posting your resume on the web, be sure to create an accurate
and impressive representation of your abilities. You don’t want to be
wordy when describing past job experience, but you do want to be
specific about the roles you’ve held as well as your accomplishments.
A fourth option when looking for at-home employment is to open a
phone book and call businesses in your area. For example, if you’re
interested in doing administrative work, you might contact churches
and small businesses in your area to see if they are looking for
office help. Even if they are not currently seeking help, they may
know of another business owner who is.
Along those same lines, the fifth way to become a telecommuter is
to create your own opportunity. For example, instead of finding a
company that will hire you as an administrative assistant from home,
consider starting your own business as a Virtual Assistant. You can
offer your services to many companies, which can both increase your
income potential and allow you the flexibility of deciding which jobs
you’d like to accept.
You can also create your own telecommuting position by talking with
your current employer about work-at-home possibilities. More and more
companies are finding that at-home employees are just as productive as
those in the office, if not more. Companies also benefit financially
by lessening office space and avoiding the costs of many office
supplies. Many companies who are not ready to hire at-home workers
will allow their current employees to work one or two days from a home
office, so be sure to discuss this option.
The telecommuting field has become highly competitive as more and
more people find that working from home is a possibility. Searching
for a telecommuting position can be daunting, but by looking in
strategic places such as online and in your local newspaper, you’ll
have a much better chance. No matter, how you find your telecommuting
position, make sure it’s something you would enjoy doing and also
something you can make money at.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Jill Hart is the founder of Christian Work at
Home Moms, CWAHM.com. Jill is a contributing author in The Business
Mom Guide Book and I'll Be Home For Christmas and co-author of the
upcoming book, Home Based Blessings. Jill has articles published
across the web on sites like DrLaura.com and ClubMom.com. Jill and her
husband, Allen of CWAHD.com reside in Nebraska with their two
children.
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