Telecommuting Information
Imagine commuting to work without the hassles of rush hour or the expense of gas. Imagine the freedom and flexibility of working during your peak energy hours and being able to schedule time with family or friends during the day.
Many people looking to work-at-home seek data-entry or assembly work to fill this need. The reality is that the majority of telecommuters are professionals in their fields and have either taken advantage of their company’s work-at-home program or developed one themselves.
About 45 million Americans work-at-home at least one day. This number continues to grow as more and more companies recognize the financial benefits to allowing telecommuting.
The overall benefits to telecommuting include:
Increased worker productivity by as much as 15 to 20 percent
Cuts in corporate real-estate costs by 25 to 90 percent
Increased free time for workers, leading to improved family life
Reduced air pollution by cutting down on the number of people driving to work
- Savings in gas.
- Less wear and tear on roads.
Companies of all sizes are opening up to the idea of telecommuting. AT&T has about 22,500 employees who are regular telecommuters. It even has a web site dedicated to providing information and resources on telecommuting.
The more valuable you are to your office and the more conducive your job skills are to working-at-home, the better chance you will have at designing a telecommuting position with your employer.
The majority of questions I receive about telecommuting are inquiring about finding companies that hire home workers. There is good news and bad news for those of you looking for work-at-home employment. The good news is that telecommuting positions exist and are growing everyday! The bad news is, you are not likely to find such a position posted on the Internet or in your local paper under "work-at-home". Employers don't look for home workers. Instead they seek out the best employee to fill a specific position. It is the position that is advertised and telecommuting is usually listed as a perk.
There are many scam artists making lots of money off work-at-home wannabes by advertising "jobs" in envelop stuffing, assembly work, data entry, etc. Most of these ads result in teaching you how to scam others...not a very nice way to make a living! It is important to understand what companies do have home workers on staff and how you can position yourself to get one of these jobs.
There are resources that I recommend that list companies using home-workers. By looking at these lists, however, you will noticed that these telecommuters are not stuffing envelops. They are computer programmers, transcribers and interpreters, writers, sales people, etc. Further, most were not hired to work-at-home originally. Working-at-home is a perk their companies offer or, a reward for being a valued employee. Therefore, as in getting any job, having the right skills and experience, as well as a willingness to "put in your time", can put you in a telecommuting position.
If you really want to work-at-home, the following are some tips to help you get there. It isn't quick or easy, but those who are serious and committed to working at home will make the effort.
The first step to finding work-at-home employment is to abandon the idea that you will find such a job through the want-ads or on the Internet under "work-at-home".
NEVER PAY MONEY FOR WORK-AT-HOME EMPLOYMENT! Employers don't charge to hire you. Business start-ups require money, but not employment. This also excludes legitimate work-at-home job databases that do charge but DO NOT guarantee or "sell" you a job. The fees for these services are to access their list of jobs. So if an ad guarantees work for a fee, that's the clue to pass on it.
Research the whole telecommuting phenomenon. Read the information here carefully. The best way to find work and avoid scams is to understand how telecommuting works and the companies that offer it.
Do start with your own employer. See below for more information on how to do this. Many employers agree to a well thought out work-at-home proposal because it is cheaper to keep a good employee than to hire and train a new one.
If you don't live near a company with a telecommuting program, don't despair. If you have something to offer an employer, you have a good chance of negotiating a position. Begin to contact potential employers. Don't expect to get a full-time at-home position. Negotiate part-time on-site and part-time at home. Once you prove yourself, you can try to negotiate more.
If you don't have a skill that's in great demand, get one. Again, telecommuting is a privilege offered by companies to valued employees. There are many FREE resources for getting training on the internet. It is a great way to improve your chances of finding a work-at-home job particularly if you get certified in some sort of computer programming.
If all else fails, and you are truly committed to working-at-home, you still have many options. Most give up their dream because the other options require work people don't like. This is the point at which true work-at-home wannabes make the decision and commitment to do what it takes to meet their goal. The others work 40 hours per week at a job, and hope for a work-at-home position to come their way. If you are a true work-at-home wannabe, the following tips are for you:
Consider a sales position. Many don't like sales. But, are you willing to abandon your dream because of fears or being uncomfortable? One work-at-home mom who sells advertising for a newcomer program reported to us " I don't like sales much. And there was a time I'd rather have a job than do sales. Eventually that changed....I was willing to do anything to be at-home. Keeping my children's pictures in front of me at all times helped me stay focused on my goal....and to keep selling when I didn't want to. With consistent effort, I got good enough that I can earn the income I need over three days per week. Plus, I get benefits and some other perks. I am glad I conquered my aversion to sales."
Most companies have training programs to help new sales people get started. Most sales people are considered independent contractors which does have tax implications. The perk to sales is that most sales people set their own schedules and incomes. Plus, the company will supply all the needed materials. It's similar to being self-employed but, without the overhead.
Consider freelance or contract work. Similar to having a business, companies "contract" with you to perform a job. Usually these projects are time limited but, not always.
Start your own business. This really isn't telecommuting but, if you can't get a work-at-home job, create one!
Many people
who decide to work at home begin their journey by looking for a home
based job. Unfortunately, many of these people fall victim to
work-at-home scams, losing money and hope in the process. While home
based businesses offer the freedom and flexibility of being your own
boss, many prefer to work on an assignment basis that employment
offers. Home based employment exists but, one is not likely to find a
"work-at-home" ad in a paper or get a legitimate employment response
from web posting. If you want work-at-home employment, the best place
to start is with your current
job.
Many think their job or their company is not suited to working from home. While this may be true, it doesn't hurt to consider this type of work arrangement since if offers the financial stability of a regular paycheck while still meeting your goal of working at home. Before barging into your employer's office demanding to work-at-home, you need to develop a clear plan on the logistics of working at home as well as how to convince your employer about the benefits of working at home. To do this you need to prepare a work-at-home proposal. See below!
Writing a Work At Home Proposal
If you are serious about working at home, the only way to approach your supervisor is with a written proposal. A written proposal shows you have put much thought and planning into the details of working at home.
The first step in the proposal process is to evaluate your job and company for conduciveness to telecommuting.
The Work-At-Home Proposal must be written and must outline your plans as well as benefits to the company your new work arrangement will provide. Here is an outline to help.
Introduction:
Benefits to Your Employer:
Proposed Work Schedule:
Availability:
Job Description
Equipment
Salary and Benefits
Performance Evaluation:
Trial Period:
Supporting Information:
Show your supervisor how working at home has been successful in other companies. Include statistics or articles on telecommuting. The appendix lists resources you can use to back up your claims.
Presenting the Work-At-Home Proposal
You have determined that your job may be suited to telecommuting. You have researched aspects of telecommuting and prepared a work-at-home proposal suited to your company and position. Now what? Most telecommuting expert agree, that work-at-home proposals are more likely to be considered if an in-person presentation is made. Here are some guidelines to presenting your work-at-home proposal to your boss:
Preparing for the Meeting
Before the meeting, try to anticipate the kinds of resistance you may receive. Be sure these are addressed in your written proposal, and be prepared to respond to them in the meeting.
During the Meeting
Use your proposal as an outline to your presentation.
Focus on benefits to the company, not to your morning schedule, that your work-at-home arrangement will provide.
Be sure you can convey to your boss how valuable you are. Don't brag or insinuate quitting but, let him know that replacing you would be costly because of your hard work ethic, knowledge and experience.
Be professional. Your boss may have lots reasons why telecommuting won't work, let him know the research shows that it does work.
Be willing to negotiate. Maybe your boss doesn't want you to work as indicated in your proposal but, would be willing to allow a different arrangement. By negotiating, you may be able get what you want later, after you have shown how well telecommuting works.
After the Meeting
If your boss has concerns, begin to find a way to alleviate them.
If you boss says "no", don't lose hope. There are many jobs suited to telecommuting. Begin researching to find a job that will meet your needs.
If your boss says "yes", congratulations! Be sure to meet your end of the agreement and pave the way for other telecommuters!
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So how do you find work-at-home employment. The first step would be to approach your current employer about a work-at-home arrangement. (See above) However, if that isn’t possible, or you currently are not working, there are steps you can take to find work-at-home employment.
Identify the types of industries and positions that are suited to working-at-home. Industries that rely a lot on information such as banking, insurance and computers are good candidates. Other options include sales, publishing, real estate, fast growing organizations, other home based businesses, and professions requiring much record keeping such as doctors.
As in all jobs, you need to determine what position you want and are qualified to do. Highlight your education, skills and experience in a resume. If regular jobs have much competition, imagine the pool of applicants a home based position will have. Prepare your resume accordingly.
Determine if you are willing to work on site for a time to prove your high quality work. Most employers allow people to work-at-home after they have worked on site....even if the company has a telecommuting program.
Visit the Job Search page to get instructions on searching for work-at-home jobs on the Internet.
There are several things you need to be aware of if you want a work-at-home job:
The Best Jobs for Telecommuting
Accounting, Auditing, Bookkeeping, Budget Analysts, Abstractor, Columnist, Copywriter, Editor, Reporter, Researcher, Technical writer, Transcriber, Translator, Word processor, Computer Service Technician, Data Entry Clerk, Database Administrator, Graphic Artist, Information Specialist, LAN Manager, Medical Records Technician, Programmer, Records Manager, Systems Analyst, Web design and other Internet related work, Fundraiser, Real Estate Agent, Sales Representative, Telemarketer, Architect, Customer Service Representative, Human Resource Personnel, Lawyer, Market Researcher, Probation Officer (and other human services such as Public Health Nurses and Social Workers that use home visiting), Public Relations Specialist, Travel Agent, Virtual Assistant and more.
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When we think of telecommuting, we often focus on the flexibility to set our own hours, wear our pajamas while working, volunteering at our children's school, and ... oh yeah...doing some work. But, before we can work-at-home, logistical problems need to be resolved. An important factor in successfully working from home involves space. Some people are surprised to discover putting a computer in the bedroom or on the kitchen table isn't conducive to work (although I once had an office in a converted closet.) Here are some tips for successfully working at home:
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