Work at Home Rock Star

{all links in this post open a new window.}

:::winner, Cindy:::

Okay – so a couple of weeks ago I mentioned making money as an affiliate marketer. I mentioned a few of my websites, a couple tips, and resources I recommend. I briefly mentioned that I've also telecommuted {worked a job from home} and been a virtual assistant {still am}.

Because I know many of us Mom's just want a steady paycheck working for someone else, I decided to expand upon the option of telecommuting for a living.

What is a telecommuting job?

Telecommuting {telecommute – telework} is simply a work at home job. It's a job like any other job you might hold outside the home. Typically you're paid by the hour, though sometimes it's paid per typed line or talked minute. You work for someone else, so you don't have the wait time that business owners have building up an income. You'll usually have a set amount of hours per day or week, but not always a strict clock in schedule like jobs outside of the home {there's a little more flexibility on average}.

How telecommuting is different than a job outside the home.

Besides the obvious that you're working from home, there are other differences typical to telecommute jobs.

Such as:

• Usually you're a 1099 contractor – which means your taxes are not paid.
• You don't typically receive health care benefits — or dental.
• Paid time off – such as vacations, or even sick time, don't often exist.

What kind of jobs are available?

There are about as many types of telecommute jobs as there are traditional jobs outside of the home. And the more years that pass, the more and more companies are now bringing on telecommuters to their work force. When I started telecommuting several years ago the pickin's were very slim. The explosion in large and small businesses using telecommuters is astonishing.

Small sampling of possible jobs:

• virtual assistant
• data entry
• internet research
• call center
• customer support
• sales
• document coders
• PR
• social media managers
• writers
• bloggers

Where can I find telecommuting jobs?

They are every where, you've just got to keep looking for them. Use major websites like careerbuilder.com, use smaller sites like craigslist.org, and even paid sites that find the jobs for you like Home Job Stop or Hire My Mom. I've actually obtained a few clients from Hire My Mom, and they've been higher paying jobs than I've seen in other locations.

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Here is a small listing of companies that mass hire telecommuters. {they may not be hiring at this time, so be sure to look before you apply}

• LiveOps.com
• WorkingSol.com
• Workaholics4Hire.com
• TeamDoubleClick.com

So you want to be a telecommuting rock star?

1. Before starting your search, look at your skills objectively and base your job search off your skills. If you don't have data entry skills, please don't search for data entry jobs. If you want data entry jobs, then get some skills first. You're going to waste a lot of valuable time if you search for jobs you're not qualified for.
2. After deciding what jobs you're qualified for, and interested in, it's time to look at your cover letter and resume. Spruce them up, but keep them simple. I recommend using a professional service, but if you can't afford one I'd look into some tips found on my website. You could always invest in an affordable resume builder as a nice compromise to hiring a professional.
3. When you get the interview, research the company, take down notes, and you can even prepare some of your answers ahead of time. Most interviewers ask the same types of questions. Just make sure you don't sound canned, or too rehearsed. You'll want to be natural on the phone. After the interview follow up with a sincere thank you email.
4. And finally, once you land the job make sure you are a rock star employee. Show up on time, don't call in sick often, go above and beyond for your employer. You worked hard for that job, now that you have it you need to work equally as hard to keep your job!

I'm in the process of expanding on these points and more in a free ecourse aptly titled "Become A Telecommuting Rock Star", and as soon as its final I'll announce it here.

Win It

Would you like to win a lifetime access to Home Job Stop's job database?

If so, leave an on topic comment on this post by September 30th, 2009 by midnight {central/standard time}. That's it! The winner will be drawn randomly.

{If you have questions about telecommuting, I'm available to answer them in the comments section on this blog post.}