|
|
|
|
Telecommuter's Guide To Safe Job
Hunting
If you are a newcomer in the hunt for a telecommuting position, this
information will help you avoid the "not so promising" jobs and the
outright scams.by Brett Krkosska - All Rights Reserved
Managing Editor
http://www.homebiztools.com
Once you spend some time browsing for home-based job openings, you
soon discover there are gobs and gobs of "jobs" that are... well,
not really jobs. In fact, work-from-home scams are so prevalent that
many people simply give up searching.
There are real jobs out there for telecommuters. But the playing
field is large and the sharks are plentiful, so if you want to get
that job you must be determined and knowledgeable.
|
|
|
Examine Your Telecommuting
Options
When searching for home-based employment it's helpful to understand
that not all jobs let you work from home full-time. In fact, most
telecommuting employees spend only a small percentage of their work
hours at home. On the other hand, self-employed contractors - who
represent an ever-expanding percentage of the workforce - are often
able to apply their skills exclusively from home.
Look at the list below for descriptions of the ways people work from
home. With this information you can cut through the "job search
clutter" and focus on job listings better suited for you.
1) Transitioned Jobs
The vast percentage of today's home-based employees, or "virtual"
workers, transitioned into the home from the job they formerly
performed in the office. Many split time between working in the
office and working at home. If you are currently employed and feel
your job can be done at least partly from home, you may want to
consider presenting the idea to your boss.
2) "Off-Site" Teleworker Jobs
Many companies have employees of the "off-site" designation. These
are teleworkers who may or may not work in a home office. For
instance, their work may involve some combination of traveling in
the performance of their duties, working in the office, and working
at home. You'll find that job postings which require travel, in
fields such as engineering or sales, are often telecommuter
friendly.
3) Telecommute-Option Jobs
While more and more companies are adopting telecommuter friendly
policies, the majority of telecommuters still spend some time in the
workplace. You see this in job postings with a "telecommute option."
The option is viewed as a benefit of the job, and usually is not an
invitation to work from home every day of the week. So if you're not
against having a traditional job, with the idea of working into a
telecommuting arrangement, then your job possibilities greatly
expand.
4) Telecommute-Only Jobs
Companies that hire employees to work exclusively from home are
harder to find. Not all jobs are suited for this arrangement, and
many employers are simply not comfortable throwing untested
employees into a full telecommuting position. You need to be
cautious if looking for this type of employment. Scams artists love
to prey upon telecommute-only job seekers.
5) Contract Work
According to a survey by the Dieringer Research Group, more than
half of all people who work from home at least one day per month are
self-employed. Contract providers, also known as freelancers, fall
into this self-employed group. They work independently and are paid
upon completion of a specified service.
Freelance contracting often provides an exclusively home-based work
environment which many people prefer. You have a greater degree of
flexibility in terms of where, when, and how you work. However,
because freelancers are not employees you don't get some of the
benefits a job might offer, such as group health insurance and tax
payments to the IRS on your behalf.
It's worth noting that many companies are recognizing the benefits
of "homeshoring" rather than "offshoring" their outsourced work.
This is especially evident in the teleservices industry, with
contractors stepping in to fill jobs formerly performed overseas.
Home-based contractors are utilized by companies such as Willow,
Alpine, LiveOps, and West At Home with great success. If you can get
by without traditional job benefits you may want to follow the lead
of other successful contractors and consider a freelance lifestyle.
|
|
|
Beware Of Opportunities
Pretending To Be Jobs
Watch out for people who are looking to make a buck with cleverly
worded "job postings" that are nothing more than advertisements for
an illegitimate opportunity. Opportunity postings are hotbeds for
scams.
Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with legitimate
opportunities - of which there are many. However, opportunities are
not jobs, and scams are often advertised in ways that mislead you
into believing they are jobs.
How can you tell the difference between an opportunity and a job?
A job pays you. Simple as that. If you are asked to send money, no
matter how legitimate the reason may appear, then it's not a job. A
company seeking employees or contract providers will screen your
qualifications through a resume, interview, or portfolio - while an
opportunity promoter doesn't necessarily care who you are or what
you know.
|
Is That Opportunity
Legitimate?
When searching for jobs, you'll often run into ads enticing you to
"work from home with your own business." These may be businesses
involved in direct sales, with tangible products such as jewelry,
candles, and such. Many of these are legitimate opportunities.
Other opportunities of the "easy work" type are the bad eggs. No
doubt you've likely seen the ads promising huge bucks in such things
as stuffing or assembly work and financial investing. These
represent a huge risk if you're not savvy to the ways of the scam
artist.
In the end, a legitimate opportunity is more aptly described as a
business start-up venture, requiring research, planning, and an
investment on your part. As such, legitimate opportunities don't try
to tell you otherwise. Legitimate opportunities don't attempt to
mislead you into acting quickly with promises of high pay for easy
work.
If you have limited computer expertise, lack marketing knowledge and
a marketing budget, or simply don't have the background or
experience with opportunity solicitors to discern what's real and
what isn't, you shouldn't hastily jump into foreign territory. It
takes time, patience, and perseverance to develop a sound business.
The point is to be clear about what you want before you begin
searching for work. Are you looking for a job as an employee, a
freelance contract job, or would you like a start-up business? Are
you willing to chase down and research an opportunity or do you want
something less risky and not so time-consuming? Recognize what you
want as a home-based worker, and you'll be better able to spot what
is worth checking into and what you should avoid.
|
Scam Artists Target
Unskilled Workers
If you have expertise in a field you have more job options. With
specialized knowledge you face less competition and command greater
earning power. Without specialized knowledge you encounter more
competition, less earning power, and more scams. Specialized skills
enable you to earn a living wage, while low-skilled work is best at
providing extra income.
There are thousands of job seekers looking for those elusive
low-skilled, high-paying jobs. The truth is, to be paid well you
must bring some skills to the table. But that doesn't stop people
from looking for easy work and high pay. Scams fill the void by
offering false promises to unskilled workers looking for a pot of
gold.
Those companies who do have openings for low-skilled work rarely
post those jobs, primarily because the applicant pool is so large. A
company can post an opening on a job board just once and will
literally be swamped with applications in a matter of hours -
applicants to last for years.
What's the trick to finding those low-skilled jobs?
Bypass the job listing boards. Ignore the ads floating around the
Internet and you can avoid the scams. Instead, locate and directly
contact companies who hire low-skilled workers.
With a little patience and some online research it's possible to
track down the websites of companies hiring low-skilled workers. The
most productive method of doing this is to network with other job
seekers. You will find many seasoned job seekers hanging out at
discussion forums on popular home business websites. Use your
favorite search engine to locate these sites. Get involved in the
boards, ask questions, and follow leads.
|
How To Avoid Being The
Victim Of A Scam
Let's boil this down to the nitty-gritty. Pay attention to these
points in your search for home-based employment:
- A job never asks for money.
You are the receiver.
- A job pays you if training is
required.
- Know what you want before
looking for it. Research the type of job you want and the skills
and equipment needed to do that job.
- Know the difference between a
job and an opportunity. Beware of those using the J-O-B word
where none exists.
- A job will want to know more
about you either through an interview and/or resume. An
opportunity doesn't necessarily care who you are or what you
know.
- There is no such thing as easy
work and high pay - unless you are Paris Hilton. But then you
wouldn't be searching the job boards would you?
- Jobs smell like roses when you
have job skills. Consider technical, vocational, or college
training in your chosen field to improve your chances of getting
the job you desire.
- Be patient, not desperate.
Desperation leads to desperate acts. Desperate acts drain the
pocketbook. It takes longer to find telecommuting positions than
it does finding traditional employment. If you need money now,
you may be better off finding conventional work while planning
for a telecommuting future.
- No matter what your skill
level, be persistent. Start with what you know and move forward.
The prize goes to those who step into the challenge with
persistence.
- Network. Get out there and mix
it up. Chat with like minded folk, email experts, hit the
forums, post questions, get advice from others, strike up
conversations.
With this information you can now
go forth and job hunt with confidence. Be positive and assured in
your ability to locate the right job for you - without fear of being
the victim of unscrupulous job posters.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Brett Krkosska provides how-to advice on small business and
home-based work issues. His site,
http://www.HomeBizTools.com,
helps small businesses reach their fullest potential. He is also the
publisher of Straight Talk, a fresh and original newsletter that
offers a unique perspective on today's business issues.
Click Here To Visit the Internet's
Leading Work From Home Job Bank
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
