7 Success Tips for Would-Be Telecommuters
(c) Copyright 2003, Angela Wu
In our increasingly busy world, it comes as no surprise that so many people seek a way to work from home. Doing so helps to reduce "unproductive" time and stresses such as commuting to the office. However, the ever-growing numbers of people seeking to telecommute means that competition for work-at-
home jobs gets tougher each day. Here are a few tips to
help you to both evaluate and increase your chances of
finding telecommuting work:
1. Evaluate Your Job Position and Skills.
Many people would love to work at home, but the fact of
the matter is, not every job - or every person - is suited
to it. For example, a writer, a data entry clerk, or a
software programmer may easily be able to do their jobs
from home. On the other hand, a medical lab technician,
a hardware design engineer, or a bank teller cannot.
Be honest with yourself. If your job isn't suitable for
telecommuting, then don't pitch a desperate proposal to
your employer. Instead, consider applying for a new
position or attend courses so that you can acquire new
skills.
2. Look To Your Current Employer.
Sometimes it's easy to overlook what's right in front of
your face. Your job may not currently be a telecommuting
position, but that doesn't mean it never will be!
Some companies haven't considered offering telecommuting
as an option because... well, because no one's ever done
it before. Other employers don't have a 'telecommuting
policy', but handle such requests on an individual basis.
One site that offers help to workers seeking to prepare
a telecommuting proposal is:
http://www.telecommutingproposal.com/flexsucc-tcg.htm
Be aware, though, that many companies don't offer full
telecommuting privileges. It's common to require employees
to check into the office regularly or be available during
regular work hours. You probably won't have the option of
scheduling your days any way you want them!
Remember, you're still accountable to your boss and to
your co-workers; you're just able to do your job from
the comfort of your home. Partial telecommuting
privileges are still a wonderful thing!
3. Show Initiative and Professionalism.
Employers are more likely to consider a telecommuting
proposal from an employee with a proven track record.
So take the initiative! Don't wait to be told to do
something; just do it. Do your work well and get it
done reliably, with minimal supervision.
4. Don't Shrug Off Jobs That Don't Specify 'Telecommuting'.
If you saw a job listing that was something you truly
wanted to do, but it didn't say that you were allowed
to work from home... would you reject it?
Hopefully not. Telecommuting may not be an option for
a new employee, but once you establish yourself as a
dependable, hard worker, you can always approach your
boss with a well-crafted telecommuting proposal.
There's no guarantee that your proposal will be accepted,
of course... but neither is there a guarantee that you'll
ever find a telecommuting job at all. The hard truth is
that employers prefer to offer telecommuting privileges
to existing employees with proven track records.
5. Get Educated.
It's all about options. An education will provide you with
more choices. For example, you may currently be providing
administrative support for a local company. Administrative
and clerical jobs are commonly requested telecommuting
positions, and employers can be choosy!
To help you compete, you can enhance your skills by
getting additional certification in your area of expertise
(for instance, learning how to use other popular software
programs frequently in demand by employers)... or you can
try something related but in higher demand. Many
telecommuting positions are in the sales/marketing and
high-tech areas, such as programming or database design.
6. Use the Internet as a Tool.
The internet makes it relatively easy to research
companies online. Use a good search engine such as
Google ( http://www.google.com/ ) to uncover opportunities
that may not be published elsewhere.
If you apply to a job over the Internet, remember to stay
professional. Just because it's the internet doesn't mean
you can treat the application process casually! Show
professionalism. Follow the application instructions,
write up a proper cover letter and resume, check your
spelling and grammar, and make sure the company name
and the hiring manager's names are both correct!
Be aware of scams, too -- they're prevalent on the 'net!
For example, keep in mind that:
* No one can 'guarantee' you a job unless they are hiring
you directly (if they're just giving you a list of
potential employers, it's the employer that decides
whether or not you'll be hired).
* You shouldn't have to pay for a job. Don't get caught
in the scams that say you need to pay a 'deposit' to
ensure you're 'serious', or that you need to pay for
'materials'. A company pays its employees to do a job,
AND provides them with all the necessary materials.
7. Check With Local Employers.
The internet certainly is a convenient tool, but it's not
the only place to look for telecommuting jobs. Check the
local papers, attend job fairs, visit employment agencies,
and basically keep your eyes and ears open for opportunity!
It's rare to find a company that's willing to hire someone
they don't know and who lives in an entirely different part
of the country... but employers tend to be more inclined
to hire someone who lives in the area -- it makes training
and supervision much easier! One site that offers a list
of telecommuting positions searchable by state and job
type is http://buildyourhomebiz.com/rd/hjs.html .
Like with anything in life, be prepared to work for what
you want. What are you willing to do to increase your
odds of joining the telecommuting work force?
_________
Angela is the editor of the At Home Workers Express Ezine,
a twice-monthly newsletter packed with practical tips on
how to start a work-at-home career. Pick up your free
subscription today at
http://homebasedwork.com/newsletter.html