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2012年9月13日 星期四

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.

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.

Know What You Want From A Job

You should 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 looking to be your own boss and invest in an opportunity, or do you need the predictability offered by an employer? Recognize what you want as a home-based worker and you are better able to spot what is worth checking into and what you should avoid.

Look at the list below for descriptions of the various ways people work from home. With this information you can cut through the "job search clutter" and focus on job options 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 solely 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 requiring 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 can provide 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

Now that you have an idea of the direction your search will take, it's time to get your guard up. The first thing to watch out for is cleverly worded "job postings" which are nothing more than advertisements for an opportunity.

There's nothing wrong with legitimate opportunities. 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.

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.

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.

10 Tips For Safe Job Hunting

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 while keeping your guard up. Start with what you know and move forward cautiously. The prize goes to those who step into the challenge with guarded 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. Approach your search for work from a position of knowledge.

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.




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.





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張貼者： 於 清晨6:10 0 意見
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2012年9月7日 星期五

Recruiting Telecommuters - What You Need to Know


No one wants to drive to work anymore. Even the professionals who commute by train are looking for ways to stay at home and work on their PCs and laptops. Why not? The information age has evolved into the telecommuting age and we don't have to get up and go to work anymore. If you have some skills that are in demand you can now offer them via internet. If you're an employer or recruiter, you can save on overhead by cutting down to a smaller space and outsourcing. It's a win/win situation.

If you're going to recruit telecommuters, begin by purchasing some top-quality web based recruiting software. If you think you've seen it all when doing conventional recruiting, wait until you start looking for help on the web. Your best bet is to bring your short list of candidates in for the interview process. They might be able to telecommute for the job itself, but you want to meet everyone before you do any hiring. Some onsite training might not be a bad idea either. Those who don't want to invest at least a little time in the office are not the type of employees you want.

Once hired, the management for telecommuters is different also. If this is your first venture into this type of employment you may not know what to look for in the initial hiring process, so getting to know new employees will be a difficult process for you. The job recruiting software designed for tracking telecommuters will tell you what their skill sets are, but unfortunately it will not tell you how to communicate with them with emails and chat features. Video conferencing will help if you're a face-to-face kind of person, but your telecommuter might not be. In many cases, that's why they looked for at-home work in the first place.

There's a lot of talent out there in the telecommuting workforce. Stay-at-home moms with master's degrees, socially challenged but brilliant innovators, and students with great potential who can be molded to be what you need for the future - all are available by web and not able to come in for a traditional job. By opening your doors up to them you'll be bringing in resources your competitors won't have access to. Try it for a while and use your job applicant tracking system to keep tabs on how they do. You may find that the part of your workforce that telecommutes outperforms the onsite personnel.

Read the science fiction of the 1950s and 60s and you'll see a common theme where people stay at home and interact through their computers. Ironically, the imagined machines depicted in those novels are the realities of today. Video conferencing happened on Star Trek, didn't it? Is matter transporting next? It's not likely, at least not in the near future, but telecommuting to work is the next best thing. Managing those who do it is a close second. Just think of all the in-office drama you won't have to deal with when you have a virtual workforce instead of a physical one.




Experiencing the hiring industry firsthand, I have developed a strong knowledge base in recruiting and business innovation. I hope my articles are informative and can help small companies answer their technical questions as they look to modernize their hiring efforts and prepare for changes in the economy:

Resources:
applicant tracking system





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張貼者： 於 凌晨12:05 0 意見
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2012年7月20日 星期五

Telecommuters: Keep Track of Your Job Searches


Chances are your job search will entail much more than applying for just a couple different jobs. It will be vitally important that you have a tracking system in place. Don't rely on memory; you'll need to keep track of which jobs you applied for; if you received a response; and also record all follow up information.

Some people prefer to use a spreadsheet to keep track. Set up the column headings listed above and just be certain to keep it updated. One benefit of using a spreadsheet is that you can easily sort it by different columns. You may want to keep it alphabetized by company name; or by date applied.

Yet others would rather utilize folders within their email program. The only real downside is that you may have to create an email to yourself because some companies have an online form for you use. Send yourself a message that says "I applied to ABC Company today". If you do send any correspondence via email make sure you BCC yourself so you have an electronic paper trail.

One of the simplest tracking techniques is to create a Word document. Take advantage of the strikethrough option under fonts; or color code pending jobs. Entries could look something like this:

1. ABC Company, abcco.com 6/1/06, from Telecommuting Moms, acknowledgment 6/20/06, still pending.

2. Wally's Widgets, wallyswidgets.com, 6/1/06, thanks but no thanks 7/02/06

3. Excellent Enterprises, job@excellentent.com, from local press, 6/4/06

19. Auction Alley, aa.info, found on Craig's list 7/16/06, follow up phone call 8/3/06

20. St. Elmo's Society, no web, Sue told me about it, 7/17/06, follow-up email sent 8/15/06

34. XYZ Company, xyz.com, 9/26/06, from Telecommuting Moms.

The method you choose to track your job searches is not important; it's the actual data that will be most valuable to you. To get the most benefit from your tracking, keep the following data: job name, company name, company link, where you found the job, when you applied, and when you heard back.

Even if you're not typically an organized person, you'll need to be for your job search. By keeping track you have something tangible to see on days when you're feeling discouraged (it'll verify that you've been busy!). You can also reference the dates in your follow-up communication, "On August 12, 2006 I applied for the position of .... I am still very much interested in this position, etc."

Don't give up. Job searching can be a daunting task. However you can't win if you don't play. Your efforts will be rewarded!




Nell Taliercio, the Telecommuting Answer Lady, owns [http://www.telecommutingmoms.com] where you can locate legitimate work at home jobs and practical advice to start your work at home career tomorrow!





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2012年7月19日 星期四

Telecommuters and Remote Workers - Pay Attention!


Do you bring your laptop to long team meetings and try to monitor emails during topics that aren't so important to you? If you frequently work from home or you are a remote worker, flown in for the meeting, stop and think about what opportunities you're missing by doing this!

Last week my boss had flown in a handful of my teammates located in other parts of the country/world so the whole team could talk about some large projects face to face. We spent two days closeted together in a conference room going through all our services and discussing how they were impacted by these projects and what we needed to do.

I noticed that my teammates paid detailed attention whenever the conversation was related to one of their services. But as soon as we started talking about a service unrelated to their own, their heads would go down as their eyes fixed on their laptop screens and their fingers clacked away furiously on their keyboards.

Who can blame them? Our day-to-day jobs don't go away when we're in these kinds of meetings. The emails and action items don't stop. While we may all have out-of-office messages saying we're tied up these two days and responses will be slow, we don't want to spend our evenings or the following work day trying to dig our way out of our overflowing inboxes.

However, there's an opportunity cost to this. Sure, those folks who are located with the core team and who come into the office every day may be well plugged-in to what all their teammates are doing. But for the people visiting from out of town, and for the telecommuters, this is a perfect opportunity to get some more detailed exposure to what else is going on in their team and learn more about some of the activities, challenges, etc of their peers.

This kind of exposure, while seeming unimportant in the short term, can be valuable down the road. You get the opportunity to learn from your peers - for instance, if there are issues they are dealing with that you struggle with too, you can contact them later to compare notes. And it increases the opportunity for cross-collaboration and integration of projects down the line if you have a better big picture of everything that's going on in your team.

Sure, the cost may be an over-full inbox the next day. But that's no different from when you're away on vacation and the workload is piling up. (At least I hope you let the work pile up when you're on vacation and you're not sneaking into your hotel room to check emails while your spouse is lying on the beach.)

So telecommuters and remote workers, next time you're face-to-face with your team and tempted to sneak in some time working on your email, consider the opportunity you're missing. Grab an extra cup of coffee and pay attention to what your peers have to say!




Nicole Bachelor, the "Master of Telecommuting Success" is the author of "How to Avoid Going to Work Without Quitting your Job". She specializes in teaching people how to effectively work from home. Nicole has been telecommuting exclusively for over 4 years, and has vast experience working with teams that are spread all over the world as well as working with teams in low-cost regions of the world.

Find out how you can http://avoidgoingtowork.com

And "Unlock your telecommuting power".

* Feel free to post, send this, or use in your newsletter - but only as is.





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張貼者： 於 凌晨2:42 0 意見
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2012年7月3日 星期二

Why Car Insurance Companies Love Telecommuters


It probably wouldn't take much to convince you of the benefits of telecommuting. The chance to miss spending hours stuck in rush hour traffic every morning is probably enough to do the trick! All of us want to be able to go to work in our pajamas, but if you do a little digging you're going to find another major benefit to saying goodbye to the daily rat race. Car insurance companies absolutely love telecommuters.

What makes telecommuters so special? When you bought your car insurance policy you probably had to answer a bunch of questions revolving around where you worked, how far you traveled and, most importantly, how many miles you put on your car every year. People who put more miles on their car annually are more likely to be involved in an accident than those who stick close to home. Yes, statistically speaking, more accidents happen within ten miles of your home than just about anywhere else, but the more time you spend in traffic the worse the odds are that you're going to find yourself head to head with another driver.

And then there's the part about road rage and highway fatigue after you've been sitting on the interstate for three or four hours, but we won't get into that here.

The bottom line is that telecommuters are less likely to cost their car insurance companies money, and car insurance companies reward that by offering them great savings on their car insurance rates. If telecommuting isn't an option for you for one reason or another (hospital administrators tend to laugh hysterically at phlebotomists who suggest they can do their job from their living room!) you're not doomed to a lifetime of absurdly high insurance payments, but if you have the chance to work even part of the week from the comfort of your living room you can easily shave 10-20% off your annual premiums.

If you're working in a job that could easily become a telecommuting position at least part of the time but your boss hasn't jumped on the work from home bandwagon yet, do a little research to come up with the best way to pitch the idea to them. Many employers are dragging their feet because they're afraid that employees will be less productive working from home. The good news is, you've got numbers working in your favor here.

Take a look at your technological capabilities. Do you have to spend the day on a multi-line phone system, or have access to a fax machine? More importantly, is your company's intranet set up to allow you to move mass data from home? (This is the problem many telecommuters are running into.) Once you've worked out the specifics of your company's techie needs you're ready to pitch the idea and take the first step toward living the American dream and kissing those suits and ties goodbye.




Michael F. McDonough is a National Account Representative for QuoteScout.com. For more information on how to cut the commute and save on car insurance, visit them on the web at http://www.QuoteScout.com





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2012年6月21日 星期四

5 Resume Mistakes Telecommuters Often Make


Finding a legit telecommute job can be difficult. Telecommute jobs are in high demand and hundreds if not thousands of other people are competing for the same position.

So how do you stand apart from everyone else? Your résumé.

Your telecommute résumé the first and often the only document a potential employer has to make a hiring decision with. Here are some tips specifically for your telecommute résumé to keep it on the employer's desk and out of "file number 13".

I have consulted with telecommute résumé expert Jennifer Anthony of Résumé ASAP to get a list of the top five telecommute résumé mistakes. Here they are!

1. Wild designs or frilly fonts.

If you want to be taken seriously for consideration, avoid using cursive fonts or cutesy clip art. Leave this to personal use; it does not belong on business correspondence. Also, check your e-mail signatures. You don't want to send your résumé out and then sign your name "Mommy to Sean and Sissy" with little angel graphics around their names.

2. Résumé templates.

"I know for a fact that recruiters hate templates and would rather rip their hair out than read templates", Jennifer Anthony

Recruiters and hiring managers spend their day (often overtime) sorting through hundreds of résumés. Templates are hard to read, and the design elements often don't show up correctly on a monitor other than that your own. Hiring managers need to be able to scan your document quickly to see if you are qualified before moving on. If they can't find out in 6-8 seconds, your résumé is trash. It is better to start with a blank document and look at other résumé examples for inspiration.

3. The selfish objective statement.

If you are using the same old objective statement as everyone else, your résumé may be thrown in the trash because you did not put forth the effort to create a personalized résumé.

Here is an example objective you should avoid:

"A telecommute position allowing me to utilize my knowledge and expertise working from home."

Why? This statement opens up many questions. What kind of telecommute position? What is your knowledge and expertise? Also take note that using the words "me" and "my" sound very selfish. Instead of telling them what you want, you should be showing them what you have to offer them.

Here is an example of what you can use as your headline:

"Talented and experienced virtual assistant, skilled in all aspects of office management within nonprofit environments."

(More headline examples can be found at RésuméASAP).

This is targeted and to the point. The reader knows this person is an experienced virtual assistant who is especially skilled in a nonprofit role. No wasted time.

4. Irrelevant Experience.

Don't list irrelevant work experience just to fill in space. If you are applying for a transcription position, your customer service experience at the local fast food restaurant does not apply. What matters is how much transcribing experience you have, how fast you type, how good your spelling and grammar skills are, and how accurate your work is. Any work experience that deals with these skills can be listed.

5. Personal Information.

Leave off information like how many children you have, how long you have been married, or that you happen to love scuba diving

Let's look at children and spouses for instance. Some people may see this as stability, but many others look at it as a liability. They may have questions about how you will work out for them with the responsibilities. How often will this person miss work because his/her kids are sick? Is his/her spouse supportive of the telecommuting role? Can he/she work efficiently if the children are home? Employers are not allowed to ask, so why put this on your résumé. Personal information should be left off.

If you write that you love scuba diving, you may think this makes you look like a well-rounded person. However, it could give someone the idea that you love scuba diving more than work. It is best to just leave this kind of info off.




Nell Taliercio is the owner and founder of TelecommutingMoms.com [http://www.telecommutingmoms.com] – which is a leading resource website with work at home jobs [http://www.telecommutingmoms.com] and everything a telecommuting mom would need. Come visit us today!





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張貼者： 於 下午1:11 0 意見
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2012年1月21日 星期六

Telecommuters Need a Career Plan


"You must have a career plan before you go out into this big world of ours," reinforced the professor delivering the commencement address during graduation! High school and college guidance counselors repeatedly tell students of the importance of having a career plan.

It is important to note that career plans aren't just for those who work offline. Telecommuters should have one also. Before you can map out your career plan, you need to understand career plans.

Consider a career plan akin to planning your next vacation. You need to decide where you will go, in which mode of transportation you will travel, determine the best route to take and then how to ensure you have a good time once you arrive.

Spontaneously deciding one Friday night that you will not ever again return to your job because you want to telecommute is not a recommended course of action. The first decision you have to make is deciding what kind of work you want to spend your time doing.

Do you like working with numbers, databases, marketing collateral, search engine optimization, building websites, writing content or something entirely different? If you don't settle in with something you like to do, your telecommuting career won't last long.

Next determine if you can make any money working in your chosen area. Can your family budget support your start up costs? You should have a website, business cards and may need to pay for some initial advertising.

Can your family budget survive the initial lean months? If not, you will have to work your new telecommuting job search and any jobs you are hired to do while you are still employed outside the home. Once your at-home telecommuting income stabilizes, then you can submit your letter of resignation and leave behind the daily commute to work.

Once you've reviewed your destination, determined where you're going and how you will get there, you're off to a good start. Just make sure you have enough "traveler's checks" in case of an emergency. Once you have thoroughly examined your road map -- your career plan, then hang on and enjoy the ride!




To access telecommuting information, advice, jobs, and more please go to [http://www.telecommutingmoms.com] today!





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張貼者： 於 晚上7:29 0 意見
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2012年1月11日 星期三

Telecommuters - Don't Be Confused!


With such high gas prices these days, everyone is talking about telecommuting. But I see the term thrown around a lot in ways that I believe are causing confusion. Also, in some countries the term 'telecommuting' has not permeated the culture and so people really struggle to understand what we crazy Americans are talking about. As such, here is an explanation of the various terms that will explain exactly what telecommuting is, and isn't.

Telecommute / Telework: The term 'telecommuting' at its most general meaning is simply the concept of working from home instead of going into an office. To be more specific, though, it implies you are working for a company that has many employees and you are working at home but still in close contact with your coworkers, boss, etc who are either in the company office or, are like you, telecommuting themselves.

Another synonymous term for telecommuting is 'teleworking'.

Home-Based Business: Telecommuting, as I and the majority of others use it, does not refer to the act of working from home when you work for yourself and have a home-based business. Telecommuting is working from home to, literally, avoid the commute that you would normally make. Someone with a home-based business, as the phrase implies, is working in the location that houses their business - their home. They have no commute and therefore their work from home is not a virtual replacement for their commute into the office.

Freelancing: The home-based business crowd includes freelancers. They work for themselves, performing services such as writing sales copy, editing, photography, journalism, or just about anything really. They typically work from their home (or whatever location they choose to spend their time at - the coffee shop, their favorite vacation spot, etc) when they're not visiting their clients.

Virtual Assistant: Another term, very closely tied into these concepts, is 'virtual assistant' or 'VA'. A virtual assistant is a special type of freelancer. A small business owner may not want to hire permanent employees but may still need help with specific tasks that he/she is not comfortable with (or just doesn't have time for). A VA provides assistance to a (typically) small business owner in such areas as marketing, book-keeping, project management or a host of other tasks. In some cases this person may act very similarly to an administrative assistance to a manager at a large company. However this person is not an employee of the client's company and is not co-located with the business they work for (hence the 'virtual' part of VA). They work, normally, out of their homes. This closes the gap a little between home-based businesses and true telecommuting, however it truly falls into the former category rather than the latter.

Work From Home / Work At Home: The term work-from-home or work-at-home is, in my experience, more generic. It seems to cover any type of situation in which you work at home - both telecommuters and home-based business owners.

So What?

These differences can be important. If you see articles and job postings that talk about telecommuting, make sure you understand what you're reading - especially when it comes to advice on how to find telecommuting jobs. Often they're really referring to freelancing and other forms of business ownership. While that may work for some, it's not what most people are seeking when they are looking for telecommuting jobs.

Clearly, however, the skills and techniques for telecommuting are just as important for virtual assistants and even for the home-based business owner and freelancer who deals with customers, clients, vendors and partners over remote communication methods (such as phone and email) rather than via face-to-face interactions. We have many challenges, techniques, and strategies in common and can learn from each other, even if we can't share the same job posting board.




Nicole Bachelor, the "Master of Telecommuting Success" is the author of "How to Avoid Going to Work Without Quitting your Job". She specializes in teaching people how to effectively work from home. Nicole has been telecommuting exclusively for over 4 years, and has vast experience working with teams that are spread all over the world as well as working with teams in low-cost regions of the world.

Find out how you can http://avoidgoingtowork.com

And "Unlock your telecommuting power."

* Feel free to post, send this, or use in your newsletter - but only as is.





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張貼者： 於 下午1:23 0 意見
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2012年1月9日 星期一

Secrets of Successful Telecommuters - How to Get Paid to Work From Home Forever


If you think telecommuting jobs are as scarce as the proverbial needle in a haystack, or are scams to induce you to part with your money, maybe you've been approaching them the wrong way. Sylvie Charrier, founder of Workaholics4Hire and herself a telecommuter, has published an insider's guide to how you can succeed at working from home if you have the right attitude and know-how.

5 Reasons Why You Should Read "You Can Work In Your PJs"


It's hard not to like someone who not only knows what she is talking about, but who seems genuinely concerned about telecommuters being scammed by false promises and being asked to pay to work. Throughout the book, Charrier keeps reminding the reader: never pay for a job! If you have to, it's a scam.

Charrier is upfront about the realities of working from home. Most sites plug the glamour and ease of working from home but are quick to gloss over the brutal facts about why employers are reluctant to hire telecommuters.

Links in the book are constantly updated through the companion Resource Directory. This guarantees that the information you get whenever you access it is the freshest.

The book comes with ready-to-use templates for brochures, cover letters and resumes.

Charrier has a clever way of creatively engaging the reader. Chapter 5 is a prime example. Written in a highly interactive, personal and organic nature, it is designed to make you think in a new way of the specific skills you have which can be applied to create your own niche in the telecommuting market. Read it - you will be amazed.

Tips for Successful Telecommuting - The insider information you won't get anywhere else



The truth about real world telecommuting. Like, you will not have more time with your family. You will be home more, but you'll also be busier. You won't save money on childcare. In fact, you'll need childcare so you can get any work done at all.


6 reasons why many employers don't hire home-based workers. Some workers try to bully their way into a job. Some ignore the requirements in the job description and waste the employer's time. Some are so suspicious because they have been scammed before, that they fail to recognize a high-quality job description when they see one. Some annoy employers by typing their cover letters completely in capitals. Some are vague and non-descriptive about what they can do for the employer. And the final and most shocking statistic? More than 65% of potential home-based workers fail to follow through when they get the job.


Right and wrong motivations for telecommuting. Some people aren't successful because they are doing it for the wrong reasons. For instance, wanting to be with your children and not wanting to commute are NOT good reasons. Hint: It's not about you and your interests only. Focus on the employer's interests instead. Become an empathic telecommuter and you will be better able to get that telecommuting position.


4 essential personality quirks of successful telecommuters. You are self-motivated. You are obsessive-compulsive. You are a perfectionist. You are cheerful and an optimist.


4 common pitfalls that discourage people from telecommuting. You're on your own. Your friends think you're nuts. Jobs are hard to find. Your skills are limited.


The difference between a home business and working from home. Examples of individuals who work from home are the telecommuting (or offsite) employee and the independent contractor or freelancer. Home business includes the pre-packaged home based business-in-a-box, which is similar to a franchise.


The equipment and software that you need to get started. Get a laser printer instead of an inkjet one; the quality is worth it. Use an e-fax facility from a reputable third party provider. You will never miss a fax, and you get a toll-free number which looks professional. Get your own website. Get as much software as you can (buy used instead of new) and master it.


The biggest secret that all successful telecommuters know. Change your mindset and realize that you alone are in control. Not scammers, not employers, not the lack of jobs.


Things you can do to boost your chances of success. List your hobbies. List your skills. Pretend you are a business consultant and use the lists to help you invent your own career. See how Charrier spins out 6 amazing different business ideas from one hobby.


Know how to use different cover letters for different jobs and different delivery modes (email, fax), and how a telecommuter's cover letter differs from a standard job applicant's.


Resume writing guide.Tips on how to write a compact one-paragraph introduction designed to help you ace the job, how and why you should use action verbs, how to use keywords to ensure your resume is picked up by the employer's resume scanning program, and how to write your resume in ASCII format.


What to do if you have no prior experience and your prospective employer asks to see your work samples. You can create a freelancer's portfolio using dummy samples and work you have done on a volunteer basis.


How do you minimize expenses? Try bartering with small business owners for services you need. In exchange, offer them your services and request that they 'pay' you with referrals and testimonials. The benefits are plentiful - you save your money, secure quality leads for future projects, and have a ready source of testimonials that you can show future clients or employers.


What to expect after you apply. Most employers will not respond, unless they plan to interview you. When you do get a good response, reply immediately, politely and professionally, and get ready for the (phone) interview.


Maximize your job search strategy. Spend 30 minutes a day on doing a targeted job search. Know what you are looking for. Have all your materials ready before you search. Choose your search tools carefully. Then spend the rest of your day working on projects, or acquiring a new skill, or networking with potential clients, or building a home based business, or volunteering. Cultivate the attitude of working hard and putting your time to wise use.


How to optimize work-from-home job boards and job listings. Guess where these job databases really get their jobs? Other job sites! Not only is this a copyright violation, it prejudices your chances of securing a real job. Contrast this with Workaholic4Hire's approach and how it helps you: the listings are free, valid and current.


How to use freelance project postings sites. You can bid publicly for a job (not recommended), bid privately (recommended), or submit formal proposals to government agencies (highly recommended because they are long term and lucrative; once you are a government supplier, your business grows exponentially).


How to reach employers. Create a professional website. Market your site through search engines, discussion boards, reciprocal link exchanges, and articles in newsletters. Upload samples of your work to your online portfolio. Network with local business. Research your prospective client intensively.




Serena Tan helps people to explore the confusing and sometimes scary transition called Career Change. She created http://www.career-change-confidence.com to empower, encourage and equip individuals to make confident career decisions.





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2011年12月24日 星期六

Recruiting Telecommuters - What You Need to Know


No one wants to drive to work anymore. Even the professionals who commute by train are looking for ways to stay at home and work on their PCs and laptops. Why not? The information age has evolved into the telecommuting age and we don't have to get up and go to work anymore. If you have some skills that are in demand you can now offer them via internet. If you're an employer or recruiter, you can save on overhead by cutting down to a smaller space and outsourcing. It's a win/win situation.

If you're going to recruit telecommuters, begin by purchasing some top-quality web based recruiting software. If you think you've seen it all when doing conventional recruiting, wait until you start looking for help on the web. Your best bet is to bring your short list of candidates in for the interview process. They might be able to telecommute for the job itself, but you want to meet everyone before you do any hiring. Some onsite training might not be a bad idea either. Those who don't want to invest at least a little time in the office are not the type of employees you want.

Once hired, the management for telecommuters is different also. If this is your first venture into this type of employment you may not know what to look for in the initial hiring process, so getting to know new employees will be a difficult process for you. The job recruiting software designed for tracking telecommuters will tell you what their skill sets are, but unfortunately it will not tell you how to communicate with them with emails and chat features. Video conferencing will help if you're a face-to-face kind of person, but your telecommuter might not be. In many cases, that's why they looked for at-home work in the first place.

There's a lot of talent out there in the telecommuting workforce. Stay-at-home moms with master's degrees, socially challenged but brilliant innovators, and students with great potential who can be molded to be what you need for the future - all are available by web and not able to come in for a traditional job. By opening your doors up to them you'll be bringing in resources your competitors won't have access to. Try it for a while and use your job applicant tracking system to keep tabs on how they do. You may find that the part of your workforce that telecommutes outperforms the onsite personnel.

Read the science fiction of the 1950s and 60s and you'll see a common theme where people stay at home and interact through their computers. Ironically, the imagined machines depicted in those novels are the realities of today. Video conferencing happened on Star Trek, didn't it? Is matter transporting next? It's not likely, at least not in the near future, but telecommuting to work is the next best thing. Managing those who do it is a close second. Just think of all the in-office drama you won't have to deal with when you have a virtual workforce instead of a physical one.




Experiencing the hiring industry firsthand, I have developed a strong knowledge base in recruiting and business innovation. I hope my articles are informative and can help small companies answer their technical questions as they look to modernize their hiring efforts and prepare for changes in the economy:

Resources:
applicant tracking system





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2011年12月17日 星期六

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.

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.

Know What You Want From A Job

You should 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 looking to be your own boss and invest in an opportunity, or do you need the predictability offered by an employer? Recognize what you want as a home-based worker and you are better able to spot what is worth checking into and what you should avoid.

Look at the list below for descriptions of the various ways people work from home. With this information you can cut through the "job search clutter" and focus on job options 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 solely 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 requiring 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 can provide 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

Now that you have an idea of the direction your search will take, it's time to get your guard up. The first thing to watch out for is cleverly worded "job postings" which are nothing more than advertisements for an opportunity.

There's nothing wrong with legitimate opportunities. 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.

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.

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.

10 Tips For Safe Job Hunting

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 while keeping your guard up. Start with what you know and move forward cautiously. The prize goes to those who step into the challenge with guarded 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. Approach your search for work from a position of knowledge.

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.




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.





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