7 Tips to Landing a Work at Home Job

You've found the perfect work at home job! Now, all that stands between you and your dream of working at home is to stand out from the competition and ace the interview.

Here are 7 tips to help you shine and increase your chances of snagging that work at home job.

1. Be professional.

In all of your correspondence with an employer be the model of professionalism. Every day I get emails from people who think that I hire people and it never fails to appall me how unprofessional they can be. I see everything from "I want this job. Pls send me information" to "workin from home".

I'm not kidding.

Every time you communicate with a potential employer it is an opportunity to WOW them, or to convince them that you are not at all qualified for the job. Use proper grammar, complete sentences and use a spell checker! Even an informal email should be formatted like a letter with a greeting and a respectful closing.

2. Follow the application instructions to the letter.

If the job listing instructs you to send your resume in the body of an email message then do it. Don't send it as an attachment. If it tells you not to send a resume, don't send one. Some employers will ask you to use a specific subject in your email to them. This is often to see if you read the job description thoroughly and can follow directions. If you can't follow directions in the application process then they will think (actually, they will know) that you cannot follow directions in general.

3. Tailor your cover letter.

You should always create a cover letter that is specific to the job you are applying for. Personalize your greeting with the hiring person's name if possible. Stay away from phrases like "Dear Sir". If you are unable to determine the hiring party's name then use something like, "Dear Hiring Manager".

A great cover letter will be short and to the point. It should relate directly to the skills that they are looking for. For example, you might say, "You had mentioned that you were looking for someone with a background in creative writing and journalism. I studied both in college, where I majored in English. I began my career as an assistant editor at the local paper, where I learned to take a hands-on approach to investigative journalism."

4. Have a resume that is specific to the job you are applying for.

As with the cover letter you may want to revise your resume to prioritize your skills and experience to the job you are applying for. If you have a sales and customer service background and you are applying for a job where customer service is the main focus then you'll want to really highlight that aspect of your experience. List customer service related skills first.

5. Make sure your resume is FANTASTIC.

A fantastic resume is never more than one page long. Use action words in your summary: Self-motivated, customer focused, creative problem solver, etc.

Describe your job description rather than just listing tasks. Instead of this:


Wrote schedules
Managed employees
Handled hiring

Use this:

Responsible for all aspects of managing a retail store with an annual volume of $2 million including recruiting, hiring and training personnel while maintaining excellent customer service standards. Achieved a 7% sales increase within the first year. Was awarded the...

This is your chance to really talk yourself up. Include all of your achievements in a concise manner.

6. Follow up.

If you don't hear back after a week, send a short follow up note. One follow up note, no more.

Dear Mr./Ms. Last Name,

I submitted a resume earlier this month for the Web Developer position advertised in the City Times.

I am very interested in working at XYZ Company and I believe my skills, especially my C++ experience at AMR company, would be an ideal match for this position.

If necessary, I would be glad to resend my resume or to provide any further information you might need regarding my candidacy. I can be reached at (555)555-5555 or jsmith[at]foo.com. I look forward to hearing from you.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Signature

7. Always send a thank you note.

After an interview, always send a thank you note, preferably by mail. You should send your note within 24 hours after your interview. Express your enthusiasm to work for their organization. Reiterate (very briefly) how your skills and experience match what they are looking for. If there was a shining moment in your interview, bring that up.

These tips should help you to stand out from the competition in your search for a work at home job.

Sharon Davis, Work At Home expert, writer and consultant, helps people to achieve their goal of working at home, telecommuting or starting a home business.
http://www.2Work-At-Home.com
Find free work at home jobs posted daily:
http://blog.2work-at-home.com/WordPress/

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