Could Your Current Job Be Suitable For Telecommuting?

You may or may not realize this, but sometimes it's better to consider taking your existing job home with you rather than perform an all out search for a new telecommuting job.

Your existing employer knows your work ethic and this can be to your advantage when attempting to convince them to allow you to telecommute.

However, not all jobs are suitable for telecommuting. And this article will focus on that. Distinguishing what jobs are suitable for telecommuting will help you determine if your current job is a prime candidate for this type of work environment.

How many hours out of your workday are spent working on projects alone? If you perform a type of job where you are trapped in one area for an extended period, this could be a job for taking home. That's why typing, computer programming, designing, reporting, writing, data entry, engineering, designing all are decent candidates for teleworking arrangements.

But even if your job involves this type of work, you must consider whether your job requires large amounts of interaction with other employees or your employer. While, everyday technology is advancing to make this less and less of a concern, it should be something taken into consideration.

Video conferencing and other methods of distance communication our advancing so everyone can easily take advantage. Right now, the necessary hardware, software, and connection speeds to do this efficiently aren't available to everyone at a reasonable price.

In the near future, you can expect telepresence to break down this barrier of required communication with employers and colleagues. Making telecommuting a much easier proposition for employees in this current dilemma of needing to have constant contact with their fellow workers.

If you are not familiar with telepresence, it's basically, a method of communication where your image can be seen by someone communicating with you as if they were sitting across a desk from you.

Believe it or not, our communication lines are set up for allowing this. The communication speed is there and we can expect this technology to become more and more common in the near future.

Now, just the opposite, if your current job involves interacting with others outside your organization then this can easily be done from elsewhere. Telephone customer service and telephone sales are all good candidates for telecommuting.

Do you work at a physical plant, construction site, retail store? If this is the case, then it will be a lot harder, if not impossible, to convert that job into a telecommuting position. That is, unless your job involves large amounts of phone or computer work within these settings.

Do you need to be available at a moment's notice? If so, telecommuting may not be a good choice for you. If you are the main point person when people need problems solved right on the spot, being at home may not cut it. Do you manage other peoples computers, the company network, office equipment, etc.? If you do, you may find it hard to convince your boss your services can be performed from home.

These are just a few things to consider to determine if your present job is suitable for telecommuting. If your job can't allow this type of work environment and you still want to work from home, you need to consider finding another job that does.

If your job isn't suitable for telecommuting, you may need to find one that is. And this could mean needing to learn some new skills. You can definitely learn the skills you'll need for a future telecommuting job from the comfort of your home.

If your job happens to be suitable for telecommuting and you want to stay with your current employer, your next step would be to find out if your company has any telecommuting policies in force. Then you will need to discuss your telecommuting desire with your employer. And you just might be working from your home very soon.

Find out the Five Top Places to find free telecommute work opportunities, just visit Telecommute Now and download your free Telecommuting Job Search Strategy Guide. Get It Now.

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

5 Steps to Approaching Your Current Employer About Telecommuting

A question I am often asked by people who would like to telecommute is, "How do I approach my manager or boss about this subject?" Many people fear that if they suggest telecommuting, or even working from home occasionally, that they will be viewed as "less than serious" about their job. Of course, if your company already has a formal telework plan in place it is much easier, but what do you do if they don't? Before you approach your boss or manager there are 2 main things you need to consider:

o Is my job right for telecommuting? If your job involves doing a lot of independent work such as reading, research, number crunching, report or document writing, or phone work then at least a portion of your job can be done outside the office - and might actually benefit from being away from common office interruptions. On the other hand, if your job requires a good deal of face-to-face contact or access to information or systems that are only available in the office, then your job might not be a good fit for telecommuting.

o Would I make a good telecommuter? There are certain traits that help make someone more successful at working outside the office. Successful telecommuters are usually self-starters who do not require much "hands-on" help from mangers or colleagues. They also need to be organized and possess good time management skills. If you don't have all of these skills don't worry, they can be developed over time.

Many companies have heard of the benefits of telework but they still have fears or misconceptions about what is involved. Here are 5 steps you can take to approach this topic professionally.

1. Go in with a plan, not a request. Do your research and be prepared to address any questions, fears, or objections that your manager and/or boss might have. Put together a short proposal including:

a) Why you want to telecommute.

b) From what location you will be telecommuting.

c) Is the space and equipment sufficient?

d) How will they know you are working?

e) How many days a week you will work from a remote location.

(Usually only a day or two a week to start)

f) How often will you be "checking in?"

g) Why do you, in particular, have the skills necessary to work from home?

2. Think like a Manager or Supervisor. Approach this proposal/conversation thinking like a manager. Don't explain how it will benefit you; instead focus on how it will benefit the company and increase your productivity.

3. BE FLEXIBLE! Don't initially propose this as a permanent arrangement. Explain that you'd like to try it for 2-3 months with an evaluation at the beginning, middle, and end of the trial to evaluate your progress.

4. Have measurable goals and objectives. How will they know you're working? If you spend a lot of time preparing reports, figure out how many hours or days they usually take you to complete. If you work in a customer service position, then track how many calls you put out to clients. The bottom line is to find some way to quantify your current level of productivity so your boss or manager will have a basis for comparison.

5. Ease their fears with facts. Find recent statistics and articles about other organizations that have implemented telework programs successfully. It's best if you can find those that pertain specifically to your job description. If you can show that other, similar companies are successfully executing telework, then t the perceived risk is reduced.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

An advocate of working virtually? It would be more precise to say that Phil Montero is an evangelist for distributed work. He's been the spearhead of the remote work movement for more than a decade: teaching how to work effectively from a home office, the road, or practically anywhere.

The consultant, writer, speaker, and coach is the founder of http://www.YouCanWorkFromAnywhere.com - a site that assists organizations to leverage mobile work technology and create effective virtual teams.

His blog, http://www.TheAnywhereOffice.com, takes a big picture approach to the philosophies and strategies of navigating today's digital lifestyle while covering topics such as work life balance, virtual teams, mobile work technology, and internet marketing.

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.