Career Change

Yes! You Really Can Find Work From Home Jobs!

Yes! You Really Can Find Work From Home Jobs!
This article is part of an exclusive month-long program on CAREEREALISM to help readers break free of The Golden Handcuff Effect. Click HERE to learn more about the Professional Emancipation Project, a.k.a. The P.E.P. Talk. Did you know that you can actually find work from home jobs from Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, or businesses with a national footprint? There once was a time when going to work meant that you had to get up early in the morning, get dressed, make breakfast, rush out the door, drive in hours of traffic, and arrive at a remote location to perform your job. You assume that this is the only lifestyle – isn’t this what everyone does? Your employment circumstances look exactly like your parents’ way of life. The working world is changing – old business conventions are being replaced with new technologies. New business models are replacing their venerable older models. Both businesses and government are realizing that making it easy for their employees to telecommute can be cost effective, have major impact on work life balance, and help them retain a happy, dedicated, workforce.

Hundreds Of Work From Home Jobs

Contrary to public opinion, there are hundreds of legitimate home-based opportunities, provided by companies, and U.S. Federal and State agencies you know. The Internet revolution has created a new means of communication; as a result, many jobs that needed to be performed on the business site, are now perfectly performed in the home. In addition, the fear that work performance levels would sink, due to lack of direct management, is no longer an issue, because of the cutting edge advancements in the fields of communication and data technology.

So, What Are My Options?

You can telecommute from home as an employee, or as an independent contractor, otherwise known as a freelancer. Some telecommuting positions allow the worker to be home all the time. Other telecommuting programs require the worker to spend some time in the office during the week but allow them to complete the majority of their work at home. You can find work from home jobs with Fortune 500 companies, like AT&T, Dell, Google and Amazon.com. Several large companies, and even the United States government have embraced telecommuting options for employees. At Dell, managers work with their teams of employees and make individual arrangements that can include working from home. Dell is just one of the many companies that have started to offer telecommuting for employees. You can also find work from home jobs within the U.S. Federal government. On December 9, 2010, The Telework Enhancement Act of 2010 (Act), was signed into law. The Act has had tremendous impact in aiding Federal agencies to broaden the telework experience for federal workers. You can find available government job listings offering telecommuter opportunities, by visiting USAJobs.gov, and entering the keyword telecommute in the search bar under “What.”

Micro-Entrepreneurship

Micro-entrepreneurship is a viable option if you want to begin to work from home, either to supplement your income, or build a home business. Micro-entrepreneurship is performing small jobs that can be done in your spare time. Some freelance websites allow you to list jobs that you are willing to do for a fee. Then, companies and individuals can hire you to complete the job. You can sell services that are in demand, and can be completed quickly, to build a substantial income on these freelancing websites. Most freelancers who use these websites, only receive part of their freelance income from the sites. As a micro-entrepreneur, you get to earn a great living, and sustain work from home jobs that you love. Fiverr.com, ODesk.com, Elance.com and Amazon’s Mturk.com are a few micro-sites that come to mind. If you are skilled in the creative arts, you can find fulfillment when sharing your talents as your business. Writers may find a way to write that first novel. Often, artists and writers need to keep working a regular job until they achieve some level of success with their art. Telecommuting or owning a home-based business may provide additional time at home, and flexibility, that the artists and writers can use to perfect their skills and use their talents.

How Can I Find Work From Home Jobs?

Numerous options are available if you want to find work from home jobs. If you are happy working in your current field, you may want to discuss telecommuting with your employer. You can also look at employment websites for work from home opportunities. Finally, if you are a budding entrepreneur, you can find success at home, by building a business focusing on helping others. With some creativity and hard work, you can work from home, in a way that will be most fulfilling to you.

The P.E.P. Talk

This article is part of our P.E.P. Talk Series. Over the next month, some of the brightest and best authors, business professionals, and coaches are coming together to share their valuable advice for breaking free of "The Golden Handcuff Effect" so you can take full ownership of your careers and experience Professional Emancipation. Photo Credit: Shutterstock
Featured