The Invisible Opportunity
© Copyright, Sharon Davis
How would you feel if you had been searching desperately for something, some magic solution to a problem, and come to find out it was right there in front of you the whole time-- you just failed to see it?
For many searching for a way to work from home, this is exactly what they're doing.
There is a common misconception out there that's preventing alot of people from realizing their dreams of working at home. Is it holding you back too?
Time and time again I hear this sentiment, "I don't want to start a business. I just want to do clerical work for a company" or, "I see so many opportunities, but they're all scams because they charge a fee".
Now, before you say "well, isn't that true? Shouldn't there never be a fee?" realize that there is a big difference between a telecommute job offer and a business opportunity. And I hate to tell you this, but companies just don't hire teleworkers to do clerical work for them. There are plenty of telecommute jobs out there, but they are for highly specialized skills that require specific training. If you have a knack for sales, there are no shortage of companies that will hire you to do cold-calling from your home office.
So, that leaves us with two options: To get the training that's required for a telecommute job (programming courses at a local college, for example), or to start a home business.
For some reason, the idea of taking courses or going back to school is usually met with resistance. "I can't afford it" or "I don't have time" are typical responses. But think of it this way: Your goal is to land a telecommute job. All telecommute jobs require specialized training or skills. Doesn't it make sense to obtain the training that's required for the job you want? Isn't it worth investing in some classes if it means that you will be qualified for telecommute jobs?
Ok, so maybe you're not interested in working in sales or becoming a programmer. The other option is to look at a business opportunity. This suggestion is not usually greeted with enthusiasm. And this really is the issue at hand: Why not a business opportunity?
This is where so many people overlook the chance to work from home; the idea that if an opportunity charges a fee, it's a scam. It's a common misconception that stands in the way of many a would-be home worker.
The truth is that almost all business opportunities require an investment. You can't expect to start a business without some expenses, can you? The really exciting thing is that with the Internet, it's possible to start out with a much smaller investment than in the brick-and-mortar world.
The important thing is to be able to discern the legitimate offer from the scams. There are some simple checkpoints that can help you to determine if a business opportunity is legitimate.
--First, look at the product. Is there a product? There should be. The Federal Trade Commission considers a company to be crossing the line into pyramid scheme territory when all marketing efforts are geared toward getting others to sign up. There should be a focus on the product first, recruiting others should be secondary.
--Check with the Better Business Bureau to see if there have been complaints filed and if so, how were they handled. Remember that it's not out of the ordinary for a company to have had a few complaints. It's whether or not they were resolved to the customer's satisfaction that matters.
--Do some research to see if there are any articles/discussions pertaining to the company in question. This can be useful in picking up news articles that could alert you to potential problems (ABC Company Hit With More Class-Action Suits!) or positive feedback (CEO Joe Owner Receives Award For His Company's Philanthropic Achievements).
With effort and determination, business opportunities can be very lucrative. They can also be a stepping-stone to earning the extra money you need to take some courses or to finance your own start-up.
Give the invisible opportunity another look. It may be the key to your office at home.
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.
www.2Work-At-Home.Com
Finding the Way Home
© Copyright, Sharon Davis
It's very frustrating to receive an email from someone that says, "I really need to work at home. Please help me."
It would be impossible for me to make any kind of recommendation to this person. I receive emails just like this so frequently that I've created a template of the response that I send when I get one. In it, I tell them that I'd be happy to make some suggestions, but need more to go on. Do you want to start a business, or work for a company? What skills do you have? What line of work are you in?
Sadly, the fact that a person would put so little effort into making an inquiry like this tells me that they probably don't have what it takes to work from home.
Whether running a business or telecommuting, working at home takes tremendous discipline, self-motivation and creative problem-solving skills. You don't have co-workers or your supervisor down the hall, and often when problems arise you have to deal with them on your own.
Don't get me wrong, I love to help people-- but I do expect it to be a collaborative process. I also understand that sometimes figuring out what it is you want to do can be a challenge.
So, what are some of the first steps you can take to find your way? Here are some exercises that you can do that can help to clarify your goals:
>>Self-Assessment
Consider the qualities below. Write down the ones that you think describe you:
Self-motivated - You know what needs to be done and you don't need someone to direct you or follow up and check your progress. You're not going to be distracted by today's episode of The Bold and the Beautiful.
Creative Problem-Solver - You love nothing more than a challenge. You're able to find solutions and think "outside the box".
Excellent Communicator - You communicate effectively, both in writing and verbally. It's especially helpful if you are outgoing and enjoy talking to people.
You're not afraid to work hard. You follow through to make sure that things don't fall through the cracks.
These are all qualities that are pretty much imperative for a would-be business owner. If you wrote down all four, you are probably well-suited to running a home business.
If you wrote down three, telecommuting might be a more viable option for you-- especially if the one you didn't write down was Creative Problem-Solver. Communication skills and self-motivation are especially important for the telecommuter.
If you wrote down only 1 or 2, you should really think about whether your particular skills are going to fit with working from home. Don't give up hope, though. Consider taking a course that would help you in the area you feel you need the most improvement in.
>>Take a Skill Inventory
Get out a pad of paper and a pen and start jotting down the things that you feel you are good at and that you have experience in.
Next, make a list of the things that you really enjoy doing. Don't worry about whether you think you could make money doing them. Just make a list of all of the hobbies, tasks and various things that you have fun doing. This should be really easy!
Think about the skills and how they relate to the things you like to do. At this point, a picture should start emerging. Maybe you are really good at working with kids and you're super-organized and you also enjoy cooking and decorating.... How about starting a Party Planning business?
But what if the previous excercise determinded that a telecommute job was a better fit for you? Maybe joining one of the party planning companies would be a better option for you because of the support they offer.
>>Set Goals and Map Out a Path to Achieve Them
Once you've come up with a goal, be it a home business or a telecommute job in your chosen field, you should map out a plan of how to get there.
If you've chosen to start a home business, a business plan should definitely be your first step. It helps to focus your goals and gives you a plan that you can refer to to stay on track.
Finding a telecommute job takes planning as well. Once you've decided what field you should pursue, you'll want to research companies and compile a list of the top 10 or more that you'd like to work for. Your research might include the financial performance, company culture, benefits and employee satisfaction.
Once identified, you should try to obtain the name of the person who does the hiring and send a resume with a personalized cover letter addressed to them. Also, mention the company name and say what attracted you to their company. For example, "Your Company's solid financial performance over the past 3 years is very impressive" or "Your Company's commitment to community services makes it the type of organization that I would be proud to work with". You don't want to put something like, "I want to work for your company because you allow telecommuting".
>>Be Flexible
Remember that many companies that allow telecommuting only allow it after a certain period of time, or for only a certain portion of your work-week. Don't be so locked into the idea of landing a full telecommute position that you overlook the potential telecommute job in the long run.
Similarly, starting a business requires time, money and tremendous dedication. You may not be in a position to quit your job and start a business. You might have to burn the midnight oil to get something started while continuing to work.
Finding your way to working at home takes planning, creativity and some serious soul-searching. But once you map out your goals, you'll find that the path becomes much clearer and you have a much better chance at success.
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.
www.2Work-At-Home.Com
Disclaimer: The information presented and opinions expressed herein are those of the authors
and do not necessarily represent the views of Work-at-Home-Business.com and/or its partners.
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