I’ve always wanted to be a writer. However, I didn’t decide to become a freelancer until after college. With my journalism and communication’s degree in hand, I looked into opportunities with the local television stations and the newspaper. As a recent graduate with zero published clips, I had just enough experience to work as an editorial assistant (glorified secretary per employment description), or become an entry-level staff writer, which offered minimal pay.

That’s when I looked into freelance work.

I wanted to be a freelancer back when few people considered this route. Now, it appears as if everyone wants to jump on the telecommute or freelance bandwagon - can’t say that I blame them. Freelancing is perfect for those who don’t want a “job-job.” Where else can you call all the shots and still get paid? Read more

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Once you’ve made the decision to work from home, now comes the hard part…finding a telecommute job.

There are plenty available jobs. Unfortunately, most companies that hire telecommuters don’t advertise these jobs in the local classifieds. To find a legitimate work from home opportunity, you’ve got to hit the Internet, and the pavement.

1. Visit Work at Home Job Boards: The Internet features several legitimate work at home boards, and most don’t require a fee. Find opportunities for freelancing writing, data entry, order entry, and virtual assistants.

2. Present the Idea to Your Boss: Companies, especially small businesses, are always looking for ways to lower their expenses. In fact, a few companies have created telecommute positions, wherein employees work from home. In turn, employers don’t have to pay retirement benefits, health insurance, etc.

3. Hit the Pavement and Market Yourself: If your current employer doesn’t want to experiment with telecommuting…another employer might. Don’t let the word “no” stand in your way. Choose a business specialty or niche and market yourself as a freelancer. Design business cards, draft a cover letter and resume, put on your best professional attire, and go business-to-business.

Technorati Tags: telecommuting jobs, telecommute, freelance, market, work at home

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Many moms (and dads) prefer a work at home career. The benefits are endless, and in many instances, you can earn more money working from home. Still, lack of confidence and know-how prevents many from taking the leap. I don’t recommend jumping into a work at home career blindly; nor do I suggest making a decision that’ll be financially detrimental.

Any major life decision deserves foresight and a good plan. For example, what type of work at home career best fits your personality and expertise? Some people have unique skills, in which they can turn their talent into a profitable business. Then again, others have limited abilities and no special skills.

To enjoy a successful work at home career, you don’t need years of managerial experience. What’s more, you don’t even need a college degree. There are plenty jobs available. And in most cases, all you need is excellent customer service skills, the ability to work with little or no supervision, and computer knowledge.

One of the best opportunities for WAHM’s, or anyone looking for a telecommute job, is a virtual assistant. eMoms at Home, a home based business blog for moms and dads, explains how virtual assistants work. These individuals are normally experts in a particular area of business (marketing, accounting, technical, or proofreading). Nonetheless, more than a few opportunities are available to persons with basic clerical skills (data entry, word processing, order entry, etc.)

Technorati Tags: virtual assistant, telecommute, wahm, work at home, be your own boss, self-employed

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Last week, the Contract Worker explored the dark side of accepting credit card payments with PayPal. Although there are various ways to receive payment for services rendered, most clients prefer to submit PayPal payments. This way, they don’t have to worry about postage or cutting checks. Freelancers also prefer this method because it’s quick. The client deposits the payment, and it’s available for immediate withdrawal.

Like most freelancers, the majority of my payments are received through PayPal. Moreover, several clients pay with a credit card. I don’t have a problem with credit card payments, and I don’t mind the transaction fee. However, I have a slight issue with the way PayPal handles a reverse transaction.

It’s my understanding that it only takes one complaint from a disgruntle client for PayPal to reverse a credit card payment. There’s no investigation process. What’s worse…if you’ve already withdrawn the money, PayPal will suspend your account until the money is repaid.

I’ve never had a problem with PayPal, and I probably never will. Still, I can’t help but wonder what would happen if a client submits payment for a project, and then decides to reverse the transaction because they overestimated their budget or simply changed their mind.

Technorati Tags: paypal, work at home, freelance, telecommuter

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So, you’re ready to leave your current place of employment and become a telecommuter. You’ve looked at different work at home job boards, and found a few good leads.

There are plenty of legitimate work at home opportunities available. Still, picking the right venture isn’t easy. With so many work at home scams, it’s no wonder that some people are hesitant to become a telecommuter.

Before hitting the Internet in search of the perfect work at home opportunity, consider four ways to identify a work at home scam.

1. “No Skills Required” - Why would a legitimate employer hire someone with no skills? Since most work at home jobs involve some sort of clerical task, it only makes sense for the ideal candidate to have some computer skills, knowledge of computer software, and perhaps customer service skills.

2. “Earn $3,097 Part-Time” - Ads that state specific income earnings are almost always a scam. Besides, if you could really earn that much money working less than 40 hours a week - everyone would work from home.

3. Who’s Hiring? - You might stumble upon a very vague job ad. For example, “Perfect opportunity for recent graduates and stay-at-home moms. Apply Now!” This ad has two major problems. First, who’s doing the hiring? Second, what does the job entail? No company name, no job description!?! It’s definitely a scam.

4. Upfront Fee - Shady employment agencies may pose as real employers and post phony job ads to lure candidates. Once you arrive at the interview, they’ll attempt to sell their services and charge a finder’s fee. Never pay for a job. If you want to invest in your future, use the money to start a business.

Technorati Tags: work at home, work at home scam, telecommute, freelance

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