What do you really want to do?

The question is asked and now it is time to answer. Time to evaluate yourself, set your goals and make a final decision.

Let us both go through this together.

The FACT is known that you have a desire to work from home. The DECISION is trying to find out how and what you will be doing at home.

The FACT is known that you must have certain skills, motivation and an understanding of what it takes to work from home to succeed. The DECISION is finding out if you are really ready to work from home.

Now let us consider the different forms of home employment. Telecommuting, a home-based job and a home-based business are at the top of the list. A lot of people confuse telecommuting with a home-based job.

Telecommuting is created when an employer decides that an employee can work from home. This arrangement must be agreed mutually between the two parties. The employer already knows that this employee can be trusted to perform in the same manner at home as in an office environment. Therefore, most Telecommuting jobs are initiated between a company and its employee. So if you are employed and have a desire to telecommute, you must convince your employer that you can do this productively and efficiently.

Home-based jobs are initiated when a company requires certain projects to be completed in a certain time. This kind of company will consider you as an Independent Contractor and not as an employee. There are indeed companies that will hire you as an Independent Contractor. Finding such companies hold the key to your success. Here are a few profiles of such companies:

1. Companies that have overload work and few employees.
2. Companies that have a need for medical transcription.
3. Companies who don't have a web presence.
4. Companies that use sales personnel.
5. Companies that specialize in recruiting.

A home-based business is also a form of working from home and gives you more control over your decisions. It also allows you to set your own priorities and your own price. A home-based business should also be considered as a JOB. The only major difference is that you pay yourself, which can be an asset if the business is doing well. Ideas of different home-based business services or products that you can offer are:

1. Secretarial Services
2. Web Design Services
3. Bookkeeping Services
4. Retailer
5. Distributor
6. Information Broker
7. Computer Trainer

Are you anywhere near a decision yet?

Here is my opinion:

You must fit in any of these three categories:

1. If you are a go-getter, decision maker, easily motivated, dedicated and know how to set and accomplish goals, then a home-based business, in my opinion, will favor you.
2. If you are more laid back, not comfortable with coming out of your own comfort zone, then Telecommuting may be better for you.
3. If you need a change without a lot of responsibility but are willing to take a risk, then a home-based job would be ideal for you.

Which of these profiles describe you?

If none of them fit, then you may need to re-evaluate who you are and what you want.

However, if you do fit into one or more of these profiles, it is time to make a decision and begin making plans on how you will begin to accomplish the goals pertaining to your decision.

Your decision should be targeted to only one of these three entities. You should not try to accomplish two simultaneously. However, if you try one and it fails, it is OK to try another but give the first one your best effort before you quit.

If your choice is Telecommuting, plan ahead on how to anticipate your boss's response.

Here are a few things to consider:

1. How willing are you to negotiate for time? If you want to work from home 3 days a week and your boss offers only one day, would you be willing to accept?
2. How will you resent the benefits of Telecommuting to your boss?
3. How will the office run without your presence?
4. Will this arrangement save the company money?
5. Why do you need to do something from everyone else?
6. Will any of your job responsibilities change?
7. Will you have the proper equipment to work from home?

If your choice is a home-based job, here are a few ideas to get started:

1. Look in your local yellow pages or online directories to find select companies that may need your service. Contact the decision-maker and market your services to them.
2. Check online Job banks that my need data entry services. There are many of them.
3. Look in the search engines for "freelance" and "Telecommuting" jobs. Be careful of the scams in this category.
4. Contact companies who offer Telecommuting services to other companies. Challenge them to "practice what they preach."
5. Join your local Chamber of Commerce and network with other members. They may need your services from time to time.

If your choice is a home-based business, then consider these:

1. If you are good at sales, for example, contact a manufacturer or wholesaler. You will find a large list in the Thomas Register and make a proposition to sell their products at a negotiable price and have them drop-ship the products to your customers.
2. If you have a hobby that you really like, you can turn it into a profitable business.
3. Join an affiliate program and make it your online business.
4. Become a Distributor.
5. Become a tutor or computer trainer if that is something you would like to do. Contact your local schools to get clients (students).
6. If you are good at web design, check out the different web sites online and contact the webmaster and offer your services to them.

Now that you are informed, what exactly are you going to do? Only you have the power to decide. The only way that you can actually be successful is not for me to give you a list of available jobs but for me to show you how to find them. It is certainly better to teach someone to fish than to just hand him the fish. What do you really want to do?

-- This article is written by Cheryline Lawson, author of the electronic books: "How to find legitimate home employment" and 10 Steps to a successful home-based job." A sample chapter can be found at http://internet-home-employment.net. You may also email the author at clawson38@hotmail.com

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