By Cheryline Lawson
Are you still searching for that home-based job? Are you getting discouraged at all the scams and get-rich-quick programs?
Well, you are not alone. So many people want to work from home and with this demand comes the scammer whose aim is to capitalize on people like you.
Their ads scream at you: Help Wanted! Apply Within! They disguise or at least, try to disguise their intentions and if you are not careful, you can get lured into these schemes.
Now enough of my venting. You should now be able to discern how I feel about people who take advantage of others and my aim is to break up their game and spread the good news that there is indeed help out there for you.
"Out there where?" you ask. Please be patient while I break it down for you.
The Internet is the first place to begin but you must be extremely cautious, yet open-minded. The only way you can be open-minded is to have some knowledge on how to detect these scams.
Begin specifically with the major search engines:
Type in keywords like "telecommute," "telecommuting," "freelance," "home employment," or "home-based jobs," to see what your search results are.
Visit each page to view the information and offers there. If you come across someone who asks you to purchase a directory of job listings, click your "Back Button" immediately.
Next, this may seem unorthodox, but it sure has worked for others and myself. Go to the various online job banks, find a email contact on each page and send an email explaining that you are seeking home employment and would like to offer your data entry skills to them. Attach a copy of your resume to back up your claim.
Not all Job banks use external help but you won't know unless you ask. If you are a web designer, do the same thing, especially with poorly or mediocre designed sites, offering them your service at a negotiable price.
Depending on what your skills are, let your imagination work for you. If you are unsuccessful at first, try something else but be creative, insightful and persevering.
Here are some ideas that you can work with:
- Find a web site that you think may need a webmaster
- Create a web site, advertising your skills and your desire to find home employment. Make the site very professional. Most scammers will stay far from professionalism.
- If there is a business that sells videotapes or cassette tapes, email the contact person and offer to create tapes on a commission or per tape basis. Offer to provide the tapes yourself, if that is a possibility so you can charge a little more.
- If you are good at sales, find a manufacturer's site and offer to sell their goods at commission rate and have them drop ship.
- If you are a good researcher, find informational sites and offer to do research for them. Educational web sites are a great place to start.
Finding a work at home job requires ingenuity and imagination. If you are waiting for the Help Wanted! Apply Within! Concept, you are disillusioned. Some of these ideas can be implemented offline as well.
Go through your local yellow pages to find companies that could use your service. Do not be afraid to make a phone call to the decision-maker. If you don't feel comfortable with this, then send a letter but you must follow up with a phone call.
As long as there is a need, you can fill it thus creating your own work at home job. You can also go the Job Boards to search for work at home jobs but I have found this to be a frustrating process. The scammers find ways to disguise their scams on the Job Boards too. However, if you have lots of time on your hands, you may try but be certain to look for "telecommuting" or "freelance" positions.
The bottom line is that there are many like yourself trying to find work at home jobs so in order to be ahead of the competition, you must be able to "sell yourself and your services."
Most companies will find your "boldness" very impressive because not too many people are doing what you are about to do. Good Luck and please let me hear your success story.
-- Article 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