Work from Home Employers in the News

Alpine Access and LiveOps make the news a lot, but it's ALWAYS good to know that they are around, and still hiring. WSAW reports: http://www.wsaw.com/money/headlines/65130652.html

Home Jobs for Moms - A Guide to Choosing The Right Opportunity For Stay at Home Mothers

When you are considering working from home, there is a set of decisions that must be made before anything. First, you need to know if you really have the skills and equipment to work from home. Then, you need to decide how you can put those skills to work - either through a telecommuting employer or your own business venture. There are many opportunities for working mothers to explore, especially online. Becoming a successful work from home mom is dependent on your research. Finding the right match for your skills, income expectations, and equipment is vital for a successful work from home venture.

Sometimes the best place to start a work from home career is where your last career ended. If you have done customer service in the past, there are a ton of virtual call centers such as LiveOps, West at Home, and Alpine Access that hire experienced customer service professionals and people with retail experience. When you work as a customer service agent from your home, you just need a reliable Internet connection and a working phone. Do you have experience in the hospitality industry? Some companies hire virtual concierges to schedule tasks for busy executives. Companies that hire home-based telemarketers are often looking for new workers and pay an hourly rate, with flexible schedules.

Experienced in childcare or teaching? There's a growing demand for online tutors with the right qualifications and patience to teach kids online. If none of the above seem to fit, there's always a chance to use your skills to form your own administrative assistant business. Virtual assistants are becoming widely accepted as an essential member of the virtual workforce -- and they can easily branch into new areas once they've grown a small list of clients. Usually, you need to have proficient internet skills and a comprehensive knowledge of word processing programs, as well as the ability to make and take calls from home.

If you want to start your own business, the opportunities are endless - but it will take some work and dedication. You can start with a direct sales company and sell products from an established brand to friends and neighbors. You'll be working on commission, however, so you'll need to plan your budget accordingly.

Another option for starting your own business is offering a local business such as daycare, personal assistants, or pet walking. All of these will require that you leave the house from time to time, but they can help you generate income. Just be sure to check the licensing requirements in your state before you make a decision.

If you're more of a mompreneur than anything, you may want to start an online business. Ebay stores and other retail prospects are always a good choice for moms, and there are many websites such as Work at Home Mom (WAHM.com) that have offer support and guidance for online ventures. Just make sure that you do your homework and don't get caught up in any scams pr pyramid schemes - they seem to run rampant on the internet. Many stay at home moms have found a home in the internet marketing community by directing web traffic to a website and then recommending certain products and services.

Decide first what type of job you'd like to do and then work from there. You don't have to limit yourself to one source of work from home income. Many moms take part-time telecommuting jobs while they work on building a business of their own. Don't limit yourself to what you know, take time to explore your options. Make sure you find an online community for support that you can turn to for new ideas, job leads, and guidance. There are a ton of successful work at home moms out there that love to share their expertise.

A few good forums to check into:

http://www.wahm.com

http://www.whydowork.com

http://www.wahmforums.com/

A link to a long list of work from home telecommuting jobs

I know there are a lot of websites with lists like this - but we came across this one from Persistant Sue that's just been updated. Keep in mind that this list is unsorted and each company offers various home based positions. You'll want to do your research before applying. Enjoy!

The Best Virtual Jobs for Moms

If you're a stay-at-home mom, a virtual job can help you find that balance between raising a family and earning a steady income. Moms who want to contribute financially to their family while taking care of their children can find work as virtual assistants, customer service representatives and telemarketers. Home-based positions tend to be more flexible and allow you to create a schedule around the schedule of other activities.

Working from Home

In order to work from home, you need to be able to dedicate enough hours each day to complete a shift or accomplish all daily tasks required. If you have small children, you may need to hire a babysitter or consider daycare options so you aren't distracted during your shift. Many companies have specific criteria that require employees to work in a quiet environment in order to better serve their customers.

For most work-at-home jobs, you will need a computer, Internet connection, dedicated phone line, and other items including a printer, fax machine, or transcription equipment. When applying for a virtual position, you should ask if special equipment will be needed. You may have to attend on-site training for a week or longer to learn how to use special equipment or to learn more about the company's customer service procedures.

Types of Virtual Jobs Available

Depending on the job experiences and training you already having, obtaining a work from home position may be easier than you think. Virtual secretary jobs are best for those who have worked in business administration or those who have typing and other office skills. You can start your own virtual assisting business, or you can work for a virtual assisting service. Common job tasks include typing documents, transcription, email monitoring, meeting planning, event planning, and maintaining business calendars. You may also be asked to edit reports and other documents, create spreadsheets, or update web pages.

Work-from-home customer service positions require prior customer service experience in many cases. Because you will be answering customer questions, taking reservations, and processing orders, you need to have excellent typing and data entry skills. You should also be able to talk to customers easily and be able to problem solve quickly in order to maintain quality customer service. If you enjoy helping others and are able to maintain a professional demeanor in any situation, this position may be for you.

At-home telemarketing positions are best for those who feel comfortable speaking with others and selling goods and services over the phone. Some companies prefer hiring employees that have sales or telemarketing experience, but others are willing to train the right people.

Other virtual positions include appointment setting, reservation services, concierge services, and help desk services.

Where to Find Virtual Jobs

There are many places to look when trying to find a virtual job. Paid online classifieds (and a few free classified sites like Craigslist), job boards, and company websites are some of the best places to look. If you're interested in starting a virtual assistant service, you should ask former employers, former co-workers, place an ad in trade newspapers or local newspapers, and join a small business group in order to meet people who may be in need of your services.