After years of trekking into an office, you’ve decided to make the transition to working at home. But if you’re unsure how to navigate the work from home job search waters, here’s a life jacket—and five tips—on finding a legitimate job working at home.
Ask Your Employer
If you’re currently still employed at an in-office job, you should find out if you can transfer your duties to your home office. When presenting your telecommuting case to your boss, highlight how working from home can be beneficial for both you and your employer. After all, employees who telecommute save their employers thousands of dollars annually. That way, your boss will see your work at home status in terms of dollars and cents, and the savings will make a lot of sense to him.
Target Your Search
Work from home job scams abound on the Internet. On average, there are about 70 scams for every legitimate telecommuting job. Despite those sobering stats, you can easily find a real work at home job—if you know how. When searching online, be specific with your keywords, using phrases like “telecommuting,” “work at home” and “flex schedule.” Then research the companies you’re applying to to make sure that they are truly legitimate organizations. And remember the cardinal rule: If a job posting seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Reach Out to Contacts
Let’s say you’ve stayed in friendly contact with your former boss and colleagues. There’s no time like the present to reach out to them to see if they know of any work at home job opportunities. Often time, employees will know of upcoming job openings before they have been released to the public. So speaking with former coworkers can give you an inside scoop to positions that may become available—and they can help push your resume and cover letter to the top of the hiring manager’s pile.
Update Your LinkedIn
Dust the cobwebs off your LinkedIn profile and get it shiny and ready for your next job. You can add info about your job-seeking status right underneath your name on your profile. For example, write “Currently looking for a telecommuting position.” By doing so, you are creating a mini advertisement of what you’re looking for—right where hiring managers are apt to find it.
Connect with Companies
Sometimes companies will include a telecommuting option right at the end of the job posting. But many times, they won’t. If you’re unsure whether a company offers flex schedules or not, you can always reach out to the companies directly to see if they have telecommuting plans in place. You can also target your job search to companies that you know offer flex schedules. That way, you’ll have an easier time asking for—and getting—a telecommuting position that allows you to restructure your life and perhaps even reinvent your career—and yourself.
Finding a job that lets you work from home is simple when you know the steps you need to take. With a little time and focus, you can be working from home in no time!
