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    Finding Your

    Dream Work-From-Home Job

    Without Getting Scammed

    Reproduced By:

    www.michellecabiles.com

    http://www.michellecabiles.com/http://www.michellecabiles.com/http://www.michellecabiles.com/
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    DISCLAIMER AND TERMS OF USE AGREEMENT

    The author and publisher have used their best efforts in preparing this report. The

    author and publisher make no representation or warranties with respect to the

    accuracy, applicability, fitness, or completeness of the contents of this report. Theinformation contained in this report is strictly for educational purposes. Therefore, if

    you wish to apply ideas contained in this report, you are taking full responsibility for

    your actions.

    EVERY EFFORT HAS BEEN MADE TO ACCURATELY REPRESENT THIS PRODUCT AND

    IT'S POTENTIAL. HOWEVER, THERE IS NO GUARANTEE THAT YOU WILL IMPROVE IN

    ANY WAY USING THE TECHNIQUES AND IDEAS IN THESE MATERIALS. EXAMPLES IN

    THESE MATERIALS ARE NOT TO BE INTERPRETED AS A PROMISE OR GUARANTEE OF

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    THE PERSON USING OUR PRODUCT, IDEAS AND TECHNIQUES.

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    SUCCESS OR IMPROVEMENT LEVEL. NOR ARE WE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY OF YOUR

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    MANY FACTORS WILL BE IMPORTANT IN DETERMINING YOUR ACTUAL RESULTS AND

    NO GUARANTEES ARE MADE THAT YOU WILL ACHIEVE RESULTS SIMILAR TO OURS

    OR ANYBODY ELSE'S, IN FACT NO GUARANTEES ARE MADE THAT YOU WILL ACHIEVE

    ANY RESULTS FROM OUR IDEAS AND TECHNIQUES IN OUR MATERIAL.

    The author and publisher disclaim any warranties (express or implied),

    merchantability, or fitness for any particular purpose. The author and publisher shall

    in no event be held liable to any party for any direct, indirect, punitive, special,

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    of this material, which is provided as is, and without warranties.

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    TABLE OF CONTENTS

    Introduction

    Work-from-Home When, Why, and Who 4

    Chapter One

    Work-from-Home Jobs VS. Running a Home Business 5

    Chapter Two

    Pinpointing People Who Should Work From Home 7

    Chapter Three

    Work-From-Home Pros and Cons 13

    Chapter Four

    Technology and Work-From-Home Tools 17

    Chapter Five

    Work-From-Home Job Search 23

    Chapter Six

    Anatomy of a Work-From-Home Scam 36

    Chapter Seven

    Ways to Distinguish Scam From Real 40

    Chapter Eight

    Other Important Aspects of Working From Home 43

    Conclusion

    Working From Home and Fulfillment 50

    Resources 53

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    Introduction

    Work-from-Home When, Why, and Who

    When asked Whats your dream job? do you automatically say to be a

    manager/boss of a multi-million dollar company? If yes, good for you; you have a

    clear goal, right? Not for people who have already been burned out by the office

    politics, stressing commute to work and all corporate conundrums, though.

    Some people prefer staying at home due to lack of job opportunities (or are

    being picky at it), or would want to oversee the growth of their children or just

    about any reason a work-at-home enthusiast can add.

    Working on home-based jobs virtually has no definite date of conception. It

    can be found to have started among the earliest settlers from where office-type

    work then had not been common.

    Working from home has been operational long before someone had

    invented a name for it. Old settlers who produce their own crops and process it into

    a certain form of finished products (such as preserves, cheeses, bread, etc.) can be

    credited as the pioneer in the field of home-based work.

    Working from home may likewise be in the form that an individual has a

    current office job but is given the option by the employer to finish or accomplish

    assigned tasks at home. They may be headhunters for various posts who can recruit

    and entertain applicants through the use of the Internet, i.e. through email

    messaging and the likes.

    Searching for ones dream work-from-home job is not an easy task. But it can

    be done a lot easier if you are armed with enough knowledge on how to breeze

    through it.

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    Chapter One

    Work-from-Home Jobs VS. Running a Home Business

    The Dichotomy between Lending Support with an Invisible Boss

    Its high time to clear the air about working from home. Working from home

    is actually not just about setting up shop in the comfort of your home and tackling

    just whatever task you would like to work on. There is a distinct line between

    operating a home business and working at home.

    Many glazed-eyes work-at-home job searchers think that working from home

    automatically entails NOT having a monstrous boss breathing down your neck.

    However, this is not always the case. Working from home comes with two options

    performing tasks for an employer who asks or allows you to do your work from

    home as a telecommuting employee and running your own home business as an

    entrepreneur.

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    Working from Home as an Employee

    Telecommuting is one perk that many companies grant for their employees.

    Similar to having a flexible schedule, it is one of the most asked-for benefits that

    workers would even trade a high salary for. However, its different from workingfrom home with your own business. If that does not say it all yet

    Working from Home as an Entrepreneur

    Running a home business is about being your own boss, together with all its

    pain and glory. Not everyone can pull this off easily so many would resort to doing a

    work-at-home job first. A home business usually entails wearing all the hats from the

    production, bookkeeping, financial management, supplies acquisition, marketing

    and customer support. And this is the very reason many work-from-home jobworkers do not easily tread it. However, properly organizing your work and

    delegating/outsourcing redundant tasks can make your life much easier.

    Although doing a work-from-home job definitely differs from operating a

    home business, mastering a work-from-home job can lead you to being an expert

    and earning the stars to start a home business. Starting with an employer such as

    many BPO companies are currently practicing is one way to learn the tricks of the

    trade. In the long run, after getting the hang of a business or even just a few aspects

    of it, will enable you to be more armed to go solo and do a one-man business all in

    the comfort of your own home.

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    Chapter Two

    Pinpointing People Who Should Work From Home

    Works at Home Moms are not just Doing Laundry and Preparing

    Meals

    Katherine Hepburn once said, It is either one or the other. You cannot have

    a wonderful career and a great family life. Meryl Streep rebutted this by saying,

    Oh no, I cant be like Katherine Hepburn anymore. My careers going well and my

    familys fabulous.

    Sure, Meryl Streep is an actress and she probably had her own ways raisingher four children and earning fourteen Academy Award nominations, but the key

    lies in effective balancing and time management which any mom can actually do.

    A majority of people takes a shot at work-at-home opportunities that abound

    everywhere. A part of the targeted demographic of this lifestyle is the stay-at-home

    moms. Business opportunities know that with such high cost of living, only one

    breadwinner in a household may not be enough. Mom also has to work.

    Some people wonder how people can actually work at home where there are

    so many distractions. Let us just say that there are some people who could work

    better in their pajamas than in corporate suits.

    Some moms actually

    have a hard time concentrating

    when theyre away from their

    children. At least, if theyre

    working at home, theyre more

    comfortable and relieved,knowing that theyre at the

    beck-and-call of their kids. (Of

    course, Mommy may be home;

    but Mommy is still working.)

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    If you are an avid watcher of Desperate Housewives, you know how up to

    her neck Lynette Scavo is with her four children. Then she goes off to work and

    starts missing her kids. At least, if you are a mom working at home, you will never

    feel that way.

    There are some cases wherein home responsibilities go head-to-head with

    that of professional duties, e.g., a freelance writing work at home mom negotiating

    with editors while trimming fat off the chicken, or conducting interviews for stories

    while changing a diaper. Sometimes, the work-at-home mom locks herself in the

    bathroom so that the person shes talking to does not hear children screaming in the

    background.

    For most work-at-home moms, their jobs are done in the evening when

    everybody else is asleep. Its all in the days work. This is the career they chose andthey sure are dedicated to it.

    We all want the best of both

    worlds. Count moms in. Not

    everyone will agree with what

    Katherine Hepburn said. Eventually,

    they will all want to do what Meryl

    Streep did have a fabulous career

    and a nourishing family life. We, too,want it all. We want careers and we

    crave for the freedom to do what we

    want and when we want to do it. We

    want to be professionally

    responsible to our jobs tasks and at

    the same time, we want to be

    personally present for our loved

    ones.

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    Disabled Persons are Still Capable of Earning from Home

    There are days you do not want to get up from bed. Youre not in the mood

    to go to work. Thats normal. But whenever you get that anxiety, reflect on those

    who cannot go to work at all.

    In the United States, over 200,000 people have disabilities. Statistics show

    that seven percent work for the federal government. Now, there are still

    opportunities for people who are disabled most of which are offered by the

    federal government.

    Since 1980, the total disabled federal employment has remained the same.

    Because of this, a goal has been made to expand the total disabled employment

    opportunities all over the government. All agencies of the federal government must

    have a law that will allow them to reach to those who need their help the most.

    There are many hiring options for disabled individuals. Disabled people

    looking for job opportunities with the federal government must be really active and

    start networking with the local agencies. By contacting their resources and seeking

    non-stop all available federal opportunities for employment presented to them, they

    can actually get the position regardless of their disability.

    However, if you are a disabled

    individual, there are various work-at-home

    opportunities which will be easier to conduct,

    depending on your resources, educational

    attainment, and of course, interests.

    This only comes to show that anyone

    can function normally, as long as they have the

    drive to do so. Disabled or not, if a person has

    the heart to be part of the workforce, then he

    can be.

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    Retirees Dont Have to Just Retire If They Dont Want To

    In the United States, the earliest age one can retire is 62. He will still be

    receiving full retirement benefits, regardless of what age he retired. Those who were

    born before 1938 have the normal retirement age of 65.

    For every year that follows, two months are increased. For those born until

    1955, the retirement age is 66. For those who are born afterwards, 67 is the

    retirement age.

    But there are still those who do not wish to stop working regardless of how

    old they are. Some companies in the United States do not hire senior citizens all for

    the legality of retirement.

    To senior citizens who wish to defy the norm, but defy it properly, they resort

    to business opportunities based at home, targeted especially for them.

    Business for retirees can begin

    with minimum amount of training and

    investment. The goal really is to get extra

    income. There are individuals who simply

    feel uneasy not having money coming in,

    thus the creation of business

    opportunities targeted for the retired

    demographic.

    These work-at-home jobs may

    sound interesting but before signing on,

    you have to make sure that their affairs

    are legal and that you will be paid

    properly for the work you will be doing. It

    may be a stay-at-home job but it is still a

    job. That being said, you, as an

    employee, must get paid.

    Check with your local city hall or the nearest country courthouse on your

    locale or your state for the license, tax or permit requirements of the work-at- home

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    opportunity that you fancy. After checking that these are legal, then that is when

    you can work for them.

    Here are some ideas retirees can opt for, if they would like to have a little

    cash coming in regardless of their age. Some require having a boss, others are stuff

    you can do at your free time as long as you have the resources.

    1. Shuttle serviceIf you have your own car, you can use it to deliver commuters to the city.

    2. Seed packetsIf gardening is your thing, you can collect and label the packets of plants that

    are quite popular to your neighbors.

    3. Crossword puzzlesIf you have a knack for writing,

    volunteer to make the

    crossword puzzles for yourlocal paper.

    4. GenealogyIf you like research and history,

    you can actually document

    family archives. In doing so, you can trace their genealogy. Provide your

    customers with full records of their descendants.

    5. Flea MarketThis is a very popular option. By piling old stuff you do not need, you can

    conduct your own free market. Alongside the stuff you are selling, you canalso offer drinks and snacks.

    6. Slide ShowsIf you are a techie, you can offer to create slide presentations to interested

    parties.

    7. Seminar PromotionVolunteer to arrange learning and business seminars in your town or

    municipality. Be the one to reserve the hall and to promote the seminar.

    8. UmpiringIf youre into sports, you can work as an umpire for little league, institution

    or company teams.

    9. Adult Day Care CenterYou can operate an adult day care center. Offer your services to elderly and

    handicapped people.

    10.BookbindingIf you love books, then youll surely love setting up a bookbinding or book

    repair service.

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    These are just ten work-at-home opportunities that you can actually take on.

    They may be small but they mean big to their neighbors. In the end, theyre not only

    raking in money, theyre also providing top notch service.

    Still, some prefer to work from home due to various reasons. People who

    might want to look into working at home to beat boredom and be able to earn from

    some form of income. People who are not financially stable get into home-based

    work to earn extra cash. These groups of people might or might not have a

    permanent day or office job but want to have some form of extra income generatingwork that they can do at home.

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    Chapter Three

    Work-From-Home Pros and Cons

    Its Not Just a Cozy Home that Makes People Work from Home

    Though most people want the stability of cash flow offered by office work,

    some individuals likewise see profit from home-based work. Below are some of the

    advantages of working from home:

    Time

    If you work at home, you would be

    able to have more time to spend with your

    kids or any other family member. Work may

    be done during your free time from

    housework, or when the kids are asleep, or at

    school.

    Likewise, some home-based work

    might be left undone for some period to

    attend to some emergencies in the family,

    and you will be able to return to it anytime you are capable of doing so again.

    If you are not in the mood to do the work, you might re-focus your attention

    in doing some housework to reengage your mood and be able to rejuvenate the

    motivation to work again, thus an increase in your productivity.

    In an office setting, you cannot simply leave your desk to unwind. You have

    to complete the mandatory number of hours of work even if you are not so

    productive during the day.

    InterestBeing able to work at home gives you more chance to engage in a type of

    business or work that best suits or matches your interest.

    Being able to tap income-generating work from your interest probably is one

    of the best points in home-based work.

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    Not only would you not feel the burden and stress which is usually

    accompanied with working at office based jobs, but you would not even feel that

    you HAVE to work to earn, since you are only doing so when the urge or rush of

    energy flows.

    Less expense

    Going to the office usually is accompanied by a variety of expense. This

    usually includes one or more of the following:

    o Transportation expense.This may be in the form of bus fare, gasoline expense, or train tickets.

    o Food expense.You have to eat during the course of time performing work at the office. Ifyou dont bring a packed lunch, or youre struck with the urge to have some

    sweets from the vending machine at the office, you have to make use of

    some amount that may have been stashed for some other use.

    o Telephone bills or expense.This is most significant for individuals with families, especially

    those who have kids. Most notorious of which are mothers who

    may call their homes several times during the day to check

    on the kids.

    o Miscellaneous expense.Being out of the house exposes you to various forms of

    expense-generating activities or probable purchases.

    When NOT even a Cozy Home can Make People Work from Home

    Having to work at home may be a blessing or a curse to various groups ofindividuals. Where some prefer to work from the confines of their homes, some

    prefer to work in a corporate setting.

    If you prefer to work from home, you need to take into consideration the

    following disadvantages:

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    Lack of social life

    Juggling time between the kids and work at home may be an all-consuming

    effort that could leave very little time for social interaction with other people.

    Unlike having an office-based job wherein regular Christmas parties and

    company events are held, there are not much social events for a work-at-homeperson to go to.

    Distraction from work

    While in the middle of writing a good article, the baby might wail and needs

    to be changed, the mailman might arrive and require a document to be signed as

    proof of receipt, or the school might call to inform you that the middle child had

    been sick. Thus, the momentum or surge of energy flow that could have produced

    an award-winning article had gone down the drain due to some distractions. This

    probably is one of the greatest setbacks of doing home-based work as compared to

    doing work in the office where you can dedicate the whole days just for working on

    a certain project.

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    Personal grooming

    Unlike having to dress up to go to work, individuals who work from home

    might not find the need for proper grooming or going with the latest fashion. Not

    being able to look your best might contribute to your lack of self-confidence, which

    through some chain of events, could result to unproductiveness.

    With the mentioned work-from-home pros and cons, you are now more

    empowered to come up with an informed decision on what to expect or what trials

    to surmount if you choose to finally settle for a work-at-home arrangement, may it

    be a business or a telecommute job.

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    Chapter Four

    Technology and Work-From-Home Tools

    The Internet: the Worlds Fastest-Growing Workplace

    It would be hard to imagine anyone living in the present millennium who has

    never even heard of the internet. Practically every nation in the world is hooked into

    this technological wonder that has changed the worlds landscape in ways that were

    once far from imaginable. Now every human activity seems to have some

    connection, whether direct or indirect, to the Internet, may it be in academics, the

    military, finance, entertainment, and of course, work. The Internet is alsoresponsible for creating great possibilities that now enable people to learn, have

    fun, and most importantly, work practically anywhere they want.

    The Internet Defined

    The Internet is the worlds largest, freely accessible convergence ofcomputer

    networks that are themselves interconnected through a system known as Internet

    Protocol, or IP, where they exchange data by means of switching packets. In other

    words, the Internet is a network comprised even further of smaller networks, linkingvarious convergences of computers in different fields such as academics, business,

    and the government. Through this, the Internet becomes a venue for various

    services and information transfer such as email (electronic mail), file transfer, online

    chat, and web browsing. Now, the Internet is also the venue of e-commerce

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    (electronic commerce), which expands businesses into various locations, allowing

    people to work anywhere, even at home.

    Many people think that the World Wide Web is the same as the Internet;

    however, the former is just a component of the latter. As discussed, the Internet is a

    gathering of computer networks that are interconnected by means of cables, wires

    or wireless connections, while the Web is a gathering of documents that are

    interconnected by hyperlinks. The Web exists within the Internet, and it just so

    happens to be among the most frequently used

    components that it is often confused with the big

    network itself. Nevertheless, the Web serves as a great

    tool especially for people working at home, because it

    is a very effective venue for marketing products and

    services or acquiring projects and clients.

    Internet Applications and Tools

    Over 1.09 billion people use the Internet and

    most of them take advantage of the various useful

    applications or tools that are available. One very

    popular tool is the electronic mail (e-mail), which has

    greatly replaced traditional mail (otherwise known as snail mail), because of the

    instant communication it provides.

    Another widely used tool is the online chat, which provides a more casual

    venue for instant communication with many people all over the world. Of course,

    the World Wide Web is also a very useful tool as it helps people gain access to and

    post information all over the world.

    These tools are quite helpful for businesses, especially those that operate at

    home. Email provides a quick and cheap way to communicate with clients and

    suppliers anywhere in the world. Online chat provides the possibility of meeting withassociates without having to commute or travel. The Web is a great place to make

    yourself known and is thus an indispensable marketing tool. Other components of

    the Internet are quite useful in running businesses whether at home or in large

    corporate settings.

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    The Internet has brought so many possibilities to the people of today. Its

    applications in business are quite remarkable, and there is no wonder why more and

    more people are taking advantage of the Internet as an option to make a living.

    Setting Up Shop with a Home Office

    Thanks to the technological advantages of today, more and more people arebeing enticed to work at home. In fact, over 20.7 million people worked at home

    back in 2004 and the figures by now could have already more than doubled. For

    others who may be interested to work at home but are quite hesitant, a major factor

    for their reluctance is the perceived difficulty of setting up a home office.

    Setting up an office at home may seem daunting, but it is actually quite

    simple. Of course, different work-at-home jobs require different things but most

    work-at-home opportunities would require the same basic equipment. There is a

    need for a well-lit space that is free from distractions or noise for the home workerto be able to concentrate on the job. Then there is a need to sit down and a flat

    elevated surface to work on. You would also need a place for storing information

    about clients and customers. Finally, you would need a means of communication

    and sending information to others.

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    Most home offices have service businesses and thus there is usually no need

    to make room for inventory unlike those in the retail, manufacturing, or wholesaling

    business. There is also usually no need to have a conference room for meetings

    because people who work at home tend to meet their clients online or in their

    respective offices for presentations and other purposes.

    Now what most people may be concerned about setting up a home office

    would be the costs. While many would cringe at the thought of the money to be

    spent to equip the home office, it would be good to know that the price of

    equipment has dropped dramatically. Phone service prices have also become more

    home-office-friendly with the emergence of packages that allow owners to get

    unlimited calls even for long-distance ones at a fixed price. Many of these services

    also come with high-speed Internet connection that is usually considered a must for

    work-at-home schemes.

    For the computer, you may expect to

    spend around $1000 to get a decent unit

    with all the basic capabilities needed for a

    functional home office. Usually a unit that

    has the current leading processor, at least

    256MB of RAM, 60GB or so of hard drive

    space, a 17 monitor, a CD/DVD-ROM drive,

    a modem and an Ethernet connection would

    suffice in most business transactions. There

    are many reasonable packages available in

    leading computer stores online.

    A home office would also definitely

    benefit from a multi-function machine,

    which saves both space and money. Now

    there is no more need to buy a printer, a fax

    machine, and a copier separately because all

    the functions of these machines can be rolled into one. For just around $250, you

    can get a machine that does the job of all these equipments. One would also have

    the option of having machines that produce colored prints.

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    As for the phone, you might need to get a more functional phone since there

    might be an increased need to contact people when you have a home office.

    Usually, a cordless phone that has capabilities like speakerphone, phone

    conferencing, call waiting, voice mail, among many other things would be beneficial

    for a home office. Such devices usually go around $200 more or less.

    Setting up a home office can be a breeze. With the growing number of

    people working at home, it is easy to see how the home is fast becoming a popular

    work place.

    Other Tools of the Trade to Boost Home Office Productivity

    There is no doubt that more and more individuals are enticed to work at

    home. Thanks to the modern conveniences made available by technology, more

    than 20.7 million people have decided to bring their work at home both part-time

    and full-time. There are those who have already successfully set up a functional

    home office but have noticed that they need something more to make their work at

    home pursuits easier. Such people have discovered the need to get other devices

    specific to the type of work they have at home. Considering the contribution they

    can add to ones productivity and profitability, the effort and investment would be

    worth taking. Here are some devices that might be required of certain work-at-home

    schemes.

    For transcription services, you would greatly benefit from playback pedals or

    foot controls. This device controls the playback of sound clips for transcription. Using

    a foot or both feet, a transcriber can play, rewind, fast forward, or pause sound files

    being transcribed. This frees the hands, which are needed to type data. Normally,

    people would not see the need for the hands to be free for typing, but transcribers

    would know how much convenience they would get if their hands were freed of

    another task.

    For people who deal with clients and give presentations frequently, theymight benefit from audio-visual presentation devices such as portable projectors

    with speakers. Clients are greatly impressed by presentations using multi-media

    devices and having a portable projector would come in handy for this purpose. This

    could also boost the acquisition of clients, increasing opportunities for profit.

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    Some people working at home might also benefit

    from headsets and web cams, especially when there is a

    need to meet with clients or suppliers online. You might

    also benefit from VoIP (voice over internet protocol)

    devices, to cut the costs of long-distance telephony. Thiscan help home workers reach people in various locations,

    thereby expanding business productivity.

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    Chapter Five

    Work-From-Home Job Search

    Medical Transcription 101

    Medical transcription is a health career focusing on transcribing or

    transliterating recorded dictations. Dictations may come from a physician or from

    any healthcare professional.

    In most cases, doctors prefer those transcriptions that are stored

    electronically such as those saved in the computers hard disk. Doctors prefersoft

    copy because it is more accessible for them to check.

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    A medical transcriptionist is a person whose task is to document what is said

    (if he is there in the room) or what is heard (if hes listening to audio tapes). Medical

    transcribers are the gadgets or devices used while conducting medical transcription.

    If you are planning to be a medical transcriptionist, you must be aware of

    correct spellings, correct medical terminologies, document editing, and most

    importantly, medical rules and procedures. You must have a background of the

    subject matter for you to write about it.

    Medical transcriptions also serve as medical records. These medical

    evidences also serve as medical bills indicating the compensations or benefits of the

    patient.

    There are no formal educational courses for medical transcriptionists. Yes, an

    education is obtained but these trainings or diploma programs can be done in a

    shorter period compared to a college education.

    Some countries offer a set minimum requirement of 6 months to a maximum

    two years-in-depth training for those who are interested to become medical

    transcriptionists.

    The skills required from professional medical transcriptionists are: 1.)

    expertise on what he or she does, 2.) accurate documenting skills, 3.) fluent writing

    technique, and above all, 4.) the ability to write or type fast just in case the materialis to be obtained from listening.

    Most transcriptionists are those who are interested about medicine. Some

    are even working students. They are medical transcriptionists by day and medical

    students by night. It is like hitting two birds with one stone.

    If youre curious what the workplace is like, medical transcriptionists are

    usually based in health care type settings like hospitals, clinics, physicians offices,

    nursing homes, public health agencies, or home health care agencies.

    Obtaining certification for becoming a medical transcriptionist is optional.

    However, it is highly recommended for the sake of credibility. Transcriptionists who

    pass the national exam given by the American Association for Medical Transcription

    or the AAMT earn the title Certified Medical Transcriptionists.

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    Every three years, CMTs must attain continuing education credits in order to

    be recertified.

    According to the US Department of Labor, the average salary for

    transcriptionists is around $25,000.

    One can start looking for medical transcriptionist job leads through job

    boards, online forums, and work-at-home blogs that post these telecommute job

    openings every now and then. Aside from learning a bunch of information from the

    basics to updates about the MT industry, job openings are posted on online medical

    transcription forums such as MTStars.com, MTetc.net, MTjobs.com, etc. You can

    even try to send cover letters to MT companies since the boom of this industry

    made transcriptionists ever in-demand.

    Internet Marketing

    Internet marketing is the

    endorsement of products through

    the Internet. You can either sell

    tangible products or info-products

    such as e-books, reports, and

    software. It can be a lucrative work-

    from-home business depending onyour effort and resourcefulness.

    By practice, most Internet marketers have successfully learned direct sales

    strategy as their approach in selling their products. As an Internet marketer, you

    must realize there are gazillions of competitions out there.

    However, many Internet marketers are now becoming more adept in other

    ways of selling their products. Learn these other methods, mostly indirect, that allow

    Internet marketers to generate sales:

    E-mail marketing

    This method can be accomplished in various approaches. There are Internet

    marketers that create lead capture pages through AdWords or pay-per-click and

    directly sell the products that they are affiliates of through that lead capture page

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    alone. With e-mail marketing, either you buy an e-mail list

    from a very trusted source (be very careful or youll be

    accused of spamming), hire an email marketing company

    to help you, or generate your own opt-in email lists

    through your blog or website. Newsletters are then sentthat contain links to products that the Internet marketer

    sells.

    To get started with e-mail marketing, there are two basic routes you can take

    to hire a service provider or to do the e-mail marketing ala DIY. Of course, a good

    budget will be required to be able to carry out the paid mode. Well-known email

    marketing companies include IDG Communications, Murgent, Datran Media, World

    Data and Xactmail.

    If you would like to do it all by yourself (which includes information on how

    to obtain e-mail addresses, how to grow your list, how to make sure your e-mail list

    is targeted, how to write a persuasive newsletter, etc.), it would be wise to use free

    e-mail marketing tools such as zookoda.com and feedblitz.com. These will help you

    get the feel of e-mail marketing and will make you ready in no time to use more

    sophisticated e-mail marketing software if the need arises. For more advanced

    information about the e-mail marketing industry, join the e-mail marketing

    conferences held by MarketingSherpa.com, one of the prominent marketing

    research companies.

    E-commerce Sites

    Many Internet marketers work on their own sites or hire help to set up their

    websites that include their products. A cart for online shoppers is also an important

    part of this site to facilitate shopping. Oftentimes, credit card payment is allowed

    with these e-commerce sites to further augment good online

    shopping experience.

    To create an e-commerce site, basic

    knowledge of HTML or web development is

    required. One can start with using e-commerce

    site starter kits such as those provided by

    ASP.net. But if you cant create your own

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    ecommerce site, freelance sites such as Elance.com and Scriptlance.com can help in

    looking for an expert that will make your dream e-commerce site come true. Just

    note all your project expectations and wait for all those bidders to come pouring in.

    After putting up your e-commerce site with all your products displayed, the next

    step is getting traffic to your site. A wide variety of traffic generation methods canbe explored, such as search engine optimization, blogging, forums, and PPC or paid-

    per-click campaigns.

    Search engine optimization, or the use of techniques to make a website gain

    good search engine placement for good traffic, will deliver well if started during the

    creation process of the e-commerce site. A websites layout, page-per-page, can

    help in complementing a sites future search engine visibility. A good navigation

    area, which helps a site in maximizing its usability, is an example of a search engine

    optimization move. A less-cluttered layout while allowing potential customers to

    find products easily can benefit a webmasters SEO efforts, too. All processes that

    make an e-commerce site easy to navigate and help find whatever the user is

    looking for, is good. After dealing with on-site optimization aspect, off-site

    optimization requires considerable attention, too. Link development for the site

    requires an adept knowledge in how you ask for link exchanges from relevant and

    more established sites. Further link building techniques include submitting the sites

    profile to relevant directories.

    Blogging about the products or information related to the products or

    services the e-commerce site offers is another way to make it take off. A blog

    provides fresh content that the potential buyers from the e-commerce site can make

    use of. Also, the blog can serve as a way for products to get reviewed.

    Forums can be useful too if you have a product that requires support; it also

    helps build a community that will eventually support your e-commerce site.

    Paid-per-click campaigns such as Google AdWords and MSN AdCenter can be

    helpful to e-commerce site owners who have the budget and would like a wider

    reach of the market. For Google AdWords (http://www.google.com/adwords), you

    just have to sign up, check the competition, and see the ongoing rates for the ads

    you would like to be launched.

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    If your budget permits, get the highest bid for the keywords you would want

    your e-commerce site to show ads for.

    Info-Products

    One of the growing trends in Internet marketing is selling info-products in

    the form of software for generating or facilitating various online tasks or tutorials,

    especially video tutorials. E-books are a hit in this field too. Pay and download is

    what makes marketing these products an easy task.

    If you have the skills and time to create your own products, you can save

    money by doing it yourself rather than hiring developers for software and

    ghostwriters for e-books and reports. However, you cant just get an application

    developed or an e-book written without any research. You have to make sure there

    is a market for that product or it is very in-demand. If you can, run an extensive

    market analysis research first. You dont want to waste time on a good-for-nothing

    product that will of course, never sell.

    You may find out about what topics are in demand through this site:

    http://inventory.overture.com.

    Many people recommend outsourcing the product creation work. If you have

    the money and you will be hiring people, you can either look for competent ones

    who are usually easy to search through keying in software developer ore-book

    ghostwriter. Constant communication between you and your contract worker will

    help ensure that you will get the best out of your arrangement.

    When the product gets done, marketing it well should be your next focus.

    The Internet marketing part of this report should help you on this endeavor. Making

    sure that the benefits are tangible and not just exaggerations is a great way to make

    your sales letter work. A well-written press release is useful, too, in making other

    sites or blogs give attention to your product. You should provide quality customer

    service either through e-mail or phone. You can also offer upgrades that will make

    sure that you keep on earning from your previous customers.

    There are dozens upon dozens of ways Internet marketers can generate

    income. The secret to excel in this industry is to have genuine interest and be

    updated with the trends, especially on the needs of people who are Internetsavvy

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    or are relying on the Internet in doing their routine tasks. Creativity and some other

    computer skills wont hurt, too, if you are gearing towards a successful home

    business as an Internet marketer.

    eBay Business

    Another work-from-home business that you can try is the eBay buy and sell

    business. You just have to offer the right products and possess some e-Bay-selling

    skills to succeed in this business.

    In order for you to buy or sell on eBay, you must be registered. Its so easy,

    so quickand best of all, its free! When youre a registered eBay user, you can shop

    on eBay and become part of the worlds largest online community of buyers and

    sellers.

    Upon registering, you would be asked for your basic contact information.

    This is the first step to building a trusting relationship with eBay and the other users

    on the site.

    You will be asked for your email because buyers and sellers communicate

    through this medium. Enter a valid email account one that you usually check.

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    You will be asked to create a user ID. This ID will serve as your identity on the

    site. Choose one that can easily relate to the products that you are selling on eBay,

    that is, if you registered to make your own eBay business.

    If youre buying on eBay, there are two modes of purchases available. You

    can either go for the Auctions style format or the Buy It Now" which is fixed price

    format.

    Auctions are very simple and its really fun to participate in. The highest

    bidder of the item wins. If you are not a buyer, heres one tip that will make you

    want to still bid: bidding on weird items, usually the useless ones or those without

    value is one way that companies market their businesses. Since that item will gain

    lots of eyeballs, the brave companies will surely enjoy the attention.

    If you are planning to sell on eBay, do your homework first. Research on

    similar products being sold on the site. Learn to appraise your own products for

    better negotiations. You should also know how to properly label your items to

    increase sales. Really descriptive and often searched for keywords related to the

    product you are selling should be included to get the right people who are dying to

    buy your products. The title will serve as the headliner of your product.

    After pondering on these matters, thats when you list your item. You have

    to fill up a Sell Your Item form.

    If a buyer is interested, you will be informed via email. The communication

    between you and your customer is being done online.

    Doing business on eBay is not daunting. All you need is the right products to

    sell, a computer, an email address, some capital, research and determination to

    succeed.

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    Virtual Assistant

    A virtual assistant, or what is simply called as VA, is an independent

    contractor who provides administrative, technical, or creative assistance to the

    companys clients. Most of the time, they provide their services to other

    entrepreneurs like lawyers and realtors.

    Virtual assistants often work from their own home office. That is why they

    are deemed as virtual. Worldwide, there is an estimated 5000 to 8000 virtual

    assistants. As the Internet industry grows, the need for virtual assistants increase.

    And as many online entrepreneurs start a-popping, virtual assistants become more

    in-demand as ever.

    The common mode of data delivery and communication with virtual

    assistants includes the use Internet, File Transfer Protocol or FTP and fax machine.Email, cellular phones, and telephones also helps VAs in establishing

    communication links with their clients. Chat rooms, videoconference rooms, and

    emails are just a few of the many communication media that the Internet can offer.

    Before setting up a home office to become a virtual assistant, contemplate

    on the following bits of advice to gain a sturdy ground on the requirements of

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    working as a virtual assistant. These are referenced from Elite Office Supports

    founder.

    1. You must know the type of services you want to offer. Check if yourbackground can support these services.

    2. Focus on just a few business aspects. Dont be a jack-of-all-trade anda master-of-none.

    3. Avoid stretching yourself too thin or allowing yourself to slack off. Ifyou have a timeline for your venture it would benefit your goals.

    Determine if you want to work part-time or full-time.

    4. Before going any farther in extending your services, knowing yourlocal areas needs and doing your homework on what works for thevirtual assistance industry will arm you more in running this business.

    5. Having a record of your clients contact information and knowingtheir needs will give a great edge in keeping your clients.

    6. It will be wise to always run a market analysis before venturing intoany business.

    7. Financial planning is a must if you dont want to just operate abusiness with a trial and error cash flow.

    8. Come up a business plan and monitor if your business is achieving thegoals you have set or whether you have to be more flexible and alter

    it from time to time.

    9. Be technologically-updated. Upgrading your equipment and otherbusiness tools should always complement your clients needs not just

    hurt your finances.

    10.Dont start without covering all the financial and legal steps required.11.Market like theres no tomorrow. Aside from having a good online

    presence, word of mouth will always be helpful in securing you more

    projects.

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    Since working as a virtual assistant is about providing support to clients, a

    secretarial background and customer service support experience can help

    immensely in this field.

    Professional Blogging

    If you dont have a blog, you might be hibernating too long. A blog or web

    log, used to be referred to as online journal, has become one of the most loved

    online media with which people with same interests commune. It is said to be a

    place where people spill all their angst and other worldly thoughts.

    Professional bloggers are those who post on blog sites either owned by a

    network or individuals. Professional bloggers earn a profit just by writing posts for

    these sites based on the posting interval issued by the blog site owner.

    Problogging or professional blogging

    is simply getting paid to blog. If you are an

    individual problogger, you are basically a

    blogger who earns from your own blogs that

    you have set up yourself. So, how does a

    blog generate income? Here are various

    ways:

    Online Ad Networks

    If a blog is slapped with ads from ad

    networks, you can definitely assume that the blog

    owner is trying to earn from his blog. One of the

    most popular ad networks that many

    probloggers sign up for is Google AdSense

    (http://www.google.com/adsense). This is a

    contextual advertising network that displays ads depending on the content of a blog

    or website. Other ad networks are Chitika, YPN, Text-Link-Ads, Performancing,

    Adbrite and more. It is usually advised for bloggers to use a combination of these

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    online ad networks to get the most out of a blogs earning potential. However, each

    of these networks Terms of Agreement and Service should be consulted first before

    using any of them as any violation might cause headaches. Payment methods of

    each ad network vary. It would be worthwhile to study data related to CPC (cost-per-

    click), CPM (cost-per-thousand-impression), and CPA (cost-per-action).

    Affiliate Programs

    Similar to putting ads, affiliate programs require bloggers to include links,

    specifically known as referral links, on a blogs content to earn from this blog. To

    earn well from this method, you must have a good traffic flow or a high number of

    targeted visitors to convert. Conversion is the process that transforms traffic to

    customers if your goal is to earn. This also goes true for the ad networks. The more

    targeted and the more traffic your blog receives, the better chances of profiting.

    Sponsors

    Blogs with considerable traffic may benefit well from sponsors. This is just

    like running online ads, usually in the form of banners. These sponsors are also

    regularly mentioned in blog posts, usually every week. Blogs with technology and

    business theme often get sponsors; but with the success of many niche blogs, a

    wider variety of blog themes is starting to attract more sponsorship attention.

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    Another professional blogging stint is through writing for blog networks that

    are either focused on just one niche or have a wide array of topics. Some of the

    most prominent blog networks include b5media, Creative Weblogging, Weblogs Inc.,

    and Know More Media. The life of a professional blogger is more than just putting

    words on a page. You have to be very passionate about the topic you are bloggingabout. Applying for the blog topic is the usual drill on getting into a blog network.

    Sending sample posts that are related to the blog topic you are applying for is

    also a common practice among blogger headhunters. However, it is not usually

    required to be an experienced blogger to get hired as a blogger for blog networks.

    Comfort in using the computer and Internet will do.

    Some people get book writing offers because of their blogs success. So, you

    dont just have to think about the direct money-making potentials of professionalblogging. It can increase a persons credibility and open doors for better

    opportunities.

    A blogger researches and scours the subject delegated to him on the web

    and from news sources. He takes notes of all information and summarizes it on his

    blog post, and infuses his own opinions. Just like any profession, bloggers must

    establish themselves as experts.

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    Chapter Six

    Anatomy of a Work-From-Home Scam

    Exaggerated Sales Pitch (Earn Without Working Style)

    While most people juggle more than two jobs at a time to meet the rising

    cost of living in todays world (whether one may be an office work and another a

    home-based job), many capable individuals can stay at home and not worry a beat

    about earning.

    But before you engage on various types of work from home jobs, you must

    first check the validity and legality of the work.

    Below are tips on how to NOT be easily convinced by exaggerated marketing

    strategies of some home-based business opportunities or work that is currently

    being promoted in the market:

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    Guarantees Large Income with Very Little Effort

    Its easy to know if a home business program is trying to victimize you. Check

    its sales pitch page and look for a too-good-to-be-true pitch like, In 1 day, you will

    earn $10,000 without lifting a thumb. If itstoo good to be true, it probably is.

    Pays Just By Recruiting

    If the project is what it tells itself to be,

    chances are, it would not need rigorous

    marketing because a lot of people would

    already have heard of it and that the company

    would have more than its share of list ofprobable members. Pyramid scams are the

    usual sources of these kinds of marketing

    requirements.

    Price Differences

    If the products you are required to sell or services involved are of very low

    quality but are being sold at a price higher than its real value, which your intuition

    should inform you, you must be wary enough not to engage yourself on such work.

    Not only would the probable consumers be deceived, but also such work does not

    last and would only be an unstable source of income for an individual.

    Upfront Fee Requirement For Kits, Manuals, etc.

    Not all work from home projects that are advertised over the Internet are

    legal or free from scam. Another way to check if a home-based business opportunity

    might be a fraud is when an upfront fee is required for any product that the business

    will provide. Let it put your senses on red alert, although not all who have such

    policies are scams.

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    Initial fee for joining

    If a work-from-home job requires an individual to pay a certain amount that

    would serve as a membership fee or payment for various fees and other

    miscellaneous items, which in turn really have very little or no use at all for the start-up work, chances are, this may be a scam that would offer no good.

    Upfront Payment for Manuals and Kits

    An example would be asking for an initial payment for manuals. These

    manuals are said to contain instructions on how to go about the business or work

    and other information that are said to be relevant to the project. For crafting or

    selling of certain products, attention over the fees are often deviated by giving away

    kits, which at first glance may look like equal to the amount paid by the individual.The person concerned would think that he or she really has not lost the money

    because it had been repaid or returned in the form of said products.

    Experienced work-from-home workers inform those who would like to test

    the waters of doing any job at home to take any upfront payment as a red flag.

    Although not all home business opportunities that require upfront payment is a

    fraud, many of them are. Just be very careful and trust your gut instinct.

    Phishing

    Phishing is an activity

    of criminal act through

    techniques of social

    engineering. Phishers, people

    who engage in phishing, tries

    to fraud sensitive information

    that they have acquired from

    other people. Such information

    may include credit card details

    and passwords. They would try

    to masquerade as a

    businessperson in certain

    companies that you can fully trust.

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    Most of the phishing techniques are accomplished through the use of

    deceiving technical designs creating a link in an email which looks like it belongs to

    an organization; but in reality, that organization is not authentic. The prominent

    tricks are misspelled address of the websites and utilizing subdomains.

    Another method on phishing is through the use of a service's own scripts or

    bank against the individual to be scammed. These types are quite difficult to handle

    since they will direct any user to register or sign in at the attackers bank or own web

    page, wherein everything looks proper.

    There are ways in which you can protect yourself from opportunistic

    phishers. Before you transact anything concerning the job or fill the contract on job

    placement, there are tips you need to follow:

    1. Do not trust official-sounding business names immediately. There arescammers who operate using long-standing and reputable firms. This is

    one of their tricks in luring victims to trust on their scheme.

    2. Never ever transfer or forward money coming from your personalaccounts. Suspect if the business will require you to wire money. Any

    legitimate job will transact in to wire transfer using the companys

    account and not yours.

    3. Do not send your personal information, especially your financialaccounts. A legal employer does not ask employees bank account,

    PayPal account, or even credit card. Authentic and legal companies do

    not need these things. They will just directly deposit it to your account.

    4. If you are in doubt of the job, go and ask your countrys agency onlabor. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is one agency in which you can

    ask to assure your financial safety.

    Many home-based jobs are available nowadays. Some of those are real andlegal while some are not. We have to be smart enough to take time in observing

    whether they are scams unless you dont care about losing money. Some of the

    precautionary measures are already given out; a little understanding is the only

    thing you need in order to avoid being fooled by phishers.

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    Chapter Seven

    Ways to Distinguish Scam From Real

    Better Safe than Sorry: Consult BBB

    The Better Business Bureau, which is also known as BBB, is a non-profit and

    non-government organization supporting the objectives and ideals of bureau and

    stands as the link between business and consumers. They report and collect

    information to help people who call to their agency make decisions. The

    organization works with other agencies, police, associations, and the government to

    be of assistance to the people and make them informed.

    You can inquire at their site through sending questions that will be answeredas soon as possible by the agency. The BBB also offers tips and advices on how you

    can avoid being scammed. According to them, the most common pattern of a

    scammers scheme is receiving the information through the Internet and the

    newspapers, luring the consumers on big income that they can receive through

    joining.

    The BBB has revealed two things based on its experience after answering to

    the scheme of stuffing envelope. The consumer will either end up receiving no reply

    from the said firm or they receive an instruction telling them to post advertisementsjust like theirs. They will gain income here through encouraging others to join and

    send you money then instruct them to do the same thing also.

    BBB informs people to be very discerning when looking for work-from-home

    jobs or business opportunities, as scams not only cost thousands of dollars and

    countless of hours with no return, but they may also tarnish your reputation

    because of inadvertently selling nonexistent products or services. In worse

    scenarios, you may get accused of perpetrating a fraud.

    Aside from checking BBB rating section (http://search.bbb.org) for the

    assessment of the company you are planning to work with, making your potential

    employer or source of home business opportunity answer the following questions

    will be of great help:

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    o What tasks will I have to perform? (Ask the program sponsor to list every stepof the job.)

    o Will I be paid a salary or will my pay be based on commission?o Who will pay me?o When will I get my first paycheck?o What is the total cost of the work-at-home program, including supplies,

    equipment and membership fees?

    o What will I get for my money?The answers that you will get from your potential employer will help in

    rounding up whether the opportunity will meet your expectations - physically,mentally, emotionally, and financially.

    Other Background Check SOP

    Sure, we would all love to work at home. We can get up at any hour we want

    to. We are our own bosses. One problem regarding working at home is how sure you

    are, as the employee, about your employers.

    The most difficult thing about working-at-home opportunities is that the

    contact is mostly done online or over the phone. This connection may be too shady

    for most people. Surprisingly, it works for other people. In fact, moms, retirees, and

    disabled people actually rake in cash by taking on work-at-home opportunities.

    Work-at-home opportunities can actually be pursued full time. But how do

    you know whether these are legitimate or not?

    Always, always proceed with caution. Because of the inter-connectedness

    brought by the Internet, so many schemes are out there waiting to lure gullible

    people in. Some of which ask you to give money all for the promise of getting rich

    quickly. If the offer sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

    Here are some ways for you to know a scam in a blink of an eye:

    1. You must always check the companys address and number. Doublecheck that they are listed and that their offices arent simply post office

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    boxes. It may be a work-at-home opportunity for you, but that doesnt

    have to mean that it must also be work-at-home for them.

    2. If they have a website, thats one assurance that they are legal and theywill not dupe you. A website shows professionalism on the employers

    part. But it must not be just any simple website with a splash of words

    here and there. There must be further details on what exactly you should

    be doing for the company from your home.

    3. Always make sure that you are in close contact with a person that isresponsible for your payment. Ask them first-hand when you can accept

    your paycheck. Get their contact information and keep in touch with

    them as much as possible. It is fair enough that you get paid for the work

    you do.

    4. Terms of agreement must be spelled out in writing. It can be posted ontheir website or they could send you a brochure. If you finally have these

    in writing and your mind is set on working for them, at least you have

    something to show when called for. Having terms in writing makes it

    easier for the employee to have some sort of evidence when he is in a

    dispute with his employer. This condition makes it easier for both parties

    in the legal sense.

    Now as a home worker, you are an independent contractor and you wouldnt

    be getting the traditional employee benefits. For that reason, it is then your duty to

    get your own health insurance or any form of compensation that is attributed to a

    regular employee.

    You must be responsible in tracking down your expenses. Some work- at-

    home business opportunities pay their employee on a project basis. Therefore, what

    the employee earns vary from month-to-month. Not only must the home worker

    track his expenses, he must also keep a record of the work he is doing, so that hewill get paid for these correctly.

    Just make sure that whatever transaction and action are going on between

    you and your employer are legitimate. You can find countless work-at-home ads out

    there promising hundreds and even thousands of dollars a month all at your home.

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    Chapter Eight

    Other Important Aspects of Working From Home

    Basic Legalities

    If you are putting up a home business, registration is essential. There are

    various forms of businesses; and since you will be working from home, your business

    is most likely a sole proprietorship or a partnership if you have someone with you in

    your business.

    After you have registered, you need different documents like the business

    permit, the license, and the clearance. It is also important to manage the business in

    accordance to the laws in your area. These laws may vary from one city to the next.Such specific laws that must be taken in account include zoning laws.

    If you will hire regular workers, pay them the wage that is due them; not

    doing so may result to your business being shut down or worse, getting severely

    punished by the government. A home business operator is required to pay the

    appropriate tax.

    Online Presence for Your Home Business

    If you have a market business, how are you going to market it? Most people

    think that online advertising is the only answer to this question. But there are other

    ways.

    Techniques to generate business traffic, increase sales and enhance profits

    are through blogging, podcasting, article marketing, forum participation, email

    marketing, banner ads, search engines, link exchanges, and other online marketing

    efforts.

    The basis behind any online promotion campaign for your website is to get

    more visitors. If it is good enough, more visits will equate to more sales. This can

    only be done by getting the address of your site out there thus making it more

    visible to possible customers.

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    If you trust banner ads, using a large one such as 468 X 60 or larger can help.

    The larger, the better. This must be placed at the top of every page with your

    website address clearly visible.

    Many people prefer to print out larger webpages with tutorials, articles,

    stories, and the like so that the customers can read the information later. Then if

    they choose to, they can actually bookmark your site for future reference. Without

    your URL on the banner, people may simply re-read the content but never visit the

    site again.

    You can also put your websites URL on all day-to-day business items. By

    using many document type items such as the invoices, faxes, checks, products

    packaging and business cards, your URL will also be visible to potential clients.

    People may be curious to check out your site.

    Podcasting is also helpful in getting the word out about your home business.

    As long as your company name and telephone numbers are included on podcasts,

    more people will know about your business. This is a great idea as it gives potential

    customers the chance to learn more about your company. It also allows them to

    know how to contact you, just in case the need for your services and the demand for

    your products arise in the future.

    As for article marketing, write relevant articles that either chronicle your

    business through a series of how-tos or other instructive write-ups. Get these

    articles submitted on article directories for other web publishers to get hold of them

    and post them on their sites. Dont forget to include in the resource box your

    business websites URL and a brief but meaty description of your products and/or

    services.

    Publicity is always good. Press releases or news releases about your business

    can be sent to various sections of the media. These sections of the media must at

    least be connected to your type of industry in order for you to reach your targetmarket better and increase the possibility of success. Newsworthy stories are those

    that appeal to readers of the media publications you submit your press releases to.

    By participating in forum boards, you could also promote your business. Here

    you can also obtain ideas from the consumers. It hits two birds with onestone;

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    youre spreading the word about your business, and youre also learning more about

    the industry what your competition offers to their clients, and how you can top it.

    Work/Life Balance

    There are so many things you can do after work. On average, an employee is

    expected to work for a minimum of eight hours a day. Working overtime is

    sometimes necessary and oftentimes unavoidable if you are trying to make a home

    business take off, especially if there are additional bills to pay. Nevertheless, if you

    make this a habit, it can greatly affect your physical, social, and mental aspects.

    To prevent stress and a gap between you and your family, reserve weekends

    for family outings or bonding time with your loved ones. If its summer, go out for

    picnics or drive to nearby beaches. Occasionally, engage yourselves in outdoor

    sports or any activity that could relieve your mind from thinking about office

    concerns.

    You must discipline yourself to leave office work in your home office. Do not

    extend your working hours when in fact you should already be unwinding, relaxing

    and enjoying yourself. Sometimes, though, you have to bring work home. But if

    theres no reason to, just seize the free time and rest. Recharge your batteries.

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    Save Money while Running a Home Business

    People opt for home-based businesses because of the low overhead but

    that does not necessarily mean that they dont have trouble with financial concerns

    as much as other industry owners. In a business, be it a corporation or home-based,money saved is also an increase in profit.

    Here are ways how you can pinch your pennies if you are managing a home-

    based business.

    1. Recycle furniture. Used furniture can be bought for a portion of itsoriginal price. Browse through newspaper ads and inquire from furniture

    dealers. You can even do repressions or trade-ins. There are stores where

    they sell discounted furniture.

    2. Maximize your purchases. Locate other small-business owners, even ifthey are not home-based, and strike up a partnership so you can buy

    your supplies in bulks. In that way, you will be able to save money, as well

    as the shipping.

    3. Purchase wholesale products and ask if you can have commercialdiscounts. Become a member of warehouse buying clubs and do not pay

    retail price to a supplier without asking for the wholesale rate.

    4. Negotiate discounts if you are buying long-term. If you feel that you willregularly go to a place for a particular item that you cannot buy in bulk

    because of the lack of storage space, you can ask your supplier for the

    bulk rate, giving him your word that you will be buying from him

    consistently over a long period of time.

    5. Buy from trade shows. There are exhibitors who offer discounts, or theirbooth samples can be sold at discounted rates. Take advantage if such an

    opportunity arises.

    6. Trade and barter. Be on a lookout for businesses that offer services orproducts that complement your own, then you can suggest trading. Make

    sure that you are clear with the details and come to an agreement on the

    amount of whatever you are trading in. Remember that the value of the

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    goods and services is taxable. Have your accountants second opinion.

    You can also join barter exchange, an organization that regulates

    bartering among its members.

    7. Shop for insurance once a year. Do not renew your insurance(automobile, business, health) automatically. Have an agent review the

    coverage of your insurance and if you can, conduct a risk assessment.

    Suggest how you can save money. Insurance companies introduce new

    products targeted to home-based business markets. It's ironic that the

    best deal for you the year before may be topped by something else the

    following year.

    8. Ask for an efficient price.When youre shopping for any product orservice, ask for a reasonable price. You have the right as a consumer todo so. Worst-case scenario is the supplier saying no. At least, you asked

    right. Consider how much you can save when he says yes.

    9. Do not pay bills until you have to. Sure, you have to take care of yourcredit rating by paying in full and on time but do not pay early if there is

    no reason to do so.

    10.Form marketing alliances. By getting together with other smallbusinesses that target the same niche, you can combine all your

    marketing efforts and save more.

    11.Promote yourself. Use public relations and promotion techniques so thatyou can gain exposure for your company in your community, reaching out

    to your target. This is very effective and less expensive than advertising.

    12.You must always capitalize on the cheapest yet most effective marketingmethod if you are running your own home-based business. This is word-

    of-mouth.

    Part-Time versus Full-Time

    If youre considering starting your own business, you must carefully plot out

    the steps, strategies, and methods in doing so. Your itinerary must span activities for

    not only days, but also for weeks, months, and even years.

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    Time management is the act of budgeting your time according to your preset

    activities. You do this to make sure that each task is done right. You have to consider

    the amount of time needed on a task. This is applicable for office ventures, as well as

    the work-at-home opportunities.

    With working at home, you have to distinguish the advantages and

    disadvantages of each regarding time management. Hopefully, you would have

    figured out which of the two options is most suitable for you.

    Rewards of a Full-time Work

    1. With full time work, you can devote many hours in order to further yourbusiness. There are businesspersons who allot most of their time in the

    business with the hope of increasing the rate of their revenues and

    performances. It is crucial to do so considering that there is steep

    competition between companies with similar products and services.

    2. There is a sense of good job recognition. Chance of a promotion is morelikely to take place, especially if your work is a priority. However, you are

    also rated in accordance to your performance. You may receive bonus

    packages and monetary compensations for your excellent services.

    3. There is also great opportunity for your speedy growth with regard topositions and benefits that you are entitled to. Since you are spendingmost of your time working anyway, you will be more familiar with

    company policies and procedures. If your immediate supervisor sees

    topnotch performance, you will be on the rank for a promotion.

    Drawbacks of a Full-time Work

    1. If you are the type of person who does not have the courage to take onbigger responsibilities, there is limited growth for you in this

    environment. Success is not easy does it. It must be attained through

    hard work.

    2. You will not have the opportunity to land a second job if you have full-time work. Having a full-time work requires a sense of dedication.

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    Rewards of a Part-time Work

    1. You have supplementary income if you have part-time work. Mostpeople who have a lot of financial responsibilities often have a secondary

    job in order to supplement their major income.

    2. There are fewer hours compared to full-time work.3. You can keep pace with the growth of your career because you are the

    master of your time. You are your own boss and you can monitor how

    much you can make in a day depending on how much work you did.

    Drawbacks of a Part-time Work

    1. There is slower growth. Of course, success depends on the hours of thework. Part-time means you still do stuffs in between. That being the case,

    the growth is not as gradual as opposed to working full time.

    2. Part-time status is also difficult to maintain, as more companies are on alook-out for full-time workers.

    3. Professionalism is compromised because there are some businesses thatwill not take your offer seriously since its just for part-time.

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    Conclusion

    Working From Home and Fulfillment

    With the great advancements that have been made available to people living

    today, great possibilities have also been made accessible to a growing number of

    people. One of the remarkable options that are now available to more people is

    working from home. While in the previous century, the average person is bound to

    go to work in an office or some other place away from home, todays people can

    easily work without having to leave their house. More and more opportunities towork from home are emerging everywhere and these allow people to do what they

    love and earn at the same time.

    Work-from-home opportunities are quite different from home businesses

    even though they seem to be rather connected. The only common thing about them

    is that they are both done at home. With a home business, you are self-employed;

    thus, you own the business and you work for yourself. On the other hand, with

    work-from-home, you are still employed, whether directly or indirectly, by an

    employer. Thus work-from-home might be a good option for those who want towork at home but not necessarily operate their own business.

    Practically anyone who needs to work but still stay at home can benefit from

    a work-at-home arrangement. Usually moms who have to take care of their kids and

    do some chores would benefit from work-at-home opportunities.

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    Retirees who are already tired of working in offices may also like to earn by

    working at home. People with disabilities are also given the chance to generate

    income by working at home. These people can take advantage of the things that

    they love and make money out of them.

    Like any job opportunity, work-from-home has its own set of pros and cons.

    By working at home, you can be more productive and profitable as more time can be

    spent on working and you work at your own comfortable pace and time. You save a

    lot of time, money, and effort because there is no need to commute, dress up, or eat

    out for work. No fussy bosses can hamper your productivity. Best of all, when

    working at home, you can earn by doing things that you love instead of doing tasks

    spurted out by the bureaucracy.

    However when working at home, you are more vulnerable to distractions likekids and spouses. People working at home may also fall victim to scams that target

    people who work independently. There is also the possibility of losing your social life

    because work would be very much integrated to it.

    Working at home these days has been made quite so easy because of the

    various tools that are now available. Perhaps the most indispensable tool is the

    Internet, which helps people connect instantly and cheaply with their clients, bosses,

    and other people involved. The home office, which is usually comprised of a

    computer and a phone, also makes working at home a breeze by providing themodern conveniences of technology. Other office devices that could greatly make

    working at home easier would include printers, scanners, web cams, and copiers,

    among other tools.

    People might think that there are only few opportunities for working at

    home, but the work-from-home job search yields a lot of breaks. A good work-from-

    home opportunity would be data entry or transcription where you can type

    paperwork for doctors, lawyers, and other clients. You can also delve into Internet

    Marketing and take advantage of the power of the Internet to reach millions of

    people. You can also go about e-bay auctioning and sell stuffs. Other work-from-

    home opportunities include virtual assistant services and professional blogging.

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