Work At Home Safari

Payscale.com’s Carol Tice details how you can “ditch your cubicle and make money in your pajamas” due to the wonderful “advances in technology”.  High-speed internet, cheaper and faster computers, and WiFi “have brought work-from-home jobs to nearly every business sector.”

Are you ready to “trade your morning car-commute for a quick stroll over to your home computer”?  Then join the ranks of us who work-from-home with these seven “unusual possibilities”:

* Concierge – Videoconferencing has made this expanding career move possible. “Virtual concierges use [this] technology to ask hotel guests about their interests and provide them with sightseeing tips.”  You sit at your computer and remotely talk to guests who are in front of a flat screen TV in the hotel lobby.

* Catering manager – Don’t you have to be in a kitchen or at least near one?  No.  A national bagel chain has a job listing on FlexJobs for a telecommuting junior catering manager.  “The work involves coordinating banquet orders via phone and computer software, then traveling to job sites to oversee the actual events, with no office or commercial-kitchen time needed.”

* Online instructor — The popularity of online classes and universities created this new niche of teaching jobs you can do from home.  A friend of mine was a high school English teacher for years before she had her baby and needed to stay at home.  She got a job teaching English in a virtual classroom with the University of Phoenix where she and her students use videoconferencing and they turn in papers via email.

* Nonprofit executive director – Nonprofits are jumping on the work-from-home bandwagon too.  They are “hiring executive directors and letting them work wherever they are. If you have a management background and a passion for a cause, you may be able to combine them into a job that lets you do good — while also doing the laundry.”  In fact, it’s a win-win because a virtual office decreases expensive overhead.

* Patient champion/patient advocate — “Patient champions help ill people navigate the complexities of the healthcare system — calling doctors, obtaining copies of medical records, and accompanying patients on doctor visits.”  This is another “feel good” job that provides many families the much needed help.

* Virtual juror – You may cringe at getting summoned for jury duty, but you’ll take a second look at being a virtual juror.  “Virtual jurors help lawyers evaluate the strengths of their case before they take it to court. Some companies promise up to $60 a case — not bad for an hour’s work at your computer.  Major players in this space include Virtual Juror and Online Verdict.

* Virtual nurse – Nurses are constantly in high demand because it is such a stressful career.  Twelve-hour shifts, constantly standing on your feet, and stressful situations have made virtual nursing a booming industry.  “In teletriage, nurses staff phone lines and take calls from people with health emergencies, helping them evaluate whether they need an immediate trip to the ER.

The days when you had to be a graphic designer, consultant, or freelance writer to enjoy the benefits of working from your living room couch are over.  These new and booming career opportunities have opened the doors to many more work at home jobs.  For full details see 7 Unusual Work-From-Home Jobs.

I saw a segment about Moms Re-Entering the Workforce on the Today Show and thought it had a few valid points.

1. Having a career builds self-esteem.
2. It also keeps your resume and skills up to date.
3. Working allows you to keep one foot in the [workforce] door too.
4. Most importantly, never apologize to your kids for working.

The mom featured started working again after her husband lost his job through and found her job through Mom Corps. Their selection of work at home jobs is pretty limited, but you may find one you like.

Job interviews can be quite nerve wracking and one for a telecommuting position can be even tougher.  With some proper preparation, you’ll boost your confidence and go into that interview ready to impress.  Here are a few tips to do just that:

Plan ahead.

This may seem obvious, but it’s extremely important.  An interview for a work-at-home job will most likely be over the phone so you need to think about your environment.  When the interviewer calls, it’s important to answer the phone promptly and make sure your phone reception is clear, and there are no distracting or loud background noise.  The interviewer will most likely be taking notes, so as a courtesy, don’t speak too quietly or quickly.  Not only will the interviewer be interested in your work history, he or she will also be paying attention to what his or her clients will be experiencing when dealing with you.

Do your homework.

Do your homework before the interview.  Learn about the company and the position you’re interviewing for.  Also, if you know who the interviewer will be, do a little research on him or her too. Most importantly, review your resume and be familiar with your work experiences. Be ready to support past career accomplishments with specific information about how the experience relates to the position you are applying for.

Make eye contact.

You’re probably wondering how this relates to a phone interview.  Eye contact is a sign of honesty and confidence, but it’s impossible to do that over the phone, so think about how your voice sounds.  By listening carefully to the questions and answering confidently and concisely, you will be able to make virtual eye contact with your interviewer.  A couple of common interview questions are “Why do you want to work from home?” or “Why do you feel you are qualified for the position?”  Think about these answers ahead of time and be professional.  A good answer would not be that you’re unemployed or want to stay home to take care of your kids.  Your answer should involve the position and how you will benefit the company.  The attitude you want to convey throughout the call, is the fact that you can get the job done and do it better than anyone else. Remember, the interviewer on the phone can only hear your voice so exude confidence through your voice and answers.  Any hesitation may result in a lost opportunity.

Tip:  Try role playing with a friend or family member.  It will give you good practice in answering questions concisely and calm your nerves.

Always ask the interviewer questions.

At the end of the interview, 99.9% of interviewers will ask you, “Do you have any questions for me?”  Your answer must always be “yes”.  Answering “no” to that question, basically translates to you not wanting the job.  The key to impressing the interviewer is having prior knowledge of the company and job.  It shows you are genuinely interested and took time to learn more.  Make the interviewer aware that you know your stuff by asking detailed questions related to your position.  For example, let’s say you read an article in the newspaper about a work at home initiative in four new markets the company announced 2 weeks ago.  Use that specific article in your question by asking, “I read in the Daily Times two weeks ago that you’re launching the work at home initiative in four new markets.  I’m curious to find out about the time frame for advancement while working from home.” This tells the interviewer that you understand the job and the company; while hinting at your interest in staying with the company long-term.

You are not alone when it comes to being nervous during an interview, but as long as you’re qualified and prepared, you have nothing to worry about.  Take this opportunity to sell yourself and learn more about the job.  The key is being confident, concise, and sincere.  Remember, pick your phone interview environment carefully, do your homework and be knowledgeable about yourself and the job, stay positive and confident, and you’ll get the job!

After talking with Philip Artt, President and CEO of HomeCity Real Estate, a residential real estate company based in Austin and Dallas, Texas with 95% of its employees off-site, I learned there are many benefits of having employees work from home.

What are the advantages of having your team work-at-home?

1. There is very little to no overhead.  We can lease a smaller office, buy fewer desks, and reduce the amount of office supplies needed and in turn, use that money to grow our business.

2. Most are 1099 or independent contractors, which reduce many expenses such as employer taxes, health insurance coverage, and other types of insurance.

3. Many of our employees work harder and put in longer hours because they are not drained from sitting in a car for 45 minutes fighting traffic to and from work.  Instead of driving, they are working.

4. We can offer our clients extended hour coverage, not just the standard 8 AM to 5 PM.  This is a win-win for us and our customer service reps (CSR), who work entirely from home.  Those CSRs who cannot work the normal 8 AM-5 PM Central Standard Time shift have the flexibility to cover the phones early in the morning or after hours to support our East or West Coast clients.  We offer our clients the extended business hours they need while providing our CSRs a flexible schedule.

5. Because we are not limiting ourselves to just those who can work in the office, we get to work with people we wouldn’t normally.  Most of our staff is local, but we’ve had others on board who live in Colorado and California.

6. The best advantage is having happy employees because they can stay with their kids and make money all at once.

What are the disadvantages of having team members work-at-home?

1. The advantages for the employee and employer far outweigh the disadvantages, but sometimes employees can be hard to reach.  I am sure the employee feels the same way at times.  Due to their flexible hours, it can sometimes be difficult for our schedules to sync up for live discussions.  This is why being responsive to email and voicemail is an important factor for success.

2. It is hard to find good employees who are self-motivated.  Once we hire one, we do what we can to keep them.

3. It is difficult to coordinate team meetings with these remote employees, therefore we have to make a conscious effort to keep the individuals apprised of new ideas, best of practices and policies by leveraging email and conference calls.

The internet, broadband, and teleconferencing have created a new candidate pool for employers — the stay-at-home segment.  HomeCity succesfully tapped into this market and found themselves and their employees in a situation that benefits all.