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One of the
questions we get most often from readers and visitors to
Quintessential Careers is "How can I find a legitimate work at home
opportunity?" Folks ask this question for a number of reasons --
parents want to be home to see their kids grow up, workers want more
flexibility, or people are just tired of working for someone else.
Those who earn
to work at home may be part of a coming boom in work at home
opportunities, if the prognostications of writer Rob Spiegel are
correct. Spiegel says the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks sparked new
interest in working at home, both because people shudder at the idea
of working in tall buildings and because many seek to be closer to
their families. A faltering stock market and disgust with corporate
greed and unethical CEOs may also be driving workers to seek at-home
careers.
Whatever the reasons, would-be
home-workers are fortunate to live in the Internet age, in which
exists a plethora of wonderful resources for working at home. In
this article, we present food for thought that should be taken into
consideration for anyone who wants to work at home and direct you to
some of the best resources on the Web to help you fulfill your goal.
First, let's look at three
types of home-based careers:
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The Work at Home Based
Business. If you start a business in your home, you are
self-employed and selling a product or service out of your home.
It might be your own product/service, or you might be selling
for someone else (selling Avon products is a good example).
-
Telecommuting
(sometimes called teleworking). As a telecommuter, you are
generally employed by someone else, but you conduct the majority
of your assigned work from your home. You usually have the
advantage of company benefits, such as health insurance.
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Freelancing/Consulting.
Freelancers and independent consultants often are self-employed,
but they may also be contracted to work for employers, at least
for the short term (though usually without company benefits). A
freelancer or consultant is closely akin to a home-based
business owner, but the product or service sold is generally
information or expertise, such as your ability to write, offer
business advice, or counsel a business on how to set up a
computer network. Freelancers and consultants may not work
exclusively from home; in fact, some may spend the bulk of their
time in the client's workplace.
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