3 Ways to Find Work From Home Jobs
Work-from-home, or “telecommuting” jobs are in high-demand. In fact, the phrase “work from home” was Yahoo!’s top job-search term of 2012. Finding one of these opportunities, however, is easier searched than done.
Telecommuting jobs are prized for their flexibility, especially among young professionals, freelancers and another group: parents. According to a recent survey conducted by FlexJobs, a site dedicated to telecommuting job listings, 93% of parents who responded said they would even take a pay cut to work from home. Most believed they could be just as productive a worker and a better parent, devoting more time to their children, if they had the flexibility of working from home. Also indicating the rising trend, many (75%) were encouraged by seeing other parents or their own parents (20%) work from home.
I recently spoke with Sara Sutton Fell, CEO of FlexJobs, for a better sense of what jobseekers can do to get an edge in the telecommuting job search:
Search Specifically
You want to be precise in your search for a flexible telecommuting job, says Sutton Fell. “Start with a niche agency or website, one that’s trusted in your field and that specializes in flexible jobs,” she says. “On the web, be careful of search terms like ‘work from home.’ It, and similar terms, are scam bait because of their popularity. I’d say for there are 60-70 scams for every legitimate ‘work-from-home’ posting.” Sutton Fell advises whenever conducting a search to use more specific (and less common) terms including: “remote,” “telecommute” and “telework.”
Don’t Poo-Poo “Part-Time” Posts
For while they may seem like they require your presence at the firm, they could just as easily become stay-at-home gigs. Sutton Fell says telecommuting positions are often afterthoughts on most job sites, even ones dedicated to freelance opportunities. Her suggestion: Keep your mind open in your search, considering posts soliciting freelancers and part-time work, as well, since they could turn into telecommuting opportunities. “There’s more work flexibility out there than you think,” she says and more often than not, at-home work can be negotiated. Sutton Fell says it’s no longer a fringe market and employers have taken notice in every industry with 15-20 million of people working in telecommuting positions. “And be honest with yourself in what you need. Perhaps you really want to work from home but if availability is the issue, you might be just as happy with a part-time job.”
Highlight Your At-Home Preparedness
Finally, Sutton Fell explains that employers hiring telecommuters are not only looking for job-specific skills and experience. They also want to be sure that you can handle the distance and nature of the employement. “Highlight any experience you have working from home,” she says. “A lot of employers worry that taking on someone out of the office is a risk. In the hiring process, I would assure them that you have certain things in place like a dedicated work space and uninterrupted work time as well.”
Photo Courtesy, slightly everything.
