About Frances Rhea Expertise I can answer questions about how to get started telecommuting, provide free sites with telecommuting jobs, making your workload easier, almost anything to do with a virtual job.
Experience
Past/Present clients The Berkshire Group Realtors - Denver
Business Idea Factory
Seekover Search Engine
Expert: Frances Rhea Date: 12/13/2007 Subject: work at home jobs
Question QUESTION: Frances,
I am seeking your professional advice and expertise on work-at-home or
telecommuting jobs both full and part-time.
I am re-locating across country to the Atlanta, GA area. I am anxious to make
this move happen as soon as possible but I have not secured employment in
my new location as of yet and not exactly sure when I will. I am primarily
moving for family and lifestyle reasons.
I still have a number of issues to settle such as fixing and selling my house on
the West Coast and may have to keep my schedule and commitments flexible
to get everything done that I need to on both coasts for the next few months.
I am looking for a part-time or possibly full-time telecommuting job that
would bring in some income that I could live on for a period of time while I
complete this move. I would like to find a position that would allow me to
work a lot when I have the free time and work less when I need to travel back
and forth.
I have a degree, skills and experience in the writing field and I am also
experienced in sales, marketing and public relations work. I would really
appreciate any assistance or guidance you could offer on how I could find
some job prospects that would allow me to work at home on my
computer/telephone/fax, etc.
Can you recommend where and how would begin to find these types of jobs?
Do you feel that is possible to have a position where it would be possible to
work more when time is available? Is that a realistic expectation?
Thank you very much for your assistance. I look forward to hearing back
from you. Best wishes.
Scott
ANSWER: Scott,
It is a good thing that you skills are in writing; it should help to find work.
What can I say? Telecommuting is one of the hardest jobs there is.
It is struggling to impress a prospective employer without ever seeing them which is very difficult. Then there is the uncertainty; just as you think things are going well, you end up without work. Internet employers are fairly fickle, and want everything done cheap.
With those things in mind, I wouldn't trade it for anything! It is possible to find work that allows you the freedom to work the hours you want. I have found that the work flow is either light or heavy. Normally it is not a high priority that it is done immediately.
I work early morning hours, and often in the middle of the night. When I feel like taking a day off or two, I usually can feel free to do so.
Thank you for your response. I appreciate you taking the time to provide me
with a number of resources.
I have to admit, I don't quite understand your comment that "telecommuting
is one of the hardest jobs there is." I had assumed the whole idea of even
considering to do telecommuting work in the first place was to make your
work experience much more convenient and more comfortable for oneself? In
your opinion, what makes telecommuting so "hard"?
I also had assumed that by working at home you can save a lot of hassle with
demands on your time and space by not having a boss leering over your
shoulder all day long and you are free to have much more flexibility in your
schedule.
I would appreciate your comments. Thank you, again.
Scott
Answer Scott,
I said it is the hardest job in the world, because when you telecommute you are your own boss. That includes the good parts - being able to schedule your own time; and the hard parts - doing all of your own marketing, accounting, etc.
Keeping track of time on projects, invoicing jobs, collecting money, and searching for new projects to make sure you have a fairly steady source of income are all things that are not required of a regular job but is required with freelance telecommuting.
Sometimes a project will lead to something longterm, but more often than not a project lasts only days and then you must find something else.
It also is hard to purchase things on credit, rent a house, and other such things where you must prove employment.
