Archive for July, 2009

There is something out there know as the “search engine affect.” What is it? Well, let me give you a physical example; try googling yourself and see what results you get. You may be shocked at what returns back to you in that search page. Let’s put this all back to what is in the power of a name and just what your name is doing for you, especially on the internet.

Most individuals do not realize when they sign up for websites such as forums or social networking sites, that when you type in your name, you can and most likely will be searched. This is becoming increasingly popular with businesses when a background check may not be enough. All it really takes is the curiosity of a potential new boss to type in your name on their search bar and a few seconds to lose an opportunity. Caution cannot be thrown to the wind when using your name in any situation, but more so when you are a freelancer. Your reputation as a freelancer is built surrounding mainly your name and work attached to your name through media outlets you have posted to, including personal social sites.

I have heard and watched as people have lost credibility with potential employers, by creating a social networking page that can be visible to anyone on the internet.  Sites such as Myspace and Facebook are the more popular social networking avenues, even as they were intended to be a relaxed friendly atmosphere, if they are not private to just friends, anyone can search your name and find your page. Most people who are aware of this, such as myself, have resorted to keeping profiles private from public eyes and not using full names on things such as other websites, forums and even photo sharing websites (i.e. Flickr and Photobucket). This can keep you protected in the event of a curious boss or co-worker with a grudge (haven’t we all been there?)

The simplest way of preventing a potential client or boss from using this information as ammunition against you is to look on several search engines and correct the sites or via settings set your profiles to private. Let’s face it, these days anything put on the internet is no longer sacred when we make the decision to put it on a private webpage or open forum. This includes pictures sent through emails or sensitive information shared through chat sites, chances are if someone out there doesn’t like you they will find a way to exploit your information to the world. We have all seen it on TV with celebrities, or read it in some fashion so do not think you’re not at risk of the same behavior.

As a closing, to put it in simple terms, do not post/upload/share or otherwise give information about yourself without realizing there can be consequences to those actions. This is something that should be known to anyone who knows how to log onto the internet. Keep your profiles private (unless it is for professional purposes only), use your name only when you are sure the information is not harmful to you or anyone else. Also as a last tip, if you are chatting in an open room (Yahoo, AOL etc.) make sure to keep your context free of anything that can be deemed offensive or cause for termination. This can ensure you keep your name in good standing and yourself from unwanted information being seen by potential jobs in the future.

In tough economic times many people are forced to find ways to make extra money. Now, it’s easier than ever to work part time at home and it sure beats slinging burgers. In fact, recent reports have said that more and more companies want to contract out work that used to be done in-house, increasing the opportunities at home work. Today’s home based jobs are easier to find and pay better than most part time work.

The beauty of working from home is that you can set your own hours, work as much or as little as you need to, and have far more free time than if you worked out of the home at a traditional job. Few part time jobs have flexible schedules, and you are often at the mercy of whoever makes out the schedule that week. When you work at home, you are the boss, you set the hours, you determine your paycheck, not someone else. As more companies cut back on hours, part timers are the first to see their hours cut. That’s why finding a good way to make money from home is a terrific alternative.

When looking for a position, you must determine whether you want to contract out your services to an outside company or start your own business. Some of the most popular ways to make money are freelance writing, data entry, and website design. The Internet has several websites dedicated to helping people find part time work at home positions. A word of caution, though. Scam artists are looking for people desperate to make extra money and have come up with all sorts of legitimate-looking schemes that turn out to be nothing but money-takers. Data entry positions in particular, have been the target of scam artists. Make certain the company you work for is legitimate and the pay reasonable. Don’t fall for claims of making large amounts of money for doing little work. If something doesn’t feel right, follow your instincts.

One way to ensure you don’t fall for a scheme is to start your own business. Several legitimate businesses are available that allow the entrepreneur to make money online with affiliate marketing and multi-level marketing program. Do your research to determine the best option for you and be sure to get a realistic idea of how much money you can make. In the end, you may find your part time job pays better than your full-time job.

To learn more visit Jobs Based From Home  and Start Applying Today.

More and more people are taking their jobs and working at home instead of facing the daily commute. That’s because with today’s technology and economic factors, the number of employers offering at home jobs is increasing.

While the bad economy is fueling some of this, others are making a choice to work from home rather than in a traditional office for personal reasons. They like the freedom of working from home, as well as saving money on gas and wear and tear on their vehicle.

Employers are also realizing the benefits of having employees work from home. Many are creating jobs that had been inhouse and either farming them out to contractors and freelancers or allowing employees to telecommute.

Not only is this good for the employee, it’s seen as a cost-savings benefit for the employer. Hiring freelancers cuts down on the amount of office space needed, utility costs and often employee benefits. Typically, freelancers pay for their own benefits.

Having the ability to do the work you are qualified for and love  – and doing it from home – is an idea that continues to grow.  The idea of working from home started with “flex time” in which employers began to see the benefits of allowing at least some of their employees work from home part of the time. That idea has been incredibly popular, and lately there has been an increase in the number of employees who work from home full time.

Such plans allow parents to continue working, keeping up with industry changes, and not pulling them completely out of the workforce. Many highly skilled women opt to stay home with their children – at least while they are young – and get left behind. The option to work from home allows these women to continue working and continue to be a viable employee if and when they do decide to return to work full time.

Today, the options for working from home are seemingly unlimited. Thousands of people are working as contractors, supplying vital work to companies who, for what ever reasons, do not want to hire someone on a full-time basis. That leaves employment opportunities wide open for skilled individuals who want their jobs at home.

Outsourcing, in which companies pay individual contractors for call center, customer service, and even secretarial work, are gaining popularity in this country. No longer are U.S. companies going to foreign countries such as India for their needs. The number of domestic companies that provide call center contractors is growing and the numbers are expected to continue to increase.

Visit Jobs Based From Home   and Start Applying Today.

If you have a job allows you to work from home, your biggest enemy just might be your refrigerator.

Let’s face it, if you’re already sedentary before you starting working from home, it’s only going to get worse. Now, you don’t even get the small exercise of walking to and from your car. Maybe you used to stop at the gym on the way to or from work and now you don’t.

When you work from home there’s no one to see you eating, no one to judge you if you do eat that second donut. You get to wear more comfortable clothes, which are more forgiving than your old business suit, so you might not even notice until it’s too late that those pounds are starting to add up.

People who work from home have to be extra diligent about their diet and lifestyle.  Here are some tips for keeping fit when you work from home.

Keep hydrated. If you drink plenty of water, your stomach won’t feel as empty. Although water will not keep the hunger pangs at bay for long, drinking water also has health benefits, including increasing your energy level. Keep a glass of water on hand at all times at your desk.

If you don’t buy it, you can’t eat it. Your refrigerator is only a few steps away. The potato chips are calling your name. Those burritos you bought are lonely. The next thing you know, you’re walking into your kitchen and rummaging around for a snack. It’s tough to be disciplined about what you eat when you’re hungry and staring at a bag of cookies. It’s easier to simply not buy them. If they’re not in your cupboard, they’ll never make it to your stomach—and your thighs.

Keep healthful snacks at hand. Nuts, veggies, pretzels, are good to have on hand when you do get the munchies. You don’t have to deprive yourself entirely, but simply change your mindset about what you put in your mouth.

Go for a walk or the gym. You should try at least several times a week to get yourself moving. Go for a walk or take an hour and go to the gym for a quick workout. You’ll feel better about yourself and your energy level will make getting back to work more pleasurable. Most health experts suggest people get at least thirty minutes of exercise each day.

Throw away the sweats. Yes, one of the reasons you like working from home is that it enables you to wear comfy sweats. But your stomach can expand almost indefinitely when you wear them. Jeans are a better alternative, because at least you can tell when your waistline is getting a bit bigger.

Want a real job that will allow you to work from home?  One of the best places to start your search is on the Internet, as long as you are careful where you look.   Because of the growing demand for people to work from home on Internet-based jobs, the number of sites that cater to both companies who are looking for workers and employees looking for jobs has mushroomed.

Some online job sites charge a fee for the privilege of seeing their job listings. This fee does give the job-seeker some piece of mind that the jobs listed on a particular site are legitimate positions.   However, with so many free sites on the Internet, it might be a good idea to start there.  Craigslist and other free classifieds can be a good start, but be cautious: if it sounds too good to be true, it may be a scam.

Keep in mind that you’re not the only person cruising the web looking for an online job that will allow you to work from home.  Because the Internet is a national and even international medium, you are not only competing with Joe down the street, but all the Joe’s all over the country, some of whom have killer resumes.  The competition is fierce, so make sure your resume is clean, accurate, and puts your most significant experience first.  Don’t overstate your qualifications, but don’t be shy about tooting your own horn either. Many potential employers will immediately discard a resume for spelling or grammatical errors.  If you want to be taken seriously, take yourself seriously and put out a good quality cover letter and resume.

How do you get one of these coveted jobs?   Because there are so many people out there vying for the same position, much of it is pure luck.   Like a glutted real estate market, employers have the luxury of finding good employees easier than ever simply because there are so many people trying to get work.

The name of the game is submit, submit, submit.  Don’t apply for one job and wait for an answer.  Chances are, if it’s a good position, the employer has received hundreds of resumes and won’t have time to give you a reply. Check for jobs daily, and apply for anything that suits you.  Even if you are 100 percent qualified for a position it doesn’t mean you are going to get that job, because chances are, there are dozens of equally qualified people.  Eventually, with tenacity and consistency, you will get that job offer you’ve been hoping for.

Multi-level marketing (MLM) has gotten a bad rap of late, but is it truly a good option for those who want at home employment?  The truth is, in the mainstream media, MLMs have been unfairly characterized as a scam or a scheme or simply a bad investment.  This is because journalists tend to paint all such programs with the same broad brush, which isn’t fair and certainly isn’t accurate.

Read any story from a traditional source about at-home work and what to avoid, and they will no doubt mention MLMs.  Why?  We believe it’s simply a lack of understanding how such programs work, not only by those who are writing about them, but by the thousands of people who invest in MLMs and don’t find the success they were hoping for.

But like any business, some will fail and some with succeed. Some will surpass all expectations.  The people who do find financial success with MLMs worked hard at it, educated themselves, followed the programs precisely, came up with their own marketing plans, and treated their new business as a business—not as a quick way to get rich.

Unfortunately, too many people invest in MLMs who do not understand how to attract recruits, how to train their downline, how to keep their downline happy.  Attrition is one of the biggest pitfalls in operating a successful MLM, but there are strategies that can help the MLM business owner. MLMs appear simple on the surface.  Sell a product, get a commission, find others to sell that same product, and share your recruit’s commission when they make a sale.  The more recruits, the more commissions, the more money.

But like any business, it’s not so simple. The failure rate of any new business is discouragingly high, and MLMs are no different.  It’s a business, which will thrive or fail based on how well it’s operated.  According to statistics, about one-third of new businesses will be profitable within two years, one-third will break even, and one-third will never see a profit.

Don’t be discouraged, just make certain you’re one of the success stories. If a recruiting method fails, try another. Keep on top of the industry, because very smart people are out there constantly trying to improve methods and strategies for getting those sales.

Visit Jobs Based From Home to learn more.

You want to work at home but believe free jobs are hard to come by?  Think again.  There are plenty of ways to make money from home that shouldn’t cost you a thing out of pocket. One such job is survey taking.

Companies will pay people money for filling out surveys. It’s one of those at-home jobs that sounds too good to be true. But companies really will pay qualified people to fill out surveys.

Large corporations need to know what the market needs, wants and thinks about specific products so that they can develop new product lines or simply find out if their message is hitting its mark with consumers. And they are willing to pay for such information.

You won’t get rich filling out surveys, but it can be a fun way to make a few extra dollars. The Internet has many survey sites and the best don’t require you to pay a fee, so this is one free way to make money online. Several websites list and rate survey sites, so finding surveys is easy. Most will require you to fill out a survey initially, without pay, so they can send you surveys that best apply to you and your lifestyle. For example, a toy company may not be interested in learning a single person’s opinion on a new line of action figures.

Once you start getting surveys e-mailed to you, fill them out as soon as possible, as some surveys have a quota. Once that quota is reached, they won’t need your opinion and you won’t get paid. Typically, surveys pay from $1 to $10, depending upon how long the survey takes to fill out. Surveys can take anywhere from 10 to 40 minutes. Other surveys pay in coupons or small items or will enter you into a contest to win cash or prizes.

Some survey sites are better than others. We’ve found that one of the problems is that some sites send out very few surveys. If you’re not finding success with one, try another. Another way to earn money with surveys is by recruiting others to also fill out surveys. Some sites will pay you a small amount each time your recruit fills out a survey. Get enough recruits, and then you’ll start seeing more significant cash.

Getting paid isn’t automatic. Many times survey takers will get “kicked out” of a survey because they don’t qualify. For example, a tobacco company will ask, “Do you smoke?”  If you don’t, you’ll likely end the survey there and will not get paid.  Most times, the survey will kick you out almost immediately so you haven’t wasted too much time.  The fun part is that many times you don’t know which company is looking for information, which is why it’s best to answer questions honestly.

Finding the right online jobs so you can work from home is just as much about you as it is the job.  Before you take a leap and put any time or money toward anything, you need to take a hard look at yourself.

Are you self-motivated?  Most people will automatically say, “yes!” as if admitting you are not self-motivated is some kind of horrible character flaw. While most people will say that are self-motivated, the truth is, many people are not. They need a boss, they need deadlines, they need quotas. Be honest with yourself and that can determine the type of online job you look for.

Can you sell?  Many online jobs do require a certain amount of salesmanship, which is a specific skill that not everyone has. If you have marketing skills or are enthusiastic about a particular product, then an online job that requires selling could be a good fit. Not everyone is a “people person.”

Can you work from home?  Not everyone can. Some people get too distracted by other things in their home to be able to fully concentrate on their job. Some people cannot take the isolation that working from home often entails. If you are a person who thrives when surrounded by people, working from home may not be the best option for you. Although stay-at-home moms and dads often think life would be easier if they worked from home, it can be incredibly stressful to keep a child happy while you work.

Do you need a job without distraction?  Many online jobs require a lot of phone work. If you have a house filled with noisy children, that kind of job may not be for you. Home-based telemarketers and call center representatives cannot have any background noise while working.

How much money do you need to make?  While there are many well-paying online jobs, be careful what you agree to do. Some jobs, such as those that pay per unit, pay an extremely low hourly wage. Don’t caught up in any job offers that seem to include an outrageous salary for menial labor. Chances are they are either not legitimate or the wages they claim you can make are nearly impossible to achieve.

Do you have the intestinal fortitude to start your own business?  If you have your own online business, you are responsible for everything, including the amount of money you make and the time you spend on your business. To run any successful business requires time and creativity. Multi-level marketing programs, for example, can only be successful if the MLM owner is willing to dedicate time and effort. Like a brick and mortar business, online businesses can only be successful when run properly.

If a home based job is a good fit for you, hop on over to Jobs Based From Home and   Start Applying Today!

You can spot them all the time, those lucky people who work from home.
-They’re the ones who take their kids to the bus stop, who are there when they come home from school.
-They’re the ones who can wear jeans or sweats every day, who have a strange look of contentment on their faces.
-They’re the ones who can escape their jobs for a few hours and volunteer at school, or can take a walk when the weather is fine.

Working from home has wonderful benefits, particularly if you have children. But even if you don’t, not having to face that daily commute can be a real blessing. Is there anything worse than getting up at 6 a.m. to scrape snow and ice from your car, shovel a path, digging through a three-foot snow bank left behind by the plow just so you can sit on a highway in rush hour traffic? And when you leave work—finally—it can be just as tough to get into a car that’s been sweltering in the sun all day.

Don’t forget the morning madness if you have children and also have to get to work on time. You not only have to make sure your tie is straight and your pants pressed, you also have to make sure the kids’ hair is brushed, their socks match (though this has become an option, thankfully), their backpacks have their homework inside and their lunches are made.

When your kids are too sick to go to school, if you work from home you don’t have to miss work or worse, send the poor kids to school anyway. If they’re on the couch sleeping or quietly watching cartoons, you can still work. And if they’re released from school early, you don’t have to face your boss’s frown or your co-workers looks of contempt because you have to leave early—again. You’re your own boss. If you don’t get your work done during the day, you can finish up when the kids are asleep.

Yes, you can recognize those who work at home. They’re the ones who can take the time to put their slippers on and read the paper before heading 20 feet to their computer. The house is blessedly silent but for the hum of the computer’s fan. Outside the birds are singing and inside you start your workday.

Perhaps it’s not all that wonderful, but it’s close. As wonderful as it is, though, not everyone would face a day of complete isolation with such happiness. Working at home is not for everyone.

It is cool to work from home. And those lucky enough to have jobs that allow them to be free to work from home should know they are part of a growing population. Not only are people realizing the benefits of working from home, it’s become a way to live green—and even municipalities are getting in on this trend.

According to the Associated Press, Minnesota state officials are promoting the idea of working from home as a way to reduce traffic. The result is less congestion on the highways and less car emissions in the air. This idea isn’t new. When gas prices sky-rocketed to more than $4 per gallon recently, companies and governments took a hard look at ways to help the consumer while helping the environment. Tele-commuting suddenly seemed like more than a solution to help people work from home, it was a way to save the world—and the pocketbook.

In Minnesota, the state launched a public awareness campaigned called the Workplace, to promote the idea of working from home. Its goal is for 2,700 people to sign up to telecommute at least once per week for a year. While the only goal of this campaign is to cut down on traffic, it also gives side benefits to employees. One happy bit of information that both governments and companies are learning is that people are happier and more productive when they have the opportunity to work at home.

Calgary, Canada initiated a similar program and found that its employees who worked from home were actually more productive than those who did not participate in the work at home initiative. And it’s not a small difference. Data showed that people who worked from home were 15 to 40 more productive than those same workers who stayed in the office. Companies are finding they can attract better job candidates when they give workers the choice of working from home, there is better retention, and overall better production from this group of employees.

All over, individuals and corporations are realizing that the old myth that people will not be productive if they are not in the office is false. Working from home, say experts, is likely an idea that will continue to grow and flourish. Perhaps the only downside is that the office water cooler may start getting a bit lonely.