by Barb Niehaus 

Contact: doon8457@aol.com
May be published with credits
 

As a telecommuter of over 12 years, I am frequently asked for advice and help 
on working from home. It's a time consuming, but by no means, impossible 
task. Patience, tenacity, commitment and some "inside" advice from this 
author will help you in your search for "the perfect balance between work and 
family". With 4 children ages 6-12, I can vouch that I would never work at 
outside employment again. My schedule allows me the freedom and flexibility 
to drive my kids back and forth to school, volunteer in their classrooms, 
attend daytime functions and generally, "be there" for them. Relinquishing my 
company-paid health insurance and 401K seemed a small price to pay in 
exchange for the rewards reaped. 

Since the onset of working from home in 1987, I have worked both as an 
offsite employee and most recently, a self-employed webmistress and 
newsletter publisher. My 12 year Marketing Coder position was obtained from a 
small 3 line classified ad in our local paper. I called, interviewed with the 
Operations Manager and, as they say, "the rest is history". Do not discount 
newspaper ads even if they don't mention the possibility of working offsite. 
Were companies to print that in their ads, they would be deluged with 
responses. Study the classifieds and respond to those that would lend 
themselves to telecommuting: data entry, administrative assistant, desktop 
publishing, graphic design, sales, customer service. Apply, get your foot in 
the door and when you've proved your capabilty and efficiency, present your 
employer with a telecommuting proposal. If currently employed in a potential 
work- at- home position, approach your company. Worst case scenario is that 
you'll have to stay put in the office while continuing your WAH job hunt. 
Nothing ventured, nothing gained. 

Vitally important is that your skills are up to date and polished. Most 
companies will require a working knowledge of Microsoft applications, 
databases, FTP, Internet experience. A wonderful FREE site that I recently 
discovered is http://www.freeskills.com They provide online training in 
Microsoft, Unix, Lotus, Novell, Mac, Corel, Desktop, databases, internet, 
graphics and more. Take advantage of this resource and insure that your 
resume outshines all other applicants. 

Are you a frustrated writer? Employ search engines to locate online sites 
that will publish your artilces for exposure, and in many cases, pay for your 
knowledge. Choose a subject that you're passionate about, whether it's web 
design or showing dogs. There is a market and audience for every topic 
imaginable. Start off with: 
http://www.powerprose.com 
http://www.themestream.com
http://www.ideamarketers.com 

Subscribe to newsletters that will provide you with updated work-at-home 
jobs. I publish Moms@ Home Working, a free daily newsletter that mails 
telecommuting jobs Every Day to my readers. To susbcribe, send a blank email 
to: momsworkingathome-subscribe@onelist.com I hear weekly from my susbcribers 
that have succeeded in finding a position through the newsletter. 

Search for hundreds of WAH jobs at my site: http://www.MOMS-HOME-WORK.COM 
We link to online job banks and other sites for telecommuting. Listed under our 
WAH link is a list of 'Telecommute Friendly' companies across America that 
currently employ offsite workers or will consider the possibility. 

Stay focused and you will find your "perfect balance". Just with the online 
jobs that I have secured in my daily search for listings, my income is equal 
to what the average women earns working outside the home. Consider the cost 
of child care, gas, career wardrobe, lunches and my net salary is in most 
cases, more. The most important "perk" of all, though, is that I am able to 
be a hands-on mom and isn't that the goal we're all striving to achieve? 

Barb Niehaus, publishes Moms@ Home Working 7 Days a Week to assist women who 
want the opportunity to provide an income while being at home with their 
family. Visit her website: http://www.MOMS-HOME-WORK.COM for all of the tools 
and information that your WAH job search. 
 

E-mail: mailto:doon8457@aol.com
Author's URL: http://www.MOMS-HOME-WORK.COM