Best Work from Home Opps

everybody wants that job.
they're out there, but few and far between. in the vast majority of cases, these jobs go to people who have put in the time doing brick-and-mortar commuting and have proven to the company that they are productive and trustworthy.
so flexibility, no sales, no multi-level, no parties, no fees and a proven business?
not quite needle in a haystack, maybe. but almost.
good luck!
khairete
S.

If everyone could get paid to stay home no one would be out in the work force working today. If it sounds too good to be true... then it is. There are a ton of scams out there. Surveys? Really..... People are not going to pay you to stay home and be on your computer and watch your children.

You mention a fee? Please do not fall for that classic scam. You pay no one to work for them, fill out applications, etc. ANY fee screams scam.

I do work from home but it is WORK. There is NO way I could do my job running our company with a child or children around. I have to be spot on correct with numbers, etc or I could cost us thousands of dollars.

Those who do work from home (a lot of moms on this site) are doing so because they have earned the opportunity from their employer by demonstrating that they are capable of being self disciplined, self motivated and actually work.

Most of those who work from home and have children are required to have those children in day care. NO company wants an employee on a phone call, etc where the client can hear children or pets in the background. You must main the professional atmosphere.

Find something you love to do.. sew, crafts, babysit, tutor, substitute teach, sell the things you no longer need online, and go from there to make extra money. Stay away from the scams.

Most of us that can or do work from home had to prove we can work from home first. Think about if your kids said I want to stay home alone. Would you just say sure, if that is what you need go for it? Employers are no different, you have to show you know the rules, how to structure yourself, then they let you work from home.

Considering you have never worked in those fields it isn't going to happen. If you have then talk to your former employer. If you haven't then get a part time job with them and show you can do the job, then ask to do it at home. If you are only going to work while your kids are at school it doesn't matter if that is at home or at an office.

Kasey,

I work from home. Do you realize that I WORK?! I don't just get to play with my kids and get paid to do it.

I see that you said you want to work while your kids are in school or sleeping...sorry - but most employers want a schedule, a routine - a time frame they KNOW they can count on.

For proofreading? You need to know people and they need to know your work already. The surveys? Well, you can do those, but you'd really have to commit to doing a TON of surveys in order to make any real money and then you need to make sure it's not a 'credit' system where you can only spend the "credits" at select retailers, etc.

There are sites like http://hiremymom.com/ that are legit. I believe you pay a fee to access the job boards.

just remember - you are WORKING. Your kids should NOT be around when you are WORKING. You should be able to focus your attention on your work not your children.

good luck!

You could try Virtual Vocations. I don't know anything about their fees, and many of the jobs are very specific in the skill sets they require.

I think Gamma G is quite harsh in many of her comments, but I think she's right that all SAHMs would be doing this if it were so easy. I'm not sure about "writing term papers" for college students as she suggests - I'm quite sure that's against any college's honor code!

Most freelance writers and editors have a background in this, having worked for a newspaper or magazine - and now that these publications are closing at record rates, a whole lot of people with experience, credentials and contacts have been laid off and are already in the freelance business. That means the competition is fierce.

Proofreading is a lost art - I'm happy to see that you only had 1 typo in your post (many people on Mamapedia can't spell or type well, or they don't think it's important, so this this career path would be out for them). A lot of people in the "real world" just don't care about good grammar or spelling anyway, or they think "spell check" does it all, so the jobs are few. Still, if you are applying for anything in that area, you really have to triple-proof your letters of inquiry and your application. You also need a lot of experience in that - hopefully you have a solid work history in that area.

You'd be best served if you got into a writer's group or another networking opportunity group. You'd probably get good advice and be steered away from some problematic career paths - but that means getting out of the house to attend the groups, which means you'd need child care.

Another option is medical transcription, but again, you have to take a course or have strong connections in the industry. I have a friend who is a court stenographer, and she and many of her colleagues can do some of their work at home (like editing and cleaning up what they took down during depositions or trials). But obviously a big chunk of the work is done in the courtroom and in lawyers' offices, which would not meet your needs.

My stepdaughter did blogging for a while, but even so, the deadlines were tougher than what she expected. Sick kids and school performances really cut into her available time, and her employer wasn't too interested in the fact that her life got in the way, so it didn't last long.

Good luck with this - I know you said you've searched and not found what you are looking for. I think that's because the opportunities you describe just aren't out there anymore - if they ever were.

Don't you think if those kinds of jobs were all grouped together some where we'd all be working from home?

If you work at home you have to put your kids in child care and commit to an employer. If you have any business calls they won't give you the time of day if there's a crying baby, a barking dog, and meowing cat, etc...they want to talk to a professional in an office not a mom who is paying half attention to her work while having kids running underfoot.

The only businesses that do this are ones that have long faithful employees who ask if they can work from home. They take their kids to child care before going on the clock then they work all day.

If you want to do stuff on the computer then put some ads in the local college papers that you'll do term papers, research essays, resume's, etc...it will be sporadic but some extra income.

I work 3 part time jobs. I take in ironing. I wait until the kids are in bed and iron up to 3 or 4 hours if I have that many garments.

I clean houses, most often my father in laws house, he pays me with a gasoline card. I get to fill up my van up to several hundred dollars each month. He's never told me to cut my costs but did tell me if there is ever a pop or food item on the charge he'll cancel the card that day. No reprieve.

I work in the clothing store owned by a gymnastics/dance studio. I make performance costumes, sell items, do paperwork, stuff envelopes, hand address envelopes, clean the facility if needed, take out the trash when it's full, clean the entire building's carpets once a year or so, I work my hiney off and do not get a single penny. I get the kids dance and gym classes for free. I don't get paid I get a scholarship for them.

So if you want to sit at home and do work while your kids are there you're misinformed that this type of job really exists. If it did every single stay at home mom would be doing them already.

They don't exist unless you have already worked for a company and proven you can work at home and accomplish your tasks and will be alone during the day to do your job. They know you and how your work is well before this conversation takes place.

No one is going to pay you to stay home and have your kids at home, they aren't going to. You will have to take your kids to child care and work, just like a real job.

If you want to work for yourself then figure out what jobs you'll do and post them on your FB page, put up fliers in the laundry mats, Walmart job boards, and any college dorm you can get to. That may be a good niche for you. Doing stuff on the computer takes time and doing research papers and stuff like that is a needed thing.

Any chance you're qualified to teach college? Teaching a class or two (adjunct, not full prof) usually means you show up to teach your class. You have to plan your class , grade papers, respond to emails, etc, but you can do that at 3:00 in the morning for all they care.

I worked as an adjunct for 3 years before accepting a full-time position. It was a perfect part-time job with kids.

I found my data entry job with GAO at workplacelikehome.com. You do need to register in order to read the message boards. It is free and is a great source for finding work at home opportunities.

GAO only tests twice a year (January and June or July) and there is quite a waiting list to get a contract once you pass the test.

Another good site is ratracerebellion.com.

I worked from home for ten months for a company I had previously worked in the office. My kids still went to school and day care, because no way could I have worked with them around at all. Even if I was only doing a few hours a week, it would possibly have interrupted a meeting if I couldn't be there. I was fortunate and had some flexibility in that position to work random hours, plus I could do my phone-cons from other places if necessary, but it was a LOT of WORK.

I do hope you can find something you love and that will keep you busy, it just seems like those are harder to find than most people think. You often have to work for a company for a while and then when a work at home spot opens, you may have that opportunity. A lot of places don't hire people without knowing their skill set and allow them to work from home. Because far too many people think it's much easier than it is. Good luck!

I'd have no leads for CA (Westat here is awesome in terms of pay and flexibility), but I used to do data entry before I entered teaching. Some companies require that you pay for a background check and use a secure desktop/lap top. Just an FYI.

I've done work through odesk.com.
They list everything from design work to writing to proofreading...all kinds of things. You have to bid on jobs & realize that there are strict deadlines, Quite frankly I haven't made a ton of money off of it. It is something I did after the kids were in bed at night. It's nice because I can bid when I have time to complete projects but I don't have to when I've got a full schedule.
I've also blogged for money (I can't remember the company); it didn't pay well but it did get me my own byline :-)
Also, I do work for one of those companies where you have at home parties. I do it because I love the products & just share with other people.
I don't have a ton of time to dedicate to another job; I homeschool our 3 kids & am going to school full time myself so I like work that fits my schedule!
Hope you find something that works for ya.

www.ratracerebellion.com. Free website that scopes real work at home jobs. Click on today's leads. Good luck!

www.elance.com - I have hired people from there many times. Maybe you can post your skills and find others to hire you.

B.

If you have no professional writing experience, then sites like elance.com and odesk.com are possibilities. Professional writers will not go near those kind of operations, but they're good for inexperienced writers or people just desperate for any income. Companies that turn to those sites want content for cheap, so standards are low. If you're willing to work for cheap (below minimum wage), these sites give you a chance to make a little money, although you can earn more flipping burgers.

If you do have a journalism degree and relevant writing experience, don't even think of those sites. Set your sights on real freelance writing for companies that pay appropriately ($50-100/hour) for your expertise. Start your own business.