What is “telecommuting”?
According to Cambridge Business English Dictionary Online, telecommuting also referred to as telework is “to work for an organization from your home and communicate with the main office and customers, etc. by phone or email.” Telecommuting is facilitated by utilizing the internet, phones, webcams etc. and can be done from any remote location not just your home instead of the usual traditional office setting with co-workers.
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As I considered the possibilities for employment as a telecommuter, I realized I had to do an assessment of the online job market, what job skills or expertise I can offer, what skills I will have to learn or improve, workspace, equipment, work hours, payment methods and exercise schedule. I am a champion of check lists as they help us to be more organized because we can make list of things we need to get done or take care of and check them as we complete each task. This can easily be done using an excel spreadsheet or table.
The online job market
The online job market is very competitive as those living in eastern countries and the Philippines have less overhead costs and can afford to work at lower job rates. In job sites such as oDesk and elance they bid as low as $US 1 per hour for virtual assistant jobs which is less than the hourly wage for Ready Call Center . This is not lucrative for us as Belizeans as we need to cover the high overhead costs relating to telecommuting and our living expenses. Some types of telecommuting jobs which are available are:
- Sales & Telemarketing
- Virtual Assistant
- Translator
- Online Tutoring
- Secretarial
- Writing (e.g. for blogs)
Job Search
When doing your search for online jobs, you need to specify “telecommuting jobs from anywhere” as many telecommuting jobs require you to work from a specific location. This will narrow down your search to jobs which you can do from any location in the world. Searching for legitimate online jobs is quite a task and can become very overwhelming and frustrating as there are so many scam sites on the internet. Although many seem very lucrative and claim free registration, after you have completed the entire registration process, using your email address, you then find out that they are charging a fee and payment is using your credit card, debit card or PayPal.
During my search of telecommuting sites, I read that we should not pay to get a job, but I also noted that even the free sites have some form of hidden fees. My mom used to say nothing is free in this world and I have accepted that philosophy as it has been proven so many times in my life. Some sites like Flexjobs charge a subscription fee but it may be worth it to avoid wasting time searching for free subscription sites. Here are some sites you could investigate or register with to get you started on your job search:
Skills and expertise
The minimum educational requirement by online employers is a high school diploma. Employers are seeking telecommuters who have telecommuting experience, skills and are certified. Now may be the time to brush on your typing skills using one of the online typing tutors such as Rapid Typing Tutor. Knowledge and familiarity with MS Office applications such as Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint is also in high demand. There are many sites online offering free online computer classes such as alison and meganga .
It is also advisable to revise your resume, highlighting telecommuting skills in demand by employers online, such as:
· Communication skills ( email handling, web conferencing, im, phone etiquette)
· Strong Typing Skills (40 wpm or above)
· Familiarity with MS Office
· Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
· Internet Research
· Self Motivated
· Ability to Work Independently
· Strong Time Management Skills
· Language Skills
Work Hours
Your work hours are determined by the type of contract you have, the time zone and business hours of the company you are working for. If you have a fixed contract then you have a bit more flexibility with your working hours but must deliver work on time. If you are being paid hourly, some companies like oDesk monitor you using screenshots to ensure clients are getting their monies worth of your time.
I will continue next time on sharing tips and my experience in Getting Started Part 2. Until then take care and remember that we can only do our best and the rest we must leave in God's able hands as he alone knows what is best for us and when is the right time.
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