Combat Work-From-Home Myths
With hard work and training, working at home can work for you.
Sept. 18, 2006— -- We continue to receive a huge response to the "Good Morning America" segments on working from home.
There is a lot of excitement among viewers who are eager for legitimate opportunities to make money while juggling the demands of caring for young children or elderly parents. Or they're looking for a second career to take into retirement. But there are also some misconceptions too, especially about the ease of opportunities.
Myth #1: Working from home is a piece of cake.
It's doubtful that you'll find any kind of legitimate home-based job opportunity that doesn't require hard work and serious commitment. In addition to the right skills and experience, there are three basic requirements that most employers look for when hiring home-based workers:
Technical savvy: Because many home-based career paths are handled through a PC, you must be comfortable online, as well as technically proficient to do some basic troubleshooting before calling a help desk. It's not enough to be able to send and receive e-mail; you must have a solid comfort level with basic technology.
Quiet work space: Because you're handling customer calls or dealing with time-sensitive materials while working at home, you can't watch your kids and work simultaneously. A quiet space that allows for uninterrupted work is essential. If you have kids, you must have child care lined up during the time you'll be working.
Self-motivation: You have to get to your desk on time and perform your work on your own. There's no supervisor looking over your shoulder and no office camaraderie. If you prefer a structured environment or one with colleagues and chatter all around you, then home-based work might not be your cup of tea.
Myth #2: Training isn't really that important.
Wrong! If you find ads -- of which there are many on the Internet -- that promise big bucks with no training or skills required, you should steer clear, especially if they're asking you to send money.
Nobody is going to offer you a reasonable wage unless you have the proper training and skills. You'll usually have to invest in the training yourself. Before registering for a program that is the least expensive around, do your due diligence. It might be cheap and fast for a reason. It might not deliver the career clout you're seeking.
Ask about the job placement rate for graduates. Find out what types of companies are hiring students from their program. Talk to references to get a sense of the program's reputation within the industry. See if any complaints have been registered by former students. When you're ready to commit, do so with confidence that comes only from having done your homework.
Be sure you have your expectations in check before jumping into any new career opportunity -- whether inside or outside of your home. Because your employer will no doubt have his or her own expectations of your performance, this is the only way to ensure that you're both very satisfied with a new relationship.
Tory Johnson is the workplace contributor on "Good Morning America" and the CEO of Women for Hire. Connect with her at www.womenforhire.com.