Work From Home - So, You Want To Work From Home ...

Great! I get it. I joined the ranks of people who wanted to work from home when my son was 9 months old. I'm here to tell you that I achieved my goal. But, I learned a lot along the way.

If you want to work from home, consider the following:

1. There is a difference between working from home and having a business from home. Someone else employs a person who works from home. Meaning, someone else calls the shots, determines what needs to be done, when it needs to be done, and how much is going to be paid for the work.

A person who has a business from home owns the business and makes all the decisions. A home business owner typically has more responsibility and assumes more risk compared to a person who works from home.

With either choice, there is a trade off. Be clear on what is important to you.

2. Educate yourself so you do not fall prey to a scam. Unfortunately, there are "work at home" scams. Luckily, with a little bit of knowledge you can easily avoid these scams.

Understand that if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Before making any decision:

Research the company and people involved with the work you're considering. Contact the Better Business Bureau and Chamber of Commerce in the area where the company is located.

Use the Internet to conduct further research.

Do not pay anything to do work from home. For example, avoid work from home programs that require you to pay for more information or an entry fee.

You should not have to pay for supplies above and beyond basic office supplies that you probably have anyway (such as paper, envelopes, stamps). However, whomever you're doing the work for should reimburse you for any supplies you purchase and use for the work you perform.

Make sure all of your questions are answered before you commit to any work you will do from home. For example, find out exactly what you will be doing, how you're going to be paid, when you're going to be paid and what deadlines you will have to meet.

Do not be afraid to ask questions - anyone offering legitimate work from home jobs will willingly answer all of your questions. In fact, you'll be perceived as a responsible, self-motivated, intelligent person who is worth hiring!