Is A Work at Home Job Really Work At Home?
By Sue Elvins
Do you know the difference between a work at home job and a work at home opportunity? Not many do know how to tell them apart which does have my concern. I've heard from a few work at home parents in the past who have been taken by false advertising or misled to believe one thing and discovered it to be something else. It brings me to my next point, why is it that those who post advertising of this nature cannot be honest and say "this is a work at home job" or "this is a work at home opportunity" rather than surprising a person. It is just like purchasing a great looking black dress online then when you receive the box, it isn't that sexy black dress; it's actually a flowery daffodil skirt - that's not a mistake at the shipping department, that's false advertising.
So the question is, how do you tell the difference? It's a little tricky but you can spot them rather quickly. A work at home job is just like an office job, the difference is you're working at home; that's an easy answer. Two, the actual employer will post the job with their name, address, URL, and email address for others to contact them and send resumes to for inquiries and setting up an interview with them. Most employers will not give out phone numbers because employers do not want to be flooded with phone calls. Could you imagine the constant inquiry phone calls about the position? That would keep the employer so busy with phone calls they couldn't do their work that needed to be completed.
Something else to look for if the work at home post only shows an email address with a name and no URL; don't fall for it. Usually it's a scam. You can check it out by easily taking the information after the @ sign and adding the www in front of it. See if that leads you to a web page. If it does, research the web pages and see if you can locate the job posting. If the employer posted it on their site most likely it's posted elsewhere. You can also verify their address is same that you saw in the advertisement on another site. If you can't, you have two choices; either ignore the ad or you can email the business, include the advertisement (entire ad) and tell them where you saw it. If it's legitamate they'll let you know, if it isn't they'll send you an email and let you know about that as well. Most business owners do appreciate being informed being told when their business is being damaged.
How know it is a work at home scam? When you have to pay something BEFORE you can start earning an income. Rule of thumb, run away and fast! There's an old saying, if it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck then it must be a duck. Sounds silly but the saying is true. Now that's not saying it can't be a legitamate opportunity BUT if it is, I can almost guarantee that if it is a legitamate opportunity it isn't working for an employer. You're building your own business; hence a business opportunity that is masked as a "work at home job" advertisement. So you see, the closer you pay attention to those classified ads when reading the better off you will be in the long run.
How do I know good postings from not so good job postings? Not all postings that have small bits of information are bad. But you do need to keep on your toes. Ask questions as if you were in a face to face interview. The employer would be more than happy to answer them for you if they are legitamate. That will show them your interest in the position and it will also give you peace of mind in learning more about the employer. You can visit a few places online and get basic questions to ask your employer during the interview. Finally, never EVER accept anything verbally (over the phone and/or internet). Be sure if there are any agreements made you have them sent to you it in writing so it is a legal document.
Where can I searching for work at home jobs on the Internet? You can by using search engines such as Google.com or About.com or even AltaVista.com would suffice. You can also join some of the better work at home job business boards. Keep in mind that the better work at home business boards will charge you a fee for using their service. So before you pay for a membership, research the company and ask questions to the owner about their service. You must be certain the company you are purchasing a membership from is someone you feel comfortable with first before purchasing a membership to get what you want.
You can visit the career sites for employment opportunities. Most of these sites do have full time career positions however they do also post work at home positions at times. Some of the more popular career boards are Monster.com, HotJobs.com, and Dice.com. A strategy that always works is having a plan before you take action! Research first then make your decision on what to do next!
Copyright 2006. This article cannot be reprinted or copied without permission from author.