Getting there virtually with Amy Holding
Buyer Beware!
We have all heard the saying If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.This saying is almost 100% accurate when it comes to work at home opportunities or the thousands of get rich quick schemes we see and hear on the Internet, television and radio.
Why almost? Because when looking for new business or telecommuting opportunities the saying should actually read, if it seems to be good to be true, IT IS! Not probably, definitely!
Unfortunately, I can’t provide you with a list of every scam out there, as new ones surface on the Internet by the day. All I can say is BUYER BEWARE and approach every work from home lead you come across with common sense and caution.
You probably know some fellow mothers, as I do, that have fallen prey to one of the many scams out there. Personally, I believe it was just a result of a temporary loss of common sense that came from a need for control.
So many of us get up and work each day, not because we want to, but because we financially have to. This leaves us moms (new moms especially) feeling trapped and conflicted. Being torn between the need for income and the desire to stay with your children results in a feeling of desperation and sometimes it lets us turn a blind eye to reality.
And this leaves an opening just wide enough for those pesky little rats promising financial independence to get in.
So what do we do? Get organized, put together a plan and gain control.
Step 1 – Define success for YOU and YOUR family? It doesn’t matter what works for your neighbor, sister, friend or mother. This is your life, your career, your family and YOUR definition of success. To achieve it, you may need to work part time or full time, make $20,000 or $100,000 per year. It doesn’t really matter as long YOUR DEFINITION of SUCCESS is the end result.
Step 2 – Be realistic. Working at home can and does provide a great work-life balance for many (myself included). However, if you have financial obligations that require you to work full time and make a certain level of income, be cognizant of what life is actually like when you are home with the kids. Depending upon the age and needs of your children, their demands may prohibit you from working and earning at your required level without help from another caregiver.
Step 3 – Take inventory of yourself. Determine your strengths, weaknesses, likes and dislikes and let those characteristics shape your work at home plans. Do you want to be an employee, start a business or maybe work as an independent contractor?
Starting a work home career path doesn’t necessarily mean you have to reinvent yourself. Your current career and employer may already be a great fit for a telecommuting opportunity. Investigate the potential and the best way to promote yourself for it.
Do you have a great idea for a small business? Write it down, put together a SWOT analysis and seek advice and opinions from others.
So many mothers interested in working from a home office start by randomly Googling work at home opportunities and find it only leads them to one place: Frustration. The best thing you can do is frame your search around the inventory you take and let that be the focus.
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