With the computer and Internet, people around the globe are now able to work from home. The process of seeking a work at home job can be daunting. This is especially true when you hear about all of the scams that pose as legitimate work at home opportunities.

1.       Determine interests and needs

There’s nothing worse than being stuck in a job that you don’t enjoy. This is just as true for a work at home job as a traditional office job. Just because you’re in the comfort of home doesn’t mean that you should have sacrifice your passions and interests.

Before you start out on your job, consider the following:

·         How much time do you want to dedicate toward your job daily/weekly?

·         What skills have you developed over the years?

·         What are you passionate about?

·         Do you have any hobbies that you can turn into cash opportunities?

The answers to these questions will help you determine what types of jobs to look for. There is a wide array of opportunities these days, ranging from virtual assistant, to call center reps, to data entry, to writing, to graphic design and software development. The path you take will ultimately depend upon your past experience and skills.

If you have a craft that you excel at, like jewelry making, sewing or even wood working, you may be able to turn that hobby into a career. All it takes is a business license and a website. If you don’t want to go through the hassle of creating your own website, you could sell through eBay or Etsy. eBay and Etsy are great options because you won’t have to work out payment processing for credit cards or other types of payments.

2.       Update your resume and craft a convincing cover letter

You should view your work at home job search just as any other job search. This means you need to have a professional resume and cover letter to convince the potential employers to hire you.

Your resume and cover letter (and portfolio if appropriate) are your chance to market yourself. Set aside time to focus on these documents to ensure you are putting your best foot forward. If you are looking to apply for various types of positions, be sure to customize your resume and cover letter to fit each of those industries and job paths.

3.       Network

As you probably have already experienced, landing the perfect job is often all about who you know. Be sure to network with your friends and past colleagues both online and in person. In doing so, you may be presented with the perfect work at home opportunity.

You can start your networking by setting up a LinkedIn profile. LinkedIn is a social networking site for professionals. You can link to people you have worked with in the past. It also enables you to create a virtual resume. And, perhaps the best part, people can write you recommendations based on your past work.

4.       Job search sites

Of course, you can also find work at home jobs through job search sites. Popular sites, including Monster.com, CareerBuilder.com and even Craigslist.com, have opportunities for virtually every industry. While the majority of positions are on-site jobs, there are an increasing number of virtual positions listed through these sites.

There are also websites dedicated to contract workers who do their trade at home. These websites allow companies to post work opportunities and the contractors place bids. The opportunities range from a one-time, one-day project to long term, full-time work. If you go this route, you’ll likely benefit from utilizing multiple sites. Keep in mind that it may take several weeks to get traction on these sites, but once you start to receive work and get ratings from the employers, you’re likely to receive additional opportunities.

5.       Make sure it’s legitimate

No matter how you find your work at home opportunity, you will want to complete your due diligence to ensure it is a legitimate opportunity. The unfortunate truth is that there are plenty of people out there who are taking advantage of others by charging heavy fees and not providing work with income potential.

One way to make sure the opportunity is legitimate is to look at the longevity of the company. Have you heard of the company before? Has it been around for several years? The longer it has survived and the more positive things you have heard about the company, the more legitimate the opportunity tends to be.