Work-at-Home Job vs Home-Based Business

The purpose of this article is to inform you of the many things to consider when pondering a work at home job or starting a home based business. I'll give you an idea of the various opportunities available and how to look for them, as well as how to research companies and what to watch out for.

Since you're reading this, chances are you've at least considered working at home or starting your own home based business as a means of extra income, if not your sole income. We have something in common. I have wanted to do one or the other for probably ten years now. I have tried and failed enough times to at least be able to spot a scam. Unfortunately, some scams are a little more difficult to recognize. Enough of that for now though. I'll get into it a bit later.

First, I'd like to talk about working at home. Working at home is still working for someone else. You still have a boss, someone to answer to. You still get a paycheck. It can be more fulfilling than a traditional 9 to 5 job though, because you can work out of the comfort of your own home without having someone hover over you. You can work in your pajamas if you'd like! But, there are definitely distractions to think about. Kids, pets, neighbors, and your significant other to name a few, can keep you from getting your work done. Before you know it the day is over and you've accomplished next to nothing. You definitely have to have self-discipline or learn it real quick.

Actually finding a work at home job can be next to impossible. There are a lot of opportunities available, but keep in mind that there are also a lot more people competing for the job. Most jobs of this type are clerical, computer related, or freelance work. I've found that most require you to have extensive experience and/or a degree of some kind. The process is much like getting a traditional job. You fill out an application and/or send in a resume. If you are selected as a candidate, you will most likely have to go through a phone interview. Some companies also do background checks. After you get hired you will most likely go through a training program of some kind. Once your training is completed you will begin working on your own and receiving paychecks. Most of the companies I have seen pay once or twice a month. Also, one thing to keep in mind when looking for a work at home job is insurance and benefits. I have found a few companies that offer full benefits but the majority of them do not. Some may offer minimal benefits like vacation, but not usually insurance.

Now, if you remember anything at all about work at home jobs, remember this one thing: If a company decides to hire you to work at home for them, they should NEVER, by any means, ask for any money. Period. You should not have to pay to work for somebody.

Next, I'll go into the home based business issue. This is where you work for yourself. You have nobody but yourself to answer to. You call the shots. The opportunities are literally endless. They can be quite overwhelming when you first start your search for the perfect one. I have tried enough of these to know that there are a lot of scams out there. But, there are a lot of legitimate, profitable opportunities out there too. It's distinguishing between the two that can be tricky, but hopefully I can help.

The first thing you should do when looking for a business opportunity should be to sit down and ask yourself what you like doing. What are your hobbies/interests? What are you good at? If you like animals you could start a mobile grooming service, a pet sitting service, dog walking, or even poop scooping. If animals aren't your cup of tea, maybe people are. You could run errands for people, start a food delivery service, plan weddings, clean houses….the list goes on. If you like clerical or computer work you could write resumes, type, create a website, etc. As you can see, if you have a hobby or interest of some sort, chances are you can probably make money from it.

Or, you can hop online and find a business too. These opportunities require money and plenty of research to verify that the companies are legitimate. If you find a home based business online that you are interested in, the first thing you should do is check them out at the Better Business Bureau's site at BBB. This will tell you some general information about the company and whether or not they have a satisfactory record with the BBB. If they don't, I would personally throw the idea out the window. Next, I would go to a site like Rip Off Report and type in the name of the company you're researching. This site will tell you if people have been scammed by the company or not. I would also just do a general search of the company by typing in the name at Google or any other search engine of your choice. A lot of times you can find good information this way. You can often find people's past experiences with the company. One last thing I would do is make sure that the company's website has an address and phone number where they can be reached. If the only way of contacting them is by email, I would watch out. I wouldn't recommend investing any money into a company that I could not contact directly if there are any problems.

After you do the things listed above, you should have a general idea of whether or not the opportunity is legitimate. If you are even a little bit skeptical, I would keep searching. Trust your gut. If you find something you want to do and the company seems good, don't jump right into it. I did this a few times and it didn't work out for me. Sit down and seriously analyze the whole situation. Make sure you have the time and energy to put into it. Make sure you can keep the distractions minimal. Make sure it is something that you really want to commit yourself to. Also, keep insurance and benefits in mind. And if you're starting a business, don't forget to look into any permits or licenses you may need.

Now I will list a few sites you may want to check out when searching for these types of opportunities. Enjoy and good luck!!!

These sites have info on work at home opportunities:

• Money Making Mommy(My favorite)
• WAHM
• Real Home Employment
• Legit Work At Home

These sites are for those interested in starting a home-based business:

• Entrepreneur
• At-Home Works
• Bizy Moms
• Power Home Biz