Before I get into the main, if you are in the US and looking for work from home positions, the agency I currently work for is hiring and always accepting resumes.
My first post generated the most views on my page. If within 1-2 months of this post you’re looking for a work from home position, leave a comment/send a message/etc. and I can get you in touch with my manager for possible openings.
I work for both ADT and NYC311 from home. Inbound calls, easy relay of information.
I mentioned in the Working from Home post how I had unrealistic ideas about working from home and I want to address that in this post. I’m sure you know all the pros for working at home. I’m just going to share and express how reality differed from my expectations of working from home.
- Unless you are freelance or working for a 24/7 call center, the hours really aren’t that flexible. Plenty of times I was stuck with the same 9-5 office hours because that’s just generally when businesses operate.
- It’s more work than working in an actual office. You have to be 100% self motivated and nonplused by distractions: TV, games, YouTube, roommates, etc. “To do two things at once is to do neither.” Multitasking may seem easy to manage, but it’s important to maintain the same behaviors and ethics you would in the office.
- Sitting in your pajamas all day is really not all it’s cracked up to be. Of course there are pajama days, but overall it’s better if you wake up early and get ready for your day as if you were going into work in person. It sets the tone and is better for your mood. Staying home in front of a computer all day and truly drive you stir-crazy.
- Apply, apply, tweak your resume, and apply again. Honestly, you have to continuously apply. Everyone is eager to have an online job. It’s very competitive. You need to apply and stand out out from the crowd.
- Call centers and sales. Those are the main jobs available and if you want to work from home you have to be okay with that, at least in the beginning. If you really want to break away from call centers and 9-5, spend some time acquiring certification and training so that you can freelance or even start your own business from home.
Honestly, my biggest misconceptions about working from home would be that it is an easy lazy job I can do in bed and make a decent wage. In reality, if that’s the attitude you have, you would be lucky to make minimum wage. Work is work and unless/until you find a way to work for yourself, it will always be so. I love my jobs and they pay well but as a working adult I need to give it my all.
Again, this may be things you already know. I just wanted to share this portion of my journey with anyone who would listen (and it seems like some are).
Thank you for reading. My next post will be next week.
Muffin and Tea 