People decide to - or need to - work from home for lots of different reasons. Losing a job, a disability incompatible with the “9-5 grind,” or caring for family members are just a few of the reasons. But what to do?
Some people are best suited for being a “home-based employee.” In recent years some U.S. business have given up on “off-shoring” their customer service call centers to the opposite side of the planet, and begun “home-shoring” or hiring people right here in the USA to handle customer service calls from their own homes and computers with very simple and inexpensive software and phone hook-ups. It is a win-win-win situation for the business, the employee and the customer. You can find access to some of that type of home based work through a program called Ignotius.
Other people would rather start their own business and run it from their home. Before that happens, some very serious self-evaluation is mandatory. If this is you, first you need to make a list of your likes and strengths, and a list of your dislikes and weaknesses.
Let’s start with dislikes and weaknesses, because it’s every bit as important to know what sort of home business to avoid as it is to know what to consider starting. If you are not good with numbers and did poorly in math in school, don’t start a bookkeeping business. If your spelling and grammar are atrocious even with spell check, you should not become a proof-reader, a greeting card writer, or send “letters from Santa.” Are you uncomfortable around kids? Don’t open a day-care center. You get the idea. Make your own list and be brutally honest.
Now for your strong points. Make a list of your skills and things you enjoy doing. Don’t overlook skills that you have always taken for granted but not everyone has. List also any interests you may have that you have acquired a lot of knowledge about over the years.
Are you organized? There are people would will pay you big bucks to help them get organized. Do you have office skills? Be a virtual assistant. Good at finding flea market bargains? Sell them on eBay. There are many types of items sold at home parties, such as candles, personal care products, home cleaning products, cosmetics, etc. Be sure to do your home work before investing money - some of these are not as easy as they would like you to believe. Spend some time on the internet or in the library doing research on any established company before joining forces with them. It will be time well spent. Do not just gloss over this; really dig deep. (Read the post before this one to see why you need to do this.)
You could also provide services to people that need them. Run errands, house-sit or dog-sit, shop, interior decorate, etc. The list is nearly endless because everyone is gifted with a unique set of skills, abilities, ambitions, and needs. The time may be now to put yours to use by starting your own unique home based business.
