I am approached time and time again from people who follow WAH Adventures and other related sites faithfully. They are applying to jobs consistently and yet months later they are still seeking. What are they doing wrong? How are others finding plenty of work but they just can’t catch a break?
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There are several reasons so many people fall into this rut. Some reasons can be blamed on the person and others are more situational:
Some people foil their own plans.It would seem many people have conflicting truths. Part of them wants to work and make a living from home. But at the same time, part of them has major doubts. They are not sure they really qualify for the jobs, not really wanting to give up their freedom, some don’t really feel comfortable giving up their out-of-home job security and many are just not confident enough to pursue even the jobs they are given!
Some people are looking for too much out of a work at home job! I have had a lot of people in search of specific job types contact me. Many of those people were looking for such a specific job that it was no wonder they had not found anything after their months of searching. Once these people get desperate enough they start choosing the requirements that are most important and learn they must let go of some to gain some.
Some people are not representing themselves well. Working from home online puts us all into this virtual and digital world. This new world is a bit different from the real world. While calling to check on your application in the three-dimensional world might earn you a few brownie points. However, many virtual companies will dismiss you immediately if they are burdened by your calls. Emailing is a much more preferred way to contact work at home companies.
Also, many of people do not have a resume that is effectively representing themselves. A resume is all that stands in their place to these companies. I can not express the value of having a well-written and visually appealing resume when looking for work from home. Use the resources you have at your fingertips:
- Microsoft offers Word based templates you can use as a basis for your resume.
- There are many websites and blogs around the web sharing resume tips and advice.
- Or you can use services like Shanae from FingerPaintDesigns to revamp your resume. Shanae even offers a discount to her Facebook Followers when you place your order through Facebook instead of her site!
If you are one of those people who cannot seem to find the right work at home job– make sure you are not foiling your own plans, are flexible where you can be and that you are representing yourself professionally. Give it time. I have applied for places that did not respond until nearly a year later!
Be sure to follow my brand new site where I am posting the job leads to get the most up-to-date information on home based companies looking for workers.
Related Posts:
- What I Have Learned About Resume Writing
- Things to Consider When Deciding to Work From Home
- Find Your Next Work From Home Job with MomCorps
- What to Wear When You Work at Home
- Work from Home Ideas for People in Different Professions
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excellent post Miranda. “Some people are looking for too much out of a work at home job!” OMGoodness AMEN for that!!!! I’m trying to get someone now to understand this very point. I’m so emailing her right now this blog post. I also think some folks have a unrealistic idea that working from home is going to be super easy and they can make all the money they want and be their own supervisors etc. They don’t see that there are challenges to working from home some very unexpected ones at that. Overall I enjoy the fact that since 2007 I have been able to work from home. What a wonderful blessing to have.
Tracey it is funny because originally I touched on that too…how so many people are asking how they can make an extra thousand a month by just logging in a few times a week…c’mon!? I am not sure how so many people got the idea that working online means making money by not working.??.
Miranda, this is a wonderful post! As you know, I see all types of resumes on a regular basis. One of the most popular discrepancies that I see is professionals selling themselves short. 99% of my customers have EXCELLENT skills, but their resume fail to allow them to shine.
Additionally, I do a lot of resumes where the customer wants to focus on working from home AND working outside the home. When you do both, you can’t really dedicate the time it takes to be successful “totally from home”. So I definitely agree with your mention of conflicting truths.
Great post!
Miranda,
You hit the nail on the head. I become so frustrated with people who I don’t think really want to work. They start defeating themselves in the beginning but saying I will only work 5 hrs a day but I won’t work for less than 12 an hour. Despite the fact that they have no skills or experience. I think at times they like to say they want to work, not actually do it.
I came to realize that no job will be the “Perfect Job” for me unless I’m actually working for myself. I’m dreamed of starting a business for as long as I can remember so until my dream becomes a reality i’ll just have to be comfortable with whatever job that pays the bills for the time being.
Ditto everyone else. So many people think working at home should be easy & don’t get that they will (or at least should) be spending their time working to earn money. It’s not just drinking coffee while playing on the computer all day. Then they get freaked out by the whole idea of it once they see something applied for isn’t exactly what they had in mind, so they start pursuing something else and again get frustrated. It’s a never ending cycle for so many.
The number one thing I see people failing to do, when looking for work from home, is persisting. You have to keep putting those resumes out there, keep haunting the work-at-home forums, and keep searching. Finding a work-at-home job isn’t necessarily easy. But it’s definitely worth it!
And may I just add to this conversation>>> Do not try to get me to TALK you into working from home or pursuing a job! Too many times I am hounded and hounded about helping someone with a job and the moment they get it…they get scared and seem to expect me to convince them they should pursue it!
Miranda, all of these are very true facts. I can’t tell you enough of how appreciative I am of you!!!
This is a great topic you touched on. I find too that people often over complicate working at home and applying for the home jobs. One thing that was frustrating with sending back reports for the work at home assessment on my site was that I found the people with little to no skills were the most picky(didn’t want a phone job, didn’t want to write, etc.) and with the more skilled people, they actually were very open. So much of finding a good work at home fit depends on what a person has to offer instead of just what they have to gain.