Sharon's going Web 2.0
You may have seen my work at home blog, but I'm also on MySpace. Be sure to check it out and send me a friend request.

How Working At Home Is Helping Companies Go Green

Going green is becoming a priority for a lot of companies. Companies everywhere are taking steps to be more green by using solar energy, reducing employee travel, instituting recycling programs and the like. These are all positive steps, but the companies that are really leading the charge are the ones that are taking more drastic measures, like going virtual.

Dr. Mike Hollier, a contributor at the Knowledge Center wrote recently:

…for many the simple act of getting to work still contributes immensely to their personal and office carbon emissions. American commuters emit 1.3 billion tons of carbon dioxide every year on their way to and from work. While that staggering number alone should be enough to influence change, commuting also results in enormous economic losses for businesses. Time spent in the traffic jams caused by American commuters results in a loss of 3.7 billion hours of productivity every year, which translates to a $63.1 billion annual loss for American businesses due to wasted time and fuel.

In the face of these alarming statistics and the state of the economy, some companies have decided to put all or part of their workforce back at home. This move can not only have a tremendous impact on the environment, but can also cut overhead costs and bring increased productivity and decreased sick leave.

Work At Home Job Alert: Internet Girl Friday

Today I came across a very cool work at home job opportunity. The company is Internet Girl Friday, a group of Virtual Assistants that work for business owners and executives. According to the website, some of the services they provide are:

…creating blogs, wordpress installations, managing client’s facebook profiles, sending press releases, bookkeeping, arranging travel, tracking business, updating websites, sending newsletters, giving remote computer support, managing email, placing calls, setting up appts/meetings, ordering gifts/groceries online, generating new leads, researching, …all the things that hold you up from having any time leftover for yourself.

What makes IGF unique is that when someone hires them, they get more than just a Virtual Assistant. They get a whole team of people that are spread across three time zones working for them.

Work at home scammers are targeting the jobless

It’s bad enough to be one of the growing number of jobless, but to be scammed by a con artist offering a work at home job can mean complete financial ruin. Most work at home scams fall into one of two categories: The Phishing/Money Laundering type or the Pay A Fee To Get Started type.

The first type can be a straight identity theft scheme where they ask you for personal information such as your bank account numbers, social security numbers, etc. Other times it is a ploy to lure you into illegal activities like money laundering. The “employer” tells you that they will send you a wire transfer and you get to keep a certain percentage of it and wire the rest to another person (usually overseas). This is illegal and you can be held legally and financially responsible. Take the case of one online job seeker who faced jail time after responding to a work at home ad.

My Work at Home Legacy

When my father passed away, his business went with him. He wasn’t the most organized person and his business records were practically non-existent. There was really no way for us to carry on the business, or even sell it. It was such a shame. He worked so hard to build up a business only to have it evaporate into thin air.

I want my daughters to have the option of taking over my business if it fits into their lives at some point. My oldest is currently in college and my hope for her is that she finds a career that she feels passionately about. That career may or may not be conducive to telecommuting, but neither was mine. It wasn’t until I had children that my priorities shifted and I decided to quit my job and stay at home. Fifteen years ago, I wasn’t really interested in working at home. I was totally career-focused. But people change, priorities change. Even if my daughters are happy with careers outside of the home, I’d still like my business to be an option for them should their situations change.

The Financial Crisis as a Boon to the Work At Home Movement

Can an economic downturn really be good for anyone? It can if it means more people will be able to telecommute as a result.

Mike Elgan of Computerworld says that companies are looking for ways to cut costs without hurting productivity, and that telecommuting is an efficient way of doing that.

Economic downturns, painful as they are, have a tendency to force new priorities on everyone. The cost savings and efficiencies inherent in the digital nomad lifestyle can become irresistible during recessions, and so the trend in that direction is accelerating.

It’s not just companies that are looking to cut costs either. Telecommuting can reduce costs for workers such as child care, business clothing, dry cleaning, lunches out as well as commuting expenses. A priority for many is to reduce their carbon footprint and telecommuting is one of the best ways to become greener.

5 Good Reasons You Should Stop Looking For a Work at Home Job Looking for a work at home job? I'll give you 5 good reasons why you should consider starting a home business instead.

Are You Missing Your Chance to Work at Home? Have you missed the turnoff that leads to your dream of working at home? Wouldn't that be disappointing? No one likes to think that they have wasted their chance, missed their opportunity. But that's exactly what happens to many. Sometimes you can become so focused on a single-minded purpose that you miss the opportunity when it presents itself.

Identity Theft and Your Online Job Search -While identity theft is nothing new, the Web has opened up whole new world of opportunity for identity thieves.

According the FBI, identity theft is the top online fraud. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission says that identity theft is it's number one source of consumer complaints - 42 percent of all complaints, in 2001.

The thief will use your personal information to open credit card accounts, cell phone accounts, open bank accounts in your name and write bad checks-leaving the victim with the bills and ruined credit ratings. Identity thieves may pose as representatives of banks, Internet service providers and even government agencies to get you to reveal your Social Security number, mother's maiden name, financial account numbers and identifying information.

The Invisible Opportunity How would you feel if you had been searching desperately for something, some magic solution to a problem, and come to find out it was right there in front of you the whole time-- you just failed to see it?

For many searching for a way to work from home, this is exactly what they're doing.

There is a common misconception out there that's preventing alot of people from realizing their dreams of working at home. Is it holding you back too?

Cereal Mom I recently heard a woman say that being called a "work at home mom" was professionally demeaning. Being one myself, my initial reaction was to agree with her. "That's right, I'm a professional, I'm not just a bored housewife dabbling with a hobby here," I said to myself.

Finding the Way Home Whether running a business or telecommuting, working at home takes tremendous discipline, self-motivation and creative problem-solving skills. You don't have co-workers or your supervisor down the hall, and often when problems arise you have to deal with them on your own.

So, what are some of the first steps you can take to find your way? Here are some exercises that you can do that can help to clarify your goals:

All In The Perspective Today I almost rented an office. I know, I know. How on earth could I ever consider giving up working at home? Well, I did say, "almost". But there are days when an office looks pretty darn good.

3 Secrets to Landing a Home-Based Position Landing a telecommute position isn't easy. Finding them in the first place is like looking for a needle in a haystack. Then, when you finally do find one that looks promising, it's filled before you can even click on "apply for this job".

But it's not all bad news. There are three very important rules that you should follow when pursuing a telecommute job. If you do, your chances of getting hired will be much greater. If you break them, your chances are about as good as winning the lottery.

Is Your Business Running YOU? I lost a client recently. When I asked why he was making a change he said to me, "Your site used to be in the top three results of all the search engines and now it's not". Alarmed, I immediately investigated. He was right. It was then that I realized that I had dropped the ball. I hadn't even looked at my search engine results for a couple of months. I hadn't been marketing my business.

The Fear Factor My brother-in-law is in the process of starting a home business. In fact, he's been in the process of starting it for over 2 years now. It seems that Bill (that's not really his name, but I don't want to embarrass him), is afraid to take the big step. This is an all to common situation among would-be business owners. But should we really let fear come between us and our dreams?

Remind Me Again Why I Do This... Why do I do this? Why don't I work in an office, like normal people do?

Assisting You Virtually- How Virtual Assistants are changing the face of the workplace. Virtual Assistants, or VA's are changing the way we do business. Not only is this field growing tremendously, but it's offering employers and business owners alike an attractive new alternative to hiring employees.

The Reluctant Entrepreneur It seems odd to think of a person opening a shop, knowing that they're not at all interested in selling or in face-to-face interaction with customers. But that's exactly what many Internet business owners have done. And they've done it well.

Is Working At Home Really For You? I remember what it was like when I was still working away from home. I remember all too clearly how desperate I was to quit my job and stay home with my children. It was my mission in life.